Sarah Daltry Spotlight!!! ~ Crystal's Many Reviewers

About the Books:

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Forget Me Not:

This book is for older audiences. Please utilize the Look Inside feature.
Lily had a crush on her brother's best friend, Derek for years - which led to their steamy night ten months ago in her bedroom. Now, Lily is going off to college and she and Derek are still going strong. However, when school starts, she realizes it's hard to maintain a relationship while also trying to live her own life. She and Derek find themselves falling apart and Lily has no idea where to turn.
Enter Jack. Everything about him is wrong for Lily and she knows it, but she can't stop herself from being attracted to him. When things implode with Derek, it's Jack who is there to pick up the pieces - and show Lily an entirely new set of experiences she didn't know she was missing.
Of course, Jack has his own problems and once Lily gets to know him better, she starts to wonder if she can handle all of Jack. When Derek reappears on the scene, Lily is forced to decide between two guys and herself. Can she find herself without losing the people who matter in the process?
See where it began in the short story, "Her Brother's Best Friend." Although there is a story before and the upcoming release "Lily of the Valley" follows this title, THERE IS NO CLIFFHANGER IN THIS BOOK. IT IS A STANDALONE STORY.

Her Brother's Best Friend:

The short story that led to Forget Me Not!
For years, Lily's had a crush on her brother's best friend, Derek. He never notices her, though, so their relationship is only in her mind - and in her bed when she's alone. When he walks in one night as she's getting off thinking of him, neither can deny their attraction any longer. Also in "First Timers Vol. 2!"

Lily of the Valley:

You met them in Forget Me Not, but now, hear Jack's story.

The Serious:

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a fairly uninteresting person. I write, read, play video games, and hang out with my cats. I love to travel and I am kind of a nerd, especially about art. I spent too much of my life in school and now I feel like I am forgetting to attend classes.

What was your life like before becoming an author?

Am I an author? That’s such a surreal concept. My life has not changed. In some ways, it has probably gotten more complicated, because I have so much more to do. I also didn’t worry as much about someone taking something the wrong way before I started publishing.

Do you have a day job as well?

I do, although I am thinking of quitting. I cannot afford to quit. Believe me, I am not making any actual money doing this, but I also really want to try.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Lately, if I am not writing, I seem to be on Facebook. Normally, I used to do things, but I have so many stories I need to finish and I am skilled at wasting time when I should be writing them!

Do you like your handwriting?

I do. I have very nice handwriting. 

What sparked the idea for your novel?

Forget Me Not was a strange process. It started with a short story. I wrote the story with no intention of going back to it, but it sold well. So I figured Derek and Lily would get a novel out of it. However, as I started writing, there was no story there. I didn’t want to write something just to write it. I decided to make it a novella and keep it short, And then I met Jack. And he turned a short story into a series.

Do you outline?

No. I do keep notes and ideas, but I do not plan everything before I start. I truly believe the characters are real people and they speak through me.

What is your writing routine?

I don’t have one. I make routines and schedules and never stick to them. I tend to be a binge writer and I won’t write unless I am inspired. I do, however, force myself to stick to deadlines, which helps.

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I really don’t remember. I started reading around three years old and my parents have old stories I wrote around that age. I always loved telling stories. I am a natural liar. I don’t lie to be mean, but I love making the world more interesting than it is. I love books – everything about them. I will read anything and I rarely hate a book. There is only one book I did not finish. I value reading and books so much. I do not take kindly to the idea that some books are less important than others or that some books do not warrant a full read.

I wrote my first full and complete novel about ten years ago, but it’s not written under Sarah. And it shall remain a secret. Forget Me Not is my second full length novel as Sarah (I have two novellas out and tons of short stories), but the first, Bitter Fruits, is unavailable until December, when it is being traditionally published. I have three novels under another name.

Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?

Character. I love characters. I have to admit that I do not have a ton of friends in my real life. I have always liked characters in books more than actual people.

How did you choose the genre you write in?

What’s funny is that I write YA, fantasy, and horror, but I also wrote some smutty stories for friends years ago and decided to publish them this year. Then I realized I love romance – because it’s happy. I also think it’s real, even if the elements are a little dramatized. I have been working in New Adult, because it’s a reasonable blend of my YA background with the smutty side.

Where do you get your ideas?

The characters talk to me and I listen.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

The Catcher in the Rye taught me so much about reading and about books. It was the first book I read that really made me feel something. I read it young and then years later when I read it in school, everyone hated it. I discovered how diverse opinions can be about a book – and how emotional I get when people don’t appreciate a book I love!

