FLAWED Blog Tour! Interview + Giveaway
I've been super fortunate to know Kate for awhile, and not only is she an absolute doll, but she's an amazing writer and someone I feel a kinship with due to our mutual love of writing dark fiction. So doing a double-interview with her was a lot of fun and seeing how our answers compared! Enjoy the interview, and enter below to win an e-copy of FLAWED and HUSHED!
Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.
Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.
Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .
*
1. Why write dark YA? Part two of this question: How do you categorize dark YA? If you were to fit it into a box, how would you classify it, or can it be classified?
Kate: I don’t think it was ever a conscious decision to write dark YA. The first stories I wrote were darker than what my classmates were writing, and I think it kind of stuck from there. I think of dark YA as a subgenre of stories that deal with the darker parts of life—the tough, taboo situations that people don’t like to talk about—and generally do so in an emotional manner. I generally think of it as contemporary, but I’m sure plenty of readers lump the darker paranormal and fantasy books into the genre as well.
Kelley: Personally, it's an interested and love for the psychology of it all. I've always been fascinated by how the human minds works. How it copes with abnormal' situations, how we deal with trauma, stress, depression, anxiety, disaster. Our brains are these highly durable yet malleable things; we can survive so much, but can become a bit warped in the process. As for a category...I'm not sure how else to categorize it beyond 'dark.' Deep? Eerie? Complex?
2. What about dark YA makes it so unique and different from other YA genres?
Kate: The realism, I think. Light contemporary romance can be realistic, but rarely do people actually live in such bright, sterile environments, where the right decision is obvious, and resolution is just one apology or selfless act away. Life is messy. I think dark YA is uniquely qualified to express that.
Kelley: Unpredictability, maybe. Dark fiction tends to be less predictable. Most standard genres, you have a pretty good idea how it's going to end. (MOST of the time.) Boy gets the girl. Good guys win. Happily ever after. Dark fiction...the good guys might not always come out on top. The couple might not always end up together. A lot more tends to be sacrificed in order to achieve a 'happy ending.'
3. Do you think writing dark YA you dig deeper to the character’s emotions than you would with say a contemporary YA?
Kate: I think they have more issues to dig into than a less-troubled character, so it definitely feels deeper!
Kelley: Maybe not necessarily deeper, but accessing different sections of a person's emotional bank. Good dark fiction isn't afraid to look at the emotions that are more painful and raw, and really bringing them to the center of the story.
4. Is it harder or easier to write romantic scenes in dark YA?
Kate: I might approach this different than other authors, but for me, there is no difference between writing a romantic scene in a dark book vs. a light contemporary. I often use the romantic relationships in my books as the “ray of light” in my characters’ otherwise dark existences. That keeps the feel similar.
Kelley: I'm not always the best person for romantic scenes no matter what I'm writing! I tend to write very slow-burning, subtle romances. But I think in my darker fiction, it's a lot easier. (Surprisingly!) In 'lighter' stories, I feel sort of like, "Am I overdoing the romance? Is this too sappy?" But in dark fiction, I can get away with those sappy moments because everything surrounding it is so bleak and depressing in contrast, haha.
5. Do you dig into your own personal experiences to write YA?
Kate: Sometimes, but I’m more likely to notice an interesting person walking down the street and come up with a story based on them than write about my own life. Personal experience shapes how a person looks at the world, though, so I guess there’s a part of me in everything I write whether I want there to be or not.
Kelley: I do, yes. For SUICIDE WATCH, especially, I dug into a lot of my high school emotions. It was painful but so very therapeutic. But I think for all of my characters, there is a piece of myself and my experiences there.
6. This question is for both of you. Both of the main characters in Hushed and Flawed have been in toxic relationships and survived somehow. How much research went into that? Did you know people who had gone through similar situations?
