Ask the Author: Shannon Lee Alexander (Life After Juliet)

   In this weeks edition of Ask the Author I'm bringing you the amazing Shannon Lee Alexander, author of Life After Juliet, the companion Love and Other Unknown Variables. I absolutely loved Life After Juliet (find my review here) so I'm really happy that Shannon agreed to do this interview with me.

   Find her amazing book and As to my Qs below:

Life After Juliet by Shannon Lee Alexander

Published: July 5th 2016 by Entangled TEEN

Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: Yes, companion to Love and Other Unknown Variables

   Becca Hanson was never able to make sense of the real world. When her best friend Charlotte died, she gave up on it altogether. Fortunately, Becca can count on her books to escape—to other times, other places, other people...

   Until she meets Max Herrera. He’s experienced loss, too, and his gorgeous, dark eyes see Becca the way no one else in school can.

   As it turns out, kissing is a lot better in real life than on a page. But love and life are a lot more complicated in the real world...and happy endings aren't always guaranteed.

   The companion novel to Love and Other Unknown Variables is an exploration of loss and regret, of kissing and love, and most importantly, a celebration of hope and discovering a life worth living again. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Shannon Lee Alexander

   1 – Describe Life After Juliet with a haiku.

   I haven’t written a haiku in so long! What a fun way to start an interview.

Quiet bookworm hides

Spotlight reveals deepest grief

Defies stars for new life

   2 – What was the first initial thought or thing that sparked the idea of Life After Juliet?

   Waaaay back in 2013, my editor asked if I’d ever considered writing another book in the Love and Other Unknown Variables universe. LAOUV is the companion novel to Life after Juliet. I laughed and said no. No way. But then, she said, “It’s just that some of us here are wondering…what happens to Becca?”

   Once the question was asked, I couldn’t stop thinking about Becca and what might happen to a girl like her after the events of LAOUV. Eventually, I started writing my ideas down and Life after Juliet was born.

   3 – What was the most challenging about writing Life After Juliet and which scene was the most fun to write?

   There were many challenging things about Life after Juliet. One of the most difficult was to be sure Becca’s voice was authentic to her and that the grief journey she was on was her own. I didn’t want to color her life with my own experiences, so I had to be very careful and deliberate in creating her character.

   I think the dumpster scene near the end is one of my favorites. Becca seems so happy and like she truly fits in again. I love that scene. And I think it’s funny. I love funny!

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Becca?

   I like Becca’s honesty, with herself and others.

   I guess what I liked least about Becca when I was writing was her ability to sit still for so long. Main characters that prefer to sit alone and read do not make very exciting stories! I really had to shove her into the spotlight!

   5 - In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?

   Hmm…maybe not change. I’m sure there are little tweaks here and there I’d like to make if I were to go back and read it now. But as far as major structure, I like the bones of this story. It works for Becca. I’d hate to change that.

   6 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by hundreds of people and how do you feel now, years later, before your next book will be released? Did the feeling change or is it still the same?

   I was absolutely terrified with the first book! Terrified!! And while I still get nervous when I think about people reading (and judging) Life after Juliet, I’ve really made my peace with my role in the creative process and where it ends, which is the moment it becomes available to readers.

   Life after Juliet was mine until July 5, when it launched and became the property of readers. It’s a gift. And I can’t take it back. And it isn’t my place to interpret the gift I’ve given. It’s my job to give the gift with all my heart and then let others receive it.

   7 – What do you think about the cover? Is it anything like you imagined it being?

   I love the hombre blue hues in this cover!! They are so pretty. And the title font is gorgeous (I’m a big fan of fonts, which is weird, but I just love them). I honestly struggled a little with the couple on the cover at first. But Entangled Publishing worked with me on a few things, and now I can see their vision for the cover much more clearly.

   I didn’t exactly have a vision for this cover (or LAOUV either), but Entangled always comes through.

   8 – Seeing as you’re a YA author I’m sure you also read YA, so I wondered, what were the last three books you’ve read and what did you think of them?

   I’m going to check my Goodreads to be sure:

   1) Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee—LOVED this middle grade book! Gave it 5 stars. It’s the story of a girl and fox and the mysterious ways their lives are linked. I cried so many times when reading it. It was beautiful.

   2) Everland by Wendy Spinale—I liked this one and gave it 3 stars. It’s a steampunk retelling of Peter Pan, which was a really cool angle! I enjoyed it, but not as much as my 13-year-old daughter. She finished it in one sitting!

   3) Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler—I’m a big Sarah Ockler fan. I love her characters’ inner monologues. She makes me laugh and tugs at my heartstrings, too. I gave this book 3 stars, though, which is low for a Sarah Ockler for me. She’s usually a 5 star author. It was a cute story about a figure skater turned baker and the ways she’s trying to pull her life back together. Very fun, but I wanted something more. My favorite Sarah Ockler is Fixing Delilah.

   9 – Do you have a writing routine or do you write whenever creativity strikes?

