Elizabeth Foster: “Where I Write” + Esme’s Wish Blog Tour Contest

Today, Esme’s Wish author Elizabeth Foster stops by to tell us about where she writes – and be sure to keep reading to learn more about her book, and how you can enter to win a copy!

One of the great pleasures of writing fiction is that I carry the world of my book in my head, so I have the freedom to write wherever I want.

That’s just as well, because I can’t work in a cluttered environment, and my house is usually a mess. Writing always takes precedence over cleaning up after my children (and myself.) The only thing that’s more cluttered than my desktop is my virtual Desktop. So I run away from home a lot – usually to a nearby coffee shop, where all my stress miraculously disappears!

It’s the perfect environment, with snacks and coffee on tap, music and conversation in the background – and best of all, a clean tabletop to work on. I leave my computer at home, and (try to) resist looking at my phone, bringing just a notebook, a pen, and my latest draft warm from the printer. They know me so well at my local café that they have a copy of Esme’s Wish on the counter to plug to other customers!

However, writing doesn’t always involve actually putting words onto paper. A lot of my time – especially during first drafts – is spent staring off into space, letting the story simmer in my subconscious. With most jobs, we tend to operate better under a certain level of stress – but I find that when it comes to writing, the more relaxed I am, the more productive I get. I went on a seaside holiday recently and got so much plotting done that I came back feeling like I needed another holiday.

So if you ever see me sipping coffee in a café, sitting blankly on a bench, lying on the beach, or snoozing in the park, just know: I’m actually writing!

“A fresh new fantasy of an enchanting world.” – Wendy Orr, author of Nim’s Island and Dragonfly Song.

When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father’s wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme’s mother, Ariane – so why can’t she?

But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother’s disappearance – that ‘lost at sea’ is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.

After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother’s steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane’s double life. But the more Esme discovers about her mother, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all.

This fresh, inventive tale is an ideal read for younger teens.

Available now: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks | TBD

I was born in Brisbane, Australia, and now live in Sydney. Apart from writing and reading, which take up most of my time, I love walking, travelling and playing piano (badly).

As a child, I was called Dizzy Lizzy – which I regarded as an insult all my life, until I started writing! Now, daydreaming is a central part of what I do. My favourite childhood books included the Chronicles of Narnia and Enid Blyton’s adventure stories. I was such an avid reader that my godfather gave me the complete works of Shakespeare when I was ten. (Still haven’t read them all…) My reading tastes nowadays are eclectic, ranging from classic authors such as Jane Austen, to the works of modern YA writers, including J.K. Rowling, Tamora Pierce, Melina Marchetta and Maggie Stiefvater.

I love movies almost as much as books. Dreamlike films – such as the works of Hayao Miyazaki – hugely appeal to me, as do any clever psychological films and TV series which revolve around female characters, such as Buffy and Veronica Mars.

I used to enjoy writing as a child, but then I grew up and was sadly waylaid by more serious pursuits. Reading to my own kids reminded me of how much I missed getting lost in other worlds, and once I started writing again, I couldn’t stop. I am also fascinated with people’s motivations and personalities, and now I get to explore them on the page.  I am a member of the SCBWI,  the CBCA, and a reviewer for CBCA’s Reading Time.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

1 winner will receive an eBook of ESME’S WISH, International.

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Week One:

• 5/21/2018- Mythical Books– Excerpt
• 5/21/2018- The Reading Life– Spotlight
• 5/22/2018- Of Wonderland– Review
• 5/22/2018- Novel Novice– Guest Post
• 5/23/2018- Cindy’s Love of Books– Review
• 5/23/2018- BookHounds YA– Interview
• 5/24/2018- The slytherin book lady– Review
• 5/24/2018- Kati’s Bookaholic Rambling Reviews– Excerpt
• 5/25/2018- RhythmicBooktrovert– Review
• 5/25/2018- Books a Plenty Book Reviews– Spotlight

Week Two:

• 5/28/2018- Devouring Books– Review
• 5/28/2018- Daily Waffle– Interview
• 5/29/2018- The Inked In Book Blog– Review
• 5/29/2018- paseandoamisscultura– Guest Post
• 5/30/2018- Dazzled by Books– Excerpt
• 5/30/2018- Ziggy’s Reading Corner– Excerpt
• 5/31/2018- Owl Always Be Reading– Excerpt
• 5/31/2018- The Cozy Reading Corner– Spotlight
• 6/1/2018- F A N N A– Interview
• 6/1/2018- Books A-Brewin’– Excerpt