Interview + Giveaway: Stacey Jay

Today I am very excited to have Stacey Jay, author of Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed, on the blog. I have an interview for you guys and she was nice enough to provide a giveaway.

_______________

1. How would you describe Juliet Immortal in 7 words?

Shakespearean heroine-turned-warrior gets second chance at love. (I had to get a little creative with the hyphens, but that's 7 words!)

2. When I read Juliet Immortal I found that it could stand on it's own. What made you decide to write Romeo Redeemed?

JULIET IMMORTAL and ROMEO REDEEMED were sold as companion books. I always knew that there would be two books and that one would focus on Juliet's love story and the other on Romeo's. But I'm glad you felt JULIET IMMORTAL could stand on it's own. I did my best to make sure both novels told their own, separate, satisfactory story, although to understand the larger plot, you need to read them both. In order.

3. How is your Juliet similar to Shakespeare's Juliet?

Despite her years of disappointment and heartbreak, at her core she's an optimist who wants to believe in true love. (And who believes a little too easily, falling for her second love as quickly as she did her first. Thankfully, her second love turns out to be a classier act than the wicked Romeo.)

4. What is your favorite classic? Why?

Jane Eyre is the only classic I read again and again. I adore the character of Jane, and I love that the story is told in first person. It really reads like the original YA novel.

5. If your book were being turned into a movie, who would you want to play your characters?

Unknown actors, undiscovered talent. I'm all for giving the new kids on the block a chance to show what they can do.

6. Can you describe your Romeo in 3 words?

Wicked, but delicious.

7. I hear you're writing a retelling of Beauty and the Beast (which I am so excited for). Can you tell us anything about that?

Why yes, I can! It's a twisted retelling of the traditional tale--with Beauty holding the trespassing Beast captive rather than vice versa--set on a planet ruled by magic. It is by far my most favorite thing I've ever written. I am so excited to share the book with readers in July of 2013. I'm hoping they'll love the story as much I do. 

________________

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite story of ALL TIME. I watch the movie almost on a weekly basis, needless to say, I can't wait for July 2013! Thank you so much for being here.

On to the giveaway, the winner will get a signed paperback copy of JULIET IMMORTAL w/some temporary tattoos and postcards. All you have to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below.

Rules:

US only

13 or older to enter

Ends 12/2/2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Classics in November Giveaway: Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors

 

I have a giveaway for you guys today thanks to Suzanne Selfors, the author of Saving Juliet.

Manhattan meets Verona in this time-bending twist on Shakespeare.

Mimi Wallingford, Great Granddaughter of Adelaide Wallingford, has the life that most girls dream about, playing Juliet opposite teen heartthrob Troy Summer on Broadway in Shakespeare’s famous play. Unfortunately, she has no desire to be an actress, a fact her mother can’t seem to grasp. But when she and Troy are magically thrust into Shakespeare’s Verona, they experience the feud between the Capulets and Montagues first hand. Mimi realizes that she and Juliet have more in common than Shakespeare’s script—they are both fighting for futures of their own choosing. Mimi feels compelled to help her and with Troy’s unexpected help, hopes to give Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy a happily-ever-after-ending.

Rules:

US only

13 or older to enter

Ends 11/30/2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Suzanne Selfors: (Goodreads Biography)

:

Suzanne Selfors lives on an island near Seattle where it rains all the time, which is why she tends to write about cloudy, moss-covered, green places.
She's married, has two kids, and writes full time.
Her favorite writers are Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Dickens, and most especially, Roald Dahl.

You can visit Suzanne Selfors at www.suzanneselfors.com.

Guest Post & Giveaway: Why the Classics Still Inspire Me by Eve Marie Mont

Today I have a very special guest. Eve Marie Mont is here today to talk about what inspired her to write A Breath of Eyre!

____________

Why the Classics Still Inspire Me

Ever since I read Jane Eyre in high school, I’ve been obsessed with Jane and Rochester’s story. Like many girls, I fell for the romance first, but Jane Eyre is so much more than a romance. It’s a coming of age story about a girl who must learn to trust and love herself before she can give her heart to another. The book also touches on issues of morality and religion, gender relations, class distinctions, child abuse, mental illness, education, and personal autonomy. It is rich and complex and moving, and that’s one of the reasons I love it.

A few years ago, I began writing A Breath of Eyre because I wanted an excuse to linger in Jane Eyre’s pages, to consider the characters and their decisions from a modern perspective. And what better way to do that than to send a modern girl, literally, into the novel? There is a danger, however, in taking a universally adored story and using it for your own purposes; readers will either love you or hate you for it. And often it will be the most ardent fans of the original who become the most ardent critics of the remake.

