AHHHHH! Do you know what today is? Why of course you do. You've been anticipating this as much as I have. Today is the release day for REQUIEM by Lauren Oliver. Oh yeah, that's today. And boy do I have something planned for you guys!
Publisher: HarperTeen Date Published: March 5th 2013 Genre: Young Adult Dystopia Romance
Synopsis:
They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.
Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader.
She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.
She is deeply grateful for the chance to continue writing, as she has never been particularly good at anything else.
To get in contact with Lauren Oliver you can visit her Goodreads page, her website, become friends with her on Facebook, like her Facebook Page, or follow her on Twitter. Lauren Oliver Interview: I’m
sure we’re all curious to know. Where did you come up with the idea(s) for your
novels in the Delirium trilogy? I was watching a TV news
piece about the Swine Flu one day, and the panic with which people were
reacting to it, and I started to wonder how people would react if the
government decided that love was a contagious disease, and offered a cure.
How
did you come up with the titles for the Delirium trilogy? I actually didn't... I'm
terrible with titles!
Is
there anything specific that started you writing? I started by writing what
I guess now would be called fan fiction. I wanted to spend more time in the
books and fictional worlds that I loved.
If
you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in Requiem, or any
of your books for that matter? I always want to change
things in my books, but at a certain point you have to let them go or I'd never
publish anything!
What
was the hardest part of writing the Delirium trilogy? I had never built a
fictional world like that completely from scratch before. It was a real
challenge, although a very rewarding one. Did
you learn anything from writing your book? And if so what was it? I think it definitely
helped me become a better writer! I really learned more about how to expand a
world with each book.
Do
you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers about your
books, or just in general? Just a huge thank you for
reading! Obviously
your books are fictional, but are the experiences based on someone you know, or
events in your own life in any shape or form? Everything that you
observe goes into your writing. Even in fiction, you want to try to base your
stories in an element of truth. Writers
everywhere want to know how to make a book tick. Any advice? Practice, practice,
practice! Writing is a discipline like anything else, and the only way to get
better is to keep working on it!
Is
there a message in your novel that you want readers to understand? I hope they understand
that all kinds of loves are important, not just romantic love, or first love. What
does writing mean to you? t means everything! It's
my job, my way of expressing myself, and my sanity (even when it drives me
crazy)!
Every
author I’ve ever spoken to has said that their characters are a part of them or
that they are a part of their characters. Would you say the characters are a
part of you, or you of them? Both? I think I put a
little of myself into every character, but they also stay with you and manage
to get inside your head. What
plans do you have for the future involving your career as a writer? Are you
going to write more spine-tingling books that keep us on our toes? I hope they keep you on
your toes! Right now I'm editing a new stand-alone YA novel called PANIC, and
writing my first book for adults. ***SPOILER
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T READ PANDEMONIUM*** At the end of Pandemonium Lena saved
Julian and saw Alex again. Are we going to cry and be divided over the two
boys? Is it going to be a love triangle with TEAM JULIAN’s and TEAM ALEX’s I guess you'll have to
wait till the next book to see! ;)
I'm hoping you guys are as psyched as I am about the release of Requiem. If you aren't then you must not have read the previous books in the Delirium trilogy, because if you had you'd be bouncing in your seat.
Hey you guys! This is my first ever time participating in a blog tour, so tell me how I do! And boy do I have some exciting stuff for you! We all get to hear about how amazing The Obvious Game is, and it sure sounds pretty sweet, and a little bit about the author. We also have an interview with Rita Arens herself (and I did come up with the questions, they're not just a hand-out), and a GIVEAWAY! Sounds, great, right? Read on!
Blurb:
“Everyone trusted me
back then. Good old, dependable Diana. Which is why most people didn’t notice
at first.”
"Your shirt is yellow."
"Your eyes are blue."
"You have to stop running away from your problems."
"You're too skinny."
Fifteen-year-old Diana Keller accidentally begins teaching The Obvious Game to new kid Jesse on his sixteenth birthday. As their relationship deepens, Diana avoids Jesse's past with her own secrets -- which she'll protect at any cost.
