The Crossroads Blog Tour Final Day: Interviews with Lucienne Diver and Jackie Morse Kessler

We wrap up the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from authors Lucienne Diver and Jackie Kessler Morse.  Hope everyone has enjoyed this week's interviews and the chat last night on Mundie Moms.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page daily for clues to answer questions and win a prize.

Creating a world in which a story is set into can be a challenge. What things do you take into consideration when creating that world? 

One of my favorite things about the Vamped series is that I get to take my readers to a new place each time. The series is set in our world, so I don’t have to make something up out of whole cloth, but I do have to make sure each locale is a place I know and have internalized to the point where I can convey the spirit of it, even when I change this shop name or tweak a location to fit the needs of the story. I want to write every setting like an intimate insider. My worldbuilding comes into play a lot more with the mythology. What kind of vampires do I want to use? What other magics populate the world? What are the rules, powers and limitations? For the Vamped series, I chose classic vampires but an unconventional heroine, one who’s neither angsty nor kick-ass…though she gets there in the end. My heroine Gina is, in fact, a teen fashionista who gets bitten at the after-prom party and soon after wakes up dead. She has to claw her way out of the grave, totally ruining her manicure, only to discover that while she’s gained eternal youth, she’s lost the opportunity to make the most of it…. No reflection, no way to fix her hair and make up—her own personal hell! It was a lot of fun to give something old a new spin. Of course, vampires might not be all that goes bump in the night, but you learn more about all that as the series goes on.

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why?

My most difficult character is my protagonist, Gina. You see, I’m a geek. Gina wouldn’t make any of the same pop culture references I would. She probably doesn’t know a thing about Harry Potter (unless there was a feature about him in Cosmo) or tried butterbeer (too many calories!). It was challenging to write a character who didn’t think about the same things in the same way I would. However, once I got the hang of her, she started to affect my thinking. I literally can’t shop without hearing her in my head. She’s even insisted on her own blog so that she can continue her work of helping the fashion-challenged with her “How Not to be a Hot Mess” posts.

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do?

Oddly, I’m not sure my favorite fictional characters and I would have much in common. Maybe that’s why I love them. They have strengths I can only aspire to. They fight real battles and overcome important challenges. Take Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collin’s excellent Hunger Games series. After I ran out of praise, which she’d undoubtedly be terribly impatient with, what would I have to say that would be at all relevant to her world? I suppose I most read about people in difficult situations who do the extraordinary, whether it’s becoming one of the undead and facing a vampire vixen who wants to turn your classmates into her own undead army or instigating a revolution. I suppose that if I could meet any of my favorite fictional characters, I’d find out what I could do to help. Then I’d find out what I was made of.

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

I was a horsey girl growing up. I mucked stalls, sniffling and snuffling from allergies and asthma the entire time, and babysat crazy hours to make the money for the lessons my parents discouraged because of those medical conditions. Thus, I read all the horse books out there. One of my most inspirational moments ever was writing to Jean Slaughter Doty, the author of The Monday Horses, and having her write back. A lovely, handwritten note that probably made my tween years. I don’t know that there was a particular book that inspired me to write, but I do know there were many, many books that inspired me to read. Among them: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett, Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall, The Changeover by Margaret Mahy, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare…. I could go on forever!

Newest/Upcoming Release: Vamped, Revamped, Fangtastic

Blog: http://www.luciennediver.com/ & http://luciennediver.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @LucienneDiver 

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

I wish I had one! I’m so boring. I’m the person who gives away far too much candy during Halloween. Maybe that’s scary: I’m willingly giving away chocolate!!! ;)

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming?

Oh wow. That had to be when I was writing RAGE. I was getting ready to write the big battle scene by the end of the book…when I suddenly heard the voice of War. Now, you have to understand that the entire book is written in close third-person, past tense. But out of nowhere, I heard this booming voice—definitely an ALL CAPS sort of voice—declare: “The world is a wound, and I will cauterize it.” And I was like, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT??? It was the voice of War. And that’s why there’s one chapter in the book that suddenly switches to first-person present tense.   A close second is I was surprised that it took me 22 drafts to get LOSS right. Oy!!!

If you could spend the afternoon with a favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do?

I’d hang out with the Doctor, from DOCTOR WHO. An afternoon can be an entire lifetime – and it can be eye-opening and enlightening and fun and dangerous and brilliant.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

There definitely are rules. If you don’t stick with the rules you create, you break the reader’s trust. There have to be rules, whether you’re writing a paranormal novel or a contemporary one. There must be established limits—otherwise, it’s all And Then The Hero Or Heroine Are Brilliant And Save Everyone Easily And At No Personal Peril, and it’s boring and un-fun. That’s not to say that authors don’t make mistakes. Sometimes, we don’t know until book three something that would have played out differently had we known it in book one. The trick is figuring out A) how to work that “mistake” into the overall series and B) how to fix it going forward. Entire subplots can be created to fix such mistakes. That happened to me in my first adult paranormal-romance series: I had to come up with a reason why one branch of Hell changed its name. Whoops!

