C.J. Redwine's Blog, page 13

Author Mad Libs: Gina Damico

Today's final Author Mad Libs Hat Trick Day guest is Gina Damico, author of the upcoming (and fabulous!) CROAK. The book will be in a bookstore near you on March 20, 2012. I sent Gina a parts of speech list. She sent back words. This is the result.




Fed up with her wild _tugboat_, sixteen-year-old Lex's parents ship her off to upstate _Sir Puffington Huffington_to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few _laser guns_ of dirty _velociraptor_ work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort's true _Q-tip_ is much dirtier than _humping_ manure.

He's a Grim Reaper. And he's going to teach Lex the _flugelhorn_ business.

She quickly assimilates into the _engorged_ world of Croak, a town _exploded_ by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the _trombone_. But Lex can't stop her desire for _a two toed sloth_—or is it vengeance?—whenever she encounters a murder _trombone_, craving to stop the attackers before they can _snorkel_ again. Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her _Macarena_ skills?


About the Author:
 
Gina Damico grew up in Syracuse, New York. She received a degree in _candyland_ and _spaceships_ from Boston College, where she was active with the Committee for Creative _Monkey Butlers_, the country's only _squirrely_ murder mystery improv comedy troupe. She has since worked as a tour guide, _ninja_, theater house manager, _awesomesauce_ artist, and movie extra. Croak is her first _black hole_. She lives outside of Boston with her husband, two _underpants_, and a closet full of black hoodies.
 
 
Thank you, Gina, for playing along! I personally can't wait to get my hands on CROAK next Tuesday! If you missed the other two posts in today's Author Mad Libs Hat Trick, they are here and here. To learn more about Gina, visit her site. To buy CROAK, head to Indie Bound, Books a Million, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.
 
 

Author Mad Libs: James Mihaley

The second author in our Author Mad Libs Hat Trick Day is James Mihaley, author of the book YOU CAN'T HAVE MY PLANET: BUT TAKE MY BROTHER, PLEASE. Feel like reading a fun adventure? This book hits the shelves April 10, 2012. I sent James a parts of speech list. He sent back words. This is the result.


 
 
 
 
Thirteen-year-old Giles is the last _wombat_ anyone would expect to save the planet. He's not as _cartoony_ as his little sister, and not as brainy as his goody-goody older _yogi_. But when Giles witnesses an alien _whoopy cushion_ showing Earth to possible new tenants, he knows he'd better _empurple_ something. With the help of an alien "attorney" and the _tawniest_ scientist in middle-grade fiction, Giles just might save _pygmies_ from eviction from Earth. Let's hope so. The alternatives are...not so _peppy_.


About the Author:
 
James Mihaley has milked _tusks_. He drove 1,000 miles in one day for a _spectral_concert. Once, he almost got eaten by _manure_. He lives in L.A., where he avoids the _leeks_ and _quibbles_ the pigeons. This is his first _curmudgeon_.



I can't wait to get this book for my boys! Thank you, James, for playing along. To learn more about James, visit his site. To purchase his book, head to Indie Bound, Books a Million, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

If you missed our first Author Mad Libs of the day, here's the link. And don't forget to come back at 3 p.m. when our final Mad Libs madness posts!

Author Mad Libs: Elisa Ludwig

Today is Author Mad Libs Hat Trick Day! Check back throughout the day for two other featured Mad Libs authors. Our first guest is Elisa Ludwig, author of the much anticipated PRETTY CROOKED. This modern day Robin Hood story hit the shelves this week, and I can't wait to pick it up. I sent Elisa a parts of speech list. She sent back words. This is the result.







Willa's secret plan seems all too _rabid_.


Take from the rich _piccolos_ at valley prep and give to the _spiffy_ ones.

Yet Willa's turn as Robin Hood at her _clammy_ high school is anything but. _Crystallizing_ her "friends"—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without them suspecting a _girdle_ is far from easy. Learning how to break into lockers and _zephyrs_ is as hard as she'd thought it would be. Delivering _auspicious_ packages to the scholarship girls, who are bullied just for being _torpid_, is more fun than she'd expected.

