Today is full of hotness at Xpresso Reads; I'm sure you've all heard of STORM by Brigid Kemmerer and most of you are probably highly anticipating it - for good reason! So I'm excited to have Brigid over today for a great interview, and guess what? She's giving away a signed copy!
Brigid Kemmerer
Series: Elementals, #1
Release date: April 24th, 2012
by Kensington
Goodreads / Purchase
Earth, Fire, Air, Water – they have more power than you dream.
Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.
And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.
Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.
The storm is coming . . .
When did you first begin your writing career?Interview with Brigid Kemmerer
I first began writing seriously in high school. My friends and I would write longhand on notebook paper, then trade pages back and forth to read and comment in the margins. I still have three or four loose-leaf notebooks full of those old stories. It doesn’t seem like we were writing all the time, but we must have been, because I distinctly remember pulling out my story binder in Calculus during senior year, just to get some extra paper, and the teacher said, “No. No more writing stories in my class. This is math.” (And I loved math!)
What sparked your first idea for The Elemental Series?
The first novel I wrote in high school was about four vampire brothers, named Michael, Nicholas, Gabriel, and Christopher. It was a silly story, but I still have most of it on paper. In my twenties, when I really began to take writing seriously, I wrote a few books but was unable to find a literary agent or a publisher. I couldn’t get those four brothers out of my head – but I didn’t want to do vampires again. I started tossing around ideas that would work with the number four. Four horsemen of the apocalypse. Four leaf clovers. Four, four, four. The four elements of earth, air, fire, and water seemed to work best—and I had a lot of ideas how I could make it fun. What teenagers wouldn’t want to be able to control the elements?
Are there any people in your life that helped you through out your writing?
My mother has always supported me. I can’t thank her enough. She used to tell me to send my stories to Hollywood. (She still does.) My husband, too, is incredibly supportive. I had to write 50 pages this weekend, and he made that possible. He also makes for a great sounding board. I can always ask him if something sounds lame.
Do you have a specific writing routine that you follow?
I turn on the coffee pot. That’s about it. Oh, I plug in my headphones and fire up iTunes, too. I can’t write without music.
What was your favorite part of the book, or your favorite part in the process of writing it?
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you my favorite part of the book without ruining it for you! The book talks a lot about bullying, and harassment, and learning to stand up for yourself, even if you’ve made bad choices in the past. My favorite parts in other books are always when the underdog finally wins, and in my book, that’s no different.
What was the most difficult issue you encountered in writing the book?
Writing from the point of view of a teenage boy. (But I think I pulled it off.)
What would be your advice for an aspiring author who would like to become a published writer?
Read as much as you can. Then write as much as you can. Then read some more—especially unpublished manuscripts. That will really help you hone your eye for learning to self-edit.
Thanks so much for dropping by, Brigid! I loved getting to know you and we're all excited along with you for Storm's release!
Storm book trailer:
Giveaway details
Brigid has generously offered up one signed copy of Storm, along with some signed cover proofs, to one lucky winner.
Open to US and Canadian addresses
Ends April 24th, 2012
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter
These are the cover proofs:
These are the cover proofs:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
