C.J. Redwine's Blog, page 22

Winner of CLAIRE DE LUNE and NOCTURNE

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for a signed set of Christine Johnson's books! (And thank you Christine for such a fun guest blog post!) As always, I used random.org to choose the winner. And the lucky winner is:

Amanda
Congratulations, Amanda! You will receive a confirmation email from me shortly. Happy reading!


Winner of THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS

Thank you to all who entered to win Rae Carson's THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS. As always, I used random.org to choose the winner. And the lucky winner is

grlinthestacks
Congratulations! You will receive a confirmation email from me shortly. Enjoy reading your new book!

Winner of POSSESS!

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for Gretchen McNeil's POSSESS! As always, I used random.org to pick the winner. And the lucky winner is

Jessi Knite
Congratulations, Jessi! You will receive a confirmation email from me shortly. Enjoy your book!

Zombie Body Parts For The Win!

1. As you can see from the pic above, Johanna is pretty territorial about her milk.

2. Either that, or she's demanding cookies.

3. It's been a while since I did a list.

4. Mostly because I had some awesome giveaways to post last week! Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for Rae Carson's GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS and Gretchen McNeil's POSSESS so don't miss out on a chance to win these fabulous books!

5. Starshine has decided to write a book. He asked me what he needed to do before starting, and we discussed building characters and thinking through major plot points.

6. He now has a notepad and is filling it with facts about his main characters. It's fun to see his eyes light up as he comes to tell me "Hey, Mom. I just figured out this character is afraid of rodents!" or "This character was in foster care." because I understand completely how the little pieces that make up a character slowly find their way into your brain and become a fascinating discovery every time.

7. Speaking of which, the main character in the next trilogy I plan to write is now sitting up and making herself known with all the finesse and subtlety of a megaphone.

8. So ... I'm now researching her and working on the world-building details of that trilogy on the side even as I finish polishing up DEFIANCE and get ready to write book two.

9. Some things I've researched lately (either for DEFIANCE or for the new project): homemade batteries, Manga, robotics, grenades, pheremones, and Hello Kitty.

10. My brain is a really strange place to live in sometimes.

11. I'm off the to eye dr this afternoon.

12. You'll recall that the second to last time I saw him, he dyed my eye the color of cow urine right before I was going to meet my agent for the first time.

13. And the last time I saw him, he rolled my eyelid up with a stick whereupon I promptly gagged and reflexively kicked him in the never-you-mind.

14. So, today should be interesting.

15. I'm coming in armed with attitude.

16. I'm pretty sure he'll be wearing catcher's gear.

17. I've decided my lawn is boring.

18. It's nothing but grass and the occasional tree.

19. As I have zero aptitude for growing things (and indeed have steadily decreased the number of shrubs around our house either by lack of care or pitting them in a cage match with the lawnmower in which they showed a regrettable lack of ambition and fortitude), I'm thinking I need lawn art instead.

20. Maybe a lawn gnome.

21. Who is guarding a patch of zombie limbs climbing out of the grass.

22. And a giant metal llama standing near our driveway as if to say both "Hello" and "I Shall Spit Upon You If You Are Selling Something."

23. So far, my hubby is sold on the zombie limbs, but nothing else.

24. I'm also thinking I will plant plastic flowers. It will add color. I won't have to worry about bees. And no amount of neglect will kill them.

25. These are the thoughts that take precedence in my head when I stop plotting stories.

26. *goes back to plotting stories*

Idea Mosquitos

Today's post is brought to you by the lovely and talented Christine Johnson. Be sure to read through to the end to find out a) how Christine comes up with her amazing ideas and b) how you can win a set of signed books!



One of the questions I get asked most often is "Where do you get your ideas?" or "Where did you get the idea for CLAIRE DE LUNE/NOCTURNE/THE GATHERING DARK/INSERT NEW IDEA HERE." I usually come up with some sort of answer, but here's the real one. Finally. And then I may not answer this question ever again.


I DON'T FREAKING KNOW. I don't *know* where the ideas come from. This is just the way I am. It's the way my brain works. There are a thousand ideas in my head all the time. And it's not like being in a floaty beautiful cloud of butterflies that turn the grey, bleak world into a living stained glass window. It's much more like living with a constant halo of mosquitos who are so distracting and annoying that I miss my exit on the Interstate or forget to buy apple juice (again.) Once in awhile, one of those mosquitos stands out from the crowd and becomes so persistently infuriating that it simply MUST BE SQUASHED. Writing a novel or a story is how those idea mosquitos get the smack down.

