Keepin’ It Real: Lauren Oliver (Author Interview)

Aug1

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Keepin’ It Real celebration, hosted by the fabulous Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure and Eli @ RealityLapse. Keepin’ It Real is “a celebration of contemporary YA fiction.”

For my stop, I have a fabulous interview with Lauren Oliver (Before I Fall, Delirium trilogy, Panic, Rooms) to share with you! And let me tell you, I LOVE Lauren Oliver. So when I found out I was going to be interviewing her?!? MAJOR fangirl moment!! I’m so, so excited to share this interview with you guys, and I want to thank Kaitlin and Eli from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to participate!

First, here’s more information on Lauren Oliver’s newest YA Contemporary, Panic (January 2014):

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

And now, without further adieu, here’s the interview!!

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Question: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Answer: Writing has always been a way that I expressed myself. I’ve been writing every day since I was about nine! Even when I entertained other career options, it was always part of my life.

Question: What authors have inspired you to write? Which ones inspired your writing style?
Answer: That’s a difficult question to answer, as I am always finding new authors that inspire me. To pick just one out of MANY, I’ve always admired Neil Gaiman, both for his prodigious writing skills, and for the way he’s always writing for new audiences, and in new genres and mediums.

Question: You were an editorial assistant and an assistant editor. How did that affect your view of publishing? In what ways did it help and in what ways did in hinder?
Answer: It definitely helped in that it taught me a ton about how to structure narratives and think about books holistically; I also learned about the exigencies of the marketplace. That’s a double-edged sword, though. Working in a publishing house, you are intimately aware of all of the wonderful books that simply don’t find an audience, and all of the brutality of an industry that ultimately has to feed a bottom line. So it’s practically a very good thing but emotionally or artistically painful.

Question: All your books have such unique plots. Where do you get your ideas?
Answer: You never know where an idea is going to come from. My characters just start talking to me until I can’t ignore them anymore and have to write them down.

Question: Which book was the easiest to write? The hardest to write?
Answer: The truth is, all books have their own joys, and their own challenges. I also think that writers tend to keep pushing themselves, so the work never gets easier.

Question: You’ve written stand-alones and a trilogy. Do you have a preference?
Answer: No. There’s joy in each. I love writing a self-contained book whose story is bound completely between two covers. But certain stories, and certain worlds, require more than a single book for their unfolding. And there’s a joy in being able to luxuriate in a world over the course of years. Of course, that can also grow deeply tiresome.

Question: Rooms is your first adult novel. In what ways was writing for adults different than writing YA?
Answer: I’m not actually totally sure. I’m sure it is different, but qualitatively the experience of writing every book feels somewhat different: each comes with its own set of difficulties and challenges. So I’m not sure that I consciously internalized differences in the process as being related to target audience.

Question: Delirium’s pilot just aired on Hulu. Congrats! How does it feel?
Answer: It was so much fun to watch along with everyone else. I had a twitter party the first time I watched it, and it was such an incredible feeling of community.

Question: If you could create an “alternate ending” for one of your book, what – if anything – would you do differently? Why?
Answer: I don’t think I would do that! Unfortunately for the Requiem haters, I’ve ended every book exactly the way I always intended to.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: “How to build a homemade bomb.” I’m sure I’m on an FBI watch list somewhere.

Question: If you could tell your pre-published self one thing, what would it be?
Answer: Enjoy this time! Writing without pressure or expectations or deadlines is a wonderful, beautiful thing.

Question: What is the most important lesson you have learned in your time as a published author? Do any memories, in particular, stand out for you? Best reader experience?
Answer: I’ve learned how to tune out critical voices–and even laudatory ones–and focus on the work. As a modern author, you’re constantly assailed by reviews, opinions, tweets, posts, etc…and it’s important to be able to tune that out, to a certain extent, to preserve your vision and to believe in yourself.

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About Lauren Oliver:

Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader.

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.

She is deeply grateful for the chance to continue writing, as she has never been particularly good at anything else.

Find Lauren Online:
Website | Twitter | Facebook
Goodreads | Tumblr | YouYube

Author Interview + Giveaway: At Your Service by Jen Malone

Jul26

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Jen Malone, author of At Your Service (August 26, 2014, Simon & Schuster/Aladdin M!X) here for an interview today! Here’s the official Goodreads excerpt for the book:

Thirteen-year-old Chloe Turner wants nothing more than to follow in Dad’s footsteps as a respected concierge in a posh NYC hotel. After all, living at a hotel is heaven, and perks like free concert tickets and all-access passes to boutiques, restaurants, and attractions aren’t too shabby either.

When the spoiled brat child of an important guest is only placated by some quick thinking on Chloe’s part, Chloe is awarded the role of Junior Concierge. But she might be in over her head when tasked with tending to the every whim of three royal guests: a twelve-year-old princess who can’t stand Chloe, a cute fourteen year-old prince(!), and their ten-year-old sister, who has a nasty knack for getting herself lost. After the youngest princess slips Chloe’s care, Chloe and the remaining royals must embark on an event-filled hunt for her through NYC’s best tourist spots.

Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: Romp through NYC sites when tween concierge loses visiting princess.

Question: Where did you get the idea for At Your Service?
Answer: I have to give my editor, Annie Berger, most of the credit here because the overall concept of “girl lives and works alongside her concierge dad at a fancy NYC hotel and one day she loses a young royal visitor in the middle of the city” was hers and the publisher requested fifty-page submissions from a handful of authors. I was lucky enough to be picked to write the rest and from that point I had complete freedom in where to take the story. In fact, I remember on my first call with my editor, I said, “Okay, what comes next” and she said,” How should I know?!” with a smile in her voice, which was perfect. It was like a souped-up version of a really great writing prompt exercise!

Question: What scene do you most regret having to cut?
Answer: The scene is still in there but it got tweaked a lot! And I can’t even say I regret the changes because it works much better with the overall tone of the book now, but I did have a lot of fun writing the first version. Anyway, I had this very over-the-top subway rescue scene where Chloe, my main character, gets her foot caught in the gap between the subway and the subway platform as the train is about to pull away. The missing princess’ brother, who happens to be a super-cute fourteen-year-old prince, rushes in to save the day and, when it turns out her ankle is hurt, carries her in his arms up the steps and out of the station. Swoon! First, my Brooklyn-based beta reader weighed in to say the gaps between train and platform are way too tiny for even a kid’s foot to get stuck, so I had to switch it to her purse strap getting stuck in the closing doors. Next, my editor was concerned the carrying-in-the-arms thing might be a bit much, so that got changed to a piggyback ride. The scene has a lot more humor than drama now, and works better for the story, but I liked the image of her being carried off by the prince into the…well, swap out “sunset” for “bowels of a city”!