Kate: I’ve survived several toxic relationships, as have people I’m close to, so the subject is close to my heart. It’s hard to recognize a toxic relationship when you’re the person in it—and even harder to recognize when you are the toxic element. Someday I’d like to write about that!
Kelley: I knew plenty of people who went through this in high school. Girls, mainly, who were used and spit out by the same guys over and over again, and they kept going back for more! I had similar friendships wherein I was only the "backup friend." The one people went to when they needed something, but ditched me any time something better came along.
7. I’m going to stop at seven, because seven is always a lucky number. If you could write anything other than gritty, truthful YA, would you? Do you have any other releases coming out in the next year and if so, could you tell us a little bit about them?
Kate: I like the genre I write in and will probably always stick pretty close to it. I’m planning to co-write a slightly less gritty book with Jus Accardo this year that’s a bit out of the genre, though. It’s super secret so I can’t say much about it, but there’s definitely a “truthful” feel to it. Beyond that, I’m working on a companion book to FLAWED as well as another dark YA.
Kelley: I've always wanted to write fantasy, but I don't think I have the creativity for world-building, nor the patience! My next book with Entangled is MADE OF STARS and will be out in 2013. It's another dark contemporary YA/bordering on NA. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I can't wait to see what people think. I have another contemporary in the works that I'll be self-publishing in 2013, as well.
Spitfire round:
Coffee or tea?
Kate: Neither!
Kelley: ICK. I guess tea, if it has a lot of sugar. I never, ever drink coffee.
Metallica or Imagine Dragons?
Kate: My mom raised me on Metallica, so I’m a rocker chick.
Kelley: Imagine Dragons! I just discovered them a few weeks ago, actually, and LOVE them.
Finding a silver-lining or caving to your emotions?
Kate: I’m all about the silver lining!
Kelley: Silver-lining.
Top or bottom?
Kate: No comment
Kelley: This could be taken so many ways. Uh. Bottom??
Paris or Cancun?
Kate: Cancun. I crave sunshine like oxygen.
Kelley: Paris. Cancun looks beautiful, but me and sun don't mix.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you, Kate, for stopping by. Isn't she awesome? You can check out the rest of the tour stops here, and make sure you enter to win a copy of FLAWED and HUSHED!
Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.
Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .
*
1. Why write dark YA? Part two of this question: How do you categorize dark YA? If you were to fit it into a box, how would you classify it, or can it be classified?
Kate: I don’t think it was ever a conscious decision to write dark YA. The first stories I wrote were darker than what my classmates were writing, and I think it kind of stuck from there. I think of dark YA as a subgenre of stories that deal with the darker parts of life—the tough, taboo situations that people don’t like to talk about—and generally do so in an emotional manner. I generally think of it as contemporary, but I’m sure plenty of readers lump the darker paranormal and fantasy books into the genre as well.
Kelley: Personally, it's an interested and love for the psychology of it all. I've always been fascinated by how the human minds works. How it copes with abnormal' situations, how we deal with trauma, stress, depression, anxiety, disaster. Our brains are these highly durable yet malleable things; we can survive so much, but can become a bit warped in the process. As for a category...I'm not sure how else to categorize it beyond 'dark.' Deep? Eerie? Complex?
2. What about dark YA makes it so unique and different from other YA genres?
Kate: The realism, I think. Light contemporary romance can be realistic, but rarely do people actually live in such bright, sterile environments, where the right decision is obvious, and resolution is just one apology or selfless act away. Life is messy. I think dark YA is uniquely qualified to express that.
Kelley: Unpredictability, maybe. Dark fiction tends to be less predictable. Most standard genres, you have a pretty good idea how it's going to end. (MOST of the time.) Boy gets the girl. Good guys win. Happily ever after. Dark fiction...the good guys might not always come out on top. The couple might not always end up together. A lot more tends to be sacrificed in order to achieve a 'happy ending.'
3. Do you think writing dark YA you dig deeper to the character’s emotions than you would with say a contemporary YA?
Kate: I think they have more issues to dig into than a less-troubled character, so it definitely feels deeper!
