Day 30- of 31 books in 31 days- Book giveaway by Claudia Gray & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 28th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.


Recap of Rules Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.


How to participate
a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
b) Like the author of the day on facebook
c) Follow the author on Twitter
d) Read any of the author's books
e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)


That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!


All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.


Today's featured author is Claudia Gray. Sheis the best selling author of the Evernight series, a series with one of the largest twists I have ever read. The series is worth a read. Her newest book A thousand Pieces of You is extremely well-written. I read it in one sitting, and can't wait to see if their is a sequel.


Featured book
A darkly enchanting series from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a teenage witch who battles dark forces in her small town, perfect for fans of the Beautiful Creatures and Hex Hall series. A boy cursed with visions that lead to madness. A girl granted the powers to save him. As soon as Nadia arrives in Captive's Sound, she knows something is seriously wrong. The town is shrouded in dark magic, more powerful and complex than she has ever seen. Mateo has lived in Captive's Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is "cursed" with insanity. When the mysterious girl he has been dreaming of every night appears (Nadia), he fears the curse may be true. But danger is coming, and Nadia and Mateo must work together to stop this unknown force before it destroys everything in its path.




                                                  


                                             Interview with Claudia Gray






                                               


Hello Claudia,
Thank you so much for participating in 31 books in 31 days. We are so happy to have you.


When you were a child, who was your favorite author? Why?


I had no one favorite author - I was, and remain, such an avid reader that I could never narrow my top picks to just one or two people! A few writers I definitely sought out & adored were Judy Blume, Madeline L'Engle, C.S. Lewis and E.B. White.


How often do you get to read? How has reading over the year affected your writing?


I read every day, at least for a few minutes. When I'm in the heart of writing, I have less time and tend to stick to nonfiction; when I've got spare time, I read everything I can get my hands on! While I rarely consciously transfer lessons from my reading to my writing, the types of stories and settings that most fascinate me have all come clear through the books I've enjoyed most. I read in another interview that you liked the book Ultraviolet ( I did too).


 What made that book stand out for you? What makes any book memorable for you?


The main thing I love about ULTRAVIOLET is the sheer originality of the premise. Science fiction turns out to mix well with the psychological thriller! And I also think RJ Anderson writes some of the most lyrical, memorable prose in YA today.


What was the last book that had an impact on your life? What was significant about it?


Hmm. Probably JONESTOWN, a book about the survivors of the infamous Jonestown massacre in the 1970s. Leigh Fondakowski - one of the creators behind "The Laramie Project" - worked with them over a long period of time to learn more about what it was like inside that cult, why people stayed, and the forces that led to the mass suicide/murder of nearly 1000 people. We tend to write these people off as mindless sheep, but this book made it clear that the reality was far more complex. I was strongly affected by the recognition of how people's best motives can lead them to do evil things.


What has been the most amazing point in your writing career?


The moment you will remember for a lifetime. Oh, gosh, I'm not sure anything tops the first sale! My agent called on what was, quite literally, the day I had given up. I left her a phone message saying EVERNIGHT was never going to sell, and we should move on to the next thing. She returned the call a few hours later to say, Guess what?


  I feel as though your writing from the Evernight series is a bit different than A Thousand Pieces of You. How has your writing evolved over the years? To what do you attribute this evolution?


Certainly it's different - for the better, I hope. Probably I'm the last person to give specifics on how my style has changed; I try not to overanalyze myself, because I think it would make me self-conscious. But I know my writing is tighter now, and I feel like I'm able to handle more complex plotting. I've also gotten more used to writing in the first person - something I definitely struggled with on EVERNIGHT and STARGAZER.


Tell us a little about your latest novel. What makes your book different from other YA books in its genre?


The Firebird lets Marguerite, Paul & Theo travel to infinite dimensions - and they go to SO many new worlds, see so many radically different lives. New countries, new technologies, new emotional ties: you name it, they deal with it. In all honesty, I'm disappointed this is only a trilogy. I wish the series could go on forever! Also, the heroine and definitely the guys are older than the YA norm. I kept waiting for someone to say, hey, you can't have a 22-year-old character in a YA novel! But nobody ever did.


  Books by Claudia Gray



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Day 27 of 31 books in 31 days- Chris Grabenstein book giveaway and qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 27th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

 Recap of Rules

 Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle. 

How to participate
 a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
 b) Like the author of the day on facebook
 c) Follow the author on Twitter
 d) Read any of the author's books
 e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
 f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

 That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

 All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

 Today's featured author is Chris Grabenstein. He is the author of our featured boo, The Island of Dr.Libris. He is also the coauthor of a series of books with James Patterson,I Funny: A Middle School Story. If you haven't read a book by this New York Times Best Seller yet, you are seriously missing out.

 Featured book
  What if your favorite characters came to life? Billy’s spending the summer in a lakeside cabin that belongs to the mysterious Dr. Libris. But something strange is going on. Besides the security cameras everywhere, there’s Dr. Libris’s private bookcase. Whenever Billy opens the books inside, he can hear sounds coming from the island in the middle of the lake. The clash of swords. The twang of arrows. Sometimes he can even feel the ground shaking. It’s almost as if the stories he’s reading are coming to life! But that’s impossible . . . isn’t it?

                                                Interview with Chris Grabenstein
                               
                               

 Hello Chris, Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions.

 1) Firstly, what role does reading play in your life? 

