“His
eyes settled on
her…piercing green embers
of flame that revealed the
ferocity of his pain and
passion, yet still
shrouded him under veils
of ever deepening mystery
that made
every ounce of her ache to
unravel him.”
Tegan Lockwood’s dreams were dead, sacrificed on the noble altar of duty before they ever had a chance to live. Her entire existence was disappearing into the abyss of apathy as she labored her days away keeping her family’s struggling business alive. There would be no emotion, no color, no beauty in her life. That is, until a mysterious visitor begins to draw her out of the darkness of her past towards something that will challenge the boundaries of her world, and unlock the most deeply held secrets of her heart.
Tegan Lockwood’s dreams were dead, sacrificed on the noble altar of duty before they ever had a chance to live. Her entire existence was disappearing into the abyss of apathy as she labored her days away keeping her family’s struggling business alive. There would be no emotion, no color, no beauty in her life. That is, until a mysterious visitor begins to draw her out of the darkness of her past towards something that will challenge the boundaries of her world, and unlock the most deeply held secrets of her heart.
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dall
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DallasCory
About The
Author
Dallas
Coryell is a musician and
author residing deep in the
untamed wilds of Michigan,
USA, where he desperately
attempts to assign meaning
to his world through bouts
of maniacal creative
catharsis and pitifully
doomed
hopeless romantic fantasies.
All of the songs written by
the characters in this
novel are real and can be
viewed on the author’s
fledgling YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/D
1. If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?
He has long since passed, but I would
definitely love to work with C.S. Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia
captured my imagination and inspired me to begin writing, so in that
respect it would be amazing to hear all the stories behind those books.
C.S. Lewis was also something of a genius and deep thinker; I would
love to "pick his brain" on many different topics.
2. What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?
I have a day job as an office business
manager, so most of my writing happens at night and on the weekends. It
took a lot of tea and 3-hour-sleep-nights to get Melody's Key written
within a year, but the process was so rewarding I hardly noticed the
pain. There is something magical about bringing your thoughts to life
in the middle of the night when the world is sleeping. My favorite
writing space is in my bed with 100 pillows propped behind me and mood
music in my headphones. Oh...and gum....I must chew gum ;)
3. What is the hardest part of the writing for you?
The most difficult part of the writing experience is reading a negative review from someone who hated the book and hates me for writing it :) I think it's so challenging for me because my writing represents a piece of my heart, and a direct line into my soul. As dramatic as it sounds, rejection of the writing feels like a rejection of the totality of my being. I've had to learn to externalize these negative words unless the critique is constructive and includes legitimate examples. I'm very interested in improving as a writer so hearing the negative things can sometimes be quite useful.
4. When and why did you first start writing?
I have
always enjoyed a story that can get me out of my current reality and
transport me to another world. The only thing more exhilarating is
creating the story yourself, where you become the architect of your own
plane of existence. When I first started to write in 4th and 5th grade I
was quickly addicted. I wrote in private ever since then, and only
recently decided to publish Melody's Key, which is my first attempt at a
love story. Typically I read and write sci-fi horror, so this is quite
a switch for me!
5. How did you come up with the idea for your book?
The
idea for Melody's Key came at a time when I was going through some very
devastating events in my personal life. I realized one day that I had
lost my belief in love almost entirely. This was greatly disturbing
because the romantic part of me has always been connected to my
inspiration, hope and enjoyment of life. I realized that I should fight
with every ounce of my being to hold on to this piece of me, because
without it my life would cease to have any meaning that I found
acceptable. Melody's Key was my attempt to restore this part of my
heart. I also thought it would be wonderful if the story could provide
comfort for others who were struggling in different areas of their
lives.
6. Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?
I have enjoyed reading ever since my elementary school
days when my father introduced me to the Chronicles of Narnia. During
middle school I spent my Christmas and and birthday money buying
anything by Lloyd Alexander or Troy Denning that I could get my hands
on. The summer between 8th and 9th grade I was inadvertently introduced
to adult books when I read Rising Sun by Michael Crichton and Cujo by
Steven King. Nowadays, I primarily read science fiction like the
Hyperion series or the Expanse Series, although I have to admit I took a
lot of pleasure in reading TFIOS and Twilight, which opened my eyes to
the wonderful world of YA. I will probably lose my man-card by saying
this, but TFIOS is the first book to ever make me cry...which is weird
because I rarely ever leak out of my eyes in such a manner :)
7. Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?
Write what you are passionate about. Write about what moves you to anger or tears or elation, not just what you think people want to read. Don't be afraid to show your heart, because that is what readers will connect with.
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