Blog Tour: Heir to the Sky Interview With Amanda Sun + Giveaway

Hello! Today I am delighted to welcome Amanda Sun to the blog for an interview!

About Heir to the Sky:

As heir to a kingdom of floating continents, Kali has spent her life bound by limits—by her duties as a member of the royal family; by a forced betrothal to the son of a nobleman; and by the edge of the only world she’s ever known—a small island hovering above a monster-ridden earth, long since uninhabited by humans. She is the Eternal Flame of Hope for what’s left of mankind, the wick and the wax burning in service for her people, and for their revered Phoenix, whose magic keeps them aloft.

When Kali falls off the edge of her kingdom and miraculously survives, she is shocked to discover there are still humans on the earth. Determined to get home, Kali entrusts a rugged monster-hunter named Griffin to guide her across a world overrun by chimera, storm dragons, basilisks, and other terrifying beasts. But the more time she spends on earth, the more dark truths she begins to uncover about her home in the sky, and the more resolute she is to start burning for herself.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository

Interview

1. If you had to describe your book in 5 words how would you describe it? 

Video game in a book. Or, Final Fantasy meets YA novels. Or, floating lands and monster hunters. ^_^ 

2. The world in Heir to the Sky is a very interesting one. How did you come up with the idea of a continent floating in the sky? 

Thank you! I’ve always loved floating continents. I think the first time I saw one was in Chrono Trigger, back when I was a young gamer (and the only girl gamer I knew). Then in Final Fantasy VI, and in Studio Ghibli’s Laputa: Castle in the Sky. I started even dreaming about seeing them in the sky, with the roots and dirt crumbling off the bottoms of them as they hovered there like mysteries. I started to develop my own islands, with waterfalls and cities, and then I imagined what might keep them afloat, and what could survive up there. I imagined they were a last refuge of a monster-torn world. And then I wondered what would happen if someone fell off the edge down to that world. 

3. Out of all of your characters which one was the most fun to write, which one was the most difficult, and which one do you relate to the most? 

I have the most fun writing Griffin. He’s a monster hunter. He’s learned all kinds of cool survival skills like weaponry, cooking, trapping, and sewing. But despite everything he’s been through, he hasn’t lost his humanity. He’s powerless to change his past, and so he invests his whole heart in protecting others to try and make up the loss he never can. 

The most difficult character to write was probably Sayra. Unlike the other survivors who bravely fight on, she’s terrified and almost without hope. She doesn’t have a big role in HEIR TO THE SKY, but she has an important one—that not everyone is equipped to fight life’s battles. I find her difficult to write because she reflects my own weaknesses and despair that are easily to slip into. 

The character I relate the most to is probably Kali. They both reflect part of me, but they also have their own struggles and strengths that I don’t have. I’d probably have a hard time getting my wits about me to survive and face monsters like Kali does, but I can relate a lot to her thoughts of how to be on her own, how to be happy, and how to best protect those she cares about. Plus she loves to read and is always in the library, so I can relate to that too. And her best friend Elisha was modeled on a couple of my best friends as well. 

4. When you write, do you listen to music or are there any must have snacks? 

Yes, definitely! There is a lot of food in the Paper Gods books, because food and its smells evokes a lot of strong memories for me. Likewise, I write a lot about food in HEIR TO THE SKY, and writing about food makes me hungry! I usually have snacks on hand like Pocky and Puccho, green tea candies, and of course chips or iced coffee. And for music, I listened to a lot of video game soundtracks while writing this book—Final Fantasy soundtracks, Skyrim and other Elder Scrolls games, Journey, Chrono Trigger, and Skyward Sword. 

5. I know you have a short story coming out in, Strangers Among Us: Tales of the Underdogs and Outcasts, can you tell us a little about it and the process writing a short story? How is it different or similar to writing a full length novel? 

