Interview + Giveaway: The Well's End by Seth Fishman

I've got a special treat for you today. Seth Fishman is here to entertain us and talk about his fantastic looking upcoming YA Thriller novel, The Well's End. To end with a bang you can enter to win your very own ARC and some signed art!

The Well's End
Seth Fishman

Genre: YA Thriller
Publication date: February 25th 2014
by Putnam Juvenile

A deadly virus and an impossible discovery unite in one enthralling can’t-miss read.

Sixteen-year-old Mia Kish has always been afraid of the dark. After all, she’s baby Mia, the one who fell down a well. That was years ago, though the darkness still haunts her. But when her classmates and teachers at ritzy Westbrook Academy start dying of old age from a bizarre and frightening virus that ages its victims years in a matter of hours, Mia becomes haunted by a lot more than the dark. Their deaths are gruesome and Mia worries she and her friends may be next. In order to survive, Mia and her small crew must break quarantine and outrun armed soldiers in hazmat suits who shoot first and ask questions later.

And there’s only one place to go—the Cave, aka Fenton Electronics. Mia knows it’s somehow connected and hopes her dad, Director of Fenton Electronics, who has always been strangely secretive about his work, has the answers she needs, and more importantly a cure to save everyone before the whole town succumbs to the mysterious virus. Unfortunately, it’s not answers Mia discovers, but something far more treacherous and impossible than even the virus itself.

A high-stakes, fast-paced adventure with imagination and heart.

Interview with Seth Fishman

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Let's say hi to Seth and learn a bit more about this book of his! ;)

First of all, thanks to you and your XpressoReads Readers (that's a fun mouthful).  Hope these answers shed a nice light on The Well's End and the world of Mia Kish!

First, why don't you describe your book in a haiku (we all love haikus!) 

She's Baby Mia,
Even as the virus aged
Her classmates to death.

(This was way harder than I wanted it to be!)

What was the hardest part of writing in the POV of a female protagonist?

I must admit that I knew this wouldn't be a walk in the park, so I was hyper-vigilant while writing Mia, asking my wonderful editor (Stacey Barney) and my lovely wife for as much help as possible.  But I think the hardest thing was the not knowing what I was missing, not having the intuitive understanding of how a teenage girl might thing.  What became clear is that, when writing scenes between Mia and... a certain major character, I found that I was overplaying Mia's hand, and making the guy too... cool, I guess.  Which felt very realistic for me, but my readers weren't sure he liked her at all (which is real life, though eh?) So I had to work hard to change that, put them on even keel.  It was so different from anything I've written before and a real challenge.  But, at the end of the day, I was focusing on an interesting character, regardless, you know?

What was your favorite scene to write in Well's End?

This is an easy one for me: There's a scene where Mia has to, for various reasons, break through ice on a lake and swim underneath the ice, which is basically one of the scariest things I could imagine.  It was so dark and hard to write, but when it was done it felt claustrophobic (in a good sense), and I hope it's just as intense for readers too!

Is there anything about you or your book that would surprise your readers?

Hmm, maybe a few things.  Like, that Mia falling down a well is based on a true story from my hometown.  Or that the gas mask on the cover is REAL and that the art director cracked the glass to make that image.  Or that this is my fourth book (and first one that was young adult, and good enough to be published).  Or that I can hold my breath for 3 min and 6 seconds under water.

Thanks so much for coming by my little corner of the web, Seth! The Well's End definitely sounds awesome!

About the Author

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Seth's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Seth Fishman is a native of Midland, Texas (think Friday Night Lights), and a graduate of Princeton University and the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. He spends his days as a literary agent at The Gernert Company and his nights (and mornings) writing. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey. This is his first novel (that’s not in a drawer).

The Sea of Tranquility Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway!

I'm very excited to have the Sea of Tranquility blog tour drop by the blog today. I loved this book - find my review here - and today I'm honored to have Katja over for an interview and you can enter to win your very own copy!

The Sea of Tranquility
Katja Millay

Publication date: June 4th 2013 (pbk)
by Atria Books

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Two and a half years after an unspeakable tragedy left her a shadow of the girl she once was, Nastya Kashnikov moves to a new town determined to keep her dark past hidden and hold everyone at a distance. But her plans only last so long before she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the one person as isolated as herself: Josh Bennett.

Josh’s story is no secret. Every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. Everyone except Nastya who won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But as the undeniable pull between them intensifies, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the mira­cle of second chances.

