Hello lovely people! I’ve got something new and exciting today! If you’ve been here before you know I love books; reading them and writing them, but today I get to be a tiny part of helping to launch one. Welcome to the seventh (ish) stop on the blog tour for Shards of Sky.

If you have been following along with the blog tour, welcome!! And if you have no idea what a blog tour is, don’t worry, I shall try to explain. 😉

A blog tour is a way that authors get word out about a new book that will soon be released. The book basically ‘takes a tour’ on different blogs.

This blog tour is for Shards of Sky by E.C. Colton. Be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour! I’ll put the schedule and information at the end of this post. Enough intro, onto the post!

E. C. Colton is a Christian, entrepreneur, cat mom, and author of A Change of Heart. She strives to write stories that illustrate deep truths through realistic characters. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her drawing, designing graphics, and scribbling away in a vintage notebook with a cup of tea.

Author Bio

I met E. C. Colton through the Young Writer’s Workshop, and I’m so very excited for this book to come out, and to get to participate in the blog tour. I got the privilege of interviewing the author, and you definitely want to stick around to see the answers she gave to my questions.

But first, a sneak peak between the pages of Shards of Sky.

Blurb

Will hope prove itself worth fighting for?

Nestled within the mountains of Colorado, life is anything but perfect for two children and their negligent aunt. Yet it becomes even more of a disaster when a mysterious accident leaves Aryon mute and Jenn terrified for their futures. Battling her own sorrow, bitterness, and distant memories, Jenn journeys through the mountains of Colorado in search of their father, who may only be as real as a wisp of mist. The biggest things standing in her way are the miles of seemingly endless forest, her shattered memories, and a mysterious woman trailing her.

As she journeys on, Jenn is forced to confront her past. Has time changed her memories? What will it take to be strong and unhindered by the darkness around her? And does this woman hold the key to her past—her real past?

But no matter where Jenn goes, a shard of sky shines bright overhead as a distant reminder of the hope she’s fighting to hold onto—and the person she could become. 

Heart-wrenching and emotionally moving, this story delivers a powerful message of courage and the wonder of hope. 

Isn’t the cover so beautiful?! And doesn’t that sound amazing?? I can’t wait to read Shards of Sky, I have a feeling its not a book I’ll forget soon. And now, on to the interview! My questions are in bold, and the author’s answers follow.

Interview With E. C. Colton

How did the first inspiration for Shards of Sky come to you?

Quite frankly, I have no idea. I remember I came up with the idea during the time I was going through a rough season in my life, and was conflicted over what my writing style was and what stories God wanted me to tell. But I remember doing chores one morning, and all of a sudden, the idea popped into my mind to write about a mute boy and his sister. I remember telling my brother about it as well. The next day, I sat down to write the first chapter of Shards of Sky, and instantly loved the idea.

Was there a particular place you wrote most of Shards of Sky (aka, what’s your favorite writing spot)?

I tend to move around while writing, so I honestly don’t remember where I wrote most of Shards of Sky (though it might have been my couch. 😅) But nowadays, my favorite writing spot is at my own antique writing desk, facing a window, or outdoors with my cat. 

If you had one hour to actually talk to one of the characters from SoS, who would you talk too?

Jenn, probably. First I’d give her a big hug, and then give her some snacks, and then talk to her about deep thoughts/topics. That is, if she put up with me, of course–which I highly doubt! We’re pretty much opposites in terms of personality.

What’s your favorite writer snack?

I don’t usually snack while writing, but I occasionally have a small bag of jelly beans or small candies by my desk. And while writing, guess what? I eat them. 😂 

One of the main themes of SoS seems to be hope, I really love that. What does hope mean to you?

Hope is honestly such a big part of my life. I like to think of it, first and foremost, as not just positive thinking—but having the reassurance that God’s got every situation in our life, and that everything will work out His glory in the end. Because as Christians, we all know the end of the story that is life, and we can take courage in the fact that He can take even the direst of situations and flip them around. I think hope is really linked to faith as well.

How long did it take you to write Shards of Sky, from the first time the idea came into your head until the last word of the final draft? 

As someone who’s still in the process of editing, I’d say a little less than a year. Shards of Sky took a lot of time and effort, but it was SO worth it because I love this story, and I love the message it conveys.

Were you in charge of the book, or were your characters in charge? 

I’d say I was in charge. Though when writing the first draft, Jenn threatened to take over—and in some ways, she did. Originally, Shards of Sky was supposed to be in Aryon’s point of view, but that quickly changed once I delved deeper into her struggles and fears.

What got you through the hard places of writing SoS?

I’d be lying if I said Shards of Sky wasn’t hard to write, so honestly, I love this question. During the process of writing and publishing Shards of Sky, I was hit with so many things at once—discouragement, burnout, doubt, busyness, to name a few—but the thing that got me through all of it was the fact that if God had given me the story to tell and the message to spread, He would also give me the strength. And it’s funny, because when writing the message of Shards of Sky (about not giving up and fighting for something in the end), I was going through that exact same battle by just writing Shards of Sky. So in some ways, I was writing the message to myself first.

Is there anything (object, color, word) that immediately makes you think of SoS? If so, what is it?

Nowadays, I can’t see a violin without thinking of Shards of Sky. But some other things that really make me think of Shards of Sky are sunsets, black cats, and shards of sky (which are all illustrated on the front cover!).

Did you realize that the initials of Shards of Sky spell SOS? I have yet to read the book, but from the blurb, that almost seems fitting.

Honestly, I didn’t realize that until now! And yes, it is a bit fitting. 

Did you write any really funny typos in one of the early drafts?

Not that I remember! The only typos I remember making were the classic “teh” instead of “the.” Not that I don’t make typos at all—but I just don’t remember them! XD

What did you learn through writing this book (or what’s one of the things you learned)?

Ooh, awesome question. Well, as I mentioned before, I was preaching the message of fighting and not giving up to myself as I wrote Shards of Sky, and that in itself was a big lesson to learn. I also learned to trust God more, because I just wouldn’t have been able to do this whole writing process on my own strength with so much already going on in my life. And in some ways, just writing Shards of Sky has helped me grow in my relationship with Christ, because He is the Great Author of Life.

Shards of Sky officially launches April 18, but you can preorder the book right now for a lower price, and receive a e-book along with access to all sorts of pre-order goodies. The preorder link is this link right here and then if you would like the preorder goodies, all you have do is  take a screenshot of your order confirmation receipt and fill out the form here: https://forms.gle/aQTrPihHt9Ys3pyj9.

This opportunity only lasts until April 18th, so be sure to order soon if you want access to the preorder goodies!

The blog tour doesn’t end here! Here’s the schedule if you want to follow along.

April 8 – E. C. Colton at Quill of Hope (intro), Cynthia at Achinty (interview) 

April 9 – Mia Harden at Windows to Mia (interview)

April 10 – Daniel L. Amador at The Right Kind of Writer (review)

April 11 – J. S. Clingman at My Little Hole in the Ground (interview)

April 12 – Allie Jo Anderson at Allie Jo Anderson (review)

April 13 – Althea Truth at Apple Blossoms (interview)

April 14 – Liesl Brunner at Quote, Unquote (interview), Ryan Elizabeth at Ryan Elizabeth Writes (interview), Hannah E. M. at Precarious Book Stacks (review)

April 15 – Allyson Jamison at Shay’s Scribbles (interview)

April 16  – Addison Vallier at Story Well (interview)

April 17 – Cara from Paper Strider (review)

April 18 (launch day) – E. C. Colton at Quill of Hope (finale), Samantha Hopper at Stuck in a Story (review & interview)