Interview with Jeanne Bannon, author of Invisible

I am so excited to have had the opportunity to interview Jeanne Bannon, author of the newly released YA paranormal novel Invisible.

Here's the book blurb for Invisible, followed by a Q&A with Jeanne:

Lola’s not pretty. Lola’s not popular. Lola wishes she could disappear … and then one day she does just that...

For seventeen-year-old Lola Savullo, life is a struggle. Born to funky parents who are more in than she could ever be, Lola’s dream of becoming a writer makes her an outsider even in her own home. Bullied and despised, Lola still has the support of her best pal Charlie and Grandma Rose.

Not only is she freakishly tall, Lola’s a big girl and when forced to wear a bathing suit at her summer job as a camp counselor, Lola’s only escape from deep embarrassment seems to be to literally vanish. Soon after, she discovers the roots of her new “ability”.

Slowly, with Charlie’s help, Lola learns to control the new super power. The possibilities are endless. Yet power can be abused, too…

Then, when tragedy strikes, Lola must summon her inner strength, both at home and at school. She has to stand up for herself, despite the temptations and possibilities of her newfound super power.

A coming-of-age story that will warm the heart.

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Did you always want to be an author?

Yes, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write.

Tell us a bit about your novel

Invisible is about a 17-year-old girl named Lola. Lola is bullied at school and feels like she doesn’t fit in in her own family. She wishes she could disappear; blend into the wood work and one day, she does just that.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

In a small way, Lola’s story is my own. I was bullied in grades 7 and 8 after moving to a new neighbourhood and I know what it feels like to want to disappear. The story came to me out of the blue one day while I was at my daughter’s swimming lessons. I couldn’t wait to get home to write the outline. It only took four months to write!

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

It would be Grandma Rose, Lola’s beloved grandmother because I loved my grandmother very much and miss her like crazy. Besides, Grandma Rose is fun and artistic and very loving and kind.

What drew you to the YA paranormal genre?

The paranormal has been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember. I’ve seen ghosts and had several prophetic dreams. And I’m obsessed with the idea of where we go after our time here on the Earth is over. I think about this everyday. It’s as if I live with one foot already on the other side of this reality. So, writing about the paranormal comes naturally to me.

What do you hope readers will obtain from your book?

More than anything, I hope readers connect with my characters. The target audience is teenage girls, so I hope they learn that it doesn’t matter that high school is sometimes hard because kids can be mean. One day you’ll be done with it and you have to have plans and dreams for the future to keep you going.

Where do you like to do your writing?

I write in my bed on my laptop. It’s my favorite place to write and I love being in the sanctuary of my bedroom where the energy is calm and serene.

What are some of your favorite YA books or authors? Non-YA?

The only YA author I really like is Suzanne Collins, author of the Hunger Games trilogy. I don’t really read a lot of YA and the funny thing is I don’t write in any of the genres of my favorite authors. My favorite authors are Betty Smith (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), John Irving and Stephen King.

Are there any books and stories that have influenced or stuck with you from your childhood or young-adulthood?

As a teen, I read a lot of Stephen King. I love all of his novels because he is a master of characterization. So, Mr. King was certainly an early influence.

Do you have any current projects? Can you tell us a bit about them? 

I’m trying to finish up Dark Angel, a paranormal thriller. It’s certainly not YA and I actually started it long before I began Invisible. I’m on the final edit and hope to be shopping it around shortly.

Where can we find you? 

Blog: http://beyondwordsblog.blogspot.com/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeanne-Bannon/182120961844916

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/user/jbannon4398

Twitter: @JeanneBannon

Invisible is now available at Amazon!

More about Jeanne Bannon:

I’ve worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. I started my career as a freelance journalist, then worked as an in-house editor for LexisNexis Canada and currently work as a freelance editor and writer.

I’ve had several short stories published and won first place in the Writes of Caledon Short Story Contest. My novels, The Barely Boy and Dark Angel were finalists in the 2010 and 2011 Strongest Start Contests. One of my short stories “Thom’s Journey” is part of an Anthology entitled A Visitor to Sandahl and is available at Amazon.com.

Invisible, my debut novel, is about a teenage girl who isn’t happy with herself and wishes she could disappear. And one day she does. Invisible is available on Amazon, Smashwords, and the Solstice Publishing website.

When not reading or writing, I enjoy being with my daughters, Nina and Sara and my husband, David. I’m also the proud mother of two fur babies, a sweet Miniature Schnauzer named Emily and Spencer, a rambunctious tabby, who can be a very bad boy.

Thank you so much Jeanne and I can't wait to start reading Invisible!