September Genreflecting: Historical Fiction: The Details

Based on the Collins English Dictionary, a subgenre is "a category that is a subdivision of a larger genre." (Source) Historical Fiction can be divided many different ways depending upon the reader's focus. There really is something for everyone in this genre.

Many people like to read books about specific time periods. Considering the length of man's written history, there are a multitude of options ranging from indigenous peoples in pre-colonization eras, the Industrial Revolution, the 1960s, & even wartime (which one, I'll let you decide). Each period has distinct characteristics that attract certain readers & allow them to more fully enjoy the plot. It can add a lot of texture and meaning to the story depending on the characters' actions in particular time periods.

Another way to divide this genre is by location. England in the 1850s would be completely different than the United States in the 1850s which would be even more different from the indigenous people of the Amazon Rain Forest during the 1850s. To quote The Doctor, "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." (IMDB) That's how I feel about how these events transpire. When we think of the timing of events, we tend to put things chronologically to organize them, even if they had/have no effect on one another. That's what I love about location-based historical fiction, it's like getting 2 books in one: another place and another time.

Ann Rinaldi has some great words about writing the fiction in historical fiction.

Where in your novels does the history end and the fiction begin?

" I will only invent in history when history doesn't provide information...only when I run into a brick wall in research." I include in my novels an Author's Note which clarifies verifiable fact from personal creation. I look at gaps in recorded history as a challenge and an opportunity to create character."

Have you ever received any backlash for your depiction of history?

"No. I recognize that there is a definite risk involved in creating a personality/childhood/feelings for a historical figure. However, one must take risks in life. I never contradict documented fact and always note what is my own invention."

Rutgers Interview

Be sure to check back next Friday when I review Lyddie by Katherine Paterson.

Interview with Lisa Wingate, Author of The Prayer Box

Today I am thrilled to be hosting and interview with the lovely Lisa Wingate, author of The Prayer Box. While I normally stick to Young Adult books, this one has quite a lot of crossover power. It's a story about family, hope, & love in so many ways. I'll save the rest of my thoughts for my review that posts tomorrow. If you're interested in how to make your own prayer/gratitude box, be sure to check out Lisa's post on Southern Belleview Daily. For now, enjoy the interview!

Q&A WITH LISA WINGATE

You originally had the book set in Texas. What made you switch to the coastal setting?

My special reader-friend, Ed Stevens, visited the Outer Banks (his daughter Shannon has a beach house in Duck) after Hurricane Irene, and he asked me to set a book in the Outer Banks to draw attention to the destruction there and the

plight of residents—Irene was mostly thought of as a “nonevent” because it didn’t hit New York, etc. as was predicted. But the damage was very bad.

It’s a post-hurricane story, and we’ve had our share of hurricanes here in Texas. We lost our family beach houses (relatives on the coast) during Ike several years ago, so I understand the aftermath of having family treasures scattered to the tides and the feeling of losing a place you’ve loved and where you’ve made memories.

You researched the book from the Outer Banks?

Our trip was amazing. We canvassed the place. A reader friend–now–gal pal and my mother (my assistant) went with me. We photographed like crazy, talked to locals, found a location for the fictional village of Fairhope, and learned about what the people on Hatteras here going through. And that was pre–Hurricane Sandy. Now it’s even worse there. I do hope the book will bring attention/tourism/help, etc. to the Outer Banks, and Hatteras in particular. They are great people and it’s a beautiful place with rich history.

Your fans make big impacts on your writing—and your family. How did your aunt Sandy
contribute to The Prayer Box?

Aunt Sandy is my mom’s sister, and while she and my mom (who I based the character Sharon on) wish I would have made them a bit younger in the book, they are great inspirations. My aunt designed her character and the Seashell Shop and made beautiful sea glass necklaces, glass boxes, and hummingbird suncatchers that will be given away as reader prizes. She is an amazing glass artist.


What exactly are prayer—or gratitude—boxes?

You can create the boxes for your own life and as gifts for occasions. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, when a child graduates, to be able to give that child the box of hopes and prayers written during the first year of life? Or for a couple on their twenty-fifth anniversary to reopen the box from their first year of marriage? For years, I’ve given journals or prayer boxes to couples as wedding gifts and encouraged them to write down their hopes and gratitudes during their first year of life, then keep them. It’s a great exercise while they’re doing it and a precious keepsake for later. It’s also their story, preserved.

How do you write for both Christian and secular audiences?