 A very important one. First thing in the morning, I'm checking the weather report so I know what to wear on my first dog walk of the day. When we get home I read the newspaper and emails and Facebook posts and my Twitter feed. Ah-hah! You thought I was just going to talk about books. But this is what makes writing books that young readers want to read so important: You can't do anything if you can't read. You can't even waste your time playing mindless video game if you can't read the instructions that tell you how to turn your X-box on. But, once you know how to read, you are forever free.

 I, of course, also read a lot of books. Usually in the afternoon after I'm done writing. I like to keep up with what my friends and favorite authors are up to. I like to learn new things – non-fiction is a constant companion. I like to be swept away on page-turning journeys and explore new worlds that have to be imagined before they can be seen.

 2) What was your favorite book as a child? Why was it your favorite?

 Mad's Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions. When I was ten, I bought my first subscription to Mad magazine. Every summer, I would save up my money and buy a half dozen Mad Books. More than any other piece of "literature," MAD taught me the power of words and language. A sense of humor became my best defense against the bullies who tried to terrorize me in middle school. I learned that a punch line is often more powerful than a punch.

 3) Is there a book you wish you wrote? What is it and why?

 TO KILL A MOCKNGBIRD. Who wouldn't want to be the author of a book that good?

 4) What prompted you to write a story about a library? Why did this theme speak to you?

 Ever since my first book was published for middle grades readers in 2008, I have spent a lot of time visiting schools. My day usually starts in the Media Center (what we used to call the Library) and I was impressed by the new breed of fun-loving, smart, eager librarians I met. Gone were the tweed-coated shooshers of my youth. These librarians excelled at matching kids with books the kids would love. It made me wonder, "Where were these librarians when I was growing up?" Maybe I would've read some of the exciting books that were around in my youth (instead of all those Mad magazines). Maybe I would've discovered Edward Eager and HALF MAGIC before two years ago. So, I wrote the book as a tribute to the librarians and teachers who make learning and reading fun for kids.

 5) What makes your latest book special? Why is it different?

 My next book THE ISLAND OF DR. LIBRIS, pubbing on March 24th, is all about the power of imagination to shape our world. In a way, it celebrates one boy's discovery of the power of writing. When characters from books he's reading start coming to life on an island in the middle of the lake where he is spending his summer, Billy must take on the role of writer and try to fashion a happy ending for Hercules, Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Pollyanna, Tom Sawyer, and the Three Musketeers -- as well as his own friends and family.


 Other books by Chris

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Day 26 of 31 books in 31 days- Jeff Strand book giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 26th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Jeff Strand. He is the author of way to many books to mention, but if you are looking for a funny author with innovative plot lines, you have found him. His stories will keep you laughing well into the night. Check out his featured book, Wolf Hunt today.

Featured Book
Meet George and Lou, thugs for hire. The kind of intimidating-yet-friendly guys who will break your thumbs, but be nice about it. Their latest assignment is to drive across Florida to deliver some precious cargo to a crime lord. The cargo: a man in a cage. Though Ivan seems perfectly human, they're warned that he is, in fact, a bloodthirsty werewolf. George and Lou don't believe in the supernatural, but even if they did, it's daytime and tonight isn't the full moon. It's just a simple transport job, albeit one that carries severe consequences if they screw it up. Their instructions are straightforward: Do not open the cage. Do not reach into the cage. Do not throw anything into the cage. And they don't. Unfortunately, Ivan doesn't play by the usual werewolf rules, and the thugs find themselves suddenly responsible for a vicious escaped beast. One who can transform at will. One who enjoys killing in human form as much as he enjoys killing as a monster. If George and Lou want to save their careers, dozens of people, and their own lives, they need to recapture him. Because Ivan the werewolf is in the mood for a murder spree...

                                                     Interview with Jeff Strand

Hello Jeff, 

What was your favorite book to read as a child?

My favorite book changed constantly, and was often just the last one I'd read. I probably re-read Beverly 

Cleary's Ramona series more than anything else...but your question asked about a book, not a series. If 

I'm going to truly narrow it down to one book, I'll go with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy 

Blume. I read that book literally (using the new, not-improved definition of "literally") eight million 

times.

What do you enjoy about reading?

These days, I've moved away a bit from the "Just tell me a story!" attitude and I spend more time 

appreciating the craft of other writers. So it's mostly the small things; a clever turn of phrase, or a 

perfect character detail. I don't really read for escape. That's what cute animal videos are for.

You write a genre I like to call humor-horror. What motivated you to write in this genre? What authors inspired you?

The humor/horror combination that I became known for was really more of an accident, so I don't think 

anybody really inspired it. I was a guy who wanted to write humor but liked to read horror. My writing 

inspirations were very much on the humor side, people like Douglas Adams and Dave Barry. I think you 

can still see both of their influences in my work. Also R.L. Stine, but not because of his horror stuff (I pre-

date Goosebumps and Fear Street) but because of a humor magazine he did called Bananas.

If you could be any YA hero or heroine who would it be?

I'd be the hero in one of my own books, after all of the bad stuff has happened. Because then I could 

write a sequel where they get to hang out on a private island sipping delicious carbonated beverages 

with an unlimited library and a full Netflix queue. It would be a terrible book, but I wouldn't care.

What is the best thing to happen to you as an author?

