Interview with Crystal Marcos
Award-winning author Crystal Marcos has been a storyteller her entire life. As the oldest of five children, she had to do a lot of entertaining. She lives on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State with her husband, daughter Kaylee, and infant son Jaxon. Crystal is the author of BELLYACHE: A Delicious Tale and HEADACHE: The Hair-Raising Sequel to BELLYACHE. Novus, her third book and first Young Adult novel, is Book One of The Cresecren Chronicles.
Was it exciting to describe your dystopian and apocalyptic world?
Yes, very exciting! The idea for Novus came to me over three years ago in a dream that jolted me awake. I wanted to go back to sleep, hoping to pick up where I left off. I didn’t, and kept thinking about it. I wanted to know more about the people in my dream, more about the setting, more about what was going on and where the story was leading. I finally have the answers, and am delighted to share them.
Who is the key character in your book NOVUS (The Cresecren Chronicles, Book 1)?
Cayden is a teenager who was created by Humans in their likeness and given life as a Cresecren. Most teenagers have choices. However, Cayden’s life’s path was predetermined for him. Through a series of catastrophic events, Cayden explores new experiences and feelings he never had the chance to before.
How special is it to have received OFFICIAL SELECTION in the "2015 New Apple Literary Awards"? In which category did your book win?
It is such an honor, very flattering! It is fabulous to be recognized for your work. My book won for the e-Book Category of Children’s/Young Adult. This is a wide category, I was pleased to see the results.
Who did you write this book for? How long did you take to craft the first book of the planned series?
I set out to write the book for anyone who enjoys a good young adult read. I wrote it with myself and some of my family members in mind. I also thought about what a teenager would enjoy reading about. It was important for me to tell a story about the characters who have grown to feel like family. I wanted the readers to truly care about what happens to these characters.
Which are the places where you get the inspiration of the settings of this story since it is set in the future?
I thought it would be fun to write about what it might be like near where I currently live, the Pacific Northwest in Washington State. I used areas I was familiar with as I built the world in the story.
