Amy Plum's Blog, page 10
October 27, 2015
Amy In Edinburgh
October 13, 2015
Fan-made Movie Trailer for Die For Me
Check out this amazing fan-made trailer for DIE FOR ME by the incredibly talented Washington Teixeira!!!
September 18, 2015
Paris Moment: Neighbors
The week my kids and I moved into my Paris apartment was a blur. Close on the heels of my separation with their father, we were moving from the Middle of Nowhere, Loire Valley, where our farmer neighbors were suspicious of foreigners (of which I was the only one for miles around) to Paris, where our neighbors were a building full of strangers in every shape and color.
The day we got the kids’ stuff moved in, there was a handwritten sign in my lobby saying that there would be a wedding reception on the 5th floor that night. They excused themselves in advance for the noise and welcomed everyone in the building to stop by. You often see that wording, but I doubt many neighbors actually take up the offer. It’s just a matter of politesse.
My son, daughter, and I went out to a park for the day, and when we got home, we stood around gawping at our still sparsely furnished apartment and listened to the sounds of festivities coming from a few flights above us. I looked at my kids, who were watching the ceiling like they wished it were transparent. “Want to go to a party?”
We dug our nicest clothes out of our boxes, and I ran across the street to buy a bottle of champagne. Then we mounted four flights of stairs and knocked on the door where all the noise was coming from. And waited. And knocked again. The door flew open and an Indian man in a suit holding a glass of wine smiled at us and shouted, “Bonjour!”
“Bonjour,” I said, and told him we were the neighbors from downstairs. We had just moved in and heard the party and thought we would stop by to congratulate the bride and groom. My kids leaned forward and peered through the door looking for other children.
“You speak English!” the man said with a British accent and an enormous smile. “Well, I am the groom, and this beautiful woman is my bride!” He hugged a beautiful woman to his side. She wore a sari-like dress and lots of gold jewelry. My daughter “oohed” in spite of herself, and got showered with hugs and kisses because of it. We were ushered in and introduced to the bride and groom’s parents, siblings, cousins, friends. We were dragged onto the dance floor, and my children found some other kids to play tag with. We were made to feel like invited guests. We only stayed an hour. It was already late. But the goodbyes were as sincere as if we were old friends.
It’s been three years since the wedding, and I have only bumped into the couple a few times since then. They live half-time in London and we don’t seem to have the same coming and going hours. But every time we see each other they give a cry of delight and ask how we are. I passed the groom in the stairwell yesterday and he asked if my children had gotten much bigger than the last time he saw them. We agreed to meet up for a drink the next time they were around.
This is something I love about Paris. Yes, it’s a big city. Most people keep to themselves. Most people have their public mask. But sometimes you are let into someone else’s world, for a moment, for an hour, for an unpredictable and unplanned series of delightful encounters. People are the heartbeat of the city and every day holds an opportunity to sample the flavor of another soul.
September 8, 2015
The most awesome Patrick Ness and his Refugee Fundraising Drive
Unless you are living in the Flame-Fingers’ cave under the streets of Paris, you will have heard of the refugee crisis currently taking place in Europe. Last week, I was feeling sick-at-heart about it, so decided to donate the equivalent of a week of my rent to the Danish Refugee Council (they seem to have the most people on the ground around Syria http://drc.dk/home/.
A couple of days later, I heard about novelist Patrick Ness’s fundraiser with Save the Children. A lot of authors were teaming up to give as much as they could to help out. I decided to up my donation, and gave the equivalent of three more weeks’ rent, making my total donation 1 month of Paris rent. (Pretty much all my budget would allow.)
But I haven’t quite given all that I can. I think I can help out a little bit more, if it will encourage my friends and readers to give. By now Patrick’s fundraiser has raised almost a million dollars, with literary luminaries like Philip Pullman and most of the major publishing houses giving huge amounts as incentives for individuals to donate. Read through the list of authors who have donated. Trust me…it will bring tears to your eyes.
You can see it all happening live here, with a list of authors, and more donations coming in every moment:
Refugee Fundraiser, Save the Children
So here are my additional donations to encourage you all to give as generously as you can to this very worthwhile cause. Our fellow humans are in crisis. We need to help them. It’s as simple as that.