This makes the whole process sound miserable. I understand that. But it's not. Having the ideas can be sort of miserable, because the rest of the world tends not to understand why you're so crazy or what could possibly be so interesting about that long-since boarded up building that suddenly has one open window on the second floor. I actually saw this on my way to the coffee shop where I write this morning. I stopped to take a picture and let the new idea-mosquitos get comfy in my head. At least two people looked at me like I had LOST MY MIND in the ten seconds this whole process took.

So, yes. The ideas, they are crazy-making.

But you know that feeling you get when you squish a mosquito? That hot-DAMN-I-got-you rush? And you know how, when you lift your hand and there's no blood, so you know you got it before it got you which means you REALLY won and not just in a Pyrrhic way? Writing out an idea is like that. In slow-mo, obviously, since a novel generally takes months to draft. That rush is awesome. It's not a miserable process.

I don't think it's a matter of needing ideas because I'm a writer. For me (and, to be fair, for a lot of other writers I know,) it's mostly a matter of needing to write because of the ideas.

So the question of "where'd it come from?" Yeah. I'm just wired this way. Which is why I do what I do. It's like asking an accountant why the numbers make sense to them. They're going to look at you like you've grown an extra head. Or maybe they'd just count your heads and make a new entry in their spreadsheet. (Dude. Mosquitos. I wrote that and then immediately wondered what would happen if you dropped a really tightly-wound accountant into a zombie apocalypse. Only that doesn't really require counting. What's hard to count? Angels on the head of a pin. Hmmm. So if he made a deal with the Devil and then he had to count *that* . . . DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? THIS IS JUST THE WAY MY BRAIN WORKS.)

I genuinely don't know if you can train yourself to be this way - it's how I've always been. Maybe you can spend more time staring at clouds or imagining what might be on the other side of water-warped basement doors. Maybe you can practice it.

The idea mosquitos also like caffeine. If all else fails and you're out of ideas, I'd drink a quad espresso and go sit in an abandoned house for awhile. If nothing else, it'll make a good story, right?

Hey! What if someone did go drink coffee and sit in an abandoned house? What if they were waiting for someone? Like a secret meeting? And ooooh - what if the wrong person showed up? *THWAP* Idea mosquito. Dead.


GIVEAWAY!

Christine is offering a signed set of CLAIRE DE LUNE and NOCTURNE to one lucky commenter! The giveaway is for North America only and is open until 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 13th. Please make sure to leave your email in the comment trail if I can't immediately find it by clicking on your profile, and check back Wednesday to see the winner's name announced!

Good luck and happy reading!

Interview with Rae Carson

I met Rae last year when she signed with Holly. I have a soft spot in my heart for all of my agent-mates, but when I heard about Rae's book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it--for reasons that had nothing to do with our agent and everything to do with how amazing GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS really is. From the vivid, compelling world, to the captivating story of one girl's struggle to rise to the greatness everyone expects from her, this is a book you don't want to miss! Here's a peek:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.



Elisa is the chosen one.


But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.


Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.


And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.


Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn't die young.


Most of the chosen do.

GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is the first in a trilogy, and I can't wait to see how the story ends! Rae decided she wanted to take on the Were-llama (brave girl!). Let's meet today's guests.


Were-llama


Rae Carson
Now that you know who's who, it's time to reveal the beautiful cupcake my hubby made in honor of GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS and dive into the interview. Elisa has a godstone in her belly button, a magical blue gem that is a symbol of her destiny. Also, much of the book takes place in the desert. My hubby decided to make the godstone and set it on a bed of sand. Without further ado, I give you the cupcake and Rae vs. the Were-llama.




1. So, you're a writer. 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?


Hey, I have glowing red eyes, too! But mine are due to late nights staring at a computer screen.

2. I think you missed the salient point of my statement. I can COMMAND OBEDIENCE. What's the point of having glowing red eyes if you can't do that? I like to spit at my enemies from whichever end is closest to them. Do any of your characters have cool abilities like that?

Nothing, and I mean nothing, beats butt-spitting. But my main character, Elisa, has a Godstone, which is a magical jewel, lodged in her belly button. There may or may not be magical spitting from said magical jewel. You'll have to read to find out.

3. I will grudgingly admit that belly-button spitting is almost as awesome as butt-spitting. Almost. If I had a nickname, it would be The Awesome. You?

The Bluntifier. I have the ability to paralyze people with the power of my socially inappropriate frankness.

