Judith Graves's Blog, page 10

Second Skin Blog Tour. Author Interview Exchange: Joy Preble

I'm thrilled to welcome back Joy Preble, an author I've featured several times on my blog….cause she's just that cool. Joy pulled double duty serving as both mine and Kitty Keswick's Class of 2k10 mentor from the Class of 2k9. It's been wonderful to have her as a resource, sounding board, keen listener during this crazy publishing adventure.  Joy was kind enough to read Second Skin and provide a book blurb quote, she's also a huge Buffy fan – how could you NOT love this woman? Devour my interview with Joy – then comment to enter the draw! Deets at the end of this post.

In your debut year, your book launched as part of the Class of 2K9, an author collective. How did this help you in terms of marketing, as well as networking in the young adult fiction community?

The Class of 2k9 was invaluable to me. Not only did we promote together but I also gained a group of writer friends who were experiencing the industry for the first time together. In publishing, you mostly learn as you do and so particularly for me, with a September release that year, I was able to learn so much. Often, I didn't even know what I supposed to be asking for from my publisher until others talked about it. (i.e. – promotion at conferences like TLA and ALA or trade shows like BEA) And each author in 2k9 came with his/her own set of contacts. So my network grew. When I proposed a panel for NCTE 2010 the next year, I had many authors to ask to participate. Especially for those of us with smaller publishers, these connections are crucial. When you're new, there really is strength in numbers. Even when you're not so new. A handful of us still promote together. At least four of us blog on YA Outside the Lines. Janet Fox (who ended up the Class of 2010) and I have done many conferences and panels together. My 'agent sisters' Lauren Strasnick and Kathryn Fitzmaurice remain crucial touchstones in my writing life. (and my personal life!) And I'm super -amped to finally meet your fellow Canadian, 2k9er Megan Crewe, who is coming here to Houston in April for Houston Teen Book Con to promote her new dystopian, The Way We Fall. So yeah, I'd be a pile of nothing without my 2k9 buds.

Your Dreaming Anastasia series blends Russian historical characters, such as the Grand Duchess Anastasia with characters from folklore – Baba Yaga the witch in the first book and a Rusalka, or mermaid, in sequel. What drew you to write such a compelling blend of history, fantasy, and lore?

I'd been fascinated with the Romanovs for many years. My maternal grandmother was from Russia, so that sparked the initial attraction to the culture. In fact, I just wrote about that in YA Outside the Lines. ( http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com... ) But interestingly, the first full draft of Dreaming Anastasia included very little Russian folklore/fairy tales! My agent at that time suggested that what was missing was a way to ground the magic in organically in all things Russian. And from there came the newer draft of the story: that Anastasia had been spirited away by Baba Yaga. That her secrets were kept by her magic matryoshka doll. That Anne and Anastasia both were a retelling of the Baba Yaga-centric tale, Vasilisa the Brave. And on from there.

Honestly? I've often said that if I'd known what I was doing, I might not have attempted such a complex genre blend. But I was new. So that's what happened. And the more I wrote the story that way, the more fitting it all became. I'm very excited to let everyone see how all of these elements tie together in Anastasia Forever, which is book 3.

 

The theme of my recent release, Second Skin, is that of facing your fears. Come on, fess up….what are you scared of? Does Anne share any of your own personal fears?

Hmmm…. I am definitely afraid of failure although I embrace it because that's how success gets here! And I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to change, even though once again, I do embrace what it brings. Beyond that, I'm not big on heights, but it's not a crazy phobia. And spiders creep me out.  Anne definitely shares my fear of failure! And she's not so happy about embracing the many changes in her world, either. Of course, her changes are pretty large scale… like her current transformation into magic girl/witch!

Haunted introduces a love triangle between Anne, her Russian hottie, Ethan, and "a sweet lifeguard" Ben. What do you think readers love about the ever popular love triangle in young adult fiction (my series has one as well!)?

You know, I've had many reader comments about the Anne/Ethan/Ben triangle. Some readers are like "How could Anne possibly go to Ben after Ethan?" But as I was writing Haunted I really believed that she would. She was trying to erase the craziness that Ethan had brought into her world. Ben is just so normal! Beyond that, I think there's something very romantically attractive to having two guys vying for a girl's affections! Who wouldn't want two handsome hotties fighting for her? Although it is not the main conflict of the series like it is in say, Twilight. Anne's main conflicts have to do with her magic and her super hero mission. The romance is secondary.