I try to write books that can be shared between people who are in vastly different places in their faith and spiritual lives, and I see The Prayer Box as that type of book—appropriate for a Christian person to bring to a book club that is not specifically Christian, for instance.

What’s the overall message?

In this cyber age, it’s more important than ever to equip families with ideas for generating family table talk and storytelling. My first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, was inspired by stories shared by my grandmother. I’ve since watched that book travel around the world, and her stories—those simple remembrances from a farmwife’s life—have affected many lives. Our stories have amazing power and value, yet we’re in danger of losing that tradition of sharing our stories, particularly with the next generation.

What’s on your nightstand?

Endorsement books, usually! One of the best things about being an author is having the chance to read and discover new books before they travel out into the world. Aside from early read copies, there’s usually some research material on my nightstand. Currently I’m reading about the lost “little races” of the Appalachian Mountains, for the novel that will follow The Prayer Box. Also on the stack is a journal given to me by a reader, where I write down quotes and story ideas I don’t want to forget.

Tell us about the e-novella prequel to The Prayer Box you released in July.

Titled The Sea Glass Sisters, this is a story of the sisterhood in Sandy’s Seashell Shop, a prominent theme in The Prayer Box. In this prequel, Sandy’s sister, Sharon, and Sharon’s daughter Elizabeth travel to the Outer Banks determined to convince Sandy to move back to the family land in Michigan and give up Sandy’s Seashell Shop before the financial costs of hurricane repairs bankrupt Sandy. The three women end up riding out the second hurricane on the Outer Banks and form a life-changing sisterhood.

How did you write twenty books in twelve years with kids at home?

I’ve always loved to write, but I didn’t get serious about freelance writing and selling until after I’d graduated college, married, and started a family. I wrote and sold various smaller projects in between naps, diapers, and playgroups.And when the boys were older, during soccer practices, in carpool lines, while helping with homework, and in all sorts of other situations. 

People often ask me if I need quiet in order to write. With boys in the house, if I’d waited for quiet, the writing would never have happened. I learned to lose myself in a story amid the noise of life and I loved it that way. 

I asked myself what makes a story last, what really makes a story worth telling and worth reading? I wanted to write books that meant something, that explore the human soul.

I came across a notebook in which I’d written some of my grandmother’s stories. I’d never known quite what to do with those stories, but I knew they were significant in my life. When I rediscovered the notebook, I had the idea of combining my grandmother’s real stories with a fictional family who is like and unlike my own family. That little germ of an idea became my first women’s fiction novel, Tending Roses. 

Now that the boys are practically grown and the house is often quiet, I’m redefining the writing routine again. Just as in books, life is a series of scenes and sequels, beginnings and endings, and new discoveries.

Interview with Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Today I am fortunate enough to host the very talented authors of the new series Twisted Lit. These ladies put modern spins on some of Shakespeare's greatest works. You've already heard my opinion on both books (Tempestuous and Exposure), so now let's hear it from the ladies themselves!

Interview with Kim Askew and Amy Helmes, authors of the Shakespeare-inspired YA series Twisted Lit, featuring Tempestuous and Exposure (Merit Press). Both Kim and Amy think Shakespeare understood the young's true love and pain like no other, from Hamlet's sorry stepdad to Juliet's trauma drama, hence this literate farce, based on "The Tempest."

For more information please visit Twisted Lit Books and http://www.adamsmedia.com/merit-press-books and follow them on Facebook.

How did you make the move from writing about book-to-movie adaptations on your joint blog Romancing the Tome to retelling such classic stories yourselves?
We enjoyed writing the blog together, and decided it would be really fun to collaborate on a novel. We spent some time each day brainstorming book ideas, and finally hit upon the concept of putting a modern-day spin on our beloved Shakespeare. We immediately saw the series potential. It's perfect, because we're both former English majors, our blog is about adaptations, and we can't imagine anything more fun than thinking about Shakespeare all day long!

How do you choose the Shakespearean works you retell?
We liked the idea of choosing two very different works for our first titles, and we wanted to start with something unexpected. The Tempest is lighthearted -- there's this violent storm and a shipwreck, yet all the main characters survive. Meanwhile, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's darkest plays, and we knew it would be fun to play off the conceit of the quest to become “prom king and queen.” It was a fun challenge to interpret the spirit of both those plays, but in our own unique way.