AMY PLUM’S DONATION INCENTIVE GIFTS
If you make a £500+ donation to the refugee crisis fundraiser organized by Patrick Ness, I will send you a box of delicious chocolates from Paris.
If you send £200+ I will send a signed and dedicated Amy Plum book to the person of your choice.
If you send £100+ I will send a birthday or holiday card to the person of your choice.
If you send £50+ I will send you a pair of signed and dedicated AFTER THE END original art postcards.
And if you send £1000+, I will make a video of myself in front of the Eiffel Tower singing Happy Birthday or any other song you request (warning…I am a mediocre singer) or reading whatever script you want me to, as long as it’s not anything worse than I’d say in real life. (Good luck finding something I won’t say in real life. ;))
Just use the word “Plum” somewhere in the note accompanying your donation, especially if you donate as Anonymous. Then send me a screenshot by direct message or by email to katieloumercier@gmail.com and I will send you your prize.
And thank you in advance for opening your hearts and your pocketbooks to the horrific disaster that is unfolding just next door.
June 1, 2015
To The Batcave
Okay, friends. I’m taking a social media break. Going into Deep Cover for the month of June so that I can do this thing I haven’t had much time for lately. You might have heard of it. It’s called writing books. 
I will still be Instagramming and Tweeting from time to time so that my brain won’t implode from Internet withdrawal. Please feel free to contact me by email (address on my website’s contact page) if something extraordinary happens. Like if earth gets hit by a comet. Or the Tea Party takes over America and illegalizes immigration and gay marriage and makes everyone carry guns. I would want to know that too.
And now…to the Batcave.
Don’t forget to read a kazillion books while I’m away!
May 21, 2015
Read or Write Anywhere
Summer is about to begin!
But just because it’s summer doesn’t mean we should stop reading and writing. I’ve teamed up with the YA Chicks and many participating authors on a global campaign to encourage readers, writers, students, and teachers to share pictures all of the places—both ordinary and extraordinary—where they are reading and writing. This is open to all readers/writers of both middle grade and young adult books!
You can also take part in…
A MONSTER GIVEAWAY!
I’ll be giving away a copy of AFTER THE END, and all of the other authors participating in this campaign will be giving away books, critiques, swag and/or Skype visits.
So are you ready?
Drum roll….
Can you guess where I am?
YOUR FIVE CLUES:
The very first clue I hold in my hand;
Its title should help you understand.
A certain ghost tale by Gaston Leroux
will unmask for you the second clue.
The third clue‘s solved by those who delve
into UNTIL I DIE, Chapter 12.
Number four can be construed
from the revelers in the nude.
And number five I’ll freely give:
This is in the city where I live.
Once you’ve figured out where I’m reading, head over to the YA Chicks site and:
Officially enter the giveaway by inputting each author’s name and your guesses about our locations. Every author location you guess correctly increases your chances to win. The contest runs until 11:00pm, Sunday, May 31st
For even more chances, post a picture of yourself reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).
For writer prize packs:
Post pictures of yourself writing in a fun location on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere. Then follow the directions on the Rafflecopter giveaway to let us know you did it.
For even more chances, gather your writer friends together and post a group shot with the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag). And hey, since you’re already together, why not host a write-a-thon?
For teacher prize packs:
Post pictures of your class reading or writing on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #ReadOrWriteAnywhere (must have the hashtag).
Then let us know you did it when you enter the Rafflecopter. If you don’t have a Twitter or Instagram, you can email your picture directly with the picture pasted directly into the email (no attachments–we won’t open them) AND the subject, “Read or Write Anywhere.”
You can also check out the YA Chicks Read or Write Anywhere lesson plan, available on their site.
Now, what are you waiting for? Get out there and READ OR WRITE ANYWHERE!
#ReadOrWriteAnywhere
MY OWN CONTEST
And as an extra treat, I will give a copy of UNTIL THE BEGINNING to one person chosen randomly from the comments below. Good luck to all!!!