Question: On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
Answer: I really wanted to capitalize on the fantasy of living in a high-end hotel as a tween (room service at your sleepovers!) but I wrestled with getting to the crux of the story where the princess goes missing quickly and, as she’s at large in NYC, none of the search that followed would take place in the hotel. I was psyched when my editor felt we could add in more at the hotel without slowing the pace too much. Chloe has free reign there and is “adopted” by a lot of the staffers. One of my favorite scenes is when she, in her own unique fashion, helps her favorite housekeeping employee take all the Pepsi cans out of the hotel minibars and replace them with Coke cans all because they have Coke executives staying at the hotel. It’s representative of the type of insider dish on hotel life (and NYC) that I sprinkle throughout and I had SO much fun writing those tidbits!

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: Wow. So, so many weird ones. The strangest recently was “images of death certificates issued by US Embassy for individuals traveling abroad.” Yesterday I Googled “Camping out to see Five Seconds of Summer perform” because I’m looking for someone to interview for my WIP.

Question: At Your Service is your debut Middle Grade novel. How does it feel knowing your book will be in the hands of readers in just under a month?
Answer: Very, very strange and also exhilarating! I’ve had some tweens read advance copies and their little notes to me are beyond awesome. There is no filter on middle schoolers and I love that. When they’re enthusiastic about something, they are drawing rainbows and unicorns everywhere! When they don’t like something, they’re more like, “Nope. Just nope.” Fortunately, feedback has been positive so far!

Question: You have three middle grade novels coming out with Simon & Schuster/Aladdin M!X between now and Fall 2015, plus two young adult novels coming out from HarperTeen in 2016 and 2017. How are you juggling five novels all at once? Are they all at different stages in the publishing process?
Answer: The short answer is, “Oh god, I do not know how I’ll do it!!” But the saving grace is that my next MG series is co-written with the very talented Gail Nall, who has her MG debut, BREAKING THE ICE early next year, and we’ve been able to pick up the slack for each other when our other deadlines or promo stuff intrudes on writing time. I also tend to be, um, obsessive, about my passions so I really don’t mind “working” all the time! Yes, they’re all at different stages. At Your Service is done, obviously; we just turned in revisions on book #1 of RSVP so that will get line edits and head to copyedits soon; and we’re plotting book #2 now with plans to write it this fall. My first YA is awaiting an edit letter and the second is scheduled for 2017 and that’s so far in the future that I’m just pretending it doesn’t exist, even though I know it will creep up on me fast!

Question: What’s it like writing both MG and YA? How is writing for the MG age group different than writing for the YA age group?
Answer: I think middle grade is more about kids figuring out where they fit into their groups (at school, within circles of friends) whereas young adult is more about teens finding out where they fit into the world. There’s a broadening of horizons as life after school becomes more of a tangible than a far-away thought. You didn’t ask how the two are similar, but I’m going to answer that anyway because I think, no matter the age, that no one wants to be preached to or talked down to. Often, the tendency is to see kids as a group that needs that guidance from an adult/author. Kids are savvy enough to call BS on this every single time. I read an interview recently with a lit agent who said, “MG writers can’t write to kids, they need to write AS kids,” and it really resonated!

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: Just one. Have laptop, will write!

Question: Which book was your favorite read of 2014 (so far)? Are you looking forward to any new releases in particular between now and 2015
Answer: Of my most recent reads, I really loved Rebecca Behran’s WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE, and Rainbow Rowell’s LANDLINE. Can’t wait for Alison Cherry’s FOR REAL (which comes out later this year). For 2015, I have to say my co-writer Gail Nall’s BREAKING THE ICE is adorable and I really enjoyed Lori Goldstein’s BECOMING JINN.

Question: Of the five novels you have coming out, which one are you currently working the most on? Can you give us any hints or details on any of your upcoming novels?
Answer: This is going to sound crazy weird, but… none. At the moment I’m waiting on an edit letter for my YA and also waiting for my co-writer to come back from vacation to start drafting book 2 of RSVP, so I’m filling the down time by researching/plotting a “side project”, which is a MG about two teens who meet while camping out to see their favorite boy band perform on a morning show and after they return home, form an endearing long-distance friendship through exchanging fangirl vlogs about the band. Boy band crushes are such a huge part of many tweens lives and I haven’t seen a ton of books focusing on them. So far, the research has been a bit scary, a lot loud, and mostly incredibly fun!

About Jen Malone:
Jen Malone is a middle grade and young adult author. Her debut AT YOUR SERVICE publishes with Simon & Schuster/Aladdin MIX in August 2014 and her new series, RSVP (Simon & Schuster), co-written with Gail Nall, launches with Book #1 in 2015. Her YA debut WANDERLOST publishes with HarperCollins in 2016. Jen lives north of Boston with her husband and three children and teaches at Boston University.

Website
Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Thanks to Jen, we have ONE eBook of At Your Service for giveaway!

-Giveaway is INT

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

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Blog Tour: Grunge Gods and Graveyards by Kimberly G. Giarratano (Author Interview)

Jul16

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of Kimberly G. Giarratano’s blog tour for her novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards (May 2014, Red Adept Publishing, LLC)! For my blog tour stop, I have an interview with Kimberly. First, here’s some more information about Grunge Gods and Graveyards:

Parted by death. Tethered by love.

Lainey Bloom’s high school senior year is a complete disaster. The popular clique, led by mean girl Wynter Woods, bullies her constantly. The principal threatens not to let her graduate with the class of 1997 unless she completes a major research project. And everyone blames her for the death of Wynter’s boyfriend, Danny Obregon.

Danny, a gorgeous musician, stole Lainey’s heart when he stole a kiss at a concert. But a week later, he was run down on a dangerous stretch of road. When he dies in her arms, she fears she’ll never know if he really would have broken up with Wynter to be with her.

Then his ghost shows up, begging her to solve his murder. Horrified by the dismal fate that awaits him if he never crosses over, Lainey seeks the dark truth amidst small town secrets, family strife, and divided loyalties. But every step she takes toward discovering what really happened the night Danny died pulls her further away from the beautiful boy she can never touch again.

Goodreads | Amazon
Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play

And now here’s the interview! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Question: Describe your book, using no more than three adjectives. Go!
Answer: Suspenseful, haunting, angsty

Question: Why the 90s? In what ways does the time period aid the story?
Answer: I picked the 90s for two main reasons: 1) I was a teenager in the 90s. Technically, I’m the same age as Lainey, my protagonist. I was in the mood to relive my youth a bit and 2) I really wanted to have my characters talk about 90s alternative music – Readiohead, Bjork, Tori Amos – when the bands were most relevant. Setting a novel in the 90s also means I can move away from modern technological conventions that, in my opinion, weaken plot. Why doesn’t the friend just text Lainey to warn her about the bad guy? That doesn’t make for much suspense.