Newest/Upcoming Release: Hunger (Oct 2010); Rage (April 2011), Loss (2012)

Blog: http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com/ 

Twitter: @JackieMorseKess 

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 7: Interviews with Angie Frazier and Kiki Hamilton

We kick off Day 6 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from authors Angie Frazier (who is an alum of the same college that I attended - go KSC Owls!) and Kiki Hamilton.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page daily for clues to answer questions and win a prize.

Creating a world in which a story is set into can be a challenge. What things do you take into consideration when creating that world?

I try and remind myself that helping the reader to see the world I’ve created is important, but to remember that the story and the characters are the real focus. Also I have to trust a reader’s imagination. I don’t need to cover absolutely every detail—the reader is going to use their imagination to fill in the blanks.

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming? 

In THE ETERNAL SEA, the sequel to EVERLASTING, I was very surprised that Camille’s fiancé, Randall, developed into a great guy. I’d planned him to be kind of a jerk, but as I wrote his character he took on a whole new personality and I ended up loving him.

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite author, who would it be and what would you do? 

There is this woman who demonstrates the proper uses and layers of Victorian age dresses and underthings by dressing in front of a crowd, piece by piece. It’s like a backward Victorian striptease with commentary on the clothing! I’d take Sarah MacLean with me and I’d try not to fangirl her all afternoon.

What is the one book that you wish you had written and why? 

I don’t know if I can honestly say I wish I’d written another author’s book. But I am reminded of the day not too long ago when my 7-year-old daughter asked, “Mommy, did you write Harry Potter?” I laughed and said no, to which she replied, “I wish you wrote Harry Potter.” To which I sighed and said, “Me too, kid. Me too.”

Newest/Upcoming Releases: Everlasting; The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow Mystery (Mar 11)

Blog: http://angiefrazier.com/ 

Twitter: @angie_frazier 

What was the hardest part about doing research for your book?

Writing about a time that I can never visit. Though there are books and movies, it’s not the same as being there yourself.

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why? 

I wouldn’t call her ‘difficult’ but the most complicated character is definitely Larkin. She’s like an onion with some many layers. Interesting and complicated and intriguing – there’s a lot more to Larkin than was revealed in the first book.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer and what did you first write about?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I wrote short stories when I was a kid - I think one of them was called ‘Slimey and his Funny Friends - and poetry in high school. But then I went to college and got a job and never really had time. When Goblet of Fire came out, I read the first Harry Potter book and I was totally hooked. I read all four books in one week. That’s when I decided to write a story for my daughter and the madness set in…..

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it?

There were lots of books I loved when I was a kid. In high school, I would read three books a week. A lot of romance, I loved mysteries. Funny enough, I don’t remember reading that much fantasy, though. When I was younger, there were a couple of fantasies I loved: THE SWING IN THE SUMMER HOUSE by Jane Langton and THE WICKED ENCHANTMENT by Marg Benary-Isbet. I loved them enough that I tracked them down and bought a copy as an adult.

...Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

I read a wide variety of books. At that time, they didn’t have a ‘young adult’ section, so I often read adult books in high school. Usually mysteries and romance novels.

Thanks so much for having me over! xo Kiki

Newest/Upcoming Release: The Faerie Ring (2011)

Blog: http://www.kikihamilton.com/ 

Twitter: @ kikihamilton

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 6: Interviews with Stacey Kade and Judith Graves

We kick off Day 6 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from authors Stacey Kade and Judith Graves (who did an amazing job of organizing this blog tour too).  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page daily for clues to answer questions and win a prize.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

You know, the fun thing about world building is that you need restrictions. You need rules that limit what your characters can and can’t do even if it turns out later that it would be waaaaay more convenient if they could do something that, by the rules of the world, is not possible. So, as long as those rules are logical to the world you’ve created, then you’ve got to stick with them and make them work. And usually, it adds an extra layer of tension to the story when characters are forced to stay within those boundaries. So, no, I don’t think I would change anything now, but if you’d asked me during the writing, when I was struggling to figure out how to make everything fit, I might have had a different answer!

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming?

I was startled when Alona took Will to see her mother in the first book. I never thought she would do that. But she was both angrier and braver than I’d given her credit for.

List your top 3 fictional crushes and why do they make the list? 

Mr. Darcy, Han Solo, and Sam Winchester (through Season 4 of Supernatural). Mr. Darcy because, well, he’s so formal and proper but underneath it all he has a good heart. Han Solo, who doesn’t love a cocky space pirate who can make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs? And Sam, my Sammy, because he’s vulnerable and sad and always tries so hard to do the right thing even when everyone else can see that it’s going to blow up in his face. (She’s a demon, Sam! How did you *think* that relationship was going to turn out?)

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

I don’t think there’s one particular book that inspired me, but I loved all the Nancy Drew/Trixie Belden type stories. In fact, the very first story I tried to write when I was a kid was very much in that same style.