Sur Les Traces des Revenants
Il y a plus d’un an, HarperImpulse publiait Die for Her, une nouvelle inspirée par la saga des Revenants.
Mes lecteurs francophones la réclamaient depuis sa sortie américaine. Malheureusement, les ebooks sont moins répandus en France qu’aux États-Unis (du moins… pour l’instant !) et mon éditeur français n’avait pas souhaité donner suite. J’ai donc tenté la grande aventure de l’autopublication, pour la faire paraître sous le titre Plus encore que la mort.
Marie Cambolieu, la traductrice de la série – qui est non seulement une voisine de quartier, mais aussi une bonne copine, – s’est chargée de la version française. De mon côté, je me suis familiarisée avec l’aspect technique de la mise en ligne et… tadaaa ! Le texte est désormais sur la toile, au format digital ET (pour les puristes) papier.
Restait cependant un problème de taille… comment annoncer qu’il était enfin disponible dans la langue de Molière ? Pour cela, j’ai fait appel aux pros. Oui, mesdames et messieurs, j’ai contacté les rockstars de la blogosphère romanesque que j’avais déjà rencontrées, ou que mes fidèles lecteurs m’avaient chaudement recommandées. Lorsque Marie et moi avons décidé de préparer un mini-événement à Paris, j’ai convié un petit comité de « book blogueuses » et organisé un tirage au sort pour permettre à une lectrice de se joindre à nous. (Retrouvez les liens vers leurs pages au bas de ce billet.)
Et c’est ainsi que par un bel après-midi de mai, nous sommes parties… sur les traces des Revenants.
Pour ceux qui n’auraient pas lu les livres : ATTENTION, SPOILERS !
J’ai donc retrouvé mes intrépides invitées devant l’église Saint-Paul, dans le Marais.
Les blogueuses m’attendaient devant Saint-Paul.
C’est à cet endroit précis, tandis qu’ils parlent de joutes moyenâgeuses, que le « preux chevalier » Vincent demande un ruban à Kate pour l’accrocher à son bras et qu’elle lui tend… un Kleenex.
Ces marches étaient autrefois… mon propre perron. Plus jeune, j’habitais un minuscule appartement, à côté de l’édifice, et c’est sur ce parvis que je recevais mes amis, façon bohème, à ciel ouvert. Nous sirotions notre vin dans mes verres anciens, hérités de ma mère, et je leur servais de quoi grignoter dans des assiettes chinées chez les brocanteurs.
C’est le cadre de ces soirées féériques que je voulais à tout prix faire revivre dans mes livres.
Laure, Heloïse, Francesca et moi !
Pour chaque étape de notre visite, Marie avait préparé les exemplaires des versions françaises de la série et je lisais un extrait correspondant.
Francesca et moi, devant l’église Saint-Paul
J’ai ensuite conduit notre petit groupe dans la cour intérieure de l’immeuble, à deux pas de Saint-Paul, au 97 de la rue Saint-Antoine. Il s’agit du tout premier appartement parisien que j’ai occupé dans les années 90. Grâce à la magie de l’écriture romanesque, j’ai fait de mon studio l’atelier de Jules. Plusieurs scènes de la série s’y déroulent, dont la toute première rencontre entre Kate et Jules, ainsi que celle – plus spectaculaire – où un numa se défenestre pour prendre la fuite.
Je montre à notre petit groupe l’emplacement de mon ancien studio (et de l’atelier de Jules)
Plus loin, à quelques pâtés de maisons, nous avons fait halte au village Saint-Paul. Dans ce dédale de cours intérieures, cafés et boutiques d’antiquaires se succèdent, à l’écart de l’animation de la rue toute proche. C’est là que Vincent emmène Kate pour leur premier rendez-vous et qu’il déniche un pendentif pour l’anniversaire de Charlotte dans le tome 1 de la série.
J’explique au groupe comment j’ai inclus le village Saint-Paul dans le premier roman.
