CBC: The Sessions (a.k.a. The Review Book)

Interview with Elicia Hyder

Name: Elicia Hyder

Wattpad username: EliciaHyder

Favourite quote:

"But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the brightest day and in the darkest night—amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours—always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for me, for we shall meet again." 

- Major Sullivan Ballou, 2nd Rhode Island Infantry, 1861 American Civil War

Currently writing: I just finished a short prequel to The Bed She Made, and I am about to start writing the last installment of The Soul Summoner Series. So, at the current time, I'm writing this interview and not much else.

Currently reading: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Currently eating/drinking a lot of: Everything. I finally have tastebuds again after chemo, and food tastes awesome!

Favourite non-literary hobby: I've always been big into sports. I've been a competitive swimmer since I was 8, and I played roller derby until I tore my knee.

Authors who you love: Ohhh... there are so many. JK Rowling, Philippa Gregory, Terry Goodkind, Jennifer Weiner, Brennan Manning, Stephen Ambrose, James Bradley...

Tell us about how you started writing: I've been making up stories and writing them down since I was old enough to hold a pen. In middle school, some girlfriends and I started a writing club where we would pass our stories around adding chapters to each other's books. I never took it seriously until an editor friend of mine insisted I should try to publish a novel.

How did you get your first story published? What did you take away from the experience?

I started the querying process in January for a series I've written. In February, I got a call from an agency in NY who was interested in it. Two and half hours later, my doctor called and said I had cancer. (Because that's how my life goes. LOL) So, I put the series on hold because the last thing I wanted was to try and [traditionally] publish anything less than my absolute best work. You can't do your absolute best work while trying not to die from cancer. So, I self-published The Bed She Made in the meantime to start building a reader base for my next book(s). TBSM is really personal, so I never intended to publish it at all. But, it has done spectacularly well on Wattpad and in the marketplace. I've been really blown away by it!

Why did you pick this story to be featured? Err... because it's my only story on Wattpad? :)

What inspired you to write this story? The Bed She Made is the closest thing to an autobiography that I will probably ever write. I made a lot of bad choices when I was younger and had pretty lousy taste in men. On the bright side, it makes for some pretty entertaining fiction.

What is your favourite relationship in this story? Hands down, my favorite relationship is between Journey and her father. I believe that the relationship between a dad and daughter is very instrumental in how we, as women, view this world and make choices about our relationships with others. I love to watch the redemption process of this relationship and then watch that redemption translate into a lot of different areas of Journey's life.

What do you think makes this story stand out? The personalities of the characters is my favorite aspect of the story. They all have a lot of depth, and they are all very different. They are honest, and they make big mistakes. You'll hate them, fall in love with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and grow with them.

What do you hope readers take away from this story? The message of redemption is the reason I wrote it. The consequences of the mistakes we make often have huge repercussions, and because of those repercussions we sometimes tend to get weighed down with the negativity of our pasts. I hope that someone out will read this and find a little grace and forgiveness for him/herself.