   I write whenever I get the chance. That doesn’t happen every day. I have two very busy kiddos whose lives come first for me right now. They won’t be at home with me very much longer, and I just don’t want to miss out on anything. Time here on Earth is short and life is fleeting, so I spend as much time with people I love as I can.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Find an amazing critique group. Make sure they are always honest (even brutal when necessary) with you. Your writing won’t grow from praise, but constructive criticism will do you wonders! I wouldn’t be a published writer if it weren’t for my critique group, the YA Cannibals. Our motto is We Eat Our Own. We figure it’s best to have our stories shredded by each other, so we can put them back together stronger and better.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   Telekinesis? I think I’d like that. If it means I can make the vacuum work and fold the laundry without actually having to do that, then sign me up!

About the Author

   Shannon Lee Alexander is a wife and mother (of two kids and one yellow terrier named Harriet Potter). She is passionate about coffee, books, and cancer research. Math makes her break out in a sweat. Love and Other Unknown Variables is her debut novel. She currently lives in Indianapolis with her family.

Website // Twitter

Ask the Author: Gaby Triana (Wake the Hollow)

   After a one moth pause I'm finally back with new interviews! 

   Today I'm bringing you Gaby Triana, the author of Wake the Hollow and other amazing books. She was so lovely as to take some of her time to answer my questions for you guys. 

   Find her book and her amazing answers below:

Wake the Hollow by Gaby Triana

Expected Publication: August 2nd 2016 by Entangled: Teen

Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Paperback)

Series: No

   Forget the ghosts, Mica. It’s real, live people you should fear.

   Tragedy has brought Micaela Burgos back to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow. It’s been six years since she chose to live with her father in Miami instead of her eccentric mother. And now her mother is dead.

   This town will suck you in and not let go.

   Sleepy Hollow may be famous for its fabled headless horseman, but the town is real. So are its prejudices and hatred, targeting Mica’s family as outsiders. But ghostly voices carry on the wind, whispering that her mother’s death was based on hate…not an accident at all. With the help of two very different guys—who pull at her heart in very different ways—Micaela must awaken the hidden secret of Sleepy Hollow…before she meets her mother’s fate.

   Find the answers.

   Unless, of course, the answers find you first. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Gaby Triana

   1 – Describe Wake the Hollow with a haiku.

   I’m not much of a poet but how’s this?

   Journal hidden near

   First to find wins money, fame

   But beware the ghosts

   2 – What was the first initial thought or thing that sparked the idea of Wake the Hollow? And in what way do you think does Wake the Hallow stand out and offer something that should make readers even more interested in it?

   The Disney short film, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, was one of my favorites growing up. I used to show this in my classroom to all my students too when I was a teacher. I loved the autumn vibe and spooky feel, and I loved reading “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and discovering that it wasn’t so much a story about the Headless Horseman as it was about a love triangle. I thought how cool would it be to write a modern-day version through the POV of Katrina Van Tassel, only in my book she’s Micaela Katerina Burgos. My book stands out in that it’s not a straight retelling of an old classic. It’s a reimagining with a modern mystery crime twist, where the ghosts are spirit guides and the real live people are the ones we should fear. It also features a Cuban-American character in a tale as American as apple pie.

   3 – What was the most challenging about writing Wake the Hollow and which scene was the most fun to write?

   The research was challenging. There was a lot to learn about classic author, Washington Irving, who features in his own story’s retelling. Also, evoking a spooky feel in first person POV was challenging, because I wanted to vividly describe the entire town while still staying true to “teen think.” The chase through the cemetery is one of my favorite scenes. Also the one at the safe deposit box at the bank.

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Micaela?

   What I like the least is that she didn’t bother to learn more about her mother before she left town six years earlier. She could’ve learned a lot about her heritage at that time, but what I love is that she redeems herself throughout the book and grows closer to her mother even after death. It’s never too late to change ourselves.

   5 - How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal?

   This book took me the longest, because it was conceived, written, shopped, rejected, then…it sat around collecting dust. Revived. Revised multiple times, shopped again, and overall it took 7 years from idea to publishing deal.

   6 - How do you feel about the fact that in only a few more weeks (August 2nd) hundreds of readers will be able to hold and read your novel?

   I’m probably going to cry, because this is my favorite of all my books. I’m a big Halloween freak, so it’s the one that allowed me to write what I love, which is a good ghost story. For a while, I thought it would never be published, but I kept the faith, and now everyone will get to read it.

   7 – What led you to writing and wanting to be an author? Is it the way you imagined it would be?

   I’ve been writing stories since I was in 3rd grade. It was always a natural progression for me. I won writing contests in high school and always wrote, even though I went to college to become a teacher. In that way, I felt I had sidetracked myself, but I was always slow in figuring out what I wanted from my life. Now I live the dream of writing every day for a living.

   8 – What do you think about the cover? Is it anything like you imagined it being?

   The cover is the farthest thing from what I ever imagined. I always thought there would be darker black and orange tones with a headless horseman in a forest or something. When I first saw it, I thought it was beautiful but was concerned about how it would tell the story within. Then I realized it doesn’t need to tell the story within, it just has to capture your imagination, and I feel it does exactly that. It’s GORGEOUS!

   9 – Book adaptations – movie or TV series?

