Metallic Heart
Liahona West
May 3, 2021
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Dear Liahona,
Tell us about your debut book, Metallic Heart. Metallic Heart is a post-apocalyptic romance novel about a woman who struggles with trauma related to her sister's death, a man who struggles to find peace with his past, and a scientist who connects them both. I began writing it about three years ago because, at the time, there was a huge lack of knowledge surrounding trauma and PTSD, and focused mostly on veterans. I wanted to educate others about what PTSD looks like in a person who could be a neighbor or a friend. About halfway through, the storyline took on a life of its own, morphing and changing out of my control into something beautiful. |
Photo: courtesy of the author |
It is definitely more than just a post-apocalyptic romance. It is a story about redemption, self-love, and learning how to navigate trauma.
How much work did you put into this project? What was the most tedious part of the entire process? What is the best comment you have received about your book?
Since I have minimal background in trauma, I knew from the very beginning that I had to research that into the ground. I consulted with friends and family who would share with me their experiences. I read articles. I watched videos and I made sure to collect a wide range of beta readers who could guide me in the right direction. Overall, I'd say my research spanned three years, with most of it done as I was writing.
The most tedious part of the entire process was writing the blurb: what goes on the back cover. I had to take the most important, eye-grabbing, and emotional parts of the books and condense them into 150 words. A blurb needs to be vague enough while at the same time revealing important information to grab a reader's attention.
I have received many amazing comments about my book, but my favorite would have to be from one of my beta readers who has experience dealing with PTSD. She wrote, "This was one of the most accurate representations of trauma and anxiety that I have seen in a long time." That was the moment I knew that perhaps, maybe, my book could play with the big kids in the sandbox.
What are some essential elements that help when you write other than your Chromebook?
My biggest essential is a book called The Emotions Thesaurus. In using it, I have learned how to describe the physical and mental experiences of emotions. Another key element that helps me when writing is a trusty Word processing program. I use One Drive to access Microsoft Word online.
Is writing part of your everyday routine? How about reading? Do you stick to your favorite genre or do you like to discover new works from time to time?
Writing is a part of my daily routine. Every night, after the kids are in bed, I write until my bed time. Sometimes, I will write during the day when my kids are distracted, but I find that my prime time is in the evenings.
Reading is also essential because it opens my mind to how an author described a character or clothing item and what phrasing they chose to use when talking about a sunset or forest. The best part about reading, though, is that it alters my writing style ever so slightly. For example, if I want to write more lyrically, I'll dive into a Jane Austen or Dan Brown novel. If I want to write an action scene, Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlow are go to's. Romance is reserved for Tessa Dare or Lisa Kleypas. I'm really not picky and I will read anything aside from horror. Those give me nightmares.
Chai tea and rocky road or mint chocolate ice cream anytime or according to mood?
Chai tea is my ever faithful companion. I'm typically never without it during a writing session. Rocky road is reserved for days when I want a good cry over a movie: A Walk To Remember and Little Women are big weaknesses of mine. I never fail to cry watching either of them. Mint chocolate chip is my default when I can't decide. My favorite is the white with chocolate chunks.
Where do you get your reading or music recommendations? How about films? Share with us your favorite picks.
Spotify always for music. I love being able to easily pick a song based on mood because I find genres I never would have ever considered before. Rock songs are my favorite at the moment. The first 5 songs on my Spotify playlist are Bang! by AJR, The War by SYML, Kings & Queens by Ava Max, Wicked Ones by Dorothy, and LEMONS by Brye.
As for films, I'm a complete nerd for Marvel, my favorite being Black Panther. Mostly I get my films recommendations from talking with family and friends but also Netflix gives me a cool list of possibilities. A current favorite is The Peanut Butter Falcon.
Do you like music and book pairings or do you prefer more something like tea and reading? If so what do you find the most pleasurable pairing?
Tea and reading. Something magical happens to my brain when I can snuggle up in bed with a good book. I prefer paper or hardbound but mostly read on Kindle and sip my tea. It's like my brain calms and opens up to the wonders of the world I'm reading. The best pairing of tea and books is fresh brewed mint tea from my garden and romance novels. It feels more intimate for me.
We have an ongoing campaign titled #BeatTheBlues on ways to prioritize mental health. What does Liahona West do to #BeatTheBlues?
Mental health is so, so important and to see more companies and people taking it seriously, doing their best to bring awareness to it is such a breath of fresh air, so thank you for that.
Writing is what I do to #BeatTheBlues. But I also enjoy cleaning my room, making my bed, gaming on the Xbox, reading, painting or doing some form of art, going on evening walks with my dog, and taking my children to my parents'.
As a mom you know firsthand that kids say the funniest things. What's the latest from your kids?
Oh, there are so many stories. This one wasn't recently, but I'll never forget it. My oldest was about...four or five. My husband and I were pretending to be passengers on his train - he was on a huge Polar Express kick at the time - and we gave him our train tickets to hole punch. He punched only a few holes in the paper, sighed dramatically, and said, "I already regret this job." We couldn't stop laughing.
