Blog Tour Interview: Of Breakable Things - A. Lynden Rolland

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Title: Of Breakable Things
Author: A. Lynden Rolland
Pub Date: April 29th, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books

A captivating debut about the fragility of life, love, and perspective.

Alex Ash was born broken. Living with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is like living on death row, but she is willing to fight for her frail life as long as it includes the boy next door. Chase has always held the pieces of her together, but when he dies tragically, Alex’s unfavorable fate becomes a blessing in disguise.

Faced with a choice, she finds herself in a peculiar world where rooms can absorb emotions and secrets are buried six feet under. Among limitless minds, envious spirits, and soulless banshees, Alex hardly rests in peace.

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1. What do you think of your cover?
I’m a sucker for anything that moves me. Inspiration is so valuable. My favorite things: songs, movies, books, they move me to feel a certain way or to even think differently, and that’s powerful. When I first saw the image for the cover, I did a double take. The face epitomizes the story well because my main character dies from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome before the book begins. Her life certainly wasn’t a fairy tale, and I love that the ‘ghostly’ face isn’t whimsical or ethereal. It’s tough. It’s sad. It’s creepy.
That was definitely what attracted me as a reader first! :D

2. What are you anticipating upon the release of your book?
A small piece of finality. There were so many times I said, “Okay, now it’s really done.” And then I’d go back and change a bunch of things. I will probably be writing changes in the margins of my own copy.
I just hoping a few people read it and enjoy it. I hope they fall in love with Alex and Chase, and the rarity of the relationship. Alex and Chase are two kids who grew up taking care of each other, who felt that love from the start, and who need each other in death as much as they did in life.

3. Were you always a writer? (Did you want to be a writer at a young age?)
Not really. I always liked it. I kept journals growing up (and I still have them), but going back and reading what I wrote … I was exaggerating and elaborating even then. I lost writing for a while when life and school and friends got in the way. I wish I hadn’t. When it finally came back to me, I knew a piece of myself had been missing. I wasn’t happy without it.

4. One character trait your main character has that you wish you had?
She isn’t afraid to ask questions (and boy does she ask a ton!). When I was in middle school, I was horribly shy. I was always so concerned about annoying people or seeming to smart or too dumb or too young or too old or too naive. I was so worried about what people would think that I ended up missing out on so much. I eventually got over it.
I definitely feel like this. Sometimes I'll act smart when I'm not and then act stupid just to throw people off. I'm kind of unpredictable in that sense. :P

5. What was the hardest part about writing Of Breakable Things?
Remembering the details of my little afterworld. It’s a crazy, psychological melding of thoughts and beauty and emotions. Alex can walk down a street one day and see two buildings, and then the next day she might see seven buildings, four sets of stone stairs leading to goodness knows where, and a rowboat in the fog. She isn’t always ready to see certain things, so her mind doesn’t show her. It’s fun to write it, but I have to remember my own rules.

6. Tell us about the YA Valentines because I love them. :D
I’m in awe of them. I’m the small fish in that brilliant pond. They are so creative and supportive and knowledgeable. Some days I have forty emails in my inbox from them. They’ve become regular pieces of my life. I will get the chance to meet a few of them in person in July at the Might Mississippi Book Blast in Chicago!
I just want to be in a ROOM with them. That's enough awesome to send a small mammal into a state of crazy fangirling.

7. An obsession of yours?
Gymnastics. When I was little, I wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. I grew up in a gym because my mother is a coach and a judge. I was pretty good, but I didn’t quite make it there. I can still flip like the best of them though. I’ll provide video if you want J
I’m also obsessed with doughnuts, strawberry pop tarts, and chocolate covered cherries. I have a sweet tooth (Sweet teeth? Sweet mouth?)

8. When you're not writing, you're...
Playing mom. I have a two-year-old and a five-year-old, and they keep me busy most of the day with preschool, swimming, T ball, timeouts, etc.
Reading. I can usually squeeze in a few books a week.
I love music (iPhone right now is playing Demons by Imagine Dragons, which is actually on my Of Breakable Things playlist).
Yes. Yes. Yes. Music is everything - aside from reading and books, that is.
Dancing. Flipping. Eating. Drinking gallons of coffee and tea and wine. Laughing.

9. An author you'd love to do a collab with?
There’s a local author here in Annapolis who writes amazing historical fiction. Her name is Erika Robuck. I’d love to combine her knack for history and characterization with a young adult voice.

10. Quick, give a shoutout (or a few) to people who have supported you! Bloggers, authors and/or other friends!
The Valentines, of course! And I have to mention the Goat Posse, a hilariously wonderful group of writers who are as diverse as they are talented. Within that group, Bethany Crandell (Summer on the Short Bus) has been my yoda, and A. G. Howard (Splintered, Unhinged) was her yoda. I don’t know what I’d do without them.
They're pretty awesome, righttt?
When it comes to the bloggers, I am going to generalize and just go all fangirl for a moment. I’m absolutely blown away by the intelligence, the know-how, the talent, and the creativity. (I’m looking at you, Miss Song Writing, Piano Playing, Blogging Ninja).
Aw. Aw. Aw. Aw. Aw. I must stalk you more... I mean... wha?? *flips hair*

11. You're at a nightclub in the middle of a big party... what do you do?
Grab a friend and start a dance off (probably a silly one, but whatever). Sometimes I start air- scribbling like a DJ, too. So embarrassing.

12. Are you lazy or diligent?
I like the idea of being lazy, but even when I sit down to watch a movie I have to multitask. Read a book at the same time, surf the web, or write or edit.
I’m a really, really hard worker. So I have to say diligent.

13. Chocolate or cake? (And yes, you can only have one! I know... it's such a hard choice.)
I can’t just shovel sugar into my mouth??? (Because I totally would.) If I have a glass of milk, the choice is cake. If no milk, the choice is chocolate!
This is why we're friends.

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A. Lynden Rolland was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, a picturesque town obsessed with boats and blue crabs. She has always been intrigued by the dramatic and the broken, compiling her eccentric tales of tragic characters in a weathered notebook she began to carry in grade school. She is a sports fanatic, a coffee addict, and a lover of Sauvignon Blanc and thunderstorms. When she isn’t hunched behind a laptop at her local bookstore, she can be found chasing her two vivacious children. She now resides just outside Annapolis with her husband and young sons.

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