Yes, and I’m so glad you mentioned it because I’m really excited about this story! It’s called “What Harm” and it’s about a boy who doesn’t speak and struggles with reality, but has a special gift with horses. He’s sold to a warlord, where he meets a schizophrenic girl and things take a dark and vengeful turn. It’s a story about revenge, and what we’re capable of, and who we really are, even if that turns out to be meek and harmless. Writing a short story is so different, because you have such a limited amount of time to get across the feelings you want to convey. Every word counts, and the changes in the characters are so fine and minute that you can’t quite put your finger on what’s happened. At least, that’s what I like to aim for. STRANGERS AMONG US is out this August and I hope you read and enjoy it! 

6. Are you currently working on any future projects? We're dying to know! 

Thanks! I’m currently writing two more short stories for anthologies, and I have two novels in the works, though mostly in the planning stages. At the moment I have my hands full with my baby daughter, Alice. ^_^ Both projects have lots of either Fantasy or Asian threads woven through them, though, so I’m sure they’ll feel familiar when I’m ready to announce more. I hope you look forward to them! ^_^

Thank you for being on the blog today!

ABOUT AMANDA SUN

I’m a YA author and proud Nerdfighter. I was born in Deep River, Canada, a very small town without traffic lights or buses, and where stranger safety is comprised of what to do if you see a bear—or skunk. I started reading fantasy novels at 4 and writing as soon as I could hold a pencil. Hopefully my work’s improved since then.

​In university I took English, Linguistics, and Asian History, before settling into Archaeology, because I loved learning about the cultures and stories of ancient people. Of course, I didn’t actually become an archaeologist—I have an intense fear of spiders. I prefer unearthing fascinating stories in the safety of my living room.

​The Paper Gods is inspired by my time living in Osaka and travelling throughout Japan. That and watching far too many J-Dramas. I currently live in Toronto with my husband and daughter. When I’m not writing, I’m devouring YA books, knitting nerdy things like Companion Cubes and Triforce mitts, and making elaborate cosplays for anime cons.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway

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Author Interview + Giveaway: Elle Cosimano | #CreeptasticReads

I read Nearly Gone last month and absolutely loved it. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel, but in the meantime, enjoy the interview!

Bones meets Fringe in a big, dark, scary, brilliantly-plotted urban thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.Nearly Boswell knows how to keep secrets. Living in a DC trailer park, she knows better than to share anything that would make her a target with her classmates. Like her mother's job as an exotic dancer, her obsession with the personal ads, and especially the emotions she can taste when she brushes against someone's skin. But when a serial killer goes on a killing spree and starts attacking students, leaving cryptic ads in the newspaper that only Nearly can decipher, she confides in the one person she shouldn't trust: the new guy at school—a reformed bad boy working undercover for the police, doing surveillance. . . on her.Nearly might be the one person who can put all the clues together, and if she doesn't figure it all out soon—she'll be next.

 The Interview

1. Hey! I'm so excited to have you on the blog today! Let's break the ice a little by talking about your characters. I absolutely love how none of your characters are black and white. Which was your favorite character to write?

When I was a teenager, I was lucky to have a few wise souls in my life. They challenged me to think in different ways, and were always a little cryptic with their advice, never telling me directly how to solve a problem, but rather arming me with just enough information to figure it out for myself. I wanted Nearly to have someone in her life like this. Hard core criminal Lonny Johnson is that character for me. He’s a wise, old soul in a young man’s body. He’s street smart and full of sage advice, but you would never assume that by the look of him (or his rap sheet), which I love because it makes him surprising to both Nearly and the reader.

2. The way you incorporated mathematical elements into your story was fantastic. How did that come to be? Did you know this was going to be a numbers mystery from the very beginning?

Actually, I had no idea. I knew I wanted my character to be flawed in a lot of the same ways I remember being flawed as a teen, but I also wanted her to be heroic, strong and capable in ways I had never been. Growing up, I dreamed of becoming a scientist, but I had always been terrible at math. Even through college, I failed basic math classes over and over again. Numbers just didn’t speak to me in a language I could understand. When I sat down to imagine her character – to make a list of all these traits I wanted her to have—the ones I found most admirable and heroic were intelligence and empathy, so I gave her both. The mathematic elements really lent themselves to the mystery. In many ways, math is really about solving puzzles. And so it seemed natural to me that I could challenge my character to apply this skill to solve a murder.