4. If you had the power to command obedience with your glowing red eyes, you'd have them paralyzed long before that. I hang around this blog because I love stories. What's your story about? Bonus points if it includes a llama.

Chosen for an extraordinary--and fearsome--destiny, a sixteen-year-old llama princess becomes the heart of a revolution.

5. Finally! A story that shows true literary genius. You're making me a cake worthy of my awesome Were-llama status and decorating it to represent your story. What does it look like?

It is sinfully chocolate, with butterscotch frosting shaped into a landscape of sweeping desert dunes to represent your savage beauty.

6. *licks the last of chocolate cake and butterscotch frosting from face* I hope you weren't hoping I'd share. Any Were-llamas in your book?

There is an army of Were-llamas, though they're disguised as tribal mountain people. Come to think of it, I never actually mention the word "Were-llama" in the book. A technicality. You and I both know that mighty Were-llamas come in many guises.

7. Indeed we do. In fact, I could be standing behind you right now disguised as ... as whatever is behind you right now. Anyone who might be a Were-llama and you just haven't figured it out yet?

I think Lord Hector of the Royal Guard might be a Were-llama. It would explain his utter awesomeness.

8. Only a true were-llama can claim the descriptor "utter awesomeness." Llamas or camels and why? Think carefully.

My story takes place in a desert, and there are lots of camels. So I have to take a stand and say CAMELS ARE RAD.

Think about it. They can chew thorns. They can survive long distances with very little water. They have bonafide, certified, Fergie-approved HUMPS. And have you ever heard the phrase "Llama-toe?" No, you have not. Case? Rested.

9. *glares with glowing red eyes* Careful! Or I shall rest YOU six feet below the ground. Besides, it's not like the phrase "camel-toe" is a compliment. I give you a baby Were-llama as a companion. What do you name her?

Princess C.J.

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

Viscosity. It's a word every Were-llama worth her spit is fond of.

11. I am the Queen of Viscosity. Want proof? Keep singing the camel's praises. *readies a load 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 discovering I was adopted and that my birth parents, who were royalty and wealthy beyond imagining, had hidden me away to learn how commoners lived so I would better appreciate my eventual existence of fame and fortune. Also, dating Luke Skywalker.

12. Who, incidentally, is half were-llama. His father, of course, is ALL were-llama. Cake or cookies?

Cookies. Lots of cookies. A mountain of cookies. Unless they're hard and crunchy. I would take cake over a crunchy cookie any day.

13. Do you share chocolate?

Yes, of course! And by "yes" I mean "no."

14. Oh, you'll share it with ME. *aims glowing red eyes your way and commands obedience* The Zombie Goat invasion is upon us. How will you fight them off?

Llamas may be the lesser cousins of camels, but no one doubts their bravery. For this reason, they will be the front line of the Zombie-Goat-Defeating Army of Even-Toed Ungulates. Camels will make up the second defensive wave, and I promise you, they will weep as they step over the broken bodies of their comrades.




Thank you, Rae, for the fabulous interview! To learn more about Rae and her books, head to her site. Of course, the funny isn't over yet. Rae is offering a signed copy of GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS to one lucky commenter. The giveaway is open to North America and will be open until 8 pm Central Time Monday, September 12th. To enter, fill out the following entry form. Be sure to leave a comment for Rae in the blogger comment box below the entry form so she can see it!

Good luck and happy reading!

Interview with Gretchen McNeil

I met Gretchen McNeil after I signed with Harper Collins because she and I share an editor. (Shout out to the amazing, insightful, hilarious Kristin Daly Rens!) Kristin sent me a "Welcome to Balzer + Bray" box of books. Included in that box was an ARC of Gretchen's POSSESS. I read the synopsis for the book and immediately snatched it up to read! POSSESS is intense and atmospheric. It's set in San Francisco, and I appreciated how vivid and real it felt. Also, I don't mind telling you there is a scene in this book that disturbed me so much, I have no idea how I'll ever face going into a doll shop again. Here's a look at POSSESS:



See what I mean? When I asked Gretchen if she'd like to come on the blog, she immediately decided to take on the Spork of Doom. (I guess when you write about freaky demons and nasty conspiracies, a megalomaniac eating utensil doesn't seem quite so scary.) Let's meet today's guests.


Spork of Doom


Gretchen McNeil
Now that you know who's who, it's time to reveal the uber freaky cupcake my hubby made in honor of Gretchen's book. Usually, I ask my authors for a few different cupcake ideas and let my hubby choose the one he'd like to do. But in this case, there was only one option: a possessed doll. *cue recurring nightmare* My hubby was more than up to the task! Without further ado, I give you the possessed doll cupcake and Gretchen vs. the Spork of Doom.


