I have a treat for you guys today! I had the great pleasure of interview April Lindner, author of the novels Catherine and Jane, among others. As a reader with a penchant for historical fiction, I can totally appreciate her rich storytelling and bringing the classics alive in today's world. I had the chance to ask her a few questions about her newest novel, Catherine, based upon Wuthering Heights. So, without further ado, here's April!

1. There is a careful balance of new and old in Catherine. How did you choose to balance the historical nature of Wuthering Heights in this modern-day adaptation?

The challenge was to imagine a character like Catherine Earnshaw into the present, to picture what she would be like if she lived in our time. Coming of age in the late 1980s, my Catherine doesn’t have to marry a man with money and status to preserve her social status the way Bronte’s character did. Instead she’s faced with a more modern dilemma: must she give up her own dream of attending Harvard so she can stay with the guy she loves, whose own dreams and ambitions are quite different? Like Catherine Earnshaw, my Catherine tries to have it both ways, with similarly disastrous results.

2. You chose to feature dual perspectives between Chelsea and her mother, Catherine, in this novel. How did you distinguish their two viewpoints and make them original in such a classically remade story?

I’ve always felt that the multigenerational story line is really important in Wuthering Heights. Catherine’s daughter learns to love unselfishly, without pride, and the younger generation redeems the cruelties of the older one. So I felt it was really important to have two narrators and to interweave their stories, making each bear equal weight.

Though my Catherine and her daughter Chelsea look eerily like each other and share a certain spunkiness, Catherine is confident, with very specific ideas about her future and her place in the world. Chelsea is much less sure of herself. She’s also a bit angry; she’s grown up without a mother, and she’s still figuring out who she is.

3. What inspired you to remake a classic such as Wuthering Heights, which elicits extreme emotions on very opposite ends of the spectrum?

To be completely honest, I don’t think I realized exactly how polarizing Wuthering Heights is until I sent Catherine out into the world and started paying attention to the reaction. I hear from people who passionately love Emily Bronte’s novel and from others who are just as passionately repulsed by it. Of course I’m in the camp that loves the novel’s intensity and narrative complexity. As for Cathy and Heathcliff, they certainly aren’t role models, but their bad behavior grows out of the cruelty they’ve had to live with.

I like to think Catherine stands on its own, and might be enjoyed even by readers in the anti-Wuthering Heights camp. I’m a pretty mild mannered person, and though I originally set out to recreate some of the brutality in Bronte’s novel, I wound up with characters who are, I think, more on the likeable side. Hence, my Heathcliff character, has moments of being selfish and unkind, but by the book’s end we also see his bravery and loyalty.

4. When you create a modern day retelling such as Catherine, do you try to stay true to the original tale, or do you work to carve your own little niche for the story?

I try to do both. I want to get at the heart of the original story, to convey some of the emotion at the heart of the source material. But I also want to make something new that can stand on its own.

5. Do you have plans to write any more retellings any time soon? Care to share?!

Absolutely! I recently finished my third novel, Love, Lucy, a retelling of E. M. Forster’s A Room With a View. My Lucy is an American seventeen-year-old who falls for a street musician while backpacking through Florence, Italy, an encounter that changes the way she sees her life back home. The book is due out from Poppy in late 2014.

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Thank you so much for dropping by to answer some questions, April! I'm definitely looking forward to your next book. To all my lovely readers: have you read either Catherine or Jane? What was your take on these books?

Title: Once We Were
Author: Kat Zhang (Twitter. Facebook)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: September 17, 2013
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Pages: 352

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.

Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.

Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

I am SO excited today to have the amazing Kat Zhang on the blog as part of the final leg of the Once We Were blog tour! Kat took some time out of her busy day to answer some of my most pressing questions because I'm super demanding like that...so, here goes nothing!

1. The theory of dual souls in one body is both original and compelling. What, if anything specific, inspired the plight of Eva and her soul sister, Addie?

Thanks! I don't know if anything specific inspired their situation. I just got to wondering about the idea of being stuck in your own body. We all have an "inner monologue," so to speak, or a "conscience." What if that voice in the back of your head were a real, other being? What would it be like to be her, living and yet not living? The rest of the story really developed from that :)

2. If you lived in the world of Addie and Eva, do you think you'd be the dominant one soul, or would you be the one that settles, and why?

I dunno! Considering that recessive souls tend to disappear, I guess I'd rather be the dominant one :P However, in their world, I don't believe that the dominant/recessive divide is based on traits of the souls themselves. One is simply marked recessive from the beginning. Sometimes, a recessive soul can be tenacious enough to overcome its fate, but there was nothing it could do to avoid being marked in the first place. It's really a toss of the coin--or genes, as the case may be.

3. In ONCE WE WERE, we're offered a beautiful, touching romance, but it's complicated by the fact that Eva and Addie share the same body. What do you think the most challenging aspect of such a romance would be (besides the obvious)?

I think many of the challenges would be based on one's idea of "normal." Obviously, being in a relationship like this would be incredibly weird for most of us, because we're a part of a society that views certain kinds of relationships as normal. Hybrids would find it pretty difficult to conform to that kind of normality, but luckily for most of them (unfortunately, not our protagonists!), they were raised in a completely different kind of community--one where being hybrid is not unusual, and the kind of life people are expected to have is different.

4. If you had to choose a favourite soul between Eva and Addie, who would you choose and why?

That's like asking for a favorite child! ;) Well, I chose to write from Eva's point of view, and at the end of the day, I do think this series is, to a certain degree, more her story than Addie's (which isn't to say that Addie doesn't have her own story--just that it's Eva's that's explored more in the text). I empathize with both of them. Both are trying to figure out a lot of things in a really tough situation, and they both make mistakes and need each other, in the end, to balance themselves out.