3. What was the most difficult part of writing Nearly Gone and Nearly Found?

Plotting a mystery is HARD! Breadcrumbs, red herrings, twists, and the timing of reveals… They all take a lot of careful planning and thoughtful revision to execute in a way that will keep readers guessing until the very end of the story. I revised these books more times than I care to count. But the hard work pays off when a reader tells me that the ending surprised them or they “should have seen it coming, but didn’t”.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your next novel, Holding Smoke? We're dying for any information we can get our hands on!

YES! I am so excited about this book! HOLDING SMOKE has been described as The Shawshank Redemption meets If I Stay. It’s the story about a boy serving time for a murder he didn't commit. After a near-death experience, he finds himself gifted with astral projection, the ability to separate his soul from his body, which enables him to “travel” outside the prison walls in a quest to find the real killer and clear his name. What I love about this book is that it juxtaposes freedom of thought over prisons of the body, exploring the power of the mind over the ghosts inside. It’s a powerful, suspenseful, tangled and creepy book! HOLDING SMOKE will release on May 3 from Disney*Hyperion, but a few precious ARCs are already out in the wild.

5. I know you've had to do a lot of research for your novels. I'm always interested to know the research that goes on behind the story. What's the strangest or most interesting piece of research you've come across for any of your books?

I’d be very surprised if my Google search history hasn’t already put me on some government watch list. A few examples? How to make a cyanoacrylate fuming chamber out of a coffee can (for finding latent fingerprints), how to escape a GPS ankle tracking device, how to transport lethally toxic chemicals into public places without detection, how to make explosives and poisonous gas from items found in your garage, the decomposition rates of bodies buried in expeditious graves, and the process for collecting evidence from a corpse. But the subject I’ve always found most surprising is a phenomenon called “The CSI Effect.” The general public learns a lot about forensic investigation from TV shows and fictional media. These exaggerated portrayals of forensic science have influenced public perception, to the point where readers, viewers, and even jurors are having a harder time separating fact from fiction. On TV, identification of human remains and fingerprint IDs happen instantaneously with the help of sophisticated computer programs. On TV, DNA evidence is collected from every crime scene and processed almost overnight. In reality, these assumptions couldn’t be farther from the truth. Most forensic investigation is still a manual process, subject to manpower, human error, and budget constraints. Glamorizing and expediting these processes is a necessary evil in television, where we only have an hour to move the viewer through a high stakes plot. And yet, these kinds of assumptions have become our societal perception of the truth, which I find both disturbing and fascinating.

6. I asked this question in Creeptastic Reads interviews last year and I enjoyed reading the answers, so if your book characters were thrown into a slasher movie, who would probably die first and who would you be rooting for until the very end?

I love this question. I’d be rooting for all of them, because I love them all to death. But I think Jeremy would be first to die, because he’d be too busy taking pictures to run. (Anh would be a close second… she’s terrified of blood.) If I had to guess which character would survive the longest, I’d have to go with Oleksa. He’s pretty bad ass.

7. What fall books can you recommend for us?

Fall is my favorite time of year, and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I just loaded my Nook with some fun, fall scary reads, like Blood and Salt and The Dead House, and I’m looking forward to hiding under my blankets while I read. My favorite creepy books feature ghosts (and bonus points if they have strong romantic elements). A few I recommend? A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith, Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff, and of course, HOLDING SMOKE, which you might be surprised to learn has a few creepy ghosts of its own.

Thank you Elle for being part of Creeptastic Reads!