Interview with Katja Millay

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Hi Katja,

I absolutely loved your book so I'm excited to have you visit my little place on the world wide web! :)

Thank you!  I love your blog. I appreciate you having me on today.

Q.- Let's start with something that a friend and I have been discussing lately about genres. I've seen some list your book as a New Adult, others as a Young Adult; how do you define New Adult? For instance, does it require that the character be over 18? Does it need to have sexual content? I'd like to know your take! :)

I’ve seen so many different explanations of what NA is believed to be lately.  At the moment, it seems to be widely associated with college-age romance.  However, in my mind, the term NA says more about the age of the characters and the period of life they’re experiencing than it does about the genre of the book. The characters are often making the transition from the shelter of their teenage years into the early stages of adulthood and dealing with all of the changes and growth that come at that point in life.  I think that’s one of the reasons why TSoT, although the characters are still in high school, is often considered New Adult.  Due to their unique situations, Nastya and Josh are facing some of the changes and much of the growing up that often comes later.  

It may make more sense to think of NA in much the same way we think of YA. If we consider what the term YA - or young adult - calls to mind, there isn’t the automatic assumption of a high school-based romance.  The overall conclusion is that teenagers will be present and that it is intended for that same general audience, but beyond that it can take any form.   The subject matter itself can vary widely – romance, paranormal, mystery, coming-of-age, etc.  I think of new adult the same way – as a categorization - a more mature version of young adult that doesn’t, by definition, imply sex and romance.

I don’t believe a new adult novel necessarily has to have sexual content in it.  I think the main reason many of the books being categorized as NA often do involve sex is because sex is a significant part of life at the age that the characters are so it tends to naturally play a role.  In any case, I think that the inclusion of sex should be dictated by the characters themselves and whether or not the sex is organic and is there to support the story, not vice-versa.

Q.- How difficult was it for you to write from a boy's perspective (so flawlessly, too!)?

Thank you! I appreciate that.  It was different.  I had to stay cognizant of the fact that there weren’t expressions he was using that a teenage boy wouldn’t use and that sort of thing. When I first started writing in his perspective, it was more difficult.  Once I had spent more time with him in my head, it became easier because I knew his character well enough that I was able to think in his voice.

Q.- Which perspective was the most fun for you to write?

Nastya was the most interesting character for me to write because she was snarkier and her thoughts were more unfiltered.  She was also more psychologically damaged so as a writer it was wonderful to be able to get lost in that mind and the way she viewed the world and the unique logic she employed.  I loved to delve behind the curtain there and show how the things that didn’t make sense to people on the outside made perfect sense to her.  Her mind was fascinating to me.  Also, although I wasn’t writing in his perspective, Drew was fun for me because he didn’t censor himself.

Q.- Do you have actors/pictures you used as inspiration for your characters' profile? If not, who would you love to see play them in a movie?

I actually did have a picture that I kept in mind when I was writing Nastya.  It was ripped out of an old magazine from a layout on hairstyles or something like that.  It wasn’t someone famous so I have no idea of her name but her face was haunting to me.  Eventually, once the character was more fully developed, she evolved in my mind and the image changed somewhat so she didn’t end up looking exactly like that picture but that’s where she started for me.  As for Josh, he lives in my head.  I see him in such detail and so fully formed that it’s impossible for me to fathom ever actually “finding” him.  I’ve never found a picture that even remotely fits the image I created of him.  I’m beginning to be convinced that I never will.  It’s difficult because there isn’t a plethora of well-known seventeen year old actors out there and I see Josh very much as the teenager he is.  He isn’t ultra-perfect and gorgeous in a model-type way.  He’s very real and down to earth.

Q. Can we expect a new book from you soon? *puppy eyes*

I’m writing right now but I don’t have an ETA at the moment.  I promise when I do I will shout it from the rooftops!  It’s going to be coming a little later than I originally planned.  We’re in the process of a long distance move which came unexpectedly, so unfortunately the book is on hold until we get the family settled.  It’s difficult because all I really want to be doing right now is finishing that story but when I write I need to get lost in the characters and that’s impossible with my mind in so many other places right now.  Sometimes life gets in the way.

Thanks so much!  I have been recommending Sea of Tranquility to everybody with death glares and all! :)

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Giselle!  And I appreciate the peer pressure by death glare!  That’s awesome!

About the Author

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Katja's Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Katja Millay grew up in Florida and graduated with a degree in film & television production from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She has worked as a television producer, and a film studies and screenwriting teacher. Currently she resides in Florida with her family. The Sea of Tranquility is her first book.

