Author Interview: Trish Doller

Trish Doller
Website / Blog / Twitter

Books: 

• Something Like Normal (June 2012)

Travis Stephenson is a nineteen-year-old Marine on leave after his first deployment to Afghanistan. Back home in Florida, Travis struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, adjusting to civilian life, a disintegrating family, and friendships that no longer fit. When his path crosses that of Harper Gray, a girl whose reputation he trashed with a middle school lie, Travis feels like he might have found something to hold onto--someone who helps him feel normal. Whatever that means.

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

A Marine's life after Afghanistan.


What has your road to publication been like?

A bit of a roller coaster, really. I actually wrote a book before SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL that was cancelled by the publisher while it was in the editing stages. My agent and I sent it out on submission again, but it didn't sell a second time--a pretty disheartening experience. But while I waited, I started writing SLN. I sent a bit to my agent, who suggested we show the partial manuscript to a few editors. To my surprise, there was interest in the book and it sold at auction to Bloomsbury. While not having my first book published was disappointing, I feel like SLN is a much stronger debut novel and I can't wait for people to read it.


If Something Like Normal had a theme song, what would it be?

What a tough question! I have a few songs that touch on one part of the book or another, but I guess the one song that seems to sum it up is LIKE A SOLDIER by Johnny Cash. It's not really about a soldier at all, yet the lyrics still seem to fit the story.


What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

My goal as a writer is simply to write books that connect with readers. Sure, it would be cool to win critical acclaim or make a bestseller list, but ultimately the people whose opinions matter most are the readers.


What's something surprising about yourself that most people wouldn't think was true?

I'm a punk rocker. No, really! In reality I look more like a soccer mom than a riot grrl, and instead of dying my head green or blue, I struggle just to keep the gray away, but I can totally hold my own in a mosh pit.


If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? Why?

Gah! Another tough one! I have so many favorites! But…I think I would have to choose JELLICOE ROAD by Melina Marchetta. Not only because it's a well-written story with characters I love, but Jonah Griggs is my favorite YA boy ever.


Where can we stay up to date about you and your novel?

You can find my website at trishdoller.com or follow me on twitter (@trishdoller).

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bookseller by day. Writer by night. I'm kind of like Bruce Wayne. Only not rich. Or a dude. Or a superhero. Come to think of it, I'm not much like Bruce Wayne at all. I've worked as a newspaper reporter and a radio personality, but I gave all that up to sit on the couch in my pajamas and talk to imaginary people.

I am a member of The Apocalypsies--a group of writers whose young adult, middle grade, and picture books will debut in 2012--and I'm also a member of the YA Outside the Lines group blog.

I live in Florida with my two dogs, two mostly grown kids, and one husband.

Author Interview: Wendy Higgens

Wendy Higgens
Website / Twitter

Books:

• Sweet Evil (May 1, 2012)

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.


Anna, a tender-hearted southern girl, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.


A cross-country trip forces Anna and Kai to face the reality that hope and love are not options for their kind. When it's time for Anna to confront her demons, will she choose to embrace her halo or her horns?

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

Sweet and sexy emotional ride.


Can you tell us a little about how Sweet Evil was created?

The short version is that I’d felt inspired to do some writing, and angels popped into my head based on an adult book I’d recently read. I became intrigued by the idea of a young, sweet, naïve girl with intense internal struggles. I love tough, fighting, female heroines as much as the next person, but I wanted to examine the strength found in one’s heart. It was a lot of daydreaming and brainstorming until scenes began to tumble and I had to write them.


If Sweet Evil had a theme song, what would it be?

This is SO hard! The first one that comes to mind, which totally makes me laugh with embarrassment, is Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship.


What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

I suppose my “job” is to entertain and captivate, which I hope I accomplish. But ultimately I want to touch readers’ hearts.


Quick! Can you share 5 random things about yourself?

1. I’m an Army brat.
2. I was an all-star cheerleader in high school (go ahead and laugh).
3. I was a flight attendant for two months.
4. I’m married with a son and daughter.
5. I taught 9th and 12th grade for two years.


If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? Why?

Hard. So hard. Okay, I wish I could choose a series, but if I have to choose one it would be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows because I relish being lost in that story world and I dearly love the characters.


Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

Thank you, with all my heart. I hope you will think of Sweet Evil’s MC, Anna, as a friend, and fall in love with the “K” boys as hard as I did! J Cheers, y’all.

Thanks so much Wendy for stopping by!

Author Interview: Sarah Tregay

Sarah Tregay
Website / Goodreads

Books:

• Love & Leftovers (January 1, 2012)

My wish is to fall cranium over Converse in dizzy, daydream-worthy love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

A love story in poems.


What has surprised you the most about the publication process?

I worked in my manuscript for two years, one year writing and one year revising. After all that, I thought I was finished!

But in the process of getting it published, I have made hundreds of changes. First, my agent and I rewrote the ending and then my editor had me take out a character (and the plot that related to him). I love how both of these changes made the story both more compact and more interesting. I like the new pacing and the new sequence of poems at the end.

After those edits were made the manuscript was flowed into the layout. Now that the pages were 5 x 7, not 8.5 x 11--and the poems no longer fit on the pages. I’ve been through two sets of revisions with the new page size--both rounds after the ARC was printed. These changes resulted in the poems looking better on the page and flowing to a second page smoothly instead of haphazardly.

So, yes, just when I thought I was “done,” the process taught me that it could be even better.


When you aren't writing, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I have an appaloosa gelding named Mr. Pots and we like to dabble in dressage. I am also involved in the model horse hobby. I sculpt, paint and show minis (sculptures of horses about three inches tall.) Their saddles and bridles are much smaller than Mr. Pots’s.


What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

I hope to reach that special place in a reader’s heart--the place that makes you laugh and cry.


What's something surprising about yourself that most people wouldn't think was true?

I played co-ed ice hockey in college. I was put on defense because I could skate backwards--our team wasn’t very good--and our games were scheduled at 2 am, when no one else was using the rink.


If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? Why?

Wow. Good question. I guess it’d have to be something I haven’t read recently, but that I know is really good. I’ll go with Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon.


Where can we stay up to date about you and your novel?

My author page on facebook and my website are probably the best places to catch me:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Tregay/190704714306351 www.sarahtregay.com


Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

I would love to hear from you, please don’t hesitate to send me an e-mail via the contact form on my website.

Thanks Sarah for stopping by!!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Raised without television, I started writing my own middle grade novels after I had read all of the ones in the library. I later discovered YA books, but never did make it to the adult section. When I'm not jotting down poems at stoplights, I can be found hanging out with my "little sister" from Big Brothers Big Sisters or stressing over performance classes at a model horse show.

I have both a Bachelors and Masters of Fine Art in graphic design, and my obsession with typography and layout naturally translates into formatting poetry on the page.

I live in Eagle, Idaho with my husband, two Boston Terriers, and an appaloosa named Mr. Pots.

Author Interview: Courtney K. Walker

Courtney K. Walker
Website / Goodreads 

Books: 

• On the Fringe

Claire is struggling to overcome the murder of her childhood friend and secret crush, Daniel. Everyone else seems to be moving on with their lives, but she's still trying to cope. The fact that she finds herself alone and drowning on her 16th birthday isn't helping.


Neither is thinking she sees Daniel's face in murky water as she mysteriously resurfaces. But something happened during those four and a half minutes that will make her realize it was not just her imagination.


As Claire and Daniel try to grasp a possible reconnection, other grudge-holding beings have plans of their own. Now, the two of them have to decide if their fleeting relationship is worth the possibility of Claire being trapped on the fringe forever.


Beautifully told, On the Fringe intertwines fresh ideas about devotion, revenge, and the consequences that come with life and death.

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

Like going home.

How did the idea of On The Fringe come to you?

My then 12-year-old son and I brainstormed one summer afternoon, trying to come up with a fun paranormal story that he would like to read. Ghosts sounded most interesting…the idea of death separating two friends who never had the chance to explore anything beyond friendship.

The cover is gorgeous! What was your reaction when seeing it for the first time?

Thank you! I love it, too. My first reaction to Elena Kalis’ underwater photo was: I love how it captures a critical scene in the book, as well as the mood of the entire story. It feels beautiful and innocent, with the blues and pinks melting together, yet completely frightening at the way her body is sinking.

What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

Just to tell a great story that readers can connect to, and maybe even ask a few questions about themselves.

Quick! Can you share 5 random things about yourself?

I love baked goods. I’m claustrophobic. I wish I could cry more easily because I feel like a major disappointment. I had to get knee surgery after tearing my meniscus while playing Dance Dance Revolution on the X-box. I compose music.

If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? Why?

Impossible! That would be a very sad life.

If you could be anything in the world, what would you be? Why?

How about someone who could eat whatever she wants without any consequences and not wimp out when her husband takes her mountain biking?

Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

What I’ve been learning through this process of writing On the Fringe: We are all connected, whether we realize it or not, whether we want to be or not.

Thanks Courtney for stopping by!! 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

COURTNEY K. WALKER grew up in Walnut Creek, California, and with her siblings built rocket ships and rafts out of cardboard, determined to make it to both the moon and Niagara Falls. But a trip across the border to Tijuana was as exciting as it ever got.

After being banned from the kitchen after a few too many catastrophes, she discovered a love for writing, music and art. Eventually she decided on graphic design for a career, and earned her BFA from Brigham Young University.

After residing in St. Louis, Chicago and San Francisco, Courtney now lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and four children. She has yet to make it to Niagara Falls, but did give up on her quest to go to the moon...at least in a cardboard box.



 

Author Interview: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Jennifer L. Armentrout
Website / Blog / Twitter

Books:

• Half-Blood
• Pure (April 2, 2012)
• Deity (November 6, 2012)

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

The gods made a big mistake.


What has your road to publication been like?

I think it was fairly common. I started off completely naive about it. Wrote a book (the 1st draft of Half-Blood) and thought now I must go query. I learned that the first draft is not want you to try to get published. After several rewrites and revisions, I really started querying. Fielded rejections and requests right up until I was offered a contract for Half-Blood. By that time I'd already written two more books. Started writing Half-Blood in 2008 if that gives you an idea of how long it took.


The cover is gorgeous! What was your reaction when seeing it for the first time?

Thank you! I was really happy to see something so different from what we see on YA covers. I was really excited. And the cover actually plays into the book, so that makes me happy.


What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

That's such a hard question. I guess I hope to immerse readers in my own imagination, for them to be able to forget about things going on and live through my characters. That alone makes writing worth it.


What's something surprising about yourself that most people wouldn't think was true?

That I was a double major in college, Psychology and Sociology with a criminal justice track. Yeah, don't ask how I started writing YA Paranormal. I have no clue.


