Welcome to this stop on the
DiSemblance Book Tour,
sponsored by
Bewitching Book Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Shanae Branham
Trade Paperback, 369 pages
CreateSpace, August 20, 2012
Science Fiction, Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult
FROM THE GOODREADS SUMMARY:
Jason Tanner’s life has always been different from the ordinary citizen’s. It started when he was an infant and his parents were only teenagers. A computer science prodigy, Lloyd attended MIT but left a pariah in the eyes of the school’s dean—but a computer physics genius in the eyes of his primary investor. Then his theories and ideas created a holographic machine and their world shrunk as contact with the outside world became less and less frequent. A computer prodigy now himself, Jason is about to learn that the world never waits for you if you have the ability to change it: it will come for you.
Jason has been living life through the world of Lloyd’s invention and wishing he could carry on a relationship with Boston, the beautiful girl next door. When his father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, he is brought back to reality in a hurry. He is forced to destroy all of the planted evidence—and finds he is being targeted as the killer’s new fall guy.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Shanae Branham
Maria: How would you describe yourself, both as a writer and a person?
Shanae: Imaginative, fun, and compassionate.
Maria: What inspires you to write? Is it a certain atmosphere, an intriguing article on a scientific breakthrough, a sensory experience, or simply your overstimulated imagination?
Shanae: I would have to say my 'overstimulated imagination'. That truly describes me.
Maria: This novel is an interesting combination of three genres: science fiction, mystery, and young adult fiction. What prompted you to create this very intriguing combination?
Maria: Because of a fantastical element to my plotline (I won't say more, or I will spoil the fun for my readers). I needed to have a very reality-based main character to keep readers grounded. Adding the mystery genre not only gave me a detective to fill this role, but it also provided an interesting way to move the story along.
Maria: DiSemblance has been described as a very fast-paced novel. Were you influenced by cinematic techniques, or any movie in particular?
Shanae: I used screenplay writing story techniques to write the story. In fact, I wrote the screenplay, and then adapted it into a novel.
Maria: Did you have to do any special research in order to write this novel, or do you have technical computer knowledge yourself?
Shanae: Yes, I had to get in touch with the FBI. I also did a lot of computer research on hologram technology.
Maria: In your opinion, what's necessary in order to create a page-turning plot such as this one?
Shanae: You have to meet screenplay writing criteria.
Maria: What qualities does Jason possess that make your readers really root for him?
Shanae: Jason is compassionate, courageous, responsible, and adventurous.
Maria: Who are your favorite science fiction and mystery writers?
Shanae: Terry Brooks and Kate Wilhelm.
Maria: What types of techniques did you learn in your creative writing classes that you feel helped you the most in the writing of this book?
Shanae: I learned how to effectively critique writing. Having a good critique group and test readers is very valuable!
Maria: What project(s) are you currently working on?
Shanae: Five years ago, I wrote a quest, young adult, fantasy novel which I shoved in a drawer for a later time. I have pulled that novel out and am using it as the basis for designing an online computer game which I can use in the next novel in the DiSemblance series. Right now, I am working on two novels which have plotlines that intersect with the fantasy novel, and the next DiSemblance novel. I am hoping to have them published by the summer of 2014. Here is the pitch for the next DiSemblance novel:
The external drive with the information for building another hologram machine is stolen and sold on the black market. Now someone has hooked it up to the Internet and is forcing kidnapped victims to fight for their lives inside an online computer game. Join Jason, Boston, and Bruce as they are sucked into another life-and-death struggle. See whether or not Boston and Jason's new relationship can survive 'real' life.
INTERVIEWER'S NOTE
I would like to thank Shanae Branham for
such an interesting interview!
such an interesting interview!
AUTHOR BIO
I am a professional writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay Writer's Expo.
I love suspense thrillers, and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet.
I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho. I am the second out of six children. When I was in my early 20's, my mother was killed by a drunk driver. This one incident drastically changed my life. I have always had a passion for reading and writing fiction. Owing to a life-long struggle with dyslexia, early teachers discouraged me from pursuing a career in writing.
As I have spent over twenty years wrestling with my language disabilities -- turning them into professional writing skills, God has honed my insatiable passion into an incredible vision.
My Christian upbringing has instilled within me the belief that "...with God, nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37) This has sustained me through the hard times. Because of my language disability, I have had to learn the structure of the English language like other people learn math -- building block upon building block.
I am grateful for this experience because it developed in me a skill and
love for diagramming sentences, which unfortunately is becoming a lost art.
I want my life to be a living testament that with God's help anyone can achieve their worthwhile dreams. What God requires is the humility to change, a childlike teach-ability to learn, and the patience and persistence to practice and work until their weaknesses are transformed into strengths.
I am a professional writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay Writer's Expo.
I love suspense thrillers, and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet.
I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho. I am the second out of six children. When I was in my early 20's, my mother was killed by a drunk driver. This one incident drastically changed my life. I have always had a passion for reading and writing fiction. Owing to a life-long struggle with dyslexia, early teachers discouraged me from pursuing a career in writing.
As I have spent over twenty years wrestling with my language disabilities -- turning them into professional writing skills, God has honed my insatiable passion into an incredible vision.
My Christian upbringing has instilled within me the belief that "...with God, nothing shall be impossible." (Luke 1:37) This has sustained me through the hard times. Because of my language disability, I have had to learn the structure of the English language like other people learn math -- building block upon building block.
I am grateful for this experience because it developed in me a skill and
love for diagramming sentences, which unfortunately is becoming a lost art.
I want my life to be a living testament that with God's help anyone can achieve their worthwhile dreams. What God requires is the humility to change, a childlike teach-ability to learn, and the patience and persistence to practice and work until their weaknesses are transformed into strengths.
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