Armchair BEA - Young Adult

And it's time for the last Armchair BEA post.

I had lots of fun and will probably participate again next year (unless by some miracle I will be visiting the real BEA ;-)

Today's topic is Young Adult. I will confess I wasn't feeling creative when I tried to come up with a post, so here are 4 YA books that will release later this year, and that I'm really looking forward to reading.


Rain (Paper Gods #2)by Amanda Sun

American Katie Green has decided to stay in Japan. She's started to build a life in the city of Shizuoka, and she can't imagine leaving behind her friends, her aunt and especially Tomohiro, the guy she's fallen in love with. But her return is not as simple as she thought. She's flunking out of Japanese school and committing cultural faux pas wherever she goes. Tomohiro is also struggling—as a Kami, his connection to the ancient gods of Japan and his power to bring drawings to life have begun to spiral out of control.

When Tomo decides to stop drawing, the ink finds other ways to seep into his life—blackouts, threatening messages and the appearance of unexplained sketches. Unsure how to help Tomo, Katie turns to an unexpected source for help—Jun, her former friend and a Kami with an agenda of his own. But is Jun really the ally he claims to be? In order to save themselves, Katie and Tomohiro must unravel the truth about Tomo's dark ancestry, as well as Katie's, and confront one of the darkest gods in Japanese legend.




Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3) by Sarah Rees Brennan

Who will be the sacrifice?

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end.




Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...




Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

A year ago Hurricane Josephine swept through Savannah, Georgia, leaving behind nothing but death and destruction — and taking the life of Dovey's best friend, Carly. Since that night, Dovey has been in a medicated haze, numb to everything around her.

But recently she's started to believe she's seeing things that can't be real ... including Carly at their favorite cafe. Determined to learn the truth, Dovey stops taking her pills. And the world that opens up to her is unlike anything she could have imagined.

As Dovey slips deeper into the shadowy corners of Savannah — where the dark and horrifying secrets lurk — she learns that the storm that destroyed her city and stole her friend was much more than a force of nature. And now the sinister beings truly responsible are out to finish what they started.

Dovey's running out of time and torn between two paths. Will she trust her childhood friend Baker, who can't see the threatening darkness but promises to never give up on Dovey and Carly? Or will she plot with the sexy stranger, Isaac, who offers all the answers — for a price? Soon Dovey realizes that the danger closing in has little to do with Carly ... and everything to do with Dovey herself.

Armchair BEA - Zombies

Today I could pick my own topic, so of course I picked zombies!
The below post was (mostly) posted before in 2011 at Ex-Libris as a guest post.


I’m a big fan of zombies. Zombie book, movies, games: I can’t get enough of them.

I will confess I bought some books purely because there was a mention of zombies on the back.

But it has to be a specific kind of zombie for me. A real zombie to me is an undead, rotting monster with a craving for brains or flesh. A real zombie is the enemy, the evil that has to be fought. No people falling in love with zombies and vice versa for me (apart from the rare exception).

So why zombies?

Zombies are almost always equal to a great, exciting story. I mean: “Plague/virus/whatever kills off a lot of humans, but they rise again as undead monsters hungry for the flesh of those who survived the plague” is a plot that is difficult to turn into something boring (although it can be done sadly enough) and lends itself as a perfect backdrop for any kind of story.

Let me give you a few examples.


100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes
This is a totally awesome Post Apocalyptic read that I can advice to anyone who loves a good zombie story. It has so much emotion and a gritty, action-packed story. That it's a remake of Dante's Inferno is a bonus, but believe me: you don't need to have read it to enjoy and love this book.

Soulless by Christopher Golden
Sure there are zombies and they’re doing their best to eat their way through humanity in a gruesome way, but above all this Young Adult book is about human nature and how people act in a crisis, about what makes one person a hero and another a coward.

Once Bitten, Twice Dead by Bianca D’Arc
The action storyline of this Paranormal Romance is all about fighting zombies hungry for human flesh, but in between the fighting and surviving there’s some hot romance, maybe even more intense because of the danger the lead characters face.


Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter by A.E. Moorat
In between the werewolves, demons and bloody zombie mayhem there are some very interesting historical facts to discover.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Zombies are just the thing that can convince your zombie loving friends to finally read this all time classic. There's also a graphic novel made out of this book, for those who love to have some visuals to go with the story.

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
This post-apocalyptic Young Adult story is filled with zombies, but apart from that it’s a beautiful story about family and how a 15 year old boy finds his place in life.

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So there you go: Everything is better with zombies!

Seriously: If you like lots of action and excitement, if you aren’t afraid to be a little disturbed by what you read, if you want a story that holds you on the edge of your seat: you really should consider picking up a zombie book.


And you?
Is there a creature or trope you can't get enough of?

Armchair BEA - Beyond the Borders

Today’s topic is about diversity.


As I mentioned in my post about graphic novels earlier this week: one of my first heroines was Yoko Tsuno, a young Japanese electro mechanic, who has exciting adventures both in space and on earth. I still reread the Yoko Tsuno series by Roger Leloup regularly.

What I’m trying to say is that from a very young age I was encouraged to read anything that I might find interesting. I grew up reading about different cultures, people leading different lives, and far away places.

So for me it’s hard to tell you what book, or character that was very different from me opened my eyes to diversity. In my mind it has always been a part of my reading life.

I do confess that I notice diversity is not common. I have grumbled about YA heroines always being either a feisty redhead or a perfect blonde. I have questioned why there are so few different heroines.

I recently counted how many books I’ve read this year that featured a PoC lead character (PoC = Person of Color). Out of 63 books, 4 had a PoC lead character. I will confess I didn’t dare count how many of those books had a redheaded or blonde lead character, because I’m afraid of the answer ;-)


So yes:
Diversity is something that deserves attention.
Here are some suggested reads:


Dark Oracle and Rogue Oracle by Alayna Williams
The hero is Asian.

The Last Herald Mage trilogy by Mercedes Lackey
The lead character is gay.
This trilogy deals a lot with how the lead character tries to come to terms with being gay, but other books by Lackey have gay characters that are secure in their sexuality.

Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson
A romanticized, but powerful and interesting story about the Comanche.

The Mercy Thompson series, or the Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs
Both series have lead characters that are part Native American


The Blood of Eden trilogy by Julie Kagawa
The lead character is Asian

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Got any suggestions for me?
What books should I add to my wishlist?

Armchair BEA - Giveaway

You can't have a big book event without a chance to get a free book.

Make sure to visit the Armchair BEA site for lots of cool giveaways!



When I was scheduling my giveaway for Armchair BEA, I pondered what book I'd pick for my giveaway. Jessica from Notes of a Book Lover suggested City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare.

As I'm currently reading the Mortal Instrument series (I'm on book 2) that seemed like a good idea, but still I wanted to also promote books that I have read and really love.

So here's the deal:

You can chose from the following books:

City of Heavenly Fire By Cassandra Clare
One of the other Mortal Instrument books
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle
The Outside by Laura Bickle
The Mark of the Tala by Jeffe Kennedy

I will be honest and confess I think you should pick a book by Laura Bickle or Jeffe Kennedy, but it's up to you. Make sure to click the links to go to my reviews if you want to know more before making your decision.

The rules:

One person will win one of the above mentioned books (winner's choice)

- Fill in the form here to enter the giveaway.
- Leave a comment on this post telling me which book you want to win, or which book you think I should read, or something like that, to earn 1 extra entry in the giveaway
- Do so before June 9th 2014 (I will pick a winner soon after that date)
- Open to anyone who's legally allowed to enter this giveaway and lives somewhere the bookdepository ships to.

Winner will be contacted by email and posted in this blog post.

The winner is Debby! An email has been sent to notify her.

Armchair BEA - Short Stories

I’m a big fan of anthologies, especially themed ones that contain short stories by lots of different authors.

It’s the perfect way to read short stories with a theme that speaks to me, and to discover new-to-me authors. I have found several authors this way, and still have some on my list that I should investigate further.

I will list three anthologies that I really enjoyed:


Imaginary Friends - edited by John Marco and Martin H. Greenberg

I love this anthology. Most of the stories in it are enjoyable if not beautiful. This anthology introduced my to Anne Bishop. Her short story Stands a God Within the Shadows is still the most beautiful and captivating story I’ve read from her to this day. I reread it a lot.