Question: GRUNGE GODS AND GRAVEYARDS is a very unique, catchy title. Who thought of it? How accurately does it describe the plot of the book?
Answer: I’m gonna pat myself on the back because I thought up the title. I might’ve thought up the title before I created the plot. I do that sometimes. I think it describes the plot fairly accurately, although historically Grunge music was on its way out in 1996. But Alterna-Gods and Graveyards doesn’t quite sound as good. In addition, the word ‘grunge’ has a double meaning as well. It’s the nickname of the old roadhouse that’s also the scene of the crime.

Question: Did you hear a lot of ghost stories growing up? Do you have a favorite?
Answer: I did not hear a lot of ghost stories as a kid, although my dad was the first to tell me the ‘hook’ story everyone knows so well. I love ghost stories told to me by friends and acquaintances. When someone tells you they saw a ghost, it’s impossible not to believe them. It gives me chills. My favorite touristy activity is to visit old cities and go on their haunted ghost tours. I did this in Rome and Key West. In fact, my work-in-progress has a subplot where the main character works for one of those haunted tour companies. There is just something so haunting about taking a walk at night, gazing up at historic homes and hearing about the dead.

Question: What other supernatural/paranormal creatures do you love? Of those, which would you consider writing a story about?
Answer: I love witches. One of my favorite 80s movies is Teen Witch. I always wanted to have magical powers. Of course, now I just wish I could magically clean my house with the swoop of a magic wand. Piles of laundry? No more! Dirty toilets? Clean within seconds! My whole life would open up. To fully answer your question, I would totally write a story about witches. But I’d make them bad ass. Like rock chick witches. Oh, I guess like in the movie, The Craft.

Question: Would you ever consider writing other genres, such as contemporary? Or are you sticking with YA Paranormal romance/mystery?
Answer: I have two WIPs right now. One is a YA historical mystery and the other is a ghost story/mystery. If I decide to write a contemporary, a mystery will have to be its core.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: Hmm… I googled Fantasy Fest for my Key West mystery. Lots of naked people. That ended that subplot quickly.

Question: What books would you recommend to a reader who loved yours, and wants to read something similar?
Answer: Excellent question. Since I’m also a YA librarian, I find recommending books is the next best thing to writing them. If you love Grunge Gods, I suggest you read In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters. It’s a historical paranormal mystery set during the outbreak of the Spanish Influenza in 1918. It’s haunting and romantic and amazing. It has a mystery at its core too. If you want a straight up YA historical mystery, read The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni. Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, this book is an awesome who-dunnit with a little early forensic science. If you just love the 90s, then I suggest The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler.

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: Ideally: strawberry shoestring licorice, iced coffee and monastery-like silence (meaning my kids are somewhere else)

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I am! I get so excited talking about new projects. I’m working on the first draft of a YA ghost story/mystery titled Dead and Breakfast. Set in present day Key West, it’s the story of two 17-year-olds who discover that the ghost haunting the old hotel is out for revenge against the boy she thinks murdered her 50 years ago. And my second project is a YA historical mystery set in 1955. An Argentine immigrant discovers the dead body of her soon-to-be stepfather. When everyone she loves is accused of the murder, she sets out to find the killer only to discover her stepfather was not who she thought he was.

About Kim:

Kimberly G. Giarratano, a forever Jersey girl, now lives in the woods of northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and small children. A former teacher and YA librarian, Kimberly adores Etsy, Jon Stewart, The Afghan Whigs, ’90s nostalgia, and (of course) everything YA. She also speaks Spanish, but is woefully out of practice.

Kimberly always dreamed of being a published author. Her other dream is to live in Key West, Florida where she can write in a small studio, just like Hemingway.

Website
Goodreads | Red Adept Publishing Profile

And now for the epic giveaway! Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter!

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Blog Tour: The Other Tree by DK Mok (Author Interview)

Jul10

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of DK Mok’s blog tour for her novel, The Other Tree (January 2014, Spence City)! For my blog tour stop, I have an interview with DK. First, here’s some more information about The Other Tree:

Family. Truth. Immortality.
Choose one.

It’s been four years since Chris Arlin graduated with a degree that most people think she made up, and she’s still no closer to scraping up funding for her research into rare plants. Instead, she’s stacking shelves at the campus library, until a suspiciously well-dressed man offers her a lucrative position on a scientific expedition.

For Chris, the problem isn’t the fact that they’re searching for the Biblical Tree of Life. Nor is it the fact that most of the individuals on the expedition seem to be fashionably lethal mercenaries. The problem is that the mission is being backed by SinaCorp, the corporation responsible for a similar, failed expedition on which her mother died eleven years ago.

However, when Chris’s father is unexpectedly diagnosed with inoperable cancer, Chris sees only one solution. Vowing to find the Tree of Life before SinaCorp’s mercenaries, Chris recruits Luke, an antisocial campus priest undergoing a crisis of faith. Together, they embark on a desperate race to find Eden. However, as the hunt intensifies, Chris discovers growing evidence of her mother’s strange behaviour before her death, and she begins to realise that SinaCorp isn’t the only one with secrets they want to stay buried.

Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

And now here’s the interview! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: Outcast botanist searches for Tree of Life in fantastical adventure.

Question: What scene do you most regret having to cut?
Answer: Thankfully, none of the scenes I loved ended up on the cutting room floor. If possible, I would have liked to fill the story with even more fascinating and improbable plants, but then it would have turned into a mythical botanical compendium.

Question: On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
Answer: There’s a scene near the beginning that I was originally going to adjust to make the point-of-view transitions smoother. I ended up adding a chunk of new material, which had some really nice character moments, plus I squeezed in a Loki reference.

Question: Why the Tree of Life? Why Eden?
Answer: It was actually my sister who gave me the idea. She’s an avid reader, as well as an author herself, and she mentioned one day that she’d love to read a story about someone searching for the Tree of Life. I’ve always been intrigued by the themes in Genesis: mortality, knowledge, free will, and the choices we make. I’m also fascinated by botany, archaeology and ancient civilizations. Writing this story seemed like a great opportunity to fuse those things together in a sprawling adventure. And I couldn’t resist writing a novel with a botanist hero.

Question: Was it difficult balancing real Biblical events with the fictional parts of the story?
Answer: It’s always a challenge balancing different aspects of a novel – trying to remain authentic and accurate, while giving yourself artistic license to tell a particular story. For me, the most important things are being respectful to my readers, and writing the story I’m trying to tell.

Question: If you were to write another Biblical story, which Biblical event would you select and why?
Answer: I’m not sure if I’d write another story with Biblical elements. The Other Tree was such a particular story for me, about these specific characters and their individual journeys. I tend to be guided by which story is calling to me the strongest, so I just have to see where my writing takes me.

