{"id":1828,"date":"2016-01-12T08:00:24","date_gmt":"2016-01-12T13:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/?p=1828"},"modified":"2016-01-10T22:31:31","modified_gmt":"2016-01-11T03:31:31","slug":"interview-hayley-stone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/2016\/01\/12\/interview-hayley-stone\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview | Hayley Stone"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Hayley Stone, author of MACHINATIONS, which is due out on June 14<sup>th<\/sup>, 2016. Also, I get to help share the cover reveal.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-1829\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover-674x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Machinations Final Cover\" width=\"584\" height=\"887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover-674x1024.jpg 674w, https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover-263x400.jpg 263w, https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover-768x1167.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover-610x927.jpg 610w, https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Machinations-Final-Cover.jpg 938w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Perfect for fans of <em>Robopocalypse,<\/em> this action-packed science-fiction debut introduces a chilling future and an unforgettable heroine with a powerful role to play in the battle for humanity\u2019s survival.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>The machines have risen, but not out of malice. They were simply following a command: to stop the endless wars that have plagued the world throughout history. Their solution was perfectly logical. To end the fighting, they decided to end the human race.<\/p>\n<p>A potent symbol of the resistance, Rhona Long has served on the front lines of the conflict since the first Machinations began\u2014until she is killed during a rescue mission gone wrong. Now Rhona awakens to find herself transported to a new body, complete with her DNA, her personality, even her memories. She is a clone . . . of herself.<\/p>\n<p>Trapped in the shadow of the life she once knew, the reincarnated Rhona must find her place among old friends and newfound enemies\u2014and quickly. For the machines are inching closer to exterminating humans for good. And only Rhona, whoever she is now, can save them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Machinations\u00a0<\/em>is available for pre-order:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Machinations-Hayley-Stone-ebook\/dp\/B018CHA0ZM\">Amazon<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/machinations-hayley-stone\/1123015182?ean=9780399594373\">Barnes &amp; Noble<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/store.kobobooks.com\/en-us\/ebook\/machinations-3\">Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>And don\u2019t forget to add it to your list on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/27876301-machinations\">Goodreads<\/a>!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1830\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/hayley-stone-author-photo.jpg\" alt=\"hayley stone author photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/hayley-stone-author-photo.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/hayley-stone-author-photo-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/hnstoneauthor.com\/\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hayley_stone\">Twitter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hnstoneauthor\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/hnstoneauthor.tumblr.com\/\">Tumblr<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/hayleynstone\/\">Pinterest<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hayley Stone<\/strong> has lived her entire life in sunny California, where the weather is usually perfect and nothing as exciting as a robot apocalypse ever happens. When not reading or writing, she freelances as a graphic designer, falls in love with videogame characters, and analyzes buildings for velociraptor entry points. She holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in history and a minor in German from California State University, Sacramento.<\/p>\n<p><em>Machinations<\/em> is her debut novel, releasing June 14th, 2016 from Hydra\/Random House.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Interview<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Congratulations on the release of your debut novel! Regarding the process of going from staring at a Word document to being published: Aside from getting signed, what was the best thing, worst, and most surprising to occur along the way?<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Thanks, Matt! And thanks for having me on the blog.<\/p>\n<p>This is a great question. The best moment of this crazy process was my agent giving me the news that my editor, Anne Groell, loved the book. Anne freaking Groell who edits for two of my favorite authors, George R.R. Martin and Peter F. Hamilton, loved <em>my<\/em> book! Not only did she love it, but everyone at the publisher did as well. You try to have confidence and faith in your work, but it never hurts to hear that it\u2019s good from someone with the industry experience to know.