#GuestPost & #Giveaway: ReVamped by Ada Adams

About the Book

A simple mission turned deadly.
Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.
When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

Creating the Perfect Imperfect Characters - Ada Adams

In my writing, I personally like to steer away from perfect characters. I strongly believe that even supernaturally-talented characters should come with some flaws. It not only makes for an interesting story, but also enables the readers to become invested in the protagonist's future, development, and growth over the course of the novel/series.

As a reader, I am often attracted to female heroines who, in some way, represent a better form of myself. After all, I pick up certain books as a way to escape the mundane aspects of everyday life. At the same time, when a character is too perfect, I find myself being unable to connect to her. Everything comes easy for this protagonist--problems are solved with a smile or a lucky an intelligent guess, guys (with or without a pulse) fall all over themselves to be with her, her hair is always in place...I basically never have to worry about this girl because it's obvious that, no matter what, she's going to be fine.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a big advocate of strong characters. I believe that female protagonists should be independent, smart, and kick-butt! They should also be able to overcome hurdles and solve their own problems (although relying on some help from friends or a cute, mysterious crush can, at times, be really great as well). However, when the character is too perfect, then as readers we're often simply dragged along on her journey, instead of being fully invested in her life.

Writing perfect characters comes easily to me. The bigger challenge that I face in my writing is finding a good balance between the character's strengths and her weaknesses. Originally, ReVamped's MC, Dawn, was pretty close to perfect. She was beautiful, smart, strong, sarcastic, and always knew exactly what to do and what to say. After reading the first draft, I hated her. Okay, hate is a very strong word and Dawn was still pretty awesome, so I suppose I strongly disliked Dawn 1.0. In order to create a more likable heroine, I actually had to create a less perfect one.

Many readers have found Dawn 2.0's vulnerability very "human-like". I personally like that she wasn't able to deal with everything that came her way with ease. Dawn is extremely intelligent, naturally strong, and has perfected many different types of martial arts and weapons combat. However, she isn't always able to predict the villain's next move, nor is she able to accept certain personal setbacks that occur during the course of the story as easily as a "perfect character" would. I like that there were a few instances in the story that Dawn appears to be more vulnerable than a vampire of her stature should have been. This shows that she's "human" in so many ways, and makes me root for her. It also allows room for character growth that she will undoubtedly experience throughout the rest of the "Angel Creek" series.

Some readers have also found Dawn's inexperience with guys endearing and funny. After all, she had led a very sheltered life in her father's presidential headquarters, and has had very little time to even consider boys. Therefore, when she meets Sebastian and Ethan, there are many emotions that she has to overcome. While she feels a strong attraction to both guys (in different ways), she also knows that her priority is the mission in Angel Creek. Then there's the fact that she's never been kissed. Could I have made Dawn more suave when it came to the humans and vampires of the opposite sex? Sure! Would it have been as much fun? Probably not. Plus, this allows for a lot more character development, as her relationship with both guys has deepened throughout the course of ReVamped.

She will definitely be facing some new adventures and experiences in ReAwakened.

So, dear readers, what are your thoughts on perfect characters? What about some not-so-perfect ones? Who's your favorite "flawed" character?

Reviews & Praises

“The characters in this book are well-developed, the plot is intriguing, and there is plenty of action.”

-> A. Giffin 

“I loved Sebastian right off and couldn't wait to see what would happen next in this love triangle as the story unfolded.”

-> The Blackraven 

“I highly recommend this book, it is totally different from the other vampire stories out there.”

-> Muppet

About the Author

At age five, Ada read her first chapter book. Ever since that moment, she developed an intense passion for the stories and characters found within the pages of literature.

In her career as an actress and a writer, Ada currently spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning, and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Masters of Science in Education.

Ada strives to bring a fresh voice and perspective to fiction. She has been writing creatively for many years, and is an editor of a global fashion/literary magazine called VEUX. "ReVamped" is her debut novel.

She lives in Toronto, Canada, and enjoys adventurous nature hikes with her adorable puppies Cara and Oreo.

Contact the Author

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

Now, onto the Giveaway. Ms.Adams has kindly agreed to giveway a kindle copy of her book - Revamped and a bookmark.

1. The entries are entirely optional, but they could mean the difference between you winning, or someone else taking the prize.
2. Open Internationally.
3. When I email the winner, they will have 48 hours to reply to the email with confirmation.
4. Please don't leave your email address anywhere in the comments on the blog. I am using  rafflecopter to keep your details safe, so please take advantage of that!

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