Author Interview: Wynne Channing (author of What Kills Me)

Hi!

A few weeks ago, I got the chance to read What Kills Me by Wynne Channing and I really loved it (see my review)! I do need my vampire fix from time to time, and What Kills Me was a perfect fix: it gave me vamps, fast-paced and interesting plot, wit and banter, kickbutt heroine, swoon-worthy hero, romance, non-stop action and don't get me started on the swordplay (ahh! the amazing fight scenes!!!). Then, of course, I wanted to know more about all the awesomeness, so I asked the author, Wynne Channing, for an interview, and she graciously  answered all my nosy questions. I really, really love this interview - Whynne's answers rock! *fan girl moment* 

So... Enjoy! :D

 

Deea: Welcome on Deea’s Journal and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

Wynne Channing: Thank you so much for hosting me!

D: For people who read about your work for the first time, could you give a short description of What Kills Me?

WC:Sure! What Kills Me is a paranormal adventure about bravery and survival. It begins when 17-year-old Zee falls into a well filled with blood and emerges a vampire. Her “becoming” is unprecedented, leading the undead empire to fear her. So they hunt her to the death, er, second death because she’s technically already dead.

D: Why did you decide to write about vampires?

WC: I know vampires seem so played out right now, but I’ve been a fan of the blood-sucking monsters since I was young. Some of my favorite horror movies from way back featured the scariest vamps ever.

D: When it comes to vampire stories, I’m used to cold, far away places, so the setting in What Kills Me was  nice and refreshing. How did you decide where to set the story? (it starts in Italy)

W: If you’re a creature who has been alive for centuries, you’re probably well traveled. I wanted What Kills Me to have global appeal and multicultural characters. It begins in Rome and moves to Taipei. The sequel will feature new places.

D: What was your inspiration for this novel? And did you have to do any specific research? (If I go looking for the Sacriva – the vampire scripture — will I find it? Since I live in Romania, and all.)

WC: I saw the image of a girl crawling out of a well covered in blood. It freaked me out enough to base a novel on it. The vampire scriptures are a figment of my imagination. But if you find them, please let me know!!!

Oh. And there goes my dream to go on a treasure hunt. *sigh*

D:  Zee is fun, feisty, easy to relate to and most importantly, a very realistic character. Is she anything like you or like someone you know in real life?

WC: She is a cooler, kinder, and braver version of me at 17. She’s basically the person that I wished I could’ve been. But she definitely has my curiosity. Except my love of exploration brought me to journalism...and hers well, it always gets her into serious, often deadly, trouble.

D: Lucas is a very complex, swoon worthy and, as far as I’m concerned, perfect character. Can you tell us a bit more about him and how you created him?

WC: Lucas comes across as a jerk. But given his history, how he’s been hurt in the past, I understand how he can be guarded. He’s protective of his family, and of his emotions, but with time, he extends this protection to Zee. That’s a value they both share — they’re both loyal as hell.

I wanted their relationship to unfold naturally. Chaos and tragedy isn’t the best setting for romance. When they first meet, they’re too busy killing and avoiding being killed to kiss. It kind of annoys me when I watch actions/horror films and the damsel in distress swoons so easily for the hero amid all the death and destruction. “Everyone I love has just been killed. Wait a minute. You’re sexy...” What the heck.

I know, right?! It bugs me when that happens in novels too. But I really liked how the relationship between Lucas and Zee developed. It was smooth and tender, yet intense and dreamy. ♥

D: The non-stop action, adventures and witty dialogue make What Kills Me a very energetic read. I was practically bouncing in my seat when I read certain scenes. What do you do to set the mood when you write? Do you have a playlist you listen to?

WC: I’m glad! Sometimes I just listen to the radio or set the iPod on shuffle. I just need the noise in the background.

D: What Kills Me is full of action and at the same time, an emotional roller coaster. What was the hardest part to write? What about the easiest part?

WC: Great question. The easiest and most fun parts to write were the action sequences — I’m a huge kung-fu film fan – and any scene where Lucas and Zee get to just be together (and annoy each other). They have lovely chemistry. The hardest parts to write were the ones where Zee has to mourn her lost friends and family. You want to give her grief depth and to do that, you go to dark places.

Yeah, I can see why those scenes were hard to write, they were really heartbreaking. And I loved the fight scenes and Lucas and Zee's banter too!

D: I know that you’re currently working on the sequel, but what’s next after that? Do you have any other projects in the works?

WC: There could be a final third book to close off the series. I’m also working on a dystopian psychological thriller set in high school.

YAY! I love psychological thrillers! I can't wait to read it!

D: It’s probably still early to ask, but can you give us a little teaser about what to expect from the next book?

WC: It’s hard to talk about without spoiling the ending of What Kills Me! A huge revelation at the end of Book One changes everything. Both Zee and the empire are going to have to deal with this new reality. Zee and Lucas’s relationship will continue to grow and change. You’ll learn more about the legend, the first vampires. You’ll also get to meet characters just mentioned Book One, Lucas’s brother, members of the rebellion, etc. Of course, there will be more blood, humor and twists!

Eep, I can't wait to meet Lucas' s brother!:D *hopes he's one of the good guys*

D: Now that you have the experience of publishing your first novel, do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

WC: Finish your novel. Make sure it’s the best darn story that it can be. That means rewrite it if you have to, and get it professionally edited. And don’t give up. This world belongs to those who are brave enough to do whatever it takes to get things done. So go and do it — by laying one brick at a time!