Jeez, that's a tough one. There really haven't been any "Hooray! This changes everything!" moments in 

my career. It has been a long, slow, steady stream of baby steps that, over fifteen years, built into 

something pretty cool. So I'm going to have to give the obvious answer and go with my very first short 

story acceptance, "The Private Diary of Leonard Parr," by Twisted Magazine. I think the e-mail was 

basically just, "Thanks, we want to publish this," but it was probably the most concentrated burst of joy 

I've felt in my writing life.

Tell us about Wolf Hunt. What inspired this series and how does it differ from other books in its 

genre?

The inspiration was really as simple as, "Okay, Leisure wants another horror novel from me. Do I want to 

do vampires? Mummies? Werewolves? Werewolves sound good. What can I do with werewolves? 

Maybe combine it with a crime novel? That works. Now, what's my story...?" There have been other 

werewolf novels, obviously, and there have been other werewolf novels combined with crime novels, 

but have there been other werewolf novels combined with crime novels combined with comedies? 

Maybe. I'm not sure. If so, Wolf Hunt is still different from them, somehow.

Thank you so much for participating.

Thank you! Should I admit to your readers that it took me until the very last minute to send you these 

answers? Probably not. Forget I said anything.


Other Books by Jeff Strand
 
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Day 23 of 31 books in 31 days- Dora Mochado Book Giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 23rd day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Dora Mochado. Dora Mochado has created a riveting story about runes that will grip audiences of all ages.

 Featured Book
  Between truth and deception, between justice and abuse, a stonewiser stands alone with the stones... Or so begins the Stonewiser's oath. But what happens when a rebellious stonewiser discovers that lies have tainted the stone tales? Like her fellow stonewisers, Sariah always expected to spend her life wising truth from the stones. But when she discovers lies in the sacred stones, she is forced into a pit of intrigue with only her stone pledge and her wits””along with her bitterest enemy””to protect her in a desperate quest to restore justice and prevent her world's destruction .
                                                           


 Hi Folami. It’s a pleasure to celebrate National Reading Month with you and your readers.

 Folami: What role does reading play in your life?

Reading is a fundamental part of my life. It’s my primary source of entertainment, that’s true, but

it’s also an important tool of my trade and an awesome source of learning. I love traveling,

exploring and learning. Reading is an awesome way of doing all of those things.

Folami: Who were some of your favorite authors as a child? What was your favorite book?

Oh, my gosh, that’s a really hard question! I had many favorite authors as a child and to this day

I can’t settle on a favorite book. As a young woman growing up in the Dominican Republic, I

was exposed to many different influences. I thrived on young adult novels from Louisa May

Alcott. I loved Enid Blyton and blazed through The Famous Five, The Seven Secrets and The

Malory Towers series. I think I wanted to be a student at Malory Towers as much as my kids

wanted to go to school at Hogwarts!

But, talk about being a hybrid of many worlds. At the same time I was reading Louisa May

Alcott and Enid Blyton, I was also reading the Latin American classics. Books such as A

Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario

Vargas Llosas, and the House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende left lasting impressions. I also got

to enjoy the Russians (I favored Tolstoy), the French (Victor Hugo), the Germans (Eric Maria

Remarque), the Spanish (Jose Maria Gironella), and the Americans (Hemingway, always

Later, when I came to the States, I discovered fantasy and was dazzled by J.R.R. Tolkien,

Stephen Donaldson, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan, and George R.R. Martin—way before he

became as popular as he is now. I also fell in love with commercial fiction. Diana Gabaldon,

Bernard Cornwell and Anne Rice are some of my all-time favorites.

Folami: What makes a book you read exceptional to you? What about a book you write?

I like a book with a complex plot and lots of twists, a read that challenges my brain, heart and

imagination, a novel that surprises at many levels. I want characters that are complex and

engaging, who grow, change and evolve before our eyes.

I also like flawed characters who have a lot of baggage, heroes and heroines who struggle, not

just against evil and injustice, but also with their flaws, insecurities, self-doubts and limitations. I

love characters who are invested in meaningful relationships and adventures that matter. Because

I write fantasy, I want rich worlds that explore humanity’s realities in new and imaginative

settings. And I want rich writing too, authors who are not afraid to dazzle with a balance of

descriptive brilliance and witty dialogue. This is what I like in the novels I read and also what I

strive to accomplish in the novels I write.

 Folami: If you could escape into any book, what book would that be? Why?

Another really hard question! My usual escape is the novel that I’m reading right now. I’m likely

to obsess about an author and his or her works for a few weeks at a time, then move on. It’s rare

for me to return to the same book once I’ve read it. I love finding new authors and coming across

great and unexpected reads.

Folami: If you could be any YA hero or heroine, who would it be?

Katniss from The Hunger Games.

Folami: In another interview you mentioned having redefined your definition of success as 

an author, by how you connect with readers. What was the last comment a reader gave you 

that really made your author journey feel worthwhile?

My readers have been very generous and kind with their praise. I feel very blessed. I hear from

readers all the time and I treasure each contact. Whether it’s a short five star review on Amazon

that says “I couldn’t put this book down,” or a longer, personal contact through e-mail, Facebook

or Twitter, every time I hear from a reader my author journey feels worthwhile.

Recently a reader posted that my novel kept her up all night and she read it in less than twenty-

four hours. It’s something I hear often and I love it! It means that I’ve successfully conveyed the

passion I feel when I write. Another reader just wrote this:  Riveting to finally read a book and it

takes whole day, and it keeps you entranced the whole time. This book was everything I've been

looking for in a standalone story that had depth and humor, love and courage. It was completely

A few days ago, another reader mentioned I’m on her favorite list of authors. How’s that for an

author boost? Yet another reader said he was going to buy all of my books. Last week, a lady

wrote to ask if the Stonewiser series had been made into a movie and yet another reader

contacted me through FB to ask if there’s a sequel to The Curse Giver. Talk about making an

author giddy with praise.