Newest/Upcoming Release: The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead 

Blog: http://www.staceykade.com/ 

Twitter: @StaceyKade 

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

While I’m a huge horror buff and I love to decorate for Halloween, etc, I don’t have especially fond memories of the October 31sts of my youth. Several factors have made this so. 1. I’m five years younger than my brother and sister. 2. We grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. Put these tidbits together and this is what you get: -30C weather, and two candy-crazed older siblings who keep sending their youngest sister out in the mind-numbing cold for more sugary treats. The reward was watching them suffer from sugar hangovers while I slowly picked my way through my hidden stash.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially? Um…were you standing over my shoulder, or what? 

Yes, I’ve run into a few brick / plot walls thanks to rules I established in the first book. However, those moments kick my creativity into high gear, they provide challenges my characters wouldn’t have otherwise encountered and ultimately crank up the conflict. All good things. Besides, rules are meant to be broken and turning a character’s world upside down is what good fiction is all about. But you have to provide a solid foundation for the rule breaking to appear logical, even if it’s only a temporary glitch caused by wonky magic. ;)

Since you are also a musician, do you create a playlist for your books? Characters? 

I do! I also write songs from different characters POVs – this process reveals layers, backstory or secrets I didn’t know they had. The lyrics are essentially their innermost feelings, fears and desires. For me it’s kind of a character development exercise, set to music. I quickly record those tunes in ProTools (I’m a bit of a computer geek) and incorporate them in my playlists of “real” tunage. I use something called position music, compositions intended for film use – often the background tunes of book trailers, short films, etc – for when I’m writing battle scenes. The intensity keeps my writing sharp. I also listen to specific songs when trying to evoke a certain mood or emotion. In Second Skin, I listened to Metallica’s, Enter Sandman whenever a certain demon gave Eryn hell.

What books did you love as a child that you continue to see being checked out by children today?

There isn’t one particular title, however my time in school and public libraries assures me that the topics, genres, and authors I gravitated toward in my tweens and teens are still popular. Mythology and mythological creatures, cryptids (although that’s a newer term), ghost stories and hauntings, monsters, unexplained mysteries, horror, paranormal, romance, fairytales and retellings of fairytales, folklore from around the world and all things gothic or macabre.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Under My Skin; Second Skin (2011), Skin of My Teeth (2012)

Blog: http://judithgraves.com/ 

Twitter: @judithgraves

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 5: Interviews with Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ashby

We kick off Day 5 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ahsby.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page for clues to answer questions and win a prize.

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume?

My favorite Halloween was probably freshman year of college. My friends and I spontaneously decided to go trick or treating the night of Halloween in the neighborhood near campus. We thought the neighbors would be mad that a bunch of 18-year-olds were out trick or treating (in my hometown, twelve is the oldest you’re allowed to trick or treat—yes, there’s an actual law). But they were thrilled to see us! We got tons of candy and hot chocolate, because hardly any real kids in the area had bothered to dress up.

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming? 

Auugh, I really wish I could say without spoiling, because this just happened to me last month. I was folding laundry, playing out a scene in my head like I was watching a movie. Aura said something, and Zachary said something in reply, and I was like WHAT, BOY?? You wait until the fourth draft of the third book to tell me THAT? Then I had to flip through the earlier books to make sure this revelation didn’t contradict anything already established, and it didn’t. The reason why he’d kept the secret totally fit with his character and the way he feels about Aura.

If you could spend the afternoon with a favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do? 

I want to hang out with Cole and Sam from Maggie Stiefvater’s SHIVER series while they have a jam session. Then Sam can make dinner while Cole and I…keep ourselves occupied.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

Not when all is said and done. There definitely have been moments where an established rule has come back to haunt me (heh, I said “haunt”), but then it turns into a challenge to be even more innovative. As much as I resent the problems that come from complex worlds and plots, solving those problems makes for a much better book.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Shade, Shift (2011)

Blog: http://www.jerismithready.com/ 

Twitter: @jsmithready 

Creating a world in which a story is set into can be a challenge. What things do you take into consideration when creating that world? 

The main thing I take in to account is the Sara Hantz factor! Sara is actually one of my critique partners and while I have no interest in details, she is the master of logic so if I create a world that doesn’t make sense I KNOW that she is going to send me a zillion emails asking me to explain to her. Anyway, she’s worn me down over the years so that now I try and figure out as many answers as I can before I send it to her!!!! So, my advice for anyone who doesn’t have a Sara in their life, try and find the voice of reason who can sit on your shoulder and ask ‘what/what/where/when/why’ over and over again! Your world building will thank you for it!

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why? 

Honestly, I love my characters. I guess it’s like a casting call and if I don’t like a character I tend to rewrite them into someone that I do like! Mainly because if I’m going to spend so much time with them, I want them to amuse me!!!

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite author, who would it be and what would you do? 

