Monday Muse: Hozier -- Arsonist's Lullaby

Oh Hozier, I hate your name, but I love your music.

Monday Muse: Flyleaf -- Set Me On Fire

I have been obsessed with Flyleaf lately. I haven't listened to them in years, but OMG...

Monday Muse: Echosmith: Cool Kids

Monday Muse : Lorde -- Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Monday Muse: The Wailin' Jennys -- Bright Morning Stars

Monday Muse: Matt Kearney -- Count on Me

Monday Muse: Walk the Moon -- Shut Up And Dance

This makes me want to dance.  LOL

Monday Muse: Bring Me The Horizon --Drown

Monday Muse: ZZ Ward -- Move Like You Stole It

Sounds kind of like Adelle, right?! And it's durty...

Monday Muse: Melanie Martinez -- Dollhouse

Monday Muse: Lykke Li -- Gunshot

Monday Muse: Mary Lambert -- Secret

A happy, be yourself song.

Monday Muse: Marga's -- Slängpolska från Vrigstad

Monday Muse: Belgian Fog -- Loveless Way

Monday Muse: Meghan Trainor -- All About that Bass

Being a curvy girl myself, I had to put this up eventually. After I saw the video (and Meghan) for the first time, I was like, "You're going up...NOW."

Monday Muse: Ingrid Michaelson -- Girls Chase Boys

So, this has been out for a while, but I just watched the video and felt that I not only had to share the androgynous candy, but also had to support Ingrid who I have been a fan of for quite some time.

Monday Muse: Regina Spektor -- Dance Anthem of the 80s

Oh Regina, where did you get that voice?

Monday Muse: Rilo Kiley -- Portions for Foxes

Monday Muse: The Naked and Famous -- No Way

Break things!

The Novel Experience Event VIP Giveaway

Hi everyone!

So, I have a super fun giveaway for you!  As some of you may know, I participate in The Novel Experience Event (TNEE) which is an amazing signing event attended by more than a hundred authors.  In an effort to spread the word and get more people to attend, the convention director is allowing participating authors to giveaway one VIP ticket to a lucky winner of their choosing.  I'm going to choose one of you!  TNEE 2015 happens to be at Planet Hollywood in LAS VEGAS, so this is a great time to go on that vacation you always wanted to take with all your friends!

What You Get:
If you win, you get a VIP ticket to TNEE 2015.  The VIP ticket gets you: a special goodie bag, a special VIP party, early entry preview FRIDAY, front line access to all parties, your own entrance for the signing on Saturday, and your own exit lane with a cashier.  This ticket is normally $125.00, so this is a great deal!  The only thing you need to do is pay for transportation, hotel (which is discounted for TNEE), food, and any additional books you purchase at the signing -- everything at the event is FREE and EXPEDITED for VIPs.

Additional details:
TNEE 2015 will be at Planet Hollywood from April 2-6, 2015.  In order to keep the convention going, we need to meet attrition for the hotel, so please make sure you get your hotel room at Planet Hollywood -- it will be discounted for the event and the block price stretches three days on either side of the event, so you can stay longer in Sin City.  I encourage you to bring your friends and family for a vacation!

What you have to do:
 If you want to win, you have to play!  Haha, sorry couldn't avoid the casino reference there.  Entry is simple, use the rafflecopter below to post all about it to your friends and family.  Hopefully some of them will want to come too!  Also, if you don't win, don't fret!  You can still come to the signing (free on Saturday), or decide to upgrade yourself to VIP, and you can still use the TNEE room block to get that discounted vacation you always wanted...You can't lose on this one!

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Monday Muse: Bad Suns -- Cardiac Arrest

Despite the medical inaccuracy of this song, I enjoy it.

Monday Muse: Chvrches -- Recover

When I first heard these guys I thought it was Grimes. Lauren Mayberry sounds like Claire Boucher...Anyone else think so?

Monday Muse: The Pretty Reckless -- Heaven Knows

This is such a gritty, dark song. Appeals to the goth within.

Monday Muse: Charli XCX -- Boom Clap

In case you've been living in a cave like I have and are only just now catching this song on the radio...

Monday Muse: The Griswolds -- Beware the Dog

This just makes me bop. Like literally, I'm bopping as I type.

Monday Muse: Delta Rae -- Dance in the Graveyards

This. It's gothic, it's southern, it's hymnal, and there are sugar skull Voodoo peeps.

Monday Muse: Skillet -- Not Gonna Die

Ah symphonic metal...

Feature Friday: Laurie Stolarz

Special Note:  This is the last Feature Friday for (at least) the summer.  I'm taking a long break from Feature Fridays.  I will send a large Goodreads invite out if/when I start doing them again, so make sure you're following me on Goodreads!

Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of several popular young adult novels including the Touch series (the latest release of which is Deadly Little Lessons), Project 17, and Bleed, (all published by Disney/Hyperion Books for Children), as well as the bestselling Blue is for Nightmares series (Flux Publications).  With more than a million books sold worldwide, Stolarz’s titles have been named on numerous award lists, including the Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers list and the Top Ten Teen Pick list, both through the American Library Association.  She is currently working on her new Dark House series, also with Disney/Hyperion Books for Children.  The first book in that series, Welcome to the Dark House, will be out in July, 2014.  For more information, please visit her Web site at www.lauriestolarz.com.



Interview:
A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Laurie: 
My biggest piece of advice is to persevere.  There are many talented writers who give up after 5, 10, or even 50 rejection letters.  Be open to learning and to getting better in your craft.  If more than one person criticizes the same point in your work – i.e. your main character whines too much – chances are you need to look at that point again.  Never pay reading fees while trying to get published – ever.  Do your homework.  Know to whom you’re sending your query letter, who that person’s clients are, what that person’s track record is (i.e. the details of his or her most recent acquisitions), and what that person is looking for.  Every letter should be personalized and reflect that you’ve done your research.  And, lastly, consider joining a writers group.  There’s nothing better than being in a group of like-minded writers who can help inspire and cheer you on, and who can provide constructive feedback that can help to strengthen your work. 