If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? Why?

Oh man, that's a tough one. I don't know if I could just pick one book. I guess a Soul Screamer novel. Preferably the new one.


Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

Thank you so much for giving Half-Blood a chance. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!


Thanks Jennifer for stopping by!!

Thanks for having me, Casey!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT lives in West Virginia. All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. Well, mostly.

When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write. She shares her home with her husband, his K-9 partner named Diesel, her hyper Jack Russell Loki, and her pet turtle called Michelangelo. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent her time writing short stories. Therefore explains her dismal grades in math.


She writes Adult and Young Adult Urban Fantasy and Romance. Half-Blood, the first book in a planned series, is her debut novel and is available October 2011.



 

Author Interview: Stasia Kehoe

Stasia Kehoe
Website / Blog / Twitter

Books: 

• Audition

When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent. 

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

The audition is only the first step... (Okay, that's seven words. Sorry. Hard question!)


What has your road to publication been like?

When I tell the short-form of the story--queried short-list of agents on a Monday, had four offers of representation within a week, agent with whom I signed sold my book in four days--people tell me that my road to publication has been ridiculously easy. The long-form involves decades of writing my own fiction at night while working by day for trade publishers, including Random House and currently Simon & Schuster. It involves attending many SCBWI conferences, joining critique groups, taking playwriting classes (highly recommend these for honing dialogue), and writing countless manuscripts that will never see the light of day. I think the first turning point for my writing came when I really began to grasp the concept of revision and found the discipline to stick with one story through MANY drafts. The second turning point was summoning up the courage to submit stuff. So, you know, my journey took two weeks plus twenty years!


The cover is gorgeous! What was your reaction when seeing it for the first time?

Before the book design process began, I had been living with Sara and Remington for a long time, watching them dance in my imagination. So that first moment of seeing a photograph of ACTUAL PEOPLE was very surreal. Honestly, the guy on the cover was much hotter than the Rem I envisioned (seriously, where did they find him?)! Once I caught my breath, though, I really liked the cover--especially the tension between the two characters and the way the designer floated bits of verse behind the photographic image.


What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

All I hope is that I have the opportunity to write more novels and that I give the process my best effort every day. The rest of it, honestly, is out of my hands.


What's something surprising about yourself that most people wouldn't think was true?

As a teen, I proclaimed that I would never marry, never have kids, and would live only for art. My husband and I just celebrated our nineteenth wedding anniversary surrounded by our four awesome kids, so I imagine folks who know me now would find this surprising. Lesson: Stay open-minded about your future and if a cute guy from your acting class invites you out for a drink, prepare to revise proclamations!


If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose? Why?

I love to read plays, so I would choose Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. Its theme--the relationship between artist and subject--fascinates me. It is one of the things I wanted to explore in AUDITION. I think it's cool that Shaw wrote a bunch of different endings to Pygmalion (as a now-chronic reviser, I totally get that). The play was also made into a musical, My Fair Lady, so (if no one's around to listen) I can sing the story, too!


Is there anything you would like to tell your readers?

For me, a novel comes to life in the interaction between writer and reader. The journey from the printed page through the eyes (or ears or fingertips) to the brain is eternally individual, unique and special. The narrative is a product of my words and the reader's personal experience. So, thank you for all that you bring to Audition by reading it!


Thanks Stasia!!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

STASIA WARD KEHOE grew up dancing and performing on stages from New Hampshire to Washington, DC. She now writes books for young adults and choreographs the occasional musical.

APPEARANCES

OCTOBER 13 from 8:30 - 10 PM
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Nightcapper Event
Holiday Inn Portland Airport, Portland, OR


OCTOBER 18 at 6 PM
AUDITION Launch Party at B&N Woodinville, WA!

OCTOBER 20 at 5 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour Kicks off its California at Mrs. Nelson's Book & Toy Shop, La Verne, CA

October 22 at 2 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Barnes & Noble Manhattan Beach, CA

OCTOBER 23 at 2 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

OCTOBER 26 at 7 PM
SCBWI Fall Inside Story at Sunset Hill Community Association, Ballard, WA
Meet lots of Western Washington authors and learn the stories behind their books!

November 3 at 7 PM
Stages on Pages touches down in the Pacific NW at The Secret Garden Bookshop, Seattle, WA

November 4 at 4 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA

November 5 at 4 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Orca Books, Olympia, WA

November 6 at 2 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at A Children's Place Bookstore in Portland, OR

November 10 at 6 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Books of Wonder, New York, NY

November 11 at 4 pm
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at The Voracious Reader, Larchmont, NY

November 12
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Dolphin Bookshop, Port Washington, NY

November 13 at 4 PM
Stages on Pages Book Tour stops at Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY

November 15
Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, NY, with Rosanne Parry


 

Author Interview: Mike Mullin

Mike Mullin
Website / Blog / Twitter 

Books:

• Ashfall

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Describe your book in 5 words or less.

Alex seeks family after supervolcano.


What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given about your writing?

The most helpful advice I’ve received accompanied an agent’s rejection of ASHFALL. Here’s a taste, “The tone of the book doesn’t seem to match the horror of the details you’re conveying. Even when things are at their bleakest, the tension doesn’t seem to fully ratchet up,” Jim McCarthy, Dystel & Goderich. Literary agents don’t owe unpublished writers anything. There’s no upside to offering this kind of useful criticism and a lot of downside. I’m still grateful to Jim for his generous advice—so much so that I mention him in the acknowledgements, and I named a (nice) character in his honor. If you’ve got an awesome manuscript, I recommend putting him at the top of your query list.


