Book Spotlight + Guest Post: X&Y by Rebecca Finlayson
I hope you’re ready, because there’s a stellar guest post headed your way right now! Today the spotlight is on X&Y by Rebecca Finlayson, a book all about people who design humans and the webs they weave. Sound like a book up your alley? Check out the synopsis!
Olivia Adonane has it all; remarkable intelligence, stunning beauty, and – as the daughter of the head of the Triad, Society’s top three Human Designers – immeasurable wealth. Yet, all is not as it seems. Olivia discovers a dark secret about her homeland, formerly known as Great Britain, where humans are designed in the womb, and she watches her best friend, Lily, die in a secret chamber below the Triad Building in London. From here on, she has a choice. Will she continue on her pre-designed path, following in her father’s footsteps to become the country’s most powerful Human Designer? Or will she seek to rebel against the government, attempting to expose and overthrow the seemingly-invincible regime so that her fellow citizens can be truly free?
Rebecca has written up a great guest post, so I’ll stop rambling and get right to it! Here it is, for your enjoyment.
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The Power of Words
From September 2012 to July 2013 I did
something crazy. I didn’t have a formal job. Having done full-time education
seventeen years, followed by full-time work for two years, deciding to take
some time out to write was such a surreal thing to consider. I’d had so many
stories whirring around in my mind for so long, but the thought of quitting
work for a bit so I could actually sit down for hours at a time and put the
stories to paper was quite daunting. Thanks to the support of my amazing
husband, though, I did it, and I’m so glad that I did.
something crazy. I didn’t have a formal job. Having done full-time education
seventeen years, followed by full-time work for two years, deciding to take
some time out to write was such a surreal thing to consider. I’d had so many
stories whirring around in my mind for so long, but the thought of quitting
work for a bit so I could actually sit down for hours at a time and put the
stories to paper was quite daunting. Thanks to the support of my amazing
husband, though, I did it, and I’m so glad that I did.
One of the first things I did before writing
my stories was figuring out exactly why I wanted to write. The first thing
that came to mind was the amazing feeling that you get from creating worlds
that are entirely your own, but there was more to it than that.
my stories was figuring out exactly why I wanted to write. The first thing
that came to mind was the amazing feeling that you get from creating worlds
that are entirely your own, but there was more to it than that.
Writers have tremendous power. How is it
that squiggles on a bit of paper can make you laugh, cry, even want to throw
the object in which they are contained across the room?
that squiggles on a bit of paper can make you laugh, cry, even want to throw
the object in which they are contained across the room?
I had to figure out how exactly I was going
to wield my own little bit of power. I was confident (hopefully falling short of arrogant!) that
people were going to read what I was going to write, be they few or many. I
knew that I wanted to inspire and encourage teenagers – girls, in particular –
because they face so much more pressure in our society than ever before. I
decided that I needed to create characters who were kick-ass but not always in
obvious ways. I knew that my characters needed to be relatable and, while they
may not always be sure of their identity, they would learn to accept
themselves. And most of all, while I would enjoy the writing process, I would
need to be sure of the message I wanted to send. Because good books always stay
with you long after you turn the last page, I needed to ensure that my words
could teach the readers something good.
to wield my own little bit of power. I was confident (hopefully falling short of arrogant!) that
people were going to read what I was going to write, be they few or many. I
knew that I wanted to inspire and encourage teenagers – girls, in particular –
because they face so much more pressure in our society than ever before. I
decided that I needed to create characters who were kick-ass but not always in
obvious ways. I knew that my characters needed to be relatable and, while they
may not always be sure of their identity, they would learn to accept
themselves. And most of all, while I would enjoy the writing process, I would
need to be sure of the message I wanted to send. Because good books always stay
with you long after you turn the last page, I needed to ensure that my words
could teach the readers something good.
Sending out “X&Y” into the void has been
a tremendous experience. I’ve had overwhelmingly positive feedback so far, for
which I’m grateful. I’m really looking forward to the readers who want to
converse with me about how the book made them feel and think, because that’s
what I always want to do when I’ve read something amazing.
a tremendous experience. I’ve had overwhelmingly positive feedback so far, for
which I’m grateful. I’m really looking forward to the readers who want to
converse with me about how the book made them feel and think, because that’s
what I always want to do when I’ve read something amazing.
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Since graduating in 2010 with a degree in
Classical Civilisation, Rebecca worked as a Special Educational Needs Teaching
Assistant at Blue Coat Academy in Coventry. She took a year out from September
2012 to July 2013 in order to engage in charity work and concentrate on some
writing projects. During that time she completed two novels and began work on a
third. Her debut novel, a YA Dystopian fiction called “X&Y”, is now
available on Amazon Kindle with a free seven-chapter sample. Her second novel,
an epic fantasy entitled “The Secrets of Nethiaria: The Magician’s Book” will
be released as an ebook in Late Spring 2014. You
can find her at @finlaysonauthor or www.rebeccafinlaysonbooks.blogspot.co.uk
Classical Civilisation, Rebecca worked as a Special Educational Needs Teaching
Assistant at Blue Coat Academy in Coventry. She took a year out from September
2012 to July 2013 in order to engage in charity work and concentrate on some
writing projects. During that time she completed two novels and began work on a
third. Her debut novel, a YA Dystopian fiction called “X&Y”, is now
available on Amazon Kindle with a free seven-chapter sample. Her second novel,
an epic fantasy entitled “The Secrets of Nethiaria: The Magician’s Book” will
be released as an ebook in Late Spring 2014. You
can find her at @finlaysonauthor or www.rebeccafinlaysonbooks.blogspot.co.uk