À l’époque où j’ai emménagé dans le studio de Jules, je suis tombée tout à fait par hasard sur ce lieu atypique, alors que j’explorais mon nouveau quartier. J’étais très fière de ma trouvaille : ce havre de paix n’était mentionné dans aucun de mes guides. J’avais vraiment l’impression de sortir des circuits touristiques. D’ailleurs, la plupart de nos blogueuses ne connaissaient pas ce petit coin de paradis et j’étais ravie de le leur faire découvrir.
Ce jour-là, au village Saint-Paul, un marché animait les cours intérieures.
En quittant le village, nous nous sommes dirigées vers la Seine. Depuis le quai des Célestins, on aperçoit la pointe de l’île Saint-Louis, où Vincent et Kate s’avouent leurs sentiments pour la première fois. C’est aussi le cadre de la toute dernière scène de la trilogie. Ce qui n’est pas vraiment une coïncidence, mais… ceci est une tout autre histoire.
Nous avons parcouru un petit bout de chemin sous le beau soleil parisien pour rallier la rue des Rosiers, un haut lieu du Pletzl, le quartier juif du Marais.
Où je joue les guides touristiques, Rue des Rosiers
J’ai parlé de ma fascination pour l’histoire de Paris sous l’Occupation, à l’époque où cette rue est devenue le théâtre tragique de plusieurs rafles. J’y fais allusion dans Que la mort nous sépare, lorsque Kate retrouve Georgia dans un restaurant de falafels, qui était l’une de mes adresses favorites dans les années 90. Il s’y trouve encore aujourd’hui et pour y déjeuner, il faut s’armer de patience et braver les interminables files d’attente.
À l’angle de la Rue des Rosiers, avec Justine, Léatitia, Laure, Heloïse, Francesca et moi !
Puis nous avons flâné le long de la rue Vieille du Temple. J’ai indiqué l’emplacement d’un ancien restaurant, Au Gamin de Paris, qui a fermé, avant d’être reconverti en boutique de vêtements… C’était mon repaire préféré dans le quartier et c’est là où Vincent emmène Kate pour leur premier dîner en amoureux (et aux chandelles), dans Plus encore que la vie.
Devant le musée Picasso
En continuant vers le nord, nous avons atteint le musée Picasso. C’est là que Kate croise Jules, Vincent (et, sans le savoir, Ambrose) dans le premier tome. Lorsque Jules s’éclipse, nos deux amoureux y prennent un café.
J’en ai profité pour parler un peu de la scène artistique parisienne au début du XXe siècle et de mon envie d’y rattacher l’un de mes personnages, Jules. Le monde de l’art fait partie intégrante de la trilogie des Revenants et c’est l’un des aspects de la série qui m’ont procuré le plus de plaisir. Avant de devenir auteur, j’étais historienne de l’art et la vie des peintres me passionne toujours.
Après cela nous avons rejoint la rue de Bretagne et les Enfants rouges : un marché couvert, où Kate et Violette se rendent dans Que la mort nous sépare.
J’explique mes premières impressions sur le nom de ce lieu, dont les « Enfants rouges » m’évoquaient une légende effrayante.
J’ai raconté aux blogueuses que, lorsque j’ai entendu pour la première fois le nom des « Enfants rouges », il me donnait la chair de poule… et sonnait comme le titre d’un roman de Stephen King ! C’est pourquoi, lorsque j’ai décidé que mes personnages, Kate et Violette, devaient apprendre à mieux se connaître, j’ai situé leur déjeuner en tête-à-tête dans ce petit restaurant. L’Estaminet est aussi un classique de mes bonnes adresses parisiennes, en particulier pour les brunchs. On peut y observer l’animation de ce marché, véritable régal pour les yeux… et les papilles. La plupart de nos invitées en ignoraient l’existence, c’était donc une nouvelle victoire pour moi !
Du quartier du Temple, nous avons parcouru un bout de chemin jusqu’au passage du Grand-Cerf, où numas et bardias s’affrontent dans Qu’importe l’éternité. C’est au cours de ce combat que Geneviève est tuée puis enlevée, et que Louis change de camp.
