Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Emma Lord!
It’s a pleasure to welcome debut YA novelist, Emma Lord, to the blog to share the story behind her gripping new release, Anomaly. ‘A high-octane YA debut, Anomaly will force you to question destiny, memory and how far you would go to survive.‘ This apocalyptic tale with have young adults gritting their teeth from start to end, following protagonist Piper Manning as she navigates her new uncontrollable abilities in the quest for survival.
Thank you, Emma! 🙂
About the Author
Emma Lord is a freelance copywriter and author living in Sydney’s Inner West. She loves all things sci-fi, fantasy and horror, but has a particular soft spot for reading and writing YA.
Emma’s debut YA novel, Anomaly, was selected for the Varuna and Affirm Press Mentorship Award in 2020 and is set for release in September 2024.
Please find Emma Lord at her website: About Emma Lord  | TikTok | Instagram |
Anomaly is available for purchase from Affirm Press and local bookstores.
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
I wrote the book and it’s being published by the wonderful team at Affirm Press. The cover was designed and illustrated by the very talented Micaela Alcaino.
WHAT is it about?
Anomaly is the story of seventeen-year-old Piper Manning, who wakes up after a deadly pandemic with violent new abilities she can’t control. She wants to get rid of them and sets out to do so, only to discover she isn’t the scariest thing in this new world – and embracing her powers (and facing her past) may be the only way she’ll survive.
What is your favourite part of this book?
Pages 372 to 375. I can’t say why because *spoilers*, but it’s when everything flips.
WHEN did you begin writing this book?
I began outlining the bones of the story in April 2016. I had a young baby at that point, though, so I didn’t really start writing in earnest until 2018.
When is its release / launch date?
Anomaly hit bookshops on August 27, and we’ll be launching it in Sydney on the 11th of September (more information on the launch below).
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
I’ve always loved dystopian and post-apocalyptic stories, so I think Anomaly’s premise evolved naturally from that. But the plot, the main antagonists, and the story’s core themes were very much shaped by my personal experiences of both grief and postnatal mental illness. It’s quite a personal story, in that regard.
WHY is this book meaningful to you?
Working on it got me through some very difficult times, particularly when I was struggling with grief after losing my mum. Piper’s grief is very much my grief – just reframed.
Why would its message resonate with readers?
I wanted to explore the messy, unpredictable, complex nature of grief as I experienced it. It’s different for everyone, but I hope the idea of memory as a point of reconnection resonates.
HOW do you feel about the cover design? How do it convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
I loved the cover design from the moment I saw it. At that point it was still in greyscale, with some tweaks to be made – but I loved how dynamic and dramatic it was, and how it captured both the power and vulnerability of my main character.
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
We’ll be promoting Anomaly with a Sydney launch on the 11th of September at Better Read Than Dead (all welcome!). Your Bookstore is an excellent website you can use to track down a copy at a bookshop near you.
OTHER information or experiences you’d like to share?
Anomaly covers some dark subject matter and is best for YA readers aged 14+.
Anomaly sounds like a phenomenal read! Congratulations on its launch, Emma! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #anomaly #grief #reconnection #youngadult #justkidslit
