Left to Write: Awesomesauce Authors: An Interview (and more!) with Nyrae Dawn!

I'm super excited about today's interviewee, an author whose work I've admired for a while now. Okay, that's putting it too mildly--I'm a total fangirl! Her YA contemp, WHAT A BOY NEEDS is probably one of my favorite reads of the year, and I also really enjoyed the first book in *this* series, CHARADE. Here's a little about Nyrae and her brand new book baby, FACADE! And as an extra bonus there's an excerpt and giveaway at the bottom of the post!

About Nyrae Dawn:

Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn's passion. Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she's a total romantic at heart and proud.

Nyrae resides in sunny Southern California with her husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two awesome kids.

When she's not with her family, you can be pretty sure you'll find her with a book in her hand or her laptop and an open document in front of her. Nyrae also writes adult romance under the name Kelley Vitollo.

Tell us a little about your writer's journey so far:

Nyrae: I’ve had quite a long journey. I started writing toward the goal of publication about nine years ago. I had some short stories and small press books published. I joined writers groups, and took a writing class. It wasn’t until my fifth finished book I got an agent. At that point I thought, “Yes! This is it!” And it wasn’t… I self-published after parting ways with my second agent. From there I got my current agent who I adore and am now lucky enough to write for Grand Central Publishing! I wouldn’t change any of it. I learned a lot along the way!

Okay, let's hear your Twitter Pitch! (140 characters or less.)

Nyrae: Pain, betrayal, poetry, and forgiveness create a story that will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love.

What inspired you to write this book? How is it a book only you could write?

Nyrae: Great question. Adrian inspired me to write his book. From the beginning I felt a bond to his character and my heart broke for him. His is an emotional journey that I honestly wasn’t sure I could pull off.

What's your favorite thing about writing?

Nyrae: Everything! I can’t imagine not doing it. I love giving characters a happily ever after. I love writing people and figuring out why/how they tick. I love romance. I love it when I reader tells me they have enjoyed something I wrote.

What's your least favorite thing?

Nyrae: Editing :)

Now it's time to brag a little--What do you love most about your book?

Nyrae: Adrian. I love his writing, and I love his perseverance.

What has surprised you most about publishing post-agent (in other words, something unpublished writers may not know about how the process goes after you get an agent)?

Nyrae: That’s tough. I’m not sure. I’ve been pretty involved with the industry since before I sold, because I was close friends with a few published authors and someone who owned a publishing house. I guess I would say that nothing is ever a guarantee. Things can change in no time at all.

Okay, now a little about you. (And yes, I stole these questions from In the Actor's Studio with James Lipton.)

What is your favorite word?

Nyrae: Love

What is your least favorite word?

Nyrae: Neither. I know that sounds ridiculous but it never sounds correct to me, even when I know it is.

What turns you on?

Nyrae: Cockiness J

What turns you off?

Nyrae: Being hurtful.

What sound or noise do you love?

Nyrae: Laughter

What sound or noise do you hate?

Nyrae: Nails on a chalkboard

What profession, other than your own, would you most like to attempt?

Nyrae: I can’t imagine doing anything other than writing.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear G-d say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Nyrae: You will be remembered for your kindness.

About FACADE:

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Genre: New Adult

Mass Market

ISBN: 9781455576319

No one knows who twenty-one year-old Adrian Westfall is behind his façade. After what he's done, he deserves to live alone with his pain, even if he'd do anything to forget. Anything for a moment of quiet without his past haunting him.

Eighteen year-old Delaney Cross wants nothing more than to absolve her family from her father's sins. To keep her suicidal mom off that ledge, and help her brother Maddox get the light back in his eyes. She thinks their road to freedom is through Adrian.

Adrian and Delaney are bound together by tragedy... Only Adrian doesn't know it. As their lives intertwine, they find a solace in each other they never knew existed. Laney knows she needs to tell him-to come out from behind her smoke screen, but to say the words could mean losing him.

Two people. Two disguises. True love. Will it be enough to save them when all secrets are bared?

Now here's a little taste of FACADE!

When I see my sister, Angel, walk over to Ash’s grave I don’t get out of the car. When some guy walks up and grabs her hand, I don’t know who he is and yet, I don’t bother finding out. They hug and I don’t walk over and do the same thing to her. It’s not our thing to stand around having some group, mourning session over the two year-old boy who died too soon.

Nope. This is real life. Not like all the stupid fucking books I read or the movies people watch or the reality shows that couldn’t be farther away from reality.

Without moving an inch, I watch her. Watch as she sets flowers on Ashton’s grave. As the guy pulls her into a hug. As they kneel on the ground, probably talking to him in a way I’ll never have the balls to do.

The guy says something to her and then gets up and walks away. I duck further down in my seat, but no one is paying attention to me. He heads back to a little car and waits.

Angel’s hands go to her face and I know she’s crying in them. Know she’s mourning the loss of Ash, the boy she loved so much. The boy she took care of better than any mom could. I know she sent the guy away because she’s like me and needs to handle shit on her own. Only unlike me, she’ll never run.

She cries out there for probably thirty minutes. The whole time my chest is tight. Aching. It’s hard to breathe and I want to turn away, but I don’t. I deserve to feel this way and deserve to see this.

A fist squeezes tighter and tighter around my heart. My face is wet, but I don’t bother to wipe away the tears, either. Real men don’t fucking cry. That’s what dad always said before he hit me in a series of body shots, until I couldn’t stop myself from doing just what he said I shouldn’t do.

Then he’d beat me harder for being weak.

Angel’s shoulders are shaking. I can tell from this far away.

I’m not an idiot. Never have been. I know it wouldn’t make me weak to walk over there and hug her. To hold her and tell her it’ll be okay, but I still won’t do it. What right do I have to try and console her, when I’m the one who destroyed everything?

When I’m the one who let Ash die?

So I sit here and watch her, just so I’ll never forget the pain I caused.

GAH!! I cannot wait to get my grabby-hands on this book, you guys! Want more? Buy and Goodreads links are below. And don't forget to enter the giveaway!