About the Author 

Elle Cosimano is the daughter of a prison warden and an elementary school teacher who rides a Harley. She majored in Psychology at St Mary’s College, Maryland, and set aside a successful real-estate career to pursue writing, She lives with her husband and two young sons in the Washington DC area.

www.ellecosimano.com

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Author Interview: Mindy McGinnis | #CreeptasticReads

Today we have Mindy McGinnis on the blog to talk about her newest release, A Madness So Discreet. This book sounds like the perfect mixture between creepy and magical. I hope you enjoy reading the answers as much as I did!

Grace Mae knows madness.She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

The Interview

1. Hello! I'm so happy to have you on the blog. So to break the ice a little, can you describe A Madness So Discreet in a tweet (140 characters)? 

It's a Gothic historical thriller set in an insane asylum, with madness, murder, and mystery.

2. Your previous novels, Not A Drop To Drink and In A Handful of Dust, were dark survival stories. What inspired you to step into the mystery genre? 

I always write whatever story inside me wants to come out next. I read widely, and so I write widely. MADNESS just happened to be the story that said, "It's my turn now."

3. Every time I read the description of A Madness So Discreet I get more excited. I think it's the "criminal psychology" part because I have a bachelors in psychology and I'm hoping to specialize in forensic psychology. That being said, I'm super interested in the research you did. Did you find that you had to do a lot more research than with your other books? 

I researched for an entire year before writing a word of this book. There was much to learn – the beginnings of criminal psychology, the history of asylum medicine (both the good and the bad), and of course historical details in general. What kind of lighting would be in a room in 1890? What would an asylum inmate be wearing? I’m very particular, and there were days when I couldn’t finish a sentence without doing half an hour of research in order to make sure I got it (hopefully) right.
The specific setting – the Athens Lunatic Asylum in Ohio – has an amazing history. You can do a quick Google and learn about how it’s one of the most haunted places in the world and hear horror stories about the graveyard. And while I’m a fan of the supernatural, I’m also a fan of data. That type of history doesn’t interest me, because most of it quite frankly, just isn’t true.
The Athens asylum was actually an amazing model of humane treatment for the insane. If you were crazy (or just unlucky enough to be deemed so) in 1890, it was a good place to land. One of my best resources for the history of the asylum was Asylum On The Hill: History of A Healing Landscape, by Katherine Ziff. If you’d like to learn more about the actual history of the Athens Lunatic Asylum give it a shot.

4. If so, what was one piece of research that caught your attention but you didn't include in A Madness So Discreet? (If not you can completely ignore this question haha)

The spinning chair was something I wanted to get into the asylum, but there wasn't room for it in the narrative. Some doctors believed that madness was caused by the non-mixing of humors within the body, and so a "treatment" was to hang a chair from the ceiling, tie a patient into it, and spin them around until they passed out. 

To learn more about the spinning chair, and other not so useful medical treatments, check out this YouTube video I made. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fcdsZBI14s

5. Ohhh, for those who don't know, you have a short story in Among the Shadows, a darker anthology. Can you tell us a little about your story and how it was different writing a short story versus a full length novel?

Sure! My short is titled "Phantom Heart" and is about a girl who absorbed her twin in the womb. But her sister's heart was stronger than her own, and retained it's position. As she ages it becomes clear that her sister would have been a very different person than she is, attracted to a totally different type of guy. It causes some issues for her.
In a lot of ways I think writing shorts is much more difficult than writing a novel. You've got less space to create tension and empathy.

6. There are some amazing books coming out this fall, which ones are you most excited for?

I'm most excited for SPINNING STARLIGHT by RC Lewis,  WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER by Rae Carson and VENGEANCE ROAD by Erin Bowman .

7. What are your favorite things to do to get into the fall spirit?

Just being outside does the trick. The chilly air, the leaves falling - out where I live, the corn rustling. That's all it takes!

Thank you Mindy for being part of Creeptastic Reads!

About the Author 

Mindy McGinnis is an assistant YA librarian who lives in Ohio and cans her own food. She graduated from Otterbein University magna cum laude with a BA in English Literature and Religion. Mindy has a pond in her back yard but has never shot anyone, as her morals tend to cloud her vision.