Question: After reading The Other Tree, what’s one thing you hope your readers come away with, or one lesson you want them to have learned?
Answer: One of my main goals as a writer is to create stories that are entertaining and heartfelt. Books have always been a great source of comfort and inspiration for me, and I’ve always loved stories that take me to amazing places, plunge me into thrilling escapades, and introduce me to people I can’t bear to let go of when the last page turns. I hope my readers finish the book feeling like they’ve just been on a fantastic adventure with good friends.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: I don’t know if I can pick the craziest, but there are certainly plenty of fascinating things I’ve learned. One of the fun and challenging things I had to research for The Other Tree was figuring out if it was biologically possible to create plants that can run around at human speed…

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: Notepads and pens. Everywhere. I always have them on hand in case I have an idea. If I don’t write it down straight away, I’m liable to forget.

Question: What books would you recommend to a reader who loved yours, and wants to read something similar?
Answer: I’m very much inspired by Terry Pratchett’s books. I love the way he blends quirky humour with meaningful themes, and creates such imaginative fantasy worlds, while ensuring that his characters are grounded in empathetic and believable situations. I strive to strike the same kind of balance between fun, fantastical stories, and thoughtful, emotional journeys.

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: Thesaurus. Silence. Snacks. Lots of snacks.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I’m very excited to be in the editing stages of my next novel, an epic fantasy standalone called Hunt for Valamon. It’s another fun adventure, but just a touch darker. It’s being released by Spence City in February 2015.

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About DK MOK:

DK Mok lives in Sydney, Australia, and writes fantasy, science fiction and urban fantasy novels and short stories. DK’s debut urban fantasy novel, The Other Tree, was released in 2014 by Spence City (an imprint of Spencer Hill Press), and her short story ‘Morning Star’ (One Small Step, FableCroft) was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award.

DK grew up in libraries, immersed in lost cities and fantastic worlds, populated by quirky bandits and giant squid. She graduated from UNSW with a degree in Psychology, pursuing her interest in both social justice and scientist humour.

She’s fond of cephalopods, androids, global politics, rugged horizons, science and technology podcasts, and she wishes someone would build a labyrinthine library garden so she can hang out there. Her favourite fossil deposit is the Burgess Shale.

Website
Twitter | Goodreads

Author Interview + Giveaway: Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

May1

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Katie Finn, author of Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend (May 13, 2014) here for an interview today! Here’s the official Goodreads excerpt for the book:

Summer, boys, and friendships gone sour. This new series has everything that perfect beach reads are made of!

Gemma just got dumped and is devastated. She finds herself back in the Hamptons for the summer—which puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friend that she wronged five years earlier. Do people hold grudges that long?

When a small case of mistaken identity causes everyone, including Hallie and her dreamy brother Josh, to think she’s someone else, Gemma decides to go along with it.

Gemma’s plan is working (she’s finding it hard to resist Josh), but she’s finding herself in embarrassing situations (how could a bathing suit fall apart like that!?). Is it coincidence or is someone trying to expose her true identity? And how will Josh react if he finds out who she is?

Katie Finn hits all the right notes in this perfect beginning to a new summer series: A Broken Hearts & Revenge novel.

Hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Question: Describe your book using no more than three adjectives. Go!
Answer: Fun, beachy, revenge-y!

Question: How did you come up with the idea for Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend?
Answer: I thought it would be fun to tell the story of someone who did something wrong in the past, but is very much trying to make things right. When I realized I could pull in the mistaken-identity part of it, I realized it would create a lot of fun situations and mistakes.

Question: The title is so unique and interesting. Did you have any say in it? How did it come about?
Answer: I actually thought of the title for the sequel (Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold) first. And then I realized I liked that construct, and came up with the title for Broken Hearts. I had the titles before I even started writing, and it really helped me figure out what the story was. It helped me put together the pieces – okay, she has a broken heart. She’s trying to make things right. The titles kind of led the stories, in a really interesting way!

Question: Why the Hamptons? In what ways does this setting make the perfect backdrop for this book?
Answer: I’ve spent time in the Hamptons, and always loved it. (Plus, this way I got to go back and call it “research”). I like that it seems a bit like a world apart. Gemma only lives an hour and a half away in Connecticut, but it’s like this whole other world. I also liked that she’d encounter different people – people who just come for the summers – than she would back home. Which was also helpful, because she’s going under another identity for much of the book!

Question: Which scene do you most regret having to cut during edits?
Answer: I feel like I can’t quite answer that without giving away a major spoiler! But I can say, that looking back on it, it was the right thing to do! My editor was right, as per usual.

Question: On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
Answer: I don’t want to spoil anything, but there’s a scene toward the end of the book where Gemma and Josh (the love interest!) end up having an impromptu sleepover and watching the Princess Bride, and it’s now one of my favorite scenes in the book. But it was nowhere to be seen in the first draft!

Question: Can you give us any hints as to what the sequel will be about?
Answer: The biggest hint can be found in the title – Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold. Revenge is definitely afoot, and Gemma ends up having to get a job at the local ice cream parlor. The book picks up about 12 hours after the first book ends – so you jump right back into the action!

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: It’s for a throwaway line, but I went down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about Iceland with this book. Now I’m desperate to go visit!

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: I always spend time making a really great playlist, but almost always turn it off and write in (mostly) silence. Music can help when I’m planning or thinking about what to write, but when I’m really writing, I find it too distracting.

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: At least one beverage – preferably two or three. But always something caffeinated. Starbucks iced lattes and diet coke are essential. My glasses – I only wear them for writing, so they’re like my signal to myself that it’s time to start working. And I use Mac Freedom to turn the internet off!

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I just finished the sequel to Broken Hearts! I’ll revise that, and then get started on the third book in the trilogy – Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross.

—————————————–

Thanks to Macmillan, we have ONE ARC of Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend for giveaway!

-Giveaway is US only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour + Author Interview: Fire of the Sea by Lyndsay Johnson

Apr2

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of Lyndsay Johnson’s blog tour for her novel, Fire of the Sea (March 24, 2014)! For my blog tour stop, I have an interview with Lyndsay. First, here’s some more information about Fire of the Sea:

Sharp, sleek, and golden. Like the dagger she has worn since childhood, eighteen-year-old Aeva is all three of these things. But there is something else that this mermaid and her prized weapon share – they are both hunted.

Hidden within the caves off Iceland’s dark shore, Aeva waits to take her place as the next ruler of the Meriads. But when Aeva uses her potent and alluring song to save a drowning human, she disrupts a delicate balance. Realizing she has unexpectedly bound herself to Gunnar, Aeva is torn between duty and love.

Aeva severs one life to begin another, and soon finds herself not only rejected by the sea, but also stalked by an old enemy. As the worlds of myth and man intertwine, Aeva will challenge fate to protect her own sacred relic and the man she loves.

But legends and lies cast an intricate net. With time and safety quickly unraveling for Aeva and Gunnar, there is only one clear course: Find and defeat Delphine before she can shift again.

Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For the blog tour, Lyndsay was kind enough to share an excerpt from Fire of the Sea with us. This comes from Chapter 2: The Call. Enjoy!

In the deepening blue, what appeared to be an enormous jellyfish was descending slowly and steadily. A white plume the size of a ship’s sail, with long trailing tentacles, hung in the agitated water. Part of it still clung to the surface.

I moved closer. Reaching out, my fingers felt the edges of the ghostly form. Fabric. I’d read of its tight weave used in human clothing. I’d never seen so much of it, much less touched it.

White strings were attached to the fabric, tangling down into the depths. My gold hair whirled in front of my face as I paused to make sense of what hovered before me. As I whipped my head around for clarity, I saw him.

Snared at the center of the mass was a young man. A human. What I had first thought to be a jellyfish was something else entirely. The human was attached to the now collapsing net of fabric and rope by a bundle strapped to his back and shoulders. He sank deeper and deeper in a slow-motion descent, as the last of the fabric slipped below the surface. His head was bowed, but his body wasn’t completely limp. He struggled sluggishly. Was he giving up? Why didn’t he remove the pack?

It took me a moment to tear myself away from my fascination. I managed to remember that humans couldn’t hold air in their lungs underwater for very long. They would lose strength in the sea, not gain it. He was drowning.

And now here’s the interview! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: Daughter of the Sea, Viking son, coveted relic, common enemy!

Question: Where did the idea for Fire of the Sea come from?
Answer: I had a dream, actually. I’ve always had really vivid, detailed dreams. One morning I woke up after dreaming that I was a mermaid. I had rescued a pilot who had fallen from his plane (he was being dragged under by his parachute). I was swimming through all of this billowing, white fabric. It was amazing. I woke up and had to type a rough draft of what would eventually become the second chapter in my book.

Question: Why mermaids?
Answer: It seemed like the right time (and because who doesn’t love mermaids). We’ve seen a lot of vampires and zombies, and I wanted to write something that didn’t feel as dark. Of course I do have a few dark characters in the book, but overall I was aiming for something with a little more beauty and magic.

Question: What makes Fire of the Sea stand out from other mermaid books?
Answer: While Fire of the Sea is in some ways a modern twist on a classic tale (mermaid saves human, falls in love, leaves her home beneath the waves), my story is also quite unique. My mermaids are Icelandic and live in sea caves. They are marine mammals and breathe air. They are generally a peaceful species. But I combine this peaceful race with the mysterious Selurs (or Selkies of the North), as well as a dangerous shapeshifting demigoddess. I also draw on a lot of Norse mythology for Fire of the Sea, and tie Viking heritage into the story, as well. There really is something for everyone in this book. It’s overflowing with myth and legend.

Question: What scene do you most regret having to cut?
Answer: I had two major changes that were really hard (but only one was a true “cut”). The first came before I began submitting my manuscript for publication, and the second came later in the game. My main character, Aeva, has a best friend named Sissel. Sissel is a unique mermaid because she is a “Seer,” and has special abilities to see things in her mind’s eye. Sissel has a complicated and detailed backstory that I thoroughly enjoyed writing. But it was adding unnecessary distraction to my plot, and seemed to slow things down. But it would make a great appendix or novella! Also, I ultimately had to change my antagonist’s name. For many valid reasons, my publisher and I decided it would be best. It was really hard to make that change because her name had so many levels of meaning. We came up with a great alternative, but for me, my antagonist will always have her original name.

Question: If you could create an “alternate ending” for your book, what – if anything – would you do differently? Why?
Answer: Sometimes I toy with the idea of what I call “the trilogy that never was.” I really feel like this book stands on its own. But I do find myself daydreaming about how I would have gone about a trilogy. In order to do that, I would have had to create a completely new ending for this particular book that would have taken things in a new direction for a while before circling back to the current ending. I don’t think I could ever abandon the ending that I have written… but I could have possibly delayed it.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: I don’t think I could pick one thing. Ha! There have been many Tweets and Facebook posts stating, “I never thought I would be Googling (fill in the blank).” Some of my Google searches involved ancient runes and divination, Viking longship construction, traditional Icelandic fisherman attire, and parachute material.

Question: What books would you recommend to a reader who loved yours, and wants to read something similar?
Answer: Well, I don’t know about other mermaid books, per se. But I can recommend some wonderful fantasy trilogies. From my publisher, 48fourteen, check out the Born in Flames trilogy by Candace Knoebel (dragons!). And if you like the idea of nineteenth century boarding school girls who moonlight as witches, try the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray. I am also on book two of the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, which has a wonderful combination of magic and a unique cultural aspect, which I really enjoy (her world building is wonderful). And finally, the Starcrossed trilogy by Josephine Angelini (modern-day Greek mythology with a stunning love story).

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: My laptop, my writing “soundtrack,” and Junior Mints.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: My next project is a dystopian YA novel that explores how people perceive beauty and power. I plan to finish that in the coming year.

——————————————————————————————————————————

About The Author:

Lyndsay grew up in the wide expanses of Texas, where the only thing stronger than the accents was the state pride. An over-active imagination, tale-telling father, and encouraging librarian mother lead to her love of all things creative.

When it comes to books on her bedside table, young adult lit has always been a favorite (Blue Balliett, Libba Bray, and Stephenie Meyer, to name a few.) But it was actually an old, yellowing copy of Scandinavian Folk and Fairy Tales that planted a particularly relentless seed. Shapeshifters and sea nymphs began forming the seed of an idea that would eventually grow into Lyndsay’s debut novel, Fire of the Sea.

When she is not writing, you can find Lyndsay spending time with her family in the Rocky Mountains of Utah. She enjoys sitting in dark theaters, trying new gluten-free recipes, watching breaking storms over the peaks out her window, and secret naps.

Website | Facebook

Interview + Giveaway: Sunkissed by Carys Jones

Mar18

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Carys Jones, author of Sunkissed (Out Now) here for an interview today! Here’s the official Goodreads excerpt for the book:

Dawn Summers is dying. It’s 1853 and as the seventeen year old continues to fade away she has visions of the father she never knew, urging her to fight for her life.

In the small village of Fandova the only medical care is in the form of the mysterious Dr. Moralus who has a known penchant for bloodletting. Thomas, Dawn’s fiancé, is warned against inviting his intervention, but feels he has no choice, he pleads with the doctor to save Dawn’s life…whatever it takes.

Whatever it ‘takes’ has some consequences neither of them expected. Now, it’s a hunt to the death, with both Dawn and Thomas determined to win.

Hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: Love, death and the eternal bonds which bind two hearts…

Question: What scene do you most regret having to cut?
Answer: I was fortunate in that I wasn’t too heavily edited and most of the scenes I loved, I got to keep within the story.

Question: On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
Answer: I didn’t add scenes as much, more extra details to help the story flow and feel more clear in places.