The _rutabaga_ Willa didn't expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, VP's most notorious ace-degenerate. His mere existence is _cumbersome_ Willa from what matters most to her—evening the _splendiferous_ playing field between the haves and have-nots. There's no time for _tangoing_, especially with conceited trust-funders like Aidan. But when the cops start _navelgazing_ the string of thefts at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek _a phlebotomist_, could Aidan wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

Elisa Ludwig's Pretty Crooked is the first _Zamboni_ in an adventurous teen caper series filled with mystery, _rigmarole_, and heart.

 
I'm so intrigued by this book! Thank you, Elisa, for being a good sport. :) To learn more about Elisa, visit her site. To purchase your own copy of PRETTY CROOKED, head to Indie Bound, Books a Million, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.
 

Interview With Rachel Hawkins

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome back my talented and hilarious friend Rachel Hawkins, author of the best-selling HEX HALL series. Yesterday, the final book in the trilogy came out, and I freely admit I can't wait to find out if Sophie ends up with Archer or with Cal. Um ... and also, yanno, if she saves the world and stuff. But MOSTLY to see if she ends up with Archer or Cal. =D  Here's a peek at SPELL BOUND:

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that's what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn't as confident.


Sophie's bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it's too late?

Rachel agreed to return to the blog (see her earlier interviews here and here) as long as she had the honor of taking on our newest interviewer: Giselle the Pink Sock Monkey. Let's meet today's guests.


Giselle, the French pink sock monkey

Rachel Hawkins

Of course we also have the beautiful cupcake my hubby made in honor of SPELL BOUND. This time, Rachel requested a cupcake to represent Ireland, which is a significant setting in the book. (Does she end up with ARCHER or CAL in IRELAND???) Ahem. Where was I? Oh, yes! The cupcake. My hubby wishes to thank Rachel for not requesting the southern gothicness of her first cupcake which, while stunning, took him far longer than this one. Without further ado, I give you the Irish cupcake and Rachel vs. Giselle.


Irish cupcake

1. I believe a girl should be able to describe herself in a single word. Naturally, the word I'd use for myself is "perfect." What word best describes you?

Shenanigans. I realize this is not an adjective, but I believe it's the word most people would agree comes to mind the fastest when one thinks of me.

2. I am unfamiliar with this word. *looks it up* Mischief and prankishness? *sniffs* I would never stoop so low. What's that? Someone messed with your TiVo and recorded Swamp Loggers over all your episodes of Dr. Who? *bats eyes* I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about.

A common misconception about sock monkeys is that we adore socks. This is foolishness. Speaking only for myself, I adore Jimmy Choos and diamonds from Tiffany's. What are a few of your favorite things?

I have SO many favorite things! I'm very attached to Ink Joy pens, Earl Grey tea, Game of Thrones (both the show AND the books), Doctor Who, and my iPhone. YAY MATERIALISM!

3. Game of Thrones? Spoiler Alert: I win. What? Not that kind of game? That hardly matters. I win anyway. Many crave my approval, but few are clever enough to win it. What are you willing to do to win my favor?

I am a terrible knitter, so I could knit you a truly heinous Sock Monkey Sibling who would always make your gorgeousness THAT MUCH MORE EVIDENT in comparison.

4. I am oddly pleased by this idea. Be sure to use gray yarn. That way we can call her Ellie. Short for Elephant Trunk. If I was a dessert, I'd be a French macaron. Strawberry, of course. Why? Because I am French and pink and altogether lovely. What kind of dessert best describes you and why?

My mom AKA The Mama makes this amazing four layer chocolate pie, so I'm going to go with that. I TOO have many layers and, like The Mama's pie, one is entirely made of Cool Whip.

5. *pats lips daintily* You mean you had a layer made entirely of Cool Whip. I understand you write stories. Please tell me why the hero of your book would be my perfect boy toy for a day.

I actually have TWO boys. Archer would be a nice fit for you as he is suave, handsome, and could fend off your many admirers with his sword. Cal is ALSO handsome, but a good deal quieter and more stoic. However, he can heal anything, so you'd never have to worry about snagging your yarn on diamonds EVER AGAIN!

6. Lovely. I'll take them both. You Americans love your movies. One day, when Hollywood tells the story of my life, it will be called Gone With The Perfect Pink Monkey. If your life was a movie, what would be the title?

Stealing on of my favorite internet memes, "Oh God, WTF? (And Other Amazing Tales.)"