Consequently, it took me a long time to give myself permission to take Brontë’s story and make it my own, but once I added an element of magic, I let myself loose and the writing became a joy. While I use some of Brontë’s text verbatim, most of the Jane Eyre scenes have been recreated to show a modern girl’s reaction to being thrust into a nineteenth-century world: how does she respond to using a chamber pot, being without cell phone or computer or electricity, being wooed by a much older man with some very outdated attitudes toward women? And what does Emma learn by stepping into the shoes of Jane, a heroine who is strong, intelligent, moral, and unafraid to speak her mind?

The result is not so much a time travel novel as a coming of age story with a paranormal twist. While Jane Eyre plays a large role, it doesn’t overshadow Emma’s own story. In fact, two thirds of the book takes place in Emma’s contemporary world. Jane Eyre serves as more of a vehicle for Emma’s growth and self-actualization, and her time spent in Jane’s body causes her to reflect on the issues in her own life as she determines the kind of person she wants to be.

I sincerely hope that fans of Jane Eyre will find my book a satisfying and respectful tribute to one of my favorite novels. And for those who haven’t read Brontë’s masterpiece, I hope my book might send them into its pages.

As for Emma, her adventures will continue this spring in A Touch of Scarlet (March 26, 2013), inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, and in A Phantom Enchantment (March, 2014), inspired by The Phantom of the Opera and set in Paris!

 ___________

Thank you so much for sharing what inspired you to write from the classics! And now I have a giveaway for you guys. One winner will get a signed copy of A Breath of Eyre, and an ARC of A Touch of Scarlet once they're available. If you win, the ARC will be sent to you once the publisher has them available.

Rules:

US only

13 or older to enter

Ends 11/30/2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Links for Eve Marie Mont’s A Touch of Scarlet, March 26, 2013 from Kensington Books

Website: http://evemariemont.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/evemariemont

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/evemariemont

Blog: http://evemariemont.blogspot.com/

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3517421.Eve_Marie_Mont

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15814202-a-touch-of-scarlet

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHSSa6KCnmQ

Classics in November: Update 1 + Challenge

Challenge 1

This is the first update for Classics in November. You can join the awesomeness by going to the starting post. Then come back and answer these questions. You can also let me know the answers in the comments.

Question 1: What is your favorite classic that you’ve ever read? Why? Post the title of the book and the reason you enjoy it.

My favorite classic that I've ever read has got to be Lord of The Flies. I really enjoyed the whole plot of the book. What would kids do if they we're stuck on an island with no adults to lead them? No matter what, human nature is set on having leaders and it was interesting seeing all the boys form their groups, which is some what similar to what happens in high school with cliques. I've heard that the Gone series by Michael Grant and Variant by Robinson Wells have a similar feel to this book so I can't wait to read them.

Question 2: What is your favorite movie based on a classic? Why? Post the title of the book & movie and the reason you enjoy it.

Well I love Alice in Wonderland, both the cartoon version and the new version with Johnny Depp. They are fantastic films, but going with a favorite modern version of a classic I'm going to have to go with 10 Things I Hate About You, which is based on Taming of the Shrew. I could watch this movie everyday and NEVER get tired of it. The actors are fantastic and the movie has funny moments mixed with heart wrenching moments as well.

Even if you aren't participating I would still love to know your favorite classic and classic movie. You guys can leave your answers in the comments below!

Classics in November

Button Grab Code: <img border=”0″ src=”http://vivalabooks.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/classics-in-november-5.jpg”/>

How many of you guys have classics sitting on your shelves? Do they get pushed off for other more recent books? Same here! So while my friend over at Viva La Books and I were having a conversation on Twitter we decided it was time to do something about that. We are hosting a challenge dedicated to classics. So this Thanksgiving week and the week after we challenge you to read as many classics OR RETELLINGS as you can. During the challenge there will also be giveaways, guest posts and interviews so stay tuned for that!

Rules:

Click onto the link below and enter your name into the linky if you want to participate in the Classics in November Reading Challenge. You can join at any time. There is no cutoff date. The event runs from 12:01 am on November 17th to 11:59 pm on November 30th and your goal is to read as many classics and retellings as possible. Please, make sure you do at least one update post (if you don’t have a blog you may do this on facebook and/or twitter with #classicsinnovember so we can see your posts.)

My Goals:
  
These last two are French classics that I thought I'd thrown in since I'm a French minor and all.
 

I'm being a little ambitious with this list but we'll see how it goes :) Don't forget to join us by signing up in the linky below! Even if you only read one book you can still join the fun!

Linky Link: