AOTW- Shelly Crane

Shelly Crane

About the Author:

"Shelly is a YA author from a small town in Georgia and loves everything about the south. She is wife to a fantastical husband and stay at home mom to two boisterous and mischievous boys who keep her on her toes. They currently reside in everywhere USA as they happily travel all over with her husband's job. She loves to spend time with her family, binge on candy corn, go out to eat at new restaurants, buy paperbacks at little bookstores, site see in the new areas they travel to, listen to music everywhere and also LOVES to read.
Her own books happen by accident and she revels in the writing and imagination process. She doesn't go anywhere without her notepad for fear of an idea creeping up and not being able to write it down immediately, even in the middle of the night, where her best ideas are born."

Interview with Shelly Crane

Shelly Crane is author of The Significance Series, Collide Series, Devour Series and The Stealing Grace Series.

Holly: Hi Shelly! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Shelly Crane: I'm a YA author of three series at the moment. I'm a stay at home mom and I love to read as much as I love to write.

Holly: You said you hated reading until you picked up a book in December 2009—and then started writing when you could not find anymore books to read. What was that book convinced you to start reading in ’09 and do you remember what you first started writing about?

Shelly Crane: The first book I ever picked up was the Twilight series. After watching the movies I had to see what happened next. Then the Mortal instruments series, then the Vampire Academy series.  I started writing when I couldn't find anything else I wanted to read.

Holly: Has what you wrote then and what you have published now changed much in type, feel, etc?

Shelly Crane: Um, I don't think so. For me it feels the same. I still write the stories that I'd want to read. That won't change.

Holly: Can you tell us a little bit about your first two novels in the Colide series, Collide and Uprising—and a little about the series in general?

Shelly Crane: Collide and Uprising are about Sherry. The world has been invaded by unknown 'beings' and her and her brother have to fend for themselves after their parents leave them. Merrick, one of the good guys, who is also Sherry's brother's guardian, comes down to earth to save them. Unfortunately, the body he lands in happens to belong to Sherry's abusive ex-boyfriend. But he's in love with her and she doesn't know it. He's watched her almost her whole life and doesn't know what to do now that he's there. And so the drama ensues :) They find lots of stragglers along the way and have to hide out underground.

Holly: You have another series called The Devoured, the second of which is set to come out this year. Can you tell us a little bit about Clara and this mysterious Eli?

Shelly Crane: Well, Clara is a popular girl who has all the things most girls want in high school; a wrestler boyfriend, on the spirit squad, popular friends. But her parents died and she begins to question it all.  When a guy, Eli, comes to town and her boyfriend, Tate, starts to show signs of being abusive and possessive, she starts to open her eyes and see her world for what it really is. She can no longer sit by and watch her friends bully others and she can't pretend in her relationship with Tate anymore. And Eli is conveniently the catalyst for all this and is all too happy to be the shoulder Clara needs.

Holly: Do you think you will move to writing in other genres?

Shelly Crane: I have one adult book out now, Stealing Grace, but I don't think I'll write another one outside that series. Not that I didn't enjoy it, I just am way more comfortable in YA. That may change, you just never know.

Holly: Your Significance Series also has a new book coming out this year called Defiance in which we pick up again with Maggie and Caleb’s tale. I have to ask, who does your cover art?

Shelly Crane: I do all of my own covers with a little help sometimes to tweak it sometimes if needed. :)

Holly: What was your inspiration for the Significance series?

Shelly Crane: When I sit down to write that book, I thought about what I would love to happen to me. My other book, Collide, was dark and dangerous and I wanted something a little lighter that could make me feel giddy.

Holly: Which comes first for you when starting a new book/series—the character(s), plot setting or something else?

Shelly Crane: Honestly, just a thought or one plot line. For instance, for Significance, I started with two characters that I knew I wanted them to touch and fall in love. I didn't know what they were going to be named, or what the process was going be called (Imprinting) or the family members, nothing. I don't do plotting or outlines. I just sit down and write. It doesn't work for everyone but it's the only way I can write.

Holly: Do you have anything you would like to say to your readers?

Shelly Crane: I freaking love you! You are the only reason I'm here right now. I feel so incredibly blessed and honored and blown away every day. By YOU! You rock my socks.

Holly: Has any new authors caught your attention lately, if so who?

Shelly Crane: Oh, yeah! I recently read a book by Quinn Loftis, Prince of Wolves, that is totally swoon worthy! Also, Callum & Harper by Fisher Amelie will make you cry and laugh and then double swoon! Shannon Mcdermott, Nancy Straight and Alyssa Rose Ivy are some of the sweetest gals ever with yummy books as well!

Books by Shelly Crane

The Significance Series

#1: Significance

#2: Accordance

The Devoured Series
#1: Devour

The Collide Series #1: Collide
#2: Uprising
#3: Catalyst

The Stealing Grace Series
#1: Stealing Grace

Coming soon:

Defiance (Significance, #3)-- Expected Publication Date: May 2012Consume (The Devoured, #2))-- Expected Publication Date: 2012Taking Faith (Stealing Grace #2)-- Expected Publication Date: Summer\Fall 2012

Find Shelly Crane at: Her blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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