The Second Sign

Bred to believe in the war between angels and demons, Gabby has come to the conclusion that love is responsible for war, jealousy, and all the other deadly sins she can think of. So when she’s exiled to the middle of nowhere for getting kicked out of her fifth school for fighting, she doesn't expect to meet Jake. Much less fall in love. But Jake is quickly drawn to the eerie beauty of her violet eyes while Gabby is unsettled by their undeniable connection.

When a demon guardian comes to collect her soul, she refuses to give it up. She’s not a demon. She can’t be. Her father and twin brother are angels. The demon gives Gabby twenty-four hours to decide her allegiance, and then starts killing her short list of friends, leaving a message behind: She is the Second Sign.

As Gabby and Jake begin to unravel the mystery behind the Second Sign, she learns Jake may be the key to saving her soul. But it means a sacrifice has to be made that will change their lives forever.

 Today I want to thank Liz Arroyo over at Chandara Writes, which happens to be one of the very first blogs I discovered and followed. That was a while back and it makes me super happy to be able to have her here to answer a few questions.

Thanks Marcy!

1. Tell us where the idea for The Second Sign come from and, how long did it take from idea to publication?

 The Second Sign was a result of a dream I had of two separate scenes. A demon exploding in my kitchen, and a girl swimming in a dark lake/pond while a boy on a boat tried to convince her she was nuts. The demon made it into the story, the other one didn't but it's where I pulled the characters from. I'm weird, I know. I started writing TSS July, 2011 and received publishing offer May, 2012.  But…it is my fourth completed manuscript.

2. Wow! A demon exploding in your kitchen? That’s some dream! Who did you model Gabby after and why did you choose the name Gabby? Short for Gabrielle, perhaps?

I molded Gabby using different characteristics/traits. She's hard-hearted, with a temper, and a knack of saying what's on her mind way too freely. But there's a softer side we get to meet.  Gabby is short for Gabriela. I originally named her Angel. But a beta reader suggested I change it, because an Angel who’s an angel was way too confusing. =)  Gabriela just came to mind.

3. Ha! I was close on the name :) What made you decide to go with Sapphire Star publishing?

I pitched to different agents and won a few contests with TSS, but after hearing on writer boards how larger publishers weren't taking angel/demon stories but the smaller publishers still were, I started looking into smaller publishers. An agent that read TSS also suggested a smaller publisher. I learned about Sapphire Star through twitter. After looking them up I learned they had everything I wanted--both an ebook and paperback versions. They were actually the first and only small publisher I queried. And after they responded six days after receiving the full, totally excited, I was hooked.

4. That must’ve felt wonderful. What has been the hardest part of the process? The easiest?

The easiest was working with the publisher. They are an awesome bunch, always available, and open with anything I need.
The hardest...Marketing. I had a great turn-out for this blog tour. Amazing! Blogging writers are just awesome. But beyond the launch tour--facebook, working with bookstores, libraries, getting out there--there's just not enough time in the day to do all of that and keep sane and writing. I had to pull away and stop looking at the big picture. Instead, I'm gulping it piece by piece. It can be overwhelming.

5. I can only imagine. It must seem like there are never enough hours in the day. What was the most exciting part of the process? Who couldn’t you wait to share the news with?

The most exciting part is holding your book in your hands. I still can’t believe it. I couldn’t wait to share the news with my family.

Now for the easy part…

6. If you could live anywhere for a year where would it be and why?

I'd like to live in Puerto Rico for a little bit. My parents retired there and I miss them. =) And I don't like the cold.

7. I’m with you on the cold and Puerto Rico sounds very nice – especially right about now. Did you ever play an instrument and if so what? If not, what instrument do you wish you could play?

 I've never played an instrument as a kid or in high school. I tried teaching myself the guitar. I never realized how hard it is to learn. Or at least for me.

8. I had a guitar once – lol. Favorite Hostess dessert you’ll miss the most? Or, if you’re not a Hostess fan, what’s your guilty pleasure – food or otherwise!

Suzy Q’s were my favorite as a kid.

9. Yup, I remember Suzy Qs :) Last three books you read?

Beautiful Creatures
Anna Dressed in Blood
The Mistaken

10. And because I’ve always been curious, Why Chandara writes instead of Elizabeth writes?

Chandara was the name of my main character in my first manuscript when I was fourteen. I started my blog with the intention of it being a safe writing place for me. I wanted to be someone else and found Chandara as my muse. Since I used it as my blogspot url, I just kept it.

Thank you so much Elizabeth for stopping by and answering all my questions and if anyone wants to buy Elizabeth’s book just click on the cover pic :)

Happy Monday!