   Definitely a movie! This is a story that is told in one powerful burst, not spread out. That said, I can see a sequel being told in segments over time.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Write every day. Write even if it’s terrible, because you can always go back and fix it, but the important thing is that you got it down. Don’t judge yourself as you go, just tell a story, and always, always revise and revise before you share. That’s the point of writing versus talking. You don’t have to get it right the first time.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   The ability to destroy hatred. Imagine what a wonderful world we would live in.

About the Author

   GABY TRIANA is the award-winning author of six YA novels—Wake the Hollow (Coming 2016), Summer of Yesterday, Riding the Universe, The Temptress Four, Cubanita, and Backstage Pass, as well as thirteen ghostwritten novels for best-selling authors. Originally a 4th grade teacher with a Master of Science in Elementary Education and ten years teaching experience, Gaby earned Teacher of the Year in 2000, wrote her first novel, Freddie and the Biltmore Ghost, then left teaching to launch a full-time writing career. She went on to publish young adult novels with HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, win an IRA Teen Choice Award, ALA Best Paperback Award, and Hispanic Magazine’s Good Reads of 2008. She spends her time obsessing about Halloween, Christmas, and Disney World, as well as hosting parties, designing mugs, making whimsical cakes, and winning costume contests. When she’s not writing, she might also be watching Jurassic Park movies with her boys, posting excessive food pics on social media, or helping run the Florida region of the SCBWI. Gaby lives in Miami with her three sons, Michael, Noah, and Murphy. She has one dog, Chloe, and two cats—Miss Daisy, and the reformed thug, shooting survivor, Bowie. Visit her at www.GabyTriana.com.

Ask the Author: Katherine Fleet (The Secret to Letting Go)

   Welcome everyone!

   Thanks so much to Alice for hosting me on her site today! I’m Katherine Fleet, the debut author of The Secret to Letting Go. It’s a YA contemporary set in a fictional town on the Gulf Coast of Florida during that magical summer after high school graduation when the whole world is out there waiting for you. It’s the story of two teens – Clover, a mysterious girl who shows up in town lost in her secrets and fears, and Daniel, a boy who’s drawn into her troubled world despite his better judgment. Life keeps throwing them together, but their secrets keep them apart. Ultimately, it’s a story about living through tragedy and learning to forgive your self.

The Secret to Letting Go

Published: February 1st 2016 by Entangled: digiTeen

Number of Pages: 334 Pages (Kindle)

Series: No

   One summer can change everything...

   Haunted with guilt after his girlfriend’s death, Daniel Hudson has no interest in committing to anyone. At the end of the summer, he’ll be leaving Florida for a new start in college. If only he could avoid the mysterious new girl in town, who seems every bit as naive and eccentric as she looks. Trouble is, she’s hard to ignore, with her beautiful piercing eyes, pitiful-looking dog, and unsettling tendency of finding trouble.

   Clover Scott lived her whole life off the grid and arrives on the Gulf coast in search of her grandparents. She never expected to nearly drown, or get caught in a hurricane, or fall in love with the boy who rescues her. Now, she has a chance to rewrite her life’s story, to finally fit in somewhere, but Daniel wants answers about her past. When the police start asking questions about the disappearance of her parents, she must make a choice: go to jail or confess her secrets—even if they might destroy her chance at a happily-ever-after. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Katherine Fleet

   1 - Describe The Secret to Letting Go with a haiku or twitter pitch.

   Since I was always terrible at our annual holiday haiku contest at the office, I’ll stick with a twitter pitch!

   Homeless and running from her past, Clover needs saving. Daniel’s not good at being anyone’s hero, but he can’t walk away.

   2 - What was the first initial thought or thing that sparked the idea of The Secret to Letting Go?

   This will probably sound cliché, but I had a dream, which was basically the first scene of the book. When I woke up, I just lay there, letting the characters take shape. I didn’t know what Clover had been through, but I knew it was something bad. From there, I started writing.

   3 - What do you like most and least about your protagonists Clover and Daniel?

   I love that after everything they’ve been through, neither one of them has given up on life, hope or love. What do I like least? That’s a hard one. It’s probably that they had so many self-doubts. I wanted them to be confident in their own goodness and worthiness, but I knew that it would take a while for them to accept it.

   4 - What was the most challenging thing about writing The Secret to Letting Go and which scene was the most fun to write?

   The most challenging part was portraying Clover’s character to the reader in the same way I saw her. To me, Clover is a girl with quiet strength. She requires saving on several occasions and she has her phobias, but she’s survived so much and still has the ability to see good in the world and feel compassion toward others. I believe it takes great personal strength to emerge from trauma and tragedy, without losing hope and optimism. So, I was surprised when feedback on early drafts mentioned that she seemed weak and needy. That’s when I realized that a writer’s vision of a character may not always come across clearly. So I revised and tweaked until readers could see Clover the same way I see her.

   I love writing emotional scenes. So the parts I had the most “fun” writing are actually the ones where I was on the verge of tears as I was typing. There are a lot of emotional scenes in this book, but the cemetery scene in the middle of the storm was probably my fav.

   5 - How long did it take you from first thought until publishing deal? Out of curiosity, how many queries did you have to send until you found 'the one'?