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Laurie: 
It's way too hard to pick just one.  I love different books for different reasons, i.e. I love the subtlety of Kate Chopin's The Awakening;  I love the language of Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block and Gravel Queen by Tea Benduhn; I love the voice of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and Bringing up the Bones by Lara Zeises.  I love Wally Lamb's narration in She's Come Undone.  I love the pacing and thrill of Misery by Stephen King and Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. I also love work by Amy Bloom, Laura Wiess, Steven Goldman, and Ellen Hopkins. Seriously, I could go on and on.  

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for Welcome to the Dark House?

Laurie: 
A lot of readers ask me if I ever get my ideas from dreams or nightmares.  The truth is that I don't.  I don't really dream too much – not that I can remember, anyway.  But about two years ago, I did have a nightmare and Welcome to the Dark House is the result.  I dreamed about a contest in which horror film fanatics (all of them eagerly awaiting the next film in a certain famed director's cult-followed movie series) enter a contest in which they have to submit their worst nightmare. The winners would get flown from all over the country to see the director's long-awaited, highly anticipated film. As the winners arrive, they couldn’t be more excited. The place where they’re staying has been hand-tailored to all of their tastes.  They can’t wait to meet the director and see the film.  This is a once-and-a-lifetime opportunity - or so it seems. My nightmare continued, and let’s just say there’s a creepy amusement park involved, but I don’t want to give too much away.  You’ll have to read the book;)

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in Welcome to the Dark House is your favorite and why?

Laurie: 
I really like the complexity of Ivy's character.  I love how secretive she is and how, as a victim, there's a degree of shame. I feel as though she's just beginning her learning curve in this book.  She has a long way to go in terms of her growth, gaining her courage back, and rising above all the trauma she's had to endure.  We can see the ways in which she's tried to deal with her scars, and how her trauma has reared its ugly head in her daily life.  I feel as though she's just beginning her journey in this book. 

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Laurie: 
My initial path to publication was a rough one.  I approached editors and agents at the same time, trying to target those who worked with writers like me (namely, writers who wrote in the young adult supernatural/paranormal genre).  It took me over a year to sell my first novel.  I have a folder filled with rejection letters. My favorite one is from an editor who said: “While this is an interesting project, I do not feel it is strong enough to compete in today’s competitive young adult market.”  That same young adult novel, BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES, has sold over 200,000 copies, has been translated into numerous different languages, has appeared on many different award lists, and was optioned by Blondie Girl Productions (Ashley Tisdale's production company) in partnership with Mandalay Entertainment, and sold to ABC Family for a TV series.

When I speak to young people and aspiring writers, I always tell them this story, that if I had stopped persevering, after I received my first – or my 40th rejection letter – I may never have been able to enjoy the success of my career.  BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES came out in 2003 and it's still in print.  I followed "Blue" up with WHITE IS FOR MAGIC, SILVER IS FOR SECRETS, RED IS FOR REMEMBRANCE, and BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS, all published by Llewellyn/Flux. 

I’ve also published several books with Disney/Hyperion: BLEED (2006) and PROJECT 17 (2007); these are companion books to one another, though stand-alone titles. I also published my five-book TOUCH series with Disney/Hyperion, the first book of which is DEADLY LITTLE SECRET (2008), and now WELCOME TO THE DARK HOUSE, the first book in my DARK HOUSE series is also with Disney Hyperion.

I’m grateful to have been very busy with work after publishing my first novel.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Laurie: 
I'm working on the sequel to Welcome to the Dark House.  It's called Return to the Dark House and it will be out next summer.

A.L.:
What was it like growing up in Salem?

Laurie: 
I didn't really appreciate growing up in Salem until I became an adult; it was simply the place where I lived and went to school.  I'd walk through Gallow's Hill every day on my way home from school (ho hum). I'd pass by the Salem Witch Dungeon, the cemetery where Giles Corey was crushed to death, the House of Seven Gables, the plot foundation for the house where Tituba lived, the house where Judge Hathorne's body was secretly buried, etc., etc., and not think twice. All of these places (aside from Gallow's Hill and Tituba's place, which are both off the beaten path) were always surrounded by tourists, and so that's the way I compartmentalized them in my head; these were tourist traps.  It wasn't until adulthood that I really got into the history and culture of Salem and the old Salem Village (Danvers). As part of my research for Blue is for Nightmares, I even worked at the Salem Witch Museum for a couple of months to learn as much as I could about the history and about modern-day Witchcraft as a religion. 

A.L.:
You've written in a number of different YA genres.  which would you say you gravitate toward the most?

Laurie:
I love intense drama and suspense and entangling the two.

A.L.:
If any two of your characters from any two novels that you've written could be friends, who would you like to befriend whom and why?

Laurie:
I think Ivy needs a friend. I think she could learn a ton from Stacey Brown, the main character in my Blue is for Nightmares series. Having grown over the course of five books, Stacey is a confident, fearless, no-nonsense type of character who's been through the ringer and is stronger for it. Ivy could use that kind of mentorship.

The Giveaway:
Laurie is giving away a copy of WELCOME TO THE DARK HOUSE as well as the winner's choice of one of Laurie's TOUCH series books.

Welcome to the Dark House:  What’s your worst nightmare?

For Ivy Jensen, it’s the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.

And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.

Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.

Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.

By the time Ivy and Parker realize what’s really at stake, it’s too late to wake up and run.