*nods* *takes notes for later*

D: Thank you again for stopping by and for answering all my questions! I’m looking forward to reading more adventures of Lucas (and Zee, of course).

WC: Thank you so much for the great questions!

***

About the book:

Published: June 6th 2012
by Jet & Jack Press
Format: ebook, 209 pages

Goodreads

An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.

So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.

How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?

***

About the author: 

Wynne Channing is an award-winning national newspaper reporter and young adult novelist.

She started writing horror/fantasy tales as a girl. She still has the first novel that she wrote when she was 10. It’s (unintentionally) hilarious.

Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite).

She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”

Find Wynne: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Get the book (for only $0.99!)

Amazon US / Amazon UK / B & N

xoxo

Author Interview: Wynne Channing (author of What Kills Me)

Hi!

A few weeks ago, I got the chance to read What Kills Me by Wynne Channing and I really loved it (see my review)! I do need my vampire fix from time to time, and What Kills Me was a perfect fix: it gave me vamps, fast-paced and interesting plot, wit and banter, kickbutt heroine, swoon-worthy hero, romance, non-stop action and don't get me started on the swordplay (ahh! the amazing fight scenes!!!). Then, of course, I wanted to know more about all the awesomeness, so I asked the author, Wynne Channing, for an interview, and she graciously  answered all my nosy questions. I really, really love this interview - Whynne's answers rock! *fan girl moment* 

So... Enjoy! :D

 

Deea: Welcome on Deea’s Journal and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

Wynne Channing: Thank you so much for hosting me!

D: For people who read about your work for the first time, could you give a short description of What Kills Me?

WC:Sure! What Kills Me is a paranormal adventure about bravery and survival. It begins when 17-year-old Zee falls into a well filled with blood and emerges a vampire. Her “becoming” is unprecedented, leading the undead empire to fear her. So they hunt her to the death, er, second death because she’s technically already dead.

D: Why did you decide to write about vampires?

WC: I know vampires seem so played out right now, but I’ve been a fan of the blood-sucking monsters since I was young. Some of my favorite horror movies from way back featured the scariest vamps ever.

D: When it comes to vampire stories, I’m used to cold, far away places, so the setting in What Kills Me was  nice and refreshing. How did you decide where to set the story? (it starts in Italy)

W: If you’re a creature who has been alive for centuries, you’re probably well traveled. I wanted What Kills Me to have global appeal and multicultural characters. It begins in Rome and moves to Taipei. The sequel will feature new places.

D: What was your inspiration for this novel? And did you have to do any specific research? (If I go looking for the Sacriva – the vampire scripture — will I find it? Since I live in Romania, and all.)

WC: I saw the image of a girl crawling out of a well covered in blood. It freaked me out enough to base a novel on it. The vampire scriptures are a figment of my imagination. But if you find them, please let me know!!!

Oh. And there goes my dream to go on a treasure hunt. *sigh*

D:  Zee is fun, feisty, easy to relate to and most importantly, a very realistic character. Is she anything like you or like someone you know in real life?

WC: She is a cooler, kinder, and braver version of me at 17. She’s basically the person that I wished I could’ve been. But she definitely has my curiosity. Except my love of exploration brought me to journalism...and hers well, it always gets her into serious, often deadly, trouble.

D: Lucas is a very complex, swoon worthy and, as far as I’m concerned, perfect character. Can you tell us a bit more about him and how you created him?

WC: Lucas comes across as a jerk. But given his history, how he’s been hurt in the past, I understand how he can be guarded. He’s protective of his family, and of his emotions, but with time, he extends this protection to Zee. That’s a value they both share — they’re both loyal as hell.

I wanted their relationship to unfold naturally. Chaos and tragedy isn’t the best setting for romance. When they first meet, they’re too busy killing and avoiding being killed to kiss. It kind of annoys me when I watch actions/horror films and the damsel in distress swoons so easily for the hero amid all the death and destruction. “Everyone I love has just been killed. Wait a minute. You’re sexy...” What the heck.

I know, right?! It bugs me when that happens in novels too. But I really liked how the relationship between Lucas and Zee developed. It was smooth and tender, yet intense and dreamy. ♥

D: The non-stop action, adventures and witty dialogue make What Kills Me a very energetic read. I was practically bouncing in my seat when I read certain scenes. What do you do to set the mood when you write? Do you have a playlist you listen to?

WC: I’m glad! Sometimes I just listen to the radio or set the iPod on shuffle. I just need the noise in the background.

D: What Kills Me is full of action and at the same time, an emotional roller coaster. What was the hardest part to write? What about the easiest part?

WC: Great question. The easiest and most fun parts to write were the action sequences — I’m a huge kung-fu film fan – and any scene where Lucas and Zee get to just be together (and annoy each other). They have lovely chemistry. The hardest parts to write were the ones where Zee has to mourn her lost friends and family. You want to give her grief depth and to do that, you go to dark places.

Yeah, I can see why those scenes were hard to write, they were really heartbreaking. And I loved the fight scenes and Lucas and Zee's banter too!

D: I know that you’re currently working on the sequel, but what’s next after that? Do you have any other projects in the works?

WC: There could be a final third book to close off the series. I’m also working on a dystopian psychological thriller set in high school.