5. If you could describe ONCE WE WERE in just five words, what would they be and why?

Choice, Precipice, Expansion, Discovery, Mistakes

Explaining too in-depth would be spoiler-y, but ONCE WE WERE is definitely a time for Eva and Addie to learn more about their world (and the one beyond it) and themselves. They're faced with a number of tough decisions, and they struggle with being (and becoming) the kind of people they want to be.

6. The drama really amps up in this second installment of the Hybrid Chronicles series. Can we expect a TON more drama before we see any resolution?

An entire bookful ;)

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And now, here's the best part. Because of the amazing folks at HarperTeen, I was lucky enough to score two ARCs of Once We Were. I'm offering up one (1) ARC internationally to one lucky reader! This giveaway will end promptly at midnight EST on 9/26/13. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. Good luck!

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Today, I'm super excited to welcome debut YA author, Jennifer H. Lyne to the blog to promote her brand new book, Catch Rider, which was released by Clarion Books on June 4, 2013. I actually reviewed the book today, too, and you can view the review HERE.

The beautiful thing about Catch Rider is that it's less of a book about horses and more of a book about horse people. Jennifer took some time out of her busy day to answer a few of my questions about the book and some of her inspirations. Plus, be sure to keep reading for a giveaway of this great book!

1. In Catch Rider, you immerse the reader in what might otherwise been an unfamiliar world of horses and horseback riding. What sort of research did you have to do to make the story feel this authentic for the reader?

I grew up around horses, so most of the things I wrote about I already knew, but I did research to confirm them. One is example is Sid pulling the tooth out of the horse’s mouth. My friend Sandi Hooper Melnyk who lives in Ashland, Virginia, pulled a horse’s tooth that way when I was at the barn with her. I don’t remember what tools she used, but I do remember her squirting water from a plastic bike bottle in the horse’s mouth afterward, which still makes me laugh. In other cases, I had to go back and research. I didn’t show in the Maclay competition, so I did some reading on what kinds of courses they use, what the course requirements are, etc. I like doing research a lot, and I didn’t want horse people to read the book and find inaccuracies. I’m sure there are some in there, but I did my best.

2. Sid has a bit of a tough edge to her that can be misconstrued as cockiness. How did you balance her naivety with her resilient personality to ultimately make her likeable for readers?

Sid acts cocky, but people who do that are insecure. That behavior can hide deep uncertainty and fear of abandonment. I took the chance that some readers would not get this, or that they would get it and be turned off anyway. When I was trying to sell this story as a script in Hollywood, I was told that she was not likeable enough, and that I should make her more of an Everygirl protagonist, but I made the calculated decision to reject that advice. At some point, as a writer, you have to decide for yourself why you’re doing it in the first place, and what you want to say. Are you doing it to please people and make money, or are you doing it because you like to deal with reality, which is complicated.

3. What made you decide to use the first person point of view for Catch Rider?

I decided to use the first person after I had written 60 pages in third person, sold the book and was trying to finish it. I was having trouble feeling connected, like it was too forced, and the extra effort was not helping the story. So, I wrote it as though she was doing a long diary entry, and then the writing became really fun.

4. If you could describe Catch Rider in just five words, what would those words be?

Rocky wakes up in Covington.

5. Catch Rider wraps up very quickly and neatly at the end. Can readers hope to hear more from Sid's story? Why, or why not?

I wrapped it up more quickly than my editor would have liked. I like it when a movie ends and I’m staring at the screen thinking, “What?! That’s it?” Did you ever see the movie All the President’s Men? It’s before our time, but everyone should watch it. The director chopped of the entire third act! It’s kind of awesome. To answer your question, I’m not done with Sid, and there are going to be some surprises.

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And now...the giveaway! I'm offering up my ARC of Catch Rider to spread the word (and the fanfare) about this book. This giveaway is open internationally, and will end one week from today. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter to enter!

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Guys, I'm insanely excited today because I get to participate in an incredible promotional tour for Daisy Whitney's stellar new young adult contemporary novel, When You Were Here, which releases tomorrow, June 4, from Little, Brown. In case you missed it, check out my review of this awesome book here.

This was such an exceptional read for me and, as someone who has notoriously suffered from a general aversion to the contemporary genre, I think it's safe to say it means something when a book really makes me feel something. So, without further ado, please enjoy Daisy Whitney's awesome interview about the character of Holland, a complex, tricky and, ultimately, heart-winning character.

Q: Holland, though a secondary character, plays an extremely important role in Danny's emotional healing. How did you balance Danny's healing process with that of Holland's?

Her healing process comes in what’s unseen and what she’s gone through over the last year before the story starts. When we meet her, she’s already begun to heal and that’s why she’s able to reach out to Danny many times, even though he’s not ready for her for a long time. But they both need to restitch themselves from the past wounds if they have a chance of being together.

Q: When writing Holland's character, did you know immediately that you wanted her to be a driving force behind Danny's journey to find peace, or did that sort come about along the way?

I always intended When You Were Here as a story about the kind of once-in-a-lifetime love you can find when you’re a teenager, so yes, Holland was always part of the plan, and even though her character changed in revisions, my endgame for her was always the same. (Readers can find out what that endgame is!)

Q: Holland could easily have become a jaded shell of a character after the circumstances she has to endure. How did you manage to keep her relatable, sympathetic and every bit as worthwhile as the protagonist, Danny?

It wasn’t always easy! She was a bit of a flippant, flirty, cold-fish-hot-fish in the first draft! But by diving into the backstory of when they were first together and showing more of those scenes, I was able to get at the heart of her character and why she fell in love with Danny. But since Danny doesn’t always see what’s in front of him, she needs to try harder to connect with him and she does that by going to his house, by offering to cover for him if he wants to skip graduation, by bringing him Chinese takeout, by trying to tell him why she broke up with him (though he cuts her off), and by continuing to reach out while he is in Tokyo.

Q: Holland is actually a very brave and selfless character, but we don't immediately see these traits. What was the meaning behind leading us to believe one thing, then revealing more and more later?

