I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for SOULMATED by Shaila Patel! have an interview with Shaila to share with you today! And make sure to enter the awesome giveaway!!
Haven't heard of SOULMATED? Check it out!
Two souls. One Fate.
Eighteen-year-old Liam Whelan, an Irish royal empath, has been searching for his elusive soulmate. The rare union will cement his family's standing in empath politics and afford the couple legendary powers, while also making them targets of those seeking to oust them.
Laxshmi Kapadia, an Indian-American high school student from a traditional family, faces her mother's ultimatum: Graduate early and go to medical school, or commit to an arranged marriage.
When Liam moves next door to Laxshmi, he’s immediately and inexplicably drawn to her. In Liam, Laxshmi envisions a future with the freedom to follow her heart.
Liam's father isn't convinced Laxshmi is "The One" and Laxshmi's mother won't even let her talk to their handsome new neighbor. Will Liam and Laxshmi defy expectations and embrace a shared destiny? Or is the risk of choosing one's own fate too great a price for the soulmated?
Now on to the interview!
At its heart, Soulmated is a coming-of-age story that deals with choosing your own path in life and accepting the consequences when you do. Liam Whelan, an Irish royal empath, is pressured by his parents to find his empath soul mate, and after years of searching, he finds Indian-American Laxshmi Kapadia—only he doesn't know if she's The One. He has to decide if the attraction he feels toward her is worth the risk of alienating his family's expectations if she isn't, or if he must fall in line for the sake of his family and the empath community he's now the head of. Laxshmi struggles with her own parental expectations in the form of an ultimatum her mother gives her to either graduate early and get a medical degree, or have her marriage arranged right out of high school. It doesn't allow her the freedom to pursue a career in dance, and as sheltering as her mother is, starting a relationship with her gorgeous new neighbor from Ireland isn't going to make her life any easier.
Do you have a title for book 2 yet?
The working title is Fighting Fate, and as in the first book, it addresses issues of destiny and free-will.
Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
I can safely say Laxshmi and her mom were inspired by the experiences in my own life, as well as those of my Indian friends. My mother was never as strict as Laxshmi's mom, but I had friends whose mothers issued harsh ultimatums. (Of course, as a teenager, I couldn't see how lucky I was!) Laxshmi's mom's obsession about staying away from boys, though? That was ALL my mom! Lol!
Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
Writing Liam's da, Patrick, was the most fun. I know he won't be everyone's favorite because of some of the arguments he gets into with Liam, but writing him somehow helped me understand parenthood a bit more. Parents have high hopes for their kids' happiness, and with Patrick being a psychic who envisions Liam finding his empath soul mate, the pressure to ensure the vision came true motivated Patrick a great deal. Laxshmi's mother was probably the least favorite to write because her characterization hit so close to home. Even though my own mom wasn't as strict as Laxshmi's, I struggled with Mrs. Kapadia's personality and tried to keep my own biases of overprotective parents out of the equation. While her motivations for being the way she is will be revealed later in the series, it was hard not to feel like I was doing my own mom an injustice by portraying Mrs. Kapadia the way I did.
What is your favorite passage/scene in SOULMATED?
Two come to mind.
This first one might not be the most obviously popular one (the ladybug scene seems to take the cake there!), but when Laxshmi has to take out the recycling one night and runs into Liam, there's something about how they connect that still gives me chills. Laxshmi happens to be upset, and even though this chapter is in her point of view, we see Liam, despite all his worldly experience, awkwardly trying to be there for her. For me, it's at that moment—there in the dark—that their vulnerabilities are exposed for the first time.
Second is a scene that just makes me sigh. It's when Laxshmi sees Liam for the first time after he returns from Charlotte. Her reaction and his response always gets me right in the heart!
What kind of research did you have to do for the story?
The majority of it revolved around the Irish-English way of speaking—syntax, grammar, slang. I've been to Ireland twice while writing the book, and just like in America, people have different ways of speaking depending on which region you're visiting. Quite a bit of it was done online as well.
Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?
It has to be Daemon from Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout. He was my first YA Bad Boy I'd read, and I just can't seem to get him out of that first place position! *Sighs*
What inspired you to write YA?
Because I adore first-love stories. There is so much hope, optimism, and faith when you first fall in love that it's a perfect setting for conflict. (I feel evil thinking that!)
Lightening Round Questions
I just started the ARC of Maggie Ann Martin's The Big F. It's a first-love story so I'm super-excited to get into it.
What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Ravenclaw!
Twitter or Facebook?
Facebook
Favorite Superhero?
Iron Man
Favorite TV show?
Star Trek (starting with TNG)
Sweet or Salty?
Salty
Any Phobias?
Spiders
Song you can’t get enough of right now?
Ed Sheeran's Shape of You
2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?
UGH. Can't decide between Guardians of the Galaxy 2 or Beauty and the Beast! It's a tie!
Hi Shaila! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! SOULMATED
was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And am so
happy that you could stop by for a visit!
For the readers:
can you tell us a little bit about SOULMATED and the characters?
At its heart, Soulmated is a coming-of-age story that deals with choosing your own path in life and accepting the consequences when you do. Liam Whelan, an Irish royal empath, is pressured by his parents to find his empath soul mate, and after years of searching, he finds Indian-American Laxshmi Kapadia—only he doesn't know if she's The One. He has to decide if the attraction he feels toward her is worth the risk of alienating his family's expectations if she isn't, or if he must fall in line for the sake of his family and the empath community he's now the head of. Laxshmi struggles with her own parental expectations in the form of an ultimatum her mother gives her to either graduate early and get a medical degree, or have her marriage arranged right out of high school. It doesn't allow her the freedom to pursue a career in dance, and as sheltering as her mother is, starting a relationship with her gorgeous new neighbor from Ireland isn't going to make her life any easier.