YAY! I love psychological thrillers! I can't wait to read it!

D: It’s probably still early to ask, but can you give us a little teaser about what to expect from the next book?

WC: It’s hard to talk about without spoiling the ending of What Kills Me! A huge revelation at the end of Book One changes everything. Both Zee and the empire are going to have to deal with this new reality. Zee and Lucas’s relationship will continue to grow and change. You’ll learn more about the legend, the first vampires. You’ll also get to meet characters just mentioned Book One, Lucas’s brother, members of the rebellion, etc. Of course, there will be more blood, humor and twists!

Eep, I can't wait to meet Lucas' s brother!:D *hopes he's one of the good guys*

D: Now that you have the experience of publishing your first novel, do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

WC: Finish your novel. Make sure it’s the best darn story that it can be. That means rewrite it if you have to, and get it professionally edited. And don’t give up. This world belongs to those who are brave enough to do whatever it takes to get things done. So go and do it — by laying one brick at a time!

*nods* *takes notes for later*

D: Thank you again for stopping by and for answering all my questions! I’m looking forward to reading more adventures of Lucas (and Zee, of course).

WC: Thank you so much for the great questions!

***

About the book:

Published: June 6th 2012
by Jet & Jack Press
Format: ebook, 209 pages

Goodreads

An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race.

So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive.

How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?

***

About the author: 

Wynne Channing is an award-winning national newspaper reporter and young adult novelist.

She started writing horror/fantasy tales as a girl. She still has the first novel that she wrote when she was 10. It’s (unintentionally) hilarious.

Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite).

She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”

Find Wynne: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Get the book (for only $0.99!)

Amazon US / Amazon UK / B & N

xoxo

The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club Blog Tour: Author Interview with J.C. Isabella & Giveaway

Hi!

I'm very excited to have J.C. Isabella, the author of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club, on the blog today! As part of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club  Blog Tour, I had the honor to interview her and she graciously answered all my questions!:D

Enjoy!

Deea: Welcome on Deea’s Journal and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

For people who read about your work for the first time, could you give a short description of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club?

J.C. Isabella: The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club is about family and love at its core. You have Chloe, a girl who is trying to ignore how she feels for Zack, while trying to keep the club a secret. Then you have Zack, someone who looks and acts like the stereotypical jock, but is really a genuine guy who cares about Chloe. It’s about realizing what is important to you, and going for it.


D: One of the things I really like about The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club is that we have two alternate POV’s. What was writing from a guy’s POV like?

J.C. :Honestly, I didn’t have a hard time with it. I tried not to think about writing from a guy’s point of view, and how hard it would be. I just wrote as the person, and how they were feeling. I expounded on certain things that set genders apart. Also, when I was growing up, I hung out with the boys. Some of my best friends were guys, one was a baseball player, so I got to see how they operate when they were just being themselves. If I am having trouble getting into a guy’s head for something, I’ll look at an actor, and ask myself, what would he do, or what would the character he played do?


D: Chloe has a great voice and she is so easy to relate to! Is she anything like you or like someone you know in real life?

J.C. I suppose I can be perfectly honest here, and tell you that Chloe and I are similar in some ways. Humor, for one, and quirks are abound. With her, I set out to write a real person, someone I could relate to, and when I did that, I think I may have put a little of me in her. I am a very approachable friendly person, and that’s really how I wanted Chloe to be.


D: What was your favorite part to write?

J.C. I love writing the banter between Zack and Chloe. The teasing, the arguing, it’s sometimes more satisfying to me than the happy ending. Anyone can have fun writing a few lovey words, but when you hammer out an argument that leaves a character reeling, not sure if they’d rather hit the person or kiss them, and they are just so frustrated, it’s really a lot of fun. Tension makes everything amazing!

*I know, right? That's my favorite part to read too! I'm addicted to books that have that kind of tension and banter!*

D. All the games, secrets, clubs and societies make the world in The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club lots of fun and exciting. Did you experience any of that in high school/college?

J.C. I was in a couple clubs, but nothing really secretive. What influenced part of the idea was seeing a group of girls giggling about one particular guy. I started asking myself, how far would someone go? How far could they take it? Robert Pattinson and Justin Bieber may have fan clubs, but what if someone started one for the everyday high school guy?


D: What do you do to set the mood when you write? Do you listen to a certain playlist or do you like to write in a specific place etc?

J.C. I need quiet, hardly any distraction. Sometimes I will listen to music to help me brainstorm or write a specific scene, it can help set the mood for a fight or a party. The most helpful thing I do is go back and read what I wrote the day before, or just go back and start from the beginning.


D: As a fan of YA Contemporary Romance yourself, could you recommend us a few books you really liked?

J.C. I think one of my favorite books that I have read over and over, is called Getting Rid of Bradley By Jennifer Crusie.

It’s funny and feel good, and there are these dogs in the book that seem to have their own personalities. I discovered it after I wrote Zack Warren, when someone pointed out there was already a character with that name. So I went and got the book, and it’s been a keeper ever since!

Janet Evanovich has an awesome series with Stephanie Plum, but she has a lot of short romances out, that were sweet and hilarious. I was afraid to read them in public because I’d end up laughing so hard. I think my favorite is called Foul Play.

*I've been wanting to read  Janet Evanovich  for a long time! I really need to try her books soon!*

D: What are you working on now?

