Today’s guest post is by Ellery A. Kane, author of the Legacy series. Ellery talks about her writing journey. Let’s face it folks, we all have a writing journey. Share yours below in the comments section.

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My love for writing began early. As an only child, I told stories to entertain myself, and in high school, I started writing short stories just for fun and sharing them with my English class. I loved the experience of creating with words the exact feeling or image or moment that I intended and watching those words resonate with others. That is powerful. It made me want to be an author. Still, I never seriously considered writing as a career.

Instead, I became a forensic psychologist. For almost seven years, I spent countless hours writing psychological evaluations—analytical, logical stories explaining how a person came to be who they are. In the recesses of my mind, I always knew I should write creatively again, but I worried that I wouldn’t have the energy or time. Then, in March 2014, that little spark caught fire, and I decided to seize the day. I sat down at my computer and wrote Legacy’s prologue. At the time, I had no idea what it would become. Certainly not a book! I had never written fiction longer than five or six pages. At first, my writing was painfully slow (think one sentence per hour) but then it was faster, and faster, and faster. I found myself waking up early to write; having brainstorms in the middle of the night or in the shower; and quickly filling the pages. In the span of about six weeks, Legacy was born.

The story of Legacy is an amalgam of many experiences in my life—joy, sorrow, and everything in between. Those experiences inspired me to take the first step in this adventure. Sometimes, I wish I had started writing sooner. What was I waiting for? But, mostly, I think my journey unfolded just as it was intended.

Title:  Legacy by Ellery A. Kane
Published on:  September 17th, 2014
Publisher:  Balboa Press
Genre:  YA
Recommended Age:  13+

Synopsis:

How do you want to feel today?

In 2041, the choice is yours.

San Francisco is deserted, the Bay Bridge bombed, and the BART subway trains grounded. The Guardians, members of an elite and mysterious government-appointed military police force, are maintaining order at all costs—thanks to emotion-altering drugs like Emovere that suppress fear and anxiety. Lex Knightley, daughter of a prominent forensic psychiatrist, risks entering the devastated city to partner with the Resistance, a group of rebels intent upon exposing the dangers of Emovere. Lex discovers an ally in Quin McAllister, a magnetic Guardian Force recruit with a haunting past that binds them together. As she uncovers the secrets of the Guardian Force and confronts the truth about her family, Lex begins to realize that even those closest to her are not quite who they seem.

Purchase Legacy on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads

About Ellery

In her non-fiction life, Ellery Kane works as a forensic psychologist. Evaluating violent criminals and treating victims of trauma has afforded her a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. An avid short story writer in adolescence, Ellery only recently began writing for enjoyment again, and Legacy was born.

Connect with Ellery: Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website

Giveaway

Enter to win 10 Signed print copies of Legacy (US & Canada)

Excerpt from Legacy

The first time I kissed someone, it wasn’t at all like I had imagined—and trust me when I say that I had spent hours imagining it. It was a summer night just after my seventeenth birthday. We were sitting side by side in the empty football stadium. I can still feel the bleachers, cold and hard beneath my legs. My elbow was touching the side of his body. I could feel how warm he was. He didn’t move, but just let me touch him. The air between us was thick with anticipation. And then, just like that, his lips were on mine. In a few seconds, a wall that had once seemed impenetrable was crossed. I was no longer unkissed.

* * *

The first time I killed someone, it wasn’t at all like I had imagined. It was as quick and as effortless as snipping a string. I squeezed the trigger, and the man fell back. It was so dark that I could barely see the outline of his face. I watched him for a long time, waiting for something. What was I waiting for? The man didn’t move, except for a brief shudder. It seemed for a moment as if I too had stopped breathing. But in the cold I could see my breath visible in small white puffs. I waited for the world to open up and swallow me, but nothing came. In the corner where I hid, I saw a small brown bird hopping. He reached the edge of my vision and took flight. It was only me who had changed.

 

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