Question: Why did you decide to set Sunkissed in 1853? In what ways did it aid the story’s plot?
Answer: I set the first half of the book in 1853 to help establish the long standing history between the central characters of Thomas and Dawn. I felt like the reader first needed to know where they came from to fully understand where they end up.

Question: Vampires have been incredibly popular in young adult fiction. Why do you think that is? What makes Sunkissed stand out from other vampire novels?
Answer: The vampires in Sunkissed are classically gothic and sinister. They kill without remorse, can be burnt up by the sun and drink blood to remain strong and agile.

However, there is a twist in the tale which could ultimately bring about the end of humanity at the hands of vampires.

I like to think that Sunkissed offers a new, fresh perspective on the vampire genre whilst retaining the elements which made vampires so popular in the first place.

Question: Craziest thing you’ve had to Google for a work in progress?
Answer: I wrote a book which was set in the 1930s and I was very conscious about getting the dialogue to sound authentic so I spent a lot of time looking up 1930s slang, making a list of it all and then making sure I incorporated some of it in to what my characters were saying.

It was a pretty in-depth process overall but interesting to do and hopefully effective.

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: I plan all of my stories out in finite detail. Before I start on any project I have pages of notes describing each and every chapter and things rarely change from my initial notes. I always know exactly where a story or character is going before I’ve typed the first word.

And my notes are all stored in one dog eared notebook that has definitely seen better days but I just can’t bear to part with!

Question: What book are you currently reading?
Answer: In paperback I’m reading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater and on my Kindle I’ve just started The Dracian Legacy by Priya Kanaparti

Question: What are your most anticipated books of 2014?
Answer: I’m admittedly a bit behind on new releases. The books in my TBR pile for this year include An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, A Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin and City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I can’t wait to delve in to them all as soon as I get the chance.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I’ve got my next book, Prime Deception, being released on 7th April so I’m busy preparing for that. Also in the fall of 2014 I’ve got a big release with a YA publisher which I can’t discuss in too much detail yet but it’s all very exciting.

I love getting the opportunity to share my work with people and know I’m very fortunate to be able to do so.

——————–

And now for the awesome giveaway, courtesy of Carys! ONE winner will win an eBook copy of Sunkissed in their choice of ePub, Mobi or PDF formats.

-Giveaway is INT since it’s an eBook.

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview + Giveaway: The Belgrave Daughter by Zara Hoffman

Nov25

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Zara Hoffman, author of The Belgrave Daughter (November 25, 2013) here for an interview today! Here’s the official Goodreads excerpt for the book:

The Semptemgeminus Prophecy states: “A powerful sorceress with blood laced in gold sevenfold shall determine the fate of the world.”

Fawn Belgrave’s magical powers are the coveted prize in a bet between God and the Devil.

When she meets Caleb, the dark angel assigned to seduce her, her life is turned upside down.

Hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Question: Describe your book in ten words or less. Go!
Answer: A dark angel is sent to seduce young witch.

Question: The Belgrave Daughter has magic, prophecies, devils and dark angels. What made you gravitate towards those subjects?
Answer: I always liked the ideas of humans having powers, and struggled with the idea of fate and destiny, so the two combined and the Belgrave Daughter happened.

Question: What authors inspired you to write?
Answer: JK Rowling and James Patterson

Question: You’re a writer and a student. How do you get everything done?
Answer: I do all my homework during my free periods at school and use the rest of my time to write.

Question: What made you decide to self-publish? Do you think you’ll ever attempt traditional publishing?
Answer: I researched traditional publishing for two years, but decided I wanted to keep my creative executive power (editing, title, cover, etc)

Question: As a self-published author, what is your editing process like?
Answer: Lots and LOTS of revisions. I went through The Belgrave Daughter 8 times!

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: I do it with music playing or amidst a bunch of noise. I’m never as productive in silence as I am with background noise.

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: My phone, WiFi, charged laptop, and headphones.

Question: What book are you currently reading?
Answer: Nothing at the moment. Junior year of high school has been a bit busy lately.

Question: What advice do you have for other teenagers your age, who really want to write and get published?
Answer: Persevere and never stop writing, editing, and revising.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I’m currently writing the sequel to The Belgrave Daughter, called Tears of an Angel, then after I finish the trilogy with The Witch’s War, I plan on writing a fairytale retelling series called Fearful Fairytales. For more info on all my books, you can check out my website: http://zarahoffman.com.

And now for the awesome giveaway, courtesy of Zara! We have FIVE signed eBook copies of The Belgrave Daughter up for grabs!

-Giveaway is US only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

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Blog Tour Interview + Giveaway: The Prophecy by Erin Albert

Nov20

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of Erin Albert’s blog tour for her debut novel, The Prophecy (November 15, 2013)! For my blog tour stop, I have an interview with Erin. Plus, there is an awesome giveaway! Here’s some more information about The Prophecy:

Growing up on a small farm in the kingdom of Vanguard, seventeen-year-old Layla Givens lives a deceptively tranquil existence. But her carefully constructed life quickly falls apart when she’s abducted by a religious zealot who proclaims her The Fulfillment of an ancient peace prophecy and whisks her away to marry her greatest enemy.

Wilhelm, Prince of the Ethereals, is reluctant to meet his new bride. He’s grown up believing Vanguards are evil, an enemy to fight and fear…not love. Can he set aside his prejudices and work alongside Layla to bring lasting peace after centuries of war?

Nash, a loner who has never fit in, carries a huge secret, one big enough to destroy both kingdoms. When he accidently meets Layla, he’s no longer content to live in the shadows, but he must resist his growing attraction—for her safety and for the longevity of the two kingdoms.

When Nash’s secret is revealed, a firestorm sweeps through both realms, with Layla at the center. Now she must choose between duty and desire while the fate of two nations hangs in the balance.

And here’s a blog-tour exclusive blurb of The Prophecy:

“Everything must be taken down.” A rotund man, with beady black eyes, surveyed the town, disdain in his expression. While he did not appear distinguishable from the other black and purple clad men, he spoke with authority. “The First Ones and their great Prophecy must be honored properly.” He sniffed, his actions indicating the very existence of Medlin and its occupants offended him.

Layla wondered what this man considered a “proper honoring” of the First Ones. The First Ones…they’d been dead for centuries, and, as far as Layla could tell, hadn’t done much in life except start a never-ending war. She knew nothing more about them except that she was to thank them for good things, curse them for bad, and celebrate them on this day.

“That’s Elder Werrick, head of the Ecclesiastics,” whispered Samson, glancing back at Grant. Layla noticed the look that passed between them.

Grant nodded his assent. “Get her out of here, brother.”

