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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

[The Dark Light blog tour] The road trip that led to The Dark Light by Sara Walsh + Giveaway!

Hi everyone!

Today is my stop on The Dark Light tour, and I am so excited to have Sara over and tell you all about that very eventful trip she had that led to the writing of her debut, The Dark Light!


From Lightning Bolt to Bookshelf: The road trip that led to The Dark Light

One question I’m often asked is how I got the idea for The Dark Light. It’s actually a pretty fun story, and one that centers on a two day road trip from Kansas City to the Teton National Park in Wyoming--a place I absolutely adore.

I love road trips, especially across the middle of the States where there’s miles and miles of gorgeous open country. So, as there’s also a huge road trip in The Dark Light, I thought it would be fun to recreate the trip that led to the story and offer some top tips for surviving all those hours on the road!

Music
When you’re traveling across the middle of America, there often isn’t that much to see, so we listened to a lot of music! One thing we quickly noticed is that the radio stations love a little classic rock. Whatever your taste in music, you simply have to get on board with this. Luckily, we were an appreciative audience. Def Leppard will feature heavily. As will Journey, Boston, and that song by the guy who wants to be stroked. You will hear the Winds of Change by the Scorpions at least once an hour, every hour, and if you’re really lucky, you’ll get a burst of Rock you Like a Hurricane and the car will erupt into a scene from Wayne’s World!

Food
As a grown up, obligatory road trip food basically consists of everything your parents would never let you eat as a kid, and we definitely embraced that on the trip. High on the list comes anything that turns your fingers orange; Chicken in a Biskit--the ultimate in road trip goodness; and questionable meat products from truck stops, usually served on sticks. It is illegal to drink anything but Mountain Dew.

Roadside Attractions
This was a long trip, so all opportunities for entertainment were gratefully received. In the States, that means roadside attractions. Roadside attractions are simply genius, and I’m definitely a person who could take an entire vacation just to tour such bizarre side shows as the world’s largest prairie dog and the world’s largest ball of twine! My favorite roadside attraction on this trip was definitely Wall Drug on I-90 in South Dakota. This place has quite the build-up--we saw advertisements for at least 200 miles!

Chat
I love the bizarre topics of conversation that come up on road trips, like “Which is better? Eggplant or zucchini?” Seriously! But there was one conversation on this trip that I’ll never forget. We were crossing South Dakota when the conversation turned to a news event about a boy who’d reappeared almost ten years after mysteriously vanishing. We were in the middle of nowhere, and the story got me thinking about all the places a person could disappear, especially as we were surrounded by the plains where there’s literally nothing to see for miles around. What might really be out there?

A couple of hours passed and we talked and sang and chugged Mountain Dew, but the idea of this boy disappearing wouldn’t leave me. A world started to unfold in my mind--an invisible world that was separate, yet connected, to our own. What might happen is somebody was taken to that place? What if it was a young boy, like the boy who’d disappeared all those years ago? How could somebody who cared for that boy get him back? And that was how I got the idea for The Dark Light.

I didn’t start to write the story until several months after the trip, but I will never forget the moment when the idea came to me and how, at the time, I’d had no idea that one tiny conversation would lead me to my first published novel!

About the author:

Sara Walsh is British, but happily lives in Annapolis, Maryland. She graduated college with a degree in psychology, but soon decided that telling stories was much more fun. When not writing, Sara is usually reading, drowning in tea, or frolicking around town with the world's cutest St. Bernard. The Dark Light is her first novel.

Follow Sara: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

About the book:

The Dark Light by Sara Walsh
August 28th 2012 by Simon Pulse

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she's concerned, that's about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia's not one to fall for just any guy, but she can't get Sol--or the brilliant tattoo on his back--out of her mind.

Then Mia's brother goes missing, and Mia's convinced that Sol knows more than he's sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol's not who Mia thought he was--and neither is she.

The next stop in the tour is with Danny at Bewitched Bookworms where she interviews Mia! Check out the full tour schedule here!

GIVEAWAY TIME!
WIN A SIGNED COPY OF THE DARK LIGHT BY SARA WALSH!

Rules:
Open Internationally

Ends September 5
Must be at least 13 years old to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway



58 comments:

  1. YESSSSSSSSSS! I'M FREAKING EXCITED FOR THE DARK LIGHT! Um..seriously, just LOOK at that sexy cover! I NEED TO MEET SOL ALREADY. Gahhh...Can't wait to read this :D

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  2. I'm excited to know what species Mia and Sol belong to :))

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  3. Love the cover!!.....I need to know what's inside for sure!

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  4. I love road trips so so so much. It makes me kind of happy that this book was inspired on one. And I totally want to go a road trip only for the sake of road trip attractions.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Steph!

      So glad to see another road trip lover! And roadside attractions are the best!

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  5. Yes, I'm excited to be honest...about Sol. ;)

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  6. The amazing cover drew me in but the plot sounds so good! I can't wait to read it! YA paranormal is my favorite genre and this book sounds like it gives it a unique twist- not the same old formula....

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  7. I'm excited because it sounds so mysterious! :D

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  8. Hey, guys!

    Love reading your comments! Do keep them coming. Cover lovers, we're going to be having a whole stop about the cover later in the tour, so do follow us as we move around.

    Huge thanks to Kai for hosting this stop and for running the giveaway! You're a star!

    Sara W

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  9. Yes, I'm very excited about the book. Can't wait to read it!

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  10. I want to know about the mysterious lights!

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  11. I'm mostly excited about Sol's tattoo at the moment :D but I've read couple of reviews already and I'm really looking forward to this book!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kara!