Read Goodread reviews.
Buy on Amazon.
Buy on Barnes and Noble.


How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  International.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Matisyahu -- Live Like a Warrior

*dances* Such an anthem kind of song...

Feature Friday: Kate Karyus Quinn

Kate Karyus Quinn is an avid reader and menthol chapstick addict. She has lived in California and Tennessee, but recently made the move back to  her hometown of Buffalo, New York, with her husband and two children in tow. She promised them wonderful people, amazing food, and weather that would build character. ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE was her debut novel.


Interview:

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Kate:
Make time to write. This may seem obvious, but so many people talk about writing a novel, but forget to sit down and actually write the darn thing. Secondly, dream of unparallelled success, but be mentally prepare yourself for some setbacks and disappointments as you move towards that goal.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Kate:
I don't have a favorite book. It seems wrong to play favorites when there are so many different books that I love with all my heart, and all of them for different reasons.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for (Don't You) Forget About Me?

Kate:
I didn't really have a light bulb moment with this book. I simply started writing it with the idea of the main character, Skylar, living in this strange place and buying these odd drugs made from forget-me-not flowers. It took me a long time to figure out what Skylar's story was and what exactly she was trying so hard to forget, but once I did the book started to come together.

A.L.: 
Did you hit any snags while writing (Don't You) Forget About Me?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Kate:
Yes! This book was nothing but snags! I knew there was something there in the beginning pages of this story as I began to write it, but I didn't know exactly what that something was. I spent a lot of time staring into space and scribbling into notebooks and Googling various things - all with the purpose of trying to shake the story loose from the inside of my skull. It really came together bit by bit with little lightening bolt moments of "Oh yes!" that were quickly followed by, "Oh but then what about that other part...?" I was tempted to push this book aside several times in the early days of writing it, but something about the characters and the town of Gardnerville (almost a character in and of itself!) would not let me go - so I kept pushing on.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in (Don't You) Forget About Me is your favorite and why?

Kate:
Oh Skylar, the main character and very unreliable narrator is my favorite. I know some readers will not find her very likeable, but I was sympathetic to her from the beginning and then began to love her even more as the book progresses and she begins to sort herself out and attempt to rise to the occasion.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Kate:
I knew I wanted to write books as early as second grade. But then I got distracted when the acting bug bit me in middle school, which in turn- years later - took me towards directing and film school. Of course, I was scribbling away the entire time, beginnings of novels and bad poetry and short stories filled several notebooks over the course of those many years. And then in my late twenties, I found myself unemployed and home with a newborn and for the first time I sat down and wrote a complete novel from start to finish. It was such a great feeling - and I wanted more! So I started the journey of figuring out how to get an agent and all that other stuff. It took me two more completed novels before I was able to snag the agent and publishing deal, which would have seemed very depressing if I'd known it would take so long when I first got started, but now - looking back - it's difficult not to be happy with the way that everything worked out.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Kate:
Something new. :) Another stand-alone. Quite dark, like my first two novels, but also with a bit more humor and also romance. I am a sucker for a good romance and I really love the one in my next book.

A.L.:
I sense a theme with how you name your novels...Will you always name them after song titles?  If so, what's the next song?

Kate:
I don't know if I'll always name my books after song titles - that seems like a difficult thing to hold oneself to... However, my third book does currently have a title taken from a song - not sure if it will stay that way or if the publisher will change it. I guess we will both have to wait and see. ;)

A.L.:
You've lived all over the United States!  What's the worst place you ever lived and why?

Kate:
The worst place was definitely Los Angeles. My husband and I rented two different apartments when we lived there. The first was a place that we ended up calling 'the cave' because it was so dark and depressing inside and almost never got the sun. The most interesting thing about this place was that after living there a few months, an anonymous letter was sent to all the residents letting us know that the apartment manager was a registered sex offender. The apartment manager then responded with a several page long letter explaining the circumstances of his pleading guilty to sex with a minor (the gist of it: he was innocent but pled guilty to spare the girl the trial. sounded like some major bs to me.).

Our next apartment was in Burbank. While living there the apartment above us was raided by the cops because it was full of drug-dealing college kids. Also, we were electrocuted several times by the outlets in the kitchen and when we had an electrician check it out - he was surprised we were still alive after living in the apartment so long!

The most upsetting thing about both of those places, though, was the rent was incredibly high!

A.L.:
What kind of weather-related character building exercises have you and the family been up to in Buffalo?

Kate:
Ha! Well this winter has definitely been the worst since we've moved back to Buffalo. Lots of cold. Lots of snow. Even a blizzard or two thrown in to keep things interesting. Really the hardest thing about it has been not going stir-crazy from being trapped indoors for so many cold and miserable months!

The Giveaway:
Kate is giving away a copy of (DON'T YOU) FORGET ABOUT ME and ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE.

(Sorry, no matter what I did I couldn't get the cover image to load...)
(Don't You) Forget About Me:  Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.

Read Goodreads Reviews.
Buy on Amazon.
Buy on Barnes and Noble. 

How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  US only.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Sneaker Pimps -- 6 Underground

An oldie but goodie. <3 Makes you wanna dance all alone in the dark.

Feature Friday: TIGER'S PROMISE exclusive interview

New York Times Bestselling Author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Her first four novels, Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, and Tiger’s Destiny were New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestsellers. Formerly a student at the University of Arizona, she worked as a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter for seventeen years before switching careers to become an author. Colleen lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.

The Interview:
We're interviewing Yesubai, one of the characters from Colleen Houck's TIGER'S CURSE series.  Yesubai has her own story out called TIGER'S PROMISE.

A.L.:
If you could pick one song to tell your story, what would it be?  Why?

Yesubai:
Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson. This song is really the theme for my life. I was always concerned that my father’s evil was just a part of me. If it wasn’t for the Rajaram family I would have always believed that was all I was.