J.C. Right now I am finishing up the second book in the Unofficial Series, The Unofficial Story of Kyle B. Johnston, which will be out this October.

*Eeep! I'm so excited about his story!*

D: How would you encourage aspiring authors who have yet to publish their first novel?

J.C. One thing I advise everyone to do is take off their rose colored glasses. People forget publishing does not happen overnight. In our instant gratification world, this process still takes months and years. You have to be willing to go for the long haul. Write more than one book, and then write a series or a few more books. Just because one book is done and you’re querying it, doesn’t mean you stop writing.

The only gratification you get initially is just the pat on your back when you finish your story. In order to succeed you have to accept that. It took me a while, but I got to a point where I was able to look myself in the mirror and say, “You may be the only one who ever reads your stories, but that’s okay. It’s okay because at least you tried, and trying is sometimes the hardest part.”

So step into the world of publishing with a level head and realistic views. Learn from what others are doing. Find out what has been successful for them, implement there strategies and formulas. If you do this, there is an even better chance you will succeed. Arm yourself with information.

After all, knowledge is power.

*Great advice!!! And it would work in other domains too! Thank you!*

D: Thank you for stopping by and for the thoughtful answers!:) 

***

Get the book:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

About the author:

J.C. Isabella is the author of Chasing McCree and The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club. Ever since she discovered romance novels in high school, she has been a self proclaimed fan. This led to penning her first YA. When she isn't thinking up new recipes for the cookbook she hopes to one day write, she is brainstorming a new novel and listening to country music. She lives in the tropics of Florida with her big fat Italian family and ornery feline companion.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

***

And now on to the giveaway :

fill in the Rafflecopter form below to win a digital copy of  The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club!

*See my review bellow*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xoxo

The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club Blog Tour: Author Interview with J.C. Isabella & Giveaway

Hi!

I'm very excited to have J.C. Isabella, the author of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club, on the blog today! As part of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club  Blog Tour, I had the honor to interview her and she graciously answered all my questions!:D

Enjoy!

Deea: Welcome on Deea’s Journal and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

For people who read about your work for the first time, could you give a short description of The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club?

J.C. Isabella: The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club is about family and love at its core. You have Chloe, a girl who is trying to ignore how she feels for Zack, while trying to keep the club a secret. Then you have Zack, someone who looks and acts like the stereotypical jock, but is really a genuine guy who cares about Chloe. It’s about realizing what is important to you, and going for it.


D: One of the things I really like about The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club is that we have two alternate POV’s. What was writing from a guy’s POV like?

J.C. :Honestly, I didn’t have a hard time with it. I tried not to think about writing from a guy’s point of view, and how hard it would be. I just wrote as the person, and how they were feeling. I expounded on certain things that set genders apart. Also, when I was growing up, I hung out with the boys. Some of my best friends were guys, one was a baseball player, so I got to see how they operate when they were just being themselves. If I am having trouble getting into a guy’s head for something, I’ll look at an actor, and ask myself, what would he do, or what would the character he played do?


D: Chloe has a great voice and she is so easy to relate to! Is she anything like you or like someone you know in real life?

J.C. I suppose I can be perfectly honest here, and tell you that Chloe and I are similar in some ways. Humor, for one, and quirks are abound. With her, I set out to write a real person, someone I could relate to, and when I did that, I think I may have put a little of me in her. I am a very approachable friendly person, and that’s really how I wanted Chloe to be.


D: What was your favorite part to write?

J.C. I love writing the banter between Zack and Chloe. The teasing, the arguing, it’s sometimes more satisfying to me than the happy ending. Anyone can have fun writing a few lovey words, but when you hammer out an argument that leaves a character reeling, not sure if they’d rather hit the person or kiss them, and they are just so frustrated, it’s really a lot of fun. Tension makes everything amazing!

*I know, right? That's my favorite part to read too! I'm addicted to books that have that kind of tension and banter!*

D. All the games, secrets, clubs and societies make the world in The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club lots of fun and exciting. Did you experience any of that in high school/college?

J.C. I was in a couple clubs, but nothing really secretive. What influenced part of the idea was seeing a group of girls giggling about one particular guy. I started asking myself, how far would someone go? How far could they take it? Robert Pattinson and Justin Bieber may have fan clubs, but what if someone started one for the everyday high school guy?


D: What do you do to set the mood when you write? Do you listen to a certain playlist or do you like to write in a specific place etc?

J.C. I need quiet, hardly any distraction. Sometimes I will listen to music to help me brainstorm or write a specific scene, it can help set the mood for a fight or a party. The most helpful thing I do is go back and read what I wrote the day before, or just go back and start from the beginning.


D: As a fan of YA Contemporary Romance yourself, could you recommend us a few books you really liked?

J.C. I think one of my favorite books that I have read over and over, is called Getting Rid of Bradley By Jennifer Crusie.

It’s funny and feel good, and there are these dogs in the book that seem to have their own personalities. I discovered it after I wrote Zack Warren, when someone pointed out there was already a character with that name. So I went and got the book, and it’s been a keeper ever since!

Janet Evanovich has an awesome series with Stephanie Plum, but she has a lot of short romances out, that were sweet and hilarious. I was afraid to read them in public because I’d end up laughing so hard. I think my favorite is called Foul Play.