Folami: Tell us about your latest novel. How does it differ from other books in its genre?

My latest fantasy is The Curse Giver, from Twilight Times Books, an epic fantasy with brawn,

brains and heart, about an innocent healer, Lusielle, who is betrayed and condemned to die for a

crime she didn't commit. When she's about to be executed, Lusielle is rescued from the pyre by

an angry, embittered lord doomed by a mysterious curse. You might think that Bren, Lord of

Laonia, is Lusielle's savior, but he isn't. On the contrary, Bren is pledged to kill Lusielle himself,

because her murder is his people's only salvation.

What ensues is a dangerous journey, where Lusielle and Bren have to escape their ruthless

enemies and unravel the mystery of the terrible curse that ails the Lord of Laonia. They also have

to overcome the distrust they have for each other, struggle with the forbidden attraction between

them, and defy the boundaries between love and hate and good and evil to defeat the curse giver

who has already conjured their ends.

The Curse Giver's Amazon's Link: http://amzn.to/1szECCn

I'm really proud of The Curse Giver. It's gotten some wonderful reviews, which you can check

out at http://www.doramachado.com/cursegiver.php. It also won the 2013 Silver IndieFab Book

of the Year Award in the Fantasy category and was a finalist at the 2013 USA Best Book

Awards.  For those readers who prefer to listen to the story, The Curse Giver is also available as

an audiobook from Audible.com, narrated by the talented Melissa Reizian. It's good old

fashioned storytelling at its very best!

There is a lot more going on at www.doramachado.com, including my blog, which I update on a

monthly basis and my quarterly newsletter. If you or any of your readers have any questions,

please don’t hesitate to contact me at dora@doramachado.com. I’d love to hear from you guys.

Thanks, Folami, for all your hard work coordinating this wonderful celebration of reading. I

enjoyed chatting with you.

About Dora Machado:

Dora Machado is the award-winning author of the epic fantasy Stonewiser series and her newest

novel, The Curse Giver, available from Twilight Times Books. She is one only a few Hispanic

women writing fantasy in the United States today. She grew up in the Dominican Republic,

where she developed a fascination for writing and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of

straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories.

When she is not writing fiction, Dora also writes features for the award-winning blog Murder By

Four and Savvy Authors, where writers help writers. She lives in Florida with her indulgent

husband and two very opinionated cats.

To learn more about Dora Machado and her award winning novels, visit her at

www.doramachado.com , email her at Dora@doramachado.com, find her on Facebook, or follow

her on Twitter.


Other Books by Dora Mochado



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Day 21 of 31 books in 31 days- Paula Weston Book Giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 21st day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Australian writing sensation Paula Weston. She is the author of our featured book, Shadows. Paula has written a book on angels, that will make you rethink angels. Shadows is the start of a series that you should not miss.

Featured book

   
                                                    The Tukish Cover is so Awesome

 It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.                                          

                                                   Interview with Paula Weston
                                   

1) Firstly, I must take the moment to gush and tell you that I love your series. It reminds me why I fell in love with reading. So I must ask you, what role does reading play in your life? How often do you get to curl up with a good book?

Thank you so much! I love to hear that readers are connecting with the series. 

Reading plays a huge role in my life. I've been a life-long reader and always have a book on the

go at any given time. I feel a bit adrift if I don't. Mostly I read hard copy novels (which I buy or

borrow from the library), but I always have a good selection of ebooks on my kindle and iPad,

just so I can never get caught short. You never when the chance might arise to sneak in some

reading!

My schedule is pretty full most days, between by day job and my own writing, but I can usually

squeeze in some reading either in my lunch break or before bed (or both, if I'm reading a

particularly addictive novel!), and always on the weekend. It's my favourite way to relax.


2) I read that you have been an avid reader since you were a child. What are your 3 favorite 

young adult books of all time? Who was your favorite character? Why?

When I was a teenager, we didn't have such a clearly defined 'type' of book as YA, so I just read

whatever came my way. In my teens I read an enormous number of Stephen King horror novels

and David Eddings’ fantasy series. I also loved J.R.R Tolkein, and Louisa May Alcott’s Little

Women.

Most of my favourite YA books are actually ones I’ve read more recently, and my three all-time

faves are:

- On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

- Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield

(I’m also still a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, which defies categorisation).

As a teenager, my favourite character was Jim Craig from The Man from Snowy River by Elyne

Mitchell. I was totally obsessed with this book. It was the novelisation of my favourite film at the

time, which was loosely based on a famous Australian poem. Jim is an eighteen-year-old

horseman from the Snowy Mountains who has to prove himself a man before he can return to

his home. He’s thrown together with the spoilt daughter of a wealthy cattleman whose prize

colt has run off and joined the brumby mob. There’s romance, action, adventure and stunning

Australian settings. Jim was my first serious book crush because he was tough and impulsive, but

also sweet and gentle. And he loved his horse.

3) Is there a book you wish you wrote? What is it and why?