Haunted is told from both Anne's and Ethan's points of view. Was this challenging to write/plot?

Yes and yes. Especially in a first person, present tense novel, it takes a bit to keep the voices consistent. But Ethan is still old school in many regards so his speech patterns are different than Anne's, as is his view of the world. His sentences are often wordier, his internal dialogue more angsty and  more connected to events of the past. As for plotting, the trick has always been to keep the story moving forward and not just repeat a scene through the other character's POV. As with anything with story telling, some readers love seeing the different POV's. Others prefer only one person narrating. With this series, I always felt that the way Anne sees what's happening and the way Ethan sees it are so different that I wanted the reader to be privy to both. And especially in the final book, Anastasia Forever, it's crucial to have both points of view. Particularly when Anne and Ethan are tossed back into the past… more specifically, Ethan's romantic past! I can't wait for everyone to read those scenes!

You have a new series in the works and I'm so keen to read it! Can you share a few details?

I'm excited, too! As I finish up the Dreaming Anastasia series once Anastasia Forever is out in August from Sourcebooks, I will be turning my attentions to The Sweet Dead Life, which will be out from Soho Press (the new Soho Teen imprint) in May, 2013. The Sweet Dead Life is set here in Texas where I live. The basic premise is as follows: Sixteen year old stoner Casey returns from a fatal car accident as his dying sister's guardian angel and solves a vast family mystery.

I love, love, love this book! First of all, it's funny. Casey has, um, not lost all of his human faults and foibles, like his taste for marijuana. And now that he's an angel, he's a lot more attractive to the opposite sex! The book itself is actually narrated by his sister Jenna, which was an interesting challenge since the story is about her brother but also lots of fun because Jenna is quite the feisty thirteen year old girl. And there is a third main character, EMT/bartender Amber Velasco, who has a few big secrets of her own.

I'm working with my former editor from Sourcebooks, Daniel Ehrenhaft, who's now the senior acquisitions editor at Soho Teen. I am seriously thrilled for everyone to read the first six books in the imprint. If you'd like a taste, just go to www.sohoteen.com and click on Sampler. You can read about 30 pages of each novel!

Oh, 30 pages? Heading there now!

CONTEST: Comments on this post will be entered in a draw for a signed copy of HAUNTED and a HAUNTED t shirt! Contest closes March 22nd.

I'll leave you with Joy's blog link where she's interviewing me today and the booktrailer for Haunted:

Second Skin Blog Tour: Author Interview Exchange: Dawn Dalton

I can't believe it's only been a little over a year since I met Dawn at one of the most amazing youth camps, WordsWorth, where I was presenting a few writing workshops to teens. Here's a vlog I created during the camp (unfortunately, Dawn's not in it – she's quite camera shy, silly girl). While I may have been out of my element hiking through the snow, I felt very much at home with those brilliant kids and the other writers / facilitators. We were of like minds. Inspired types. Kooky and creative all at the same time.

Dawn and I became fast friends, practically spilling our guts as we tried to share as much about each other's writing, projects, lives and goals in a finite amount of time. A year later, our in person meetings are much the same. There's a deadline, a bus or ride home to catch, and so we race to squeeze everything in. It's how we work / write / relate. And it's probably the most unique writing relationship I've known.

So I'm pleased as punch to have Dawn leisurely chatting with us today and answering a few questions about her work. Oh – I forgot to mention – Dawn is one hell of a writer. Goes right for the heart, so to speak. (Go HERE and you'll see what I mean.)

Your story, Thread of the Past, appears in SPIRITED, a collection of paranormal / ghost stories. Can you tell us about both the anthology and what readers can expect from your ghostly tale?

SPIRITED is a haunting collection of paranormal fiction for young adults; 13 chill-inducing stories from some of the hottest authors in the industry, including bestselling authors Maria Snyder, Candace Havens – and of course, the brilliant Judith Graves

I'm honored and thrilled that my short story Thread of the Past was accepted in the anthology. Here's the blurb on it:

Letitia Hawke is used to feeling invisible and the only thing that makes her senior dance bearable is the location – one of the most haunted houses in the country. Then Tish makes an unexpected connection with Elijah and it's bye bye wallflower, hello gothic rose. Too bad the Franklin House is a jealous host.

I write very few short stories, so this was a new process for me and I loved it. Writing Thread of the Past has actually inspired me to consider writing more short stories. In the past, I've tended to dream in novels or scripts.