If Ashfall had a theme song, what would it be?

Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture played in reverse through a mixer that changes the tempo randomly throughout. It starts with a bang, ends in a sorrowful dirge (but with a note of hope), and in between it’s chaotic, scary, and sublime.


What do you hope to accomplish during your time as a writer?

I’d like to give my readers the gift that Heinlein, Asimov, Cormier, Blume, and Peck gave me: A few hours of diversion in a childhood that was sometimes kind of shitty. The opportunity to live other lives vicariously through their writing. A few new thoughts, and lots of familiar feelings.


Quick! Can you share 5 random things about yourself?

Five fun facts about me:
1. I keep a pet alligator in the guestroom bathtub. It’s really friendly with my wife’s three cats.
2. I earned a black belt in Songahm Taekwondo in April.
3. The broken arm I got in fourth grade was caused by an unfortunate run-in with a grizzly bear.
4. I shelve my books in binary. You can find The Story of Edgar Sawtelle under 010110100101010.
5. I’m not entirely sure what the word “fact” means, but I’ve got fun down to an art.


If you could travel back in time, what time and place would you choose? And if you can only take 3 things with you, what would you take?

Do I dare go all the way back to the Cretaceous Period? I guess I’d have to. The opportunity to see live dinosaurs, even if only briefly, would be too tempting to pass up.

What would I bring?
1. My brother-in-law. He’s a Sergeant Major, 3rd degree karate black belt, and explosives expert.
2. My father-in-law. I’m pretty sure I could outrun him, so he’d get eaten first.
3. A survival kit. Yep, I cheated there. Neener-neener.


If you have the chance to give one piece of valuable advice to your readers, what would it be?

Everything is temporary. If you’re feeling depressed, it will pass. If you’re feeling on-top-of-the-world, that will pass too. Live like you mean it.


Thanks Mike!!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MIKE MULLIN’s first job was scraping the gum off the undersides of desks at his high school. From there, things went steadily downhill. He almost got fired by the owner of a bookstore due to his poor taste in earrings. He worked at a place that showed slides of poopy diapers during lunch (it did cut down on the cafeteria budget). The hazing process at the next company included eating live termites raised by the resident entomologist, so that didn’t last long either. For a while Mike juggled bottles at a wine shop, sometimes to disastrous effect. Oh, and then there was the job where swarms of wasps occasionally tried to chase him off ladders. So he’s really hoping this writing thing works out.

Mike holds a black belt in Songahm Taekwondo. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife and her three cats. ASHFALL is his first novel.

Author Interview: Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

About the Authors

CARRIE JONES loves Great Pyrenees dogs, Skinny Cow fudgsicles, and potatoes. In addition to the New York Times bestsellers Need and Captivate and the third book in the series, Entice, Carrie is also the author of Girl, Hero; Love (and Other Uses for Duct Tape); and Tips on Having a Gay (Ex-)Boyfriend. Carrie grew up in Bedford, New Hampshire, where she once had a séance with uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.

Website / Blog / Twitter

STEVEN WEDEL is a high school English teacher, and lives with his wife and children in Oklahoma. He has written adult fantasy novels; this is his first book for young adults.

Website / Blog / Twitter

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Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.

Buy the Book

How did you two meet, anyway? Is it true this Wedel guy used black magic to lure Carrie to Oklahoma in 2008?

CARRIE: Actually author Melissa Marr set us up on a speed date at a conference in Oklahoma where we had to go around to tables talking to people for five minutes. Melissa said she put us together because we were both mellow and nice. Ha! We had her fooled. Oh! Wait, maybe that was part of the Wedelian black magic. Geesh! How did I not know?

STEVE: hehehe I love it when a plan comes together! Seriously, until I saw the schedule Melissa had put together, I didn’t have a clue who Carrie Jones was. But the chemistry was instantaneous. We developed a little introduction as we went table to table and just had a great time. Later, Carrie stole the fruit out of my beverage, though. I’m not sure I’m over that yet.


Carrie, you are a respected New York Times bestselling author. It probably came as no surprise to you to learn that Wedel had created some fantasy in which you would write a book with him. Why didn’t you simply report him to the police immediately when he continued to harass you? Do you feel you encouraged his demented obsession through your innocent e-mails?

CARRIE: Since I work as a part-time police dispatcher, I knew that the complaint about Wedel would not really be taken seriously. There were no explicit death threats involved. Since I was on my own without law enforcement back-up, I figured that I might as well just do it.

No, actually I was super excited to try to write a book with Steve. It seemed like a cool experiment. And if I failed, I got to fail WITH someone. That’s never happened before. I’m used to failing alone. How about you, Steve? Was it freaky writing YA instead of Adult?

STEVE: Oh, I’m used to failing alone. But then, I am older than you, Carrie. Writing YA wasn’t all that freaky, really. Getting used to first person present tense took a while, though.


Rumor has it Steve chained Carrie to a desk and forced her to write this novel. In an effort to end the torment, you both set a breakneck pace and finished the book in a very short time. Is that how it happened?

CARRIE: It took less than a month to write that first draft. Enough said. Although as supporting evidence, I do have chain marks on my ankles. Really, I’ve never had so much fun writing a book before. I’d check my email all the time muttering, “Has he sent a new chapter yet? What?! WHAT?!? No new chapter.” Then I’d rush out my chapter to see what would happen next.

