Blog Tour | Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles #QandA

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles and it ended up making it into my top ten reads of the year, it is indeed that good. When the chance came up to support author JM Sullivan on this tour I jumped at it and got to ask her some questions, before we get to that though here is what the book is about

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ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR QUEEN

Ever since the outbreak of the Plague, life hasn’t been easy, and for seventeen-year-old Alice Carroll, it just got worse. Her sister, Dinah, has contracted the ‘un-deadly’ Momerath Virus and without a cure, will soon be worse than dead. She’ll be momerath.

Alice must leave the safety of the Sector and venture into Momerath Territory to find the antidote – if it exists. Chasing a rumor about a mysterious doctor with the cure, Alice falls down the rabbit hole into Wanderland, where ravenous momerath aren’t the only danger lurking.

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What drew you to retellings?

I love retellings because there is something magical about taking a story that is hundreds of years old and bringing a new sense of life to it. I love reading how different authors interpret the stories I was raised on and make them something completely new. It takes timeless tales and makes them immortal.

Is there anything in particular in a classic story that makes you think I want to retell that?

It’s all about the twist. My favorite thing about writing retellings is putting a new spin on an old classic, so finding the perfect twist to fit the story is what really makes the retelling. There are some stories I LOVE that I just don’t think I could retell (at least not yet), because I don’t have an angle that I think would do the retell justice, and there are other stories that the twist just screams ‘choose me!’ and then of course, I have to listen.

How did Alice come to be, what made you come up with the combination of Alice and zombies?

It happened by mixing two of my favorite things! I’ve loved reading retellings FOREVER, but my favorite movies to watch are scary movies. My husband and I watch them all the time. Seriously, we watch them all: werewolves, vampires, demons, ghosts, zombies, you name it. And as any horror movie buff knows, the only way to get rid of a zombie is by chopping off its head, which is exactly what the Red Queen is all about! So then, of course, it became ‘what *would* happen if there were zombies in Wonderland? The idea was TOO perfect to let go, and I started it that night.

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

I love Chess! His personality is so big he practically just jumps into the pages as I write. It makes every scene with him so easy and fun to write because it’s like I get to watch the story unfold. And although he drives Alice mad, she secretly loves him too.

What other stories do you think you might like to retell?

That would be telling! I actually am working on a secret project that is another retelling, which ACTUALLY just gave its backstory another retelling inspiration. But right now I’m trying to keep it under wraps, so you’ll have to stay tuned for more! 🙂 I can tell you that I do have another retelling series that is being published and released in early 2019- which is a SciFi spin on Peter Pan where Captain Wendy Darling travels into space to rescue the long lost crew of the Jolly Roger. It’s a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone!

What are your writing habits?

When I’m writing, I have to have a fresh cup of coffee and a good writing playlist. I also have this strange fixation with numbers- which is really weird considering that writing is all about words. But, for each session, I set different count goals for myself scaling from easy to reach and harder to reach, and challenge myself to see how high I can push my word count. It sounds strange, but it is surprisingly effective!

Do you find it difficult to juggle writing, work, family and other commitments?

Absolutely! Finding time to balance everything sometimes feels like an impossible task, and definitely keeps me busy. Sometimes I’m not very good at juggling on my own, but with the help and support of my family and friends everything works out in the end.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors out there?

Be nice to yourself! We writers bet upon ourselves far too often. An inner critic can help keep you on your toes, but don’t give it so much free reign that it derails your work. Remember, someone needs your words. No one can tell your stories. To get them out there you have to write them!

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If you want to find out more about the book then you can check out the other stops, there is a lot of good stuff to see…

July 23rd

Hall Ways Blog| Review w/ Audio Excerpt 1

A New Look On Books| Guest Post 1

The Faerie Review| Review

July 24th

Just Books| Audio Excerpt 2

The Page Unbound| Comparison Review

Ishiee’s Book Blog| Author Interview

July 25th

Books and Ravens| Guest Post 2

Everywhere and Nowhere| Author Interview 2

Rebecca R. Cahill | Audio Excerpt 3

July 26th

Descendant of Poseidon Reads| Review

A Million And One Magazine| Author Interview 3

July 27th

Turn The Page| Review

Queen Of My Fairytale| Review

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J.M. Sullivan is a Science Teacher by day, and an author by night. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee.

If you would like to connect with her for a healthy dose of sparkle, positivity, and a touch of crazy, you can find her on Twitter or Instagram @jmsullivanbooks.

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