So far you've retold The Tempest & Macbeth, what other works can we look forward to seeing retold in the future?
We're currently writing a modern-day spin of the classic Romeo and Juliet, but we've also thought about adapting King Lear, Henry IV, and Hamlet, to name but a few. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, and we'd love the opportunity to adapt them all!

Do you have a favorite line or quote from any Shakespearean work?
It's hard to choose just one, but given all the teen angst in The Bard's plays, we adore this tongue-in-cheek quote about adolescence from The Winter's Tale: "I would there were no age between ten and three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting."

Is there any chance you may choose a different author at some time?
As classic literature buffs, we've definitely considered the idea of twisting some other favorite authors, which run the gamut from A to Z . . . or, in literary parlance, Austen to Zola.

If you could become any character in a book you've written, who would you be & why?
We adore our two heroines Miranda (Tempestuous) and Skye (Exposure), but if forced to choose, the good girls in us would love the chance to be mischievous Miranda for a day to experience firsthand her Ferris Bueller-like ability to stir up fun and mayhem wherever she goes.

© 2012 Kim Askew and Amy Helmes, authors of Tempestuous: A Twisted Lit Novel

Kim Askew, coauthor of Tempestuous: A Twisted Lit Novel, whose work has appeared in Elle and other magazines as well as the anthology The May Queen, is a content manager for the Webby-winning teen site www.FashionClub.com and the FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Follow Kim on Twitter.




Amy Helmes, coauthor of Tempestuous: A Twisted Lit Novel, is coauthor of Boys of a Feather: A Field Guide to American Males, also is a weekly contributor toThe Rundown, a daily e-mail service that keeps subscribers informed on what's new and cool in LA. Follow Amy on Twitter.

Armchair BEA Day 1: Introductions First

Welcome to the first post in a series for Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters. They sum up the event with:

So, what exactly does being a[n Armchair BEA] participant entail? First and foremost, you'll be able to celebrate and participate in an event that happens each year in New York City, Book Expo America, from the comfort of your very own home, hopefully a snugly armchair! Secondly, and we hope equally as important, you'll be able to meet new book bloggers and join together in a celebration of the wonderful community that comes out of book blogging. Last year we had over 600 participants, so you're bound to meet some new great bookish friends! Lastly, it means participating, however you're able to. This can be by posting, tweeting, discussing, or even by simply reading and commenting on participating blogs. Your level of participation is entirely up to you, but we hope you'll find something to get you involved in this fabulous event! 

Each of us has an entirely valid reason for not being able to make to BEA in NYC, including many of the organizers. Because of that the organizers and publicity team are working hard behind the scenes to give you an event that you won't soon forget!

-Posted from 2012 Participant Registration Now Open

Needless to say, for another year I am unable to attend BEA. Having recently moved 800 miles from my home state of North Carolina to the corn-filled fields of Illinois, it just wasn't in the budgetary plan to spend a long weekend in a very expensive city. One of these days I will make it. In the meantime I am perfectly content to sit at home in my green, oversize, covered-in-cat-hair armchair with my tea & computer to participate in Armchair BEA.

Now down to business for the day! It's introductions day so here are my five self-interview questions.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

So there is a little bit of confusion surrounding who I actually am. My handle usually says loreleimarsh & my blog URL is lisettebes. In reality these are both variations on my real name. My name is Laura. I'm a 25 year old, cataloging assistant at a private college in the Midwest. I started Tattooed Books in the summer of 2009 as a way to get my opinion about books out into the world. At the time I was a YA program specialist in my local public library. Teens found it easy to relate to me & often asked my opinion about books. As I have been writing personal book reviews since elementary school, it was only natural for me to transfer my thoughts into a digital format. I will admit though that it took the convincing of the lovely Terra Elan McVoy for me to finally take the leap & commit to blogging.

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I have been with my husband for 12 years as of this fall. That's right, do the math. Accounting for the fact that my birthday is before our anniversary, I was 14 when we started dating. He was 17. We are that sickening couple that despite all our time together still act as though we're newly dating. It helps that we are both the children of older parents, so many of our values & ideals are a little old fashioned for our contemporaries & we just seem to get each other. I truly hope our future children can find that same kind of happiness & support.