      Yeah, Sol's tattoo is something special. I had a lot of fun writing about that ;)

      Sara W

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  12. I've been tracking this book for a long time and I can't wait to finally read it!

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  13. I am very very VERY excited to read this book!! LOVE the cover! :)
    Thank you for the giveaway!

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  14. I'm looking forward to meeting these characters :)
    Music on a road trip is so important. They make it more fun!

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  15. I am so excited! I think the synopsis leaves a lot fo mystery into exactly what to expect and I like that! And of course I want to meet Sol! :)

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  16. I've seen this book everywhere and I love the cover. I'm most excited to read about the characters and the romance involved.

    Thanks for hosting an awesome giveaway:)

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  17. I've been pining after this since the first time I laid my eyes on the blurb and cover!

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  18. Sounds like a great new book. And love the cover.

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  19. I'm looking forward to reading THE DARK LIGHT & yes I want to meet Sol.

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  20. Very excited for this book, Sarah! Great story about its inspiration -- you never know when it hits you.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kell!

      The idea for The Dark Light was definitely one of those strange lightning bolt moments. You just never know when they're going to strike.

      I sound like Forrest Gump!

      Sara W

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  21. I can't wait to get hold of The Dark Light! I am so curious about what Sol/Mia are and the mystery sounds so intriguing!

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  22. Excited? YES! It's been on my GR tbr the first time I saw it. And Sol..God. I can't wait to get a new crush. (Although I'm crushing on him right now.) ;)

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Michelle!

      It never hurts to have a new book crush! I so hope Sol lives up to your expectations.

      Thanks so much for your comment.

      Sara W

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  23. The story sounds interesting. Who is this guy Sol, and where did Mia's brother go? I'm sure the characters will be just as interesting when I get to meet them. Thanks.

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  24. The cover caught my eye, but the whole premise sounds intriguing.

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  25. I am very excited about this book!! The cover alone is enough to draw me in, but I've also read a lot of good reviews about it too! Cannot wait to read it : )

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  26. I have been excited about this book forever!

    :).

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  27. Amazingly Excited and anxious and very much hopeful that I win this I would be absolutely grateful :)

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  28. This book looks incredible! I would love to win a copy of it!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Michelle!

      The Dark Light was a lot of fun to write. I so hope you enjoy the story.

      Good luck for the giveaway!

      Sara W

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  29. I am excited for everything! I can't wait to read this one!

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  30. The cover is so eye catching and the blurb is awesome! Can't wait for this one!

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  31. I am super excited! I have been dying to read this since I first saw it months ago! She had me at the cover! Thanks!

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  32. It was actually in my WoW this week and I can't wait. The description sounds amazing, the cover is seriously hawwwwwwtttttt and hmm.. how could anyone resist a love interest with such a sexy back? I'm soooo excited :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Sirtsu!

      Thanks for your comment and for picking The Dark Light as your Waiting on Wednesday! I really appreciate that.

      I saw a comment in a different place saying that Sol was bringing sexy 'back', which I thought was very clever and very funny!

      I hope he lives up to your expectations. He's a mysterious one, for sure :)

      Sara W.

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  33. I am definitely most excited about the characters! They sound so awesome and I have a feeling that I am going to love them!

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  34. I cannot wait to read this book. That cover has me hooked!

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  35. I LOVE how the idea for The Dark Light came about!! So fascinating. How one random conversation can plant the seed for an epic novel. Just reading about it makes me SO intrigued to see what Sara has done with this idea in The Dark Light.

    Also: I can't believe I've never been on a road trip :O

    Also x2: I LOVE THE COVER. LOVE.

    Also x3: Thank you SO much for the giveaway! <3 DYING TO READ THIS.

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  36. I think Sara's book will finally be something new to read because most of the books that have come out lately have been all the same. I'm excited to read something new!

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  37. THE COVER!! Show me that sexy back, Yeah! Lol!
    And I want to know more about Sol!! I love that name!
    (Ileana-rafflecopter)

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  38. I heard alot about the book and I love the cover. I'm very excited to read it! :)

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  39. How can I not be excited?! Gah!!! Awesome cover, great summary, sexy boy with tattoos.. This book can't come out soon enough!!! Thanks for a chance to win it!

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  40. EVERYTHING. It sounds amazing and I've heard it's really different and unique and that excites me even more and that cover? O___O The Dark Light looks fabulous, can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Great post and thanks a bunhc for the great givaway! Woo hoo :D

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  41. Hot tattooed guy - enough said ;)

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  42. I loved the sound of this book just after reading the blurb a couple of months ago. I can't wait to read it. Sounds amazing.

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  43. I am so excited to read this book because the summary only gave a snippet of what is was about but I want to know MORE :D

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  44. All of it! I'm just generally excited to read The Dark Light, it sounds exactly like my kind of read. :)

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  45. I'm excited to meet Sol with his mysterious tattoo!

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  46. I am super excited for this book, and with this blog tour I have been getting more excited!

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  47. I'm definitely excited for this book! I'm want to find out what the light is and of course read about the romance

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  48. I'm curious about the brilliant tattoo! :D

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  49. I can't wait to read this. It sounds so good!

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  50. Sol and his tattoo! Thanks for the giveaway, Kai! :D

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I love getting comments from my readers and fellow bookworms, and I try my best to respond to all of them. Feel free to give me a piece of your thoughts. Also, this is an award-free blog. I simply don't have the time to highlight them anymore, but thank you for thinking of my blog!

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