   This book had an unusually long timeframe. Unfortunately, I’d just started writing when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It took over six months before I was able to return to the story and eighteen months in total before it was finished. The publishing deal took many, many queries and another three years of waiting and perseverance!

   6 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by hundreds of people and how do you feel now, a couple of weeks after the publication?

   I was nervous, because a part of me was afraid no one would read it or like it. When the initial reviews started to come in, I realized that readers were forming their own thoughts and relationships with the characters I’d created. It’s an amazing and surreal feeling, because the story takes on a life of its own, independent from me. The amazingness of this still hasn’t worn off.

   7 - Why do you think the readers out there should pick up The Secret to Letting Go? What makes the story stand out and, in a way, important?

   There are so many great YA stories available right now, so it can be difficult for readers to choose. I like to think that my book is a unique emotional journey. At points, it’s deep and raw, but always hopeful. The romance is sweet, but the secrets are dark. It’s a small-town book, with a rich cast of characters, some surprise twist and turns, and an eccentric heroine that readers are falling in love with.

   8 - While writing the story did you ever imagine how a cover might look like and what do you think about the absolutely gorgeous final version?

   I had some basic ideas for the cover, which I shared with Entangled, but what they created looked very different from what I’d envisioned. So when I first saw it, I was a little disoriented, but it didn’t take long for it to grow on me. Now, I love it and can’t imagine anything else!

   9 - Did you listen to any particular songs or artists while writing The Secret the Letting Go? If so, could you give us an example?

   I love writing to music and have different playlists for different activities. Certain songs put me in the right mood to write emotional scenes, and other songs I listen to when editing. Most of The Secret to Letting Go was written while listening to Mumford & Sons.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Writing is a craft and a skill, and like any other skill, it gets better with practice. Your first book may not get published, but if you keep writing, you will succeed. Oh, and if you are serious about being a writer, tell people you are a writer. Saying these words out loud to family, friends and even strangers makes it real, and it makes you accountable. It will help you hang in there, even when you feel discouraged. Also, find the people who will support and encourage your writing goals. It may be your family, friends, a critique partner or an online writing community. You may need to put yourself out there to find them, but the reward will be worth it!

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
   My selfish answer is that I’d love to be able to fly! It probably wouldn’t be very helpful for crime-fighting and helping people, but it would be so cool☺

About the Author

   Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, Katherine Fleet moved with her family to the Caribbean island of Curaçao in 2007. The slower pace of island life gave her time to pursue a long-time goal - becoming an author. When she’s not writing, she spends her time baking, chauffeuring her three amazing, talented kids around, and having sun-filled adventures with her wonderful friends. She is a member of RWA™ and several of its chapters. She also loves NaNoWriMo and is an active supporter of the associated Young Writers Program. She is represented by super-agent Carrie Pestritto of Prospect Agency. The Secret to Letting Go is her debut novel.

Website / Twitter: @KatherineFleet / Instagram: @katherine_fleet

Ask the Author: L.E. Sterling (True Born)

   Welcome to this weeks edition of Ask the Author! For this time I'm bringing you the amazing L.E. Sterling, author of True Born, who took some of her time to answer my Qs for you guys. Check out her amazing sounding book (I'm actually currently reading it and it's really good so far) and As below!

True Born by L.E. Sterling
Published: May 3rd 2016 by Entangled: Teen
Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, book #1 in the True Born Trilogy

   Welcome to Dominion City.

   After the great Plague descended, the world population was decimated...and their genetics damaged beyond repair.

   The Lasters wait hopelessly for their genes to self-destruct. The Splicers pay for expensive treatments that might prolong their life. The plague-resistant True Borns are as mysterious as they are feared…

   And then there's Lucy Fox and her identical twin sister, Margot. After endless tests, no one wants to reveal what they are.

   When Margot disappears, a desperate Lucy has no choice but to put her faith in the True Borns, led by the charismatic Nolan Storm and the beautiful but deadly Jared Price. As Lucy and the True Borns set out to rescue her sister, they stumble upon a vast conspiracy stretching from Dominion’s street preachers to shady Russian tycoons. But why target the Fox sisters?

   As they say in Dominion, it’s in the blood. (goodreads.com)

Interview with L.E. Sterling

   1 – Describe True Born with a haiku.

   How about this?

   Moody antlers rule

   What the Fox twins’ blood reveals –

   The blond panther snarls.

   2 – What sparked the idea for True Born? The sole idea of writing a sci-fi tale involving a apocalyptic world stricken by a plague or something completely different?

   There are a few things that led to the book but the most interesting is the incredible story of my great-grandmother, who was born in England and sent to the U.S. to be an indentured servant. As the story goes, she was very young when she was shipped over, and I imagine the whole voyage was traumatic, because apparently my great-grandmother forgot her identity through the crossing. When she finally arrived in the U.S. she gave them her twin’s name. And she lived her entire life, until she was a middle-aged adult, as her twin. I loved the idea of having a bond with someone that was so close that it took over your own, so I explored this in a fictional world.

   3 – What was the most challenging thing about writing True Born and which scene was the most fun to write?