Take me home with you, little girl. I'll be a goooooood doll. I promise.
1. I'm all about world domination, and I'm always looking for good help. Why would you be an acceptable minion in my quest?


Like you, I'm a multi-tasker. You can scoop up some yogurt AND stab a tater tot. I can load a shotgun AND shoot down a government helicopter with a grenade launcher. (Um…theoretically…) Win-win.

2. A grenade launcher might come in handy. *bestows Minion Status on you* Being a Spork of Doom takes moxie. What's the sporkiest thing you've ever done?

I'd have to say the ballsiest (also, least practical) thing I've done is major in vocal performance in college. While it didn't exactly get me on stage at the Metropolitan Opera, it did teach me a lot about telling a damn good story. Although it did give me the opportunity to sing with the circus, which is like the Met, only scarier.


Also, my mom wanted me to be a doctor so…that didn't happen.

3. A circus performer who can handle a grenade launcher? *gives you the Spork Eye* Are you sure you aren't trying to unseat me from my rightful throne? When I'm not busy taking over the world, I like to eat pie. What kind of pie do you think is worthy of my Spork of Doom status?

I love pie. I really, really do. Favorite has got to be Grasshopper pie with an Oreo crust. What's not to love? It's minty. It's chocolatey. It's a shade of green you couldn't find in nature.

4. I find your offering to be acceptable. What's your favorite thing to do with a spork?

Sporks make excellent catapults. Just saying.

5. Just as long as you don't plan to use ME to launch your grenades. If you do, I will see your vocal performance degree and raise you three titanium tines of DOOM. I have the ability to be simultaneously spoon, fork, and weapon of mass destruction. What unique ability do you have?

Aside from my previously mentioned guerrilla warfare prowess, I'm simultaneously a writer of scary stuff, singer of scary opera, and clowner of scary…clowns.

6. Perhaps you can write a scary opera befitting my incredible rise to power. Just don't sing it while dressed as a clown. I hate having to spork my minions. In this day and age, a savvy spork bent on
world domination can't afford to ignore a good marketing campaign. I'm thinking t-shirts with "Spork or Die." If you made a shirt with your own slogan on it, what would it say?

"Gretchen McNeil: Girl Friday." I think that sums up my multi-facetedness. It also reminds me of the movie His Girl Friday with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Damn, I love that film.

7. If I had to compare myself to anyone in history, I'd have to say I'm most like Napoleon. Only skinnier. And shinier. And smart enough not to lose my empire at a place with a ridiculous name like Waterloo. Who are you most like and why?

Well, at least you're taller than Napoleon.

I'd go with Dorothy Parker. Never before as a woman been so regarded for her wit. And me? Never before has a woman so desperately wanted to be regarded for her wit.

8. Can you annihilate a pack of mutinous rebels with your wit? If not, I don't see the value. Why is your job just as much fun as world domination?

Two words: circus clowns. (Did I mention I sing in the circus? Yes? Just checking.)

9. In between conquests, I like to read a good story. What can you recommend and why?

Just finished WITCH EYES by Scott Tracey and just started WILDEFIRE by Karsten Knight. Highly recommend them both. Also, because I'm a nerd like this, my favorite book of all time is THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS by John Buchan. I love to recommend it.

10. I wonder if that's thirty-nine steps to total world domination? Because I can totally do it in thirty-eight. I'm just saying. You need to accomplish a secret, night-time mission as my minion. Cloak? No cloak? Why?

Could the cloak be form-fitting? No? Damn. Okay, no cloak then. I really need something that cinches at the waist, and besides, what kind of shoes does one WEAR with a cloak?

11. Combat boots! All the better to crush your opposition. My best piece of advice to others is this: "Fear the spork!" What's your best advice?

Embrace your inner spazz.

I would have been so much happier if I'd learned that lesson at 18 instead of…yesterday.



Thank you, Gretchen, for such an entertaining interview! To find out more about Gretchen and her book, visit her (incredibly awesome) site. Of course, the fun isn't over yet! Gretchen is offering a signed copy of POSSESS to one lucky commenter. The giveaway is open to North America and is open until 8 p.m. Central Time Monday, September 12th. To enter, simply fill out the entry form. And don't forget to leave Gretchen a comment in the Blogger comments section!

Good luck and happy reading!

Winner of the Lisa Mantchev Giveaway!