Because that’s how Danny experiences her. Because the truth of why she left is explosive and has been hidden from him intentionally.

Q: Is Holland's persona based on someone in real life, or was she simply the perfect counterpart for our broken protagonist?

Holland started with an idea, an archetype - the girl next door that the boy is madly in love with. She was molded and sharpened from that clay, but at heart, she is the girl who has always cared for Danny ever since they were kids, and the girl who still cares for him.

And, for your viewing pleasure, here is a never-before-seen video of Daisy in Japan!


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Last, but certainly not least, the generous folks at Little, Brown and Daisy Whitney have offered up five finished copies of When You Were Here for my lucky readers. This awesome giveaway is open to all residents of the US (no PO Boxes, please!) Simply fill out the Rafflecopter to enter! 

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I read a lot of books, but sometimes there is a book that stands head and shoulders above the rest in its genre. Recently for me, that book was The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. I've been raving about it since I finished, so I was SO excited to be asked to participate in the awesome tour coordinated by Cindy from Books Complete Me. So, I had the great honour and privilege of interviewing the lovely Michelle...so much fun! Be sure to visit all the tour stops to see the other awesome features they have in store for you! 

An Interview with Michelle Hodkin

Twitter. Facebook. Website.

1. Describe The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer in five words or less, please!

Dark, sexy, disturbing psychological thriller.

2. Part of what I loved most was the fact that Mara was still a bit of a mystery to me after the entire book. Did you intend for the reader to have a full grasp on her character, or did you want to make her a bit hazy?

What I wanted was for Mara to feel real, like someone who actually exists. And real people are complicated—we sometimes laugh when we want to cry, we might insult someone we actually want to kiss. Real people change. What’s challenging and beautiful about the YA perspective is that it captures the age when people become who they really are. In THE UNBECOMING, I wanted readers to witness the very beginning of that process for a girl when she starts to realize she isn’t necessarily who she thought she was. And by the end of the series, my hope is that readers will have a more fully realized sense of not just who she is, but who she isn’t. For now, though, readers are limited because Mara’s own self-knowledge in THE UNBECOMING isn’t that extensive yet. What you know is what Mara knows, and Mara knows some things but not everything, and that was very much intentional.

3. Noah Shaw pretty much stepped out of every girl's fantasy...where in the world did he come from, and how in the world can we expect more from him in book two?

To tell you the truth, once I knew who Mara was, which happened in the span of an hour or two before I began writing the book, I knew who Noah had to be. For better or worse, I couldn’t have written him differently, for reasons that will become apparent later.

Speaking of later, I really, really can’t tell you anything about the sequel yet, even though I’m dying to share it, but I can say that Noah is very much in it.

4. Speaking of book two...when can we expect to start hearing more...like, perhaps, the title?

I don’t know! But I do think it more information will probably start filtering out after THE UNBECOMING is released…

5. There are annoying, cloying cliffhangers, and then there is the aptly titled "Cliffhanger of Doom" that we see in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. How did you know that was the right moment to end the book?

Oh, cliffhangers. I have to tell you, as a reader, I suffer just as much as the next person when the series books I adore end with cliffhangers! And actually, I went through a few different endings for THE UNBECOMING before settling on the ending it does have. The bottom line was that the other endings didn’t work; either they ended at an earlier point in the story’s timeline, leaving even the central question of the novel—whether something is happening to Mara Dyer—unresolved, or they ended at an even later point, which would have resolved some questions but would have introduced many, many more (and would have led to the book becoming a 700-800 page monster). THE UNBECOMING ended the way it had to, so while it’s tough for readers who are dying to know what’s next—and thank GOODNESS for you guys! I’m so glad you care!—there’s really no other way it could have been written.

6. Your writing is equal parts conversational and descriptive. How do you choose to balance the two, and does it affect how you paint a character or a scene?

I kind of love this question, because for better or worse, my novels start as rough screenplays; I write most of the dialogue first and then fill it in with description. In some cases, I’ve even developed scenes out of bits of dialogue that I found myself writing. It makes me super happy to know that you find the novel descriptive because I always worry about not being descriptive enough.

For THE UNBECOMING, my first readers were helpful in letting me know when the balance was off. In an early draft of the book, I hadn’t even described Croyden, Mara’s new school. I remember the moment and the email from my youngest brother telling me I had to include that. Since then, I think I’ve become better able to tell when I’m going overboard in one way or another. At least, I hope so! And I’m glad you liked the balance :D

7. It's a cliche a question, but what (if anything) sparked the idea of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer?

The very short answer is that was inspired by true events. The long answer is going to be posted on www.maradyer.com when it goes live.

8. In The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, you give the reader enough to set a scene and get to know the characters, but you somehow keep us from knowing too much. How do you filter what information you give the reader and when you do so?

This is always a really difficult balance to strike, but one of the things I tried very hard to do was to stay painstakingly, firmly in Mara’s perspective throughout the whole novel. Every observation is colored from her point of view—how she views her mother, her school, Rachel, her brothers, Noah, the weather—everything. Because every human being sees the world and the people in it differently; we view everything that happens to us through a unique lens, and we process the information we learn from what we see in our own way. In that way, we’re all unreliable narrators; if someone asks me what brussel sprouts are, and I answer “a disgusting vegetable,” that’s a highly subjective opinion and one that can’t necessarily be trusted. So to, if someone asks Mara about needles, she won’t give you the same answer that an acupuncturist would. And if you ask her about Anna, a girl at school she thinks isn’t so nice, she’d be likely to give you a very different answer than Anna’s mother would.

