Today I am so pleased to welcome Hudson Lin to Joyfully Jay. Hudson has come to talk to us about her latest release, Inside Darkness (which we reviewed here and loved). She has also brought along a great tour wide giveaway. Please join me in giving Hudson a big welcome!

Five Behind the Scenes Facts about Inside Darkness

Writing a novel can be a long and winding process where initial ideas sound great, but end up getting tossed. To give you a behind the scenes look at the evolution of Inside Darkness, here are five fun facts!

  1. Tyler Ang was originally named Tyler Anderson and was supposed to look like Anderson Cooper. *swoon* But then I decided to make the character Asian, so that went the last name and the blond/white hair. All in all, I like Ty better the way he is now.
  2. In one of the first drafts of the book, Ty and his cameraman venture out of the refugee camp in Kenya in pursuit of more interesting stories and end up getting kidnapped by local militia. Cam has to round up a team of UN peacekeepers and mount a rescue mission.
  3. I went through five different names for the book before finally settling on Inside Darkness. It first started out as Out of Africa (which is the title of a movie!), then became This is Home, then Finding Home, then Accepted… none of which really fit the story.
  4. In a former life, I did a brief stint as an international development worker in Kenya. While my experience was very different from Cam’s, it is where I got the inspiration to write a story about a well-intentioned aid worker who encounters unexpected obstacles.

This was supposed to be a stand-alone novel, but as I wrote it, the secondary characters demanded their own books. That’s how Izzy (Cam’s sister) and Cary (Cam’s best friend) came to have their own novels, both of which are still works in progress.


Blurb

Inside DarknessHe’s come in from the field, but the darkness has followed him home.

After a decade as an aid worker, Cameron Donnelly returns home jaded, tired, and with more than just a minor case of PTSD. Plagued by recurring nightmares but refusing to admit he has a problem, Cam quickly spirals into an alcohol-infused depression, and everyone around him is at a loss for how to help.

Journalist Tyler Ang met Cam on a reporting assignment in Kenya, and their first encounters were rife with hostility and sexual tension. Back in New York, their paths continually cross, and each time, Cam’s brokenness reminds Ty more and more of his own difficult childhood. Letting Cam in goes against Ty’s instinct to live life autonomously, but the damaged aid worker manages to sneak past his guard.

Their relationship is all sharp corners and rough edges, and just as they’re figuring out how to fit together, a life-threatening accident puts it all in jeopardy. If they want a future together, both will have to set aside their egos and learn to carry each other’s burdens.


Bio

Hudson Lin was raised by conservative immigrant parents and grew up straddling two cultures with often-times conflicting perspectives on life. Instead of conforming to either, she has sought to find a third way that brings together the positive elements of both.

Having spent much of her life on the outside looking in, Hudson likes to write about outsiders who fight to carve out their place in society, and overcome everyday challenges to find love and happily ever afters.

When not engrossed in a story, Hudson knits, drinks tea, and works the nine-to-five in the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada.

Connect with Hudson:


Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Inside Darkness, Hudson is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 16, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

  • By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
  • If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
  • Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
  • Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
  • All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
  • By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
  • Readers may only enter once for each contest.  Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
  • Void where prohibited by law.
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