Do you have a title for book 2 yet?
The working title is Fighting Fate, and as in the first book, it addresses issues of destiny and free-will.
Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
I can safely say Laxshmi and her mom were inspired by the experiences in my own life, as well as those of my Indian friends. My mother was never as strict as Laxshmi's mom, but I had friends whose mothers issued harsh ultimatums. (Of course, as a teenager, I couldn't see how lucky I was!) Laxshmi's mom's obsession about staying away from boys, though? That was ALL my mom! Lol!
Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
Writing Liam's da, Patrick, was the most fun. I know he won't be everyone's favorite because of some of the arguments he gets into with Liam, but writing him somehow helped me understand parenthood a bit more. Parents have high hopes for their kids' happiness, and with Patrick being a psychic who envisions Liam finding his empath soul mate, the pressure to ensure the vision came true motivated Patrick a great deal. Laxshmi's mother was probably the least favorite to write because her characterization hit so close to home. Even though my own mom wasn't as strict as Laxshmi's, I struggled with Mrs. Kapadia's personality and tried to keep my own biases of overprotective parents out of the equation. While her motivations for being the way she is will be revealed later in the series, it was hard not to feel like I was doing my own mom an injustice by portraying Mrs. Kapadia the way I did.
What is your favorite passage/scene in SOULMATED?
Two come to mind.
This first one might not be the most obviously popular one (the ladybug scene seems to take the cake there!), but when Laxshmi has to take out the recycling one night and runs into Liam, there's something about how they connect that still gives me chills. Laxshmi happens to be upset, and even though this chapter is in her point of view, we see Liam, despite all his worldly experience, awkwardly trying to be there for her. For me, it's at that moment—there in the dark—that their vulnerabilities are exposed for the first time.
Second is a scene that just makes me sigh. It's when Laxshmi sees Liam for the first time after he returns from Charlotte. Her reaction and his response always gets me right in the heart!
What kind of research did you have to do for the story?
The majority of it revolved around the Irish-English way of speaking—syntax, grammar, slang. I've been to Ireland twice while writing the book, and just like in America, people have different ways of speaking depending on which region you're visiting. Quite a bit of it was done online as well.
Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?
It has to be Daemon from Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout. He was my first YA Bad Boy I'd read, and I just can't seem to get him out of that first place position! *Sighs*
What inspired you to write YA?
Because I adore first-love stories. There is so much hope, optimism, and faith when you first fall in love that it's a perfect setting for conflict. (I feel evil thinking that!)
Lightening Round Questions
What are you
reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
I just started the ARC of Maggie Ann Martin's The Big F. It's a first-love story so I'm super-excited to get into it.
What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Ravenclaw!
Twitter or Facebook?
Favorite Superhero?
Iron Man
Favorite TV show?
Star Trek (starting with TNG)
Sweet or Salty?
Salty
Any Phobias?
Spiders
Song you can’t get enough of right now?
Ed Sheeran's Shape of You
2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?
UGH. Can't decide between Guardians of the Galaxy 2 or Beauty and the Beast! It's a tie!
Thanks so much Shaila for answering my questions! I can’t wait for
everyone to read SOULMATED!
Thank you!!
About Shaila: (Insert
Author Photo)
As an unabashed lover of all things happily-ever- after, Shaila’s
younger self would finish reading Cinderella and fling her copy across the room
because it didn’t mention what happened next. Now she writes from her home in
the Carolinas and dreams up all sorts of stories with epilogues. A member of
the Romance Writers of America, she’s a pharmacist by training, a medical
office manager by day, and a writer by night. She enjoys traveling, craft beer,
and teas, and loves reading books—especially in cozy
window seats. You might find her sneaking in a few paragraphs at a red light or
connecting with other readers online at: www.shailapatelauthor.com
Find Shaila:
Giveaway Details:
(1) winner will receive a Perfectly Posh, Posh To Meet You Set ($20
value), US Only.
(10) winners will receive a SOULMATED Swag Pack, US Only.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
1/23/2017- Dani
Reviews Things- Excerpt
1/23/2017- I am not a
bookworm!- Review
1/24/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
1/24/2017- Book-Keeping- Review
1/25/2017- Black Cat Blog- Guest Post
1/25/2017- Omg
Books and More Books - Review
1/26/2017- Don't Judge, Read- Guest Post
1/26/2017- The
Starving Bookworm- Review
1/27/2017- Hidden
Worlds Books- Guest Post
1/27/2017- Book Review Becca- Review
Week Two:
1/30/2017- Jorie
Loves A Story- Interview
1/30/2017- Drink Coffee and Read Books- Review
1/31/2017- Read Coffee and Teen- Interview
1/31/2017- The Bookavid- Review
2/1/2017- Lisa's Loves(Books of Course)- Excerpt
2/1/2017- NovelKnight- Review
2/2/2017- YA
Guy- Excerpt
2/2/2017- Rockin'
Book Reviews- Review
2/3/2017- So Few Books- Interview
2/3/2017- Netherreads- Review
Looks good. This would be a great read.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great love story.
ReplyDelete