This post is part of the Sea of Tranquility blog tour:

Cover Reveal, Interview + Giveaway: Everything Breaks

I'm excited to be part of the cover reveal for Everything Breaks by Vicki Grove, coming from Penguin in the fall. This contemporary sounds great and today you'll be treated to a short interview with Vicki, and a chance to win an ARC!

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Everything Breaks
Vicki Grove

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: October 3rd 2013
by Putnam Juvenile

Synopsis:

Tucker was supposed to be the designated driver. But there was something about the beauty of that last true summer night, that made him want to feel out-of-control just once. He drank so much and so quickly that he was instantly sick. That left Trey to drive. "I'll catch up to you later," were the last words Tucker would ever say to his friends as he heaved by the side of the road. It was the last time Tucker would ever see them alive.

Tucker’s grief and guilt are just about unbearable and he wonders how he can continue living himself. When he meets the Ferryman who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers that divide the world of the living from the world of the dead, Tucker gets a chance to decide: live or die. The temptation to join his three best friends on the other side may be too much for Tucker to overcome.   A gripping, haunting and emotional read.

Interview with Vicki Grove

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Hi Vicki! What made you decide to write Everything Breaks?

I began writing this book while both of my parents were very ill in 2010, and I did several rewrites while I was mourning their deaths, which came within a few months of each other.  They were elderly and I'd been their caretaker for several years, so it was expected.   It was extremely hard work taking care of them and trying to keep my own act together careerwise, and I did my share of silent griping while I was under the stress of it.  But my heart broke in half when they died, and the character of Tucker's step-grandfather, Bud, is based on my dad.  Since my parents' deaths, I've been asking myself questions that are both fascinating and difficult.   Mostly, I want to know, what lasts?  In Greek mythology there are several heroes that travel to the Underworld to demand answers to some version of this question, and my Oklahoma boy, Tucker, turns out to be another in their line.  His three best friends have just been killed in a drunk driving accident, and through grief and confusion and a load of guilt, he picks up a weird hitchhiker that turns out to be Charon, the Ferryman across the River Acheron from Greek mythology.  I think the most important line in EB comes when Charon off-handedly reveals to Tucker his friend Trey's last words upon reaching the Underworld.   I want to know what Tucker needs to know, and I hope my mom and dad would say about me what Trey says about Tucker when Trey's in that black boat on his way to the other side of the dark river.   By the way, the horrible accident that begins the book is based on a real event from when I was in high school, three boys in a 1967 cherry red Mustang convertible, some drinking, a switch-back curve on a high bluff road that they probably didn't notice in time.

 

This book deals with drinking and driving and the grief that comes with it, how did writing about such a tough subject affect you emotionally?

Every book project definitely is totally affecting in a different way.  I've written two books about racial violence, and those books made me terribly grouchy and difficult to live with for the many months I was immersed in them.  This book is the saddest I've written, but oddly, it helped me heal and stitch my own heart back together.  I felt peaceful by the end.

I always like to have an idea how authors picture their characters, so who you like to see play the role of Tucker if it ever goes on screen?

Eddie Redmayne!  Though he'd have to dye his wonderful red hair black to be a
Quapaw.   Still, I could handle that if he could.

Thanks so much for dropping by, Vicki! Everything Breaks sounds like a very powerful book and I can't wait to read it for myself! :)

Ashes Tour Stop: Interview with Estevan Vega

Today I've got the Ashes blog tour stopping by, I've got a fun interview with Estevan that I'm sure you'll enjoy, he's a pretty... interesting guy! ;)

Ashes

Estevan Vega

Series: Arson, #2
Genre:YA Paranormal
Publication date: September 11th 2012
by StoneGate Ink

ASHES is a YA paranormal thrill-ride. Book 2 in the gripping Arson trilogy.

MORE THAN THREE MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE ARSON AND EMERY WERE SUDDENLY TAKEN. TAKEN AND THEN SEPARATED. AND EXPERIMENTED ON.

The minds running Salvation Asylum have abducted them for a dark purpose. A campaign has been set in motion to genetically alter mankind. Unknowingly, Arson has become the most vital instrument in this global scheme, initiated by a select group of brilliant scientists and cunning world leaders. Confused, trapped, and unable to fully manifest his abilities, Arson faces a new existence crawling with questions. Will he ever see Emery again? Is Grandma still alive? Can the fate of the human race really hang in the balance of one choice?