Oh, that sounds like fun!!! I have so many favorite authors and I do have a feeling that not all of them would be as much fun in person as they are on the pages of their books, so I’m going to pick Janet Evanovich because I’m sure she would be awesome. As for what we do, well I would probably take her to a deserted cottage in a wood and tell her that she’s not leaving until she lets Stephanie Plum end up with Morelli.

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

Like many writers, I loved reading as a child though it never for a moment occurred to me that I could be a writer (of course this was pre-Internet so it was a lot harder for me to figure out that writers were actually ‘real’ people!). Some of my favorite books growing up where Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Three Investigators, Swallows and Amazons and Ballet Shoes.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Zombie Queen of Newbury High, Fairy Bad Day 

Blog: http://www.amandaashby.com/ 

Twitter: @amandaashby

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 4: Joy Preble & Dawn Dalton

We kick off Day 4 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from Joy Preble and Dawn Dalton.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page for clues to answer questions and win a prize. 

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why? 

Because the Dreaming Anastasia series is written from multiple points of view, each character has his/her own challenges. I don’t think one has been consistently more difficult, but certain situations are more problematic for certain characters. If I’m writing a romance scene, for example, I will tend to do this through Anne’s point of view for a number of reasons. First of all, I’m more comfortable writing romance through a female perspective. Second, the details that Anne notices and the way she describes moments of romance, lust, etc. are probably more appealing to my readers, who by and large are also female.

Plus honestly, Ethan is from a different time and place. He is by nature not as forthcoming about his emotions, although certainly he has them. So while he does let the reader how he feels about Anne, he does not generally do so with as much, um, zest as Anne does. Actually, book 3 will let you see more of Ethan’s passionate side. I’m really excited about that!

Who was the person or writer who inspired you to write and what was it that was inspiring? 

Libba Bray’s use of 1st person and her blend of angst and humor and action in her Great and Terrible Beauty series really informed my sense of YA genre fiction. There are many, many others, but her work comes to mind first.

What is the one book that you wish you had written and why? 

She always gets shy and modest when I praise her work, but I truly wish I’d written my friend Lauren Strasnick’s Nothing Like You. It is an amazingly crafted work and Lauren teaches me so much about spare prose. We joke that what she can say in 20,000 words I can say in 80,000. That’s a bit of hyperbole, but I am always in awe of her and how she tells so much in so few words.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially? 

I think for the Dreaming Anastasia series, the most daunting issue has been balancing the wide variety of Russian fairy tales and fairy tale characters who work as the motor of the story and weaving them in with (somewhat altered) historical fiction elements concerning the Romanovs. I have Baba Yaga, Vasilisa the Brave, the story of rusalka and in the third book, the story of Koschei the Deathless. Plus lacquer boxes and Faberge eggs and two ballets (Swan Lake and in book three, Giselle, and the running conceit of the forest. And my ongoing homage to all things Buffy… I guess that’s a lot. And when I initially conceived of this series, it had no Russian fairy tale element to ground the magic. So yeah, I’d say that was all a challenge.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Dreaming Anastasia; Haunted, Again and Again (2012)

Blog: http://www.joypreble.com/ 

Twitter: @joypreble 

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

My parents were nuts about Halloween. My sister and I never had to worry about buying a costume on time – my Mom had them picked out almost a year in advance. Mostly out of necessity, because they were usually hand made. Not in the “sew-you-a-ragdoll” kind of way. My stepdad loves gadgets and is one of the most creative people I know. I don’t think I appreciated it at the time, but when I look back now, I realize my E.T. costume, complete with home-made glowing finger was actually pretty cool.

Most embarrassing? Oy. That was just last year when my 6’5” husband insisted we go to a Halloween party -- with him as the Jolly Green Giant, and me his brussel sprout.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer and what did you first write about?

Grade 6. My teacher’s name was Mrs. Kratky, but we called her Mrs. Crabby, because she was. Good marks were tough to come by in her class, and I still shudder whenever someone uses a red pen – it was like she was drawing blood every time she marked up one of my assignments. Mid way through the year, we were asked to write a short story. As she handed them back, I watched my classmates’ faces pale, and listened as she commented about things students had done wrong. By the time she finally gave me my story, I’d almost hyperventilated. On the back of my story, she’d written in red pen: Please see me after class. I’ve invited your parents. Scariest. Words. Ever. But when my parents came in, Mrs. Kratky didn’t tell them how horrible my writing was or tsk the inappropriateness of my story – she said I had a talent, and they should encourage it. I still believe if that teacher hadn’t called in my parents, I’d still be fumbling for “what I want to be when I grow up.”

If you could spend the afternoon with a favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do? 

I have to pick one? Yikes! I’m going to go with Alice, from Alice in Wonderland. And of course, I’d simply love to follow her down the rabbit hole. What an adventure!

What was your favorite book as a child that you have re-read as an adult? Did it hold the same magic for you as an adult as it did for when you were a child? 