<\/p>\n<p>The worst thing was the waiting. While on submission, it\u2019s easy to second-guess every narrative decision you\u2019ve made in a book and be cannibalized by doubt. I won\u2019t lie: there were times I thought, \u201cokay, if no one wants this book, that\u2019s that. I\u2019ll have to live with it.\u201d I\u2019m so glad it <em>is<\/em> getting published, however, as the story is near and dear to my heart. Also, the main character\u2019s a riot to write.<\/p>\n<p>As for the most surprising moment, it was getting actual input into the design of the cover. You hear horror stories of writers getting saddled with covers they hate, and I was worried about that happening. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded! The designer I worked with was very open to suggestion, and together we ended up with a design I absolutely love.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Let\u2019s start with something you\u2019ve probably been asked a dozen times \u2013 Can you give us some insight into what got you interested in writing a novel and how you went about deciding on genre?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I was practically a writer in the womb. As soon as I could put two words together, I was making up stories and pushing them onto people, haha! I didn\u2019t jump straight into novel-writing, however. I began as a fanfiction author, playing in other people\u2019s universe, adding an original character here and there. Post-by-post roleplaying also helped me grow as a writer, allowing me to interact with other people\u2019s writing styles, and improve on my own. I finally made the leap to writing\u2014and finishing\u2014novels in 2009, prompted by the challenge of National Novel Writing Month.<\/p>\n<p>As for genre, I\u2019ve always been a sci-fi and fantasy girl. I grew up on <em>Star Wars<\/em> and <em>Legend of Zelda<\/em>, so I guess it was only natural for me to gravitate toward the SFF genre when it came time to write.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>What is your target audience for MACHINATIONS? Is this a young-adult title or adult sci fi?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Machinations<\/em> is adult sci-fi, but I think it would appeal to readers of upper YA, as well. It features a spunky female protagonist that I feel people of any age will relate to. It also has a clear, concise writing style that makes for fairly easy reading.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tell us a little about the machines involved. Is this a story of runaway technology where everything from microwave ovens to cars to jet planes is trying to kill people, or are we talking about androids and cyborgs?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>No, no killer microwaves, sadly!<\/p>\n<p>There are various models of machines in <em>Machinations<\/em>, each with a specific purpose\u2014scouting and combat, to name a few. I wouldn\u2019t classify them as androids or cyborgs; they don\u2019t share humanoid features, nor are they combined with human anatomy. The majority of the machines are actually dependent on a higher artificial intelligence referred to as the higher echelon, which possesses true sentience. Imagine a hive of mindless worker bees, all governed by an intelligent queen. That comes close to the machines we\u2019re dealing with here.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>As your book hasn\u2019t released yet, I haven\u2019t had a chance to read it \u2013 but based on the description, I couldn\u2019t help but notice some similarities to the Terminator franchise in that intelligent machines have made the decision to wipe out humanity, and there\u2019s a resistance. Aside from the lack of time travel, what unique twists does MACHINATIONS bring to this setting?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You\u2019re not the first person to make that comparison, haha! On the surface, they do share the whole \u201crobot apocalypse\u201d premise, but they\u2019re totally different stories when it comes down to it.<\/p>\n<p>For starters, <em>Machinations<\/em> takes place in Alaska, and without giving too much away, I can tell you the majority of the machines the characters encounter are not nearly as sophisticated as a T-1000, and the higher echelon morally divergent from Skynet. The story also centers more on the struggle of the main character, Rhona, a clone left questioning what it means to be human after being \u201cborn\u201d prematurely. At the same time she\u2019s trying to fit back into her old life, she\u2019s also running a struggling resistance. Rhona wishes she had it as easy as Sarah Connor. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p>At its core, <em>Machinations<\/em> explores themes of identity and living up to expectations\u2014those dictated by society versus the self\u2014which I don\u2019t think the Terminator franchise ever really touches on.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>What authors would you consider to be your inspirations, and if you had to pick a favorite book, could you?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ooh, inspirations! Off the top of my head: Margaret Atwood, George R.R. Martin, Audrey Niffenegger, Matthew Stover, and most recently, Kameron Hurley.<\/p>\n<p>I think I\u2019d rather have teeth pulled than pick a favorite book! But for the purposes of this interview, let\u2019s say <em>Kindred<\/em> by Octavia Butler. That\u2019s a book that stays with you long after you finish the final page.