Le passage du Grand-Cerf
Après un peu de lèche-vitrine au gré des belles devantures, nous sommes ressorties du côté de la rue Dussoubs. À l’époque de la rédaction du troisième tome, je cherchais un lieu où mes personnages pourraient croiser le fer sans trop attirer l’attention et en m’aventurant par hasard dans ce passage, j’ai découvert l’endroit idéal !
J’explique les raisons pour lesquelles j’ai choisi ce passage.
Pour moi, cet affrontement était l’une des séquences les plus frappantes du livre, en particulier le moment où Charles et son gang berlinois font leur entrée et offrent la victoire aux bardias ! Il m’arrive encore de me rejouer mentalement la scène, comme s’il s’agissait d’un souvenir, et je m’estime chanceuse d’en avoir été la spectatrice.
Notre avant-dernière étape devait nous conduire au pont des Arts, mais le vent s’est brusquement levé et notre balade de presque trois heures nous avait épuisées. Nous avons donc fait l’impasse sur cette halte pour nous rendre directement au square du Vert-Galant, à la pointe de l’île de la Cité.
Dans Que la mort nous sépare, j’ai commis une petite erreur, et situé un passage censé s’y dérouler sur la place Dauphine, toute proche, mais qui ne surplombe pas la Seine. (Vous connaissez maintenant tous les secrets de la série !)
Les sablés de Marie, en forme de Tour Eiffel et de statue de la Liberté, quelques bonbons colorés et l’un de mes cookies aux pépites de chocolats : un vrai goûter franco-américain !
Marie et moi avions apporté des gâteaux maison et quelques bouteilles de limonades aux parfums surprenants. Nous avons disposé nos couvertures sur les pavés et déballé notre pique-nique là où Vincent offre à Kate le signum bardia, juste après le mariage de leurs amis à la Sainte-Chapelle. Nous étions installées à l’endroit précis où nos deux amoureux sont assis sur le rebord du quai, dans Que la mort nous sépare.
Justine et Léatitia découvrent notre festin-surprise
Laure profite du soleil parisien
J’ai distribué des exemplaires de Plus encore que la mort, ainsi que quelques goodies, qui (à ce qu’il se murmure) serviront de prix pour des concours. J’ai ensuite répondu à leurs questions concernant mes livres.
Marie, Francesca et Justine au square du Vert-Galant
J’en ai profité pour expliquer pourquoi j’avais absolument tenu à autopublier Plus encore que la mort. Habitant moi-même en France, je porte une affection toute particulière à mes lecteurs francophones. Pendant plus d’un an, ils n’ont cessé de réclamer une version française de Die for Her avec tant d’insistance que j’ai fini par craquer et décidé de la réaliser moi-même. Il n’était pas question pour moi de gagner de l’argent avec ce livre, j’avais simplement à cœur de faire plaisir aux fans de la série. Et… si je parviens à rembourser la somme investie, je serai en mesure de sortir la seconde nouvelle tirée de la saga des Revenants, Die Once More (qui se focalise sur les aventures de Jules, après son départ pour New York).
Dans cette vidéo, vous m’entendez parler de ces deux nouvelles avec mon drôle d’accent.
Pour clore la rencontre, j’ai lu le premier chapitre de Die Once More, que Marie a traduit spécialement pour l’occasion. Je pensais mettre la vidéo en ligne, mais j’étais si horrifiée par le résultat que j’ai préféré vous épargner (à vous et vos oreilles) cette lecture et de vous offrir directement le texte. Voilà donc, en exclusivité, le début de Die Once More. Si le succès de Plus encore que la mort me le permet, je vous promets que cette nouvelle sera elle aussi disponible en français !
Enfin, nous avons grimpé les marches jusqu’au Pont Neuf et demandé à de sympathiques passants d’immortaliser cette belle après-midi avant de nous dire au revoir.
Notre petit groupe posant aux côtés d’Henri IV, lui aussi un grand fan de la série des Revenants…
Notre équipe de « chasseuses de revenants » : Laure, Heloïse, moi, Marie, Francesca, Justine et Léatitia
Après cette belle balade et cette fantastique après-midi passée avec mes blogueuses et lectrices préférées, j’ai vraiment hâte de renouveler l’expérience !