I actually have a handful of those favorites, but the three key are: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, and the Princess Bride, which may not be considered a children’s book. Ironically, I also love the movie adaptations of those amazing novels. (I also have great admiration for Johnny Depp who coincidentally is in two of the above mentioned movie adaptations.) I’m never afraid to re-read a book – and I do so frequently. Sometimes it’s to get re-lost in the world the author has created, and sometimes it’s to absorb some of the writer’s talent. 

Newest/Upcoming Release: short story (title TBA) in the Spirited Anthology. Leap Books, October 2011.

Blog: http://dawnmdalton.blogspot.com/ 

Twitter: @dawn_dalton 

Crossroads Blog Tour Day 3: Interview with Kitty Keswick & Linda Joy Singleton

We kick off Day 3 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from Kitty Keswick and Linda Joy Singleton.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page for clues to answer questions and win a prize. 

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

I’ve been dressing up as a witch for the last few years. Mainly, because I found a really cool witch hat. I’m still waiting for the hat to work its magic and grant me an unforgettable Halloween.

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming? 

Hum, without giving away too much…Book two, Furry & Freaked, really changed a lot of things for me. Not only did my storytelling improve but, Kasey grew up a lot because of what had happened to her in book one. I had to make some changes to the “people” that surrounded Kasey. It really had to happen to create the hero Kasey needed to have in her life.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially? 

Maybe the blogging. I don’t use it much in book two. It fit book one.

List your top 3 fictional crushes and why do they make the list? 

Eric, from the Sookie Stackhouse series, ‘cause he’s tall, blond and a vampire Viking! Plus there’s a good guy under all that power. Dean Winchester, from Supernatural, I love his humor and his car and that he is always there for his little brother, Sam. Jamie Frasier, from the Outlander series, he’s Scottish and a protector and loves Claire beyond anything of this realm.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Freaksville, Furry & Freaked (2011)

Blog: http://kittykeswick.com/ 

Twitter: @kittykeswick

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

Wigs. My Goth Girl Thorn is getting her own book in March titled BURIED. When she was first introduced, I put in a line about her being allergic to hair dye to explain why she wore wigs. I wanted her to take off a wig and show her blond hair, which couldn’t happen with dyed hair. So I gave her that allergy. And now that she has a book of her own, she’s stuck wearing wigs. Poor Thorn.

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why?

When I first started writing the spin-off with Thorn, her edgy attitude was harder to write than Sabine who starred in the first 6 SEER books. I had to rewrite that first chapter over and over, until I started to learn Thorn’s voice. And I’m really proud how it turned out.

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite author, who would it be and what would you do? 

Probably J.K. Rowling. Love her books. Of course, if she’s busy (ha!) I’d love to hang out with Ingrid Law who wrote the Savvy books. When I met her at a writer conference, I thought this was someone who would make a really fun girlfriend. Also I admire Suzanne Collins, author of Hunger Games, and would love to talk with her.

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

When I was young, my favorite author was Margaret Sutton who wrote the Judy Bolton mystery series from 1932-1967. I loved searching for her books in second hand stores. I got to meet her in person at my high school graduation party. That was cool – but not what I’d expected since she was over her books by then and not writing much anymore. So I really didn’t know how to talk to her, and let my mom do a lot of the talking. I continued to correspond with her and eventually co-wrote a Judy Bolton book with her which fans love to read.

Newest/Upcoming Release: The Seer Series, Magician’s Muse, Buried (2012)

Blog: http://www.lindajoysingleton.com/ 

Twitter: @LindaJoySinglet

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Thanks to Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rhiannon from The Diary of a Bookworm for hosting the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop.  What is wonderful about the Giveway Hops is there are over 400 giveaways that you can enter.  Definitely a fun way to get ready for Halloween.

One lucky winner will win a signed copy of Possess by Gretchen McNeil and a signed ARC of Fury by Elizabeth Miles.

Rules for the Contest:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 24, 2011 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on October 31st.
3.  You do not need to be a follower of this blog to enter, but if you like what you see, feel free to subscribe.
4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
5.  Comments are not required but always welcome.
6.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
7.  International participants are welcome to enter the contest.

Crossroads Blog Tour Day Two Part Two: Interview with Shannon Delany

Our second interview for the day is with author, Shannon Delany.  We would like to welcome her back to Kid Lit Frenzy. 

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

Oh, I’m so dull... Oh! Almost swallowed a vampire fang once... Halloween wasn’t big were I grew up. Our houses were spread too far apart for serious trick or treating unless you could convince someone to drag you into town. We had an annual Halloween parade and costume judging (and I won a bunch of times—I think it’s because I always found an excuse to carry a freakishly cute kitten...).

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

Pffft. At this point in my series, having learned the lessons I have (and knowing there’s really nothing I can do to change things in them now) I’d totally redo the whole series. I’d add more layers and hint at things earlier.

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming? 

I didn’t expect Max to grow into such a heroic personality. I thought he’d be my bad boy and stay in the shadows throughout the 13 to Life series, but he sort of burst onto the scene and kept making himself known until I understood his part better.

What was your favorite book as a child that you have chosen to read or share with your own child?

