ISAN
Mary Ting
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: May 1st 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
SCIENTISTS WARNED IT WOULD HAPPEN.
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into our quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.
Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her “better.” To receive the serum, Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.
While on a mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.
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1. Did you always know you wanted
to be a writer or did you want to be something else?
I’ve taught
kindergarten for almost 20 years. I began writing when my grandmother passed
away and based the first book, Crossroads, on dreams I had in high school.
Never did I wanted to be an author. It happened by chance. Writing helped me
grieve the loss of my grandmother, so in a way, I feel like it was a gift from
her. Now I have about 30 books under Mary Ting and my pen name for romance, M.
Clarke.
2. How long does it take you to
write a book from start to finish? I write every chance
I get so I can finish a
first draft within 6-8 weeks. Depending on my family’s schedule.
3. How do you come up with themes
for your stories?
Sometimes I get an idea when I travel. I wrote The Chosen Knights
and set the story in Hawaii. Other can be from songs. My Clarity, written under
M. Clarke, my pen name, arrived from a song called Clarity. I also love Ed
Sheeran’s songs. His songs gave me an idea to write Sexiest Man Alive. Thinking
Out Loud by Ed Sheeran gave me the inspiration to write the romance part of
ISAN. Also, my dreams. Crossroads, my very first book is based on dreams I had
in high school. Chapter one and two are events that took place in my life. I
also have another book called Saving Robert Reider and that is based on dreams
I had in the later years. My agent has the MS, so hopefully it will be
published soon.
4. Do you have a schedule of when
you write?
No. I write any chance I get. Sometimes I write when I’m
cooking. LOL
5. How are you able to balance
other aspects of your life with your writing?
It’s
crazy. I drove three hours a day because my son and daughter attend two
different high school. My son goes for music-guitar, and my daughter for visual
arts. I love writing so much that I make time, even if I have to sacrifice
sleeping.
6. What elements do you think make
a great story line?
Mystery. Sometimes that drives the readers to want to
know more of or they can’t figure out right away. I tried to write for all
readers so I add romance and action as well.
7. What was the hardest thing about
writing a book?
My first book was the hardest because I had no idea what I was
doing. Luckily, I had a friend who gave me feedbacks. Now, I just go and have
fun.
8. How many books have you written
so far? Do you have a favorite?
I’ve written about 30 under Mary Ting and
M. Clarke, my pen name for romance books, combine. You’re asking me for my favorite … not fair! But I have to
say, I had so much fun writing ISAN. I love the actions and kick-butt girls in
my book.
9. Do you have a favorite
character?
I love all my characters, and each serves a purpose. I even like the
evil ones.
10. Where do you write?
I write everywhere. I even take my laptop when I go to my
doctors because I don’t want to waste even ten minutes waiting.
11. When deciding on how to
publish, what directed you to the route you took?
I took self-publishing
route first because I never wanted to be an author. I was a way for me to heal
and it was just for fun. After I meet my wondering, amazing agent, I became
serious with my writing and even stopped teaching. Now ISAN will be my first
traditional published book.
12. Have you gotten feedback from
family about your book(s)? What do they think?
To tell you the truth, my family
has not read my books. I won’t let them. LOL. I did tell my they could read
ISAN though.
13. What kinds of things do you
like to do outside of writing?
I enjoy watching movies and traveling. My family
and I probably been on about 7 cruises. I used to like to make jewelries and
oil paint, but I stopped when I started writing.
14. What kinds of advice would you
give to someone who wants to start writing?
Don’t dream about it, just do it.
Start with a draft and keep molding it. Sometimes it takes me 10 times to fix
my first chapter. Writing is a process, a journal. You sit down and start
writing and just go. Surround yourself with author friends. Support each other.
15. What is your favorite book?
favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to
write?
Stephenie Meyers. Not only did I fall in love with Twilight, but I
read on her website that she based Twilight from a dream she had, so I did that
with my first book, Crossroads. Crossraods is based on my dreams from high
school. Chapter one and two are based on my real events.
16. Do you have any go to people
when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing,
beta reading and such?
My besties, Alexandrea Weis. I’ve known her for six
years. She is also an author. Not only do we support each other, but when I get
stuck, I go to her to talk things through. I also have a handful of
readers/fans I’ve meet over the years and we’ve been good friends. They help
beta read as well.
17. Are you working on anything
now?
Jaclyn And The Beanstalk is coming out 9/4/2018 with the same
publisher, Vesuvius Books. I can’t wait for you to read this one. It’s a darker
tale of Jack And The Beanstalk with many twists. Just reading this quote gives
me chills … What fate lies for a girl who hears monsters at night. And I’m
working on ISAN, book 2. I’m done with the first draft. I have big plans. The
story is also told from Rhett’s and Ava’s point of view and the world opens up
even more.
18. Tell us 5 things that make you
smile:
My Family. Puppies.
Ocean. Babies. Sun.
19. Tell us 5 things that make you
sad:
20. If you could travel anywhere in
the world to visit a place so you could use it as a background for a book,
where would it be?
Jerusalem.
Thanks so much for being with us, Mary! I hope you get to Jerusalem, it's an amazing place!
Author Bio:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
Thanks for being on the tour! :)
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