Pour commander votre exemplaire de Plus encore que la mort, voici quelques liens utiles :
Version papier (broché) (5,29 euros)
Version digitale (1,87 euros):
Et n’hésitez pas à consulter les blogs de nos chasseuses de revenants :
Le Monde de Francesca (Francesca)
My Bookshelf is Yours (Léatitia)
Revenant Hunting in Paris
I recently embarked on an exciting project: self-publishing the French translation of my novella DIE FOR HER. My French readers have been asking me for it ever since it was published by HarperImpulse over a year ago, and because eBooks aren’t as big in France as they are in the U.S. (yet!!!), my French publishers decided not to do it themselves.
So Marie Cambolieu, who translated the DIE FOR ME series into French (and who is now also a friend and neighbor) agreed to do the translation. We chose to call it PLUS ENCORE QUE LA MORT, I somehow figured out the technical part of uploading a book to all the various online distributors and…VOILA!!! It was suddenly live—both in eBook format and in print version! (Which solves the whole eBook problem.)
My new challenge was how to let people know that the book was available. So I decided to go to THE EXPERTS. Yes, ladies and gentlemen…the rock stars of the book world…BOOK BLOGGERS. French ones. Ones I’ve met and know or who were referred by my readers. When Marie and I decided to hold an event in Paris to celebrate the release of the novella, I chose a small group of bloggers and held a contest to allow one reader to join us. (Blogger names + links at the bottom of this post.)
So one sunny May afternoon the seven of us set out on a REVENANT ADVENTURE.
[NOTE: if you have not read all 3 DIE FOR ME books, SPOILER ALERT!!!]
We started on the steps of the Église St. Paul, which is where Kate and Vincent had the joust conversation during which Vincent asks for Kate’s “favor” and she gives him a Kleenex. (Chapter 6, DIE FOR ME.)
The group waiting for me on the steps of the Eglise St. Paul
I greeted the intrepid bloggers (plus the one contest winner) and told them about how these steps used to be my front porch when I lived in a tiny apartment in the building next door (at age 28). My friends and I would sit on “my” open-air veranda, drink wine from my mom’s vintage glasses and eat off my flea-market antique china. Those were such magical evenings, I HAD to include that location in the book. (Are you getting the feeling this book might be a little bit autobiographical? If so, you might just be on to something…)
Laure, Heloïse and Francesca + me
As we did at all of our stops, Marie whipped out the French copy of the book and I read the passage that referenced the location.
Francesca + me at St. Paul
From our starting point, we walked a few steps to a courtyard adjoining the church. I showed the group where I had lived in the 1990s (97 rue Saint-Antoine) and described how—through the magic of fiction—I had transformed my old apartment into Jules’s painting studio for the DIE FOR ME books. Many scenes from the series take place here including Kate and Jules’s introduction and the scene where a numa escapes by crashing through the window into the courtyard below.
Showing the group my old apartment / Jules’s painting studio. (2nd floor)
Next stop, a ten-minute walk away, we stopped at the Village St. Paul—a magical maze of connected courtyards lined with antique shops and cafés where you can wander in peaceful isolation from the bustling world outside. This was the site of Vincent and Kate’s first date, where he bought the necklace for Charlotte and they spotted Lucien. (Chap 6, D4M).
Telling the group about including the Village St. Paul in DIE FOR ME.
I told our group that when I lived in Jules’s studio, this was right down the street from me. The first time I went there, I was exploring my neighborhood and just stumbled across it. It was a revelation to me—this hidden treasure trove—because at that point it wasn’t mentioned in any travel books and was completely off the beaten path. Most of our group had never been there before, so I counted that as a small triumph!
In the Village St. Paul, where an outdoor flea market was taking place.
Leaving the Village St. Paul, we wandered down to the river where I pointed out the park and quai on the eastern tip of the Ile Saint Louis, where Vincent and Kate had The Talk. (Chapter 15, D4M) It’s also in the very last scene of the very last book of the trilogy. Which was kind of intentional. Symbolically. And all. *coughs* *changes subject*
The next stop was a bit of a hike as we wound our way back up through the Marais to the rue de Rosiers.