It was kind of like when you have a crush on a boy and you really want him to text and he doesn’t and you’re like – come on! Come on!

It was probably the opposite for Steve. He was probably all, “NO! NOT ANOTHER CARRIE CHAPTER!” Was it? (Please say “no,” Steve. Please say “no.”)

STEVE: Not even close! I felt exactly the same. I couldn’t wait for that next chapter, and as soon as I got it I was inspired to write my next part right then. If something happened and I couldn’t write my chapter on the same day I got Carrie’s latest I was wracked with guilt and afraid she would need more time, or would withhold her chapter as punishment and I’d have to wait longer for it. Like she said, writing has never been so much fun.


Artistically speaking what did each of you contribute to this book? How is it different than the usual novel you write?

STEVE: Well, the most obvious answer is that the book is written in alternating points of view between Aimee, Carrie’s character, and Alan, my character. Carrie’s writing is very much character driven and very feminine. She sees a lot of detail that I tend to gloss over. I’d say this novel is much richer in detail and tone than anything I’ve done previously and I blame Carrie for that.

CARRIE: It is much quicker, much more plot-driven, and has a lot more testosterone in it. Steve puts a really man energy into his chapters and he’s so good at dialogue and flow. I was really lucky to write with him.


Wedel has been sighted wearing a cowboy hat and driving a 40-year-old pickup truck. Carrie, on the other hand, is an East Coast girl with a Mini Cooper. Is it possible that you both found shared ground upon which to build a plot? What are some of the commonalities and differences between the two of you?

STEVE: I think our politicians could learn a lot from me and Carrie. Sure, we have some differences, but our ultimate goals are pretty much the same. We both want to tell good stories that entertain and just maybe carry a positive message. We share an interest in the supernatural and Norse mythology and the plight of the modern teenager. To be honest, I didn’t really know how good Carrie was with the paranormal elements until we wrote this book. Need wasn’t published yet, remember. I figured I’d provide most of the chills, but she wrote a scene with a knife that stands my hair up every time I read it.

CARRIE: Dude. When your hair stands up on end you’re like 87 feet tall. Steve has long hair…. Really, really long hair.

Sorry. Back to the question.

Well, he is quite tall and I’m --- I’m not quite tall and he has a lot of facial hair and I – I DO NOT! I think the thing we have in common is that we both really care about people and stories and teens. I mean, Steve will become a huge stress monkey if something is wrong with one of his students or his kids, and I think that passion and caring and love of people comes out in both our writing despite our political, physical, and motor vehicle differences.


What reaction do you anticipate from your loyal fan base regarding this collaboration? Is it something they’re going to like? Will they pity you for what you’ve endured? Or will they simply ignore it?

STEVE: Hopefully Carrie’s fans won’t feel the need for pity. No residents of Maine were harmed in the creation of this book. Not physically, anyway. I think my fans will like it. I know my students will, and I’ll be thrilled to have a book school librarians will make available to high schoolers.

CARRIE: I hope they like it despite the fact that there are no pixies. They will all probably fall in love with Alan, the main character that Steve created, the way I did. Oh my gosh! You think they’ll ignore it? Hold on. I have to go panic now.


After Obsession features a girl in Maine and a boy who comes from Oklahoma. Are there other elements in the novel that mirror your lives or your relationships to your Okie or Mainiac collaborator?

CARRIE: Well, Steve is tall. Alan is tall. Steve is less politically correct than I am. Alan is like that too. Aimee and I both try to eat healthy and we both paint…… Um…… Wedel? Can you answer this one?

STEVE: Alan and Aimee learn a lot about each other, and that was true for me and Carrie as we worked together. I learned a lot about living in a small Maine town. Can you believe they really don’t have football in most Maine high schools? I know I worked in several details gleaned from my life as a high school teacher.


The concept of demonic possession is something you haven’t dealt with in your previous fiction. Did the idea for the novel come from your month-long captivity? Carrie, was it a feeling of helplessness as Wedel subjected you to a Southern drawl and stories about the high school students he tries to teach?

CARRIE: I think it came from Wedel because he is twisted like that.

STEVE: I honestly don’t remember. I remember there was a pretty short period where we kind of kicked around some pretty basic plot ideas. That was November 2008. Carrie was working on something for the National Novel Writing Month, so we agreed to start writing in December. Not being bound to NaNoWriMo, I went ahead and wrote a chapter, then confessed to what I’d done. Turns out, Carrie had done the same thing. So, I’m not sure who’s idea the possession was, but I guess I did the research on it as we got into the book.


Carrie, you are known for strong young female characters instrumental in solving their own problems, much like you allegedly gnawed through the chains and escaped Wedel. Has the revolving point of view used in After Obsession diluted the strength of Aimee, the female protagonist? And Steve, you are known for your horror and your detail. Did you find it hard to tone it down for this book?

CARRIE: No. I think by seeing her actions through Alan’s eyes it actually makes her stronger.

STEVE: In YA, even demons have to watch their language. Actually, the scary elements aren’t that toned down from my solo novels. And, I guess I’ve mellowed with age, because I’m not including as much graphic content in my other books as I used to.


Carrie, are you suffering from Stockholm Syndrome? Would you collaborate with Wedel again, or are you simply glad to be free? Steve, have you moved on to bigger and better authors to torment? What are your states of mind as After Obsession moves closer to publication?