*I've been wanting to read  Janet Evanovich  for a long time! I really need to try her books soon!*

D: What are you working on now?

J.C. Right now I am finishing up the second book in the Unofficial Series, The Unofficial Story of Kyle B. Johnston, which will be out this October.

*Eeep! I'm so excited about his story!*

D: How would you encourage aspiring authors who have yet to publish their first novel?

J.C. One thing I advise everyone to do is take off their rose colored glasses. People forget publishing does not happen overnight. In our instant gratification world, this process still takes months and years. You have to be willing to go for the long haul. Write more than one book, and then write a series or a few more books. Just because one book is done and you’re querying it, doesn’t mean you stop writing.

The only gratification you get initially is just the pat on your back when you finish your story. In order to succeed you have to accept that. It took me a while, but I got to a point where I was able to look myself in the mirror and say, “You may be the only one who ever reads your stories, but that’s okay. It’s okay because at least you tried, and trying is sometimes the hardest part.”

So step into the world of publishing with a level head and realistic views. Learn from what others are doing. Find out what has been successful for them, implement there strategies and formulas. If you do this, there is an even better chance you will succeed. Arm yourself with information.

After all, knowledge is power.

*Great advice!!! And it would work in other domains too! Thank you!*

D: Thank you for stopping by and for the thoughtful answers!:) 

***

Get the book:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble

About the author:

J.C. Isabella is the author of Chasing McCree and The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club. Ever since she discovered romance novels in high school, she has been a self proclaimed fan. This led to penning her first YA. When she isn't thinking up new recipes for the cookbook she hopes to one day write, she is brainstorming a new novel and listening to country music. She lives in the tropics of Florida with her big fat Italian family and ornery feline companion.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

***

And now on to the giveaway :

fill in the Rafflecopter form below to win a digital copy of  The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club!

*See my review bellow*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xoxo

In the Shadows by Julieanne Lynch Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway

Hi!

Wow! It feels like I haven't read a YA debut novel about vampires in a very long time, so when I was given the opportunity to read and review In the Shadows, I jumped right in! And I wasn't disappointed at all! I'll tell you everything about it, but first, here's the interview I had with the awesome author Julieanne Lynch .:D 

Deea: Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions! It’s an honor to have you on my blog!

Julieanne Lynch: Thank you so much for having me, it is great to be here.

D: First off, tell us a bit about yourself. 

JL: I am a thirty-something mother of four, soon to be five,  married to my childhood sweetheart and am obsessed with Gothicism and classic literature.  I love fast cars, fine wine and adore old bookshops.  I can be highly sensitive but have a very bad temper, and nothing means more to me than family.

D: Can you give us a short description of “In the Shadows”? 

JL: In The Shadows is about an eighteen year old girl, Giselle Bergman who is pretty much your average teenager and one most readers can relate to. Her family who is far from perfect love her, she is dating a popular guy and is best friends with a boy who would do anything for her. The only problem is she is deceived in the worst possible way, and by two people she loved the most. Giselle embarks on a journey that opens her eyes to the supernatural elements of her world – or what she thought was her world.

D: Your take on the vampire myths is very interesting and refreshing. I found the idea of Nelapsi especially intriguing! Can you tell us a few words about it? Where did you get your inspiration from?

JL: I have read many books about vampires and just adore the genre. But when I was planning my novel, I wanted to break away from the clichéd version of the mythical creature. So I investigated different European folklore‘s, and found Slavic folklore the most interesting. I loved the folklore that surround the Nelapsi, a breed of vampires who are known as gluttons amongst other vampiric clans, and originate from the Zemplin region of Slovakia.. The vampire both sucks the blood and suffocates his victims. It can also kill a person by a single glance. By bringing a plague, the nelapsi can kill a whole herd or an entire village. The people in the Zemplin region also believed that the vampire has two hearts and hence two souls.

The inspiration came from my love of vampiric-lore, and my obsession with the different descriptions of the nightwalker throughout literature.

D: If you didn’t write about vampires, what would you write about? Would you like to try a different genre as well? 

JL: I love writing about demons, angels, gods, and goddesses, and I enjoy writing horror. I have also penned a more contemporary, middle of the road tear-jerker called Liddy’s Prayer. I like to keep an open mind to writing and like to step out of my comfort zone quite a lot.

D: There is a lot going on in the first book of the trilogy and Giselle goes through many painful changes. What was the most difficult part to write? 

JL: The most difficult part for me to write was possibly Giselle finding out her mother had leukaemia and the dialogue written in Slavic. At the time of writing the book, my uncle had just passed away from prostate cancer, and the wounds within the family were still pretty raw, so I found it quite an emotional journey. In a sense I honed in on my own feelings about the illness and used that experience to bring some kind of realism to the scene. 

With some of the dialogue being in Slavic in chapter seven, I had to turn to some friends who just happen to be from Slovakia to help me construct believable discourse between Atarah and Angelika, as well as the confusion it caused Giselle. Without my friends, the scene would not have worked.

D: This question might be a bit spoiler-ish, but can we hope for a new love interest for Giselle in the upcoming books? Things didn’t go that well for her in the love department so far. 

JL: Yes, someone does capture her heart and helps heal the wounds, but we will have to wait until book three to really see how that plays out. In book two she begins to see that he is the one she wants, and has to battle her own insecurities to overcome her doubt.