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

It's hard to believe that I wrote it over 2 years ago, but my post on Age Appropriateness & Content is my favorite. After working in libraries for several years, you expect all sorts of issues, but working with young adult/teen readers lends itself to a special set of rules or rather guidelines. There are no hard & fast rules for what books are appropriate for specific age groups at any particular time. There are a number of factors to be included in the decision making process & this post highlights that issue as seen from a public library worker's standpoint.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

It took me FOREVER to decide on this one. Obvious answers would be Shakespeare, Harry Potter, or Scout (from To Kill a Mockingbird), but I decided to go with the author Jennifer Echols. While I have met some incredible authors and there are so many more I would like to meet (Ellen Hopkins, Rachel Vincent, Patricia Briggs to name just a few) I can't shake the desperate wish that I could meet Jennifer Echols. I have reviewed several of her books & I can't imagine a better lunch/dinner discussion partner. She creates such strong, independent characters, even if they don't start out that way. I really would have given almost anything to have some of those kinds of characters in my books at a younger age. Seriously, realistic fiction for teens doesn't get more powerful than her writing.

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

When I first started this blog I was reading YA almost exclusively. I just didn't like "adult" books because the ones I had been exposed to were murder mysteries, psychotic thrillers & hum-drum "woe is me" fiction. As I spent more time exploring my options I found several adult authors who carried on the themes & character-driven books that I found myself drawn to in the YA genre. I've even read somethings outside of my comfort zone & preferred reading niches just so I can say that I've tried them. Some I've liked & some I haven't. While my reading tastes are ever-evolving, I try to review books that are still mainly geared toward teens & young adults looking for books to help bridge the gap between children's books & adult books.

There you have it folks! Please feel free to ask me any questions you like & I'll be sure to give you the best answer I can. You can find me on Twitter & Goodreads as well. Let the Armchair BEA fun begin!

Blog Tour & Interview: The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook!

I am deeply honored to be a stop on the blog tour for The Book Blogger Cookbook! Christy Dorrity from Dearest Dreams got the craziest idea in her head to put together a cookbook with recipes & blurbs related to books!

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook has 25 different book reviewers from every corner of the blogosphere. It bridges the gap between author and reader—putting you in touch with book reviewers who can separate the 5 star books from the mediocre.

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook showcases great reads and provides an interactive experience with links to author and book reviewer websites. The cookbook is created for those who like to experience what they read long after they’ve closed the book.

The Book Blogger’s Cookbook tells why each recipe complements its companion book. Recipes and books combine to make the reading experience satisfying and entertaining.

Your's truly is one of the lucky 25 reviewers whose opinions are included in this wonderful book! I've even got Christy here for an interview:

1. How did you stumble upon book blogging? Did your blog start out as something else & become about books or has it always been book-centered?

When I found an online community full of people who read and write about what they read, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to combine my loves of reading and good food in one blog and from the very first book review, I began giving books a recipe. When food and reading fuse together, the reader can experience the world of the book in their real life.

2. What’s your favorite part about the book blogging community?

I am continually amazed at the generosity of book bloggers. They read books, and write reviews about them with no compensation other than a review copy of the book. Their willingness to share doesn't end with the book reviews. Book bloggers swap books with each other, hold giveaways and author interviews, attend book signings and cross promote each others' blogs. I've never seen such an amazing group of people who are willing to share and help each other out.

3. If you could have known only one thing that you know now, that you didn’t know when you started blogging, what would it be?

I think I've learned to pace myself. In order to maintain a blog, a writer needs to have consistent content, but it doesn't have to be a daily chore. I aim for at least a post per week and try not to feel guilty if other things in my life need more attention. One other thing I have learned is to record notes on a book as soon as I finish it, even if I don't write the actual review until later. You'd be surprised how fast you forget what you liked/disliked about a book.


4. You’ve recently published The Book Blogger’s Cookbook. What made you want to put that project together?

When I came up on my one year blogoversary I thought it would be fun to put together a simple PDF cookbook that included all of the recipes on my blog. The more I thought about it, the larger the project grew. I wanted to try my hand at self publishing and The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook was the right project to try it out on. Including books and book reviews in the cookbook was a natural progression. I am so happy with the way the cookbook turned out and the many wonderful friendships that I've forged in the book community.

5. Describe your book in three words.

Reads. Eats. Reviews

6. What’s your favorite recipe in the cookbook?

Now that's a hard one. Today I am in the mood for "Poor Dyer's Bread", the companion recipe to The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal. And with all of the fresh fruit available right now, I am inclined to make "Tadpole Soup" from Kersten Hamilton's Tyger, Tyger. Each recipe in the cookbook is one of my favorites.