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Some writers develop idiosyncratic habits around writing \u2013 such as always having a cup of Tazo orange tea close at hand while drafting (looks around innocently). What, if anything, do you need to have in order to get into the zone?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s funny you should mention tea, as that\u2019s been my go-to lately! A black chai does wonders to coax out the muse. I also like to use music to get myself into a specific mood when writing certain scenes, especially emotional ones.<\/p>\n<p>I have a few other writer idiosyncrasies that are a lot weirder. I like to draft with all my paragraphs justified, and if the word count shows at the bottom of the document, I prefer ending on a 0 or 5.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Are any of your characters inspired by or based on anyone real?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If they were, I\u2019d never admit it! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p>Kidding aside, as a rule, I don\u2019t usually base characters off of people I actually know. That said, I do tend to use \u201ccharacter models\u201d\u2014celebrities whose appearance help me visualize the character better. For instance, I\u2019ve always imagined my main character, Rhona, as looking like Karen Gillan. Blame <em>Doctor Who.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>You\u2019ve perhaps seen that comic where the author meant \u201cthe curtains are blue,\u201d but the English professor goes on and on about the \u2018deeper meaning\u2019 behind the curtains being blue. To what extent (if any) is your story, or smaller elements within, a metaphor with a deeper meaning?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I\u2019m meticulous when it comes to my writing, so nothing is really throwaway. If it\u2019s on the page,\u00a0 chances are good that I\u2019ve included it for a reason. Plus, I come from a fandom background where everything can mean something if you squint, so I might have included things for the sole purpose of what they might inspire readers to imagine. I look forward to seeing what crazy and wild interpretations may come from an otherwise benign moment of description or dialogue. Bwahaha! <em>clears throat<\/em> Ahem.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Now that you\u2019ve got a release date and a book coming out (congrats again by the way) \u2013 is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance to change any part of the process?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Hmmm. Not really! I\u2019ve been very fortunate in the way things have worked out for <em>Machinations<\/em>, in no small part due to the efforts of my agent, Marlene Stringer. When you have good people fighting in your corner, it makes it much easier to get done what you need to get done.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Is MACHINATIONS part of a series or a standalone novel? What plans do you have writing wise in the future?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I\u2019m glad you asked! <em>Machinations<\/em> is the first book in a planned series, though it can definitely be read as a standalone. I\u2019m currently contracted for two books and finishing up the first draft of the sequel right now. My hope is that these two books will sell well enough to justify writing a third.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>While writing, do your characters ever do anything you weren\u2019t expecting? If so, do you run with it or force them back in line?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All the freaking time. In my experience, forcing them back into line never works. It just makes the narrative feel insincere, and authenticity of feeling is always my primary goal in telling a story. At the end of the day, the characters tend to drive the plot in my stories more than the plot drives them, and that\u2019s the way I like it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>And finally, what message do you have for your readers?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I hope you\u2019ll check out <em>Machinations<\/em> when it releases this summer. If you enjoy it, please tweet me and\/or spread the word using the hashtag #Machinations to let others know about the book. I love connecting with fellow fans of sci-fi and fantasy\u2014especially other writers\u2014so if that\u2019s you, definitely drop me a line!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Hayley Stone, author of MACHINATIONS, which is due out on June 14th, 2016. Also, I get to help share the cover reveal. &nbsp; Perfect for fans of Robopocalypse, this action-packed science-fiction debut introduces &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/2016\/01\/12\/interview-hayley-stone\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[25,49,74,75],"class_list":["post-1828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","tag-cover-reveal","tag-interview","tag-sci-fi","tag-science-fiction"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1828"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1833,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828\/revisions\/1833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matthewcoxbooks.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}