(D: *Praying silently that someone is who I think he is**swoon*)

D: Speaking of upcoming books, what is coming up next for you? Are you working on a new story? 

JL: Next, Walking With Shadows will be released and there will be the release of my adult novel Ice Goddess in the new year, as well as the last of the trilogy, Fighting Shadows. I am currently writing a new book called Into The Light, as well as editing Cinnamon Falls.

I am pretty busy for the next twelve months.

D: I also love asking authors a few short questions; it gives us the opportunity to know more about the person behind the author. So: 

Early bird or night owl?

Early Bird!

Coffee or tea?

Tea.

Winter or summer?

Winter!

Hardback, paperback or e-book?

Paperback.

Favorite color?

Purple.

Favorite drink?

Orange juice.

Biggest pet peeves?

Queues, rudeness, arrogance, and bad body odour

Guilty pleasure while writing?

Chocolate, muffins and good music.

Thank you so much for having me :)

***

About the book

In the Shadows

By Julieanne Lynch 

Published: July 21st 2011 

by Strict Publishing International 

ISBN 9780857791962

Goodreads blurb

“In The Shadows”, the first of The Shadows trilogy, is an urban fantasy of vampires and the supernatural, and much, much more. In the shadows you will find lust and passion, battles for power and for blood, and death and fear around every corner. In the shadows you are carried away to an unknown future. Your destiny awaits, and you are no longer who you thought you were. You have a thirst, for blood perhaps, but a thirst for very much more than that.

Giselle was a normal girl with an attitude common to most girls of her age. Her family might not have been perfect (whose is?) but she loved them, and her future looked bright. She had an awesome best friend and a steady boyfriend, but how could she possibly have been so wrong about someone she loved? And how could she have been prepared for the darkness and for what she was to become?

What fellow book bloggers have to say about it:

“In The Shadows is a must read for anyone who loves urban fantasy.” ~Review by Dawn and Wini Book Lovers

“ Julieanne writes so eloquently you can feel and picture everything Giselle is going through, with no question as to what role every character in the book plays.” ~ Review by Ada McEwan

“Julieanne is a great story teller with a vivid imagination for the supernatural. I absolutely love everything about it.” ~ Reviewed by Firefly and Wisp

About the Author

Fiery Librian Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Northern Ireland, Julieanne now lives in Ireland, where she works on her Shadows Trilogy and other series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and believes all of her education and reading prepared her for it. 

An avid reader, Julieanne has always had an encompassing fascination with folklore. When not writing, she enjoys crime series such as Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case, and loves anything with Vampires, listening to metal, meeting new people, drinking lots of green tea, and sharing her dreams with her children. She is a self-professed goth wanna-be,and is happy when left to write into the early hours of the morning.

Find Julieanne online at her: Website / Blog / Facebook

***

Follow the Blog Tour

Giveaway

Prizes: 

-In the Shadows ebooks

-2 prize packs that consists of: In the Shadows signed cover art, key ring, magnet, personalized mug, business card, and pen 

-International

-ends Sept. 19th

-Fill in THIS FORM

Good luck everyone! (This is one of those giveaways I wish I could enter myself! The book cover is GORGEOUS and imagine how awesome the custom prizes, mugs and everything must be! <3)

I hope you enjoyed the interview and the book piqued your interest! Good luck everyone!

In the Shadows by Julieanne Lynch Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway

Hi!

Wow! It feels like I haven't read a YA debut novel about vampires in a very long time, so when I was given the opportunity to read and review In the Shadows, I jumped right in! And I wasn't disappointed at all! I'll tell you everything about it, but first, here's the interview I had with the awesome author Julieanne Lynch .:D 

Deea: Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions! It’s an honor to have you on my blog!

Julieanne Lynch: Thank you so much for having me, it is great to be here.

D: First off, tell us a bit about yourself. 

JL: I am a thirty-something mother of four, soon to be five,  married to my childhood sweetheart and am obsessed with Gothicism and classic literature.  I love fast cars, fine wine and adore old bookshops.  I can be highly sensitive but have a very bad temper, and nothing means more to me than family.

D: Can you give us a short description of “In the Shadows”? 

JL: In The Shadows is about an eighteen year old girl, Giselle Bergman who is pretty much your average teenager and one most readers can relate to. Her family who is far from perfect love her, she is dating a popular guy and is best friends with a boy who would do anything for her. The only problem is she is deceived in the worst possible way, and by two people she loved the most. Giselle embarks on a journey that opens her eyes to the supernatural elements of her world – or what she thought was her world.

D: Your take on the vampire myths is very interesting and refreshing. I found the idea of Nelapsi especially intriguing! Can you tell us a few words about it? Where did you get your inspiration from?

JL: I have read many books about vampires and just adore the genre. But when I was planning my novel, I wanted to break away from the clichéd version of the mythical creature. So I investigated different European folklore‘s, and found Slavic folklore the most interesting. I loved the folklore that surround the Nelapsi, a breed of vampires who are known as gluttons amongst other vampiric clans, and originate from the Zemplin region of Slovakia.. The vampire both sucks the blood and suffocates his victims. It can also kill a person by a single glance. By bringing a plague, the nelapsi can kill a whole herd or an entire village. The people in the Zemplin region also believed that the vampire has two hearts and hence two souls.

The inspiration came from my love of vampiric-lore, and my obsession with the different descriptions of the nightwalker throughout literature.