Samson tried to steer Layla away, but she held her position to get a closer look at the man whom her family so feared. She knew they had good reason to worry—her black hair and purple eyes marked her as a Fulfillment candidate, one with the potential to bring about the long awaited peace. But she couldn’t quite bring herself to believe Elder Werrick would notice her on the crowded streets, especially with her eye drops and hood. Could he really be responsible for dragging candidates from their homes, forcing them to undergo strenuous, sometimes gruesome, testing for the sake of the Prophecy? To Layla, he looked like nothing more than a short, fat, unhappy man. The very notion that he could strike such fear into the hearts of her people seemed almost laughable…almost. As his gaze swept over the crowd, she glimpsed a sinister undertone that made her shiver.

Waving his pudgy arms at the awaiting townspeople, Werrick commanded, “Take it down.”

Suddenly, his body stilled and his tiny eyes grew wide. They briefly connected with Layla’s, narrowing with calculation. The Elder turned to his nearest black clad companion.

“Do you feel that?” Layla heard Werrick ask.

The other man looked skeptical. “Feel what, Elder?”

Werrick leaned in as the two whispered, stealing furtive glances in her direction. When the Elder’s companion pointed at Layla, Samson grabbed her arm. She heard his breathing change from rhythmic to jagged as he pulled her away from the men.

“We have to go now.” His urgency spurred her into action.

Grant moved to block them from the Elder’s view. “Get her away from here, Samson.”

The Elder looked up to see everyone staring at him as if frozen. He repeated his demand, “I said take everything down.”

The townspeople, joined by the Elder’s minion, scampered to remove their decorations, anxious to “properly” celebrate the First Ones. Their flurry of activity concealed Layla as Samson and Grant escorted her away. Layla scanned the streets, horrified, as the people of Medlin stripped the town’s center barren. In no time, everything appeared as it always had, devoid of any celebratory adornments. She looked up at the sky with its gray clouds lingering overhead. A bad omen…

On the hill, a safe distance away, Layla watched a group of Ecclesiastics erect a monstrous stage where the donkey races should have occurred. She heard the braying of the angry animals, harnessed and corralled on the orders of the Elder to avoid interfering with the “true” Day of Dawning celebration. Her ire rose. Who did they think they were coming in and changing everything?

An icy, phantom finger traced a frigid line down her spine. After hearing warning after warning from the Mantars her whole life, Layla knew exactly what the Ecclesiastics could do, what they had done to others in the past. Maybe Samson and Grant had been right. Maybe she should never have come, especially today. Layla turned her back on the town, resolved to go home, to safety.

“Layla!” Samson’s alarmed tone sliced into her, and she swung around toward him.

To her horror, two Vanguard soldiers forced Samson to the ground. She knew just how much strength he possessed, yet he couldn’t free himself. Her hands balled up into fists, shaking with their desire to unleash the full force of their fury.

“Run!” Samson screamed before a soldier’s fist smashed into his face.

His body stilled. Panic, coupled with indecision, crippled her. She should run like Samson commanded, but she couldn’t leave him lying there. To her relief, Grant ambled toward them, his eyes full of rage.

“Run!” Grant echoed Samson’s warning.

With a final glance at the two boys who’d been as close to her as brothers, Layla fled. She flew down the hill, swinging her head from side to side in alarm. Ecclesiastics swarmed throughout the city, making a clear escape route difficult to discern.

Terror rose within Layla. Why hadn’t she listened to her family? She’d been foolish to believe she could sneak around under the ever-watchful eyes of the Ecclesiastics, and that hubris put Samson and Grant in danger as well. She choked back a sob.

“Run,” she whispered.

Willing her feet to move forward, Layla darted toward the back of the baker’s shop, hoping to take a shortcut through the back alleyway. She swerved to miss a wooden box and stumbled, arms flailing to right herself. Unfamiliar hands reached out to break her fall. Once stable, Layla looked up to find Elder Werrick staring down at her. She screamed but no sound came out of her open mouth.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said, a wicked smile on his face.

About the author:
Erin Albert is an author and fitness trainer. Since she picked up Morris the Moose Goes to School at age four, she has been infatuated with the written word. She went on to work as a grammar and writing tutor in college and is still teased by her family and friends for being a member of the “Grammar Police.” In her free time, Erin enjoys acting, running, kickboxing, and, of course, reading and writing.

Pre-order The Prophecy

Erin’s website | Erin on Twitter

Erin’s Facebook | Goodreads

And now here’s the interview! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Question: Describe your book, using no more than three adjectives. Go!
Answer: Fast-paced, action-packed, entertaining (I hope). LOL!

Question: The Prophecy has a gorgeous cover! What is the meaning behind the design?
Answer: Thank you!! The lovely Marion Sipe created the cover, but Dream Team member Danielle Craver designed the crests. Danielle is super in to researching the significance of things, so each element on the crest has a meaning. First of all, the color…red is a powerful color, and the Vanguards are powerful people. All of the symbols on the crest point to strength, which is the Vanguard supernatural gift, and combat. The Vanguards are more violent and hot-headed than their Ethereal counterparts. Danielle said the short answer to this question would be: a symbol of strength and combat, especially in women.

Question: What drew you to writing about magic and kingdoms and destiny?
Answer: I have always been fascinated with the old world feel of kings, queens, and castles. When Game of Thrones came out, I witnessed George R.R. Martin’s masterful combination of fantastical elements with old world charm. I think that, combined with my love of Arthurian legend, sparked the creation of The Prophecy.

Question: The Prophecy has Ethereals and Vanguards. Whose side are you on?
Answer: I’m not sure I’m on a side per se. But I guess since Layla, my main character, is a Vanguard, I’ll choose them. I love working out and boxing, so I could dig the supernatural strength they possess. I also think their faster paced lifestyle would jive better with my ADD than the more relaxed and laid back Ethereal lifestyle.

Question: How do you feel about love triangles? Does The Prophecy have one?
Answer: I like love triangles as long as they are done well (read: no whiny female). The Prophecy appears to have a love triangle, but I don’t really think it does. There are mysterious forces at work that affect how characters perceive one another.

Question: What scene do you most regret having to cut? On the flip side, what was your favorite scene that got added during edits?
Answer: You know what…I don’t think I cut out any whole scenes. My story went through a major rewrite just before I got my contract, so I think I removed all the parts that weren’t beneficial then. And I have to say, I didn’t miss any of those scenes.

My favorite re-write in the editing phase was the scene between King Jesper and his wife, Queen Sansolena. I think I only skimmed the surface of their interaction pre-edits, but the whole thing really came to life during work with my content editor, Katie Carroll.

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: At 3:30 every day, I must have a little container of chocolate and a Diet Pepsi with Lime. If I don’t get that, Grumpy Erin emerges… ;)

Question: What are three must-have items when you sit down to write?
Answer: I must have my laptop (I don’t write by hand—my brain works way faster than I can handwrite and almost faster than I can type), my bed (my “workspace”), and my cellphone (for checking Twitter during writing breaks—LOL). ;)

Question: What book are you currently reading?
Answer: I am currently reading House of Hades by Rick Riordan. Following that, I will be reading Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead, and Vicious by Victoria Schwab.

