Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Anglea Shelton

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Anglea Shelton

Linda: Welcome! Congratulations on your new novella. The book is a prequel to your Collapse series. Why did you decide to write a prequel, and what was your inspiration for the plot?

Angela: Thank you for inviting me to share my story with you, Linda. My Collapse series is a post-apocalyptic story that begins after the big event has already occurred. I thought it would be interesting to go back and show how the world moved from being “normal” to collapsing. In the first book of the series there is a character, Lizzy, who is hyper-friendly, but the main protagonist wants nothing to do with her. She was a natural fit for the prequel to show how her life changed forever and why she was so desperate for a friend. 

LM: What sort of research did you have to do for this book? 

Angela: I’ve worked in healthcare my entire career. Though I’m an accountant, I’ve worked side-by-side with doctors and nurses and have seen how COVID has transformed our industry in so many ways. It seemed natural to take the current pandemic to the next level. My husband is an ex-paratrooper and a police officer, so I drew on his knowledge for some scenes in the first book. 

LM: How did you choose character names and occupations for your stories? 

Pixabay/Steve Buissinne

Angela: In the prequel, Lizzy’s mom is an accountant, which is an occupation I live every day, so it was easy to write about. I worked in construction when I was young, so making the protagonist’s father a construction worker also worked well. As far as selecting names, I researched names that were common in the year I assumed each character was born. It was rather funny to realize that I hadn’t been as random as I’d thought—I accidentally named three characters in my series by family names without realizing it. One, I ended up changing before publication but two didn’t get changed as I realized too late. 

LM: You have a full-time job, own a farm, and write stories. How do you balance all of your responsibilities? 

Angela: Balance in life is always something I strive for, but sometimes fall short of. For me, the key is to realize when I’ve gotten maxed out and need to take a break. Fortunately, I have two sisters who live within just a couple of hours’ drive. When I need a break, they’re very supportive in setting aside “girl time” for me. My alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m. so that I can get in some writing time before the rest of the world is ready to go. On the flip side, I try to be in bed by 9:00 each night. I guess I’ve truly bought into the old phrase that the early bird gets the worm. Only my worms are words. 

LM: What books are on your TBR pile? 

Angela:. I’m a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association as well as Word Weavers and participate in their critique groups. I don’t have nearly enough time to critique all the submissions out there but will often pick up a chapter here and there of other author’s work. Some of them have fantastic projects in the making and once they’re finished and have final titles, I can’t wait to read the published books. 

LM: What would you tell your younger writing self? 

Angela: My first year in college, I took an elective writing course. The professor tried to encourage me to change my major to writing. Though I enjoyed creating, I didn’t think of it as a viable career back then. If I could go back, I would have taken writing as a minor to accompany my accounting major. 

LM: What’s next for you? 

Pixabay/StockSnap

Angela: I’m writing my last book in the series now. Once that’s done, I’ve got another series forming in my brain that is a change from the post-apocalyptic genre. I can’t wait to get started on that new project. 

Linda: Where can folks connect with you? 

Angela: My website http://www.AngelaDShelton.com is the best place to connect with me. When you sign up for my newsletter, you have the option of receiving either my prequel novella, Downfall or the first book of the Collapse series, The Death of Friendship for FREE. It’s a risk-free way to try out my writing and see if you’d enjoy the series. I only send newsletters when I have something exciting to share or freebies to give away, so don’t worry that I’ll blow your inbox up with junk. And you can unsubscribe anytime you wish. 

About Downfall: 

The only thing anyone wants to talk about lately is the stupid virus that’s making people sick around the globe. But thirteen-year-old Lizzy Tilbrook has bigger things on her mind, like winning her class presidency. 

It’s the first stepping-stone in her plan to get into Yale. Then she’ll capture the title of Atlanta’s top lawyer. Lizzy doesn’t need friends to do that — she needs voters. She’ll do anything to win them over and take down her rival. The new pandemic is just a speed bump along the way. 

Or so she thinks. 

When the virus reactivates in individuals who’ve already had it, it snuffs out millions of lives within days. Insanity and chaos follow. Supply chains collapse, along with Lizzy’s plans. 

Soon there aren’t enough essential resources to go around. Violence erupts. 

With no place safe, priorities shift, and relationships become vital. Suddenly, being a lone wolf isn’t a sign of strength. It’s her greatest weakness. Lizzy must find allies or face the apocalypse alone. 

Downfall, prequel to the Collapse Series, an apocalyptic, young adult novel. Experience the beginning of the Collapse by Angela D. Shelton.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B57J2MD2