D: If you didn’t write about vampires, what would you write about? Would you like to try a different genre as well? 

JL: I love writing about demons, angels, gods, and goddesses, and I enjoy writing horror. I have also penned a more contemporary, middle of the road tear-jerker called Liddy’s Prayer. I like to keep an open mind to writing and like to step out of my comfort zone quite a lot.

D: There is a lot going on in the first book of the trilogy and Giselle goes through many painful changes. What was the most difficult part to write? 

JL: The most difficult part for me to write was possibly Giselle finding out her mother had leukaemia and the dialogue written in Slavic. At the time of writing the book, my uncle had just passed away from prostate cancer, and the wounds within the family were still pretty raw, so I found it quite an emotional journey. In a sense I honed in on my own feelings about the illness and used that experience to bring some kind of realism to the scene. 

With some of the dialogue being in Slavic in chapter seven, I had to turn to some friends who just happen to be from Slovakia to help me construct believable discourse between Atarah and Angelika, as well as the confusion it caused Giselle. Without my friends, the scene would not have worked.

D: This question might be a bit spoiler-ish, but can we hope for a new love interest for Giselle in the upcoming books? Things didn’t go that well for her in the love department so far. 

JL: Yes, someone does capture her heart and helps heal the wounds, but we will have to wait until book three to really see how that plays out. In book two she begins to see that he is the one she wants, and has to battle her own insecurities to overcome her doubt.

(D: *Praying silently that someone is who I think he is**swoon*)

D: Speaking of upcoming books, what is coming up next for you? Are you working on a new story? 

JL: Next, Walking With Shadows will be released and there will be the release of my adult novel Ice Goddess in the new year, as well as the last of the trilogy, Fighting Shadows. I am currently writing a new book called Into The Light, as well as editing Cinnamon Falls.

I am pretty busy for the next twelve months.

D: I also love asking authors a few short questions; it gives us the opportunity to know more about the person behind the author. So: 

Early bird or night owl?

Early Bird!

Coffee or tea?

Tea.

Winter or summer?

Winter!

Hardback, paperback or e-book?

Paperback.

Favorite color?

Purple.

Favorite drink?

Orange juice.

Biggest pet peeves?

Queues, rudeness, arrogance, and bad body odour

Guilty pleasure while writing?

Chocolate, muffins and good music.

Thank you so much for having me :)

***

About the book

In the Shadows

By Julieanne Lynch 

Published: July 21st 2011 

by Strict Publishing International 

ISBN 9780857791962

Goodreads blurb

“In The Shadows”, the first of The Shadows trilogy, is an urban fantasy of vampires and the supernatural, and much, much more. In the shadows you will find lust and passion, battles for power and for blood, and death and fear around every corner. In the shadows you are carried away to an unknown future. Your destiny awaits, and you are no longer who you thought you were. You have a thirst, for blood perhaps, but a thirst for very much more than that.

Giselle was a normal girl with an attitude common to most girls of her age. Her family might not have been perfect (whose is?) but she loved them, and her future looked bright. She had an awesome best friend and a steady boyfriend, but how could she possibly have been so wrong about someone she loved? And how could she have been prepared for the darkness and for what she was to become?

What fellow book bloggers have to say about it:

“In The Shadows is a must read for anyone who loves urban fantasy.” ~Review by Dawn and Wini Book Lovers

“ Julieanne writes so eloquently you can feel and picture everything Giselle is going through, with no question as to what role every character in the book plays.” ~ Review by Ada McEwan

“Julieanne is a great story teller with a vivid imagination for the supernatural. I absolutely love everything about it.” ~ Reviewed by Firefly and Wisp

About the Author

Fiery Librian Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Northern Ireland, Julieanne now lives in Ireland, where she works on her Shadows Trilogy and other series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and believes all of her education and reading prepared her for it. 

An avid reader, Julieanne has always had an encompassing fascination with folklore. When not writing, she enjoys crime series such as Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case, and loves anything with Vampires, listening to metal, meeting new people, drinking lots of green tea, and sharing her dreams with her children. She is a self-professed goth wanna-be,and is happy when left to write into the early hours of the morning.

Find Julieanne online at her: Website / Blog / Facebook

***

Follow the Blog Tour

Giveaway

Prizes: 

-In the Shadows ebooks

-2 prize packs that consists of: In the Shadows signed cover art, key ring, magnet, personalized mug, business card, and pen 

-International

-ends Sept. 19th

-Fill in THIS FORM

Good luck everyone! (This is one of those giveaways I wish I could enter myself! The book cover is GORGEOUS and imagine how awesome the custom prizes, mugs and everything must be! <3)

I hope you enjoyed the interview and the book piqued your interest! Good luck everyone!

Seers by Heather Frost Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway

Hey guys!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of reading Seers by Heather Frost, a super awesome debut novel and a perfect summer read: sweet, light, fun, original, quick... One of those books you finish in one sitting and puts a big smile on your face. You can read my 5 stars review shortly, but first, I want to share with you my interview with Heather, who is a super sweet and talented young author.

So, please welcome Heather Frost at Deea's Journal today and stay tuned for a giveaway at the end: 

Deea: Tell us a bit about yourself.