Praise:
“I couldn’t put down The Obvious Game. Arens perfectly
captures the hunger, pain and uncertainty of adolescence.” -- Ann Napolitano,
author of A GOOD HARD LOOK and WITHIN ARM'S REACH
"THE OBVIOUS GAME is a fearless, honest, and intense
look into the psychology of anorexia. The characters—especially Diana--are so
natural and emotionally authentic that you’ll find yourself yelling at the page
even as you’re compelled to turn it." -- Coert Voorhees, author of LUCKY
FOOLS and THE BROTHERS TORRES
"Let’s be clear about one thing: there’s nothing
obvious about The Obvious Game. Arens has written a moving, sometimes
heart-breaking story about one girl’s attempt to control the uncontrollable.
You can’t help but relate to Diana and her struggles as you delve into this gem
of a novel." -- Risa Green, author of THE SECRET SOCIETY OF THE PINK
CRYSTAL BALL
About Rita Arens:
Rita Arens is the author of The Obvious Game and the editor
of the award-winning parenting anthology Sleep Is for the Weak. She writes the
popular blog Surrender, Dorothy (www.surrenderdorothyblog.com) and lives in
Kansas City with her husband and daughter. The Obvious Game is her first young
adult novel. She is at work on a second.
Rita has been a featured speaker at BlogHer 2012, BEA
Bloggers Conference 2012, BlogHer Writers 2011, BlogHer 2011, Blissdom 2011,
Alt Summit 2010,BlogHer 2010, BlogHer
2008 and BlogHer 2009, the 2008 Kansas City Literary Festival and 2009 Chicks
Who Click and appeared on the Walt Bodine Show in 2008.
She’s been quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek, The Associated
Press, Forbes Woman, the Wall Street Journal, Businessweek and Businessweek
Online and featured in Breathe magazine, Get Your Biz Savvy, The Kansas City
Star (archived material available on request), Today Moms (Today Show blog) and
Ink KC.
What
inspiration did you have to write The
Obvious Game? Life … Why
did you decide to write The Obvious Game? It was a story I felt I had to
tell. Whomotivated you to start writing? I started on my own around
fifth grade. Back then, it was poetry. I guess I just never stopped. When
did you decide you were going to be a writer? 1997 I’m
sure everyone wants to know, what is The
Obvious Game? It’s a game the characters use
to talk to each other about hard subjects. Where
do the main characters come from? Are they totally fictional, or based off of
real life people? Most are composites. There are
a few very minor characters who are totally fictional, but they don’t get much
dialogue. I might think of one person’s sense of humor and another person’s
quirks and mash them all together. How
do you like writing in the young adult genre? Is it more or less challenging
then writing other genres? My first book, SLEEP IS FOR
THE WEAK, was a parenting anthology taken from blogs, so this was very
different. I edited that book and wrote just a few parts of it as opposed to a
work that’s entirely mine. Fiction is a lot harder than truth, especially if
you want there to be truth in the fiction, if that makes any sense. Now
that you’ve finished The Obvious Game,
do you wish you could go back and change any of it? Nope. I’m going to let it
ride. Is
there a certain theme or idea that you want your readers to grasp while reading
The Obvious Game? There is no can’t, only won’t. What
does writing mean to you? Sanity Would
you say the characters are a part of you, or you of them? That’s a tough one. I don’t
know the answer. What
plans do you have for the future involving your career as a writer? I’m working on a second
stand-alone YA novel right now called THE BIRTHRIGHT OF PARKER CLEAVES. I hope
to make a go of this YA thing. Does
the story behind The Obvious Game
come from your past or the past of someone you know? Oh, totally mine. How
do you relate to your characters? I spend a lot of time with
them. What
advice can you give to people looking for a career in writing? Read like a writer – not just
for pleasure, but also to learn.
To be available at all major online outlets: Amazon,
B&N, The Book Depository
And below is the giveaway. There are two paperback's of The Obvious Game being given away, and five eBooks of The Obvious Game. The gift will be delivered within 30-45 days. Giveaway valid only for US, UK and Canada.
Hey everyone! How's it been? You had a cover reveal and giveaway yesterday, and now to celebrate the release of Asunder, book two in the Newsoul trilogy by Jodi Meadows I've managed to get an interview with the awesome author herself! That was a terrible run-on sentence, wasn't it? Ah, what the hell. Never mind.