A BIG thank you to Christy for stopping by to let us in on this fun, blogger-driven book! You can purchase the book on Amazon & don't forget to enter for a chance to win a Kindle!!

Grand Prize Giveaway: Kindle, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" (the kind without the ads)

Plus Five Copies of The 2011 Book Blogger’s Cookbook

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or any of the great blogs that are participating. Then, if you want more entries into the contest, Tweet, Facebook, or blog about the cookbook and leave a separate comment telling me what you did. You can say something like: Win a Kindle at the launch tour of The 2011 Book Blogger's Cookbook http://tinyurl.com/3vurm3a #bbcb Winners will be drawn using random.org on July 21st.

Armchair BEA: My Interview with Julie of My 5 Monkeys

Today I am hosting an interview with Julie of My 5 Monkeys. She's a terrific mom to 4 girls & 1 boy and she still manages to find time to read & blog! Here's what she has to say:

1. Describe your blog in three words.

Fun, whimsical, positive

2. How did you stumble upon book blogging? Did your blog start out as something else & become about books or has it always been book-centered?

It started as a family blog but when I did some book reviews it slowly changed 2 years ago. I do post personal stuff about the kids once in a while.

3. Do you have a favorite book managing website? Goodreads, Shelfari, Librarything…? What makes it your favorite?

Goodreads because it is easy to add books that I want to read.

4. Which e-reader do you have & how does that compare to reading a print book?

I have a Kindle but it doesn't always compare to holding a book in my hand.

5. Do you participate in memes (Friday 5, Waiting on Wednesday, etc)? Do you have a favorite?

Well I do my own meme of Get to Know Book Bloggers and On Round 3. I participate in In My Mailbox by Krisiti and my own WOW is called Cover Lust.

6. What’s your favorite part about the book blogging community?

The great friends I have made..let me tell you a story..last year about this time was BEA, and I had a list of must reads. I have made a dear friend when she shared with me some books that I had to read from BEA.

7. Have you ever met an author? What was it like? Did you go fangirl or stay calm & cool?

I have met a local author and remained calm.

8. What does your family think of your blog? Do they ever help you with your reviews or layout?

My kids love when I post about them.My daughter M helps with some reviews of middle school books.

9. If you could have known only one thing that you know now, that you didn’t know when you started blogging, what would it be?

Social Media Experience -- I didn't know that I would have to have know all this to have a successful blog. It takes a lot of time to share and drive traffic to the blog. Oh Vlogging is fun , but I need do more of it.

You can find her at http://www.tableforseven-julie.blogspot.com/

If you want to know more about me, be sure to visit Melissa at One Librarian's Book Reviews.

Author Interview & Giveaway: Sherry Shahan with Purple Daze

Today I'm happy to present an interview with the amazing Sherry Shahan! She is the author of the phenomenal YA novel Purple Daze. Without further adieu:

1. Purple Daze is a very unique concept, combining personal accounts with historical events & context documentation as well as verse. Did you choose to write the story this way or is this just how it came out?

While cleaning out a closet, I found an old shoe box filled with letters from a friend who was in Vietnam during the mid-1960s. I spent hours rereading the gut-wrenching accounts of his physical and emotional nightmare. I can’t believe I kept his letters nearly 50 years.

Since his letters inspired Purple Daze, I decided to use that form of expression for his character. At the same time, I started writing character sketches about other high school friends. Once I began scribbling, I was living in a constant flashback. Bam, bam, bam. Memories slammed me twenty-four-seven.

During a later draft, I ran across factual events that I wanted to include. In 1965, for instance, the Pentagon authorized the use of Napalm B in Vietnam. That year the FBI launched an all-out campaign to discredit Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These entries are juxtaposed against musical references, such as concerts and the story behind Arlo Guthrie's song,“Alice's Restaurant.”

2. What parts of yourself, if any, do you see in your myriad of characters?

It’s not a coincidence that Cheryl’s name is so close to my own. Like Cheryl, I used to crawl out my bedroom window at night to meet friends. Sometimes six of us would pile into a car and hit the streets of Skid Row in Los Angeles. We’d walk around at 2 A.M. for no particular reason. During the Watts Riots we drove the freeways looking for a break in the National Guard barrier. We wanted to see the fires and devastation up close. We were such adrenaline junkies.

In one of Ziggy’s pieces, a teacher discovers a hot dog wearing a condom. Yep, that really happened.

