Dawn Husted Interview

We’ve talked to Dawn Husted author of the dystopian novel SAFE.

For those not familiar with SAFE, can you tell us a bit about it?

The characters in SAFE live on an island, surrounded by a large perimeter, decades after the world came to a catastrophic end. The leading character, Penny Evans, is a teenager and a scientist that works in the main laboratory building which contains multiple floors of researchers. Life on the island is perfect, controlled, and safe from outsiders; a place where people have called it home for generations. However, the original survivors that first lived on the island were plagued with a virus, and the serum administered caused black lines to form over their entire bodies. Accompanied with these lines, known as vines, are permanent enhancements in each person’s physical abilities. These changes are genetically passed down, protecting all future children from the virus. The setting is copacetic until years later, when a new virus threatens everyone’s existence. Penny finds out she’s contracted this particular sickness, during which, her parents inform her she must go on-the-run to save her life, and rescue her sister from captivity. A sister that allegedly died at childbirth, before Penny was born.

What goals might you have set for yourself when writing SAFE and how do you feel about the end result?

I wanted SAFE to be a book that I could personally enjoy as a reader. I love books that have an obstacle course feel to them. In other words, if I were to unfold a map of SAFE’s island, I’d be able to see a visible course that the characters must fight through on their way to the finish line. Okay, so maybe it’s not that obvious, but I enjoy a variety of entertaining books written for young-adults and I knew it needed to contain lots of action, mixed with a little bit of romance, and my most favorite, surprising twists.

My goal for SAFE was to write a book that would keep readers on their toes, and above all, there needed to be a heroine. Someone who wasn’t as physically strong like the other characters, and the only mission managing to pull her through all the obstacles is this innermost hope of rescuing her sister. This heroine is Penny.

In Penny, James and Lucan you have characters that in many ways are very different. Can you give us some insight into your main characters?

I’ve touched on Penny’s lack of physical abilities, but what I haven’t pointed out are her strengths. She’s a scientist like her father and enjoys reading books, including all school books. I guess you could call her a nerd. She’s a smart teenager, but lacks confidence in the boy department, however, a year prior, the stars aligned when she was appointed as James’ partner on a school project.

James, Penny’s boyfriend, is the muscle of the group and is a guard, trained in militarily affairs. He’s strong, and his vines are thick and dark demonstrating the vastness of his strength and capabilities.

Lucan brings a humorist element to the group, and unlike Penny or James, his upbringing was very different. He lives in the Lowers, outer areas of the island, with all the other outcasts, but his self-taught knowledge in the electrical field makes up for all the unregulated-schooling, and he’s rather good-looking. Readers really enjoy this character.

SAFE ended on a bit of a cliff-hanger and many questions left unanswered, can we expect a sequel?

YES! I’m currently working on the plot and will begin writing the book this summer.

How did you start writing? Was there a particular book or moment in your life that spurned you on?

I wrote a short-story for my daughter after she was born, a book that is safely tucked away in my drawer. Writing isn’t easy, but it’s empowering and inspiring. I’m a huge believer in achieving one’s dreams, no matter how challenging they may be. Writing for me is a way to achieve my dreams and encourage others to do the same.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Patience. I’ve learned over the years to be more patient, but it will always be my crutch; sitting back, letting ideas and characters develop prior to writing the story is a necessary task for me. I also wasn’t an English major in college, so I find that I make many grammatical errors without knowing. Thank God for editors!

How do you market your books?

On Goodreads and Amazon. Come find me! I love holding contests for giveaways. Having physical copies of my book in the hands of readers is most rewarding! My goal is to have as many people as possible read my book, or at least have it in their virtual libraries. I also rely hugely on word-of-mouth, and I hope with each book written, a wider range of readers are tempted to read them.

I’ve also entered SAFE into contests and am always looking for more to enter, but I have a tight budget and have to be careful, making sure to spend money in the most beneficial marketing areas.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

I prefer paperback books, but find that I buy more ebooks. Not only are they cheaper, but I can also read them anywhere, anytime, and buy them at a moments notice. Half of the books I read are independently published, and many times they’re easier to obtain electronically. But whenever I get the chance, I buy physical copies and add them to my shelves! If I could have a room in my house dedicated to books, I would.

What kind of books do you read, any favourite authors?

I enjoy young-adult books more than any other genres. And more often than not, fantasy and science-fiction will always win out within that category. I don’t have a favorite author, but one writer who stands out to me right this second, is Patrick Ness. The book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, dragged me into the story and hooked me from the beginning. It also taught me a lot about being fun with the way I write, to take chances and trust myself.

What do you do when you’re not writing, any hobbies?

I like running outdoors and growing vegetables. Though not great at either, I haven’t given up yet! I’m determined to stay healthy, and the hope of growing more than two tomatoes is my goal this year.

What’s else are you working on?

I’m having fun revising a mini-series written a couple of years ago. The writing was terrible! But the story was great. So I’m re-editing them, and as I write, each finished chapter will be free to read on my blog until the series is finished. It’s an entertaining side-project, but also time consuming.

Website for Dawn Husted:

Author Site: http://dawnhusted.weebly.com

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