The first book in the Newsoul trilogy is called Incarnate. Isn't the cover beautiful?
Synopsis:
New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life
It's a great book. Definitely worth checking out. And here is the book that comes out today:
Synopsis:
DARKSOULS Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.
SHADOWS Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
LOVE Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.
In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.
About Jodi (from her website)
Photo by Housden Photography.
The official stuff:
Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut.
*A Kippy is a cat.
The unofficial stuff:
Like many writers, I’ve always wanted to do this professionally. You know, after I decided against being an astronaut.
Unlike many writers, I didn’t skip straight from picture books to adult novels. I have fond memories of going to Bookstop every month for the latest Baby-Sitters Club (which I kept reading, even after I realized they were never going to let the paranormal elements be real), and even fonder memories of hanging out in my middle school library. The librarians probably knew exactly what they were doing when they suggested book after book and discussed them with me at length. I, of course, had no clue they were turning me into a book addict, but it worked out for the best. Once I found the books where magic and other fantastic elements were real, I was hooked.
When I was twenty, I met a boy, moved 1,500 miles, and married him all within six months. I now realize that was crazy and dangerous, but it seemed natural at the time and, again, worked out for the best. Not only did we stay madly in love, he worked full time at a hard job so I could stay home to write books and, hopefully, one day get published.
The other crazy thing we did was fall in love with ferrets. They have their own bedroom.
My hobbies, aside from spending all my money on books and Kippy/ferret treats, revolve around yarn. I love crocheting, knitting, and spinning. In addition to several hand spindles, I share my living room with a spinning wheel named Bob.
Every Sunday I blog about spinning and other yarn things here. Ferret pictures can be found here.
Now that my lovely blog readers was taken from Jodi's website which you can get to by clicking here. And now, for the awesome interview!
I guess we should start with one of the more common, generic questions and then work up from there. What inspired you to write Incarnate and Asunder?
I had a near-death experience after being gutted by a unicorn. Of course, the great paradox of that is that unicorn horns heal, which is why it was only a near death experience. Anyway, there was a hallucination/revelation. You know the drill.
That answer may be a lie.
A lot of books have hidden meanings in them. Is there a message in your novels that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, absolutely! You can find the hidden message in INCARNATE by reading it backwards, much like listening to a Beatles record backwards. The message says "Ferrets are awesome!"
That also might be a lie. Gosh, will I ever be truthful with you??
What is your favorite thing(s) about writing?
One of my favorite things about writing is also one of my favorite things about reading. I get to live another life from the safety of my sofa or bed or wherever. I get to meet new people without leaving my house. I get to have adventures and experiences and hundreds of lives!
And there's not even anything shady about it.
Do you have a favorite character? If so, who?
In INCARNATE and ASUNDER? Hmm, no, I don't think so. I'm quite attached to all of them. Ana and Sam, of course, rank at the top. They each think I should pick the other as my favorite.
The covers for your books are gorgeous, who designed them?
Thank you! I think they're amazing too.
The photographer is Gustavo Marx at Merge Left Reps, Inc. I only know that the model's name is Susan and she is gorgeous. And the covers themselves were designed by the spectacular Joel Tippie at HarperCollins.
How long have you been writing?
I've been telling stories my whole life, but I only realized writing could be a job when I was in 7th grade. So that's... what? Eleven? Twelve years old? I started writing seriously when I was twenty. Let's not talk about how long it's been since then.
Any new projects in the future?
I certainly have more projects to write! I can't say anything about them yet, except they've been going by code names: Sparkle Story (which does have sparkles), and Broadway Story (which has zero musical theater).
I know all of your fans were going crazy during Incarnate, wondering what was going to happen to Ana. She seems to have a lot of haters. Do you ever feel sorry for Ana, or are you one of those authors who loves messing with your characters?
Oh I absolutely feel bad for my characters. I want them to be happy! It's just, interesting stories have conflict.
Okay, okay, and I confess that the following conversation happened in October 2012:
Editor: Does Bad Thing have to happen to Sam?
Me: Hmm. I think something bad needs to happen, but maybe it doesn't have to be quite so bad. I can tone down this particular Bad Thing because it's not the most important bad thing ever.
