From her Q&A at The Nerd Daily:
Hi Akemi, can you tell us a bit about yourself and about Harley in the Sky?Visit Akemi Dawn Bowman's website.
I’m originally from Las Vegas, but I’ve been living in Scotland for nearly a decade. Most of the inspiration for my writing comes from the magic I find in my day-to-day life. Whether it’s a great story, a really cool looking tree, or an entire circus performance, I love feeling like I’ve been plucked out of the real world and thrown into a fantastical one.
The idea for HARLEY IN THE SKY came from wanting to combine my love of magic with the honesty of real life. It’s a story about a teen who dreams of being a trapeze artist, and when her parents insist that she goes to university instead, Harley decides to run away and join a rival circus. It’s about family, growing up, and finding a balance between chasing your dreams and nurturing the relationships that mean the most to you.
Harley has led quite an interesting life, growing up in the circus. What is the earliest memory that she can remember?
I like to think one of Harley’s earliest memories would be of the costumes, and how big the stage felt. As a kid, those were always the things that stayed in my head—the textures, and vibrancy, and how huge the world seemed. And growing up in a circus, Harley would’ve been watching the magic happen in real-time, both backstage and during rehearsals. So I’m sure she...[read on]
--Marshal Zeringue