I'll answer this in terms of three writers I greatly admire and the books that totally blew me

away (sorry, I can't restrict my answer just one):

- Maggie Stiefvater: The Scorpio Races

This is one of the most beautifully realised, atmospheric and tense stories I’ve ever read. It’s a

master class in creating a sense of place and populating it with perfectly drawn characters facing

impossible choices. It’s a love story, and not just one between a boy and girl, but between a girl

and her horse, a girl and the wild island she lives on, and a boy and his man-eating water horse.

- Melina Marchetta: Finnikin of the Rock/Froi of the Exiles/Charyn of Quintana (Lumatere

Chronicles)

I just love Melina Marchetta’s writing, whether it’s her contemporary YA or this exceptional YA

fantasy series. In this trilogy, she delivers meticulous plotting and world building, layered

characters, plenty of tension, action and humour, and profound insights into the human capacity

for love, forgiveness and hope. I cared deeply for so many characters in this series – fretted for

them even – that I still carry them with me.

- The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

This is an incredibly moving and beautifully written story, which I read within a year of its release

and am currently re-reading (I still haven’t seen the film). Zusak’s writing is so evocative and rich,

and infused with wit, warmth and empathy. It’s a unique story, made even more unique by the

fact it’s narrated by Death. Reading it a second time around I’m remembering why it moved me

so much the first time. A must read.

4)  What prompted you to write a story about angels?  Why did this theme speak to you?

I honestly didn’t set out to write a story about angels and demons. I’d had an idea for a while

(while working on other writing projects) that wouldn’t go away. It involved a guy and girl who

were attracted to each other and who had a complicated history that only he remembered. I

knew they were part of a broader conflict and that they had ended up on different sides. I also

knew there were paranormal elements to how she’d lost her memory.

When I started fleshing out their story and their world, I came across the Book of Enoch, a

2,000-year-old text that recounts the fall of the angel Semyaza and his two hundred of his fellow

angel warriors. The idea of those fallen angels and their lack of self control sparked a rush of

ideas.

For me, the real fascination wasn’t in why Semyaza and the others fell in the first place, but

what the consequences would be for their offspring – particularly if something happened to the

fallen angels to take them out of the picture. I wanted to put their half-angel offspring in a very

modern setting, having already been alive for almost a century and a half, still dealing with the

consequences of their father’s actions.

On one level, the Rephaim series is about Gaby and Rafa’s complicated relationship and the

mystery of what Gaby and her brother, Jude, did a year ago. And on a broader level, it’s about

how the Rephaim see themselves in the world – and the tension created when they disagree on

what their role should be.

Writing this story also gave me the opportunity to explore themes that have always fascinated

me, about identity and responsibility.

5) What can you tell potential readers about the series? What makes it stand out from the other Young adult books on the shelf?

The Rephaim series is contemporary character-driven fantasy that’s equal parts mystery, action

and romance. It’s written first person, present tense and told totally from Gaby’s perspective,

which means readers make discoveries along with Gaby.

As a writer, I enjoy exploring the complexity of relationships between all of my characters – the

things that draw them close and the things that push them apart – as much as I enjoy writing

fight scenes, so there’s a good mix of both throughout the four books.

As for points of difference...the things readers talk about the most are the setting (much of it in

a coastal Australian town), the ages of the characters (older teens/early twenties…although the

Rephaim are actually much older than that), and the slightly different take on fallen angel

mythology.


 Other Books by Paula Weston
 
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Day 18 of 31 books in 31 days- Dale Basye book giveaway & a chance to win a kindle

Welcome to the 18th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.
How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's author of the day is Dale Basye. He is the author of the widely popular Circle of Heck Series, a series about where bad kids go after death. People of all ages will love this comedy-filled series. If you haven't read this book as yet, you are truly missing out.


Featured Book
When Milton and Marlo Fauster die in a marshmallow-bear explosion, they get sent straight to Heck, an otherworldly reform school. Milton can understand why his kleptomaniac sister is here, but Milton is—or was—a model citizen. Has a mistake been made? Not according to Bea “Elsa” Bubb, the Principal of Darkness. She doesn’t make mistakes. She personally sees to it that Heck—whether it be home ec class with Lizzie Borden, ethics with Richard Nixon, or gym with Blackbeard the pirate—is especially, well, heckish for the Fausters. Will Milton and Marlo find a way to escape? Or are they stuck here for all eternity, or until they turn eighteen, whichever comes first?





                                             Interview with Dale Basye

1) What is your favorite part of the reading experience? 

Hmm…I suppose my favorite part of the reading experience is when light hits the page and those light waves bounce toward my eyes, where my optic nerve harvests the waves and translates them into electrical signals. Then those electrical signals are sent to the Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas of the brain, where the brain interprets written words. Certain words—such as “chocolate,” “cinnamon” and “rose”— may elicit a response not only from the language-processing areas of my brain, but also those devoted to dealing with smells. Metaphors regarding texture may stimulate my sensory cortex, where as those evoking motion may stimulate my motor cortex. There is substantial overlap in the brain networks I use to understand stories and the networks I use to navigate interactions with other individuals, which is why my connection to reality is so tenuous. So yeah, I guess that’s my favorite part of the reading experience.

2) What Young Adult or Middle Grade book have you read recently? What did you enjoy about it?  

To be honest, I haven’t read any great YA or MG in a while. I’ve mostly been into Non-Fiction. I just got Rainbow Rowell’s Landline from the library and, though I’m only a few chapters into it, liking it. But this isn’t one of her YA novels. I have Eleanor & Park but I haven’t cracked it open yet. I’m not sure what my resistance is lately. Perhaps it’s because I either think a book is lame or so good it makes me jealous.