7. I've had similar thoughts when perusing American reality television. Especially the one located in New Jersey. Pink? Or some lesser, inferior color?

Piiiiiiiiink! And I'm not just saying that to suck up. My entire BEDROOM is pink right now, which was a very valuable lesson for my husband in why one should never say, "I don't care, do what you want" to me.

8. Darling, your first lesson is to never bother asking for an opinion in the first place. I love fairy tales. If I was a fairy tale character, I'd be Snow White. The fairest in all the land. Which fairy tale character would you be and why?

I'd be one of the 12 dancing princesses. Going out to a magical fairy land every night, dancing so much you wear holes in your shoes? YES PLEASE. (Although I would NOT be the one who marries that Tattling Dude, thus putting an end to all Fun Dancey Dancey Times. I'd punch him in the junk. )

9. Preach. I am, of course, a fashion trend setter. (Glitter eye shadow? Six inch heels? Retro gowns making a comeback? Yes. You may thank me with your undying adulation.) If you were to start a trend, what would it be?

I would really like to make wearing pajamas all the time an acceptable thing. I mean, I own more jammies than clothes, and some of them are VERY NICE and would be TOTALLY FINE to wear outside.


Maybe.

10. *imagines leaving the house in pajamas* Words fail me. I am addicted to all things French—baguettes, macarons, Chateau Lafite, moi … the list goes on and on. What is your favorite thing from France?

Oooh, I love so many French things! Croissants are really high up there, especially that kind with the little sliver of dark chocolate in the bottom, and… excuse me, I need to go wipe my drool now.

11. Understandable. The French are experts in creating things that cause others to lose control of their salivary glands. *looks in the mirror* Yes. Experts. A smart woman always maintains an air of mystery. Often the art of being mysterious involves doing the unexpected. What is the most unusual thing you've ever done?

I DID get stabbed in the head with an arrow once. Seriously. That happened. I had to go to the hospital and everything. I was five at the time, and had been Playing Inappropriately with one of my friends and her dad's hunting gear (see above, RE: shenanigans). But that was an unusual thing done TO me. AND DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN IT, GREER CRAWLEY.

12. The level of Inappropriate to which your play must have sunk to involve arrows to the head boggles the mind. I also believe a smart woman always gets the last word. Any last word you'd like to leave with my readers?

BADOW. I believe in always leaving people with FLAIR. And also onomatopoeia.



Thank you, Rachel, for the entertaining interview! (And for letting Sophie end up with Cal. Archer. CAL! ARCHER! *dies*) To learn more about Rachel, visit her site (where you can enter a super cool contest to redesign the cover of SPELL BOUND!). To purchase SPELL BOUND, head to Indie Bound, Books a Million, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

The fun isn't over yet! Rachel is giving away a signed copy of SPELL BOUND to one lucky commenter. The giveaway is open internationally, and you have until 8 p.m. central time Monday, March 19th. To enter, fill out the form below. Good luck and happy reading!

That's Right, I said YO MOMMA

1. I laughed so hard when I saw this pic, I nearly injured myself.

2. If you know me at all, you realize I've injured myself on far less.

3. It's sort of a talent of mine.

4. Princess J's birthday was Sunday. She turned two!

5. Her new favorite words are "zombies" and "darn it." Yesterday, she wandered around the house saying "Zombies?? Oh no! Darn it!"

6. In case of a Zombie Apocalypse, I have a built in early warning system.

7. You  wish you were as prepared as me.

8. The writing of DEFIANCE's sequel has been both a difficult and rewarding experience. I'm happy with the draft (finally) and the scenes are flowing faster for me now.

9. But writing stories with the level of emotional authenticity I want to bring to the table takes a lot out of me sometimes. Maybe I'll blog about that process one day...

10. Today is release day for book 3 in two of my favorite series! Tomorrow, I'll be interviewing Rachel Hawkins in honor of the release of SPELL BOUND, so today I wanted to share Bree Despain's THE SAVAGE GRACE with you:


Here's a peek at the plot:

Grace's life is a mess. Daniel is still a werewolf, Talbot can't be trusted, and Caleb is still out there. With Sirhan's impending death, war seems imminent. Will Grace give in to the wolf to save her family? What will happen to Daniel . . . and can their love survive one last test?