Ziggy

Mrs. St. Johns faints in Home Economics

when she opens the refrigerator and sees

her Oscar Mayer wearing rubbers.

I mean, grow up!

3. You’re well versed in writing for several different types of audiences, from small children to adults. Was there a change in your writing style for your YA novel?

Most contemporary YA novels are written from the point of view of a single character. But I wanted my readers to be as close to Phil (in a trench Viet Nam) as to Cheryl (in a high school classroom). I wanted them to have access to the private thoughts and feelings of all six characters.

Each character demanded his or her own story arc -- with a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end -- yet I had to weave each story smoothly into the whole. It was quite a challenge.

Because of this unconventional story form, white space played a significant role in shaping emotional content.

Phil

Mick has no class,

treats Ziggy like trash.

I don’t know why she

puts (out) up with it (him).

This entry is only four lines. Yet they sum up Phil’s feelings about how Ziggy is treated by her boyfriend. Perhaps better than if I’d written it in margin-to-margin prose. Fewer words on a page tend to stand out. It’s as if the white space is framing what’s important.

4. What’s the next big adventure on the horizon?

I’m in a long-term relationship with a man who served in Vietnam in the 1960s. At eighteen he was hauling fuel in a 5,000-gallon truck over a highway bobby-trapped with land-mines. We’re planning a trip from Cam Rahn Bay on the coast, zigzagging to Qui Nhon and onto Anh Khe, one of his driving routes during the war.

5. If you could only take three things with you on your next adventure, what would they be and why?

Camera, because a picture really is worth a thousand words. Corkscrew, because life’s too short to drink wine from a box. Down pillow, just because.

Thank you so much to Sherry Shahan for stopping by to give us an inside look into her wonderful YA novel Purple Daze. You can read my thoughts here. And because Sherry's so awesome, she has even offered up a copy of her fabulous book for a giveaway!

Official Rules:

• You must completely fill out the form.
  
• You must be 13 or older to enter.
• You must be a US resident.
  
• CLOSED.
  

Saundra Mitchell Interview

Today we are very fortunate indeed to have an interview with The Vespertine creator herself, Mrs. Saundra Mitchell! Let's dig right in!

1. What made you choose Baltimore as your story setting?

I love Baltimore. It's an extraordinary city with extraordinary history. And because it hasn't been used often as a setting for 19th century fiction or film, I felt like readers wouldn't be coming to my book with any expectations. We have a sense of what Gilded Age New York was like, but Baltimore, not so much.

2. The details in your novel are spot-on for the time period from the séances to the calling cards.
How did you research Victorian New England? Did you read a lot, visit the area, just watch a lot
of period movies?

Thank you very much! I did my research in the usual ways—I read a lot of books, I put in a lot of hours at the Maryland Historical Society, I did a lot of reading online. Plus, I dug into period newspapers and magazines, and, of all places, e-Bay, to get a look at actual period dance cards and calling cards!

3. Where did you inspiration for Amelia’s ability come from?

I don't remember! I think it must have been one of those things—to badly quote Neil Gaiman—that I made up in my head.

4. Of all the wonderful events & interactions, what was your favorite part of the story to write?

I really enjoyed writing Zora and Amelia's friendship. They had such great chemistry and so much fun together. It was easy to get carried away on their adventures.

5. In The Vespertine you have a wide variety of personalities. Which of your characters do you
identify with most & why?

It would be cheating to say Nathaniel, because you guys don't actually get to know much about him. He has this whole other life that Amelia can't even imagine. But I feel like I'm most like him—I don't care about convention, except when I do.

6. Any hints about the companion novel The Springsweet, due out Spring of 2012?

Yes! The Vespertine was about fire and air; The Springsweet will be about water and earth, and it takes place in Oklahoma Territory, in 1890!


7. Tell us something unique/intriguing about your writing style or process.

I usually start my day by reading and editing the words I wrote the day before. That way I can slip back into the same place I left off.

Thank you so much Saundra for taking time to let us in on your story secrets! Folks, be sure to check back for more this week celebrating The Vespertine.

Author Interview & Giveaway with Maggie Stiefvater

Today is a very special day for me as this is my very first blog tour stop! To make things even sweeter, my blog tour is for Linger, the incredible sequel to Shiver, by the ever amazing Maggie Stiefvater. If you haven't read Shiver, then be sure to read my review here first and be forewarned that there are first-book-ending spoilers below. Other than that, this is a spoiler-free interview!