Kelley: Maybe not necessarily deeper, but accessing different sections of a person's emotional bank. Good dark fiction isn't afraid to look at the emotions that are more painful and raw, and really bringing them to the center of the story.
4. Is it harder or easier to write romantic scenes in dark YA?
Kate: I might approach this different than other authors, but for me, there is no difference between writing a romantic scene in a dark book vs. a light contemporary. I often use the romantic relationships in my books as the “ray of light” in my characters’ otherwise dark existences. That keeps the feel similar.
Kelley: I'm not always the best person for romantic scenes no matter what I'm writing! I tend to write very slow-burning, subtle romances. But I think in my darker fiction, it's a lot easier. (Surprisingly!) In 'lighter' stories, I feel sort of like, "Am I overdoing the romance? Is this too sappy?" But in dark fiction, I can get away with those sappy moments because everything surrounding it is so bleak and depressing in contrast, haha.
5. Do you dig into your own personal experiences to write YA?
Kate: Sometimes, but I’m more likely to notice an interesting person walking down the street and come up with a story based on them than write about my own life. Personal experience shapes how a person looks at the world, though, so I guess there’s a part of me in everything I write whether I want there to be or not.
Kelley: I do, yes. For SUICIDE WATCH, especially, I dug into a lot of my high school emotions. It was painful but so very therapeutic. But I think for all of my characters, there is a piece of myself and my experiences there.
6. This question is for both of you. Both of the main characters in Hushed and Flawed have been in toxic relationships and survived somehow. How much research went into that? Did you know people who had gone through similar situations?
Kate: I’ve survived several toxic relationships, as have people I’m close to, so the subject is close to my heart. It’s hard to recognize a toxic relationship when you’re the person in it—and even harder to recognize when you are the toxic element. Someday I’d like to write about that!
Kelley: I knew plenty of people who went through this in high school. Girls, mainly, who were used and spit out by the same guys over and over again, and they kept going back for more! I had similar friendships wherein I was only the "backup friend." The one people went to when they needed something, but ditched me any time something better came along.
7. I’m going to stop at seven, because seven is always a lucky number. If you could write anything other than gritty, truthful YA, would you? Do you have any other releases coming out in the next year and if so, could you tell us a little bit about them?
Kate: I like the genre I write in and will probably always stick pretty close to it. I’m planning to co-write a slightly less gritty book with Jus Accardo this year that’s a bit out of the genre, though. It’s super secret so I can’t say much about it, but there’s definitely a “truthful” feel to it. Beyond that, I’m working on a companion book to FLAWED as well as another dark YA.
Kelley: I've always wanted to write fantasy, but I don't think I have the creativity for world-building, nor the patience! My next book with Entangled is MADE OF STARS and will be out in 2013. It's another dark contemporary YA/bordering on NA. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I can't wait to see what people think. I have another contemporary in the works that I'll be self-publishing in 2013, as well.
Spitfire round:
Coffee or tea?
Kate: Neither!
Kelley: ICK. I guess tea, if it has a lot of sugar. I never, ever drink coffee.
Metallica or Imagine Dragons?
Kate: My mom raised me on Metallica, so I’m a rocker chick.
Kelley: Imagine Dragons! I just discovered them a few weeks ago, actually, and LOVE them.
Finding a silver-lining or caving to your emotions?
Kate: I’m all about the silver lining!
Kelley: Silver-lining.
Top or bottom?
Kate: No comment
Kelley: This could be taken so many ways. Uh. Bottom??
Paris or Cancun?
Kate: Cancun. I crave sunshine like oxygen.
Kelley: Paris. Cancun looks beautiful, but me and sun don't mix.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you, Kate, for stopping by. Isn't she awesome? You can check out the rest of the tour stops here, and make sure you enter to win a copy of FLAWED and HUSHED!
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