   I really, REALLY loved writing the action scenes – which were, of course, also among the most challenging. I wanted these scenes to seem believable and not too gory but also really kick ass. These are harder to write (and more fun) when the characters doing the ass-whooping aren’t quite human.

   But now that I think about it, the thing that I really struggled with was trying to fit these really odd people, the True Borns, into a plague world where everyone else is so frail, so fallible and human.

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Lucy, and her sister Margot?

   Ohh, great question. I adore Lucy – she’s got spunk and depths that she’s only just beginning to explore. But at the same time she’s really trapped by the thought paradigms she’s grown up with. I think that strange duality leads to some of the best tension in the book, because she’s always fighting with her desire and inclination to play it safe, play by the rules of her parents and her upper class world. In the end, she just can’t. She just isn’t that person, no matter how much she wants to be. She’s far bigger, and the world is not going to let her forget it.

   As for Margot…well. Margot is a whole different problem. I don’t like that Margot is not a responsible character and continually lets Lucy hold the bag for her, so to speak. She doesn’t even seem to be aware of the privilege she has within her family – and it’s so arbitrary! Lucy is identical to Margot, after all, so why are they treated so differently?? At the same time, she needs to be free. I love that Margot seems to use all the systems she lives in against themselves to help her bust free of what she views as painful constrictions.

   5 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?

   I’m extremely happy with the book! In many ways, I’d say that this book turned out much better than I could have ever imagined. It’s the most nuanced, layered, complicated, FUN book I’ve ever written. 

   6 – I heard the story has previously been published on Wattpad. How did you handle the transition from posting your story on there to moving over to the publishing world, getting an agent and publisher?

   Funnily enough, I already had an agent when I published the story as a novella on Wattpad! I wrote the story to work the kinks out of a world that I wanted to set a whole other series of books in – the world of Dominion. And I posted it with the hopes of drawing more attention to my second novel, Pluto’s Gate, which I published with a very reputable small press – who did absolutely no marketing of the book.

   But the True Born story just…really took off. The response was so completely overwhelming (the sections I posted were read 500K+ times) that I realized I’d better just finish the whole novel and see if my agent wanted to sell it.

   7 - How did you feel now when thinking about the fact that in only a couple more weeks your  book will finally hit the shelves and people will able to buy and read it?

   Scared. Nervous. Exhilarated. I feel a bit like the whole world is about to see me with my pants down, if you know what I mean. Publishing anything is such a vulnerable experience… and I’ve already published two books previous to True Born, so I know what of I speak!

   8 – What do you think about the cover for True Born? Does it do the story justice?

   I adore the cover – it’s a moody, hypnotic, symbolic cover. I love that the leader of the True Borns, Nolan Storm, has a characteristic (the antlers) that can be used to tell an interesting story on the cover. The antlers define him, certainly, but it’s what those antlers point to, his unseen qualities, that are really his power.

   I can hardly wait to see what the designers do for Book 2 and 3 of the series!

   9 – Do you have a writing routine or do you write whenever creativity strikes?

   I get up at 5 am to write. Every day. So obviously, there’s coffee involved. I don’t have a lot of time because I have a full-time day job (and I’m a mom to a little kid) so I get pretty busy. I write in a journal before sitting down to the novel, though, because I need to empty my mind. It’s a very zen experience for me. Writing is a career for me, even if I can only get it done very part-time.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about this question. The advice I would always give is to read and write as much as you can, because that teaches you everything you need to know. The other is to treat writing as a business. Learn as much as you can, learn from each and every rejection, because those will teach you far more about what you need to do than your successes.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   Do I really need to pick just one??? I think I’d have to pick immortality… it’s the one power that would allow a person to develop in so many amazing ways. Think of all the languages one could learn, the places one could travel, the books one could read and write!!

About the Author

   L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate.

   Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Ask the Author: Zan Romanoff (A Song To Take The World Apart) + Giveaway

   Welcome to this weeks edition of Ask the Author!

   This time I've contacted the amazing Zan Romanoff a couple of weeks ago and asked her if she'd be willing to answer a few of my Q's. Luckily she agreed so check out her intriguing sounding upcoming release, A Song To Take The Wold Apart, and her awesome As to my Qs. 
   Also, would you like to win an ARC of A Song To Take The World Apart? If so you can enter the goodreads giveaway by clicking right here! (The giveaway runs until May 10th, US only)

A Song To Take The World Apart by Zan Romanoff

Expected Publication: September 13th 2016 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 320 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Hanging out with Chris was supposed to make Lorelei’s life normal. He’s cooler, he’s older, and he’s in a band, which means he can teach her about the music that was forbidden in her house growing up. Her grandmother told her when she was little that she was never allowed to sing, but listening to someone else do it is probably harmless—right?

   The more she listens, though, the more keenly she can feel her own voice locked up in her throat, and how she longs to use it. And as she starts exploring the power her grandmother never wanted her to discover, influencing Chris and everyone around her, the foundations of Lorelei’s life start to crumble. There’s a reason the women in her family never want to talk about what their voices can do.

   And a reason Lorelei can’t seem to stop herself from singing anyway. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Zan Romanoff

   1 – Describe A Song To Take The World Apart with a haiku.

   so: family secrets

   girl best friends and boys in bands

   the ocean; magic

   2 – What sparked the idea for A Song To Take The World Apart?