You write young adult fiction, as well as adult thrillers under the name, Dawn Ius. Do you find it challenging to write for such different audiences? Or are they more similar than one would originally assume?

Definitely there are some challenges when writing for different audiences, but I think that's part of the allure for me. I love pushing myself, and with each new genre, age category, or writing style, I'm learning new skills, and hopefully telling great stories.

I have an overactive idea factory that doesn't like to be pigeonholed.

We're talking about fear and nightmares to celebrate the launch of Second Skin. Fess up…what really scares you? Do any of your characters share this fear? (Love this pic of Dawn and her husband, Jeff, the talented artist who created our MWM skull images, dressed for Halloween – or possibly just another Monday night – you never know with these two.)

I have so many fears it's ironic I write thriller. Spiders and snakes top the list, though since moving to the country I've learned to appreciate the role spiders play in the overall food chain. Unless they're hairy and the size of my fist, of course. Then they're fair game!  My character Jagger Valentine (www.jaggervalentine.com) is also afraid of spiders and snakes…and bats. Oh, and rats. Me too, come to think of it.

I'm also afraid of heights, much to my father's dismay. He's an electrical lineman, and when I was a kid, he'd come to the school with his bucket truck and offer my friends and I rides. Lunch at 50+ feet up. They all thought it was cool. I considered it torture.

Over the years, there's been a few movies and books that have given me the chills, but I'm pretty good at filtering out reality from fiction. The original Exorcist still gets me, though.

If writing YA and Adult fiction isn't enough to keep you busy, you also write screenplays. How has tackling scripts impacted your fiction projects? Your background is in journalism, are there cross-over skills that have helped shape your writer's voice?

I started writing scripts to appease my inner competitor – the little voice on my shoulder that insisted writing for TV or film is harder than writing a book. It's not. But it's not easy, either. Truthfully, I've always been a visual writer, so making the leap from fiction to film hasn't been as hard as my inner competitor led me to believe. If anything, writing scripts has reinforced the need for "tight writing" in ALL forms. Not a lot of room for superfluous text in a typical script…and there shouldn't be for most other writing as well.

On the flip side, I became a Journalist to appease my parents who were concerned pinning my dreams on creative writing would mean I'd end up penniless and starving, begging for a place to live. Though I obliged under a bit of duress, I admit, I loved my Journalism career, and sometimes pine for those days as a small town editor. I've been fortunate to write for international publications such as Cosmopolitan and Soap Opera Digest, as well as edit national and local publications like the Prairie Hog Report. But my heart has always belonged to fiction.

All forms of writing are difficult and challenging. They're also rewarding. And with each style of writing – from Journalism to screenwriting – I'm honing my skills and doing what I love. It doesn't get much better than that.

OMG, my friend, you have a bevy of projects on the go, care to share / tease us with anything?

I could…but then I'd have to kill you.

Kidding. Mostly. The truth is, the publishing industry is volatile and I tend not to count my chickens until they're fully hatched. That said, I do have a lot on tap, a full slate of youth and adult projects that cross all mediums – from short stories and novels, through to screenplays, TV scripts, and even graphic novels.

And, the second book in my children's series starring Chase Duffy launches at the end of March. Here's the blurb on Gotta Jet:

As a young track athlete, Chase Duffy is mesmerized by the speed travelled by Prairie Gold, the world's first and only Jet Fuel Funny Car that runs on 100% canola biodiesel. It could be even faster than Superman!

After meeting the infamous car's driver and hearing his inspirational story, Chase is driven to build his own race car and looks to his faithful grandfather for support. Together they build a soap box racer – and learn a lot about canola's potential for biodiesel in the process.

For more on Chase Duffy, check out his blog at www.fieldsofhome.blogspot.com.

In the coming months, I'll be regularly updating any publishing news on my Dawn Ius (www.dawn-ius.blogspot.com) and Dawn Dalton (www.dawnmdalton.blogspot.com) blogs.

PS – You can't be too hard on me for project generation – half of my list is comprised of projects I'm working on with you

What is the book on your bedside table right now?

Second Skin by Judith Graves. No, seriously.

I also have the first 6 Walking Dead graphic novels. I started watching the show and am obsessed with the series.

I haven't started on the GNs yet, but I agree, the show is crazy-addictive. And scary. Thanks for chatting today, though I wish it was in person…perhaps at Albert's…until they kick us out again. For the "author exchange" side of things, here's my interview over at Dawn's blog.