CARRIE: I would love to experiment again, if he still wants me.

STEVE: Bigger and better? That would be hard to find. I’d write with Carrie again in a heartbeat. Maybe I wouldn’t even have to use that old black magic next time.

Author Interview: Caroline Bock

Caroline Bock

Books:

• Lie

Website / Blog / Buy the Book

Everybody knows, nobody’s talking. . . .

Seventeen-year-old Skylar Thompson is being questioned by the police. Her boyfriend, Jimmy, stands accused of brutally assaulting two young El Salvadoran immigrants from a neighboring town, and she’s the prime witness. Skylar is keeping quiet about what she’s seen, but how long can she keep it up?

But Jimmy was her savior. . . .

When her mother died, he was the only person who made her feel safe, protected from the world. But when she begins to appreciate the enormity of what has happened, especially when Carlos Cortez, one of the victims, steps up to demand justice, she starts to have second thoughts about protecting Jimmy. Jimmy’s accomplice, Sean, is facing his own moral quandary. He’s out on bail and has been offered a plea in exchange for testifying against Jimmy.

The truth must be told. . . .

Sean must decide whether or not to turn on his friend in order to save himself. But most important, both he and Skylar need to figure out why they would follow someone like Jimmy in the first place.

Describe your book in five words or less.

Teens. Hate. Race. Love. Lies.


Its said that Lie is inspired by true events. Is your writing based on personal experiences?

I live on Long Island where LIE takes place, but I often feel like an outsider looking in at life around me. But to your question: LiE was inspired by the murder of Marcelo Lucero in a town on Long Island, but not my town, as well as other murders of Hispanics in Brooklyn and rural Pennsylvania around the same time. All of these attacks on Hispanics made me think, "how could this happen here?" I think that question starts a lot of books.


If Lie had a theme song, what would it be?

"Stop Children What's That Sound?"


What's the best piece of advice you ever received about your writing?

Read aloud what you write. Specifically, read it aloud to yourself. Hear the voices you're writing. LIE has ten distinct characters -- all written in first person -- so there was a lot of reading aloud in my house.


Quick! Can you share 5 random things about yourself?

I am not that quick or random:)


If you could be any character in a book for a day, who would you be? Why?

Whatever I'm writing, I feel like I'm that character.


If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would you choose and why?

Shakespeare's Sonnets. They are beautiful when read aloud. I memorize them. They stay in your soul forever.


What are some of you goals as a writer?

To write every day. To have another book published (and I'm working on both!).


Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

Read LIE and think of what you would have done in that situation -- would you tell the truth -- or lie? As on of the characters in the novel, Lisa Marie, says repeatedly, "Everybody knows, nobody's talking." What would you do? Say nothing? Lie? Or be the only one to come forward and tell the truth?


Thanks so much Caroline for stopping by!!

Author Interview with Holly Schindler + Giveaway

Holly Schindler

Books:

Playing Hurt
A Blue So Dark

Website / Blog / Twitter / Buy the Book

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Star basketball player Chelsea “Nitro” Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone’s admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

As a graduation present, Chelsea’s dad springs for a three-week summer “boot camp” program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she’s immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who’s haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for
Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?

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Describe PLAYING HURT in five words or less.
Steamy summer romance between athletes.


Did you always know you wanted to be a writer, or did you just kind of fall into it?

I always knew—decided shortly after birth, I think. I was already writing short stories when I was about seven—seated at my child-sized rolltop desk! I illustrated them and bound them with ribbon…


When writing, what is your preferred method—longhand, on a typewriter, or on a computer? Why?

I typically write a bunch on notes, sketches, outlines, in a spiral-bound notebook (I always say those notebooks are the world’s most perfect laptops). But rather than writing the book out in notebooks, I type it on one of those NEO AlphaSmarts—it runs on AA batteries, and has no Internet capabilities—so no distractions! I can write anywhere on the thing—it’s pretty durable—and then it just transfers to my computer (I don’t have to retype that draft…though I do plenty of retyping as I revise)…


What advice would you give people who “run out of creativity” when writing?

Use it or lose it. Really—the more you write, the more creative juice you make! You really do get in this groove when you write every single day—and one idea sort of leads to another, another…


What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Are there daily writing goals you set?

I keep really long hours—anywhere from eight to as many as twelve hours a day writing. I usually think of my work in terms of pages, rather than words, and I usually set just crazy goals—Revise 100 pages today, for example. Those nearly-impossible goals really help propel me forward.


What is one question that you’ve always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Thing is, bloggers have been so incredible about these interviews…I’ve been asked so many questions that surprised me, that I really did have to think about…One thing I’ve done quite a bit that I’ve loved are character interviews. I think that’s such an inventive way to talk about a book. Love those…


Quick! Can you share 5 random things about yourself?

1. I am the best dog spoiler on the PLANET.
2. I taught piano and guitar lessons as I worked on my earliest manuscripts.
3. I am terribly nearsighted—20/700 vision—and when I was younger, I used to pick out the ugliest glasses ever in an attempt to guilt my mom into getting me contacts. Yeah. Didn’t work.
4. I’m a big live music fanatic, and met just about every hair band musician in the late 80’s, early 90’s.
5. Though my second novel is about a couple of athletes, I’m really not athletic at all—I think I could fall around corners!


What do you like to do in your spare time, when you are not writing?

