Today I have Malynda Schelgel, author of the new adult book “Our Dust Has A Pulse” on the blog today to talk about the book! (You can read my ARC review of it here!)

COURTNEY: What inspired Our Dust Has A Pulse?

MALYNDA: A culmination of my own life experiences throughout the years.

COURTNEY: How long did it take you to write the first draft?

MALYNDA: About 8 months.

COURTNEY: Which character changed the most from the first draft to the finished copy?

MALYNDA: Katherine.

COURTNEY: Were there any scenes you had to cut that you loved? If so, can you tell me anything about them?

MALYNDA: Nope! So far, I’ve never had to cut anything from my books, but maybe one day. And that would be really interesting to see!

COURTNEY: We see Katherine go through a pretty big transition/change throughout the book, becoming more of an active force in her own life. What was your thought process behind having her, essentially, suddenly look at the world in a different way, and quickly come into who she is within a few days?

MALYNDA: That’s exactly how my own transition happened. Katherine and I have different journeys with different results, but one day, I just woke up to how unhappy I was and decided to do something about it. Like her, I looked at all the things I was doing that made me unhappy, all the things I was putting up with in my own life, and then I did the opposite of those things. I became a person people almost didn’t recognize, and I discovered that by being this new version of me, that was essentially there all along, I was happy. So I stayed that person. For me, once you find the version of yourself that works for you, it’s easy to come into, while the pieces of who you were before start manifesting themselves in new ways, as well.

COURTNEY: What’s next for Katherine and Decker?

MALYNDA: Oh, I have no idea. I don’t usually think past “the end”. BUT I have been toying with the thought of some bonus scenes that take place after the events of the book that, if I decide to write them, will most likely be exclusive for the readers who join the Our Dust Has a Pulse Discussion Group on Facebook!

COURTNEY: Will we see characters from ODHAP pop up in any of your other books? (Or do they take place in the same universe?)

MALYNDA: At this point in time, I’ll say no, but you never know!

COURTNEY: In the book, the characters spend most of their time traveling across the country in an RV. What would be your ideal road-trip?

MALYNDA: Pretty much the same. I’d love to travel in an RV across the country, but I wouldn’t have a destination in mind like Decker, and I wouldn’t search for one like Katherine. I’d just want to get lost.

COURTNEY: Who would be your fan casts for a film adaptation?

MALYNDA: Oh, again, I have no idea. I’m so picky, I wouldn’t be able to choose!

COURTNEY: What can readers expect from you next?

MALYNDA: I have a 2 (potentially 3) book series coming out in 2020 revolving around a group of friends in a small beach town and their romances. It’s been my favorite thing to write; I’m having so much fun! Book 1 is called Bring You Back, and book 2 is called Break Your Fall.

Anything else to add? (Questions/answers you wish I would’ve asked, etc.) Thank you so much, Courtney, for taking a chance on my book!