Book one in this series (THE DARK DIVINE) remains one of my all time favorite YA books. I loved the characters, the world building, the tension, the characters, the stakes, the complexity, the characters, and the characters. =D

Book two (THE LOST SAINT) literally made me yell unkind things about Bree (and maybe her mama) and throw the book across the room when I read the last chapter. She broke my characters and LEFT THEM BROKEN. Which left me kind of broken, too.

So now, finally!, book three is here, and I can't wait to curl up with my characters and see them fight hard to get their happily ever after.

Side note: If they DON'T get a happily ever after, I know where Bree lives, and I have the Spork of Doom at my disposal.

If you haven't snatched up this series yet, do! It's not your usual werewolf fare. It's Hounds of Heaven, a broken family that still clings to each other and to their faith, and characters that deserve redemption as much as they deserve to be punished. It's honest, and complex, and full of little moments of tenderness that make you ache for more.


Okay, I'm off to organize a veritable feast of blog posts. Rachel Hawkins is interviewed tomorrow, Thursday is Mad Libs Hat Trick Day with three amazing YA authors participating, and it's possible the Were-llama will return from terrorizing the southern hemisphere and give us his opinion on something this Friday.

Meanwhile, I'll be in my bat cave writing a sequel.

Trailer for THE UNIDENTIFIED

This book came out in 2010, but finding this book trailer was my first introduction to it. I'm interested by the premise! What do you think?

Pants, Voices, & Ron Burgundy!

Not that wearing pants helps me any. Just last week, I ran several errands, talked to any number of people in the course of those errands, and then returned home to discover I'd neglected to zip up my jeans. I'm just going to start color-coordinating my undies with my outfit so that when this kind of stuff happens (And let's face it ... this wasn't the first, and it won't be the last.), I can just call it accessorizing and move on with my day.
Considering my track record, there's a 2 in 10 chance you'll see more than you bargained for if you come to a book signing of mine.
*remembers the time she flashed her orange bra at her photographer*
Um ... better make that a 3 in 10 chance.
Who needs swag when you can just roll film and get a viral video out of it, amiright?
The problem with writing this post is that a) I've forgotten to number my thoughts and so now you all are expecting a coherent post instead of a collection of random, disjointed thoughts, b) I'm too brain dead at the moment to go back NOW and number things, and c) I had no idea what I was going to say until I put that pic up and got inspired.
But the pants inspiration has left me.
It's over.
Done.
So, I guess I should probably choose another visual.
Actually, I'm not 100% convinced the voices aren't real ...
But! Speaking of voices, I went to see John Carter (a sneak peek) last week. I'm not going to give my opinion on the movie because the Were-llama is DESPERATE to give his (tune in Friday), but I will give you a veritable earful (eyeful ... whatever) on something else.
Theater Etiquette.
THEATER ETIQUETTE.
Guess what is a nice, polite, proof that you were not raised by a pack of mentally deranged weasels way to behave while in a public theater surrounded by other people who (shockingly enough) wish to actually pay attention to the movie?
Silence. Laughter at the funny bits. And then more silence.
If you really want to be polite and non-mentally-deranged-weasel-ish, you even hold back on scrounging around in the bottom of your obscenely loud cellophane candy bag for the last Skittle during crucial moments of quiet conversation on screen.
But if you want to be the OPPOSITE of nice, polite, and non-mentally-deranged-weasel-ish, then you behave like the man who sat behind me during the sneak peek of John Carter.
First, allow me to tell you this man proved himself to be perfectly capable of holding a rational, intelligent discourse before the film. I was sitting directly in front of him listening as he and his friend discussed books. He showed no signs of rudeness, verbal tics, or an inability to comprehend the wrath of those sitting around him.
But from the very first second of the film, he became Movie Moron: able to enrage others, ruin films, and sound like an idiot without once breaking a sweat!
You want proof? Here it is. Every ten to fifteen seconds, he made a ridiculously loud "Huh, HUH, huh!" sound. For reference, as an expressive sound it registered somewhere between having an epiphany and having a bowel movement. And he used it for EVERY. SINGLE. THING. The character learns something new? Huh HUH huh. The character stares pensively into the distance? Huh HUH huh. The camera pans over a body of water? Huh HUH huh.
I kid you not.
AND he complemented that behavior by answering questions asked of the characters before they could open their mouths and speak for themselves.
You have no idea how much I longed to turn around and say "It's water. Not an epiphany! Water. And fyi, all questions asked on film are considered rhetorical for us. ALSO, FYI, YOU SHOULD SHUT YOUR MOUTH BEFORE I COME OVER THIS SEAT AND DO IT FOR YOU."
But I couldn't. Because we were in special media seats due to my hubby's job. And we'd checked in by name. I was the only girl in the entire media row. If I started something (and by golly FINISHED it), it wouldn't have been hard to pinpoint the source of the conflict. So, for the sake of not embarrassing my hubby and ruining his relationship with the Disney rep, I did not say what needed to be said.
*sigh*
Now, I should probably end this strange pants meets deranged weasel-ish post with another visual, don't you think? Here you go! Happy Wednesday. :)