I generally refer to music as my “refresh” button—whether it’s listening or playing. I also spend so much time glued to my computer screen that I’ll also jump at just about any chance to get outside in the sunshine. For some reason, I’m drawn to the water—even some muddy old creek. I tend to think a house on the lake would be heaven…


If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Probably a literature professor. My original goal in college was to get my PhD…after I got my master’s, though, I just HAD to give the full-time writing career my all. The PhD is on the bucket list, though…


Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

I’d just like to say thank you. Those of you who have read my work, put up blog posts, sent me emails to tell me you loved my book, I just can’t tell you how special all that is to me…You guys are the absolute best…


Thanks so much Holly Schindler for stopping by!

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HOLLY SCHINDLER dove headfirst into her writing pursuits after obtaining her MA from Missouri State University in 2001. Having penned a pile of drafts that literally stretched to the ceiling of her office, she was thrilled to release her debut novel, A Blue So Dark, with Flux in 2010. A Blue So Dark received a starred review in Booklist, was named one of Booklist's Top 10 First Novels for Youth, became a finalist for ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year, and won a gold medal in the IPPY Awards. Her second novel, Playing Hurt, released March 8,
2011.

Thanks to Holly, I have a copy of Playing Hurt to gievaway.

Official Contest Information:
- fill out the form below to enter
- contest deadline is July 15, 2011
- must be 13 years of age or older
- contest open to US only

Author Interview: Anastasia Hopcus

Anastasia Hopcus

Books:

• Shadow Hills

Website / Blog / Buy the Book

His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her.

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

Describe your book in five words or less.

YA mystery with paranormal twist

When and why did you begin writing?

I've always loved to read, and I wrote short stories throughout high school---both for class and just for fun. Still, I didn't get serious about being an author until I decided to move back home from LA. I really loved Los Angeles, so that's where I set the first novel I worked on when I got back to Austin. It gave me a feeling of being there, but without the exorbitant rent. That first book didn't pan out, but I did end up making the main character in Shadow Hills from Los Feliz, the exact area where I used to live.

What was the research process for Shadow Hills like for you?

Fun. I loved learning about boarding schools, and though the science aspects were a little harder to wrap my mind around at first, I really enjoyed surprising people at parties with my new knowledge of myelin, neuroplasticity, and many other brain things I can't recall anymore. I also adored traveling around Massachusetts and taking pictures of the cool old cemeteries and buildings from the 1700s. There's nothing that old in Austin; it's really kind of magical standing in a house and knowing that someone stood in that same place in 1660. Massachusetts is such a beautiful state with such a rich history, and I would love to live in the Berkshires some day.

What do you like to do in your spare time, when you are not writing?

I'm a huge fan of music so I spend a lot of my free time looking for new bands or going to live shows. I try to make it to SXSW every year, which is just a week of awesome.

I also watch way too much TV on DVD. I get totally addicted to a show and will watch a whole disc in one sitting. I've even watched entire seasons in less than a week.

And I love doing Sing Star at my house, though I'm petrified to do karaoke at an actual bar with strangers watching me. Yikes.

If you could travel back in time, what time and place would you choose? And if you can only take 3 things with you, what would they be?

I would travel to Lake Geneva in Switzerland during the summer of 1816. I'd love to see what all went on during the period in which Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron first met. I'd take documentation of the sales of Frankenstein through the years to show to Mary (though maybe not---that might freak her out and leave her unable to write it), a digital camera so I could prove I was there, and my boyfriend Brent because it just wouldn't be as much fun without him.

What book are you currently reading?

I'm finishing up The Secret History by Donna Tartt, which I've been rereading, and then I'm going to start The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride.

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Thanks so much Anastasia for stopping by!

Author Interview: Rhonda Hayter

Rhonda Hayter

Books:

• The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams

Website / Buy the Book

Abbie Adams and her family come from a long line of witches, and she’s having a tough time keeping it a secret from her best friend and the rest of her school, especially the day her little brother morphs into a wolf and tries to eat his teacher. That’s also the day her father brings home a kitten.

But when Abbie looks into the kitten’s eyes, she realizes there’s a boy in there! He’s under a spell and soon the whole family bands together to rescue him.

They are shocked to realize he’s none other than the young Thomas Edison, and if they don’t save him fast, he’ll never change the world with his inventions.

My book in five words or less?

Magic means trouble. Who knew?


When and why did I begin writing?

When my older boy was 10 and my little guy was 7, I finally got five minutes to myself. So I did something I always wanted to do. I wrote a book.


What advice would I give to people who “run out of creativity” while writing?

Hmm. Well, I guess they could do what I always do...stare at the screen in despair, get up and do laundry, tidy the house, play a thousand games of Internet Scrabble, go out and buy chocolate... and then sit down and write something...anything...no matter how terrible...until an idea finally comes.


Are there any books and/or authors that I feel have influenced my writing? If so what are they?

When I was a kid my mom had a beautiful, hard copy edition of Little Women that had been hers when she was young. I read it and its sequel Little Men about ten kajillion times and I loved the character of Jo, who wanted to be a writer when she grew up. I knew that Jo was Louisa May Alcott’s alter-ego and that she really did become a writer, so I guess that’s what first made me realize it was something that was possible to do.


If I could travel back in time, what time and place would I choose? And if I could only take three things with me what would they be?

