Salted by Aaron GalvinLife isn’t better under the sea.
Lenny Dolan is all too familiar with this reality. A Selkie slave in the realm beneath the waves, he has no choice when charged with leading a crew ashore to capture an elusive runaway. If unsuccessful, the loved ones kept behind will pay for his failure with their lives.
But when their target leads Lenny and his crew to deeper, darker secrets, the Selkies are faced with a moral dilemma. Secure their own freedom at the expense of others, or return empty-handed to face the grisly consequences?
How Lenny and his crew answer the question will teach them the harshest truth of all. Only through the loss of innocence does one become Salted.
Website/Blog: www.aarongalvin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saltseries
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aarongalvin5
Salted excerpt: http://www.aarongalvin.com/excerpt.html
Interview with Aaron Galvin, YA Fantasy author of Salted.
--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
A crew of Selkie slave catchers hunt a runaway with the fate of their loved ones on the line. It also features a new take/twist on mermaids.
--How did you get the idea for the story?
My mom.
I had written a different book that received numerous rejections and was moping around her one day because of it. She told me to suck it up. Write something new. For about an hour she gave me various prompts.
“Wizards!” she’d say.
“Harry Potter,” I’d reply.
“Vampires! Werewolves!”
“Twilight, Mom.”
Finally, she said, “How about mermaids?”
I didn’t have an answer for that. This was back in 2009 when I admittedly hadn’t been reading much at the time. Too busy chasing my other dream, acting. Anyway, I couldn’t think of any mermaid books at the time. The only response I could come back with was that mermaids were for girls. And what guy wanted to be seen reading about mermaids anyway? They weren’t cool!
Then Mom said something I’ll never forget. “Find a way to make them cool.”
That changed everything. I’m a pretty competitive person. Suddenly I had a challenge. How could I make mermaids cool for guys like me? How could I make them different?
Salted is the result of that. It took me five years to reach this point, but I like to think I accomplished Mom’s challenge. Readers will decide if that’s true.
--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
From my book, dinner with Wilda. I would love to hear all the amazing stories she could tell me about the Salt world.
From other books, it would be a tie between Gandalf and Dumbledore. I’m a sucker for magic and those two would certainly make for interesting conversation.
--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
I’m currently hard at work on the sequel to Salted. I also have another completed YA novel about witches I hope to release this year. It’s set sixteen years after the Salem trials ended and features a cool twist I’ve not seen/read before.
--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
I’m a fantasy guy all the way, but I also dabble in sci-fi and horror. I don’t have much time to read now between writing and caring for my daughter, but my favorite books are: The Lord of The Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter series, Hunger Games, Wool, and just about anything from Stephen King.
--If a fairy godmother told you could be put into the world of your favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
Plop me down in Narnia, lady! It’s not as dangerous as Tolkien’s world and I’ve always wanted to hear animals talk. I’d love to cross swords with Reepicheep, (even if he would quickly disarm me), stand next to a centaur, and, of course, meet Aslan.
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?
Oh coffee, you sweet nectar of the gods, how do I love thee? I typically take a fresh cup before writing. I also must write to music. It takes some time finding the right inspiration for a character or chapter, but once it fits I’m off to the races. The music differs for whichever character is in my head, but it’s almost always instrumental soundtracks.
--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Mimicry, or absorption. That way I could take on all sorts of powers; flight, time travel, telekinesis...why limit yourself to just one?
--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
Save the world, cruise around on my hoverboard, play a round of Quidditch or two, and volunteer as tribute.
--What is one thing you would tell your 15 year old self?
This. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ3bn7V0zdU
--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
Thank you for giving my characters life. There are so many great reads out there and I’m humbled that you took the time to read mine. Hopefully you’ll stick with me! ;-)
Lightning round: this or that?
Vanilla or chocolate?
Strawberry.
Video or Board Games?
Board games. You learn more about the people you’re playing with.
Summer or Winter?
Winter is coming.
Edward or Jacob?
Blegh.
Hockey or soccer?
I suck at both.
Ebook or paper?
Paper. I’m old school.
Salty or sweet?
Come on…Salty. ;-)
Beach or mountains?
Mountains. Writing about what lives in the ocean makes me nervous to go near the water…
Phone call or email?
I would’ve said phone call before my daughter came into the picture. Now I’m better with email. I don’t have to worry about her crying and someone on the other end being annoyed.
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl.
Dog or cat?
Liger.
Messy or neat?
Messily organized.
Ninjas or pirates?
A pirate ninja! Wouldn’t that be fantastic to see? Sign me up to watch that movie!
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