A.L.:
How about a theme song for yourself?  why?

Yesubai:
Absence of Fear by Jewel. It took a long time for me, sixteen years in fact, to overcome my fears and stand up to my father.

A.L.:
What are you hoping readers get out of your story?

Yesubai:
My hope is that it inspires people to look past the obvious. Just because something seems evil on the outside doesn’t mean it truly is. There’s always hope and you always have a choice.

A.L.:
What's your favorite food?

Yesubai:
Aam Shrikhand which is sweetened yogurt topped with mango.

A.L.:
If you could sit and have a chai tea with any person who has passed away, who would it be?

Yesubai:
My mother-Yuvakshi

A.L.:
We know you have a magic power, but if you could pick ANY one magical power to possess, what would it be and why?

Yesubai:
I would wish for the power to eradicate the darkness in my father.

A.L.:
If there was one thing that you could do over again, what would it be?

Yesubai:
I would not have run away from Kishan in the garden.

A.L.:
Rubies or Sapphires?

Yesubai:
Purple Sapphires

A.L.:
If you could have one wish, what would you wish for?

Yesubai:
That I might have been born in another time or place.

A.L.:
If you were in modern day America, what would your typical outfit look like?

Yesubai:
I think I would prefer to wear dresses. It is what I am used to, but I should like to have one of every color. I enjoy the bright colors of my homeland.

The Giveaway:
Colleen's publisher will be giving away 10 e-book copies of TIGER'S PROMISE (INT).

Tiger's Promise:   Before the curse, there was a promise. A prequel to the bestselling Tiger’s Curse series, this much anticipated novella recalls the beginning of Ren and Kishan’s story. Before Kelsey there was a girl, raised by a villain, whose love for a hero changed the course of history.

Trapped under the thumb of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, Yesubai struggles to keep her own magical abilities secret while evading his dark powers. When Lokesh promises Yesubai to the prince of a neighboring kingdom, she becomes the central pawn in his plot to destroy the ruling family and take power for himself. Yesubai is trapped by her father’s threats and desperate to protect the man she comes to love, but she knows that any decision she makes will have dire consequences. As dark forces gather around her, Yesubai must decide if she’s willing to reveal that somewhere deep within her she has the power to change everything.



Read Goodread reviews.
Buy on Amazon.
Buy on Barnes and Noble.

How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  International.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Jeff Tuohy -- Bourdon Street

This song rules me right now. And he's from CT!

Feature Friday: Stephanie Keyes

Stephanie Keyes grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and spent years traveling and working as a Corporate Trainer before she made the decision to pen her first novel. As a teen, her family always accused her of having an “overactive imagination.” Now, she’s encouraged to keep her head in the clouds and share her world with readers.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and The Star Catcher, all from by Inkspell Publishing. The Fallen Stars was a 2013 semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. The Star Child has topped the Amazon best-seller list several times since its 2012 release. Steph writes YA novels because she’s a hopeless romantic who lives to believe that Magick truly does exist. She is hard at work on a new YA novel.

Contact Stephanie
Website: www.stephaniekeyes.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Keye...
Twitter: www.twitter.com/StephanieKeyes

Interview:

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Stephanie:
Find a professional critique group! I didn’t even know such a thing existed when I wrote The Star Child. Then I found one through The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. It truly allowed me to develop my writing skills, but I’ve also formed life-long friendships with some incredible writers. And no—your family doesn’t count. Believe me, I already tried that one. *smiles*

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Stephanie: 
I really have to pick just one? Ha! I love The Book of Dreams by OR Melling. It’s part of The Chronicles of Faerie series. Her imagination is remarkable. It’s one of those books where you read it and think, “Yeah, I should just quit writing now, because she’s got this.” It’s magical and it got me reading Fantasy again.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for The Star child series?

Stephanie: 
It was totally random. I was getting into the shower and glanced out the window. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky—just a blanket of stars. The term “star child” popped into my head. By the time I got out of the shower I had the basic plot down. That was the most productive shower I’ve ever taken!

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing The Star child series?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Stephanie: 
Tons with the first book, especially. I had no intention of ever writing a novel. I just wanted to see where the story would go. I’d also never written much fiction. So that was a learning curve for me. Everything from character development to plotting could’ve stopped me in my tracks. I had to force myself to learn how to slow the story down, take my time, and get to know my characters. Outlining helped tremendously. I wrote everything out on index cards so i had an idea of where things would go. By the time I got to the second and third books in the series, I had a plan for how to approach each book.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in The Star child series is your favorite and why?

Stephanie: 
Kellen. He and I have quite a bit in common. He is, essentially, what I would be like as a teenage boy. Sarcastic, suspicious of everyone, but a softy underneath. I loved the idea of writing a character that had no real powers or ability—just his brain. I also didn’t want him to let his childhood and his messed up family define him. My second, very close favorite, would be Gabe, though. He was just so fun to write. The funny thing was that he almost got cut after the first book, but reader feedback on Goodreads saved him. Folks seemed to want to know more about him. So he came back.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Stephanie: 
Absolutely. I started writing when I was fourteen, just weird little stories in notebooks I threw out about twenty years ago. My plan was to become a journalism major, but then I changed my mind and studied music instead. When I found out music really did equal certain unemployment, I changed my major to IT. I worked as a technical writer and instructor for about eight years before I came back to writing. The Star Child took me nine months to write, three years to edit, and one year to sell. Inkspell Publishing offered me a contract for the series in 2012, with book one, The Star Child, being released later that year.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Stephanie: 
No more sequels for now! I am in the process of editing a YA Novel set in Pittsburgh, PA and writing another set in Cape Hatteras, NC. Both have paranormal elements in them and I can’t wait to share more!