The Giving Tree. Best. Book. Ever. It summarizes true love beautifully and simply. If you can get kids to understand that book and really embrace it they’ll understand what it means to give with your whole heart and love unconditionally regardless of what someone takes from you.

Hey readers - Thanks for checking out Shannon's interview and hope you check out all of the other great posts that make up The Crossroads Blog Tour.  During the 8 days of the blog tour, there will be opportunity to win some great swag from our featured authors.  There will be a post shortly with more details for entering to win.

Newest/Upcoming Releases: 13 to Life, Secrets and Shadows, Bargains and Betrayals (2011)

Blog: http://www.shannondelany.com/ 

Twitter: @shannon_delany

Crossroads Tour Day Two Part 1: Interview With Carrie Harris

Hope you had fun with yesterday's  posts for The Crossroads Blog Tour.  Each day, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors.

Remember, your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour, on Halloween.

Answers are to be emailed to bridgesocialmedia@gmail.com by October 31st at MIDNIGHT.

Winner of the grand prize will be announced on November 1st, the DAY OF THE DEAD.

Follow the tour on Twitter: @TheCrossroadsBT and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crossroads-Blog-Tour/218310244897337 
BRIDGE Social Media is holding a special promotion for public libraries. Libraries that actively promote the Crossroads tour (post a link on their website, mention it in their newsletters, etc) can email us proof of their promotional activities by midnight on OCTOBER 31st to be entered in a draw to win a FREE SKYPE AUTHOR VISIT FOR THEIR LIBRARIES – WITH BEST-SELLING YA AUTHOR, RACHEL VINCENT.

For today's Crossroads Post, we have interviews with two wonderful authors.  First up....Carrie Harris.

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

One year in college, I went to a party dressed like a slasher film cheerleader. I went all out, too. I had pigtails with ribbons and a cheerleader uniform and a slit throat dribbling blood all over the place. As I was driving to the party, which was a week or two before Halloween, a little old couple in the car next to me stared so hard that they actually drove off the road. I’m ridiculously proud of that, but only because no one got hurt. I still have the costume, too.

Who was the most difficult character for you to write and why? 

Aaron is very tough for me to deal with. On one hand, he’s totally the kind of guy who would rush to the rescue. But on the other, Kate is so fiercely independent that she would eviscerate anyone who put on metal pants and tried to save her…even if they looked fabulous in metal pants as I’m sure Aaron would. So on one hand, I feel sorry for Aaron because he could totally be useful if Kate would only TELL HIM THINGS. But on the other, I admire her for her determination to solve her own problems. That’s been a very tough dynamic to write.

What has been one of the most surprising things about being an author that you didn’t expect?

I didn’t realize how much work there is beyond the actual writing! In the past week, I blogged, tweeted, answered interviews (like this one!), talked to the local newspaper about a feature, talked to a librarian about visiting her school, made arrangements to appear at a book fair, ordered books for another book fair, put together packages of bookmarks for teachers, and ordered more bookmarks. I also researched minutiae for my copy edits (like—does a stun gun have a button or a trigger?). I get tired just reading all that.

Have you always been interested in zombies or scary stories or did the idea for your book just sort of presented itself one day?

I’ve always been a huge monsterphile. Zombie movies in particular always crack me up, because movie characters never seem to have any problem believing that their neighbors are turning into zombies. Um, hello? Only crazy people think things like that. So I started off thinking I might want to do a book about a completely rational person who discovers a zombie virus. And then I started mashing it together with other ideas that I had floating around in my head, kind of like a math project gone completely whack-a-ding-hoy. So BAD TASTE IN BOYS is really Frankensteinian weird science plus the undead football players from Beetlejuice divided by high school geekery. If math books were more like that, I might have become a mathematician.

Hey readers - Thanks for checking out Carrie's interview and hope you check out all of the other great posts that make up The Crossroads Blog Tour.  During the 8 days of the blog tour, there will be opportunity to win some great swag from our featured authors.  There will be a post shortly with more details for entering to win.

Newest/Upcoming Releases: Bad Taste In Boys (2011)

Blog: http://www.carrieharrisbooks.com/ 

Twitter: @carrharr 

Crossroads Tour Day One: Rachel Vincent

Today is the first day of The Crossroads Blog Tour.  Each day, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors.

Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour, on Halloween.

Answers are to be emailed to bridgesocialmedia@gmail.com by October 31st at MIDNIGHT.

Winner of the grand prize will be announced on November 1st, the DAY OF THE DEAD.

Follow the tour on Twitter: @TheCrossroadsBT and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crossroads-Blog-Tour/218310244897337 

BRIDGE Social Media is holding a special promotion for public libraries. Libraries that actively promote the Crossroads tour (post a link on their website, mention it in their newsletters, etc) can email us proof of their promotional activities by midnight on OCTOBER 31st to be entered in a draw to win a FREE SKYPE AUTHOR VISIT FOR THEIR LIBRARIES – WITH BEST-SELLING YA AUTHOR, RACHEL VINCENT.

