Interview: Colina Brennan

 I'm excited to add a new feature to my blog today- an author interview with debut New Adult author Colina Brennan!

 About Colina

Where were you born and where do you call home?

I was born in Asia, but I’ve made my home in the Midwest. At least for now. I’d love to move to the coast (either end) someday.

What writers inspire you?

Gayle Foreman, Katie McGarry, Lauren Oliver, and Jessica Park. I also enjoy Colleen Hoover and Cora Carmack.

Book for a long journey?

Probably something sweet, not too heavy on angst or heat. Maybe something like The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

I don’t mind either way, but I find I read faster with traditional paper/hard back books.

About Writing

How do you plan your books?
I’m a dedicated outliner. My outlines can go for as long as forty pages because they’re so detailed.

Do you know how a book will end as you start writing it?

Yep. I like to know exactly what I’m aiming for.

Do you plan an entire series, or take it book-by-book?

Book by book. Although I should really plan a series out more carefully because I hate not knowing where it’s headed.

How are you publishing your book and why did you choose this route?

I decided to go Indie with this book because I love having creative control of every part of the process. I can create my own cover, pick my own deadlines, organize my own promotion, and not have to worry about putting everything through the approval of a publisher first.

About New Adult

What first drew you to New Adult?

I didn’t get to experience a lot of what the typical college-aged person goes through because I got married my freshman year and then had a child the beginning of my sophomore year. So I love reading about this time in people’s lives and being able to enjoy those experiences safely through the pages instead.

Why did you want to write a New Adult book?

Little did I know I’ve been writing New Adult for years, well before New Adult was a thing. So I’m glad it has finally gotten the recognition it most definitely deserves.

What does “New Adult” mean to you?

New Adult encompasses that time in your life when you’re trying to find your way in a world where you’re no longer a child but you’re not quite an adult yet either. Discovering how to be completely independent can be daunting—some people fail and others flourish. Either way, it’s bound to be filled with accomplishments and missteps and plenty of quiet adventures.

What would you love to see next in New Adult?

The growth of other genres. I’d love to see it explode in the same way Young Adult has. 

What's next

What are you working on at the minute?

Too many things. Several novels in different genres and a couple short stories.

 

Addicted to You

When twenty-one-year-old Leah Carter's latest one night stand burglarizes her apartment, her roommate forces her to attend therapy for sex addicts. Leah insists she isn't a sex addict; she just doesn't do relationships. After all, sooner or later, everyone lets you down.
At first, the group sessions are little more than an education on how to be promiscuous. Until she meets the newest addict—blue eyes, killer body, and a smile that tempts relapse.
Psychology student Will McLean is posing as a fellow addict while researching a case study on unusual addictions. But the more he learns about Leah, the more certain he is that his desire to break through her walls and unearth her secrets has nothing to do with his assignment.
As the uncertainties spike alongside the sexual tension, the only thing Leah knows for sure is that falling in love would be disastrous. Too bad love might be one addiction she can't kick.

About Addicted to You

What your book is about in 140 characters or less.

Addicted to You is about Leah, who has no interest in love because she's convinced everyone eventually lets you down. Then she meets Will. Dun dun dun! :P

Is this book part of a series?

Yes. There will be a second novel in the Addicted to You universe, which will focus on a separate couple

What was your favourite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Probably the scene where Leah and her brother run into Will at the party. A lot of things happen between the beginning of the night and the end of it, and it was fun writing about how their relationship subtly shifts.

How did you pick the cover?

I designed the cover for Addicted to You myself, and I spent weeks pouring over images to find one that spoke to me. Once I finally found it, I played around with where to place the title and that was that :)

Leave us with a teaser/quote from your book?

“Will would show her that he was an addiction worth keeping.”

 
Thank you Colina Brennan for asking the questions and to New Leaf Literacy for giving me the chance to do this interview as part of their Addicted to New Adult feature!

Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx