Author Guest Post: Brenda Pandos (The Emerald Talisman Blog Tour)

Today, I am excited to have Brenda Pandos, the author of the debut novel THE EMERALD TALISMAN, stopping by to talk a little about her inspiration, supporters and writing, for her blog tour hosted by the lovely Eleni at La Femme Readers. Thank you so much Brenda for stopping by!

Check out all the stops on the Blog Tour HERE.

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INSPIRATION?

Success stories inspire me. Not the ones where the person just happens to be at the right place at the right time, but the ones who struggle, get knocked down, get up again and keep going. The underdog who everyone said couldn’t do it and overcame all kinds of obstacles to achieve their dream. And when they do make it, stay humble in their success. Those stories grab me, propel me and give me goosebumps.
At first, I wrote to escape. I’m super motivated by fun. If I don’t have anything fun to think about or look forward to, I wither away. When my son’s ASD diagnosis hit the scene, my husband and I were shell shocked and life stopped. We simplified, we analyzed, we researched, we clung to each other. We did everything we could do to get our son help. Then, two months later, his little brother was born. Life was just crazy. I quit my job and became a SAHM (which I didn’t mind), became utterly exhausted, and had lots of people come into my home all day long to work with my oldest. Lots of change. I needed something fun to think about during the mundane routine of our day. I read a little fiction (which I hadn’t done for a long time), watched TV (which I had to fight my kids over) but a bio from a famous author got my creative juices flowing and I decided to write my own love/fantasy story. That’s where The Emerald Talisman was born. My characters fed my soul, gave me happiness and brought the fun back to me and my friends who read my (very crappy) first chapters. Then, I was writing for them.
Now I write because my fans want a sequel. That’s super motivating and exciting for me. It’s such an honor to know that my world was also a thrilling and wonderful escape for some body else. There’s no other compliment than for readers to fall in love with your characters and believe in them too!


SUPPORTERS?

My husband is my biggest supporter. Even though he doesn’t read fiction, he supports me emotionally (I’m pretty emotional). So, for hubby to patiently listen to me read him lines of text, freak out (in a good way) one minute and then get discouraged the next, he needs sainthood or something. But he always reminds me of what’s important and helps me pull it together and keep going. His love is the wind beneath my wings.
My best friend and other online friends read my fledgling chapters, praised them and told me to keep going (even if they fudged a little in their enthusiasm). That made me want to be a better storyteller. My editor became my biggest supporter of my growth during editing. She took me under her wing and nudged me along step by step with loads of encouragement. I wrote to get the “great line” comments in my story.


DO YOU THINK WRITING HAS A PHYSICAL AS WELL AS AN EMOTIONAL EFFECT ON A PERSON?

Oh boy, does it ever. My kids are pieces of my heart, running around outside my body. My book feels like the same thing. A writer really puts themselves on the line when they open themselves and let others read what’s inside. Even my mother, who knows me almost as well as my husband does, said she learned new things about me when reading my manuscript. We are like peas and carrots, so that’s truly amazing.
And when I get another great review, I dance around the kitchen and get teary. :)

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ABOUT BRENDA PANDOS
Brenda Pandos lives in Carmichael, California with her husband and two energetic children. Shortly after the birth of her second son, Brenda's oldest was diagnosed with an ASD that turned her world upside-down. Her life became round the clock feedings with a newborn and a daily stream of tutors working to help her toddler. She craved a meaningful escape.

The main concepts of THE EMERALD TALISMAN came to her in the wee hours of the morning as she reminisced the good old days when she lived with her best friend in the Santa Cruz Mountains. As a young girl, Brenda was a hopeless romantic, constantly lost in a fantasy world in her backyard of knights on white horses, mermaids and evil villains. As a teen, shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Interview with a Vampire intrigued her. With the encouragement of a friend after writing one chapter, she continued on to complete her first manuscript.

THE EMERALD TALISMAN is a compilation of what the author would like to happen if she ever encountered a real vampire.

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Visit Brenda Pandos on her website(s):
-Website
-Blog
-Twitter
-Facebook
-Goodreads

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AVAILABLE NOW!

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Published: March 23, 2010
Publisher: Obsidian Mountain Publishing

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

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Get THE EMERALD TALISMAN now in stores at:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble

COMING DECEMBER 2010!


THE SAPPHIRE TALISMAN