Hi blog friends! Today I am very excited to welcome new author Tessa Hall from Christ Is Write onto the blog. Tessa contacted me awhile ago about posting on my blog and I am SO happy she did! Jesus's love shines right through this girl. Be sure to check out my guest post HERE on Tessa's blog that I shared recently about how God changed my life! Welcome to my blog Tessa, and please take it away! :)
-Jess
Tessa Emily Hall is a 19-year-old author of Purple Moon, her YA Christian fiction novel to be published September 2013 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She is also the editor over the faith department for Temperance Magazine, a column writer for Whole Magazine, a contributing writer for More To Be, as well as the PR for God of Moses Entertainment. Other than writing, Tessa enjoys acting, music, Starbucks, and her Teacup Shih Tzu—who is named Brewer after a character in her book, as well as her love for coffee.
Website: www.tessaemilyhall.com
Blog: www.christiswrite.blogspot.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/tessaemily Facebook: www.facebook.com/tessa.h16
Q &A with Tessa!
What inspired you to write “Purple
Moon”?
I wanted to write a
character-driven story about a teenager who has fallen way from the
relationship she once had with God after her dad kicked her and her mom out of
the house. In the story, Selena is forced to leave her apartment in NY and stay
with her snobby cousin in Lake Lure, NC while waiting for her mom to get out of
rehab. It was initially inspired by the song “By Your Side” by Tenth Avenue
North, as well as the skit that many churches have performed to the song
“Everything” by Lifehouse.
In
what ways can you relate to your protagonist, Selena?
Even though Selena has
a completely different past and family situation, I did incorporate a little
bit of “me” in her. For example: she’s passionate, a dreamer, an artist,
somewhat of an introvert, has the same style as I do, a romantic, and loves
coffee a little too much. I've also given her some of my flaws. However, when I
wrote “Purple Moon”, I mainly tried crafting Selena in a way that I hoped many
teenagers would be able to relate with—whether they share the same backstory as
she does, possess many of the same qualities, or are experiencing some of the
same struggles that Selena deals with in “Purple Moon”.
When
did you start writing Purple Moon, and how long did it take?
I started writing the
first version of “Purple Moon” when I was fifteen. When I was sixteen, I
completed the first draft and landed a publishing contract with Lighthouse
Publishing of the Carolinas. It’s difficult to pinpoint how long it took to
complete “Purple Moon”—the more I learned about the writing craft, the more I
continued wanting to go back and rewrite the story or add a few changes.
However, I have finally reached a point where I am happy with the story and
can’t wait to get it in the hands of my readers.
What are you working on now?
I just completed my
second book, “Unwritten Melody”, which is going to be a stand-alone novel. As
of now, I am brainstorming and beginning to write the first draft of “Fallen
Leaves”, which will be the second book of the Purple Moon Series and a
continuation of Selena’s journey throughout the next season of her life. I am
also going on a blog tour this fall and will continue to write the teen column
for Whole Magazine.
What do you hope to accomplish in your
writing career?
I hope to never stop
writing, whether or not that includes having my work published or seeing my
name on the best seller list. I hope to never stop encouraging
people—especially teenagers—to follow their dreams. But more than anything, I
hope that my stories will represent the power of God’s unending love and His transforming
grace. That’s my number one goal, my number one reason for wanting to pursue writing
for the rest of my life.
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