Nightmare and reality collide in Ashes, book two in the gripping ARSON trilogy. Love will be tested. Powers will shift. And the past will invade the here and now as Arson discovers a part of himself he has never before known and fights against his own shocking origins. Will this boy who once tempted fire be able to take on a fearful future? When the struggle intensifies and secrets come to light, will Arson be ready to accept the haunting revelation that there may be others out there, others like him?

Ashes series:

Find my  review of Arson, here!

Interview with Estevan Vega

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Where did you get the concept for Arson?

I got the idea back in high school. I was in a very hard place in life, and I needed an “out.” My parents were splitting up; my older bro was leaving for the military. My life was spinning out of control. I needed a way to try and make sense of the world. Plus, going through the motions of everyday adolescence always seems to leave more questions than answers anyway. Oh, and I love the supernatural and exploring powers because I grew up infatuated with X-MEN and superheroes. So I created the world of Arson, a story about a boy who can create fire. The rest is history, peeps :}

Did you always plan on making it into a trilogy?

Originally no. It was going to be a closed case. But after much banging of my head up against the wall and mucho dialogues and of course, acquiescing to all the voices in my head, I decided to cave. I wanted to see if I could handle the pressure of writing a sequel. I wanted to explore the world of Arson more, get into the supernatural that was only hinted at in book one. Mission accomplished? I, um, think so?

So, if it wasn’t originally part of the plan to write more than one book, do you basically just wing it and hope for the best?

Guilty.

I know that it says Arson trilogy on your books and that you’re currently writing book 3. Will there be any more books after part three?

Not. Entirely. Sure. But. Definite. Possibility.

Do you have a crush on fragments?

Yes. Is. It. That. Obvious?

How is Ashes different than Arson?

Well, for starters it has more action. More characters. And a bigger plot. When I was writing Arson, I was focused on creating a centralized and conflicted world. In Ashes, I wanted to expand that world and show, really show, how the actions of one can impact the masses. It’s a sequel, so you know that’s how we do. But if you like character development and the doses of the supernatural sprinkled throughout the first book, then you will love Ashes, because everything just gets taken up a notch. Make that eleven.

Who’s your favorite character in Ashes?

Am I allowed to play favorites? I loved Adam. He’s like the darker side of Arson, so I really liked being able to incorporate someone else with abilities into this story. But the character I’ve really got my eye on is Krane. He’s probably the most underestimated one of the wh-wh-whole b-b-bunch.

Speaking of dark characters, a lot of your stories have a dark bent. Are you a troubled soul who sits up at night staring at the wall and saying things like “red-rum?”

If you say we’re in the safe zone, can I say yes? Ha-ha. No, the darkest I get is severe cases of pessimism. Apart from the bodies in my trunk and the copious amounts of spider webs in my bedroom, I’m not too weird. Wait…

Do you ever have a story take you to a place you weren’t expecting?

All the frickin time. I like to think I’m in control, but then my stories remind me that the opposite is most often true.

Can you please, pretty please stop being a jerk and just tell us the title for book 3?   

In time, precious. {insert creepy Gollum voice here} In time. But soon.

Okay, some other useless info we’re just dying to know…
Favorite ice cream flavor?

Check the bio on the back of the book.

Favorite band?

Switchfoot.

Favorite flick?

Inception. Go watch it three times. Right now. It’s Nolan’s best work.

Okay, least favorite season?

Winter. The cold just…sucks.

Apple or PC?

C’mon, son…I use a type writer. Wait, what decade is it?

Do you ever wish you were British?

Only on Thursdays.

Where can we stalk you?

Facebook: we are arson
Twitter: @estevanvega
Website: www.estevanvega.com
Hit me up anytime.
Stay fly, amigos.
-evega

About the Author

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Estevan's Website / Goodreads / Twitter

I’m a writer. Well, technically an author, because they say that you magically become an author (i.e. true creative) if you’ve published something, and you’re a writer if you haven’t (you know those closet aspiring geniuses who just scribble stuff into notebooks and hide it from the world?). But I still call myself a writer. I’m one of 4 brothers. The middle son. I guess that’s supposed to make me uber weird and dysfunctional, but the jury’s still out on that one. I love mint chocolate chip ice cream. Like, really love it. Watching movies and going to rock shows are 2 of my favorite pastimes, and I am addicted to telling stories.

Click on the banner for the full tour schedule!

