Interview + Giveaway || The Cobbogoth Series by Hannah L. Clark

Synopsis:
After being raised from infancy in Boston, Mass., Noria (a.k.a Norah Lukens) has no idea what to expect upon entering New Cobbogoth, where she never would have guessed that paths of light can make you vanish; doors can lead to realms both near and far; myths and legends are actual history; a mere kiss can seal two souls as one; and, of course, a stone is never “just a stone.” Her Uncle Jack’s stories never could have prepared her for the magical and dangerous place her native realm is turning out to be.

When the Gihara’s promises begin to crumble, her best friend and soul-mate Jamus (a.k.a. James Riley) is in more danger than ever. Then when his father Lylend abandons her to search for an ancient relic called The Lemorian Crest and she is taken captive by the very people she’s risked everything to save, Noria begins to lose faith in the Cobbogothian gods and the mission they sent her home to accomplish.

Only when a series of new friendships and loyalties are forged in the most peculiar of places, does Noria dare hope again. Hope for Jamus’ safety, for their future together, and for the survival of the entire Cobbogothian race.

Uncovering Cobbogoth

Synopsis:

Norah Lukens needs to uncover the truth about the fabled lost city of Cobbogoth. After her archaeologist uncle’s murder, Norah is asked to translate his old research journal for evidence and discovers that his murder was a cover-up for something far more sinister.

When she turns to neighbor and only friend James Riley for help, she realizes that not only is their bitter-sweet past haunting her every step, but James is keeping dangerous secrets. Can Norah discover what they are before its too late to share her own?

How did you come up with the title? Any special story behind "Cobbogoth"?
Not really. I wrote a story in high school called “Finishing Galcobbogoth.” I really liked the name, for some reason, and by the time I started seriously writing the Cobbogoth series seven years later, my husband thought “Galcobbogoth was a mouthful, and suggested I just call the world “Cobbogoth.” So I did.

Could you describe your writing process?
My writing process is pretty meticulous and intense. I’ll try and keep it short and sweet by using bullet points:
          -Brainstorm.
          -Draft a simple plot.
          -Brainstorm.
          -Story Map.
          -Brainstorm.
          -Outline.
          -Brainstorm.
          -Write first draft.
          -Revise.
          -Revise.
          -Revise.
          -Revise.
          -And then revise some more.

How long did it take you to write The Lemorian Crest in comparison to Uncovering Cobbogoth?
Uncovering Cobbogoth took me eight years. The Lemorian Crest took me three years. The first book took so long because 1) I was learning how to write a book in the first place, and 2) I wasn’t just planning one book, I was planning the entire seven book series.

What is the best thing you've discovered/learned while writing this book?
How to trust my instincts as a writer above any one else’s opinion/feedback. Feedback is important, and it’s so valuable to get it from trusted beta readers, but if you aren’t certain about where you want your story to go, you can really get turned around and held up in your writing process.

What would you do if your story came true?
I would get really good at detecting Dogrils, and I would get a hold of one of those Sina bracelets so I could transform into a mermaid. It’s the only way I’d overcome my fear of water and go scuba diving.

Is there anything you want to change in your books?
Sure. One thing I’ve learned is that no novel is ever really finished, you just get to a point where you’re finished with your novel.

Would the Cobbogoth be a duology/trilogy/quartet/series? How many books would the series be comprised?
There are seven books in this series, one for each of the seven elements.

What's next for the series?
Book 3. Legend of the Triolune.

About the author:

Hannah L. Clark lives with her husband and two children in the Rocky Mountains. She has always known she would be a storyteller. In 2006 she graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor’s degree in English and immediately began writing her first novel.

Uncovering Cobbogoth was Clark’s first book in the seven book Cobbogoth series—a YA fantasy series based on her mythological brain-child, The Legend of the Cobbogothians. It was released in May 2014 through Cedar Fort Publishing. Book 2 in the series, The Lemorian Crest will be released in Summer 2015.

Clark loves running, mythology, singing while playing the guitar, herbal tea, escaping into imaginary worlds, and being with her peeps. Like her heroine Norah, she also kind of believes that trees might have souls, but must clarify that she has never hugged a tree. The closest she has ever come to that kind of bizarre behavior was the time she hugged the pillars outside Harry Potter Land. Which, all things considered, is not bizarre at all if one takes into account how exquisitely happy she was to finally be there.

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