AUTHOR CRUSH FRIDAY: GLORIA CRAW
Glitter girls, you have pressing questions for your favorite authors and we have their answers. Welcome to our new weekly segment, Author Crush Fridays.
We love asking questions and we love the answers from some of our favorite authors. Today we’re talking to Gloria Craw, author of Atlantis Rising (January 6, 2015; Entangled Teen). Thank you for talking to us today, Gloria! We’re honored!
GLITTER: How did you come up with the plot for Atlantis Rising?
GLORIA: When I started writing Atlantis Rising, my plot wasn’t fully formulated. I’d had a concept kicking around in my mind since college when I took a course on undersea archaeology. Discussions about Atlantis were part of that, and I found the whole thing fascinating. So, when I sat down to write, I knew where I wanted my story to start and had a good idea of how I wanted it to end. I went on faith that I’d figure out the ups and downs of the plot as I went along. I think there’s a phrase in the industry for this writing approach. It’s called flying by the seat of your pants. The great thing about it was that the story came together in a way that surprised me as much as I hope it does the reader.
GLITTER: If you could describe Atlantis Rising, how would you describe it?
GLORIA: Atlantis Rising is the story of Alison McKye, a girl who will do anything to protect the adoptive human family she’s come to love. She has enormous power and deadly abilities but doesn’t understand how to use them to their full potential. Then she meets Ian Palmer. As he teaches her to fight, she becomes increasingly attracted to him but having been abandoned as a child, she struggles to trust anyone’s commitment to her. The story is about Alison’s journey toward acceptance of the difficult situations life puts her in and how she comes out stronger because of them. It’s the tale of girl who has great courage, and who commits to give everything, even her life if necessary, in order to protect her family and new friends.
GLITTER: Who was your favorite character to write and why?
GLORIA: Of course, I loved writing my heroine, Alison, but writing Lillian was so much fun. Lillian is grumpy and rude without realizing it, and her dialogue made me laugh out loud sometimes. Her character turns out to have surprising depth too. Uncovering that was bittersweet for me. I hope the reader will be amused by the way she says things, and ultimately they’ll see how deeply she’s hurting. Then hopefully they’ll understand and love her as much as I do.
GLITTER: How different is your book from Anna Banks series?
GLORIA: I would say it’s quite different. The characters in Atlantis Rising look human and live on land. They were never mermaids or mermen. Their connection to the ocean is more symbolic of their ties to the island of Atlantis where their ancestors lived.
GLITTER: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
GLORIA: I had a writer friend look at an early draft of one of my manuscripts. He said it was a great story with great characters, but didn’t follow form. That made me question myself. I didn’t have a degree in English or Creative Writing. I had a degree in Anthropology. I started to wonder if I had the background to write. This criticism bothered me for about a week. Then I decided I wasn’t going to give up no matter what anyone said. I started to educate myself a little more on writing style, and now I can say, that I have an understanding of form, and more importantly, I tell a pretty good story.
GLITTER: What has been the best compliment you’ve ever received?
GLORIA: The best compliment I’ve received didn’t come in words. It came when I gave my daughter a copy of Atlantis Rising, and she couldn’t stop reading until she finished it. That she loved the book that much means the world to me.
GLITTER: What is one thing your fans might not know about you?
GLORIA: I love to drive really…really fast. Especially on curvy roads. Don’t try that at home please.
GLITTER: What are you working on now?
GLORIA: I’m finishing up the second book in the Children of Atlantis series and having a blast doing it. It should go to edits in a few months.
Gloria Craw grew up in the desert southwest, inspired every day by the wide skies and rich colors around her. After high school, she attended the University of Utah where she majored and got a degree in anthropology. These days, she lives in the ‘burbs’ just outside of Seattle, Washington where she is the shepherd of a husband, four daughters and a very hairy dog. www.gloriacraw.com
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