Which is why the events that occur in the plot unfold the way that they do—everything that happens colors and affects Mara’s perspective, which affects the way she tells her story. An example: there’s an exchange between Mara and her older brother, Daniel, at one point in the novel where Mara starts to bemoan how easy everything is for him and how he’s going to get accepted to every internship he applies to. And Daniel basically calls her out for not working as hard as she should to get the same results. Does Mara see it that way? No. But Daniel’s right anyway; sometimes we don’t want to acknowledge the more unflattering aspects of our personalities…and sometimes we overacknowledge them, and emphasize them. And because of that, I think that everything that is and isn’t included in her telling says a lot about her without explicitly telling the reader what to think. That was was my hope, anyway.

9. If you can only pick one character in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer to be your favourite, who would you choose, and why? (If you choose Noah, I will fight you for him, and yes, I bite.)

I could never pick just one—that would be like picking a favorite pet or a favorite child! But I always enjoy writing Daniel, Joseph, and Jamie. They don’t give me trouble the way Mara and Noah often do—though I love them just as much.

10. My token throwaway question - Michelle, is there anything you'd like to tell your readers?

Thank you for picking up this very strange story. Thank you for talking about it. It means more to me than I can can say.

Now, for those of you that didn't know, each tour stop is posting a letter or character that makes a complete phrase from the book. It's a very important phrase, but even if you haven't read the book, you should be able to figure this one out. Click on the links to each post to find the correct letter and once you have the phrase figured out, fill out THIS FORM. Ends 9/30 at midnight. So, without further ado, my letter is...

Be sure to click HERE to check out all the tour stops and collect all the letters to earn your chance to win! If you've already forgotten, click HERE to fill out the form! Good luck!

I got Megan McCafferty's new book, Bumped, through the Cornucopia of Dystopia blog tour, and was extremely excited by the newest addition to the YA dystopian genre. Unfortunately, Bumped was not my favourite book, despite my fangirl-esque take on Megan's Jessica Darling series.

After some communication back and forth, Megan was kind enough to offer to answer questions specifically regarding my qualms with Bumped. It's quite probably the most insightful author interview I've ever had, and I truly thank her for her generous answers and understanding and respect of my review.

While Bumped was not for me, I highly recommend you seek the book out yourself to form your own opinion of the book. After all, that's the beauty of the book blogosphere - we all have our own opinions, and who knows...someone's least favourite might be someone's new favourite.

1. In a dystopian genre that's fast-becoming filled with unique stories, what do you think sets Bumped apart from the rest?

There aren’t too many satirical YA novels. BUMPED is a send-up of the extreme thinking that fuels the culture wars.

2. Bumped displays an extraordinary amount of slang and foreign terminology in the first few chapters, only relaxing about halfway through the book. What do you think this slang should lend to the reader?

I love playing with words. The slang is intentionally over-the-top, much of it playing off of t-shirt slogans like “my eggo is preggo” found on mommy-to-be blogs. I also appreciate when an author doesn’t resort to info dumping and allows readers to figure things out as they go along. Yet I understand how the first chapters might be confusing or annoying for some readers…I just hope not to the point that they give up on the book altogether.

I want readers to consider the influence of language on culture and vice versa. Both Melody and Harmony have been (nearly) brainwashed by their belief systems and the most obvious impact is on how they communicate. When in doubt, Harmony falls back on Bible quotes because she’s been programmed not to think for herself. As she is emboldened to question her upbringing, she relies on Scripture less and less. And in the very first scene, Melody is rehearsing “fertilicious” slang because, deep down, she’s extremely uncomfortable with being a Surrogette and yet is expected to serve as a reproductive role model. She hopes that by saying it, she will believe it, and be it. There’s less slang as the book progresses because Melody is rebelling against the worldview that encourages it.

3. What do you think separates Melody and Harmony, despite the obvious being their upbringing and their backgrounds?

Identical twins can have very different dispositions. So Melody is book smart, but lacks people skills. She’s hard-wired to be cynical and quick to judge, qualities that have been encouraged in a cutthroat culture where her attractiveness, intelligence and achievements are commodified. Despite her preachy background, Harmony is more open-minded and big-hearted by nature. She’s also better attuned to people’s emotions, a skill that serves her well as she tries to break free from her past. Both girls have a long way to go in figuring out who they really want to be because they’ve been living up to others’ expectations for sixteen years.

4. In an age where Teen Mom, The Pregnancy Pact and teen pregnancy in general are highly publicized in the media, was Bumped meant to be ironic or a twist on the way society regards it today?

Ironic! Absolutely! 16 & Pregnant, and to a slightly lesser degree, Teen Mom, do a commendable job of showing how incredibly difficult it is to be a young mother. Every girl on these shows greatly underestimates the challenges of raising a baby. I don’t see how anyone who has actually watched those shows could think MTV is promoting teen pregnancy. (Just like I don’t understand how anyone can read BUMPED and think the same.)

The problem is how our 24/7 media culture has turned these young moms into tabloid cover girls, or has enabled Bristol Palin to profit as a poster mom for abstinence. They are demonized and glamorized, and these extreme reactions are what inspired me to satirize the so-called “teen mom phenom” in BUMPED.

5. Bumped is marketed to the YA genre. Do you think it is appropriate for the younger YA readers?

BUMPED is appropriately labeled as 14-and-up. It’s a cautionary tale of what can happen when society promotes casual sex. It’s pro-love and pro-faith. These are positive messages for readers who are ready to receive them. Will all 14 year olds get it? No. There will be 24-year-olds who won’t get it either. But that’s the risk I’ve taken in choosing to write this type of book in this particular way.

6. In Bumped, how did you balance the character development versus the world development?

Melody and Harmony have spent their whole lives as repositories for their parents’ hopes and dreams. It was challenging to reflect their lack of personal development but still make them relatable characters worth caring about. I decided to micro instead of macro, structuring BUMPED as a day in the life of two girls going to the mall, going to school, going on a date in this baby crazy world. Their true personalities come through in the choices they make as this ordinary day turns extraordinary.