Before we say goodbye let us read a sentence of whatever you are currently on.
Metallic Heart is the first novel in a series. I'm now writing Book 2, which has a different pair of protagonists. One of the main characters, Luke, writes poetry. Here's one of his:
"She is the sun,
and I the storm.
Just as I crash upon the rocks,
she rises."
For more about Liahona & her debut book click here
How much work did you put into this project? What was the most tedious part of the entire process? What is the best comment you have received about your book?
Since I have minimal background in trauma, I knew from the very beginning that I had to research that into the ground. I consulted with friends and family who would share with me their experiences. I read articles. I watched videos and I made sure to collect a wide range of beta readers who could guide me in the right direction. Overall, I'd say my research spanned three years, with most of it done as I was writing.
The most tedious part of the entire process was writing the blurb: what goes on the back cover. I had to take the most important, eye-grabbing, and emotional parts of the books and condense them into 150 words. A blurb needs to be vague enough while at the same time revealing important information to grab a reader's attention.
I have received many amazing comments about my book, but my favorite would have to be from one of my beta readers who has experience dealing with PTSD. She wrote, "This was one of the most accurate representations of trauma and anxiety that I have seen in a long time." That was the moment I knew that perhaps, maybe, my book could play with the big kids in the sandbox.
What are some essential elements that help when you write other than your Chromebook?
My biggest essential is a book called The Emotions Thesaurus. In using it, I have learned how to describe the physical and mental experiences of emotions. Another key element that helps me when writing is a trusty Word processing program. I use One Drive to access Microsoft Word online.
Is writing part of your everyday routine? How about reading? Do you stick to your favorite genre or do you like to discover new works from time to time?
Writing is a part of my daily routine. Every night, after the kids are in bed, I write until my bed time. Sometimes, I will write during the day when my kids are distracted, but I find that my prime time is in the evenings.
Reading is also essential because it opens my mind to how an author described a character or clothing item and what phrasing they chose to use when talking about a sunset or forest. The best part about reading, though, is that it alters my writing style ever so slightly. For example, if I want to write more lyrically, I'll dive into a Jane Austen or Dan Brown novel. If I want to write an action scene, Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlow are go to's. Romance is reserved for Tessa Dare or Lisa Kleypas. I'm really not picky and I will read anything aside from horror. Those give me nightmares.
Chai tea and rocky road or mint chocolate ice cream anytime or according to mood?
Chai tea is my ever faithful companion. I'm typically never without it during a writing session. Rocky road is reserved for days when I want a good cry over a movie: A Walk To Remember and Little Women are big weaknesses of mine. I never fail to cry watching either of them. Mint chocolate chip is my default when I can't decide. My favorite is the white with chocolate chunks.
Where do you get your reading or music recommendations? How about films? Share with us your favorite picks.
Spotify always for music. I love being able to easily pick a song based on mood because I find genres I never would have ever considered before. Rock songs are my favorite at the moment. The first 5 songs on my Spotify playlist are Bang! by AJR, The War by SYML, Kings & Queens by Ava Max, Wicked Ones by Dorothy, and LEMONS by Brye.
As for films, I'm a complete nerd for Marvel, my favorite being Black Panther. Mostly I get my films recommendations from talking with family and friends but also Netflix gives me a cool list of possibilities. A current favorite is The Peanut Butter Falcon.
Do you like music and book pairings or do you prefer more something like tea and reading? If so what do you find the most pleasurable pairing?
Tea and reading. Something magical happens to my brain when I can snuggle up in bed with a good book. I prefer paper or hardbound but mostly read on Kindle and sip my tea. It's like my brain calms and opens up to the wonders of the world I'm reading. The best pairing of tea and books is fresh brewed mint tea from my garden and romance novels. It feels more intimate for me.
We have an ongoing campaign titled #BeatTheBlues on ways to prioritize mental health. What does Liahona West do to #BeatTheBlues?
Mental health is so, so important and to see more companies and people taking it seriously, doing their best to bring awareness to it is such a breath of fresh air, so thank you for that.
Writing is what I do to #BeatTheBlues. But I also enjoy cleaning my room, making my bed, gaming on the Xbox, reading, painting or doing some form of art, going on evening walks with my dog, and taking my children to my parents'.
As a mom you know firsthand that kids say the funniest things. What's the latest from your kids?
Oh, there are so many stories. This one wasn't recently, but I'll never forget it. My oldest was about...four or five. My husband and I were pretending to be passengers on his train - he was on a huge Polar Express kick at the time - and we gave him our train tickets to hole punch. He punched only a few holes in the paper, sighed dramatically, and said, "I already regret this job." We couldn't stop laughing.
Before we say goodbye let us read a sentence of whatever you are currently on.
Metallic Heart is the first novel in a series. I'm now writing Book 2, which has a different pair of protagonists. One of the main characters, Luke, writes poetry. Here's one of his:
"She is the sun,
and I the storm.
Just as I crash upon the rocks,
she rises."
For more about Liahona & her debut book click here