Mindy also contributes to the group blogs From the Write Angle, The Lucky 13s,Friday the Thirteeners, The League of Extraordinary Writers & Book Pregnant. She is a member of the Class of 2k13 and a volunteer moderator for the writing community at AgentQuery Connect, under the screenname bigblackcat97.

Creeptastic Reads: Interview with Susan McBride + Giveaway

So happy to have author Susan McBride here with an interview! I recently read and reviewed her new young adult novel, Very Bad Things. It was a refreshing mystery with very realistic, flawed characters. Check out my review if you're looking for a new mystery to add to your pile. Now on to the interview!

The Interview:

First of all, let me say that Very Bad Things is made up of two of my favorite things. Boarding schools and murder mysteries! If you had to choose a favorite boarding school book, what would it be?

Hmm, I really enjoyed Private by Kate Brian (the first of the Private books). It definitely kept me turning the pages.

If you were in a horror movie, what's the one thing you would definitely avoid doing?

I would not want to do anything alone, particularly going down into a dark basement, out to a dark barn, or into a creepy attic. All three are recipes for disaster. Oh, wait, and I would never try to run through the woods. Those movies always have the screaming girl tripping over a log. 

What's the number one book you always go to when you need a book to snuggle with during the chilly fall days?

I love Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. I could read that one over and over.

This is your first young adult mystery novel. Would you say the transition was easy, or was it tougher than it seemed?

I think Very Bad Things would have been a hard book to write even if I’d written for the adult mystery market (and, actually, the original idea for the book started as an idea for a mainstream thriller). It took three drafts to get it right. I had to eliminate one point of view entirely and shift to another. It was just really tricky showing how three different people who are so connected—Katie, Tessa, and Mark—viewed the disappearance of Rose and what happened after. I had to be careful what I revealed without cheating readers because everyone’s hiding something in VBT. It was so gratifying to do the final revision and feel like I did the story and the characters justice. I am so proud of this book!

What are the top fall releases you're most excited for?

Oh, man, I just turned in a mystery to HarperCollins this week so I’m feeling very brain dead. I don’t even know what’s coming out this fall. You’ll have to tell me what you recommend, Audris! 

Were you always a fan of mystery novels? What were some of the things that inspired you to write mystery?

Yes, I always LOVED mystery novels. As a kid, I started out with the Nancy Drew books (which I still have and plan to give to my daughter someday), and I read Encyclopedia Brown and those Three-Minute Mysteries. I just like puzzles and trying to solve them. My first published novel was a mystery called And Then She Was Gone, which came out in 1999, and I’ve written several mystery series for HarperCollins (the Debutante Dropout Mysteries and the River Road Mysteries). So I’m definitely hooked. It’s fun to come up with the story and then try to lead the reader down an uncertain path strewn with both truths and red herrings. It’s a blast for me as a writer, and I hope it’s as entertaining for readers!

Thank you so much for participating in Creeptastic Reads!

Thank you, Audris! If anyone wants to learn more about my books, they can visit me at my website or at Facebook.

Happy Halloween!

The Giveaway:

Thank you Susan for providing a signed copy of Very Bad Things! I will email the winner on November 4th.

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Creeptastic Reads: Interview with Kim Harrington

I've read most of Kim Harrington's books (just need to catch up on her newest release) and I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them. Check out my review of The Dead and Buried right here! That said, you can imagine my excitement to have her on the blog today!

The Interview:

Hi Kim!

I'm a pretty big fan of scary books, but as I was reading The Dead and Buried I found myself leaving the lights on at night. You wrote some amazingly terrifying scenes! What was the scariest story you stumbled upon while researching for any of your books?

Because I wrote a scary book, people love to tell me their own personal ghost stories. And I’ve heard some terrifying ones! The worst was a friend who woke up and saw someone ghostly at the foot of her bed. Yikes.

What is one of your favorite things to do to get into the fall spirit?

I love decorating the house for Halloween. Pumpkins, ghosts, light-up crystal balls--the cheesier the better.

