1. JOYRIDE is a completely different genre from your last series. Was it easier or harder writing a contemporary novel versus a paranormal/fantasy?
Surprisingly it was more difficult to write contemporary. In
fantasy, I can create my own rules and my own boundaries, but writing in real
life setting is somewhat restrictive—and so real that sometimes my heart ached
for the characters. I can’t give my characters special powers to deal with
obstacles—they have to find their own inner strength and gumption to come out
on top. That was rewarding to write.
2. JOYRIDE also deals with the very relevant
issues of citizenship and deportation - what inspired you to write about these
things and add them to Carly's story?
When I was a waitress, I used to work with some undocumented
immigrants from Mexico. As I grew to know them, they shared with me their
stories and struggles. Just getting in the US is amazingly difficult and
dangerous, and you’re not safe once you get here. Families are separated all
the time, depending on what circumstances surround the deportation.
Carly’s story came to because these undocumented immigrants
I’d worked with? They were the most reliable, hard-working people I knew. I
wondered what it would be like to be a teenager, caught between wanting to
start your life but also wanting to stay loyal and true to family tradition.
Family is important in this culture, and it’s not an easy thing to blow off
everything one has been taught. And it shouldn’t be easy.
3. If you were on a roller derby
team, who would you want on your team - Arden or Carly?
Carly. Arden would
probably not take any good shots because I’m a girl, but Carly would give me a
run for my money, if not an elbow to the nose. Bloody noses make everything
more interesting!
4. What was your favorite part
about writing JOYRIDE?
I loved writing about
the pranks. It brought my characters a sort of relief in the book, and for me
personally as the writer, it gave me a break from writing a book dealing with
such serious issues, like racism, immigration, and human smuggling. Plus I
wanted them to be a sort of Robin Hood meets Bonnie & Clyde, where they
prank the rich in circumstances on behalf of the poor in circumstances. I think no matter what, my funs expect me to
be funny, and I hope I accomplished that for them in JOYRIDE with all the
pranking. J
5. So now you've tackled mermaids
and contemporary - what does Anna Banks have in store for readers next and when
can we expect to have it in our hands?
I have an Egyptian YA Fantasy coming out next year called
NEMESIS. Here’s what it’s about:
A Serubelan princess who possesses the power to create
energy escapes her father, who wishes to weaponize it, only to be captured by
Theoria, her father’s nemesis kingdom, where she discovers that her powers could be
used to fight a terrible plague.
I also have an adult romantic comedy coming out through
Entangled called HOW TO LOSE A BACHELOR. It’s How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
meets The Bachelor Show. They have a past. She’ll do everything in her power to
be voted off the show. He’ll never vote her off in a million years. The world
is watching!
Thanks so much for having me! J
If any of your readers would like a signed book mark or bookplate for JOYRIDE
please email me at byannabanks@gmail.com.
This off is open internationally.
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Author Links/Info
- Add Joyride to your to-read list on Goodreads.
- Join in on social media with #Joyride.
- Visit Anna’s website and follow her on Twitter!
Full Blog Tour Schedule
May 7- The Reader Bee
May 8- A Perfection Called Books
May 9- The Young Folks
May 10- Love Is Not a Triangle
May 11- The Eater of Books
May 12- Xpresso Reads
May 13- WhoRU Blog
May 14- Bewitched Bookworms
May 15- A Book and A Latte
May 16- Green Bean Teen Queen
May 17- Gone With The Words
May 18-Bumbles and Fairytales
May 19-Fiktshun
May 20-Curling Up With A Good Book
May 21-Swoony Boys Podcast
May 22-A Reader’s Adventure
May 23-The Irish Banana
May 24-Exlibris Kate
May 25-Love At First Page
May 26-Adventures of a Book Junkie
May 27-Dana Square
May 28-Rather Be Reading
May 29-Paper Riot
May 30-Mundie Moms
May 31-Mary Had A Little Book Blog
June 1-Alice Marvels
June 2- MacTeenBooks Blog
I'd love to take a road trip and visit all the most fun rollercoasters around the US!
ReplyDeleteCarolina M on rafflecopter
I'd love to take a road trip to Nashville, TN!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'd like to take a whole road trip throughout Europe one day, maybe with a bunch of my close friends. :3 Always a dream I have had.
ReplyDeleteI would love to road trip to California, Florida, or any southern state! Thank you for this amazing chance! :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to road trip from the east coast to Jackson Hole, WY.
ReplyDeleteI would love to road trip from Washington to California.
ReplyDeleteI have road tripped from PA to Las Vegas once, which was pretty fantastic. Now, I would like to go from PA to San Francisco, taking the northern route to see that part of the country!
ReplyDelete