Me playing tour guide on the rue des Rosiers
I told the group about my fascination with the history of Paris during World War II. As the focal point of the Pletzl (the most famous Jewish neighborhood of Paris, dating back to the 13th century) rue des Rosiers was the site of some of the terrifying roundups of Jews for the concentration camps. I mentioned this in Chapter 18 of UNTIL I DIE, using a lunch date with Kate and Georgia to tell the story.
We wandered by the falafel shop where the sisters had lunch—a restaurant I frequented in the 1990s. (It is still there and still has huge lines of people waiting to buy their mouthwatering food.)
The corner where rue des Rosiers begins: me, Justine, Léatitia, Laure, Heloïse and Francesca
From there we wandered up the rue Vieille du Temple, where I pointed out the place that used to be a restaurant called Au Gamin de Paris and is now a clothes store. It used to be my favorite neighborhood restaurant, so that’s where I had Vincent and Kate go to dinner (the place with all the candles after The Talk in D4M).
The Picasso Museum
We proceeded north through the Marais to the Picasso Museum. I reminded the group about the scene where Kate bumps into Jules and Vincent (and Ambrose, volant), and has coffee with Vincent after Jules steams off in a huff. (D4M, Chapter 5)
Reading from DIE FOR ME at the Picasso Museum
I took the opportunity to talk a little bit about the Paris artist community in the early 20th century, and why I decided to makes Jules one of them. This is a big part of DIE FOR HER, and one of the aspects of the series that I had the most fun with. (Before becoming a writer I was an art historian, so I’m always fascinated by stories of artists’ lives.)
After that, we made our way to the Marché des Enfants Rouges—the covered market that provides the setting for Kate and Violette’s lunch in UNTIL I DIE. (Chapter 11)
Explaining why I set the lunch with evil Violette in the creepy-sounding Marché des Enfants Rouges (Market of the Red Children)
I told the bloggers of how I had always thought “The Market of the Red Children” sounded Stephen King-style creepy. Knowing that Kate and Violette needed a place outside of La Maison to get to know each other, I decided to send them there. This is the restaurant where they ate. It’s one of my old hangouts, and is especially good for brunch! The market itself is a sensory delight, and most of the group had never been there before. (Another triumph of the day!)
From Enfants Rouges, we made our way to the Passage du Grand Cerf. This is where the numa-bardia fight took place in IF I SHOULD DIE, Chapter 44. (The one where Geneviève is killed and her corpse kidnapped and Louis crosses over to the good side.)
The Passage du Grand Cerf
We wandered through the covered passageway and gawked at all of the beautiful shops. I talked about how, when I was thinking about where someone could have an armed skirmish in Paris without drawing a lot of attention, I walked past this passage and thought PERFECT!
Explaining why I chose this passage for the skirmish scene.
This battle was one of the most visually charged scenes for me, especially when Charles and his clan of punk-rockers arrived with the music and tipped the scales in the favor of the bardia. I still see that in my head like it was a real event, and feel lucky to have been a spectator.
Our penultimate stop was supposed to be the Pont des Arts (site of The Kiss), but the wind was starting to pick up and we had already been walking for three hours. So we skipped it and went directly to the Square du Vert-Galant, which is at the western tip of the Ile de la Cité.
(In the books I mistakenly called it Place Dauphine, which is just a stone’s throw away, but which does not border the water. Now you know one of the super-secret D4M factoids!)
Marie’s oh-so-cute (and delicious) New York and Paris themed cookies, gummy candies, and one of my chocolate chip cookies: a culinary mash-up of America and France!
Marie and I had made cookies and brought a few bottles of flavored limonades (it’s like Sprite but a million times tastier). We sat on blankets and munched cookies while I reminded the group that this was the site where Vincent gave Kate the signum bardia after the revenant wedding in La Sainte-Chapelle. I had brought them to the very spot where I had seen Vincent and Kate sit (in my mind), legs hanging over the side of the quai as they talked and watched the boats go by. (UID, Chapter 23)
Justine and Léatitia with our mini-feast
Laura enjoying the sunny Paris afternoon
Then I passed out copies of PLUS ENCORE QUE LA MORT as well as postcards and other goodies (some of which will be offered in contests by the bloggers) and answered questions about my books.