 

Quantum Drop Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Dropping by Xpresso Reads today is the Quantum Drop blog tour hosted by Hachette Children's UK. I have Saci Lloyd over for an interview and you can win this pretty! Not heard of Quantum Drop

Quantum Drop

Saci Lloyd

Genre: YA Science Fiction
Publication date: February 7th 2013
by Hodder Children's Books

Anthony Griffin is an ordinary kid caught up in a dangerous world. The boundaries between real and virtual are more and more blurred, and when Anthony’s girlfriend is taken out in a gang hit, he has to venture into the underground world of the Drop to flush out her killer and bring him to justice.

This is the story of a boy whose girl is worth more than money.

Interview with Saci Lloyd

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Q. What can you tell us about your book in tweet-size? (140 characters or less)

A bunch of kids trapped in the Debtbelt take their power back by bringing down a corrupt mafia banker

Q. What were the challenges in writing a book with a male protagonist?

I kind of love writing male protagonists, but Anthony has been a particular joy because he’s so quirky and cool and messed up. I always do a ton of research before I start writing and I interviewed loads of young men to get the details right. I was particularly influenced by one boy who was very fond of his little sister. He was quite a tough kid – and it wasn’t so much what he said about her – it was more the way his face lit up when she came up in conversation.

Q. What did you enjoy writing the most in Quantum Drop, the action or dialogue?

The two are inextricably linked, really and for me it keeps it interesting when I change pace all the time. I don’t know how people write those novels with thirty-two page chase sequences – how much punching and kicking and leaping and squirming can you do? I get verb exhaustion pretty fast. So I like to write introspective and character driven sections that have the potential to explode at any point. Having said that, I really enjoyed writing the dialogue in Quantum Drop because Anthony and Stella have some very interesting things to say.

Q. What are some of your writing quirks/habits?

I used to write in cafés a lot but I can’t seem to do it anymore. I need complete silence. I often covered in animals when I write – my dog, Lola sneaks behind my back and my cat, Zuzu sort of wraps herself around my neck.

Q. Is there anything about you that would surprise your readers?

I am a black belt in procrastination.

I can pronounce the longest place name in the world.

My favourite animal is a potto, which is a strepsirrhine primate from the Lorisidae family. In some parts of Africa, it is also called a "softly-softly".

Q. What are you reading right now?

I’ve always got a bunch of books on the go. Right now in my book pile is something on urban foxes, a novel about leaving London, Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, New Scientist and The Summer Book by Tove Jansson.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Saci! Procrastination is also my best friend! :D

About the Author

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 Saci's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Saci Lloyd was born in Manchester, but raised in Anglesey where she spent a lot of time lost in nature or down by the shore.

Saci returned to Manchester as an undergraduate, but soon quit University for a life of glamour. At various points in the glitz she has worked as a very bad cartoonist, toured the States in a straightedge band, run an interactive media team at an advertising agency, co-founded a film company and finally wound up as head of media at NewVIc. She’s now stepped down from that post, but continues her association with the college.

Her first novels, The Carbon Diaries series came out September 2010 to critical acclaim and have been optioned by Company Pictures. They have been translated into fifteen languages.

Her new book, Momentum was released on June 2nd and is already doing really well. Everything Starts Right Here, Right Now!

Saci has just finished her latest book, Quantum Drop, a thriller set against the backdrop of the financial crash, which will be released in February of next year.

The Cadet of Tildor Interview & Giveaway

Today I'm happy to be a part of the Cadet of Tildor tour organized by AToMR Tours. Find the full tour schedule here. I have Alex here for an interview today, and then you can enter to win a pretty fab giveaway! :)

The Cadet of Tildor

Alex Lidell

Publication date: January 10th 2013
by Dial      

Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.

There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

Interview with Alex Lidell

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Where did you get the idea for TCoT?

The concept behind CADET came in layers.  I started with Korish Savoy, a character who I've known a while, and a fantasy school setting, which I love.  I then had several ethical dilemmas that I wanted to play with in the writing, which translated into characters' specific challenges.  Renee joined me to tell the actual story.  And then I let those ingredients take me for a ride.  The overall story arc emerged only after the first draft was done.  And some - rather major - elements only came in the editing process with my Penguin editor.

Is there anything from the books you hope the reader picks up on but they may not?

Great question!  Yes.  As readers make up their minds as to which character is right/wrong or  more/less ethically sound, I hope they realize that their (readers') own cultural and personal beliefs influence these judgments as much as the characters' actual actions.

What was the most fun part of writing this book?

