An Interview with Kathleen Peacock + Giveaway

Today an interview with Kathleen Peacock. Her Young Adult book Hemlock is one of the better werewolf books I've read this year. The second book in the Hemlock series, Thornhill, has just been released in the US, and the UK version, Deadly Thorns, will release in November.


Welcome to Pearls Cast Before A McPig, Kathleen.
Could you tell a bit about yourself for those people who don’t know you yet?

IN DAYDREAMS: I’m TOTALLY a kickass (albeit chubby) vampire slayer who travels through time and space in a flying blue box and dates Han Solo. IN REALITY: I live in Atlantic Canada, spend too much time thinking about Doctor Who, and write books about ghosts and werewolves. LIKES: Converse All Stars, anime, bagels, The Princess Bride, 80s teen movies. DISLIKES: People who change lanes without signaling, book snobbery, waiting rooms.

How would you describe the Hemlock series?

I’m going to cheat a bit and reference the RT Book Reviews review for Hemlock. They said, “With a realistic feel, you’ll be left questioning everything you thought you knew about paranormal novels.” I tend to think of Hemlock as a werewolf novel that’s not really about werewolves. It’s really a story about trust and love and betrayal—how the people in your life might not always be the people you want (or need) them to be. In Hemlock, Mac is searching for the werewolf who killed her best friend and uncovers secrets that leave her wondering how well she knows anyone—including her former best friend.

Have you ever been tempted to use people who’d been rude to you in real life as victims in your books? Or have there been other people you used as characters in your books?

I've never been tempted to base victims on real people. I have occasionally daydreamed about including people who have been mean to me in the acknowledgements (because, really, proving people wrong can be highly motivating).

I've never based characters off of real people; my characters just show up on the page with their own quirks and histories.


What authors have been an influence to you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?

Anne Rice, Stephen King, and Douglas Adams were all huge influences on my writing when I was a teen, and I think the ripple of those years and influences touches most of the things I write now. Anne Rice’s early Vampire Chronicles books left me with the desire to tell stories about “monsters” who seemed to spend as much time thinking about humanity as lurking in the shadows; Stephen King had me looking for mysteries and darkness in even the smallest of towns; and Douglas Adams taught me how important a sense of humor could be.

Let’s see. I’m answering these a bit early. I recently read The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle and the sequel, The Outside, should just have come out when this is posted, so let’s go with The Hallowed Ones.

Are there any other projects you’re working on or thinking about starting in the near future?

Right now, I’m working on the third Hemlock book (book two, Thornhill, was just release in the US and Canada). I have a few other ideas kicking around for post-Hemlock projects, but nothing I can share at the moment.

But thanks for asking me! And thanks for the interview! :)

Thanks for dropping by!



About Thornhill:

Mac can’t lose another friend. Even if he doesn’t want to be found.

The ripple effect caused by Mac’s best friend Amy’s murder has driven Mac’s new love, Kyle, to leave Hemlock and disappear from her life forever. But Mac knows that Kyle plans to enroll in a rehabilitation camp, where he can live with other werewolves. She refuses to accept his decision, especially since the camps are rumored to be tortuous. So she sets out in search of Kyle with a barely sober Jason—and Amy’s all-seeing ghost—in tow.

Clues lead Mac to find Kyle in a werewolf den in Colorado—but their reunion is cut short by a Tracker raid. Now Mac and Kyle are trapped inside the electric fences of Thornhill, a camp for young werewolves. As she devises an escape plan, Mac uncovers dangerous secrets buried within the walls of Thornhill—and realizes that the risk to the people she loves is greater than ever before.

------------------

Giveaway:


Kathleen has kindly offered some cool swag for one reader of my blog.

The winner is Audrey!

A winner will be picked at random on October 15th.
Open internationally to everyone who's legally allowed to enter this giveaway.

------------------

Don't forget to leave a comment:
I decided to have an event wide giveaway on my blog for commenters.

At the end of this event I'll pick one commenter on any author post of this event at random and that person will win a book of his/her choice as long as bookdepository ships to where you live, you're legally allowed to enter, and the book costs no more than 10$

And drop by Between Dreams and Reality as well for more great author posts.