Editor: Poor Sam. I feel so bad for him.
Me: Besides, I just like hurting him.
Editor, aka the Nicest Person In The World: O____O
The world you've created in your books is so magical; it feels lie it's coming off the pages and is so real it's almost tangible. I'm sure aspiring writers would love to know your secret. How do you do it?
Ooo, that's good to hear!
It's not a secret! It's lots of practice. It's lots of practice. It's in a few well-chosen tactile and active details that give the reader a vivid picture of things beyond those few things being described.
Have an example. You have a character walking into a room. You can say it's long and rectangular and has a big table that's set with twenty places. You can say there are crystal chandeliers and heavy carpets and black-suited men holding trays. The chairs are comfortable.
Or you can describe the way your character's feet sink into the carpet as they enter a formal dining chamber, resplendent in the royal colors of red and silver. Candles flicker in the dripping tiers of chandeliers. Spotless footmen wait in another corridor, bearing silver-covered trays. The chairs creak (or don't!) when the character sits.
That's a spur-of-the-moment example, but note the differences: One we're told about the heavy carpets. Another we feel the character sinking. One describes all the furniture and place-settings. Pointlessly. The other we get a description most of us can fill in easily (grand dining chamber) with a major detail (colors) to complete the quick sketch. (Later, we can note if the plates are china or crystal and whether the silverware is real silver -- all that.) One describes what the men are wearing and doing. The other just says it -- they're footmen waiting to serve dinner.
Notice the verbs, too. Enter. Sinking. Flicker. Dripping. Bearing. Creak. Those give you the sensation of movement and they're fifty times more interesting than walking, holding, or no verbs at all.
We readers always love a happy ending, but I have an inkling that Ana and Sam are going to have some challenges ahead of them. Can you give us a hint? Will we want to bawl our eyes out and stomp our feet and have a tantrum?
Bad things happen. Really bad things. And then things get worse. But some good things happen too.
Bust so far many have cried at ASUNDER. And IN3 is seeing similar results. So have a tissue handy.
So there you have it people. I think Jodi's answers were some of the best I've ever received from an interview. Especially about the aspiring writers. If you plan on reading Asunder (which I highly recommend), then have a tissue ready too. I'm crossing my fingers that I won't want to maim anyone after reading Asunder. The chances seem high.
If you'd like to get in contact with Jodi Meadows, you can click on the link to go to her Contact page on her website. To see her Goodreads profile click here. To check out her Facebook page click here. And to visit her Twitter page click here. To buy Incarnate and Asunder from Amazon or Barnes & Noble look for the links below:
Incarnate: Paperback & Kindle edition (Amazon) or click here to buy Incarnate from Barnes & Noble.
Asunder: Hardcover & Kindle edition (Amazon) or click here to buy Asunder from Barnes & Noble.
I'm sure we've all heard the rumor of the End of the World, right? Depending on where you look it will say different dates for The End of the World. The one I'm sure everyone knows is the end Mayan calendar version. The 21st of December, 2012. Wait, isn't that today? Yes, yes it is.
Now instead of freaking out and going to the grocery store for bread and milk, why don't we talk about some really cool books that center around this particular date? Ah, now I have your attention. I said (wrote?) the magic word. Books.
Believe it or not, there is a whole children's-young adult series about the Mayan prophecy. And I have an interview with the author of that series. The Joshua Files is a five-book series that centers around the Mayan prophecy. Cool, right? Here's the synopsis and cover for the first book, Invisible City.
One Boy. One Deadly Prophecy. One Heart-Stopping Adventure.
Joshua's life was pretty cool - until his father was reported dead in an air crash in Mexico.
Was it simply a tragic accident? Why was the plane miles off course? Were there really UFOs in the sky at the time of the crash?
In the depths of the Mexican jungle, with a deadly international hit man on his trail, Josh must find the truth about an incredible, dangerous secret - and try to stay alive.
Click here to see my review of Invisible City. The last book in The Joshua Files came out on April 5th this year. And I gotta say, it was the perfect ending to the series. I'd tell you more but I don't want to ruin the surprise. Click here to view my review of Apocalypse Moon (the last book in the Joshua Files).
The ordering of the books in the series is as follows: Invisible City, Ice Shock, Zero Moment, Dark Parallel, Apocalypse Moon.