7. Bumped presents a world that is, essentially, rather grim, but the tone of the book is almost light and fluffy in comparison. How did you choose to balance the two?

I don’t do grim. It’s not my thing. I can see why readers might be surprised when they catch themselves laughing out loud at some of the slogans and expressions. But it’s the contrast between the “light and fluffy” tone and the grim setting that should make the world of BUMPED even more horrifying. If you feel like shaking these girls and yelling, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?” then I’ve succeeded.

Again, thank you so much for answering my questions, Megan, and I appreciate your honest and very informative answers!

A while back I was asked by the amazing Yara of Once Upon a Twilight if I'd like to be a part of a blog tour for a book called 12.21.12. Two words: Yes. Please. To see the rest of the amazing blog tour, click HERE to learn more.

I reviewed 12.21.12 today, and I loved how the author, Killian McRae, perfectly balanced a blend of genres, and I'm super lucky to say she sat down to answer a few of my questions, so check it out!

1. Please describe 12.21.12 in five words or less.

Acient murder informs modern apacolypse.

2. If you weren't an author, what would you be?

Unemployed. :)

A librarian. The love of books, it's hard to shake.

3. What traits separate Shep from other male main characters within the genre of 12.21.12?

Shep takes all the new revelations with little fanfare. He's already learned fact usually outscales fiction  (the fact in this fiction is, in fact, fictional).

4. Your book is an interesting mix of reality and fiction - how did you balance the two?

I try to keep the fantasy within two steps of realty. It takes to the edge. That third step takes you over the edge.

5. Why ancient Egypt and why the Mayan prophecy of 12.21.12?

There's just enough in common between these two great, ancient cultures to suggest there's a connection that it was just too irresistable not to explore.

6. Are there any authors or works that inspired you to write 12.21.12?

Not the topic, but as far as treatment of exploiting fact for fiction's sake, Dan Brown is the king.

7. Is there anything specific you'd like to tell your readers?

Even if conspiracy isn't your thing, or gods, or aliens, give 12.21.12 a try. It really doesn't stay in the bounds of one particular genre. You might be drawn in by the love story, or the history, or the intrigue, or any number of elements.

Thank you so much for stopping by, Killian! To all of you...12.21.12 is out now, and to see what I thought of it, click HERE!
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Today is day 10 of The Long Weekend Blog Tour! Be sure to check out today's tour stop at Kate's blog, Literary Explorations, for another amazing review of this one-of-a-kind book!

About a month ago, I was approached to be a part of an amazing blog tour called A Cornucopia of Dystopia based solely around dystopian fiction by the amazing Danya of A Tapestry of Words and Casey of The Bookish Type. How could I possibly refuse?!

Long story short...I had the amazing opportunity to read Awaken by debut author, Katie Kacvinsky, who took time out of her busy day to answer a few of my questions for all my readers? So, check out the interview below, and be sure to check out the lineup for the rest of the tour!

1. Please describe Awaken in five words or less.

Yikes. I’m really bad at this but here you go: Dystopian romance, anti-technology drama.

2. What made you decide to write a dystopian novel?

I write the kind of books I want to read. I love science fiction and dystopia because you can take the fictional themes and apply them to real life. I also look at where our culture is headed with all of our digital devices and it freaks me out. I think we’re losing touch with what makes us human and that’s what inspired my story.

3. Finish this sentence..."If I weren't an author, I would be a ____."

Movie director. Or, I’d be an assistant to James Cameron who is my favorite director.

4. What is one message you hope your readers will come away with from Awaken.

I think we are all caught up in the digital age. Even though many of these technologies have so many benefits, I think they can also be addictive and waste a lot of our time. I hope people will think about their own habits and remember that it’s okay to unplug once in a while.

5. Technology is at the core of Awaken. Do you ever fear that the world be the way it is in the novel?

In some ways we are already there; technology is the core of our own society right now. But, I’d like to think that we’ll never make it to the extreme I write about. 
6. You could virtually workout on a computer or do a physical workout in the real world. Which do you choose, and why? 
I’ve tried working out to DVDs but I much prefer running outside or playing sports with friends. I can’t even play Wii video games. It makes me laugh to watch people do it; I think they look really stupid. I’d rather invest in a tennis racket and a pair of shoes and go play the game outside instead of swatting my hand at an invisible ball moving on a screen.

7. Is there anything specific you'd like to tell your readers?

If you like a good love story, you’ll like by novel.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, Katie! Now for the rest of you...do you want a chance to win an awesome ARC of Awaken for yourself?! Here are the rules: This international giveaway ends on April 15, 2011 at midnight EST. Random.org will pick the winner and the winner will be emailed directly. You do NOT have to be a follower, but if you are, it is much appreciated!

Click HERE to enter!

Joel McGrath is the author of Shrouded Secrets, and he recently took time out of his busy life to answer a few questions about his writing and Shrouded Secrets, in particular. I just reviewed it the other day, and having really enjoyed it, Joel heartily volunteered his time to share some thoughts. A little on the author: Joel is a nurse in New Hampshire by day, and a fantasy author by, well, every other time! He decided to write because he had the ideas to do so, and he knew he could find a place on the shelves. His goal is to inspire the imagination and trigger inspiration. Without further ado...the interview...

1. Who, or what (if anything specific) inspired Shrouded Secrets?

Shrouded Secrets was a hodgepodge of human behavioral observation. I guess you could say growing up in a family of nine siblings showed me that no matter how well you think you know someone, quite often you really don’t and it’s those secrets we all unfortunately keep, which helped me develop the basis of this story.

2. Describe Shrouded Secrets in five words or less, please!

Desiring more than we are.

3. Do you have a favourite character in Shrouded Secrets, and why?

The easy answer would be Danielle because she pretends that she is stronger than adversity; however, it’s David’s BF Ryan Plumpton. Ryan remains blissfully unaware of most social ramifications and because of his thick-headedness, he’s his own hero. Just like Teflon, no criticism seems to stick for long and so he lives jointly in the real world and his own fantasy world, thus proving the overall setting of the story is possible.