And speaking of author, Rachel Vincent - she is featured today on my blog.  Thanks Rachel for taking the time to answer a few questions.

What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume?

When I was in jr. high, I refused to wear my glasses over my clown hobo makeup, and I fell into a ditch full of wet leaves. I believe that was the last time I went trick-or-treating. ;)

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why?

Writing “Reaper” from Tod’s POV was hard. I’d never been in his head before, and I had to make him funny and sarcastic, when he thinks of himself as neither. That was tough.

Also, the main character for Shadow Bound (Kori) is INCREDIBLY difficult. She’s been through so much and is thoroughly traumatized, and being in her head is scary.

What was your favorite book as a child that you have re-read as an adult? Did it hold the same magic for you as an adult as it did for when you were a child?

I have yet to reread a book from my childhood and still like it as much. I attribute that to the fact that I’m a writer now, so I see the technique behind the story, and that drives me nuts.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

Yes, to both. Whatever rules you make up for your world have to stand, unless you can come up with a really good, realistic reason for/way of breaking them. The problem with that is that each book in a series deepens and expands the world building and I often wish I hadn’t locked myself in to things so early in the series. For instant, Avari says one line in My Soul To Save that has been a thorn in my side ever since. I’ve had to work around it. Bonus points to the readers who can guess which line that was!

Hey readers - Thanks for checking out Rachel's interview and hope you check out all of the other great posts that make up The Crossroads Blog Tour.  During the 8 days of the blog tour, there will be opportunity to win some great swag from our featured authors.  There will be a post later today or tomorrow with more details for entering to win.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Shifters series, Soul Screamer series

Blog: http://rachelvincent.com/

Twitter: @rachelkvincent

Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop

The Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop will run from Dec. 2nd to 6th. Thanks to Kathy from I am a reader. Not a writer for inviting me to co-host.

The winter holidays are just around the corner. Celebrate by participating in this holiday giveaway hop with prizes just for book lovers.

What is a giveaway hop?

Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers & blog readers to hop easily from one giveaway to another.

For blog readers this means lots of chances to win.

For blogs hosting a giveaway it means lots of new visitors. It's a win-win!

Each participating blog will host their own giveaway. There is no requirement on the minimum or maximum value of your giveaway. It's up to you to decide. You can giveaway anything you would like. It does not have to be a book or gift card but should be something a book lover would enjoy.

All participating blogs will be linked up through a Giveaway linky. Please keep the process to enter your giveaway as simple as possible. This hop has a limit of 4 entries per person. 1 mandatory entry and up to 3 optional entries.

As you prepare your giveaway post please remember the following:

1. The Book Lover's Giveaway Hop Images needs to be part of your post.

2. Include the linky list with all the participating blogs at the end of your post OR link to this giveaway hop page or the post on I am a reader. Not a writer.

3. Keep It Simple!! Keep the way to enter your giveaway as simple as possible. 1 Mandatory entry and no more than 3 optional extra entries. All entries must be able to be done on one visit to your blog - Entries such as tweet once a day are NOT allowed (tweeting once is fine).

4. This must be a giveaway specifically for this hop and must run only the 5 days this hop is scheduled.

5. Keep your giveaway easy to find for the 5 days this hop is open. If you post often and your post does not stay near the top of your main blog page then please post a link to your giveaway at the top of your blog or sidebar. If we can't easily find your giveaway you will be deleted from the linky.

Please mark your calendars.

A reminder email will be sent out a few days before the hops starts.

Questions can be emailed to: kidlitfrenzy at gmail dot com

To Sign Up To Host A Giveaway:
Add your blog to the linky! Be sure to include your shipping info in parenthesis after your blog name.

the CYBILS 2011

In case you missed it, the nomination form is live for the 2011 Cybils Awards. Read the eligibility rules and then click here to nominate a favorite title published between October 15, 2010 and October 15, 2011. You can nominate one title per category. The categories are as follows:

Book Apps (yay, I'm a judge.)

• Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books
• Fantasy & Science Fiction
• Fiction Picture Books
• Graphic Novels
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Non-Fiction Picture Books
• Non-Fiction: Middle Grade & Young Adult
• Poetry
• Young Adult Fiction
• So what are you waiting for?!  Go nominate a favorite book!

BREADCRUMBS Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway

Kellie from Walden Pond Press has organized a wonderful blog tour to celebrate the release of Anne Ursu's new book BREADCRUMBS.   To check out all of the different guest posts, interviews, giveaways and more, click here.   Today Anne answers some questions for the readers here at Kid Lit Frenzy. 

In looking at your website, I noticed that you wrote first for adults, and have now written 4 books (including Breadcrumbs) for Middle Graders. What do you like about writing for a younger audience or what is different about writing for a younger audience in your experience? 