Getting feedback from my Beta readers. especially when they argued with each other as to which character had the higher moral ground.  I crave crave crave feedback.

What was the most challenging part of writing this book?

Editing while pregnant in the first trimester.  I prefer to write outside the house, usually in a coffee shop -  and I had discovered this awesome newly opened place not far from my house shortly before becoming pregnant.  Then came the editorial letter and it was MASSIVE.  I did most of my editing in said new place... but being in the first trimester I was feeling nauseous.  After turning in my edit, I could never return to that place without getting nauseous all over again in memory.  And I mean well after pregnancy!  I walk in and immediately don't feel well.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Spend as much time on horseback as I can

As of right now, which character is your favorite to write and why?

Korish Savoy.  He is just FUN to write, especially from his POV.  In my original draft of the book a lot more of it was from Savoy's view point.

What are you reading right now?

Re-reading David Weber's HONOR HARRINGTON series.

Are you working on another book at the moment? 

Yes, I am working on a sequel to CADET right now. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, Alex! I can't imagine going through editing while pregnant! Especially when you have morning sickness (which we all know isn't only "morning" >.<)

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Alex's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Alex Lidell is a YA fantasy writer and author of ABNA Finalist THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013).   Although English is Alex’s primary language, it wasn’t her first.  Coming from Russia, Alex learned english in elementary school and fell in love with reading when the school librarian put Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA into her hands.  Years later, in college, it was another book that re-united Alex with russian, which she had shunned in adolescence. The Three Musketeers.*  Alex thanks both books, and the writers who created them. Beyond writing, Alex is also a photographer, a horseback rider, and a paramedic.  The latter two go hand in hand more often than one would like.  She is trying to self-teach herself and her horse to sword-fight. Alex would love to see THE CADET OF TILDOR in the classroom and is working on developing teacher guides for the novel.  She enjoys “e-meeting” both students and educators.

Possession Tour Stop: Interview + Giveaway

I am happy to be a part of the Possession blog tour that is dropping by the blog today. I'll be sharing an interview I did with Elana Johnson, along with some fabulous giveaways!

Possession
Elana Johnson
Series: Possession #1
Publication date: June 7th 2011
by Simon & Schuster

 

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Interview with Elana Johnson

Q. What kind of life would you lead if you were living in the world you created in Possession?

Oh, I’d like to think I would be a Thinker! I’m such a control-freak right now, that it would be a pretty natural transition… LOL!

Q. What's the hardest part in building a dystopian world?

Filling readers in on what the MC already knows, without overwhelming them, or boring them to death. I write a lot of sci fi and fantasy, and this is the main problem every single time.

Q. Do you see a lot of yourself in your MC-Vi?

Sort of. Mostly, Vi gets to say and do things I wish I could say and do. I’m so non-confrontational, that I don’t say anything to anyone about anything. I want everyone to be happy, and I want to treat others kindly. That usually means that you don’t get to speak your mind, you know? And Vi gets to do that. So I sort of live vicariously through her.

Q. What was your biggest challenge while writing Possession?

The timeline, for sure. When everything happens, when that person goes missing, when this and when that. It was really challenging – and I’m still dealing with it, as I try to make the third book in the series (ABANDON, coming on June 4, 2013) match up with everything that’s already in black and white.

So definitely the timeline of events. There’s just so much of the past in us, you know? And I think characters should base their decisions on who they are. And they become who they based on where they’ve been, and what they’ve experienced. So the past events are important.

Q. What's on your reading this this winter?

THE CROWN OF EMBERS by Rae Carson. It’s the sequel to THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS, which I really liked. I’m also finishing TEN by Gretchen McNeil and THE LIES THAT BIND by Lisa & Laura Roecker.

Thanks so much for dropping by, Elana! I'm no writer, but I always admire how authors can keep the timelines of their stories straight! My terrible memory would most definitely struggle with that. Xo

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 Elana's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Elana Johnson’s work, including Possession, Surrender, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), is available now everywhere books are sold. Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for download, as well as a Possession short story, Resist. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or Twitter. She also co-founded the Query Tracker blog, and contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers.

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Gravity Blog Tour: Review + Interview

Gravity
Melissa West
Series: The Taking, #1
Publication date: November 20th 2012
by Entangled Teen

 

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

*A copy was provided by Entangled Publishing for review purposes*

While I do love and enjoy sci-fi novels, I have rarely come about any that involve Aliens. I can actually only recall 2: I Am Number Four, and Obsidian. Both were good and a great change from the same old. The world Melissa has created in Gravity has some holes and grey areas, but overall, the mix of dystopian and aliens is a great way to create an original post-apocalyptic world with very neat, but also very scary, aspects.