 I’ve read a few YA books recently that I won’t name because the authors are good people, but even though these books are lauded I just don’t get it. But I freely admit that this probably has more to do with me than with the books themselves. I did really like David Levithan’s Every Day though it did make me jealous. And John Green I think is fabulous though I made the mistake of reading four of his books in a row and OD’d a bit on his style.

 Lately I’ve been reading comedian biographies, like Martin Short’s and Amy Poehler’s. One book I’m really looking forward to is the new one by Kelly Link. I love her style. Even if one of her stories doesn’t exactly “work” it at least takes me someplace I’ve never been before, and 99% of the books I see, especially in YA/MG are the exact same freakin’ story.

3) What is the last book that you read that impacted you? How did it affect you and has any of that carried into your writing?

Cooking books often affect me quite profoundly, especially if I’m making chili and use cheap meat. A book that I just finished that still has me basking in its glow is Creativity Inc. by Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull. It’s a great examination of the practicalities of managing creativity. There are a lot of lessons of how they manage the creative process that can be absorbed on the personal level. Where I am right now (not in my paper mache dungeon, but mentally/emotionally), I can really use that.

Lately, I feel like I should make flyers and poster them to telephone poles, reading: “Missing Mojo. Reward Offered If Found” and, if someone does indeed return my mojo, then I will have them arrested because they obviously were the criminals responsible. But that’s just me: I have a tendency to blame other people for my shortcomings. I get that from my mom. It’s her fault.

Anyway, I need to find my creative spark again. I am currently developing a couple of TV show ideas, so that’s fun, but otherwise it has been doing my work writing which, while satisfying on a “buying food/maintaining shelter” level, doesn’t get my creative juices flowing necessarily. So this is a long-winded way of saying that I look forward to adopting some of the learnings I gleaned from Creativity Inc.!

4) If you could be any fictional main character from a Young Adult or Middle Grade book, who would it be 

and why?

That’s a stumper. Ooh…maybe Stumper from the Maimed Bambi series! Hmm…I suppose I should pick Nancy Drew

or somebody who has been in a zillion books, thus being somewhat immortal. Or Laura Ingalls from Little House on

the Prairie, only without all of the hardship, toil and blind-sisterness. Or Pippi Longstocking…I mean, great hair!

But, for today at least, I think it would be great fun to be Willy Wonka. I mean, think about it: unlimited access to

chocolate. A skilled and cheap workforce. Cool inventions. Snappy wardrobe. Free reign to torment children and

their parents. What more could anyone want? I’d also like to be a character in a Kurt Vonnegut book because then

I could reverse-engineer how Vonnegut was such a wonderful writer.

5) I have read your interviews, you’re always so humorous. Have you always had such a contagious sense of 

humor? Do you have an author who inspired you with his or her humor?  

I try to wash my hands in hot water after telling a joke, but I still can’t guarantee that the humor won’t be

contagious, so for that I apologize. Maybe someday there will be a cure, though laughter is often considered the

best medicine, so that’s a bit of a Catch-22 (speaking of HILARIOUS books). As far as humor writers, they all seem

to try too hard. I love the authors like Tom Robbins or Kurt Vonnegut that are funny, but also weird and sad in the

same mix. The force that really shaped me humorously was Monty Python. I remember watching the show for the

first time in fourth grade. It was on at 11 at night and I had a tiny black-and-white TV in my room, and I just sort of

stumbled upon it and was hooked. I understood very little of it at first, but it was like a gateway into some surreal,

forbidden alternate universe (England, basically). That show has always made me laugh the loudest of any show

ever. Other Brit-coms like The Mighty Boosh, The Young Ones, Fawlty Towers, Black Adder, and Absolutely

Fabulous are other shows that tickle the ‘ol funny bone. I also recall reading Steve Martin’s Cruel Shoes as a kid

and being smitten. It had that same absurdist, dark-spirited humor that gets me every time.

6) Why do you write MG books? What interests you about the genre?

Kids are like adults only they don't have to shave quite as much. But they want a book to facilitate escape—just like us— a portal to another world where they can lose themselves. Kids want something much more plot-driven, though. The story has to move. They love the humor of Heck, but I was surprised at how some kids, especially the spooky kids, really connected with the characters and the adventure-aspects of the story. They take the ridiculousness almost as seriously as I do. My readers also appreciate that I don't talk/write down to them: that I use words they have to occasionally look up (heck, so do I sometimes) and that I can introduce them to dead historical figures that they more than likely would never have encountered, at least not at this age, such as Richard

Nixon and Lizzie Borden.

So I basically write MG books because I write MG books. I guess it’s simply because those are the stories I’ve come

up with. It’s interesting when people ask me why I choose to write for children, and I have to say, I really don’t. I

happen to be an arrested individual (no convictions, other than to be the best I can be), so I simply write for

myself. I may tone down the off-color nature or innuendo-rich witticisms that often spring up naturally, but other

than that, I write to amuse or engage me and don’t think too much about the reader. That may sound terrible, but

I mean it in a good way: I don’t pander or assume I know what’s in the head of that wonderful young person on the

other side of the page. I just naively hope that they enjoy the ride as much as I (and no, we’re not there yet…don’t

make me pull this interview over!).

