Interview with T.M. Franklin

 Grace: Hello, T.M. I'm very excited that you're here with us today! 

Congratulations on your newly-published novel, MORE! Let's begin with you telling us a little about yourself.

Thank you so much! Let’s see, I’m a wife and mother of two boys. My background is in journalism and I worked in TV news for nine years before leaving to stay home with my kids when my youngest was born. I did some freelance writing after that and got my real estate license, but continued to write whenever I could find the time.

Grace: I enjoyed reading MORE. It's paranormal with a little science fiction. What inspired you to write it?

I’ve always been fascinated by the mention of the Nephilim in the Bible, in the book of Genesis. Nobody’s actually sure who they were, but the Bible talks about “sons of God” who went to “daughters of men” and had children with them. This was evidently a very bad thing, because it was one of the reasons God decided to destroy the wickedness in the world with the Great Flood.

The Nephilim were also referred to as powerful – giants by some – so the idea of these apparent super-humans and the forbidden relationship with humans led to the concept of the Race and the Half-Breeds. That was the original inspiration of MORE.

Grace: It must be exhilarating to finally have your book release. Can you share with us some of the challenges you faced in getting your first book published?

Well, the first challenge was actually getting the book ready for publication – working with my editing team to clean it up and make sure it was as good as it could get. It’s a stressful thing to sign off that final approval on the manuscript. There’s no turning back after that!

On top of that, I find the biggest challenge is getting people interested in reading the book. There are SO many authors out there pushing SO many books that it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. It’s not easy to find a way to stand out.

Grace: Some of the characters in MORE have enhanced abilities. If I were to choose an enhanced/supernatural power, it would be the ability to teleport! I love the idea of going from one place to another in a blink of an eye. What power would you choose and why?

I’ve always thought it would be cool to be able to fly. I dream of flying a lot. I’m not sure what that means, but it’s always a lot of fun. It would give you such an amazing perspective on the world. There may actually be a character with some kind of flying ability at some point in the MORE trilogy, actually.

Grace: I really loved the world you created in your story. Was there a particular chapter or scene that was your favorite to write?

I really enjoyed writing the scene in Council chamber when Ava comes into her own and gets a little payback against Tiernan. (Trying not to spoil anything here!) That was a lot of fun.

Grace: I am now eager to read anything you bring to your fans! Can you tell us anything about what you're working on next?

I actually just finished up a short story that I hope will be published in an upcoming anthology. It’s more of a romance than MORE, but also with a touch of paranormal. Then, after the launch of MORE, I’ll get back to writing its sequel. It comes out in November of next year, so it’s time to get cracking!

Now for the fun questions:

I know you love to bake! What is your favorite thing to bake?

Crème Brûlée! I have an easy recipe that’s SO good. I could eat the whole thing by myself!

Have you read anything good lately?

I recently read Divergent and Insurgent, by Veronica Roth and loved them. I can’t wait for the third installment in that series! I also finally read Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. I loved Anna and the French Kiss, and Lola was fantastic as well!

What TV shows do you like to watch?

I’m addicted to Sons of Anarchy. It’s one of the few shows my husband and I both enjoy, actually. It’s bloody and violent and sometimes it makes me scream at the TV, but I love it! I also watch a lot of Food Network. Now THAT drives my husband crazy! I also like Lost Girl, Merlin, The Voice, ALL of the Real Housewives – I have very eclectic taste when it comes to my television!

MORE

By T.M. Franklin 

Is Available now from TWCS Publishing House

 

More by T.M. Franklin

Ava Michaels used to think she was special.

As a child, she fantasized about having magical powers . . . making things happen. But Ava grew up and eventually accepted the fact that her childish dreams were just that, and maybe a normal life wasn't so bad after all.

Now a young college student, Ava meets Caleb Foster, a brilliant and mysterious man who’s supposed to help her pass Physics, but in reality has another mission in mind. What he shows Ava challenges her view of the world, shaking it to its very core.

Because Caleb isn't quite what he seems. In fact, he's not entirely human, and he's not the only one.

Together, the duo faces a threat from an ancient race bound to protect humans, but only after protecting their own secrets—secrets they fear Ava may expose. Fighting to survive, Ava soon learns she's not actually normal . . . she's not even just special.  She's a little bit more.

Grace's Review!

Are you ready for a paranormal adventure?

For Young Adult readers who like mystery and suspense of the paranormal variety, author T.M. Franklin offers a bright and extraordinary story in her original debut novel, MORE.

When college freshman Ava Michaels meets her physics tutor, she has no idea that her life, as she knows it, would change forever. Caleb Foster is more than just a brilliant mind, in fact, he is more than what he seems. He was sent on a mission, and it all has to do with Ava.

Full of twists and unexpected turns, MORE is certainly a page turner! In the beginning, my mind was going crazy trying to figure out what or who Caleb is. Why is he there? Exactly who are the bad guys? Every time I thought I had things figured out, Franklin then spun me around in a different direction. So sneaky! When the truth finally comes out, the suspense then continues until the very end.

Franklin creates a captivating world in her story. It is both futuristic and supernatural. There are a lot of details in laying down the foundation for this world. There is much potential for this series to go in many directions. The first book has many interesting secondary characters that I hope we'll get to see again in next installments. As for Ava and Caleb, their bond gradually forms as Ava finds out she is not so ordinary. Things are left on a very sweet note for them with hope for more!

Watch out for this one, folks! Many thanks to T.M. Franklin and TWCS for sending me an ARC.

MORE releases October 4, 2012.