Dust Blog Tour & Treasure Hunt Stop #19

Welcome to the Dust Blog Tour Stop #19!! 

Intro:

Wow, is really Stop #19 already? And the fun is just beginning!

Congratulations, all of you Lost Boys and Girls for making it this far! If you’ve lost your way and have wound up in the mermaid lagoon, or worse, on Skull Island, then here’s the link to the previous post: https://foundwhoiam.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/dust-blog-tour-stop-18-interview-with-kara-swanson/

Or, if you need to get back to the beginning, you can go here: https://gracebought.wordpress.com/2020/05/31/dust-blog-tour-kickoff/

Last month, I wrote a review for Dust (which you can find here) and it was an amazing retelling of Peter Pan! I can’t wait for this book of magic and pixies and a sprinkling of romance to release! Swanson’s writing is so lyrical and her rendition of Peter so close to the original.

Today, we’ve got a fun little author interview for you all to enjoy! Kara talks about her writing process with Dust, her favorite music to listen to when writing, and even where she would love to visit in Neverland! I hope you have as much fun reading as we had asking the questions!

Remember, keep an eye out for the keyword, which will be sprinkled throughout the post in bold! And have fun!

Now, hurry along, my little Lost Boys and Girls! Your treasure awaits, and I think I can hear the ticking of a clock!

Interview:

1. What message do you want to convey to your readers with Dust?

KARA: I hope I can take them on an enchanting adventure and remind them that there is light and hope, even when the shadows may feel overwhelming.

PIL: That’s a great message!

2. Do you have a favorite scene from Dust?

KARA: There were lots of scenes I enjoyed! There’s a scene in Kensington Gardens with a lot of pixies that I especially loved.

PIL: Ooh, I remember that! It was very enchanting.

3. What was your biggest obstacle when writing Dust?

KARA: Probably capturing Peter’s voice and crafting a plot based off a beloved character. I wanted to do Peter Pan justice. 🙂

PIL: There has been no better rendition of Peter Pan in my opinion!

4. What inspired you to do a retelling of Peter Pan?

KARA: I was inspired to try my hand at my own unique take on a Peter Pan retelling after discussing with a friend how much I loved Peter Pan, and yet felt like few retellings did the character justice. I’d told her that if I wrote a Peter Pan retelling, I would keep it as true to the “original” Peter, the character Barrie created, as possible, while still building off of that foundation. I also told her that I would probably include a side character of my own, someone who maybe had to grow up too fast and could be the exact opposite of Peter, but push him to grow as he helped her rediscover her own belief in magic. I honestly was a little terrified of even trying a story like that, but when I had the chance to mention my concept for Dust to a few publishers at a writer’s conference, and they all loved the idea, I realized that I had something kind of special and needed the courage to just try and write it. ❤

PIL: I think I can say, we’re all glad that you decided to go ahead and write Dust!

5. If you could go to Neverland, where would your first stop be?

KARA: The mermaid lagoon!

PIL: Me too! Just watch out for those jealous mermaids!

6. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what kind of music did you listen to while writing Dust?

KARA: I do! I tend to have a handful of songs I listen to on repeat. I really enjoyed listening to some Kelsea Bellerini when I was writing Claire’s chapters (she literally has a song called Peter Pan ;)). And for Peter…it sort of depended. I’d sometimes listen to a song by a boy band to capture some of that boyishness haha.

PIL: I’ve never heard of Kelsea Bellerini, but I’ll be sure to check out her song, Peter Pan!

7. Are there any specific people who inspire Claire or Peter or Tiger Lily (besides the original characters)?

KARA: Not exactly!             I think they all had a bit of me in them. Claire especially—as she is fiercely loyal, but battles some health struggles.

PIL: Well, no one can fault you for that! All of your characters are interesting!

8. Do you have a favorite Dust character?

KARA: I love them all! Peter for his snark and mischief, Claire for her heart and magic, Tiger Lily for her wisdom and leadership.

PIL: That’s amazing! I’m kind of partial to a certain pixie myself…

9. What can you tell us about book two of Heirs of Neverland (without spoilers!)?

KARA: It takes place pretty much exclusively on Neverland! And it is called Shadow…which is a pretty good indication of the story, as it can get a little dark and intense. But hopefully in an enjoyable, page-turning way!

PIL: Ooh, I love dark and intense books! Good luck on penning it! And thank you for joining us today!

KARA: Thank you for having me!

Dust Synopsis: 

The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.

Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real–since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire’s desperate search points to London… and a boy who shouldn’t exist.

Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.

The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan–and herself.

Links: 

Add Dust to your Goodreads list!

Preorder Dust from Amazon or Barnes & Noble! You can also follow Kara on Amazon to stay tuned for all her new releases!

Connect with Kara on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for awesome bookish boards, photos, chats, and more!

Follow Kara on Facebook or join her Starchasers group where we have loads of fun getting to know one another and nerding out on all things bookish!

And, lastly, you can find all things Kara on her website and even sign up on her newsletter to receive a free short story!

*Dust is on sale on Amazon right now! (For $13.99 hardback instead of $22! And the ebook is only 5.99!)

Outro:

Did you enjoy that interview? I certainly did!

Did you find the keyword? If not, you can go down to the bottom of this post and look at the graphic! But don’t leave just yet, my little Lost Boys and Girls! You haven’t received your correct dose of pixie dust, and you don’t know where you’re going!

Your next stop is here: https://wildrosejournal.com/2020/06/16/dust-blog-tour-stop-20-interview-with-kara-swanson/

Remember, if you get turned around, just go back to www.gracebought.wordpress.com to get a new copy of your treasure map. Featured above is a graphic with all of the many things you’ll find in your treasure chest.

Thank you for stopping by! Now go fly, with some faith, trust, and a whole lot of pixie dust!