Whenever I write the Heck books, I always tend to write them as if they were for teens, then-in the editing

process-they get softened somewhat so that they are appropriate for especially precocious 9-12 year-olds. Though

this age group still seems a bit young to me, considering the language and the themes I use. But the publishing

world is very regimented in this way, as it is all about shelf space. My very, very first draft of Heck had Marlo, um,

becoming a woman in Heck. That was probably the very first thing I changed.

I definitely think both children and adults can enjoy my books, as long as those children and adults have a good

sense of humor (which is something that everyone thinks they have but not everyone really does). I'm not talented

enough to go "Oh, today I'll write for a nine year-old Canadian boy"…unless, of course, a nine year-old Canadian

boy were to commission me for a school report. I write for me. And, to keep things interesting, I throw in a lot of

stuff that not only many kids won't get, but that a lot of adults won't get either. Not because they aren't clever

enough, but because sometimes I'm just obstinately obscure. It helps me when creating a story, grabbing a lot of

arcane bits here and there so it seems real to me. Ideally, kids will be able to read my books and get one

experience, while adults will be able to read them and get another. Though there are a lot of references in my

books, I try hard to prevent them from becoming obstacles to the story. My editor is really good at pointing that

stuff out to me!

7) What is the main premise of your series Heck Where the Bad Kids Go?  What makes the series different from other middle grade books and what inspired you to write it?

The main premise is about how arbitrary our species’ sense of right and wrong can be, and how that in many feeds our vision of an afterlife. It’s also, basically, about how much I hated middle school. It’s an awful time of in-betweenness that feels like an eternity.

After working in journalism and advertising for so long, I desperately wanted to just make something up (though I did that a lot with my advertising campaigns!). I just really wanted to write something fantastical and ridiculous. So I initially came up with Heck after ruminating on Satan and the underworld: just wondering, as so many of us do, where exactly do bad kids go? H-e-doublehockeysticks just seemed way too harsh. But a place that was really indistinguishable from my middle school experience? Yeah: that's it! So with that concept in mind, I got writing.

Luckily, the Dante-esue architecture of my all-ages underworld helps me in terms of coming up with stuff. I basically take whatever belief system I can get my hands on and smash it up (ooh-ooh-woo-ooh), then assemble a collage of sorts to create this fantasy world: like a ransom note cut of every possible notion of the afterlife. That way no one can get offended (well, I've found that most anyone can be offended if they really want to be) because I'm making fun of everything, which is kind of like making fun of nothing, parody-wise. And, in terms of G.O.D., if there truly is a master plan, it would have to be vaguely Swiss in its precision, in the sense of a clockwork bureaucracy. Plus my idea of Hell would have to be some dismal, ironically soulless institution: like Dante's Department of Motor Vehicles.

 Each book deals with a certain kid-specific "sin," which helps me in terms of picking which dead historical characters to use, as well as any sin-specific sub-plots or just anything that is ripe with irony. Through it all,however, are the two protagonists: Milton and Marlo Fauster. Each book has Milton stepping up to the terrible circumstances fate has dealt him and gaining more confidence. He stops reacting to the situations and starts acting. Marlo learns, first hand, how power can corrupt, and how getting what you think you want is often the worst thing one can get. Heck acted as an introduction to the world I'm creating, whereas Rapacia is really the first book that puts the overall series arc in motion. Fibble concluded, kind of, certain story threads, while Snivel began
new ones. It's like a lush tapestry that the cat just barfed on. Excuse me…

…okay, I’m back. Damn cat. Which is weird, because I don’t have a cat. Anyway, I’m not sure how different Heck is from what’s going on in Middle Grade, though it seems to go a bit farther without going too far. It’s really more of a YA series, I think, though the characters are younger. I’m hoping one aspect that makes the series different is how many layers it has. I really am quite mentally ill (in a good way), and hopefully it shows in my writing!

Other books by Dale Basye

        

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Day 15 of 31 books in 31 days- Mary Elizabeth Summer book giveaway, Qualify to win a kindle & 25$ giftcard!

Welcome to the 15th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

                                           
Julep Dupree tells lies. A lot of them. She’s a con artist, a master of disguise, and a sophomore at Chicago’s swanky St. Agatha High, where her father, an old-school grifter with a weakness for the ponies, sends her to so she can learn to mingle with the upper crust. For extra spending money Julep doesn’t rely on her dad—she runs petty scams for her classmates while dodging the dean of students and maintaining an A+ (okay, A-) average. But when she comes home one day to a ransacked apartment and her father gone, Julep’s carefully laid plans for an expenses-paid golden ticket to Yale start to unravel. Even with help from St. Agatha’s resident Prince Charming, Tyler Richland, and her loyal hacker sidekick, Sam, Julep struggles to trace her dad’s trail of clues through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts, family secrets, and worse, the threat of foster care. With everything she has at stake, Julep’s in way over her head . . . but that’s not going to stop her from using every trick in the book to find her dad before his mark finds her. Because that would be criminal.

                                        Interview- Mary Elizabeth Summer

Hello Mary,

Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions. 

1) What do you love about reading? What is the last book you read?

I love how it transports me to another world and someone else’s set of problems. It makes me forget 

my own struggle for a while, and I can focus on reading another person to their happily ever after (or 

at least satisfying resolution ;-)). Fiction just makes so much sense when real life often does not. I 

love connecting with characters on such a deep, personal level by sharing their headspace. If the 

book is particularly good, I’ll actually miss them afterward, as if they really existed and we were 

actually friends.The last book I read was THE CONSPIRACY OF US by Maggie E. Hall.