Winner of the DEFIANCE ARC!

Thank you to all who entered to win the first ARC of DEFIANCE! As always, I used random.org to help me generate the winning entry. And the winner is


Valia
Congratulations, Valia! You will receive a confirmation email from me shortly. Your ARC will ship out to you as soon as Kristin has permission to send my book out into the wild. :) Thanks for entering and happy reading!

Trailer for THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN

I admit, when I heard there was going to be a new Spiderman franchise, I rolled my eyes. After that disastrous emo-Spidey film foisted upon us by Sam Raimi, I was ready to say adios to Spiderman. Seeing this trailer changed my mind. It feels gritty and full of unexpected depths. I got a similar feeling from Christopher Nolan's Batman reboot, and I'm a huge fan of that series. I'll definitely be in the theaters checking this one out. What do you think?

Interview With Editor Kristin Daly Rens & ARC Giveaway for DEFIANCE

I'm thrilled to welcome my amazing editor Kristin Daly Rens to the blog today! Not only is she an insightful, talented editor who brings out the best in her authors, she's also a genuinely awesome person through and through. She decided to come on the blog today to publicize my forthcoming debut, DEFIANCE. Here's a look at what DEFIANCE is about:

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.


At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.


As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Kristin chose to be interviewed by the Were-llama. Not only does she find him adorable, but there's a fun story of epic awkwardness behind her choice. On the day I sold DEFIANCE, I spent an hour talking with each editor involved in the auction. Kristin was my first phone call of the day. I was both excited and nervous! And when I'm excited and nervous, my mouth tends to outdistance my brain. I opened our conversation with the following statement: "I had a dream last night that I showed up at the Harper Collins office dressed like a llama!" And immediately after I said it, I thought to myself SHUTUPRIGHTNOWWHATAREYOUDOINGOMG???? But Kristin found it amusing, connected with me on a deep level over my story, and after I signed with her, she sent me a box of books and a stuffed llama. <3

Let's meet today's guests!

Were-llama


Kristin Daly Rens
Of course, my hubby designed a cupcake for today's interview. Because he also had a groom's cake due, he eschewed all of my more complicated suggestions (There should be a sword in the middle of real flames! You could do the monster's head coming out of the cupcake and breathing FIRE! You could make a little mini city-state!) and instead, made a cupcake that captures Rachel facing down the beast. Without further ado, I give you the cupcake and Kristin vs. the Were-llama.




1. So, you're an editor. I'm a super-scary shape-shifter who can command obedience with the awesome power of my glowing red eyes. What do we have in common?


I, too, command obedience—but with the awesome power of my green pencil. Or, more likely these days, the awesome power of track changes in Word, my current editing weapon of choice.

2. I will pit my glowing red eyes against your skinny green pencil any day. I like to spit at my enemies from whichever end is closest to them. Do any of the characters in DEFIANCE have cool abilities like that?

Unfortunately, neither Rachel nor Logan is a spitter—from either end—but Rachel DOES wield a mean sword. Not to mention a totally badass weapon called a Switch, which is basically a wooden walking staff, with a spring-loaded double-edged blade on one end, and a mallet-like weight heavy enough to crush a man's skull on the other. And Logan is an inventor who creates all kinds of crazy stuff—weapons, explosives, tracking devices…magnetic hand-grips to help you climb over the wall that surrounds your city and escape. You get the idea.

3. They sound like worthy minions for the Were-llama. Even if they are sadly deficient in spitting abilities. If I had a nickname, it would be The Awesome. You?