4. Who are your top three favourite authors?

My top three favorite authors may surprise you because none of them inspired Shrouded Secrets in any way at all. Number one would have to be the recently late Frank McCourt. Number two, Jane Austin, and number three is Charles Dickens. I’m sorry, Dickens is tied for third with Herman Melville for me.

5. What are your top three favourite books?

Bleak House, Dewey, and Bunnicula.

6. If Shrouded Secrets became were to become a movie, who do you think should play David and Danielle, and why?

Most likely someone that isn’t born yet, but that’s not a very sporting answer though. I’m not up to date on actors in this age group like I was a few years ago. However, if Shrouded Secrets were made into a movie in the past, I would have to go with Josh Hutcherson as David. I loved him in the Vampire’s Assistant and as an actor Josh is very believable in the roles that called for him to have an inner, secret anger. He’s actually brilliant at that.

Danielle would have to be Annasophia Robb. She was great as a snotty, little brat in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and she has range in other roles, which shows me that as Danielle evolved in the book, so could Annasophia on the screen. In the end, I would hope they would go the Harry Potter route and cast unknowns who need a break and could bring the characters to life as David and Danielle truly deserve.

7. Is there anything specific you'd like to tell your readers?

I want my readers to know that the darkness that we see in the world now, the same darkness that David and Danielle deal with in Shrouded Secrets, can be conquered without becoming muddied ourselves. What good is a hero if they are almost indistinguishable from the villain. That’s not to say that evil is purely one dimensional, or that those who fight against it are without error, but when it comes down to it, a person’s intent is everything.
**Joel also wants to exclusively offer to all you lovelies that chance to get his book for a fraction of the cost! If you're interested in purchasing the book from his online store, enter the code EK7TL2BU, and you'll get 10% off!**

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And now for the giveaway...Want to win a copy of Shrouded Secrets for yourself? One lucky winner will win their very own paperback copy! All you have to do is click HERE to fill out the form and enter. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, February 15th at 11 PM EST, and it's open internationally!

Annette Mackey is an independent author based out of the Midwest. Her debut novel, Class Collision chronicles the life of two complete opposites during the Great Depression. David was born of privilege, but lost it all when he was kidnapped and left for dead. Linda is stubborn and beautiful, and has no idea David is wealthier than anyone she's ever met. The coming-of-age tale resonates with more genres than one, and Annette is already hard at work on the sequel in this new FALL FROM GRACE series, Phoenix Rising. 

1. Your book is set during the Great Depression. What made you choose that particular time period?

The premise for “Class Collision” relies upon financial change, so setting the story during the Great Depression worked nicely. At the beginning of the book, David is spoiled rotten, oozing with perfection, and a complete snob. He’s the epitome of everything fabulous and it makes most people hate him. In writing this book, I wanted to get people thinking. Society focuses so much on physical and monetary superiority, but deep down inside, most people don’t really believe that’s what matters most. David represents all of this, and it’s not until he faces challenges that he realizes the value in other people. That’s when he becomes a truly loveable character.

2. Who is your favorite character in the book, and why?

There’s no surprise here. David is my favorite character. I love creating flawed, complex, and unpredictable individuals. However, a surprise to readers might be that I love Elizabeth’s character. Originally, “Class Collision: Fall From Grace” was written with 150,000 words, which I stripped down to 116,000 for publication. In the original version, I was able to spend more time on all the characters, especially Elizabeth. I was disappointed that I couldn’t keep all of that information when I went to press. If I had, the book would have cost $25. Obviously, that wasn’t realistic, so – drat – a lot of details had to go. Since there was some confusion between my publisher, and me, I didn’t realize the book was over priced until after the final edit. Meaning, that I was cutting after the editing process was over, hence the occasional typo.

3. What inspires you to sit down and write a story?

I write constantly, whether it’s brainstorming or at my computer. I can’t seem to stop, though I’ve never considered publication until recently. My family has been bugging me for years to publish my stories, but it wasn’t until after my daughter’s high school AP English class read “Class Collision,” that I decided to move forward with it. The student’s response was overwhelming. I was deeply touched. Sometimes when I get discouraged, I try to remember what readers have said, and it helps me to keep going. But, I’ll never stop writing, even if it’s just for myself. I love it.

4. You have the choice to be ridiculously wealthy and miserable, or penniless and happy...which do you choose, and why?

I would definitely choose happiness. That’s basically what “Class Collision” is about; going from miserable to happy without a cent to your name. In the book, Linda becomes David’s whole heart and soul. Without her, life would be meaningless. And yet, he would never have given her a second thought had he not lost his family and home. They are from completely different worlds. After fighting his feelings for a year, his love for Linda becomes so consuming that he is willing to do practically anything. And that’s exactly what it comes down to.

5. Describe Class Collision in 6 words or less, please!

“What’s the value of a person?” Not that I have the answer. I’m just posing the question.

6. You can only write in one genre for the rest of your life. What would it be, and why?

Love stories! Life revolves around love, and so do my books. Everything I write has a love story in it. To me, that’s the very best part!

7. Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers and fans?

The sequel, “Class Collision: Phoenix Rising,” is in the editing phase right now, and, yes, I’ve double-checked the word count. I’m hoping to make it available by spring 2011. Since World War II follows the Great Depression, you can expect David’s life to get even messier. On a side note, my small group of test readers has unanimously agreed that “Phoenix Rising” is even better than “Fall From Grace.” That made me pretty happy since I’m really proud of “Fall From Grace.” Needless to say, the conclusion is pretty intense. All lingering questions are answered when David’s past meets up with his present in a colossal boom. Poor Linda is caught in the middle and David has to finally verbalize what he’s known all along.