   There are a lot of answers to this question, because when I first started working on what would ultimately become the book I thought it was something else entirely. It began as a short story about Lorelei as an adult, told by a bartender who falls in love with her while she's singing at a club. It was supposed to be part of a collection of short stories about people who have magical powers that are low-key ruining their lives-- not in any epic, world-changing way, just, like, for instance there was one about a guy who wanted to be a party photographer but kept getting assignments that fell around the full moon, which was a problem, because he was a werewolf. I'd been reading a lot of epic and urban fantasy, and as much as I love those genres, I wanted to write something about what that kind of power-- and its attendant difference-- would feel like on a small scale in the day-to-day.

   So I thought the Lorelei story was just going to be one of a handful in this collection, but as soon as I started working on it (well, as soon as I started writing the draft from her POV) it became clear that I had way, way more to say about being a teenage girl in Los Angeles, about making mistakes, and about learning to live with an imperfect family, about having a voice, about friendship and romance, than a short story would allow. I honestly feel like I tricked myself into it, somehow-- I stumbled onto a plot that allowed me to talk about basically everything I really care about in one book.

   3 – What was the most challenging about writing A Song To Take The World Apart and which scene was the most fun to write?

   All of the scenes where I had to write about Lorelei listening to music were terrifying, because it's such an emotional, physical experience-- I really didn't want to get too purple about it, but also those are absolutely crucial moments in the book, so I had to make sure they were impactful enough. I feel like it's easier to write a good character moment, or a sharp piece of dialogue, because they're more concrete. Describing a sensation is really tough-- and even if you do it well, it still probably just won't land for some people!

   One of the scenes I had in my head basically as soon as I knew I was going to write a whole book of this story was a party scene that happens towards the end at a gorgeous house on a hill in the Pacific Palisades. The house is based on a real one, and even before the book existed I'd known I wanted to write something set in it at some point-- it's a very beautiful, very LA house-- and so getting to that point in narrative and finally getting to put the characters in this place, where everything was gorgeous and everything was going to fall apart, felt amazing on many levels.

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Lorelei?

   Lorelei is, I think, fundamentally a nicer person than I am. I mean, she still does some selfish, messed-up stuff, but there's a sweetness to her that was really interesting to inhabit, maybe especially because I also had her doing the selfish, messed-up stuff. A lot of the book is about how you can do impulsive, greedy things and still basically a good person. It's still much easier for me to see that for L. than it is for me to see it for myself!

   That said, she's also young and shy and reserved in a way that can be a little frustrating, sometimes-- it's just, like, girl, ask the questions you have! But she's not gonna do that, so.

   5 - In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?

   I don't think I can answer that question yet! I'm very curious to see what the reader response to it will be. I'm sure in a year there will be tons of things I want to adjust, and even now I'll be re-reading it and get to lines where I'm like oh god, is that dumb? Does that make sense? But in general, right now, I feel good about where it ended up. (Shout outs to my friends who read a zillion intermediate drafts and my agent and editor, all of whom gave my guidance that made it a much, much better story than I could have written on my own.)

   6 - How do you feel about the fact that in only a few more months hundreds of readers will be able to hold and read your debut novel?

   Thrilled. Terrified. I mean thrilled. But also terrified. Mostly thrilled? Ocassionally overwhelmed by being terrified? It's a strong feeling, I can tell you that much for sure.

   7 – What do you think about the cover? Is it anything like you imagined it being?

   I LOVE THE COVER. Like everyone else, I'd heard horror stories about people being given bland, generic covers, or stuff that had nothing to do with their book, so I was very much braced for the worst, especially after the rest of the process with Knopf had been so easy. (Something's gotta go wrong at some point, right? That's the Jewish gospel on the subject anyway.) But the final cover is only a few tweaks away from the first version they showed me, because I loved it instantly. It's perfectly dreamy and otherworldly, and I love that Lorelei is staring out at you, daring you to return her gaze.

   As for what I'd imagined, I actually wrote a little bit about it on my Tumblr-- I had never been able to picture a cover image that wasn't this photograph, which I knew they'd never let me use, so it was a massive, massive relief to have them put together something that was, essentially, exactly what I didn't know I wanted yet.

   8 – Seeing as you’re a YA author I’m sure you also read YA, so I wondered, what were the last three books you’ve read and what did you think of them?

   I read so much YA. So much of it! Most recently, Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, which I could not get enough of, and Brandy Colbert's Pointe, which I thought was incredibly smart and harrowing. I've seen Naomi Novik's Uprooted shelved both as YA and as straight fantasy but either way I loved it and recommend the hell out of it.

   9 – Did you listen to any particular songs or artists while writing A Song To Take The World Apart? If so, could you give us an example?