The Grammatically Correct.

4. I hang around this blog because I love stories. What's your story about? Bonus points if it includes a llama.

DEFIANCE is the story of Rachel Adams, whose father is the top courier in Baalboden, a walled city-state where the serpentine Cursed One lurks outside the town walls, while the brutal Commander rules within, and every girl must have a Protector with her at all times. But when Rachel's father disappears on a mission, leaving her under the Protection of his apprentice Logan—whom she has despised ever since she told him she loved him and he turned her down—Rachel knows that she's the only one who can find him. So she embarks on a high-stakes journey outside the walls to find her father and the mysterious package that he was carrying—a package that the Commander will stop at nothing to get his hands on. And as they follow her father's tracks and fend off attacks from the Cursed One, she and Logan forge a bond that even the Commander's iron fist can't break.


Really, this book's got it all: danger, swashbuckling battle scenes, and of course, romantic tension that is absolutely through the roof—full of longing, and misunderstandings, and forbidden love, all heightened by the fact that Logan has now become Rachel's guardian. It ROCKS.

5. I see a regrettable lack of llamas listed in that description. You're making me a cake worthy of my awesome Were-llama status and decorating it to represent DEFIANCE. What does it look like?

A city with a towering wall around it! No…a slithering, fire-breathing beast! No…a sword-wielding redhead! Ack! I can't decide! But there should definitely be FIRE.

6. Any Were-llamas in your book?

No Were-llamas, alas—talk about a missed opportunity! But there are delicious baked goods like sticky buns and raisin loaves; a fire-breathing serpentlike creature stalking our heroes; and lots of cool technology that blows stuff up, Not to mention a very steamy smooch in a lake. So maybe that makes up for the absence of Were-llamas at least a little bit?

7. If you think sticky buns and kisses in unsanitary lake water make up for the stunning lack of llamas in this book, you are sadly mistaken, Madam. I will give you one more chance to redeem yourself before I forget that you called me adorable and begin a campaign of spit in your general direction. Anyone who might be a Were-llama and you just haven't figured it out yet?

Um, have you looked at the person who runs this blog lately?

8. I am not appeased. Llamas or camels and why? Think carefully.

Llamas, CLEARLY. And not just because you can spit at me from either end.

9. You have mollified me for the moment. I will hold back the mighty llama spit glands unless you give further offense. I give you a baby Were-llama as a companion. What do you name her?

Veronica, after Veronica Mars. It's a fierce moniker worthy of sassy teen detectives and were-llamas.

10. Acceptable. My favorite word is "awesome" because, yanno, look at me. What's yours?

Pithy. Because I am so not.

11. This is when it's helpful to practice one's spitting ability. No reply is as pithy as a face full of spit. As a young Were-llama, I dreamt of taking over the eastern seaboard one face full of spit at a time. What did you dream of doing when you were young?

I dreamt of being a private detective like my then-idol, Nancy Drew. I even went to my third-grade career day dressed in a trench coat over my St. Elizabeth Ann Seton uniform, with a notebook, magnifying glass, and "fingerprint powder" (which was really some talcum powder I pilfered from home). Clearly, my love of Nancy Drew was a precursor to my current Veronica Mars obsession.

12. Cake or cookies?

Cookies. With frosting. Best of both worlds.

13. I cannot help but approve. Do you share chocolate?

Only with my husband, because he's wonderful and amazing—not to mention he actually finds it cute that I constantly have my nose buried in a manuscript (I am a very lucky woman, I know). And with my Assistant Editor of Awesome, Sara Sargent, because she runs my life and I need to stay on her good side. Other than that, all the chocolate is MINE.

14. *looks up from eating all of YOUR chocolate* I'm sorry, you were saying? The Zombie Goat invasion is upon us. How will you fight them off?

I don't. I barricade myself in my apartment with my husband, a year's supply of Diet Coke, Veronica Mars and Buffy DVDs, and some good books until it's all over.



Thank you so much for the entertaining interview, Kristin! To get to know Kristin better, you can follow her on Twitter - @kristin_rens. Of course, the fun isn't over yet! Kristin is going to give away the very first ARC of DEFIANCE to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out the form below. The contest is open until 8 pm central time Monday, March 5th and is open for North America. Good luck and happy reading!