Interview: Devin O'Branagan about GLORY

Devin O'Branagan

I have the rare pleasure of introducing you all to a fabulous author and her newest book: Devin O'Branagan's GLORY is out at last! She's graciously agreed to give an interview so we can all get to know a little about her and her writing career.

"Seventeen year old Glory Templeton’s blood holds the cure for a deadly pandemic-plague and she embarks on a quest to save humanity. When evil forces conspire to stop her, three supernatural beings are assigned to be her guardians. Forbidden love, ancient secret societies, mysterious astronomical monuments, vampires, witches, angels and demons all contribute to the high adventure that tests the character of this remarkable young woman. The legend of Glory begins!'Twilight meets The DaVinci Code...' www.GloryLegend.com"

Hi Devin!

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about your wonderful work!

Your novel, Glory, has been embraced by libraries and book groups alike. It is clearly a hit among fans. How did you come up with this idea,

Early last year I was just beginning to write the sequel to my comic chick-lit novel RED HOT PROPERTY, and I called my literary agent to ask if she had any suggestions for the book that would make it even more successful than the first one. She laughed and said, "Put a vampire in it." Then she stopped laughing and said, "Seriously, Devin, have you ever considered writing a vampire novel? Why don't you give it a try? " My first two novels published by Simon & Schuster were horror novels and so I had confidence I could handle the genre. Interestingly, a recent review of GLORY stated that it is a blend of both my previous genres: horror and chick-lit. And it is.

and what inspired your naming of Glory and her Australian Shepherd, Hallelujah?

RED HOT LIBERTY, the sequel to RED HOT PROPERTY, has a patriotic theme, and when I shifted gears from writing it to writing GLORY, I carried over that patriotic energy. I had been researching the lyrics to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" prior to considering names for GLORY's heroine and her dog. ("Glory, glory, hallelujah!") As I developed the plot for GLORY, I became aware of the underlying spiritual theme of the book, and the names worked exceptionally well.

Is there a message in the novel that you hope your readers will take away from reading it?

Life isn't about us, but we are about life.

Glory grew up on a farm. Is that something from your personal experience? Where did you grow up?

I had a bohemian gypsy upbringing and there was never a place I called home. However, my grandparents had a farm in Michigan where my mother and I occasionally spent time between various adventures. I drew from that experience.

What inspired you to begin writing, and when did you realize this was your calling?

I was reading at three years old and wrote my first story at five. I was born to write.

Who is your favorite author? What is it about his or her work that you love? Is there one author you would consider your mentor?

I read anything and everything and everyone. I learn from every book I read, whether it is well-written or not.

What books are you reading now? Any new authors who have caught your interest?

Right now I'm reading non-fiction books related to conspiracy theories as research for RED HOT LIBERTY.

Though there are many fantastic elements in your story, there's also some stunning realism as far as details like the disease that has attacked her father, and almost everybody else. Was it difficult to maintain this balance between fantasy and real life?

No, it was easy. I personally believe that there is much more in heaven and earth than is dreamt of in my philosophy. For me, life is very much a blend of possible realities.

What was your favorite part to write?

The scenes featuring Hallelujah the intrepid demon-fighting Australian shepherd. She rocks!

The cover of Glory is compelling. Who designed it? Did you get to contribute to the decision?

An excellent graphic designer named Sue Campbell created the cover, and she did accept my input.

Can you tell us some of your latest news? Maybe share some of your current work in progress?

I am once again working on RED HOT LIBERTY, a comic chick-lit novel that is the second in the RED HOT series about the misadventures of plucky single mother, Molly O'Malley. Molly is a real estate agent whose newest client is Liberty True, a rebel patriot who invites Molly to a different kind of tea party and drags her, kicking and screaming, into the revolution. The website is www.RedHotLiberty.com

I am also beginning to develop the second installment of the GLORY series.

Did you learn anything from writing Glory and what was it?

I learned that writing in first person is much more difficult than I presumed it was. (GLORY was my first project written in first person.) I really struggled to find Glory's voice. It forced me to grow as a writer.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read, write, and persist.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I hope my books touch their hearts. It's why I do what I do!

Thank you for your time! Readers go to www.GloryLegend.com to pick up your copy! (Are signed copies still available? How would readers obtain these?)

Personally autographed copies of GLORY are available via the novel's website at www.GloryLegend.com

Autographed copies of all my available novels may be obtained via my author's website at www.DevinWrites.com

Fabulous!

Readers, enjoy this book trailer for the novel, GLORY.