   I don't listen to music while I'm actively writing (unless there's something playing in a coffee shop, but I usually ignore that as much as I can), but I do do a certain amount of walking around and thinking about the story and listening to music while I'm in the process of drafting. For A Song, that was basically Lorde's Pure Heroine on repeat; I'm totally obsessed with the sonic spareness of that album, the way her lyrics tend to be so specific and concrete but also somehow still manage to be emotionally evocative. Don't you think that it's boring how people talk is like a key that unlocks the voice of my own sullen teenage self. The drink you spilled all over me / Lovers' Spit left on repeat / my mom and dad let me stay home / it drives you crazy getting old could have been a line from my high school diary. There's a scene with Lorelei in a car with a boy that's basically just me transcribing the way 400 Lux makes me feel.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Read a lot. Write a lot. It will take longer than you think it should and it will be harder than you want it to be. You have to learn to love the work. (Or just Marge Piercy's For the Young Who Want To, basically.)

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   How boring am I if I say flying? But like, honestly, I want so badly to be able to fly.

About the Author

   Hello! I write essays + fiction, mostly focused on food, feminism, television and books. I graduated from Yale in 2009 with a B.A. in Literature, and now live and work in Los Angeles.

   My young adult fiction is represented by Logan Garrison at The Gernert Company. If you want to get in touch with me about something (anything!) else, I’m zanopticon at gmail dot com.

Ask the Author: Kate Hattemer (The Land of 10.000 Madonnas)

   Welcome to this weeks edition of Ask the Author!

   For this week I've contacted the lovely Kate Hattemer, author of The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy and The Land of 10,000 Madonnas. Fortunately, she took some of her time and answered 8 of my questions about her upcoming release which I am really excited about and looking forward to reading.

   Here are her A's to my Q's: 

The Land of 10.000 Madonnas by Kate Hattemer

Expected Publication: April 19th 2016 by Knopf

Number of Pages: 352 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Five teens backpack through Europe to fulfill the mysterious dying wish of their friend.

   Jesse lives with his history professor dad in a house covered with postcards of images of the Madonna from all over the world. They’re gotten used to this life: two motherless dudes living among thousands of Madonnas. But Jesse has a heart condition that will ultimately cut his life tragically short. Before he dies, he arranges a mysterious trip to Europe for his three cousins, his best friend, and his girlfriend to take after he passes away. It’s a trip that will forever change the lives of these young teens and one that will help them come to terms with Jesse’s death. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Kate Hattemer

   1 – Describe The Land of 10,000 Madonnas with a haiku.

   Five not-quite-friends and

   smoothies, squabbles, sightseeing

   in Europe – but why?

   2 – What sparked the idea for The Land of 10,000 Madonnas?

   Nearly four years ago I was fortunate enough to spend a summer traveling in Europe, and my time there definitely shaped the characters’ journey. I became fascinated with artistic representations of Mary, especially Annunciation and Pieta scenes, and they inspired many of the book’s concerns, both literal and thematic.

   3 – What was the most challenging about writing The Land of 10,000 Madonnas and which scene was the most fun to write?

   When writing this book, I became downright appalled at how naïve and over-ambitious I’d been when I’d first plotted its six different perspectives. I’d known I’d have to differentiate their voices, but I hadn’t realized how challenging it would be to map out each character’s arc, to juggle simultaneously six characters' development and maturation (and sometimes regression). Probably three-fourths of the revision process was focused on this aspect alone.

   It was a difficult book to write, but I had a lot of fun too. I think teenagers give humor a position of extreme privilege in their lives, and it was a pleasure to let humor insinuate itself into even the darkest moments (as it tends to do). And I like to write slapstick – there’s one scene with a strawberry smoothie explosion, and another where a pigeon displays his very good aim, if you know what I mean.

   4 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?

   This book took a lot of work and a lot of revision, and there were several moments along the way where I truly doubted whether I was capable of writing the book I wanted to write. And although I can be endlessly neurotic, I’m really trying not to return to the book with that critical eye – it is what it is, and I’m proud of it.

   5 – What led you to writing and wanting to be an author? Is it the way you imagined it would be?

   Reading has always been my favorite thing to do, so the idea of writing had long been in the back of my mind. However, it wasn't until my freshman year of college that I knew I wanted to be a writer -- after a devastating death in my family, the only solace I found was through novels. So that, I think, is how I came to wanting to write them myself.

   In some ways, this career is just as I envisioned – the writing itself doesn’t change. But the publishing industry is always full of surprises.

   6 – What do you think about the cover for The Land of 10,000 Madonnas? Is it anything like what you envisioned it to be?

   I love it! Every time I see a cover for a book of mine, I breathe a giant sigh of relief that I’m not the one who designs them. They are never anything like what I envision, and that is something for which I – and everyone – should be extremely grateful.

   7 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Read. Surround yourself with interesting people, and listen to them talk. Read. Surround yourself with interesting people, and talk yourself. Read. Do things that scare you. Read. Fall in love. Find a job. Read.

   8 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   I was at a bonfire the other night and a friend of mine brought up the question of mediocre superpowers – like, superpowers that just aren’t that good. You can go invisible… but only in the top half of your body. You can fly… but only two inches above the ground.

   Ever since then I’ve been obsessively cataloguing mediocre superpowers. So let me say that I’d love to be instantly dry the moment I step from the shower. No more wet hair. No more towels. I’m not asking for much, universe. You want to pony up?