A.L.:
What's the best place to eat in Pittsburgh?

Stephanie: 
What a cool question! Il Pizzaiolo has been my favorite Italian restaurant for an age. Lots of custom pizzas and great wine. Love ‘em!

A.L.:
If you could visit anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?

Stephanie: 
Bavaria. I’ve always wanted to go. Plus, Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for a location in The Star Catcher.

A.L.:
Why did you choose to write about faeries and Celtic myth?

Stephanie: 
When I was a little girl, my gran told me stories of the “Good People” and our family in Ireland. I’ve been hooked ever since. When I had the opportunity to tour Ireland in 2005, the experience changed me. There’s something about being there, whether on the Cliffs of Moher or in a field in Kilkenny... It truly seems as though magic is a tangible thing there. That stayed with me and I felt compelled to immerse Kellen St. James into that world.

The Giveaway:
Stephanie is giving away a signed copy of one of the books of your choice: either The Star Child, The Fallen Stars, or The Star Catcher. (INTERNATIONAL)

The Star Child:  The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night. Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role. Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?

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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  International.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Lzzy Hale and Lindsey Stirling -- Shatter Me

Let's see how many of Amanda's favorite things can get stuck into one video.

Feature Friday: Sasha Dawn

Sasha Dawn teaches writing at community colleges and holds writing workshops for local elementary and middle schools. She collects tap shoes, fabric swatches, and stories of survival. She resides in her native northern Illinois, where she spends her days with her daughters, her puppies, and her fiance.

Interview:
A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Sasha: 
Write every day, even after the pains of rejection stab you. We live in a pessimistic society, where people unfortunately take pleasure in ripping others to shreds. It's easy to believe in negative comments, and as a result, to stop believing in ourselves and our abilities. But if we continue to write, despite the forces attempting to silence us, eventually we will be heard.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Sasha: 
I have always loved Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Lee tells a tale wrought with truth and very adult subject matter…from the point of view of a child. I love that Scout Finch is unconventional, and I absolutely adore that her father encourages her to be true to herself, despite the conventions of the society in which she lives. Lee melds the magical world of childhood, where an imagined man breathes life into "babies, just waiting to wake up", with the brutal truths of racism and ignorance. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for Oblivion?

Sasha: 
Most of my plot lines come to me in dreams, and the buds of this one came to me decades ago. I have long been fascinated with the premise, and I put this character (and her dilemma) in many genres until I found one that worked.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing Oblivion?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Sasha: 
Once I decided Callie's story should be put on a young adult canvas, the biggest obstacles involved managing difficult subject matter aimed at readers as young as fourteen. I fixed this by appealing to the audience's sense of logic and emotion. Ergo, not everything that happens in the plot line is explicitly detailed on-page, but the characters' emotional reactions to memories and possible recollections drive home ghastly occurrences.

Another snag involved writing antiheroes, all the while providing reasons for the audience to accept their flaws. In the end, I opted to present characters as they were, regardless of their unlikeable issues, period. I decided it was all right for readers to disagree with the characters, to detest some of their actions or motives, or even hold a grudge against them for a few pages. We spend the length of the story in Callie's mind. As she's flawed, her perception of others might be flawed, too. She maybe isn't focused on things a reader might find essential, and maybe she doesn't see her fellow characters as plainly as the readers might hope. Readers have to let go of their own control in order to ride out the tale. It's a psychological book for that reason. Furthermore, just as disagreeable people cross our paths in everyday life, I feel they ought to cross our paths in literature, as well. While these people are often touted as antagonists in storytelling, I prefer to prove there are varying levels of protagonist and antagonist. No one is all good, or all bad; no character ought to be all protagonist or all antagonist, either.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in Oblivion is your favorite and why?

Sasha: 
This is a very difficult question because I love them all. However, I'll discuss my fascination with Elijah for the sake of providing an answer: Within the first few scenes in which Elijah appears, his actions prove he's alluring, despised, trustworthy, and unreliable all at once. Elijah has a complex past, and he's a complex character. I wanted to write him true to life: flawed, but well-intentioned and seeded in ideals. My hope was to prove there's good in every character, even if he makes bad decisions. All of the characters in OBLIVION are flawed, and while that has some bloggers in a snit (especially those who have yet to finish the book and review mid-page), I endeavor to write well-rounded characters--characters readers may not fully understand, but hopefully will respect, by the last page. Why? Because that's representative of the people we meet every day.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Sasha: 
I have been writing since my seventh birthday, if not before: short stories, nonfiction, poetry, flash fiction, novels. I continued to learn, and I continued to write. Eventually, an editor purchased my Master's thesis, a romance novel written under another pen name. Six others followed. But while I was finally experiencing some success, and while my writing was finally fitting into a genre niche, I wasn't writing the words of my heart. I took some time off to center myself, and the result? OBLIVION.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Sasha: 
I have already written nearly three YA novels, all of which are unrelated to OBLIVION. Let's keep our fingers crossed in hopes that Egmont will wish to work with me again. They've been an absolute dream!

A.L.:
How did you get into the mindset for writing someone with graphomania?

Sasha: 
There is simply no substitute for research. Graphomania is pop-culturally identified with those who constantly blog, post, pin, etc. However, its seeds are deep and planted in dark soil. Spontaneous writing is historically viewed as a possible sign of demonic possession, mental disruption, and an extra-sensory gift. I read case study after case study of spontaneous writing (and drawing!) and found that a lack of control held firm in each case. Each of these case studies helped put me in the mind of someone coming to grips with impulses and urges.

A.L.:
What's your favorite style of art and your favorite time period in history?  Why?

Sasha: 
My favorite style of art is the clay relief. I studied clay sculpture as early as my high school years, and I love the versatility of the relief, which we often see in architecture.