Be sure to check out the Shiver series micro-site for all the up-to-date information about the wolves of Mercy Falls, the gorgeous trailers for both Shiver & Linger and the Linger Twitter Party tonight starting at 8:30 EST. Also, this afternoon I'll be posting my thoughts on the novel, but for now, enjoy the interview!

1. Did you intend for “The Wolves of Mercy Falls” books to be a trilogy or did the story just pan out that way? If you needed to, could you write more?

Well, as I wrote it, I thought it would be a standalone. Then when I was done, I thought I
could really use another book to tie up loose ends. But as I started to plot out what I was
doing in book two, I realized I needed three. And that seems to be pretty true; FOREVER
is a pretty definitive ending point. I’m sure with all the characters in that world, there
would always be more to tell, but I don’t think I will be. Best to leave readers wanting
more rather than overstaying your welcome.

2. How did you come up with the idea of wolf-change due to cold? Any particular reason they “burn-out” after so many transformations?

Through a dedicated process involving whisky and reality TV. No, I’m kidding. I wanted something that was cyclical and natural and predictable and longer than a month. And I can’t tell you about the second bit. It’s spoilery.

3. What’s your opinion on fanfiction in regards to your own work? In regards to others’ work?

I’m pretty ambivalent. As long as folks aren’t making money off it and are crediting me,
why not? The only time it burns my biscuits is when I get a google alert for one and can
see that it’s basically a chapter from my book, word for word, but with just the names
changed. That’s just plagiarism, not the spirit of fan fiction, I don’t think.

4. Do you find that your music (both what you listen to and what you play) influences your writing?

Definitely. Have you heard that poem about the blind men and the elephant? It is a bunch of blind men all on different sides of an elephant, and they’re all touching a different part and guessing what it is. One’s got the tail, the other an ear, the other a foot, and they’re all guessing different things. I feel like music, art, and writing is like that. They are all just different sides of the elephant. Different ways of describing the same thing. I will often use music to get unblocked on my writing.

5. So, you write, you play musical instruments, you have amazing artistic skills… what is a skill you wish you had?

Oh, there are too many to list here. I’m never happy with how much I know. I’d like to
learn cello and the uillean pipes. I’d like to take karate. I’d like to get better at dressage.
I’d like to get better at speaking German. I’d like to fly a plane. I’d like to play the
electric guitar. I want to learn how to do barre chords better. Also make tortillas. There
are a million things I want to learn to do. And I’m gonna do them.

There you have it folks! A big thanks to Maggie for taking the time to answer my questions & for stopping by. Now on to the really fun part.

Giveaway Time!!!

Thanks to the WONDERFUL people at Scholastic, I've been authorized to give away ONE copy of what will surely become the hottest book of 2010! All you have to do to win is fill out the form below. That easy; no muss, no fuss. Good luck!
CLOSED

Interview with Beth Fantaskey, author of Jekel Love Hyde

I am so pleased to welcome the awesome and amazing Beth Fantaskey to Tattooed Books! Beth is the mastermind behind the terrific Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (my review) and the soon to be released Jekel Loves Hyde (May 3rd, Harcourt Children's Books). She's worked all kinds of jobs, but her favorite by far is being a Young Adult author. A part-time professor at Susquehanna University, you can hopefully catch her on tour this spring! Without further adieu I give you, her interview.

1. What do you consider your main genre? Urban fantasy, paranormal teen,etc.?

Although I didn’t know much about genres – aside from the two broad categories of “mystery” and “romance” – when I wrote Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, I would say I’m now a paranormal, young adult, romance author. I don’t know if that will always be my genre, but I’m happy there now!

2. What do you think about these new classics with a twist (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Slayre, etc)? Do you think your novels, while not as direct a replication as these, are considered under this umbrella?

I am honestly not sure... I haven’t read either of those yet. In fact, I hadn’t heard of Jane Slayre – although the title definitely made me laugh out loud when I just read it. I love it!

If I had to take a guess, though, based on what I do know about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I would say Jekel Loves Hyde is different in that it’s not so much a retelling or parody of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as it is a novel about two young people whose families were influenced by the original work. It’s a modern day interpretation, and there is the element of a personality changing formula in there, but aside from that the plots are very different.