We begin this book with a prologue that occurs during Ari's childhood, when she has to face for the first time the very real fact that aliens are among them now, and what it means to live in this world with them. This chapter sets a great intriguing tone for the book. Making it instantly engaging, while heightening our curiosity of the journey we're about to embark upon. Then when we meet Ari again as a teenager, it's during a very stressful evening where, immediately, secrets are unraveling. We are off to a great start!

Like I said, there are some grey areas in the world building when it comes to learning about these aliens. The Ancients are a fascinating bunch, although they have some key differences--like changing eye color and flawless beauty--they look like humans and have a neat way of traveling to our planet. We also get some greatly interesting biological detail. What we don't get that I wish we had is a lot more about the history of these aliens coming to earth. I'm not saying we don't get any information, we do, but I wanted more than the basics. When I think of a post-war world like this, I like to be able to imagine its history unfolding, and this was more like a hop. Bits and pieces that give a passable explanation, but not enough to really throw me into this world convincingly.

Nevertheless, the idea for the world is both alarming and exciting, and I loved it. We are in the brink of a war with these beings. Things start to get tense when the first attack is seen early on in the book, and it keeps a great steady pace throughout. I did, however, feel a little underwhelmed with the romance that develops from the very beginning. I understand that it's an unusual situation since Jackson has been developing feelings for Ari his whole life, but from her side, she's only just met him, yet she trusts him immediately. This, to me, seems like a way to try to play in insta-love without ramifications. Although mild in this case, there will never be a "good way" to play in insta-love. It lacks connection and chemistry, and without these key elements I never feel very interested in the love story--which, in this case, come into the forefront for a big part of the book.

What kept me rolling through despite not liking the romance is Ari herself. I loved her narration, especially that it's in first person. She is a character who is brave and independent; she's tough as nails and her training has made her a true fighter. I love nothing better than a strong female protagonist who can hold her own.

With that said, my issues do lay mostly with the romance. It's a rather large part of the book so no matter how much I loved the plot--which was a lot--I couldn't get truly wrapped up in it as the romance kept getting in the way of my enjoyment. If I would have rated this on everything BUT, it would have gotten a solid 4!

3 Hot Espressos

Interview with Melissa West

Q. Hi Melissa, let's start by telling us where you got the idea for Gravity?

The idea for GRAVITY came to me one day when I was watching the beginning of a storm on my back deck. The trees were all moving in this easy rhythm with the wind. It was both incredibly creepy and incredibly comforting. All the sudden, I noticed something moving through one of the trees—likely an animal—but in that moment I wondered what it would be like if there was a human-like creature that came out of the trees. That night I had a dream about a boy coming from the trees and into a girl’s window and with that everything just sort of fell into place.

Q. Which was the hardest part of writing Gravity?

Creating my version of aliens—Ancients—was tricky. I wanted something original, and so I had to do a lot of research to create a semi-realistic alien. I didn’t want to lean on easy theories, so instead my editor and I went back and forth until we had the Ancients in GRAVITY as solid as possible. The only problem was that I have a very clear goal for each of the three books in the series. I didn’t want GRAVITY to focus so heavily on the aliens that it overcame the main point of the story—human nature.

Q. What is your take on aliens? Do you think they exist? Have been on earth?

I think it’s awfully arrogant of us, humans, to believe that we are the only intelligent species in the universe. The universe is vast and much of it is still undiscovered. So yes, I absolutely believe there are aliens out there. Now whether or not they look like Jackson, I can’t say, though that certainly is less freaky than the Aliens movie variety. ;) As for whether they have been to earth, I’m not sure. I will say, rumors and stories tend to begin for a reason.

Q. What is your favourite alien movie?

I remember distinctly the moment I became afraid of aliens, and it was because of a movie. The movie was Fire in the Sky and it completely freaked me out. It’s strange to call that movie my “favorite” but really it is. It’s the movie that got me started thinking about aliens and the possibility of other life in the universe.

