Please help me give a big Hoosblog welcome to Joey Paul!
Joey is 39, disabled, a multi-award-winning indie author and a graduate with a BA (Hons) in Health & Social Care. She loves to write and is at the moment working on her next two books, as well as preparing her next two books for publication. She started writing when she was medically retired from her job at the age of 19. Her first book was released in 2005 and after a brief time away, her second one was released in 2011. In addition to writing books, she also enjoys reading them and can often be found resting in bed with a good book, with a cat or two on her lap.
Tell us about your book!
Lights Off is the third book in the Lights Out trilogy and is young adult dystopian! The whole series came from a single idea of what would it be like if everyone stopped ageing at 25, and every life came to an end at 60, and the trilogy spawned from there!
Here’s the blurb:
War happens in the blink of an eye. And it kills without hesitation.
With the King’s reign threatened, he will do whatever it takes to end the war and bring peace to his people. Only he has no qualms about sacrificing anyone who gets in his way.
Lock and Clara, together with the Evendown rebels, have a part to play in making sure the war ends with their side as victorious. The only thing they can do is train to fight and act as a safe haven for people joining the war.
Border crossings, an alliance with Raildown and Cardown, and the threat of death and destruction fill everyone’s minds. Lock has one job, to stay alive and keep her cityship in the war.
Peace takes time. The question is, do they have the time to wait? Or will the King continue his reign of terror?
Buy Lights Off: ebook | Print
Now for the fun stuff!
What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?
I think my favourite genre to read has to be crime/mystery and occasionally thrillers, but I’m the kind of person who can read pretty much anything if it sounds interesting to me. I write a lot of genres, and love to read all over the same ones, depending on the mood I’m in. I do love YA still even at my age, and I love the way the category has evolved over the years.
Hey, none of this ‘even at my age’ nonsense! I’m older than you and ADORE reading YA! 😛
What’s your favorite part about writing?
I love writing first drafts, love getting to explore a new story idea and characters, or continue an older one within a series. I just find it very exciting that I can take this idea in my head and make it into a reality. I joke with my friends that I get to lie for a living, and I really do enjoy that part of it, the creating, the act of building something from nothing.
That is my favorite part of writing as well. I love being surprised by my characters and seeing where they take the story.
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
That has to be the editing process. It’s not that the people I work with aren’t amazing, just that me personally finds it hard to tear things apart. I go through multiple rounds of revisions, and betas and the like, and even then I really do struggle with it as a whole. I have found that it gets easier as time goes on, so I’ll be really nervous starting out, and then as it moves through each stage, I get my love for the story back, my confidence back and all of that.
Again, same. Editing is definitely the most tedious and difficult part for me.
What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?
This is a hard one for me, because I’m disabled, and right now with the plague still ongoing, I don’t really get out much. The only non-writing related thing I do most of the time is read, and even then that feels a little bit of a cheat. I do play with my kitties, so maybe that counts!
I’m so glad you have your kitties! Also, I think you’re the first person I’ve heard refer to this as the plague and it’s SO ACCURATE.
Who’s your biggest cheerleader?
That would have to be my two best friends, B and Kim, both of them are great at letting me know that I’m gonna get there, talking through plot holes and the like, and taking my stories and doing the work with them. Both have been around for years, and both have supported me throughout.
Those are the best friends to have!
Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!
Introvert or extrovert? Introvert, I think it’s one good thing about being disabled and stuck at home, I don’t require much interaction, and can get my energy from books and snuggles with the kitties.
Morning or night person? I’ve been both, but right now I am very much a morning person. I wake before 5am every day without an alarm, and get to work then.
Coffee or tea? Tea, but I’m also allergic to coffee, so I don’t have a choice there!
Sweet or salty? Depends on my mood, but generally speaking sweet, just need that sugar boost!
Eternal summer or four seasons? Four seasons! I live in the UK and we’re pretty much okay ninety percent of the year because it rains so much, and while I like the sun, my health suffers in too much heat, so I wouldn’t last in an eternal summer!
Mountains or beach? Beach, but only because that’s likely to be a little more accessible.
Dogs or cats? Cats, we have five of them, and while I like dogs, I just don’t have the ability to care for one properly, and cats are self sufficient and drool less!
Over 5’5” or under? Being a full-time wheelchair user, height is never really something that matters to me since I’m always sitting anyway, so gonna go with under!
Left or right-handed? Right-handed!
Hoodie or yoga pants? Can I have both? If I have to choose, hoodie all the way!
I’m in awe of people who naturally wake up that early. My internal clock goes off around 8:30am.
Joey, thank YOU much for spending this time with me and my readers. I’ve enjoyed this so much! Readers, you can find Joey at these links—and be sure to check out Lights Off and the entire series!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Buy Lights Off: ebook | Print
If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.