Marie, Francesca and Justine at the Square du Vert-Galant
It was at this point that I told everyone WHY I had self-pubbed PLUS ENCORE QUE LA MORT (the French version of DIE FOR HER). Since I live in France, my French readers are extremely close to my heart. And after having them ask me repeatedly when DIE FOR HER would be published in French, I finally cracked and decided to do it myself. It’s not a moneymaking venture—it’s solely for the enjoyment of my fans. That leaves only the second novella—DIE ONCE MORE (Jules in New York/Paris)—unpublished in French.
Here I am describing the two novellas in my very embarrassing American accent. (And switching between French and English in mid-conversation, which I do all the time and can’t help for the life of me.)
Finally, I read the beginning of DIE ONCE MORE, which Marie had translated for the occasion. We were going to post a video of me reading it, but I was so horrified by how awful I sound reading French that I concluded it would be kinder to you (and your ears) to just give you the text.
So here is the first chapter of DIE ONCE MORE in French. If I sell enough copies of PLUS ENCORE QUE LA MORT to cover publishing costs, I might be able to self-publish this novella as well. Stay tuned for updates!
Finally we climbed the stairs to the Pont Neuf where we posed for some photos before saying goodbye.
Our group posing next to Henry IV, who, coincidentally, is a huge fan of the DIE FOR ME books.
Our team of revenant hunters: Laure, Heloïse, me, Marie, Francesca, Justine and Léatitia
It was an amazing day, and truly wonderful to be able to hang out with some of my favorite French bloggers and readers. Definitely on my “to repeat” list!
If you would like to get your own copy of PLUS ENCORE QUE LA MORT, here are a few links:
Printed copy (paperback) (5,29 euros)
Ebook: Amazon (1,87 euros), FNAC (1,87 euros), Smashwords ($1.99)
And here are the links for the blogs of our intrepid revenant hunters:
Le Monde de Francesca (Francesca)
My Bookshelf is Yours (Léatitia)
May 15, 2015
Amy Plum’s 6 Shocking Pop Culture Twists
Since the AFTER THE END duology starts with one massive whopper of a twist, Epic Reads asked me to give them a few of my favorite pop culture twists: books, movies, t.v. shows. I came up with 6 that I thought were the most shocking. Here’s the first. Click through to see if you agree with the rest!
Amy Plum’s 6 Most Shocking Pop Culture Twists
#1 THE MATRIX
This is the ultimate “living a lie” story, with the most violent reveal. Keanu naked in that vat of goo was one of the most shocking images in film, delivering the message that things aren’t as they seem with a full-body blow.
Click here to see #2 – #6!
May 12, 2015
How to Survive in a Modern World
In the first few chapters of AFTER THE END, we see our protagonist Juneau leave the territory in the Alaskan wilderness where she was raised believing the world had been destroyed in World War III. The further she gets from her land the more signs of civilization she sees, until she arrives at a modern city (Anchorage) and discovers that there never was a World War III and that her life up to this point has been a lie.
This part of the book was really difficult to write because I had to imagine what it would be like to be seventeen years old and suddenly be faced with things as banal to us as cars, electricity…something as simple as keys. (Juneau and her clan lived in yurts.)
Here is Miles describing her in Chapter 18 as he trails her around Seattle:
“As I watch her, I realize there’s something wrong with her. She flinches at the smallest provocation. A street cleaner goes by and she looks ready to climb the nearest tree to escape. She stands outside the Apple store and stares at the window for so long, it looks like she’s planning a major electronics heist. You’d think she was seeing everything for the first time. Like she’s Tarzan or something—raised by wolves in the deepest, darkest forest.”
Epic Reads has come up with an AWESOME collection of GIFs called “How to Survive in a Modern World (a guide for YA characters)” to teach Juneau and anyone else suddenly finding themselves in the 21st century how to navigate today’s world. See what you think, and feel free to add your own survival tips in the comments below!
Their first tip:
1. Always have a cell phone charger handy.