If that doesn't entice you to read these great adventure books, then let the author do it. Below is M.G. Harris's avatar from Goodreads, author bio, and finally the interview! Yay!
picture from Goodreads
Author bio (taken from Goodreads): M.G. Harris was born in Mexico City and raised in Manchester, England. She studied Biochemistry at St Catherine's College Oxford and stuck around for even more at St Cross College.
To this day she lives in Oxford. It's not an easy place to leave.
The first job M.G. Harris was ever aware of wanting to do, aged six, was to write children’s books. Then, aged eight and inspired by Doctor Who, she tried to make Wirrn slime with a friend’s Chemistry Set 4, discovered chemistry, and writing went out of the window.
But in 2004, a skiing accident changed everything...
Reader bio:
MG has recently become a semi-convert to Kindle, with frequent lapses into her collection of printed books for some much-appreciated re-reading.
Favourite living authors are Haruki Murakami, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and Junot Diaz.
1.
What inspired you to write the Joshua files?
After seeing how many people were
reading 'The Da Vinci Code' around a pool at the Acapulco Princess hotel in
2004, I really fancied trying my hand a puzzle-driven thriller. "How hard
could it be?" I thought.
The first attempt was a techno thriller for adults
(now published as THE DESCENDANT). I went back to an idea I'd been interested
in since I was a teenager; the idea that our ancient civilizations could have
arcane, lost knowledge, perhaps from an alien source. As I was finished the
first draft of that book, I realized that there could be a teenage main
character in a linked story. There's a guy called David Stuart (now a Professor
at University of Austin , Texas) who was a teenager when he first started
deciphering Mayan glyphs with his archaeologist parents and their colleagues.
He kind of reminded me of a young Indiana Jones, which is the vibe I was going
for with Josh Garcia.
2.
Are the characters based on real people in your life?
Consciously and unconsciously, I think
they are. Benicio is consciously based on my very cool, sexy younger cousin
Oscar who is also a genius physics grad student. Carlos Montoyo is
unconsciously based on my own father, also called Carlos (you'd think I'd have
realized earlier, wouldn't you?!) I don't think Josh is based on anyone, except
perhaps my fantasy of what a Real Boy should be. Now that we've had Jamie play
him in a couple of videos, however, I do think of Josh as looking like Jamie
(he's been stopped by kids in Oxford who've asked him 'Are you Josh?'). I've
stopped short at asking Jamie to learn capoeira though!
3.
Which character do you feel most strongly to?
I have to feel everything from Josh's
point of view, because the story is written from that. I try not to identify
too much with other characters because Josh isn't particularly empathetic. If I
were to write pages and pages of Josh wondering how other people feel and why
they feel it, it would slow the pace down too much, as well as making Josh into
a different character. It's not that he doesn't care, but that he doesn't
really have the mindset to analyze other people. He'd never be a detective!
4.
Which book in the Joshua Files was most challenging?
The first and the last. Both had to be
substantially rewritten after the first draft. In the first, I was still
finding the style of the series. In the last, I had to make Josh grow up a bit
more, something that I'd been holding off doing. In previous books, I needed to
keep him young, fairly immature and making the kind of mistakes normal for that
age. In the last book he's no longer a reluctant hero - he fully embraces his
role in the 2012 plan, to the extent that he overrides other people's attempts
to keep him safely distant.
5.
How did you come up with the idea of a young teenage boy going on all of these
crazy adventures?
There's nothing original about that idea
- it is a staple of the adventure genre. I was trying, much like Anthony
Horowitz and Philip Pullman have also admitted, to write an adult novel that
children could read. When I was twelve I desperately wanted to read exciting
stories with complex plots, but featuring teenage heroes. Adventure stories
written for my age group seemed too simplistic. Robert Heinlein was writing
sci-fi books like that, but there wasn't much else in that vein. When I first
read "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in a hotel room in
France in 1996, my first thought was "So other kids want to read complex thrillers
featuring kids, too!"
6.
Do you wish your life was more like Josh's?
Never. He's always in danger! Although I
wish I was as fit and strong as him, but that's just age.
7.
Is there any music that helped you develop your characters?