My favorite time period in history is American Colonialism to 1787, because of the vast approach to independent and critical thought involved in establishing a new form of government. One of my favorite pieces of persuasive writing of all time was published in this era--The Declaration of Independence.

A.L.:
What's the coolest restoration project you've ever worked on?

Sasha:
I have worked on many restorations and renovations over the years. The most interesting entailed the replication of a 1906 Victorian house. I moved interior walls, which had been erected during a 1960s renovation, and redesigned everything from floor inlays to custom-milled moldings. It was an invigorating experience to make a difference for a building throughout all stages--from inception to demolition to completion.

The Giveaway:
Sasha is giving a hardcover copy of OBLIVION away to one lucky winner! (Continental US only)

Oblivion:  Lisa McMann's Dead to You meets Kate Ellison's The Butterfly Clues in a psychological thriller full of romance, intrigue, and mystery.

One year ago, Callie was found in an abandoned apartment, scrawling words on the wall: "I KILLED HIM. His blood is on my hands. His heart is in my soul. I KILLED HIM." But she remembers nothing of that night or of the previous thirty-six hours. All she knows is that her father, the reverend at the Church of the Holy Promise, is missing, as is Hannah, a young girl from the parish. Their disappearances have to be connected and Callie knows that her father was not a righteous man.

Since that fateful night, she's been plagued by graphomania -- an unending and debilitating compulsion to write. The words that flow from Callie's mind and through her pen don't seem to make sense -- until now.

As the anniversary of Hannah's vanishing approaches, more words and memories bubble to the surface and a new guy in school might be the key to Callie putting together the puzzle. But digging up the secrets she's buried for so long might be her biggest mistake.

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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  Continental US.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Big Wreck -- Oaf

This reminds me of the 90s.

Feature Friday: Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown is the author of acclaimed young adult novels, Hate List, Bitter End, Perfect Escape, Thousand Words, and Torn Away. Her debut novel, Hate List, received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA" Perfect Ten," and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Bitter End received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list.

Interview:

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Jennifer:
Even if writing is fun, and your favorite hobby, you have to treat it like a job if you mean to turn it into a career. That means no excuses—we all have our obstacles—and it also means belief in yourself and your ability. I have seen fear and frustration take down more budding writers than lack of skill. You cannot let rejection (or, worse, fear of it) stop you. You have to keep getting up and trying again, even if you’re hurt or tired or have lost your faith in the process. Sometimes, the published author is not necessarily the best at writing; she’s just the best at being persistent.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Jennifer:
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, because it so beautifully portrays the resilience of the human spirit. I ask for so much resilience out of my characters, and that’s because I feel so strongly about that message—that you can make it through anything, with a little faith and willingness to just keep moving forward.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for Torn Away?

Jennifer:
I had a library visit in Joplin, Missouri several weeks after the town was devastated by a tornado in 2011. The loss was enormous in that small town, yet all the people I met were so strong. I was touched by their resilience.
I began to wonder about the people who’d lost everything in that tornado. I began to wonder what it meant to really lose “everything,” and was it possible to lose everything if you still had a glimmer of hope or a thread of strength somewhere inside you? I wondered if I could create a character, strip her of everything she held dear, and still find a way to build her back again. That’s where Jersey’s story was born.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing Torn Away?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Jennifer:
I always struggle somewhat with the middles of my books. At some point, between 20,000 words and 50,000, I start to worry that I won’t have enough to say to complete an entire novel. I have grown to recognize it as one of my trigger fears, and just do my best to ignore it and keep going. The only way out of the middle is through.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in Torn Away is your favorite and why?

Jennifer:
I love Jersey. She is one tough cookie. She guards herself, but somehow manages to keep her heart open just the tiniest bit – just enough to let someone walk through.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Jennifer:
I started writing with hopes of publication in 2000, starting small with short stories, essays, and poems. I had the occasional success—honorable mentions here and there, unpaid publications in small magazines or on websites—but the women’s fiction I was writing was not meeting with any enthusiasm. In 2005, I got my first real break. I won the Erma Bombeck Global Humor Award for one of my essays. In 2006, I won it again, and managed to get a weekly spot writing humor for The Kansas City Star. In late 2006, I finally landed an agent (through the slush pile), but my women’s fiction (I’d written four novels by then) was still not selling. I ended up switching gears completely, and writing Hate List, my first young adult novel, a definite departure from the romantic comedies I’d been trying to write. It took eight years, five novels, and countless hours of whining to finally get my first sale.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Jennifer:
I also write women’s fiction, under the name Jennifer Scott, and right now I’m finishing up my third women’s fiction novel. And then I’ll start a whole new YA project, one that’s a bit of a departure from my previous YA. In August, my first middle grade novel, Life on Mars, will come out. I have a lot going on!

A.L.:
Do you sometimes miss being a humor columnist?  You seem to write such serious books, do you try to weave humor into your work?

Jennifer:
No, never. While humor writing comes easy to me, it never felt comfortable. I was glad to let it go, and don’t have any plans to return to it. However, I have learned that when it comes to writing, you should never say never!

A.L.:

If someone were to come visit you in Kansas City, where would you take them? 

 

Jennifer:Smokin’ Guns BBQ and a Chiefs game.

A.L.:
Is there one particular character that you've written that you resonate more with than any other?

Jennifer:
I spend so much time with character development, both before and during writing, they turn into “real people” to me. Because of that, I love them all and miss them when they’re gone. I can see their fears and insecurities and hear their humor and feel their love, so it’s hard to pick one as being The One. That said, I did really enjoy Grayson in Perfect Escape. He was smart and strong and challenging, but he also had a huge, protective heart.

