Emerald City book tour: interview w/ Alicia Leppert

This blog tour is presented by Cedar Fort Publishing.
You can see the tour schedule and more information by clicking HERE

First to introduce the author

About this author

I always knew I wanted to be a writer, ever since Career Day in first grade when I walked around carrying a notebook and pencil. Twenty-some odd years later, after a short stint in high school where I dreamed of being an actress, a whirlwind Internet romance including a blind proposal that led to a fairytale wedding and two pretty-near perfect kids, my lifelong dream came to fruition with my first novel, Emerald City. I live with my small brood in my beloved hometown of Pasco, which is located in the only part of Washington state that isn't green. When I'm not writing, I can be found decorating novelty cakes and taking naps--my other two passions. Visit her on aliciakleppert.com  or stalk her on twitter @alicialeppert

Now for the interview

What inspired you to write Emerald City?

I always knew I wanted to write a really good, dramatic love story. I tried several different settings and situations and just wasn't feeling it. One night after a lot of brainstorming I started to toy with the idea of adding a fantasy element to it. Suddenly, the idea for Emerald City just popped into my head and I knew I had my book: a love story with a paranormal twist that takes place in modern-day Seattle.


Who is the artist[s], fanboying here! Lol

My gorgeous cover was created by Brian, the brilliant designer at Cedar Fort Publishing. He had very little information about my book to go off of, and I had such an idea in my head of how I wanted it to be that I was really nervous it wouldn't come out right. But when they sent me my cover, I almost cried because it was like he tore the picture out of my head, it was so perfect. To this day I get tons of compliments on my cover and I have to give him 100% of the credit!


Wat was youre favr scene[s] to write in  Emerald City?

Well, I'm a die-hard romantic, so my favorite scenes were always the romantic ones between Jude and Olivia. The first kiss, the first little hints at attraction, the intimate conversations, etc. I would find my heart pounding in my chest as I wrote some of them. Also, the first scene, with Olivia, was very personal and emotional for me to write, and I felt like I was there, experiencing it with her, so that was a favorite as well. I enjoy writing the raw, gritty, intense scenes as much as I do the lovey-dovey ones.


Do you have a set routine when you are writing? Are you a plotter or just write what the characters feel like to saying? [to me all characters are like real people]

All characters should be like real people, if the writing is good! They certainly are to me! As far as a routine, not really. I've never been much of a routine person. I wrote whenever I felt like it, and didn't write sometimes for long periods of time when I wasn't feeling it. I know most authors say a writer should write something every day, but I found I couldn't force it or my writing was crap. I had an outline for the first three-fourths of my story that I did stick to for the most part, but I honestly didn't know how the ending was going to end until I was actually writing it. The story sort of took on a life of its own as I wrote it and I let it go where it wanted to go! As for my characters, I knew them so well right from the start that I never had to think twice about what they would say in a given situation. I always knew how they'd respond.

Have you any other books in the making at the moment?

My next venture will be the sequel to Emerald City, and, although I have not actually started writing it, I'm in the first stages--ie, lots and lots of brainstorming. I will begin writing it very, very soon.

What are you currently reading, have finished or on your wish list?

I am currently reading the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I'm on the second book and can hardly put it down. She does an amazing job of somehow realistically combining a modern-day romance with a mythological world full of creepy monsters. I can't wait to read the rest in the series.

Any song[s] that fit perfectly with Emerald City, scenes /characters or the book itself ?

What a great question! I actually plan to add an Emerald City playlist to my website one day. There is a song that came out a couple years ago, when I was a quarter of the way through writingEmerald City, that summed up my entire book. I was so shocked the first time I heard it, it was as if someone had put my book into a song. I can't tell you what it is, though, because it would give away the entire surprise twist to my book! There are a few others I can tell though: Krwlng, by Linkin Park, is the perfect soundtrack to the scene in the first chapter with Olivia, the "infamous" night when she...well, you know. And OneRepublic's Goodbye Apathy goes really well a few chapters later, as Olivia starts to sees changes in herself.

Why should we read Emerald City,

Because it's awesome. And I think it has something for everybody--romance, fantasy, action, mystery...But more than anything, people should read it because it's more than just fictional fluff. It covers topics that are considered taboo to a lot of people, in a way that isn't in-your-face or off-putting. It's real, and intense, and emotional, and I think everyone should read it!

This or that segment

Vanilla or chocolate--Chocolate. Always chocolate.


summer or winter:--Winter

Xmas or hallo ween--Christmas!

Vampires, faeries or zombies--faeries. Definitely faeries. Unless it's Edward Cullen, then vampires.



The book 

One city of 600,000 people.

One broken girl.

One mysterious boy.

One fateful night,

Two worlds collide.  

Seattle, Washington. The sprawling, industrious city set in a blanket of pine. I have never known a day that wasn’t spent inside this concrete jungle. It’s my home, and for that I love it. But it’s also the setting for the tragedy called my life, and so I loathe it.

I live alone in a cold, empty studio apartment. The tiny square room closely resembles a cell. That’s my life: solitary confinement.

Here, in this desolate place that perfectly reflects my soul, my story begins.