I hit upon the Green Day/Arctic Monkeys
theme very early on. In an earlier draft, Josh was in a band with Tyler, not a
capoeirista. I found that listening to songs like "Longview"
"Poprocks and Coke", to "Mardy Bum" and "From the Ritz
to the Rubble" actually reawakened feelings I hadn't had since I was a
teenager. So I used that to channel my inner teen. The jazz music theme
represents the older generation - the characters who are my age - Josh's
parents and Montoyo. I chose jazz because classical music would be less
accessible to Josh. It had to be something that slowly awakened Josh's adult
nature. At first, he doesn't like jazz much. Then he gets his Dad's iPod and
listens to Andres Garcia's music as a way to connect emotionally with his
missing father. I'll admit that in using jazz references, especially Miles
Davis (Blue in Green) and Tom Jobim (Wave) I'm very consciously emulating one
of my favorite authors, Haruki Murakami, whose novels and stories are famously
drenched in jazz and classical music references. If you know the music, it's
extremely evocative. I asked Joshua fans on facebook to pick the last song that
Josh listens to in the Muwan, when he's thinking about losing Tyler. I think
they picked a very apt track - "Wake Me Up When September Ends". In
the first draft of Invisible City there was a blog entry with that title, in
which Josh thought about his own dad.
8.
Why did you choose to write the books from Josh's point of view? Why no Carlos,
Tyler, or Ixchel?
Are you asking why Josh is the main
character? Or why I only write from his POV? If it's the former: because I'm
writing for teenagers. The first book was written for my 13-year old daughter.
Josh is the easiest one for us to identify with. Carlos is an adult, so right
there you've got an adult book. Kids don't want to know about the grand romance
he's having with Josh's Mum - that would creep most readers out! Tyler isn't in
the story enough - he's central to Josh's life, but it's not about him. Ixchel
could have been the central character, but she's from such a different
background to most of the readers that she'd be harder to identify with than
Josh. Mind you, I'd love it if someone wrote fan fiction from Ixchel's point of
view.
If you're asking why it's all from ONE
point of view - that's a stylistic decision I made early on, as well as the
present tense (or present historic, as it technically is). There are decisions
you make at the beginning, for whatever reason and you stick with them. I think
I was again, trying to consciously emulate a Haruki Murakami style of
narration. Reflective and emotional, but also rather detached. I thought that
would work for an intelligent, sensitive but often self-centered teenager like
Josh.
9.
Is there anything that you'd change now that you've completed the series?
No - I'm pretty happy with all five
books! I had great editorial guidance from three different editors - Elv Moody,
Polly Nolan and Clare Argar. The only thing I would have changed would have
been outside the books - I wanted them to be targeted at 11+. Yes, there's
nothing that a 9-year old shouldn't read in The Joshua Files, but the plots
were written to engage slightly older readers, say year 6 (5th grade) onwards.
I suspect the 9+ label may have put some older readers off, when booksellers
don't shelve the books in the teen section.
10.
Why did you base the stories around the Maya civilization?
If you want your first book deal, you
need to write something that can easily be identified with the author. As
Philip Pullman once put it - "Write what only you can write". I knew
there probably weren't many kids authors in the UK - maybe anywhere - who could
pull off an authentic-feeling Mexican vibe as well as all the Mayan stuff,
which I've been reading about since I was your age. And then there was the 2012
deadline looming - it felt like an obvious choice of subject matter for a
thriller that I'd write.
11.
Do you believe that the 21st of December is going to be the End of the World?
Not even a tiny bit.
12.
Who inspired you to write?
Reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez made me
feel that I shouldn't bother, because I'd never be as good as him. Reading Dan
Brown made he realize that I could have fun even if I couldn't get anywhere
near to GGM. Reading Haruki Murakami made me realize that I could bring an
interesting narrative style to a very traditional adventure story. Watching
Indiana Jones made me realize that I wanted more stories like that.
13.
When did you first decide you were going to be a writer?
First time, when I was six and first
learned to read. But I knew I wasn't ready - too many other things to be into -
science, making movies. Reading "The Da Vinci Code" in 2004 made me
believe that I finally was ready. Breaking my leg at the end of that same year
forced me to face up to it!
14.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Read. Read. Read.