About the Author

   I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio as the oldest of eight siblings. I attended Yale University and taught high school Latin in Virginia before returning to Cincinnati, where I worked as a bookseller. I’m now writing, teaching, reading, and running in the greater DC area. My debut, The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy, was named a best book of the year by the American Library Association, Kirkus, Bustle, and the LA Public Library. (Kate's website)

Ask the Author: Lorie Langdon (Gilt Hollow)

   For this weeks edition of Ask the Author I've reached out to Lorie Langdon, the co-author of Doon and author of Gilt Hollow. I'm very interested in the latter so of course I couldn't resist writing her to ask about an interview. Luckily, she agreed to do it!

   Here are her A's to my Q's:

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Expected Publication: September 27th 2016 by Blink

Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   Willow Lamott’s best friend is a murderer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. For four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

   Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow reminded him what he’d been missing. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton fears his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves, especially the girl he left behind. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Lorie Langdon

   1 – Describe Gilt Hollow with a haiku or twitter pitch.

   Since poetry isn’t really my thing, I’ll give you the twitter pitch: A boy convicted of manslaughter returns home seeking revenge and the life he lost, including the girl he left behind.

   2 – In a genre like mystery/thriller, how hard is it to stand out? And in what way do you think does Gilt Hollow stand out and offer something that should make people want to read it even more?

   For any book to stand out, it needs a strong hook; a quick high-concept line that hooks the reader. It’s actually what hooked me on the idea of writing this story: Willow’s best friend is a murder, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it.

   Outside of that, as with any new book, strong writing, a compelling cover, and a good marketing budget helps. ☺

   3 – What was the most challenging thing about writing Gilt Hollow and which scene was the most fun to write?

   The most challenging aspect of writing Gilt Hollow was researching the legal side of the story, such as: Ashton’s requirements to his parole officer after his release from juvie, the details surrounding his conviction, and how local law enforcement would react to Ashton’s return and the crimes that seem to follow him.

   The most fun scene to write was the Sleepy Hollow Ball! It’s a tradition in Gilt Hollow that the mayor throws a huge costume party for everyone in town in the fall. It’s eerie and atmospheric, the perfect place to set up the chilling climax of the book!

   4 – What do you like most and least about your main character, Willow?

   Willow was an interesting character to write. When she refuses to stop defending Ashton’s innocence, even after his conviction, she’s alternately bullied and ostracized by her classmates and even some of the townspeople. As a result, her type-A personality becomes her worst enemy and manifests in the form of panic attacks. In the beginning of the book, we see her retreating and not standing up for herself, but when Ashton comes back, he awakens something fierce inside of her. I loved writing her as she emerged from her shell and took control of her life.

   5 - In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?

   I love this story as it is! If I had to change something, it would be to add a little more about Ashton’s friend and roommate in juvie, Toryn.

   6 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by thousands of people and how do you feel now, years later, before your next book will be released?

   Did the feeling change or is it still the same? Well, Gilt Hollow will be my fifth published novel. But the first time I realized my book DOON would be read by thousands of people, I first felt disbelief, shortly followed by terror (what if they hate it?), and then a wondrous kind of joy in knowing that my dreams of sharing my stories with the world were coming true. I still sometimes feel this way when I get fan mail or hear from readers across the globe.

   7 – What do you think about the cover? Is it anything like you imagined it being?

   The Gilt Hollow cover is beautiful and a bit creepy, just like this story. I love the trepidations look on the model’s face playing Willow and the boy lurking in the forest. It’s perfect!

   8 – Seeing as you’re a YA author I’m sure you also read YA, so I wondered, what were the last three books you’ve read and what did you think of them?

   The White Rose by Amy Ewing: a good sequel to The Jewel. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

   Lois Lane, Fallout by Gwenda Bond: a fresh take on one of my childhood role models.

   An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir: My absolute favorite read of the year!

   9 – Book adaptations – movie or TV series?

   TV series…if it’s done right.

   10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?

   Write every day until it becomes a habit. Also, learn as much as you can about creative writing and the publishing industry. The biggest step I took towards becoming a published author was joining a local writer’s organization. The national society of children’s book writers and illustrators (www.scbwi.org/) has local chapters all over the country. It’s inspiring to connect with other writers and the monthly workshops these groups provide are a great way to learn.

   11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

   The power to heal. I have Crohn’s disease and I’ve passed it along to both of my sons. It’s a chronic illness that effects the digestive system and there is no cure. Healing others from illness is the most amazing superpower I can imagine!

   This was fun! Thanks so much for having me on your blog!

About the Author

   Lorie Langdon is co-author of DOON, a YA reimagining of the musical Brigadoon, available now from Blink/Harper Collins! www.doonseries.com

   A few years ago, she left her thriving corporate career to satisfy the voices in her head. Now as a full-time author and stay-at-home mom, she spends her summers editing poolside while dodging automatic water-gun fire, and the rest of the year tucked into her cozy office, Havanese puppy by her side, working to translate her effusive imagination into the written word.

Readers can find her online at:
Twitter : https://twitter.com/LorieLangdon
Instagram : https://instagram.com/lorielangdon_doonseries
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLorieLangdon
GILT HOLLOW on Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25041551-gilt-hollow