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for a signed copy of Lisa Mantchev's EYES LIKE STARS and PERCHANCE TO DREAM plus some fun book swag! As always, I used random.org to choose the winner. And the lucky winner is:

Lesli Lytle
Congratulations, Lesli! You will receive a confirmation email from me shortly. Enjoy your books!
If you didn't win this time, don't worry. I have three amazing authors lined up for September with plenty of chances to win awesome books!

Look! She's Aliiiiiiiiiiive!

Whew! It's been a week since I blogged. Crickets were about to set up residence. Readers were lining up and it sounded a little something like this:



BUT, it turns out, I was this:



Why was I mostly dead? Because I was up to my eyeballs in my second round of edits on DEFIANCE. I turned them in on Friday, and then spent the next few days stuffing my brains back into my head. The entire process looked something like this:



Yes. I have a plan. The words are flowing. I know what I'm doing! Due Friday morning, you say? No problem!




Who told this scene to misbehave? Wait...WHO TOLD THIS ENTIRE MANUSCRIPT TO MISBEHAVE?




It's okay. IT'S OKAY. My plot isn't broken. My pacing isn't broken either. If I just twist this piece and tug on that line and move THIS ... and then pray for a small miracle ...




Rome is burning. ROME IS BURNING!




Alright. So I burned down *#$%ing Rome. That will just have to be my new plot crisis. Anyone who doesn't like it can burn too.




Thursday night. Arcs. Plot twists. Veeeeerrrrrrbbbbbs. I don't think I remember what a verb is anymore. Is that a problem? I hope that's not a problem. 




*cue hysterical laughter for no apparent reason*




Hey! Rome didn't burn! All the pieces miraculously fit! I turned it in on time and I DID NOT DIE!




Shh. My brain is dead.




Accurate post-edit face. For four days. Maybe five.



And that is why I haven't blogged in a week. *wanders off yelling BRAAAAAAIIIIINNNNZZZZZ!*

Interview With Lisa Mantchev

I've been a loyal Lisa Mantchev fan since I met her on Twitter two years ago, a few months before her first book, EYES LIKE STARS, came out. I was fortunate enough to get an advanced copy of ELS, and I was WOWED. Smart, original, vivid, compelling, and addictive! Then, PERCHANCE TO DREAM came out, and I was thrown for a loop. I'd thought I was staunchly Team Nate, but ... PTD made me wonder if maybe I was really Team Ariel. Or both! Can I please have both?

So now, as the final book in the trilogy is released, I thought I'd have Lisa on the blog to introduce these fabulous books to my readers. (I won't tell you which team I finally decided to support! You'll have to read and decide for yourself!) Here's a sneak peek at SO SILVER BRIGHT:

Things are never easy for Beatrice Shakespeare Smith. Something's happened to the Théâtre Illuminata, putting the only home she's ever known in limbo. Her mother's sanity is fraying under the strain, her father has vanished and an angry goddess is out for revenge. Bertie is caught between her duties and her dreams, just as her heart is torn between Ariel and Nate. But hope glimmers in a Distant Castle, and if Bertie can put on the performance of her life, maybe she can win the magical boon that may save them all.

Lisa decided to be interviewed by the Spork of Doom. Considering how easily she handled Captain Jack last year, I think the Spork should be worried.





Spork of Doom






Lisa Mantchev
Now that you know who's who, it's time to reveal the cupcake of ... well, this is a PG blog, so I can't really use the adjective this cupcake deserves. If you've read Lisa's books, you know the fairies from A Midsummer Night's Dream are mischievous scamps who both help and hinder Beatrice in her journey. The fairies are especially distracted by dessert. When Lisa told me the theme of SO SILVER BRIGHT is dreams coming true, my hubby decided to make a cupcake of a fairy's dream come true. It ... well ... he was tired. It was super late. And I think that while his original vision was sound, this is the cupcake destined to go down in cupcake history as the Frosting Crotch. Without further ado, I give you Lisa's interview with the Spork of Doom and one lucky fairy getting his ultimate cake dream.





1. I'm all about world domination, and I'm always looking for good help. Would you be an acceptable minion in my quest?


Probably not. I'm the older sister, which means I am bossy as all get out. I don't follow orders well (never have) and prefer to take the reins in almost any project, be it business or pleasure. Hence the reason I started writing short stories... I got tired of the "rules" of online roleplaying. What's that you say? My elfin elemental sorceress can't become a vampire? Well, screw you! I'm taking my writerly toys and playing by myself over there! *stomps off*

2. The only rule you need to understand is that I make the rules. Being a Spork of Doom takes moxie. What's the sporkiest thing you've ever done?