Question: Which book was your favorite read of 2013 (so far)? Are you looking forward to any new releases in particular between now and 2014?
Answer: Hands down, my favorite book of 2013 has been Clockwork Princess. I am looking SO forward to the release of Fiery Heart this year and Forever Song (Blood of Eden #3) in 2014.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: The Prophecy is part of a trilogy, and the other two books (tentatively titled The Outlanders and The Fulfillment) are in the revision stage. I also have a YA futuristic thriller, middle-grade coming-of-age, women’s chick lit, and another YA fantasy in the works.

And now for the giveaway!

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May the odds be ever in your favor!

Interview + Giveaway: The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine

Nov14

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to have Robin Constantine, author of The Promise of Amazing (December 31, 2013) here for an interview today! Here’s the official Goodreads excerpt for the book:

Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she’s not popular, but not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet, “good” girl who’s always done what she’s supposed to—only now in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change, but doesn’t know how.

Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe’s. Star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, on a fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a “term paper pimp.” Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change, but doesn’t know how.

One fateful night their paths cross when Wren, working at her family’s Arthurian-themed catering hall, performs the Heimlich on Gray as he chokes on a cocktail weenie, saving his life literally and figuratively. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

Hope you guys enjoy the interview!

Question: Describe your books, using no more than three adjectives. Go!
Answer: Fun, sexy, Jersey (if Jersey can be an adjective!)

Question: Wren was such a down-to-earth and relatable character. What elements went into writing her?
Answer: Wren started ‘talking’ to me in jury duty. I was actually working on a different novel at the time, but decided to amuse myself with some free writing (because you need amusement during jury duty!!) and the first lines came through. She was serious but funny – it’s a fine line writing a teenage voice – there needs to be drama/angst but it can’t be ‘oh woe is me’ (although, who isn’t a bit ‘woe is me’ at times!) I really liked her and had a whole different story plotted out for her – but when the time came to write it, in walked Grayson and he was a game changer.

Question: I really related to Wren being quiet in the beginning, that being quit was “not a character flaw.” Can you explain where this concept came from? Is this something you experienced when you were younger?
Answer: Wren is probably the most personal character I’ve ever written, so much so that halfway through writing I thought…um, maybe I need to change her ‘bird’ name! I loved the name Wren because it’s short and strong, and that’s why I chose it, or it chose me. Not sure. She’s just always been Wren from day one.

I totally experienced (and still do) a ‘quiet’ backlash. Wren’s NHS evaluation came right from my own experience and it left me mystified and confused. I think being quiet can sometimes come off as arrogance or ignorance or snobbiness or disinterest – which is all about as far from the truth as possible. For years it did feel like a character flaw. I chose Communication Studies as my major in college to help me ‘get over it’ – so I had tons of public speaking classes and classes in front of the camera, and I loved it but I’m still quiet by nature.

I thought it would be interesting to have a character with these struggles because there’s also a strange dichotomy with being quiet – sometimes you’re not. I know for me, I’m not that quiet around my family or friends. And when you find people you’re totally comfortable with – they accept your ‘quietness’ and usually then you’re not quiet around them. And I think it’s possible to come out of your shell and still be quiet. Quiet is not a negative. It took me a long time to understand that.

Question: Grayson felt like a very complex character, with two very different sides to his personality. Was he a difficult character to write? Where did you get the inspiration for him?
Answer: Grayson was a minor character in a different novel that I ended up scrapping. Anytime he showed up on the page, he kept stealing the scenes. And he was so different from any character I’d ever written. I loved the idea of having someone less than perfect as a love interest but as I started drafting The Promise of Amazing, I realized Grayson was more than just Wren’s love interest. He had his own story to tell so I experimented by writing from his POV for a while and I loved it. Writing from a male perspective was challenging yet oddly liberating. Grayson has a creative way of expressing himself! Experiencing him getting in so deep with his friends and wondering if he could get himself out of it was difficult to write. Underneath it all, Grayson is a good guy who wants to do the right thing but he’s also a teenager who doesn’t always take into account the consequences of his actions.

Question: Were there any scenes you wish you hadn’t had to cut?
Answer: There was a whole storyline with Madison being involved with Wren’s brother Josh that I loved but it didn’t make sense to the story as a whole, so I decided to take it out before we even subbed the manuscript. They were adorable together!!

Question: On the flip side, were there any scenes that got added during edits that you’re really pleased with?
Answer: Yes!! The scene with the girls getting ready for Andy’s party where they talk to Madison via Skype was added in edits and it’s one of my favorites. (In my original version Madison went to the party.) That was a lot of fun to write.

Question: What books would you recommend to a reader who loved yours, and wants to read something similar?
Answer: Perfect Chemisty by Simone Elkeles and Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.

Question: As a 2013 Debut Author yourself, which 2013 debuts have you read and enjoyed so far? And which upcoming 2013 debuts are you most looking forward to?
Answer: I actually consider myself a 2014 debut, even though my release date is December 31st! I’ve had an incredible time getting to know other OneFours, there are some amazing debuts coming out this year! But since I have my foot in 2013 also…hmmm…I loved INSOMNIA by JR Johansson – so creepy. And I just finished BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA by April Genevieve Tucholke – which was so atmospheric and descriptive and made me want to have a picnic and watch old movies. I loved it.

It is really really hard to pick out which 2014 debuts I’m looking forward to most because seriously, I could list them all. It’s going to be an awesome year for debuts!! But if I had to choose…I’m really looking forward to PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG by Anne Blankman, SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY by Julie Murphy and NO PLACE TO FALL by Jaye Robin Brown.**

Question: Biggest writing quirk?
Answer: I talk to myself. A lot. Sometimes it’s to hear how a bit of dialogue will sound, sometimes it’s about making a certain facial expression and trying to explain it in a more creative way than “he furrowed his brow” or “she rolled her eyes”. I even talk out scenes when I’m driving. If you ever caught me driving home from a critique group meeting you’d think I was on the phone. I’m happy Bluetooth exists or else I’d look completely crazy.

Question: Are you working on anything new?
Answer: I’m working on a companion novel for The Promise of Amazing, told from Madison’s POV along with a new male character who I’m already in love with. It’s not a continuation of the story, but a completely new set of circumstances a few months after TPofA takes place. It’s been a challenge shifting gears, but I love it because Madison is so different from Wren. I also love it because Wren, Grayson and Jazz are in it too!!

**To learn more about all the OneFour KidLit 2014 Debut Authors, check out their blog here.

And now for the awesome giveaway, courtesy of Robin! There will be TWO winners! One will win a signed ARC of The Promise of Amazing and one will win some awesome Promise of Amazing swag!

-Giveaway is US/CAN only

-Each winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner(s) does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

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