2) Is there a Young adult book that you wish you had written? If so, what was it and why does it speak to you?

This is a tough one. There are so many amazing books out there that stole my heart and breath away. 

If I have to pick one, I’ll go with RUN TO YOU by Clara Kensie. The emotions that book evoked 

from me were incredible. I haven’t felt that much for a character in a loooong time. 

3) Why do you choose to write young adult books?

I write books for teens, because I was a teen when books were the most magical to me. I still don’t 

find nearly as much magic in adult literature as I do YA. When I open a YA novel, I know I will be 

utterly and completely transported. I’ll face impossible challenges and heroic characters who aren’t 

afraid to leave it all out on the table. Adult books, to me, are too guarded, too self-conscious, and far 

more likely to either bore me or tick me off. YA is where story comes alive. And frankly, I don’t 

have time for books that don’t.

4) Did any one book inspire you to be an author? If so what was it and why?

Every book I’ve ever read has inspired me in one way or another, even the ones I didn’t like (which 

just inspired me to write better). Inspiration is a constant need for me, so I get it from everywhere I 

can. 

5)  Why did you choose to write about the bad girls and boys of fiction? What drew you to the 

theme?

Honestly, I can’t figure out why anyone would not write about them. It’s the perfect character 

mashup of strength and inner conflict PLUS exciting car chases and guns going off. The bad kids are 

always going to wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s easy to put them there, because 

they’d already be there—no awkward plot devices necessary. Also, the bad kids are going to be 

strong and flawed right out of the gate. They have to be strong to be a villain, and clearly they have 

interesting flaws, because they’re a villain. Then you pit them against an even nastier villain, and 

watch the sparks fly—not just in the plot, but in their own hearts and minds as they try to reconcile 

their bad-kid identity with their atypical heroic actions. LOVE. Also, it may have something to do 

with the fact that my favorite He-Man episodes when I was kid were the episodes where He-Man 

and Skeletor had to team up against a common enemy. Those were the BEST. 

6) What can people expect from your debut novel? Romance, humor, action?

I like to say it’s 90% criminal shenanigans, 5% romance, and 5% ouch. There’s definitely a lot of 

snark, because Julep is just that way. But mostly it’s her trying to figure out what happened to her 

dad and avoiding deadly encounters with her nemesis—the horrible dean of students. Well, and the 

Ukrainian mob. ;-) 

Thank you so much for participating. 

Thank you so much for inviting me.

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Day 14 of 31 books in 31 days- Alison Kemper book giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 14th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's author of the day is the very talented Alison Kemper. She is the author of Donna of the Dead, our featured read, and Dead over Heels. These two zombie stories are  a very original take on the theme of the undead. If you haven't checked out this author yet, today is a good day to do so.

Donna Pierce might hear voices, but that doesn't mean she's crazy. Probably.

The voices do serve their purpose, though- whenever Donna hears them, she knows she's in danger. So when they start yelling at the top of their proverbial lungs, its no surprise she and her best friend, Deke, end up narrowly escaping a zombie horde. Alone without their families, they take refuge at their high school with the super-helpful nerds, the bossy head cheerleaders, and-- best of all?--Liam, hottie extraordinaire and Donna's long-time crush. When Liam is around, it's easy to forget about the moaning zombies, her dad's plight to reach them, and how weird Deke is suddenly acting toward her.

But as the teens' numbers dwindle and their escape plans fall apart, Donna has to listen to the secrets those voices in her head have been hiding. It seems not all the zombies are shuffling idiots, and the half-undead aren't really down with kids like Donna...

                                             Interview with Alison

What role does reading play in your life?

A huge one! If I'm not writing, I'm reading. :) I heard that Maggie Steifvater is one of your favorite authors. Which series of hers is your favorite and what makes her stories resonate with you? SCORPIO RACES is my favorite Maggie Steifvater novel. Both Puck and Sean are such fantastic characters--I couldn't decide which I wanted to win the race. I'm also really enjoying THE RAVEN CYCLE series. For anyone who hasn't read THE RAVEN BOYS, something crazy happens about midway through the novel--I had to close the book and start again from the beginning to pick up on everything I'd missed about one of the characters. It totally blew my mind!

 What was the last book you read that impacted your life? What about it was so life altering?

 I loved THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales. Elise (and her dad) made me think a lot about creative activities--and how crazy they can make our lives, but how worthwhile it is to follow our artistic dreams. If you could choose to be a character from any YA book, who would you be? Why? Probably Anna from ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS--living in Paris for a year, flirting with the hot British boy... How fun is that, right?

 Why do you read and write YA books?

 I think it's one of the most interesting times in a person's life. Everything is so new and fresh--all the feelings are extra strong.

 Your books are a comedic spin on zombies. Why this theme? Why this approach?

I've always been a big fan of zombie movies--especially the funny ones like ZOMBIELAND and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. When I first started writing, I thought I'd write a funny book for middle grade readers--and then my characters kept flirting, and then kissing, so I thought I'd better bump it up to a YA level. :)

 Tell us about your book and why people enjoy it? Leave modesty at the door.

 So many people tell me they'd never read a zombie novel (and didn't think they wanted to),until they tried DEAD OVER HEELS. It's an interesting combination: an apocalyptic horror story mixed with humor and romance. Definitely not your typical zombie story! And the Kindle edition is on sale right now for $0.99! (shameless plug)



Other Books by Allison Kemper



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