It’s funny that you ask me that because my character Abbie Adams does travel back in time and she gets to visit places I’d like to, like Greece for the Original Olympics and Philadelphia for the signing of the Declaration of Independence. She’s not allowed to bring anything with her though, poor thing. So let me see what I’d like to have. Um. Well, I gotta say, it’s mighty hard to think about living without a computer—pounding on those old typewriters had to have taken forever, especially with all the mistakes I make, so my computer would be number one. And number two, I’d have to have my glasses because I wouldn’t be able to see a thing otherwise. Number three? I’d make sure I had a warm sweater because you just never know about those drafty old places without central heat.


Is there anything I’d like to say to your readers?

I hope you have as much fun with my Abbie as I did.

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Thanks Rhonda for stopping by!

Author Interview: Judith Graves

Judith Graves

Books:

• Under My Skin

Website / Blog / Buy the Book

All her parents wanted was for Eryn to live a normal life...

Redgrave had its share of monsters before Eryn moved to town. Mauled pets, missing children. The Delacroix family is taking the blame, but Eryn knows the truth. Something stalks the night. Wade, the police chief's son and Redgrave High's resident hottie, warns her the Delacroix are dangerous. But then so is Eryn--in fact, she's lethal.

But she can't help falling for one of the Delacroix boys, dark, brooding--human Alec. And then her world falls apart.

A normal life? Now that's the real fairytale.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer, or did you just kind of fall into it?

I love to exaggerate and add drama to any situation. Writing is the perfect outlet for an attention seeker like me. Well, except all the hours spent alone in my office cut off from the world...


If you weren't a writer, what would you be?

In therapy and/or heavily drugged.


What is the hardest part of writing for you? What's the easiest?

Coming up with ideas—way too easy. Staying with them to THE END...that's the tough part.


What advice would you give people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

The first draft doesn't have to be creative. Get the ideas down in whatever Dick-and-Jane way you can, and take the story to a logical conclusion. Chuck the manuscript in a drawer for a few weeks. Brace yourself, then take it out for some air. Trust me, you'll see lots of room for creativity.


What do you like to do in your spare time, when you are not writing?

I watch seasons of shows on DVD. I'm on Angel season two right now. I drag friends to our local Karaoke bar, and my two nutbar labrador retrievers drag me around the neighbourhood.


Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Why?

Kitty Keswick has a fun werewolf story, Freaksville, that was just released in January. I tell you I ate that book up. ;) She's a fellow Class of 2k10 debut author (www.classof2k10.com) and is also with my publisher, Leap Books (www.leapbks.com). Okay, so we also co-write the Wolfy Chicks blog together. You should check it out: http://wolfychicks.blogspot.com


What genre do you enjoy reading? Do you limit yourself to reading only the genre that you write?

I do read a ton of paranormals, both YA and adult (Rosemary Clement-Moore, Catherine Jinks, Gail Carriger, Melissa Marr, Holly Black, Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong). However I'm huge into contemporary/edgy YA (Laurie Halse Anderson, K.L. Going, Libba Bray, Rachel Cohn). I adore Neil Gaiman's Sandman saga and Beill Willingham's Fables series of graphic novels. (I'm sure I'll find the secret entrance to Fabletown when I tour NYC with my fellow Class of 2k10 authors in May!)


What is one question that you've always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Do you want fries with that? Yes. Always fries. Never salad. ;)


Is there anything else you would like to say?

Thanks so much for letting me hang with you!

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Thanks Judith!

Author Interview: Jen Nadol

Jen Nadol

Books:

• The Mark

Website / Blog / Buy the Book

Cassandra Renfield has always seen the mark—a glow around certain people reminiscent of candlelight. But the one time she mentioned it, it was dismissed as a trick of the light. Until the day she watches a man awash in the mark die. After searching her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person’s imminent death. Not how or where, only when: today.

Armed with a vague understanding of the light, Cassie begins to explore her “gift,” seeking those marked for death and probing the line between decision and destiny. Though she’s careful to hide her secret—even from her new philosophy-obsessed boyfriend—with each impending death comes the temptation to test fate. But so many questions remain. How does the mark work? Why is she the only one who sees it? And finally, the most important of all: If you know today is someone’s last, should you tell them?

Describe your book in five words or less.

Should you share the ultimate secret? Omg, I just could NOT get it to five words. Clearly, I need an editor!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer, or did you just kind of fall into it?

Always, but I kind of forgot for a while. I wrote on and off in high school, majored in Lit in college, always thinking I’d write. Then, I graduated and wound up in a corporate-type job to pay the bills. It was only after I left to stay home with kids that I remembered I’d really meant to be a writer.

Approximately, how long did it take you to write The Mark?

About 9 months for a first draft, a few months of editing, then MANY more months of editing as I started getting agent rejections, some with feedback. All in, about three years from first word to agent-offer.

If you could travel back in time, what time and place would you choose? And if you can only take 3 things with you, what would they be?

This is so hard because if I could really do this, I feel like I’d have to pick a moment in history where I could change things for the better. But then there’s the whole question of what you make worse in the future by changing part of the past. I’m going to take the easy way out and go to turn-of-the-century NYC with a camera, laptop (that magically works there), and some money to get around and be an observer rather than participant.

Why did you choose to write for young adults?

That’s the part I fell in to. I didn’t realize The Mark was YA until an agent I’d subbed to (who rejected) told me she thought it might be. It was the whole cartoon-light-bulb thing: *of course* it was YA! And so is every one of my ideas for future books! Duh.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Thanks so much for having me. I hope you enjoy The Mark!

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Thanks so much Jen for stopping by!