The author who has influenced me the most is surprisingly Hemingway. He always said you should write what’s true and I value that. I have had reviews where people bash my books and call them unrealistic, but maybe they are unrealistic to them. I can say with full disclosure that they are not unrealistic in my experiences.

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

I didn’t really face any challenges. I refuse to give up and I also went indie because I like being in control of things. Now that I am a hybrid writer, I feel like it is the perfect fit for me.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

Lily of the Valley is Jack’s version of events that occur around the events of Forget Me Not. The story starts around the same time, but goes further. It’s darker, because Jack is dark, but I truly love him. It’s one of the first things I have ever written that has not left me feeling like I was unsure. I am 100% committed to every choice I am making in this novel.

How did you come up with the title?

I came up with Forget Me Not kind of on a whim. It was about college, old relationships, new relationships, etc. and it seemed fitting. Then, I realized it had a double meaning. Forget Me Nots are a type of flower and the story is really about “flowering” into yourself. Lily is growing up, as is Jack. So I wanted consistency. And her name is Lily, so Lily of the Valley worked. It was that or Tiger Lily and that just sounded odd.

What project are you working on now?

Mainly Lily of the Valley, but I am editing Bitter Fruits again for its rerelease through the publisher in December. I am also holding the story of Scandal in my brain, although I have not had much time to write it. It is coming out in November. Finally, there are a few short stories I am working on when I can.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

What has been the best compliment?

Mostly when people get personal. I don’t think there is any need for that. Sometimes it irritates me when someone says something is unrealistic. Everyone has a different experience and I can say openly that Lily’s was almost parallel with my own. The story is not autobiographical by any means, but the basic elements were pretty much there for me at her age.

Compliment? Every time someone says they love my book. It means so much. I don’t think it could ever get old.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Don’t give up. There are tons of people who want you to give up. People are mean. The reviews can be harsh, people will let you down, other authors can even freeze you out for nothing. But it all comes down to the fact that the world really either wants you to fail or doesn’t care if you do. That may sound pessimistic, but really, do you personally care if someone else succeeds? You are either indifferent or you feel negatively about it. There are a rare few who want your success in the way you want it. But if you want it, you need to be the one who makes it happen.

The Fun:

If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why?

I would love to go back to Capri and the Amalfi coast. And I would do nothing but sit on a balcony looking over the Mediterranean, drinking coffee and wine, and being happy to be alive.

(I'm so hiding in her bags on her next trip!!!)

If you could eliminate one thing from your daily schedule, what would it be and why?

The need to make money. :) Because if I could pay my bills, I would be able to write because I love it with no worries that I may have to give it up to eat.

What's your pet peeve?

Unreliable people. I balance way too much, so I know people forget. But a consistent lack of concern for others annoys me. There is no reason to be mean to another person. We have bad days, but again, the good should outweigh the bad.

What internet site do you surf to the most?

Facebook. I spent too much time there.

What is your favorite dessert?

This is really specific, but crème brulee at Sofitel hotels. Because my Lord, it is incredible.

What's the silliest thing you have heard people say about you?

That I am a whore because I write erotica. Believe me, I am so boring and not remotely slutty in real life.

If you can be a Disney character, who would you be and why?

Belle, because I want that library.

When people look at me, they would never guess that I:

Write smut. ;)

If you had to be a teacher of something, what would you teach?

I spent several years teaching writing and English for high school and college kids. So that, I guess. But I will never go back to teaching.

Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?

No. It’s happened, but I always change.

Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?

I make my bed because my mom told me to when I was a kid to keep spiders out. Even though I know now that is foolish, I do to keep them out.

Be honest, how often do you wash your hair?

Well, if I am working and socializing, every other day. It gets too flyaway if I do it more. But I have to admit I have gone days when I am writing and have nowhere to be. And suddenly, I realize what day it is.

Do you get road rage? What pisses you off the most about other drivers?

Yes. Inconsiderate people irritate me – on the road and off.

Do you go out of your way to kill bugs? Are there any that make you screech and hide?

Out of my way? No. I am a vegetarian and an animal rights advocate. But if I see a bug and it’s close to me, invading my space, it’s going to die.

What is one question that you are never asked in interviews?

My favorite painting. Which is The Lovers by Rene Magritte. Or Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth. Or John Martin’s The Bard. Or… Okay, yeah, now I know why no one asks.

What is one question that you are always asked in interviews?

When I decided to write, which is hard to answer, because it’s sort of like asking when I decided to eat.

If you were interviewing yourself, what are the top 3 questions you would ask yourself?

Favorite books (see previous answer), why I love art (because it’s evocative for no clear reason), and why you should read this book (because Jack. Trust me. That’s reason enough.)

Why are manhole covers round?

Because men are round?

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Thank you. Because without you, I am nothing.