Second Skin Blog Tour: Author Interview Exchange: Heather McCorkle

 

I'm thrilled to have young adult author, Heather McCorkle join me today. Heather is an inspiration to many authors, modelling the very best of "authors-helping-authors" – a motto to live by. She shares her knowledge, the spotlight, and isn't resistant to sharing the lessons she's learning along the way. Her blog is wealth of info. Anyway, I've picked her brain today for your enjoyment.

The first book in the Channeler series, The Secret of Spruce Knoll, is being re-released as a fundraising promotion. Can you tell us more?

I'm very passionate about saving endangered species so it only made sense to have a portion of the proceeds from Spruce Knoll go toward that passion. I'm dreaming big an hoping to raise $10k by the end of this year. The goal is off to slow start as the sales of a debut novel are often slow, but I'm hoping they pick up with the release of my second book.

Your work blends history, mythology, prophecies, and a lore of your own making. How do you approach researching each book?

I use Google a lot but I always double check what I learn online with information from a library or published literary source of merit. I love to work in cultural things because it adds such depth.

What can we expect in Eren's continuing discovery of Spruce Knoll's secrets in the sequel, Channeler's Choice?

You can expect a lot of new challenges, complications, and a deepening of the danger that first plagued Eren. Relationships will be forged, others will be challenged, and Eren will have a huge choice to make.

As a member of the Class of 2k10, I'm a big fan of author collectives. They're great ways to network (from a writer's viewpoint), but are also fantastic for introducing readers to new authors and new tales. Can you tell us about the Indie Elite and the Indelibles?

The Indie Elite is a group that I formed to recognize independent authors who are a cut above the rest. These are authors that you would swear were published traditionally if you didn't know otherwise. The Indelibles are a fantastic group of indie and traditional small press authors who have come together to help support one another. I consider myself tremendously lucky to be a part of them.

The main theme of my sequel novel, Second Skin, is fear. Come on, fess up…what scares you? Do your characters share this fear?

I know and I'm dying to read it! I've been chomping at the bit since I finished book 1! What scares me, hmm, that's tough. On a personal level, losing those I love and yes my characters definitely share this fear!

Scary movie or romantic comedy?

Can I have a combination of both?

Where can readers follow you and learn more about your wicked-cool stories?

Ah, you're so sweet. I can be found several days a week on my blog, almost always on Twitter (and I host a weekly chat there every Monday night), and occasionally on Facebook.

Giveaway blurb: At the end of the Channeler's Choice tour I'll be giving away a hardback of Channeler's Choice, and a paperback of Born Of Fire & Dies Irae to one winner and an eBook of Channeler's Choice to a second winner (of PDF is they don't have an ereader). The first place winner will be able to substitute for eBook editions if they would prefer.

Hope you'll hike over to Heather's blog where I've answered a few of her questions. And remember comments on ANY of the SS tour posts = entry for the GRAND PRIZE!

 

Second Skin Blog Tour: The Book Swarm

Fun conversation today over at Mary's blog, The Book Swarm. Mary has participated as a blogger for The Crossroads Tour and is always willing to lend a hand when organizing the rotten thing becomes overwhelming. Thanks, Mary! Also – how cute is your book-loving dog?

My guest post for Mary "A Prescription for Success" seems to be striking a chord. And I was worried it was too snarky. lol. Anyway – I hope you drop by, post a comment and get yourself entered in the tour GRAND PRIZE draw. 'Cause, free books and swag are just fun.

 

Second Skin Blog Tour: Net woes

So, yeah, our internet service decided to crap out yesterday. Thankfully, IT'S BACK! And not a moment too soon. Hope you get a chance to check out my guest post on THE NIGHTMARE a la Electrifying Reviews. Please do share your own nightmares, talking about them lessens their power, or so I've heard. Plus comments on ANY Second Skin tour posts (either here on my site, or on participating blogger/author sites) will get you entered in the kick-assiest of kick-ass GRAND PRIZES. Check it out:

Today I'm chatting with the dedicated and cool blogger, Elie at her blog Ellz Readz. She asks me possibly the funnest question yet – "Create your own ice cream flavor based on Second Skin, what's in it?". Drop by to read my response, although, now that I re-read it – crap – I didn't answer it right. o.O Alas, my creations may prove mildly amusing anyway.

