FATED by Sarah Alderson AUSTRALIAN BLOG TOUR

Welcome again Sarah to Novels On The Run.  Thanks for taking time to answer my questions and hopefully have a little fun on the way!

Today we are the second stop over for the Sarah Alderson – Fated Blog Tour…..WOOT HOO!  Todays interview theme is Choosing Your Own Fate.  Now for those that have read FAQ’s on Sarah, you will know that there is probably not much in her life that she would need to change….well not if I was her!

Many of us grow through childhood wanting to be one thing and turning out to be something else. Was there a career path or family legacy that was expected of you to follow or that was prominent within your family? If so, did you follow in that direction at any stage?

No, my parents never pushed me towards one thing or another, they've always let my brother and I follow our hearts. But I went to the kind of school which didn't provide much in the way of inspiration or ideas beyond becoming a lawyer or doctor. For a while I thought I would become a lawyer but then after university I temped in the private sector and utterly loathed it. I got fired by Accenture (probably the best thing that ever happened to me) and then I decided I needed to work in the non profit sector. It fit my values a lot more. I worked in that sector for 9 years - it was so creative and fun and filled with passionate people all wanting to make the world a better place - I loved it. 

Do you feel you were “fated” to be an author?

It never even crossed my mind to be a writer. And then one day BAM. Just like that the idea came to me and I just knew, once I started, that I could never stop and that I could never do anything else again and be as happy. It's my passion. It's not a job. It's not even work. I love it. And I realise how lucky I am to have discovered that. But I do think that having lived a fair bit and travelled and experienced lots of different jobs makes me a better writer now. I don't think I would have been so good ten years ago. It came at the right time. Is that fate? I think so.

In FATED, Evie is the last in a long line of demon slayers…… she can’t change that fact…..but she can change how she uses this. Do you personally believe that everyone has a distinct fate already mapped out?  Is it just a matter of deciding how your fate will play out even if the outcome is the same?

This is how I imagine it is; we're all sticks on a river and fate's trying to pull us down a particular stream, but sometimes we pull against the current and sometimes we sit and hang out in little cove doing nothing, maybe because we're scared of the rapids up ahead. Other times we take the route that other people pull us down because it looks like that's the path we should be on too or because someone (teachers, parents, friends) tell us it's the only way to go. So we have choice in our lives for sure. But if we sticks listen to our instincts and trust them then we'll end up on the right course, and we'll arrive at the place we're meant to be and life will ROCK! that's my experience anyway. You need courage and commitment to take that path though. That's the deal. (Did you like my little analogy? Deepak Chopra move over right?) 

Now, I thought we could take the interview to a relatively simple (yet I hope fun!) level!!

When I was asked to do a Choose Your Own Fate themed interview, what instantly came to mind was the old Choose Your Own Adventure tales.  So I would love it if you could choose answers to the following questions……which will give us a quirky little short story at the end!!

         Fate has decided the following for you:

           a)      You’re the only one who can save mankind

          b)      You are destined to be with one individual but desire another

           c)      All alone with your cats for company!

          d)      You live a long and uneventful life

          e)      After losing your parents in a house fire, your dog being hit by a car, your best friend having an affair  with your boyfriend, the small town gossip following you everywhere……

     Sarah’s Answer =   a and e) cos that makes a good story ;)

       You decided to sell all your worldly possessions and move to:

           a)      A cabin nestled in the trees around Lake Tahoe

           b)      A villa looking out over the sun drenched beaches of Western Australia

           c)      A cave house built into the cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea

           d)      Take refuge and solace in Deception Valley (Kalahari Desert)

           e)      Travel back in time to be a senior in high school and have a rocking awesome time!!

Sarah’s Answer  =  b - My next move is going to be to somewhere close to the ocean

          What is your special skill/ability/paranormal affliction!:

           a)      Just plain normal human

           b)      Shape Shifter

           c)      Super speed

          d)      Telekinetic

          e)      X-ray vision

          f)       Energy Conductor

         g)      High school cheerleader with lethal pom poms!

         h)      See the future

           Sarah’s Answer  =  Shapeshifter who is also telekinetic.

         Love……..

          a)      Just the two of us no decisions required

         b)      Triangle

         c)      Square – I like lots of choices!!

         d)      No thanks too busy saving the world!

         e)      Just me and my cats thanks!

      Sarah’s Answer  =  can it be 8-sided? (with all my male characters please!)

        Money…..

        a)      Grows on trees in my backyard!

        b)      Barter systems rock!

         c)      Would love it…..just don’t have it

        d)      Average wage for a normal days work

     e)    Super heroes have no need for money! (We get TV endorsements and book deals!)

Sarah’s Answer = Barter systems rock!

         You decide to change fate by doing this:

         a)      Place a “wanted” ad in the paper for more “super heroes” to join forces

         b)      Move to another destination and try again

          c)      Get rid of your cats and try internet dating

         d)      Write up your ultimate bucket list and live life on the edge!

 Sarah’s Answer  =  b) because I love to travel and d) cos I've done that too

So to sum up we know this of fictional Sarah Alderson……….

After losing her parents in a house fire, her dog being hit by a car, her best friend having an affair with her boyfriend and the small town gossip following her everywhere (stalkers are so annoying!), Sarah admits to being the only one who can save mankind – geez, much pressure?!

Sarah is a telekinetic shapeshifter who just needs a long holiday and break from reality.  So she packs up, sells her belongings and moves to a villa looking out over the sun drenched beaches of Western Australia with her 8 men in her love octagon – choices are a good thing!

Living in an “alternative” village, Sarah and her man candy live off the land and barter their wares for the staples of life – wine, cheese and French sticks!

After living it up and still finding no meaning to her life, Sarah writes her bucket list for life, leaves the lads and the beach behind her in search of another destination and another new beginning.

Where she goes, is anyones guess.  What she looks like when gets there will also be a mystery. At least she won’t have to physically carry her own bags around!

THANKS SO MUCH SARAH FOR INCLUDING NOVELS ON THE RUN IN YOUR FATED BLOG TOUR!

FATED by Sarah Alderson is a fantastic read.  I urge you all to get your hands on a copy and read, read, read!

ENJOY!

MARISSA

Check out the schedule if you haven't already seen it:

24th January: Words on Paper - First Chapter Hosting
25th January: Novels on the Run - If you could control your Fate themed interview
26th January: Shiirleyy's Bookshelf - Video review
27th January: Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic – Fated Top Trumps and Fated Cast Battle Off
28th January: She Known as Jess - Grazia-esque magazine interview with the Fated cast
29th January: Read Me, Bookmark Me, Love Me Giveaway - 5 copies of Lila and Fated with posters!
30st January: Book Probe Reviews - Host video message to Aussie fans from Sarah
31st January: Sarah Alderson live facebook chat on Read Me Love Me Share Me
1st Feb: Eleusinian Mysteries - Evie and Lucas Q&A
2nd Feb: The Rest is Still Unwritten - Wise words interview from Sarah.