Q. If you were an alien, what would you look like?

Ha! I’ve never been asked this question! I have no idea, but if I got to become an alien I would want to be a kickass one for sure. I’m fairly tiny—5’4, 110 lbs—so I would want to be taller and strong and able to kick serious butt! :)

Ditto on the height! *waves from her 5"3ness*. Thanks so much for dropping by Melissa! I agree that it's ridiculous to think there are not other beings out there--but hopefully they look like your version rather than in Aliens O_O

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Melissa's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Melissa lives in a tiny suburb of Atlanta, GA with her husband and daughter. She pretends to like yoga, actually likes shoes, and could not live without coffee. Her writing heroes include greats like Jane Austen and Madeleine L'Engle. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and an M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange. Represented by Louise Fury of L. Perkins Agency.

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Blog Tour: Two and Twenty Dark Tales

Two and Twenty Dark Tales:
Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes
Publication date: October 16th 2012
by Month9Books

 

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.

Today as part of the Two and Twenty dark Tales blog tour, I have the lovely Leigh Fallon over for an interview. Leigh is one of the authors in this anthology, in addition to her novel, Carrier of the Mark--which you will have a chance to win! :)

Interview with Leigh Fallon

Q. Is this the first time having a short story published in an anthology? How different is it writing a short story vs a full length novel?

Yes, this is the first short story I’ve had published. I have to admit; it was a bit daunting writing a short story for the first time. Trying to squish background, plot, and interesting character that the readers will connect with, into three to four thousands words is no mean task. There’s no time for tension build up, so you have to be able to wham it all out on the table and hook the reader right from the beginning. I did a little research before I started writing and studied how different authors worked their story curve. So I had a good idea how I was going to tackle the retelling before I started.

Q. What does your daily routine look like?

The morning is crazy, I have to get my four kids out to school.  Once they’re all up and gone, I settle into some writing time. I’m trying out a new writing schedule. I try to write 1 to 2 K a day, then catch up on my admin work, like interviews etc. before lunch. The afternoon is a chaotic mix of housework, starving children, cooking, editing and beta reading if I can squeeze it in, and all that dribbles into the evening, where I finally (once the kids are in bed) collapse on the couch with a cup of tea and the remote.

Q. After reading your bio I have to ask, convent school! What was that like?

Strict! All girls and never allowed to mix with the boys school down the road. We had to wear this maroon uniform, a pleated skirt (below the knee at all times), White starched blouse, Maroon, white, and blue striped tie (very Harry Potter), a maroon V-necked wool jumper (sweater), white socks (pulled up to the knee), black shoes (the more nunnish the better), grey gabardine (a woolen long trench coat that soaks up every bit of moisture – not such a great choice in a country where it rains 90% of the time), and a maroon, blue, and white scarf. Makeup was strictly forbidden, as was any sort of hair coloring or nail varnish. Teachers were either nuns or cloak wearing lay people, and some even wore mortarboards. Field hockey was the sport of choice, and we had to wear these little gymslips for all gym activities. Ugh.

Q. I also saw you moved to the US from Ireland, how much of an adjustment was that? Like, did you often find yourself driving on the wrong side of the road?

Actually, I adapted to driving on the other side of the road no problem, but there were a few things that I found a little harder to get used to. Did you know our light switches go in the opposite direction to the US ones, and that we write dates the opposite way to here? Even the way we tell the time is different. LOL! But the biggest change for me was that I had to change how I talk, and how I express myself so as not to offend people or leave them confused. It’s nothing major, but just little things can be taken up the wrong way. The Irish use language differently, we use sarcasm in every day conversation, and we’re always just a step away from cracking a joke. It can be really misinterpreted by people who don’t expect it. But I think I’ve gotten used to it, well that or people just know what to expect from me. LOL! I hope it’s the former.

Q. Is there anything else about you that would surprise your readers?

I’m not sure about surprised, but here are some lesser-known facts about me.

I was born in South Africa.
I got engaged at the summit of Mount Etna, Sicily.
I worked in Treasury for most of my career.
I worked all over Europe.
I have four kids including identical twin boys.
I used to be a soprano singer (and I use the words ‘used to’ very strongly).

Thanks so much for dropping by, Leigh! I think I may be Irish! I'm sarcastic on a daily basis >.< And I loved the facts! Soprano singer was definitely surprising and so cool!!

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Leigh's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

I was born in South Africa, raised in Dublin, Ireland and moved to Cork in my 20’s. While living in beautiful Kinsale, Co Cork I discovered a love of writing. I write mainly for the young adult market. My current book, The Carrier of the Mark, prompted me to abandon my ‘riveting’ career in corporate treasury and have been writing ever since. I have another three books in the Carrier series and a few other projects I'm working on. My family and I now share our time between Ireland and the US.

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