I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die!






Interesting. I didn't think a spork could raise an eyebrow like that.


3. Funny. You don't look like Johnny Cash. Besides, shooting is for wimps who don't have titanium tines at their disposal. When I'm not busy taking over the world, I like to eat pie. What kind of pie do you think is worthy of my Spork of Doom status?

My mom makes the most Awesome Pie Ever... it's called a "flat apple pie" and it's made in a cookie sheet. Seriously! You roll out enough crust to cover the bottom of the cookie sheet, then put down a thin layer of crushed corn flakes (stick with me, I know it sounds weird) then slices of Granny Smith apple, then the top layer of pie crust. Bake, and douse with lemony powdered sugar glaze. When it's cool, you can pick up a big square of it in your hand and NOM NOM NOM.


4. *glares* While I'm sure that travesty of a "pie" is delicious, a REAL pie is one where you can use your tines and not your hand. What's your favorite thing to do with a spork?

Eat pie and poke people. I actually own a titanium spork from ThinkGeek that was a gift from my friend, Jenna Waterford.


5. Ah ... so that's where one of my minions resides. Don't worry about any noises you might hear in the kitchen on October 9th, 2011. I'm sure it's just the cat and NOT the soon-to-be infamous Spork Uprising. I have the ability to be simultaneously spoon, fork, and weapon of mass destruction. What unique ability do you have?

I'm the Queen of Show and Tell... which is a fancy way of saying I like going overboard when it comes to things like parties and projects. For my senior thesis project in college, I did the costume, scenic, and lighting design for an imaginary production of Much Ado About Nothing set in WWII-era New Orleans Mardi Gras. I built a replica of our on-campus theater out of foamboard, added working colored lights that ran on dimmer switches, installed speakers to the back that played swing music, painted and displayed more than a dozen watercolor costume designs, then decorated the table with masks, beads, plastic champagne flutes, and banners.

*might have taken home a prize for that*


6. So, you're saying your superhero ability is to be an over-achiever? HOW does this make sense with your paltry little under-achieving pie from question 3? In this day and age, a savvy spork bent on world domination can't afford to ignore a good marketing campaign. I'm thinking t-shirts with "Spork or Die." If you made a shirt with your own slogan on it, what would it say?

I have "Taste the Bad Candy" written in silver on my (black) business cards. Let's just say it never fails to get the conversational ball rolling.


7. Actually, that has a nice ring to it. *takes notes* If I had to compare myself to anyone in history, I'd have to say I'm most like Napoleon. Only skinnier. And shinier. And smart enough not to lose my empire at a place with a ridiculous name like Waterloo. Who are you most like and why?

Considering my obsession with cake and the fact that I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached--I blame the kids!--I have to answer Marie Antoinette.

8. Why is your job just as much fun as world domination?

Because I literally get to do and say everything I've ever wanted to... all I have to do is imagine something and then write it down. Best magic trick ever.

9. I get to do and say everything I've ever wanted to. If someone tries to stop me, I spork them! In between conquests, I like to read a good story. What can you recommend and why?

Michelle Zink's trilogy, starting with Prophecy of the Sisters, Cindy Pon's lush Asian fantasies that start with Silver Phoenix, Stephanie Burgis's Kat books (different titles here and in the UK), Tiffany Trent's forthcoming Unnaturalists, Y.S. Lee's The Agency series, and Ysabeau Wilce's Flora Segunda series. Obviously, I like my YA well-written and full of good costuming!


10. Speaking of costumes, you need to accomplish a secret, night-time mission as my minion. Cloak? No cloak? Why?

I think Edna Mode said it best in The Incredibles... NO CAPES.


11. My best piece of advice to others is this: "Fear the spork!" What's your best advice?

Play nice with the other kids (unless they hit you first, then clean their clock!) Also, eat dessert first.

 
Thank you, Lisa, for such an entertaining interview! To find out more about Lisa's books, included links to where you can purchase them, head to her website. Of course, the fun isn't over yet! Lisa is offering a fabulous giveaway to one lucky commenter.
 
Prize package: Signed paperback of EYES LIKE STARS, signed paperback of PERCHANCE TO DREAM, and assorted Theatre Illuminata swag!
 
The contest is open to North America until Sunday, August 28th at 8 p.m. Central Time. To enter, simply fill out the form below. Good luck, and happy reading!