Second Skin Blog Tour: Just Deb

Today it's over to the wonderful, Deb Marshall's blog, Just Deb for a Second Skin giveaway as well as my guest post on "Finding Balance". Truly a tricky concept for me, but one that I THINK I have a handle on. Um…as I type this I'm frantically trying to finish a script for the Writers Guild of Alberta, Screenwriters Initiative contest – deadline March 12th. Alberta screenwriters – there's still time! Go HERE for deets.

So…yeah, that balance thing is kind of out the window.

But do check out my post for Deb. I stick by my schedule MOST days.

And as always, comment on ANY of the Second Skin Blog tour posts to be entered for the GRAND PRIZE draw at the end of the month.

 

Second Skin Blog Tour: Winner

Winner of the draw for a copy of TRY NOT TO BREATHE by Jennifer R. Hubbard is…

AMY G

Amy, please email me (judithgraves at ymail dot com) within 48hrs to claim your prize and provide you mailing address.

Thanks to all who entered – you're still in the draw for the tour GRAND PRIZE. Which looks like this:

Second Skin Blog Tour: Author Exchange with Jennifer R. Hubbard

During the month of March I'll be doing interviews and guest posts on some fabulous blogs, as well as featuring some of my author friends right here on my site. This is a month of giveaways, SWAG, and great conversations. In honour of Second Skin's major theme, FACING YOUR DARKEST FEAR, we'll look at what scares us – from horror films, fiction, phobias, folklore and the beasties that haunt our dreams. For the full roster of posts, click on the blog tour image.

Today we have Jennifer R. Hubbard, another  fellow classmate from the Class of 2k10 debut author collective. I can't say enough about 2k10, the experience has left me with friendships and a network of authors that will go the distance.  Without further ado, here's Jenn's guest post:

What Scares My Characters

by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Try Not to Breathe is the story of Ryan, a 16-year-old recovering from a suicide attempt. He meets Nicki, a girl who is trying to reach her dead father via psychics. The book follows their growing relationship, and their search for answers about Nicki's father's suicide.

Ryan doesn't have many physical fears. He likes to stand under a strong waterfall despite the danger of drowning, even after it knocks him down. He fantasizes about skydiving. His fears revolve around not feeling connected to other people, not feeling worthy, not belonging in the world or having the energy to participate in it. He is afraid to get too close to Nicki—and he is afraid for her to get too close to him, because then she might discover a few guilty secrets he has been hiding. He's mortally afraid of rejection.

The secrets come out, of course. And then Ryan learns things about Nicki that threaten his newfound ability to trust people. Because a fear of death has never stood in Ryan's way, he has to overcome his fear of life, and the pain that living inevitably brings.

The counterpoint to the fear and pain of living is hope: the belief that things change. That they get better. Life brings us nasty surprises, but it also brings us joy. The challenge for Ryan is to learn that, and to keep believing it.

Bio:

Jennifer R. Hubbard  (http://www.jenniferhubbard.com/) is the author of the contemporary young-adult novels The Secret Year and Try Not to Breathe, both published by Viking. She is on Twitter @JennRHubbard.

GIVEAWAY: Comment on this post, sharing your BIGGEST fear to enter to win a copy of Try Not To Breathe.

I did say this was an author exchange, check out my guest post on Jennifer's blog today!

Second Skin Blog Tour: Long & Short Reviews

Today we're headed over to Long and Short Reviews for a chat about playlists, my new steampunk series, STRANGEWAYS, the Spirited anthology, and the changing world of publishing. Drop by and let us know if you're into the ebook reader world, or still a print junkie. Comments go toward the tour GRAND PRIZE! As so ANY comments on SS Blog Tour posts on my website.

Speaking of playlists and in light of my current Roswell obsession, I leave you with Dido's Here With Me and the show's opening credits:

 

Second Skin Blog Tour: A Simple Love of Reading

Today I'm hanging out with Amy from A Simple Love of Reading. Comment on both her blog post and on ANY Second Skin Tour post on my site to be entered to win the SS Tour GRAND PRIZE:

The grand prize for readers at the end of the tour will be a signed copy of both Under My Skin and Second Skin, an ebook copy of SPIRITED: 13 Haunting Tales (paid for by me and sent via Amazon's "buy for a friend" feature), a UMS t-shirt, and a Second Skin canvas book bag.

CHANGE OF HEART WINNER: Halli Lilburn

Happy hunting!