You've written different takes on the mystery genre, from horror to thriller to psychic detective (my personal favorite). What was your favorite style to write? Do you have any idea what your next project might fall under?

I’ve loved writing it all. Sometimes when I write something a little lighter and funnier, I feel the need to write something dark next. And then after that, I want a lighter touch again. It’s fun to switch gears. I really enjoyed writing FORGET ME. The fast pace of the thriller plot and the humor between a couple of the main characters was a great combo for me. I have two projects that I’m hoping will sell next, both very different in tone. Crossing my fingers!

The first book in your Sleuth or Dare series took me back to my childhood. What did you draw from in order to write a mystery that worked for kids? Any particular books that inspired the feel of the series? I know it took me back to my Bailey School Kids days.

To create the SLEUTH OR DARE books, I took a lot of time to think about what kind of book I would have loved to read at that age. And then I wrote it. So I basically wrote for Lil’ Kim. ;)

I know you enjoy the topic of space exploration, especially the different moons. Would you ever write a book that took place in space? I would love to read a horror novel set in space!

You know me well! I would love that. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I’ve played with a couple ideas but none of them were fresh enough for me to get excited about. Someday, though. Someday.

Can you share some of the books on your fall TBR?

BLACK ICE by Becca Fitzpatrick sounds great! And I recently vacationed in Grand Teton National Park, so the setting hooked me already.

Finally, if all your main characters suddenly came to together on the big screen in a horror movie, which one do you think would be the first to reach their untimely demise? Which one would you be rooting for until the end? (I know this must be tough, they're your babies)

Wow, what a fun question! Faye from THE DEAD AND BURIED would probably die in Act One. Sorry, Faye! And the last one standing would have to be Clarity “Clare” Fern because she’s so tough and she has that extra gift up her sleeve that could help her out.

 Thanks for being part of Creeptastic Reads!

About Kim Harrington:

Kim Harrington is the author of Clarity,Perception, The Dead and Buried, and Forget Me for teens and the Sleuth or Dare series for kids. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and son. When not writing, she's most likely reading, watching one of her favorite TV shows, or fantasizing about her next vacation. Her first book, Clarity, received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, was a 2012 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, sold to nine countries, and was optioned for television by Warner Brothers.

Website Twitter Instagram Facebook

End of Summer Read-a-Thon: Elizabeth Norris Interview + Giveaway

Today Elizabeth Norris (author of Unraveling and Unbreakable) is here to answer a few questions about her writing and her summer! If you haven't checked out her books yet, I suggest you run to the bookstore (right after reading this post of course) and pick up her duology.

End of Summer Read-a-Thon: Interview and Giveaway with Eileen Cook

The End of Summer Read-a-Thon is finally here! If you haven't signed up yet, you can do so here. You have until tonight (Friday) at midnight. For the first day of the read-a-thon I'm so happy to have Eileen Cook, author of The Almost Truth, Unraveling Isobel and The Education of Hailey Kendrick. If you guys are looking for a quick mystery to read on a rainy day, I highly suggest Unraveling Isobel. I had the chance to ask her a few questions and here are her answers!

Your Writing:

1. What has been your favorite character to write out of all your books?

Oooh, hard question.  I like all of them. The most honest answer is that I love the main character of the book I am writing at that time the most.  It's only fair we're spending all of our time together.  When I'm writing a book I spend hours in the head of that character so they get the favorite nod.  That means that right now it's a girl called Kalah.  You haven't met her yet, but I think (hope) you'll love her. 

2. You have a middle grade series out already, but do you have any plans to write a young adult series? (If you do? Can you tell us what genre it would be?)

You must be psychic!  I am working on a YA series that right now is called Vanished (but the title may change).  The series will be three books long and I would describe it as a thriller.  Sort of a Gone Girl meets Pretty Little Liars.  The main character, Kalah, is so much fun to write. I almost feel bad about all the difficult situations I keep putting her into. 

3. Unraveling Isobel is a fantastic mystery and I devoured it in a day, how different was writing a book with a paranormal spin compared to your other more contemporary books?