15.
Are there any books you have planned for the future?
I have an adventure-travel novel about
telepathic teenagers and the rights and wrong of using extraordinary power.
That might be a series, or maybe a standalone. I'm working on a longer novel,
probably for adults but with youngish characters. It's an occult thriller, but
also basically about the corruption of a soul, and the struggle between good
and evil. I enjoy stories about the descent into corruption, like "The
Godfather". I guess I'm fascinated about what makes people turn 'to the
dark side' and what makes similar people choose to be good.
This lovely picture was taken when M.G. Harris visited my old school years ago. I'm the moody one who can't seem to smile in the top right-hand corner. She came to my old school for the release of Ice Shock, the second book in the Joshua Files.
The book trailer for Invisible City
You can buy any of her books at Amazon (books listed at the bottom of the page), Barnes and Noble, and other stores.
I guess we will see what happens! Happy end-of-the-world to you! And thank you M.G. Harris for allowing me to interview!
You may have noticed the I <3 Dante Walker badge, I Want More D-Dub Badge or the V Mafia badge or the countdown to The Collector, by Victoria Scott. You can see them again below:
And the count-down widget is in my sidebar. Needless to say, this book sounds HOT! HOT! HOT! HOTT with a double 't.'
Let's start off with the giveaway. Everything in the picture is included. Here is what you can win:
He makes good girls...bad. Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.
Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.
Yumtastic, right? Check it out on Goodreads and add it to your to-read shelf. I'm sure it will be worth it. Once it comes out I'll be one of the first to buy it and review it. I love a good bad boy story, especially one with a paranormal twist.
Unfortunately, we have to wait till March or April, I've been hearing both.
The good thing, my lovely blog-readers, is that we have a video-interview the author sent out to the V Mafia to entice us. It's going to make me more hyped up to read the book, but what's life without a little anticipation, eh?
Check out the video-interview with Victoria Scott below:
Cherry pie? I wonder who came up with that particular question. I, personally, am a fan of pumpkin pie, just for the record. And here is the book trailer as well. Mmmm.
And here is some stuff about the author herself:
(picture from Goodreads) Author bio (taken from Goodreads: I'm a YA writer represented by Laurie McLean. Author of THE COLLECTOR (Entangled Teen, April 2013) and THE BRIMSTONE BLEED (Scholastic, 2014). I have a master's degree in marketing, and live in Dallas with my husband. When not writing, I can be found munching cotton candy and snuggling obese cats.
So there you have it. Mark your calendar, add it to your to-read shelf... you know what to do. I know I can't wait for this book to come out!
And check out my fan art for The Collector (yeah, I know it could be better, but I wanted to test things out)
How many of you are excited for the release of Opal? I know I can't wait! For those of you who don't know, Opal is the third book in the Lux series. The first book in the Lux series is Obsidian, and to check out my review click here.
Here's the synopsis for Opal, taken from Goodreads:
No one is like Daemon Black. When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on. But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love. After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever. Together we’re stronger... and they know it.
Author bio (from her website): USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.
I asked Jennifer L. Armentrout for a quick interview, and here it is.
When did you decide you start writing? As cliche as it sounds, I've always wanted to be writer. As a kid, I wrote really bad poems on my bedroom walls. It was doing the 9th grade, that I wrote my first novel by longhand. So I've always wanted to write.
Have you always wanted to write, or did you want to do something else? I went to college for psychology and criminal justice. It wasn't until 2007 that got back into writing.
How long do you see yourself writing for? Forever, hopefully.
What inspired you to write the Lux series? My editor approached me, asking if I'd be interested in writing about aliens in high school. My first response was to laugh and say no, but the more I thought about it, I came up with Katy, Daemon, and the idea of the Luxens. The rest is history.
Is Damon based off of anyone you know, and if so, can I meet him? No. He's not based off of anyone, but if he was, he'd be a keeper.
Statements and opinions expressed in reviews, discussions, and other posts on this blog are my own unless otherwise stated. Authors, Publishers and Tour guides may send me an ARC or finished copy in exchange for my unbiased review. All reviews will state the source. Opinions shared by others in comments may not reflect my own. I reserve the right to moderate comments. Purchases made through Amazon buy links help to support this blog.
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