Guest Post and Giveaway: Volatile by Avylinn Winter

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Please join us in welcoming author Avylinn Winter today, on the tour for her new novel, Volatile. Enjoy her guest post, and then be sure to check out the Rafflecopter giveaway below where you can enter for the chance to win an e-copy of the book and a $10 Gift Card to Amazon or ARe.

Good luck!

Angst, Tears and More Angst

Hi everyone, and thank you so much for having me here at The Novel Approach. I’m Avylinn, or Avy if we’re informal. I’m here to talk a little about my novel Volatile, but mostly I’ll be talking about angst. The reason for that is that I’ve had quite a few reviews commenting on just that. Steeped in angst, they say. Well, maybe Volatile is an angsty read but I’m blaming my teenage readers (and myself). At least those reviews got me thinking, even if I will continue to call Volatile one of the sweetest novels I’ve ever written. Well, oh well…

From what I’ve gathered over the recent months, there seems to be quite a divide between teenagers and adults in terms of how much angst they’re looking for in stories. I don’t think that’s strange at all, but it took me by surprise when I realized just how wide that divide really was. When teens comment that I make them cry, I usually smile and take it as a compliment. When adults say the angst is high, I have a feeling they’re not always very happy about it. I know that doesn’t apply to every adult, though. Everyone has their special cup of tea, and that’s the beauty of it all.

I began my writing career on Wattpad where the bulk of the readers are under 25. As it’s also an interactive environment, my stories are shaped by the comments I’ve received while writing, at least to a certain degree. If I see readers respond to something while I create the first draft, I’m more likely to continue down that path. And let it be known that my crowd responds to angst, the build-up, and the subsequent relief. I play with their heartstrings and they follow me every step of the way. They curse me to hell and back at times, but what riles them excites them. So in a sense, the angst is for them even if I’m also writing for an older audience.

I’ve also noticed that teenagers seem to write stories with plenty of angst. Perhaps it’s a way to channel what they feel as their emotions run high, or perhaps there’s another reason I’m totally unaware of. An example of this was presented during the fanfiction contest I held just a few weeks ago. I allowed Wattpad writers to use my characters in their short stories, and the result was quite telling. Some of them placed my characters in far worse situations than I’d ever have the stomach to do. I have my limits, after all. I’m a real wimp at the bottom of my evil heart.

So, what about adults? I have a feeling that many of us are trying to escape angst rather than immerse ourselves in it. Perhaps we’ve seen too much and felt too much to want to experience it all over again. Maybe it’s just too real for us. I know for certain that I’d never want to live through my teenage years again. Good riddance.

In essence, I think based on what you think of Volatile after you’ve read it, you might consider putting a warning label on my forehead that says ‘angst alert’, or you can embrace it and let me take you to the edge and back. I usually tell my readers to trust me because I’ll never write a story without a happy ending. However, it’s up to each and every one of you to decide for yourselves.

Take home message: can’t please them all :)

About the Book

Like a depressed moth drawn to a wild flame, Chris hoped that flame would brighten his life, not burn him alive.

Chris Sinclair fades into a grey world after losing his mother to cancer. When forced to attend a concert as a last attempt to coax him out of his shell, he discovers that life might not be as bleak as he first thought.

Dante Heron holds the audience between the tips of his fingers and the delicate bow, playing the violin as if every heart is his to command. However, something darker brews behind the façade, and Chris is determined to solve the enigma.

When Chris is offered the job of traveling around Europe with the famous violinist, he surprises himself by accepting. With no idea what awaits him, he’s thrown into a world where emotions rule and rules are bent.

They’re a perfectly dysfunctional match, but then there’s always calm at the heart of the storm.

Purchase Links: Pride Publishing || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Add to Goodreads

About the Author

authorpicture1 Raised in one of the cold corners of the world, Avylinn spends her days either wrapped up in a blanket or basking in the precious sunlight. When she can’t choose herself, she’s holed up in an office working with climate research that has little to do with the worlds and characters she creates in her vivid dreams.

Always the emotional one, she has found her outlet in writing, voicing thoughts, emotions and fears through her characters that feel very much alive to her. And, what began as a hobby soon took more and more time in her life until she realized that she had left her old life behind and entered a new one where her emotions turned into a super power—ready to launch at her poor readers.

She recharges with the help of coffee, cinnamon buns, popcorn and occasionally a healthier alternative.

Social Links: Website || Facebook || Twitter || Wattpad