Hey everyone!  Today I am SO excited to help reveal the cover of Sweet Dreams by Nadette Rae Rodgers, which is the third and final book in the Illusion trilogy! This series has been so intriguing, and I’m so honored that Nadette asked me to be a part of this exciting event.  Alongside that, I also had the opportunity to interview Nadette!

So, without further ado, let’s reveal the cover:

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I think this cover is so gorgeous and compliments books 1 and 2 so well!  I am really looking forward to reading Sweet Dreams and seeing how this series concludes.  Just looking at this cover makes me so excited and hopeful!!

Sweet Dreams is set to release on September 15th, but you can pre-order it now by clicking here!

Also, if you’re new to the series, be sure to check out books 1 and 2 below (Psst: they’re both on Kindle Unlimited!)

  

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Also, like I shared earlier, I had the opportunity to interview Nadette Rae Rodgers as well!  It is all about writing, books, and of course, the Illusion Trilogy!

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1. How old were you when you first started writing?

 

Honestly, I have been writing ever since I learned how! Of course, when I was little, it was more of little Christmas poems or “books” that were about a page. I have just always loved writing! But, I first began writing my first novel (Illusion) when I was 14!

 

2. Tell me a little about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine? Any writing playlists?

 

My writing routine depends on the type of scene I’m writing. But usually, I turn on the twinkly lights in my room, pick a playlist that fits what I’ll be writing about then, listen to a song or two while I jot down quick notes and ideas I have, and then I just start typing on my Alphasmart. I also love to have hot chocolate or coffee in my Eiffel Tower mug too! If I really need inspiration or get stuck, I get out my baby blue typewriter!

 

I am very inspired by music! So, yes! I have many writing playlists. I have a few that are just instrumental songs, usually from movie soundtracks I loved. I also have a playlist on my Spotify for each book I write. On it are songs that either remind me of a certain scene I’m writing because of the lyrics or sometimes I add songs to my playlist because it reminds me of a song my characters might be listening to.

3. What inspired you to write The Illusion Trilogy?

 

I find dreams fascinating! I think it is so interesting how the mind is subconsciously telling us something by our dreams. I’m sure everyone has felt that deja vu feeling after a strange dream at at least one point in their lives. I just started wondering what would happen if someone felt like that every day of their life.

 

Also, at the time, I kept searching for a certain type of book– one that combined romance and action and something unique but relatable. I couldn’t really find it. So I thought about the quote by Toni Morrison that says, ““If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” So I sat down and started writing the book I was looking for!

 

4. How long did it take for you to write the first draft?

 

The first draft took a few months. However, I wrote it when I was 14 and quite literally put it away in a box under my bed until my senior year of high school. I spent that whole school year working with my creative writing teacher to edit the book and get it ready for print.

 

5. Was it harder or easier to write the sequels?

 

To be honest, a little bit of both. It was easier because I was developing the dream world futher and the characters were showing more backstory and personality. It was easier because there was so much I wanted to do with the story, so I finally had the chance to dig deeper in the story than you do in book one.

 

However, it was also harder because I honestly wrote book one without really thinking I would publish it. So writing the sequels was interesting because I now had a deadline and also an audience reading what I was writing to consider.

 

6. What do you do when you face writer’s block?

 

I don’t want my books to seem forced. I want them to flow and feel realistic. If I get stuck, I usually take a break from writing for a little bit and revisit it. Another thing I try to do is actually write whatever scene I am struggling with in a different way. For instance, I’ll try it from another character’s point of view or I might write it as a journal entry. This way it gives me another way of looking at the situation.

 

7.  Who/what are some of the authors and books that have inspired you on your writing journey?

 

Oh my goodness! So many!

 

A big one is Ally Carter. She wrote the Gallagher Girl’s series. I have always loved her writing; I like the way it feels like the main character is just having a conversation with you and telling you about her day. I wanted my books to have that vibe too.

 

A classic book that inspired me was The Scarlet Letter  by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I had been reading that book for school around the time I was writing Illusion, and I think you can really see some influence of that book in the antagonist of Illusion.

 

8. Now that The Illusion Trilogy is coming to a close, do you have any other projects in the works?

 

I have my second children’s book coming out in a few weeks! It’s called Hoo’s Birthday Is It? and has the same adorable Little Yellow Owl as Hoo Loves You. It has a few new fun characters, too, like frogs and foxes!

 

I have had some ideas for a YA standalone novel for the past few years. I can’t get it out of my head! I have been working on that a little bit over the past few years, but have been focused on The Illusion Trilogy. Now that this trilogy is done, I do think I want to try my hand at a standalone, just to see the difference in three books to just one.

 

9. And one last question, aside from writing, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?

 

I am currently a college student studying Speech Pathology! I am very interested in that field and am so excited for my future as a Speech Pathologist!

 

I also love dancing (I am a preschool dance teacher), reading, watching Gilmore Girls with my mom and The Office with my family, and spending time with my friends.

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Thank you so much, Nadette, for the opportunity to not only reveal the cover of Sweet Dreams, but also interview you!  It has been so much fun. 🙂

You can follow Nadette on Twitter, Instagram, her blog, and website!

Also, Nadette is hosting an exciting giveaway for Sweet Dreams right now.  So be sure to head on over to both of our Instagrams to get all the details on that!

Thank you all so much for reading, and remember to check out Sweet Dreams, releasing September 15th!

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