Annette, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions! To those who would like to read my review of Class Collision, click here. If you would like to be included in the US tour of Class Collision, please leave me your email in your comment, and I will contact you with details!

I'm so excited to feature Christine Schulze, the amazing author of one of the books I just read and reviewed, Bloodmaiden. With a story rich in dragon lore, fantasy, and a touch of Christian undertones (don't worry - it's not at all preachy!), Bloodmaiden was a surprisingly great book with far too little hype surrounding it. I'm excited to introduce Christine Schulze today, so without further ado...the interview...

1. What can you tell us about your approach to sitting down and writing a story?

Well, in a word: sporadic! Some authors say they have to sit down and write a certain
amount every day. That would drive me crazy though! Nor do I write from start to finish; often, the beginning and end of the book are done before all the middle is. I write what I am inspired to write, when I am inspired to write it. And, as a Christian, I would say God inspires me quite a bit, whether through people, movies, books, art, video games—as you’ll later, I can be inspired by many things!

I did recently push myself to finish a book. While I still enjoyed it, pumping out over fifty thousand words that fast was pretty crazy! But I only did it because it was my first fanfic, entitled Silent Hero and based on Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda. I’m pretty sure I’ll never write that crazily ever again! On the other hand though, it was nice to finish a good book that quickly.

2. You write mainly young adult Christian fantasy fiction...what attracts you to this relatively small sub-genre?

Well, I have always LOVED fantasy. I love being able to create new worlds, peoples,
characters. I just can’t write realistic fiction because it limits me too much. Plus, I really love how almost all of my books—all thirty-plus of them—connect in some way, shape, or form.

The “Christian” aspect comes in because, as a Christian, I feel I should give something back to the God who blessed me with talents of writing. That said, most of my work is NOT preachy; I try to incorporate any Christian aspects so that they flow naturally with the characters and story, instead of seeming awkward. In the words of Briana from The Book Pixie, another young lady who reviewed Bloodmaiden: “Another thing I loved was the incorporation of religious elements. They were subtly done so that a Christian like me would pick up on them; however, they weren't blatantly obvious enough to detract from the story for those non-religious readers out there.”

This is exactly what I aim for, so I was glad to here it from another reader. Many of my books simply contain Christian virtues like the importance of friendship, forgiveness, love, redemption, or self-sacrifice. Others do talk about God, but mostly in an allegorical sense, like Aslan from Narnia. For those looking for a more obviously Christian read, my short book, The Pirates of Meleeon, does refer to God directly, and salvation is a big part of that book. For the most part though, my books will still appeal to as wide an audience as regular fantasy. I do plan to wrap up all my books with a final book, Carousel in the Clouds, which draws on the book of Revelation to bring an end to all worlds. Though the book is already finished, I have much else to do before it too is published.

3. Who or what inspires you to write?

One of the common questions I get asked as an author is what inspires me. My simple reply is that I believe my inspirations come from God and that people in my life, above all things, inspire me. But I’ve gleaned inspiration from a variety of interesting sources, so I’d like to share with you the inspirations for some of my favorite books.

The Gailean Quartet, my favorite series of all time, was actually inspired by the main reason I gave above—people in my life. In particular, Dr. Gail Hagler Fleming, whom I still declare is the most awesome teacher ever. I first took Music Appreciation with her at Southwestern Illinois College. Pained to leave that class, I ended up joining her choir. It was one of the best experiences of my life. At the time I took choir, I was going through some hard times in my personal life. Choir and Mrs. Fleming’s presence gave me something to look forward to—and inspired a “magical, musical” series full of rich characters and intricate plots, making it one of my favorite series I’ve written to date. Mrs. Fleming retires this coming spring in 2011, but her inspiration to myself and students like me will live on in these books. I plan to take choir one, last time to relive the magic once more.

Bloodmaiden and Black Lace are actually two of my books inspired by photography. I admit I have a small streak of vanity, and every now and then, I’ll come up with a cool idea for a photo shoot. Sometimes, the pictures turn out so awesomely that I must conjure an accompanying book! Bloodmaiden, my most recently published novel with Old Line Publishing, is such a book. I also have a series of anthologies. The first is Bloodmaiden: a fantasy anthology, published by Victory Tales Press. The second is Broken: A Horrifically Romantic Anthology, which I also hope to publish with them. The third will be Black Lace: A Darkly Epic Anthology. I haven’t even done the photo-shoot yet, but I can envision me and lots of black lace and maybe a piano—and I know it will inspire many an interesting tale!

The Last Star is a book I have not yet published because I’ve decided on it being the book I submit to agents, to try and get into a big publishing house. Its a middle-grade fantasy adventure, and it was inspired by many things. First off, Diana Wynne Jones’ Dogsbody. Now, I love Jones’ work for its rich, unique worlds and quirky but lovable characters. I haven’t gotten to read Dogsbody though I still desperately want to get my hands on a copy. But after reading only the blurb and first couple of paragraphs in a bookstore, I was hooked and knew I had to write a book with stars. Also inspired by Paper Mario, as well as my earth science class—we were learning about astronomy at the time—I incorporated many scientific terms like “blue stars”, “falling stars”, “white dwarfs”, and “supernovas”, while adding magical meanings and twists to these terms. It is quite the fun and unique read with a whimsical story and characters, as well as some educational value, though hidden beneath the magic.

Silent Hero is my first fan-based work, inspired by Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda. The Zelda games have actually inspired many of my books. When I created the world of Loz, for example, which appears in many of my books, I named the world thus as a tribute to Legend of Zelda; Loz is an acronym. I got this idea from Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe, one being named similarly to the other because of one author drawing inspiration from another. Silent Hero, on the other hand, is a fan fiction, but I of course tried to write it as professionally as anything else I write. The only difference is, of course, it is not edited; however, it is available for free download on Smashwords, and quite a few of my readers have expressed enjoying the story and quality of writing. For this I’m quite grateful; especially when you get into a fan-based work, it can be easier to offend readers than please them.