3. What made you choose the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for your novel?

One day this phrase – Jekel Loves Hyde – sort of flashed through my brain, and I liked it so much that I hurried to see if anyone had ever used it as a title. When I realized there had never really been any kind of young adult adaption of the story, I started thinking that it would be interesting to show how a shy, young girl’s life might be changed by exposure to a dangerous, personality-altering formula. I especially loved the idea of setting the story in a high school because your teen years are all about discovering who you are. Given a choice, would a very introverted, moral girl choose to stay good – or succumb to the temptation to be wild and bad?

4. What was your favorite part about writing Jekel Loves Hyde?

I liked writing the parts in which quiet Jill Jekel unleashes her aggressive, vengeful alter ego. I’m a very shy, rule-following person, myself, and it was fun to imagine what it would be like to shed every inhibition and break every rule, just for the heck of it, without any regret or fear of repercussions.

5. After Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side you took their story to the online world. Are you planning to do something similar with Jill and Tristen?

No, I don’t think so... I think Jill and Tristen’s future will remain in the imaginations of readers. It’s definitely more of a “stand alone” book than Jessica’s Guide.

6. You love to travel the world, any plan to go on tour with your books (both locally or internationally)?

I am starting to get a pretty full travel schedule this spring. Over the course of May and June, I’ll be signing books in San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, New York, New Jersey, and Miami – not to mention closer to my home in Pennsylvania. I’ll start posting my schedule on my website, bethfantaskey.com, as well as on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace in the next week or so.

I would love to go abroad, too, if I ever had the opportunity. Jessica’s Guide is available now in several different countries, so we’ll see!

7. Anything else you’d like to tell your readers? (Words of advice, hints about new projects, random facts)

I just want to say thanks to everybody who e-mails and checks in with me on Facebook, etc. So far, the best part of writing novels has been interacting with all of the amazing readers. I never expected to make friends around the world just because I wrote a few books, but that’s definitely the case. To everybody who’s taken the time to contact me – THANK YOU so much!! And keep in touch! And to all of you who’ve asked about a full sequel to Jessica’s Guide – I promise, I’m still working on it!

Thank you Beth! Be sure to check back tomorrow for my review of Jekel Loves Hyde!

Interview with Debut Author Jennifer Hubbard

Today I am fortunate enough to host the wonderful Jennifer Hubbard! Her debut novel the Secret Year was released in January of this year. While it's only 192 pages, this book packs a wallop and I really enjoyed reading about love and loss from a guy's perspective. You can read my review here and find out more about Jennifer here.

1. Did you choose to write YA or did it just sort of come out that way?

It chose me. It’s what I liked to read, so eventually I decided to write it.

2. Did you find it difficult to write from a teenage boy’s point of view?

No, I have many characters’ voices in my head: some female, some male.

3. As The Secret Year is your debut novel, what were you least and most favorite moments of this experience?

The worst part was the waiting. You wait a lot in this business, and the economy has only made things more uncertain than ever. One of my favorite moments was the first time I saw my cover. I was really looking forward to that, and it was even better because Sam Kim of Penguin came up with such a perfect image and design for the book.

4. If The Secret Year had a soundtrack, which songs would you expect to hear?

The songs I listened to while I wrote are not necessarily the songs anyone else would connect with the book. But Tom Waits’s “Temptation” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Big Love” (the 1997 version) were two songs I listened to over and over while writing The Secret Year.

Incidentally, creating your own playlist is one of the activities I suggest in the book’s Reader Guide (http://www.classof2k10.com/secret_year_reader_guide.pdf).

5. Who/what would you say are some of your biggest influences (in life and/or writing)?

This reminds me of an interview Nora Ephron did with Mike Nichols. She asked him a question in this vein, and he said, “Nothing trains you for life.” Which is the perfect answer, I think. Everything influences me, and at the same time there is a core of something within me, to which I try to stay true.

6. Tell us a bit more about your Library-Loving Blog Challenge.

This is a challenge in which people pledge money to their local libraries based on the number of comments received on their blog, Facebook, etc. Last year we had more than 20 blogs and raised over $1600; this year the challenge runs from March 23 to March 27. I’m still looking for bloggers and Facebookers to participate. (http://writerjenn.livejournal.com/158131.html)

7. The age old question: Chocolate: dark, milk, or other?

Dark. But I’ll eat milk in a pinch. And in fact, someone gave me some wonderful organic milk chocolate at my launch party—with toffee and with nuts.

8. Anything else you’d like us to know?

Thanks for hosting me!

It was my pleasure to host this wonderful interview. Thanks Jennifer!