Giveaway, Review, and Author Interview: Beyond the Rising Tide
Beyond the Rising Tide
by Sarah Beard
Kai met Avery only once--in the moment he died saving her life. Now when he's not using his new healing powers to help people, he watches helplessly as Avery's life is unraveled by his death. To help her, he risks everything by breaking the rules, dangerously blurring the barriers between life and death.
I have received a complimentary copy of this book to review. The opinions here are 100% mine! This post contains affiliate links.
What a book. I wasn't sure when I first started it if I was going to be able to get into this novel with its supernatural side. I mean, a boy who returns from the dead for the girl he saved? Yes, I was skeptical, but Sarah Beard did not disappoint. The supernatural element is so softly interwoven into the tale that you don't even see it as something impossible.
The character development, especially the survivor guilt of Avery, is superb. I enjoyed following the characters through the changes they experience.
Beyond the Rising Tide is certainly a novel that I will recommend to students. Students in general will like this book, but even more than that are the students who have experienced loss. This novel, I believe, could be a refuge to students that have lost someone close to them and feel that loss heavily.
I was fortunate enough to be able to chat with Sarah about her favorites (her own books and others) and her writing process. She has some great advice for student writers.
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Who is your favorite or least favorite character in your book? Why?
Far and away, my favorite character is Kai. He’s far from perfect, but his flaws are ones that make him endearing. He’s loyal and a bit sarcastic and feels emotion with uncommon depth. He’s impulsive and reacts to things in the extreme sometimes, but he’s also noble, selfless, and willing to sacrifice anything for the people he loves.
How do you handle writer’s block?
When I get stuck in a story, it’s usually because I’ve come to a crossroads and can’t decide between two or more possible directions. To give my mind some time to work it out, I’ll work on a different part of my story, or go for a walk, or do something mindless like dishes or laundry, and usually the answers come and then I can move forward. When the answers don’t come, I’ll talk it out with my critique group and usually they can help me decide on the best direction. And sometimes I’ll just choose a direction and write it, and by doing so I’ll realize that the other option was better. Sometimes you have to write a scene to know that it doesn’t belong in your story.
What advice do you have for young/student writers?
I’m full of writing advice, but to keep your eyes from glazing over, I’ll just highlight what I feel are the most important things: Learn the craft. You can write a million words and never become a good writer if you don’t take the time to learn how to write well. Take advantage of the many educational resources out there. Books on writing, writing conferences, online articles and blog posts are all inexpensive ways to learn about writing. Join a good critique group. Read a lot. Write a lot. Be patient and get comfortable, because it will be a long journey. In fact, once you decide to be a writer, the journey never really ends.
Explain your revision process.
My revision process is long and tedious, but it’s during revisions when my stories really begin to take their true shape. Once I’m finished with a first draft (my first drafts are hideous), I go back and rework sentences and paragraphs to make them prettier. As I revise, I begin sharing chapters with my critique group and then implement the suggestions I feel will make my story stronger. Then I’ll read through again and watch for things like flow, pacing, consistency, and logic. I’ll read through it a few more times, each time focusing on different things, like making dialogue snappier or adding subtle foreshadowing or tightening up passages. In one of the final rounds, I’ll search for filler words like “that” and “just” and remove them if possible. Then I’ll print the entire manuscript and read it, because I always catch things on paper that I don’t see on the screen. And lastly, I’ll read it one more time out loud, for the same reason. After all this, it gets sent off to my editor, and a whole new revision process begins!
What book/author has influenced you the most? Why?
This is a tough question, because I’ve been influenced by many different authors. Three who’ve made a big impression on me and my writing are Daphne Du Maurier, Maggie Stiefvater, and Gayle Forman. Daphne Du Maurier is a master of subtle manipulation. Her words make you feel certain emotions, and when you look back at the passages to try and figure out how she made you feel so sad/angry/scared/happy, sometimes you’re not even sure how she accomplished it. Maggie is also good at this, and her language is gorgeous and packed with symbolism. And Gayle Forman is the queen of FEELS. Her words invite you to step inside the story and become the character and feel everything they feel.
“Vividly imagined, this novel is the perfect mix of modern love story and literary fiction. One brimming with genuine emotion that had me re-reading passages simply because they were too beautifully written to experience just once.” --Julie N. Ford, author of With No Regrets
“This book is not only an engaging and satisfying supernatural romance, but also a beautiful story about life, death, and the gray places in between.” --E.B. Wheeler, author of The Haunting of Springett Hall
"This is one of those stories that stays with you long after the closing scene. It was beautifully imagined and vividly written and I absolutely loved it!” --Teresa Richards, author of Emerald Bound
About the Author
Sarah Beard is the author of YA novels PORCELAIN KEYS and BEYOND THE RISING TIDE. She earned a degree in communications from the University of Utah and is currently pursuing an MFA in creative writing from VCFA. When she's not writing, she referees wrestling matches between her three boys and listens to audiobooks while folding self-replicating piles of laundry. She is a breast cancer survivor, a baker of sweets, a seeker of good love stories, a composer of melancholy music, and a traveler who wishes her travel budget was much bigger. She lives with her husband and children in the shadow of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. You can follow Sarah on twitter at @authorsarahb