4. Describe Bloodmaiden in five words or less, please!

(Okay, this is the one I had to cheat on. I know you said five words, but can we make it ten? I just can’t do it in five, and this is Bloodmaiden’s tag line, so it works!):

Four Aria. Four Dynasties. One brilliant quest.

5. What fantasy creature would you write about if dragons were banned from all
literature?

I already told Melissa this would be my “fun” question, so thanks again to her for asking. Truth be told, though I love fantasy, I’ve never been a big fan of dragon stories. BUT I love taking fantasy creatures that already exist and adding my own lore or writing my own twists to them. For example, I have a book called Wish Granter— which shall eventually be published by Writers-Exchange e-publishing—which is about genies. They live in musical instruments, and you have to play the correct song for them to come out. Also, they physically cannot walk very far from their lamp, so they are kind of bound to whoever is carrying the lamp around. By the same e-publisher, I released Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress, which I wrote because I’d never done a vampire book before. As a Christian fantasy writer, I take the concept of “good” vampires a step further and bring up the concept of vampires and salvation; can they be saved? Can they go to Heaven, or are they eternally damned? I also come up with my own mythology for how vampires were first created.

SO, all that said, I wrote Bloodmaiden with dragons because I hadn’t done dragons before and wanted to come up with something unique. Hence, the four dynasties where the dragons protect the humans, and the humans, in turn, offer a yearly tribute. Of course, as readers will find out, Tynan’s tribute has gone terribly wrong, as summed up in these darkly poetic words: The field of sunlit gold has become the field of rubies.

To actually attempt to answer the actual question though, here’s a list of some of my
other favorite creatures, as well as what books they can be found in. Many of these books are published, but a few aren’t, so if you Google and can’t find, you’re not crazy:

Surprisers ~ Well, the prologue to the first book in The Legends of Surprisers series sums it up pretty nicely, so: “Long ago there were seven kingdoms which dwelt peacefully amongst each other: Anicleo, Labrini, Swala, Marineland, Arabis, Guedappleus, and Hyloria. But Labrini had always thought itself superior and wanted to rule over all the other kingdoms. Labrini stirred up strife amongst the other kingdoms until a great war ensued between them.

“Then, the three, great fairy sisters, Keren-Happuch, Jemimah, and Kezia, guardians
of the seven kingdoms, appeared, declaring that if they were all going to continue
fighting like wild animals, they would look like animals as well. So the fairies cast a spell upon the seven peoples, giving them animal-like features—fur, tails, and, depending on what animal they were, dog, cat, or bird faces. These animal-like people became known as ‘Surprisers’ to all who beheld them. For their appearance greatly surprised, and in many cases frightened, those whom the Surprisers came in contact with. It was said the spell would not be broken until the seven kingdoms were once more united in peace and harmony.” Thus is how the Surprisers came to be.

Forest-footers ~ These are one of my races of elves. They bear a green thumb and toe, which makes things grow wherever they touch—which is why they are prone to wearing boots and gloves! It would be rather inconvenient to have a tree sprouting from your lover’s forehead...In Golden Healer, Dark Enchantress, Chrystine is a special Forest-footer bestowed with the golden thumb, which means she can heal instead of grow. The Forest-footers are found in many other works as well, such as The Hero Chronicles, The Legends of Surprisers, The Gailean Quartet, Loz: Zephyr’s Islands, and Loz: the Mass.

Elementals ~ People highly-connected to nature. Some are rock, others earth, water, fire, etc. In Lily in the Snow, I have a gorgeous rock elemental; to be exact, her rock is mica schist, so her skin is covered with beautiful but very fragile green, glistening, mica schist crystals. If a rock elemental loses all their crystals, he or she will die. So, when Mica — for that is actually her name—is in danger, an earth elemental named Jewett must take her from her cave to protect her. But his gentle world of earth proves too dangerous for her—can they actually be together without him risking her death? Lily in the Snow is part of an anthology being released by Old Line Publishing in Spring 2011, so keep a look-out and read the story for yourself!

Fluffs ~ Adorable little creatures! About the size of a basket-ball, they are covered with white fluff, like a big dandy-lion. They have huge black eyes and smiles, and they hop about on big, bunny-rabbit-like feet. When they jump, they float a bit before landing; in turn, they won’t eat anything that’s not floating, so if you buy a fluff as a pet, you must also purchase special bubbles to place their favorite foods inside. The origin of fluffs is highly disputed. Some say they come from Abalino, the city in the clouds, and others from Chandra’s moon; none know for sure. Fluffs can be found in books like The Legends of Surprisers series, Loz: Zephyr’s Islands, and Loz: the Mass.

6. Is there anything else you would like to tell your readers?

Well, I’ve said so much already, I don’t want to keep them too much longer; a few are probably already nodding their heads and politely trying not to drift to sleep BUT — I would like to grant this one piece of encouragement: to persevere. If you are a writer like me, keep going towards the goal. Never stop, never slack. I may have published many works by self-publishing and smaller presses, and I may have some readers who really enjoy my work, but I’m not stopping there. I am in the process of perfecting a middle grade fantasy, The Last Star, the best I can before seeking an agent to get into the “big” publishing houses. The road is hard, but you can do it. And if you’re not a writer but certainly have other hopes and dreams, keep pursuing those as well. Find God, ask Him to help you, do your best, and something good will come of it!

Thanks to Melissa for having me here today; happy reading to everyone!

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A big thank you to Christine Schulze for visiting today and giving us some insight into her writing and thought processes! She has also generously offered an e-book version (PROOF version) of Bloodmaiden to one of my lucky readers. I highly recommend it, so please enter away!

The Rules: One entry per person. You must leave your email address to be entered in this competition. No email = no entry. I will use Random.org to pick the winner on Monday, November 29th.