I'm so glad you liked the book.   I find that some books come to me with the idea first and I have to figure out which character would be best for the story. Other books, like Unraveling Isobel, started with the character.  I had a very clear idea of who she was and then I had to figure out what type of story would best push her to her limits. I enjoyed doing the paranormal parts of the story, it was fun trying to figure out if I could scare myself. 

Your Summer:

1. What was your favorite memory of this summer?

There is an off leash park not far from our house right on the beach.  We've had great weather so I've loved taking my dog Cairo down there. He runs around like crazy and does his best to find some dead stinky thing to rub in and I like sitting there soaking up the view. It's a win-win situation for both of us.  I find my best summer memories are usually small things, sitting on a patio with friends or reading in the sunshine. 

2. Hopefully you've read some great books this summer. Out of all the books you read, which is the one book you would push on everyone if you could?

 

Can I really only pick one? Terra Elan McVoy's  Criminal was really good- I'd encourage people to read that one. It's the kind of book you want to talk about with someone once you finish it. .   I was also behind the times, so I just read John Green's An Abundance of Katherines and I think pretty much everything he writes is genius.  

3. Summer always goes by so fast! What do you still hope to read in the final weeks of summer?

  

My to be read list is about a mile and a half high.  I need a much longer summer!  Some books I am looking forward to include:  The Silent Wife (an adult thriller),  The Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales,  and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (but it doesn't come out until early September.)

________________

Thanks again for being on here! Hopefully you guys are as excited for Eileen's new young adult series as I am! It seems right up my alley, being a thriller and all. I'm also excited for Fangirl and This Song Will Save Your Life. Eileen was nice enough to offer a signed copy of any of her recent books.

Giveaway:

Must be 13 years of age or older

Giveaway ends Monday, August 12th at midnight

Winner will be announced 8/13/13

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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. 

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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

Interview: Author Emmy Laybourne

Today I have Emmy Laybourne, the author of Monument 14, here on the blog. She was nice enough to answer some of my questions, I hope you enjoy! You can check out my review of Monument 14 here.

1. We get to meet so many different characters in Monument 14, which one was your favorite to write?

Max! Max, Max, Max. Really, I'm considering writing Max's life story. It would be a portrait of the underbelly of a small Colorado town, from the POV of one small, towheaded first grader with a cowlick and a good memory.

2. Which character did you find the hardest to write?

Hmmm, that's a more difficult question. I think Sahalia was the most difficult. I really empathize with where she is. She's on the edge of being a woman, and feels like a woman, but is still also a kid and is very vulnerable. I didn't like what happened to her in the book. It's hard when you create characters that you really love, to let bad things happen to them, but of course, you have to let the story unfold with it's own force. Even when it's a destructive force.

3. The idea of a bunch of kids being stuck in a Walmart type store with no adults is very interesting. What made you want to write this story?

You know, almost every time I'm in a big store I think about stockpiling food and survival supplies! Maybe it's the combination of the vast quantity of the food/supplies, the lighting and the concrete bunker-feel to the stores themselves! The idea was right there for me, just waiting for me to pluck it up and write it!

4. When writing, do you block out everything else or do you listen to music and/or snack? If so, what type of music do you enjoy listening to?

I have a killer station on Pandora that I used for writing Monument 14. It's Classical Radiohead + Explosions in the Sky + Sigur Ros. It was hugely important to me when writing but now, when any one of the songs come on the radio - I suddenly feel like I'm in danger!

5. Since summer is quickly approaching, are there any books coming out this summer that you are really looking forward to?

Well, you know, I'm on tour with the Fierce Reads girls so I'm really excited about their books. I feel like we four can really lift each other up and help get the word out! Those books are:

Of Poseidon - Anna Banks

Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo

and

Struck - Jennifer Bosworth

Audris, I think you're awesome! Thanks for having me on your blog!  You can check out the other stops on my blog tour at:emmylaybourne.com

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Thanks for being here! :)