Heather Frost: I'm a 21 year old book fanatic. I absolutely love music; I love to listen to it, I love to play it, and I love to sing it (even though I'm not that good.) I'm an English major, and I'm the oldest daughter in a family of twelve. I think What's Up Doc starring Barbara Streisand and Ryan O'Neil is just about as funny as it gets, and brownies are heavenly. I love rainy days, and pictures of ruined castles.

D: Who inspired you as a writer?

HF: Too many people to name. Author J.K. Rowling is high on the list, though. She really helped me see where a book could take you; the characters you could meet, the places you could visit. I was enchanted by her writing, and I've since discovered that the written word is one of the most powerful things in existence.

D: Where did the ideas for this book originate?

HF: It was the summer of 2010. I wanted to write a story about immortals, but I wanted my story to be unique. So I brainstormed for a couple months, finally deciding that the afterlife would be a great subject to explore. During those two months of brainstorming I'd thought of some cool character traits and several scenarios that would be fun to stick in a story. All of this came together one day, and the plot for Seers just fell into my head. It was complete inspiration.

D: Can you share a bit about Seers’ world? Which was the most challenging aspect to write about?

HF: The world introduced in Seers is unique, despite some common paranormal ideas it carries. I mean, it's got auras, guardians angels (for the record, they don't appreciate the “angel” part) and demons—none of which are foreign concepts. But the main differences between my world and those created by other authors stem from a choice that all honorable people face when they die. Because, in my world, death isn't the end. It's more like a fork in the road, actually. After your heart stops beating you can choose to go on to heaven, or you can become an immortal Guardian and return to earth to defend humanity from the Demons—corrupt souls that didn't qualify for heaven. Guardians especially look out for Seers—humans who live through a close encounter with death, coming away with the ability to discern between humans and immortals. It gets pretty wild, and coming up with all the rules was really fun for me.

It seems kinda wrong, but the most challenging part for me wasn't writing about the fantastical, but rather the mundane. I'm much more comfortable writing in the medieval fantasy genre, so writing a novel in the modern setting was entirely new to me. I prefer writing about fictional kingdoms and trusty horses. In writing Seers, it took me a while to get into the swing of things.

D: I love all your characters! They’re all so well crafted and they all have something relatable, yet special about them. Are they based upon people you know in your real life?

HF: I'm glad to hear you liked them! These characters are so real to me—during the writing process they became completely alive. Sometimes I'd find myself typing out a reply, and I'd just have to laugh at what came out.  My characters surprised me often with just how much personality they possessed. I can't say that my main characters are based on anyone I know, though. A few of my minor characters are based off of real people in my life, but for the most part I'd have to say that my characters are completely themselves.

D: Which character did you enjoy writing the most?

HF: I'd have to say … Lee. She's just so loyal and good; outrageous and funny. She was a total blast to work with.

(D: I bet she was! She's so sweet and funny, the kind of girl you would like to have as a bff in real life too!:D)

D: Could you give us the short, Twitter-like description of your book to share it with our bffs?

HF: Kate Bennett is about to be thrown into a war between immortals, with enemies only she can discern. Both sides are seeking her help. The Guardians are asking nicely; the Demons aren't as polite.

D: So what’s next for you? (Please tell me there’s going to be a sequel to Seers; that ending was killer!)

HF: Ha ha, yes there is a sequel. Seers is in fact the first in a trilogy, so more is on the way! I'm also working on a few other projects, dealing in different genres.

(D: Whew!*sighs in relief*)

D: And now I have a few quickies for you, I’m always too curious:

Early bird or night owl?

        Night owl for sure.

Coffee or tea?

       I'm addicted to hot chocolate, actually.

Favorite sweets?

      Peanut M&M's and mint ice cream.. Not necessarily together, though.

Favorite color?

      Green.

Favorite season?

       Fall.

Favorite quote/ motto?

    “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Guilty pleasures while writing?

   When I write, I tune out everything. Family, friends, responsibilities—it's a horrible habit, but it helps me get more writing done.

What are you currently reading?

   “Annexed (The Refuge Trilogy #1)” by, Rebecca McKinnon

Which country would you like to visit the most?

            Ireland, hands down.

(D:I so want to visit Ireland one day too!)

D: Thank you so much for your time!

HF: Thank you!

About the author:

Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children and she loves her family very much. She is especially grateful to her wonderful parents for their decision to homeschool their children. She graduated from Snow Collage with an associate of science and is currently majoring in English.
Heather has always been an avid reader, and reading and writing are among her most favorite things to do. She also enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music and watching a wide variety of movies. Ever since she wrote her fisrt story - at the age of four - she has dreamed of one day becoming an author. Seers is her first published novel.
Read more about her on her website. 

About the book: 

Seers by Heather Frost

Release Date: October 8th 2011
Hardcover; by Bonneville
Website (Look inside the book)
Goodreads Blurb: 

For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble. 

Giveaway

I'll keep it simple  - just fill in the form bellow: 

-As always, the contest is International.

-I'll use random.org to pick the winner

-The book will be send by the publisher

-Contest ends on September 22

Good luck everyone!:)

For more chances to win, visit the Seers Blog Tour homepage and check out the other tour hosts! To find out more about the publisher and their books, visit Cedar Fort Books at their official website, Facebook or Twitter. 

Also, a big thank you to Laura Jorgensen at Cedar Fort Books for for being so kind an patient and for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this tour and to chat with Heather! 

I hope you all enjoy the interview and I really recommend reading the book!

xoxo