Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Ain’t Nobody Got Time For Book Reviews!, and today I have a treat to share. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview a wonderful author named, Stacy Overby. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down…Be sure to check out the book trailer at the end.
Toi Thomas: Hi there Stacy! It’s so awesome to have you here at the ToiBox Blog. I’m excited to learn more about you and your work.
Stacy: Thanks, Toi. I’m glad to be here and am ready to share.
Toi Thomas: So tell me, who is Stacy Overby?
Stacy: Stacy Overby is a columnist and graphic designer at ourwriteside.com. Her short stories and poems have been featured in multiple anthologies, online, and in lit journals, in her poetry collection Scath Oran, and her new novel, Tattoos. Her day job as program director for an adolescent dual diagnosis treatment program provides inspiration for many of her stories. When not at work or writing, she and her husband are playing with their son, hiking, camping, or involved in other outdoor activities – if it is not too cold.
Toi Thomas: Well before we dive into your special message today, let’s get to know you, the person inside the author, a little better.
Toi Thomas: Who is so you and why?
Stacy: I did a Facebook quiz once that said I was a combination of Buttercup from Power Puff Girls, Batgirl, and Arya Stark from Game of Thrones. I thought it was an interesting combination, but friends told me it fit pretty well.
Toi Thomas: What makes you geek out?
Stacy: I am in love with the Lord of the Rings. Star Wars comes in a close second. Both universes are appealing for different reasons. I love high fantasy, of which Lord of the Rings is the epitome, but I also love space and astronomy type stuff. Hence Star Wars.
Toi Thomas: What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?
Stacy: I absolutely loved Melanie Rawn’s The Sunrunners trilogy. Between that and the old Dragonlance books, they were my first foray into adult reading. This was back about seventh grade or so.
Toi Thomas: In terms of interviews, whose brain are you just itching to scratch?
Stacy: Neil Gaiman. I’d love to sit down over tea and chat. He’s got such a diverse range of stories, some of which get pretty out there in terms of creativity. I’d love to know how some of these stories came into existence. Also, there’s just something about following him on Twitter that tells me he’d be a fascinating person to talk to.
Toi Thomas: Now that we know a little more about you, the person, let’s learn about you, the author, and dive into your special message.
Toi Thomas: So, whacha got for me today?
Stacy: Tattoos is a story about what happens when Eli’s Black Ops oaths come up against everything he values. Choosing to follow orders means going against his beliefs about protecting people–the very reason he joined Black Ops. When he defies orders to uphold his values, what Eli learns about the government he swore to serve and defend could bring about the downfall of that same government. But is that really a bad thing?
Toi Thomas: So who’s starring in this 2-dimensional script read of Tattoos?
Stacy: Eli Thorson is a Black Ops specialist. Part military, part police, part covert operations, his job is to take care of threats to the United Earth Government and protect the peoples of the UEG. He’s a loyal and intelligent person who stumbles onto something much darker than he ever expected. In deciding to right some terrible wrongs, Eli finds a purpose to his life he’d been missing for years.
Toi Thomas: What’s so special about this story that’s going to reel in the readers?
Stacy: This is a novel that touches on issues we face in the world today, but does it in a way that doesn’t shove it in the reader’s face. Eli and his best friend, Shawn, are an entertaining pair, but help remind us of what we need to be in our own lives.
Toi Thomas: Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?
Stacy: I am not one to plan and organize my writing. My life is pretty chaotic with my day job and my family, so the time I get to write I spend writing the story. I’ve learned to write with quite a bit of noise–television, music, etc.–going on around me. My family is kind enough to put up with the occasional scribbling even at the dinner table when something strikes me. Tattoos was my NaNoWriMo project from 2011. Once I see this book in print, I’ll be working on the edits for its sequel, Scars.
Toi Thomas: Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?
Stacy: Oh, for sure!
Toi Thomas: If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Stacy: Oh my, that’s a tough question. Do I have to pick just one Lord of the Rings movies, or can I have them all and count it as one? I suppose the same rule applies for Star Wars as well?
Toi Thomas: When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?
Stacy: Some of my favorite music includes the likes of Linkin Park, Godsmack, Three Days Grace, Five Finger Death Punch, Shinedown, and the like. They all made at least one appearance on the playlist I created for this book.
Toi Thomas: Let’s play zombie urban survivor. What 3 things do you need to survive a black-out in Central Park the day zombies attack?
Stacy: A flamethrower to beat back the zombies
An armored vehicle to get out of Central Park with
Uncontaminated food and drink to survive longer than a couple days
Toi Thomas: What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date?
Stacy: Taking my son to Disney World. We went just before he turned five. All of the characters were real. The rides were amazing. Watching my son experience the magic of all of his favorite characters coming to life was amazing. His experience there helped renew my ability to see that magic again. The endless possibility and wonder that children have.
Toi Thomas: Last question of the day; here we go.
Toi Thomas: Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?
Stacy: If I’m not totally crazy by then, I’ll still be running my adolescent treatment program, Tattoos and the sequels will be a big hit, and I’ll be learning to deal with my own teenager rather than just the ones at work. Hopefully, by then my writing will support some of my other hobbies as well–such as traveling.
Toi Thomas: Thank you so much, Stacy, for spending time with me today.
Stacy: Thanks for having me, Toi. It was fun.
Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more from Stacy Overby, check out these great links:
Website: ThisIsNotHitchhiker’sGuide.com
GoodReads: Stacy Overby
Facebook: ThisIsNotHitchhikersGuide
Twitter: Stacy Overby @dontpanic2011
Pinterest: S. Overby’s This is Not Hitchhiker’s Guide
Amazon: Stacy Overby
Tattoos purchase link: Amazon.com
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords