Author Interview: Genese Davis


We are excited to welcome author, Genese Davis, to the nest today. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: What are five things you loved about writing this novel?

Genese: The Holder for one. Because he is so daring and intimidating! After being away from the pages, I’d go back and re-read some of his dialogue, and he’d scare me and give me goose bumps—he really leaps off the page.

Vsin was a blast to write. He is one of the shades who police the game world called Edannair. His character growth and interactions with Kaylie go from routine to almost desperate, and those raw, vulnerable moments are exceptionally moving. Each of us can relate to the terrifying thought of losing what we cherish most.

This book’s overarching concept and details within the story were composed to relate to the experience of a large and well-defined gaming community. I loved writing The Holder’s Dominion as an epic journey that will bring validation to gamers while intriguing them with speculative technology and a new world to adventure. It was an honor to pay homage to the brilliant, freethinking individuals who work and play in the video game industry.

Developing the online game world for Edannair challenged me in numerable ways, but it was still fun to write. Even though I am not a video game developer or designer I had to invent hundreds and hundreds of details to create an MMO game world. Writing and creating an online game that doesn’t yet exist had me up many late nights doing research and development!

It was really intriguing and motivation creating new elements to show a taste of online gaming and how the gaming experience enlightens people’s lives.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: What is your favorite genre to read?

Genese: Let’s see… it’s hard to narrow it down to just one. I like all types of fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, action/adventure, mystery and suspense, and for non-fiction some great management books like The One-Minute Manager and First, Break all the Rules are fantastic.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Video games heavily influence the plot of The Holder's Dominion. Are you a gamer?

Genese: Yes, I am a gamer! The inspiration behind writing The Holder’s Dominion came from wanting to create a basis for family and friends of gamers to understand them and their world. I imagine we all have relatives who wonder, “Are video games a waste of time?” “Why does my spouse play video games into the night?” A parent might ask, “Why does my child want to play a video game instead of go outside and play?” The Holder’s Dominion reveals online gaming in an easy-to-follow and riveting setting that marries pre video game generations to current video game enthusiasts. This book is also a message of hope and support for anyone going through grief or who have been separated from their family. Like Kaylie, (the protagonist in The Holder’s Dominion) I came to gaming pretty late in life. Since learning the industry and experiencing the benefits of video games, I’ve been on a mission to write for gamers and non-gamers alike about the unpredictable and influential ways that video games change us. It’s important to note that I didn’t grow up in or around the video game industry, or around video game players. I know how it feels to wonder why our friends, family, and loved ones seem “glued” to their electronics. And that’s part of the reason I’m so passionate to share all that I’ve discovered in the video game industry.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Do you have any quirky writing rituals?

Genese: My biggest writing ritual is probably environment prepping—finding a quiet space, packing a granola bar and a bottle of water, and turning off electronics. When I started writing The Holder’s Dominion, I wrote seven days a week for spans between four and fourteen hours at a time. And then there were the days that I needed a break and had to leave the pages alone. This became part of what helped the development of beneficial writing habits. Another ritual of mine has to do with my creative producer. Whenever I get stuck or lost in the minutia of writing, I schedule meetings with my producer and we’ll have a production one on one, or a creative one on one. These are meetings where the author and producer can brainstorm, also known as “blue sky sessions,” and where we can plan out small tangible goals using project management tools like Scrum.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: It's a Reading Lark tradition so I have to ask, what is your favorite bird?

Genese: The hummingbird is one of my most favorite birds. Last year, I rescued a lost baby hummingbird chirping from the pavement. But also, guess what? Reading Lark really caught my attention the first time I saw the name because my personal motto is “Lark Your Life!” When I was a child my father would ask, “Who's up for a lark?” Moments later we were off and on our way to a late night movie, or to get a late night treat. The fact that we were leaving the house unexpectedly, spontaneously and with adventure on our minds was what made it so special. Today, the phrase is officially my motto and a part of my brand. I keep to it by approaching every day with an open, carefree attitude to trust and to find adventure. So from me to you, we’ll call it a Genese Davis guarantee, when you remember to “Lark Your Life” surprising adventures will appear! 


Thank you for having me Reading Lark! It’d be my pleasure to connect with you guys! Find me at www.GeneseDavis.com and we can connect on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, too! I’d love to hear from you. After all, we’re only a message away. ;) Talk soon!

The Holder’s Dominion can be purchased in paperback or e-book at www.BeaversPondBooks.com, and also through distributors like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the iBookstore. Check out the novel at www.TheHoldersDominion.com. Thank you so much for having me and have a great 2013!

About The Book

After her father’s death on a mountain rescue mission, Kaylie Ames watched her family shatter. She fled Tacoma for college in faraway Austin, figuring that even the worst campus drama would be a relief. But when her old friend Elliott turns up on his knees in the grocery store aisle, raving about something called a morphis, Kaylie feels compelled to enter Elliott’s unfamiliar world.

Guided by Elliott and his friends, Kaylie signs on to the massively popular online game Edannair. There she discovers a world of beautiful vistas and magical creatures, where people from all over the globe step into the roles of warriors on fantastical quests. But a real-world evil threatens the players: the mysterious Holder, leader of the elite team known as Sarkmarr, is coercing his followers into traumatic offline dares known as “morphis assignments.” To save her friends, Kaylie must infiltrate Sarkmarr and survive the Holder’s tests. 

Will she find the courage there to hold her real-world family together?



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