The Giveaway:
Jennifer is giving away a hardcover of TORN AWAY.  (US only)

Torn Away:  Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives -- but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she's never considered before -- one in which her mother wasn't perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that's something no tornado can touch.

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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  US.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Kongos -- Come With Me Now

I love combinations of awesome.

Feature Friday: Anna Schumacher

Anna Schumacher received an MFA in fiction writing from the New School. An award-winning advertising copywriter, she currently oversees custom creative programs for Hearst Magazines' twenty-four digital titles. She is recently married and lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Tim, and their two cats, Gus and Alexis. END TIMES is her first novel. Follow her on Twitter @SchumacherYA.




Interview:

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Anna:
Write the books you want to read. It’s so easy to get caught up in wanting to follow trends or write a “best-seller” – I know because I’ve done it, and I have the rejection letters and heartbreak to prove it. But ultimately agents, editors and, most important, readers can sniff out passion and authenticity. So write what turns you on the most, and trust that it will find a home in the world.

That, and don’t talk smack on the Internet. It always comes back to bite you.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Anna:
My favorite book changes weekly, depending on what I’ve been reading. Right now it’s Pointe, by Brandy Colbert, because I just finished it yesterday. Last week it was Nova Ren Suma’s 17 & Gone, and the week before it was an adult novel called Want Not by Jonathan Miles.

Generally, I like fiction with dark themes and beautiful writing. I can’t read a book with shoddy language, even if the plot is fascinating.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for End Times?

Anna:
End Times was inspired by an article in The New York Times about oil boomtowns in North Dakota. I’d wanted to do a rapture story for a long time, and this seemed like such a perfect and unexpected setting.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing End Times?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Anna:
I had a lot of trouble getting my mind around Daphne’s character. Everyone else was so clear in my head and so easy to write, but Daphne was a mystery, even to me. Over the course of several drafts (and many calls with my wonderfully patient editor, Jessica Almon), Daphne went from a kind of aloof, too-cool-for-school Detroit kid who partied in abandoned warehouses (which, don’t get me wrong, is awesome – but not for this protagonist in this story) to the person she is now: a quiet loner who has trouble letting anyone get close.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in End Times is your favorite and why?

Anna:
I know I’m not supposed to play favorites, but honestly? Luna. I’ve always been fascinated by villains, and Luna walks a fine line between evil and crazy that I find incredibly compelling.

I made Luna a hooper because hoop-dance is my hobby and, frankly, I’m pretty bad at it. As a naturally clumsy person, I spend more time dropping the hoop or nailing myself in the nose than doing cool tricks. In this respect, Luna is everything I want to be: talented, powerful, sexy, and self-assured.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Anna:
I wrote my first short story when I was five. It was inspired by Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus painting and involved crabs, pearls, mermaids, and princesses. It used the word “beautiful” eleven times and did not have a happy ending.

From there, I basically never stopped. After college I went for an MFA in fiction writing and had some early success ghostwriting, but was never able to sell my original work. I spent a lot of time feeling discouraged, collecting rejection letters, and starting books that I never finished. (I currently have about a half-dozen partly completed books and series gathering dust on my hard drive.)

I supported myself financially and emotionally with ad copywriting work: financially because it pays actual money, and emotionally because even as I was wracking up rejections for my fiction, I was always in demand as a copywriter. Today I still work fulltime in advertising, but I’m devoting more time and energy to my fiction, which is incredibly rewarding. Maybe someday I can be one of those writers who gets to live in imaginary worlds all day, every day. Until then, I’ve got bills to pay.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Anna:
Sequel! END TIMES BOOK 2: THE CHILDREN OF THE EARTH picks up where the first book left off, but unlike Book 1, where I spend a lot of time building the world and setting up the stakes, Book 2 is basically non-stop action from start to finish, with lots of surprising plot twists and several cool new characters. Something wild happens in every chapter, and now that I’m fully in all the characters’ heads the book is just flowing out of me. It’s incredibly exciting and I can’t wait for people to read it!

A.L.:
What made you want to write an "end times" novel?  Why set it in Wyoming?  And why make Daphne work at an oil rig?

Anna:
I’ve always wanted to write a rapture novel. I don’t know why. I was raised in a secular Jewish household, but religion and, in particular, religious zealotry have always been fascinating to me.

I chose Wyoming for its beautiful, jagged mountain landscape and Carbon County in particular because it’s one of the most economically depressed areas in the United States: a place that would change drastically if they found oil in the ground.

While Carbon County is a real county, the small town of Carbon County in my books is fictional. If you go to the actual Carbon County and ask for directions to Carbon County, they’ll just look at you funny.

Daphne didn’t work at the rig in the first couple drafts of END TIMES, but as I got to know her I realized that it was just something she would want to do. She’s a damaged character who gains genuine satisfaction from hard work and doesn’t like to sit still, so it didn’t make sense for her to just hang around the Peytons’ trailer while an oil rig went up in the backyard. It was almost like she was begging me from the pages to let her work, so I did.

A.L.:
If the end times were really coming, what would be the one thing you had to do before it all ended?

Anna:
Say: “I told you so?” Just kidding! I don’t think I’d do anything too crazy: probably just hug my parents, kiss my husband, snuggle my kitties, and then sit back and watch it all go up in flames.

A.L.:
Is there a reason why you chose the name Daphne?

Anna:
That’s a good question…I wish I had a good answer! Honestly, it was the first thing that came to me. I wanted her to have a name with a girly sound since she’s such a tomboy, but I didn’t want it to be so girly that it didn’t fit. Daphne seemed both soft and tough at the same time.

The Giveaway:
Anna is giving away a hardcover of END TIMES (US only).

End Times:  Carbon County, Wyoming is like a current running through Daphne’s heart.