I think there’s a lot more freedom in kids books. Kids just don’t have the same expectations about how a book is supposed to work. They happily accept magic, and are unfazed by storytelling methods that break with tradition. It just feels like in middle grade books you have so many more stories to tell, and so many more ways you can tell them.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit several authors' writing spaces. It was fun to see how they set up their space, and what they used as visuals or inspiration on the walls. If we were to come visit your writing space, what would we find? 

I have a small desk in my bedroom that looks out on a gate covered with ivy that is Sleeping Beauty-level thick. I have a lovely antique hurricane lamp that I really need to clean. Next to the desk is a radiator on which can usually be found a manuscript I need to read, mail I need to attend to, and a cat that might be sleeping on top of, knocking over, or chewing on the manuscript/mail. Right now my desk also has a sculpture of Poseidon’s head made out of floral foam that my artist friend made for me this summer. It eyes me disdainfully. I am told it will rot slowly from the inside.

When did you have that "aha" moment that you were going to be a writer or that you really were a writer? Did you come upon it on your own or were you mentored along the way?

I wanted to be a writer from the time I was a kid. I completely lost myself in books and stories. I remember I always wanted to be a writer and something else—a teacher, a lawyer, a professor, a flight attendant (that’s when I was six). And then all the other things fell away, and I just wanted to be a writer. After college I worked at a bookstore, thinking it would give me time to write, not realizing all I would be good for at the end of a day of retail was collapsing on the couch and watching ER reruns. And then one day my parents announced they were going to support me for a year so I could write. Follow your dreams, they said. And I wrote my first book. I am a writer because of them.

Recently, my niece (age 10) shared with me a story she had written. What I noticed most about her writing was her lack of inhibitions with "writing". I realized at that moment that teachers (myself included) can stifle this often by focusing so much on the mechanics of writing. Sometimes we need to just "let them write". What advice would you give to teachers in regards to supporting or developing children as writers?

That’s a great question. I wonder if the answer is to give kids space to work where it’s all about the creativity. Maybe that’s a specific notebook they write in where mechanics just don’t count. Maybe you assign first drafts where nothing else matters but the story, and the polishing comes later—whatever you can do to free them from the idea that it needs to come out perfectly the first time. And maybe it just helps them to hear that most authors revise extensively, and the mechanics are the very last thing they worry about—the whole point is to get the story figured out first.

In writing Breadcrumbs, did you have a story in mind and then looked for a way of integrating it into a fairytale? Or did it start the other way around? 

I was actually directly inspired by the fairy tale of “The Snow Queen.” I was really stuck in my writing, and a woman I teach with gave a lecture on setting in fairy tales and folktales. She said, “If you’re stuck, go read these stories.” I got about a fourth of the way through “The Snow Queen” and the friendship story grabbed me, and I saw a book lay itself out before me.

One of the things that impressed me with Breadcrumbs is how many real life themes you were able to successful weave into this fantastical story. Hazel and Jack are "real" children in that other children will be able to relate to their experiences. What was the most challenging aspect in blending the two (the contemporary story so to speak with the magical)? 

It might sound odd, but it wasn’t something I thought too much about until I was done with the first draft. I realized then that the contemporary section was much longer than they traditionally are in fantasies like this. And in revision it became even longer still. But it had to be; the story required it. And so I had to remind myself that there really aren’t any rules, that what matters is that the story works, and if that meant the book was half contemporary Minneapolis and half weird-fairy-tale-woods world, then that’s what it would be. I teach writing, and sometimes in that environment we all get hung up on rules. I tell my students, “You can do anything you want, as long as it works.” I just had to remind myself that my job was not to follow some self-imposed structure, but to do what the story needed and, in Project Runway terms, to make it work. My real problem was that in the first draft Jack mattered only as he related to Hazel—as the best friend who changes overnight and then disappears and needs to be rescued. But he needed his own story too—there had to be a reason that he needed Hazel, and that he went off with the Snow Queen in the first place. Otherwise the rest of the story simply wouldn’t make sense. Once I figured this out, both worlds of the book had much more depth and the book worked out much better as a whole.

Last question...do you have any favorite snacks or writing routines you must follow when working on a book? 

I consume an enormous amount of popcorn when I’m working—last year I moved on from the microwave cancer bags to the hot air popper. I also eat a lot of red grapes, and my veins run with coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Thanks so much Anne for stopping by and answering some questions.  

You can learn more about Anne Ursu and her books on her website: http://www.anneursu.com/
and here http://www.anneursu.com/handbill/

You can follow her on twitter: @anneursu
And she is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anneursuauthor

Don't forget to join Anne Ursu and Laurel Snyder for a Twitter Chat on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 8 p.m. EST.  Use the hashtag #Magicisreal to join in.  For more information on the chat, click here.

Now for the Giveaway:
Anne has agreed to Skype with a class, book club, group of homeschoolers, etc. for 30-40 minutes about Breadcrumbs.  The Skype visit will include a short reading, and Question & Answer.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 1, 2011 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on October 7, 2011.
3.  You do not need to be a follower of this blog to enter, but if you like what you see, feel free to subscribe.
4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
5.  Comments are not required but always welcome.
6.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.