When life gets too tough to bear in Detroit, Daphne flees to her Uncle Floyd’s home, where she believes she’ll find solace in the silent hills of her childhood summers. But Daphne’s Greyhound bus pulls over in downtown Carbon County and it’s not silence that welcomes her. It’s the sound of trumpets.

Daphne’s desire to start again in simple country comfort is instantly dashed as the townsfolk declare that the End Times are here. And incredible occurrences soon support their belief. Daphne does all she can to keep her head down and ignore the signs. She works a job at the local oil rig, helps around the house, hangs out with her pregnant cousin Janie and gets to know Owen, a mysterious motocross racer and fellow roustabout at the rig. But soon a startling discovery shatters her resolve and calls into question all her doubts and fears.
            
Daphne landed in Carbon County for a reason. She only has to read the signs—and believe.

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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  US.  I will contact the winner via email.

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Monday Muse: Marc Broussard -- Home

This. Holy crap, yes.

Feature Friday: Alexandra Duncan

Alexandra Duncan is a writer and librarian. Her first novel, Salvage, was published by Greenwillow Books in April 2014. Her short fiction has been featured in several Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy anthologies and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. She loves anything that gets her hands dirty – pie-baking, leatherworking, gardening, drawing, and rolling sushi. She lives with her husband and two monstrous, furry cats in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Interview: 

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Alexandra:
Writing seems like a solitary occupation, but you don’t have to go it alone. Join a writing circle or team up with a friend who is as serious about writing as you are so that you can give each other feedback and encouragement. Everyone who has been published experienced rejection at some point in their career. Help each other through the hard times and celebrate with each other when you succeed.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Alexandra: 
Only one? Oh no! I don’t know if I have a single favorite book, but my favorite author is Ursula LeGuin. Whenever I read her books, I become completely immersed in the different worlds she has created. They’re full of completely believable societies with their own myths and prejudices. Reading her is like taking a master class in worldbuilding.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for Salvage?

Alexandra: 
Salvage grew out of a short story I wrote called “Bad Matter,” which was published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in 2009. It featured the merchant crewe society Ava belongs to. The idea for that society came from my experience growing up in a small, rural church where women and girls had a lot of responsibilities, but there were also very strict expectations about their behavior. I wanted to use this science fictional setting to explore what it’s like to buy into a worldview where women are nominally treasured, but also restricted.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing Salvage?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Alexandra: 
Probably the place where I had the most trouble was after Ava lands in Mumbai. I wrote and rewrote that half of the book over and over again. There was an early version where Ava was kidnapped at one point and a scene involving a cricket game. Some of those snags I recognized and fixed right away, but as for the others, I have my editor and my first reader friends to thank for steering me in the right direction. They didn’t explicitly tell me what to do, but they did tell me when the things I had written weren’t working.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in Salvage is your favorite and why?

Alexandra: 
In some ways, you have to like your main character the most, because you’re going to be spending so much time inside her head. That said, the character that was the most fun to write was Miyole. She may be incredibly smart, but she’s still a kid and likely to do kid things like get excited over showing off her mom’s ship or start making up songs for herself. I have four younger siblings, so some of the things Miyole does are definitely inspired by the way they acted when they were little.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Alexandra: 
I started out writing short stories after college. After several of them had been published, that attracted the attention of an agent who suggested I write a novel. I had begun several novels in the past and participated in NaNoWriMo, but I had never finished any of them. Hearing that other people were interested in seeing a novel from me gave me the confidence to follow through and finish the novel that would eventually be Salvage. I ended up signing with Kate Schafer Testerman, who is a wonderful agent, and she sold Salvage to Greenwillow Books. Part of me still can’t believe all of that really happened.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Alexandra: 
I’m working on a companion novel to Salvage. It follows a teenage Miyole on her adventures in deep space.

A.L.:
How did you go about writing a novel with a female protagonist surrounded by mostly men?  Was there something in particular you sought to cover in such a set-up?

Alexandra: 
Men have the power in Ava’s world, but I think it’s important to point out that the women buy into the way their society is run, as well. You see that same dynamic in a lot of religious societies in our world and with issues like female genital mutilation. Women are not simply afraid to speak up – or not always. Sometimes they help perpetrate the same harm on girls that was perpetrated against them when they were younger. They accept that this is simply how the world works because they have never seen an alternative.

A.L.:
You're going out to sushi, what are you going to order?

Alexandra: 
I love some plain tuna or salmon maki with ginger, but my absolute favorite thing is a New York New York Roll. My favorite local sushi restaurant makes it with tuna, salmon, tobiko, a little bit of crunchy, and a sweet sauce. Basically, I am going to order all of the sushi and try to convince my friends to help me eat it.

A.L.:
What kind of leather-working do you do?  Can we see pictures?

Alexandra: 
I’m ashamed to say, I actually haven’t done a lot of leather working lately. I tend to learn things so that I can show the teens at my library how to do them, and then something else catches my attention and I learn how to do that thing, too. My most recent projects have been teaching myself how to make boba tea, folding origami cranes, and learning to shoot a handgun. (That last one is something I will not be teaching to anyone at the library.) Here is a picture of my office, with all the origami cranes I’ve made strung up above my window, though.

The Giveaway:
Alexandra will be giving away a signed copy of SALVAGE and a magnet. (US/CANADA)

Salvage:  Ava, a teenage girl living aboard the male-dominated deep space merchant ship Parastrata, faces betrayal, banishment, and death. Taking her fate into her own hands, she flees to the Gyre, a floating continent of garbage and scrap in the Pacific Ocean, in this thrilling, surprising, and thought-provoking debut novel that will appeal to fans of Across the Universe, by Beth Revis, and The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood

Read Goodreads reviews.
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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter).  US/CANADA.  I will contact the winner via email.

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