Halloween: Magic, Mystery, and the Macabre
edited by Paula Guran 

This Halloween themed anthology contains so many gems. Out of the 18 stories in this book I loved 14 of them, so it is well worth the read. My two favorite stories are From Dust by Laura Bickle and The Halloween Men by Maria V. Snyder.




Shards and Ashes - Anthology
by Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Veronica Roth, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Rachel Caine, Nancy Holder, Beth Revis and Carrie Ryan

An anthology with Dystopian stories!
There should be more anthologies with this theme in my opinion.
I did add Beth Revis and Kami Garcia on my radar after reading this book.



Do you know any themed anthologies you think I should give a try?

Armchair BEA - Expanding Blogging Horizons

Today's topic is about how I've expanded on my blogging by redesigning my blog, or vlogging, or working on a story to get publshed, etc...

Well, I’m keeping this one short.

I myself stick to my usual blogging, but I’m a muse to my owner’s writing and I help Voodoo Bride with her writing as well. Mostly I tell both of them to add more zombies, which they mostly ignore.


But if you are interested in seeing what Voodoo Bride does, you can check out Voodoo Bride Writes


There’s a Fantasy Romance written by Voodoo Bride posted in chapters there.

Armchair BEA - More Than Just Words

Today we’re talking about other ways to tell a story than just with words.

For me it was easy to decide what talk about for this topic:
Graphic novels.

I grew up with graphic novels and comics around me. My first heroes were Yoko Tsuno from Roger Leloup’s Yoko Tsuno series, and Philip Mortimer for Edgar P. Jacobs’ Blake and Mortimer series. I always kept on the look out for more graphic novels to fall in love with, and this is how I discovered Neil Gaiman: a friend let me borrow Sandman. I fell in love with it. The Sandman series is wonderful. There are so many cool characters, and the stories are magical and haunting at times.

But why are graphic novels so great?


I ‘read’ the first Yoko Tsuno book before I could read the text. But even without text I was engrossed in the pictures, telling me an exciting story about a young Japanese woman who has adventures in space. To this day when I read De 3 Zonnen van Vinea (The 3 Suns of Vinea) the story that I made up myself those first few times I ‘read’ the book, lingers somewhere in the background.

What I’m trying to get to, is how pictures can tell so much, even without text. Sometimes a picture can tell more than text ever could. Just look at the below pictures for example. On the left is Olrik, the villain from the Blake and Mortimer series by Edgar P. Jacobs. On the right: Edgar P. Jacobs. I think it’s pretty clear who Jacobs used as inspiration for his villain. If he had used words instead of pictures, I’m not sure anyone would be able to pick up on who the villain is based on. And yes: it’s an interesting look inside Jacobs' mind, that he based the looks of Olrik on himself, instead of painting himself as one of the heroes.



All in all I love reading graphic novels, and I’m always on the look out for new ones that are both beautifully drawn and have a great story to tell.

Armchair BEA - Author Interaction

I’ve been very lucky in author interactions. Often you hear about all kinds of drama going on and authors behaving badly, but I’ve had so many wonderful interactions.


My first author interaction was with a Dutch author. Midas Dekkers was visiting our local bookstore and I went there to get a book signed by him. He was kind enough to pose with me for a picture and we even made the local news together!

Most interactions with authors I have online. I’m the kind of pig who can’t stay quiet when loving a book, so I often either send an email, or find the author in question on twitter to tell how much I loved their book. This way I came into contact with great authors like Gini Koch, Carolyn Crane and Jess Haines.

Laura Bickle I came into contact with because I couldn’t get one of her books in our local bookstore. She kindly sent a signed copy to me when I asked her how I could get hold of her book. Following Laura Bickle around online I ended up on the blog Word-Whores where I met Jeffe Kennedy, Marcella Burnard, Kerry Schafer and other cool authors.

So not only is interacting with authors online fun, you can also run into other authors when doing so, and discover beautiful books you wouldn’t have otherwise.

I can confess I see some of the authors I met online as friends. They’ve helped me out, sent me wonderful presents and are the most awesome people you can imagine. I hope to one day meet them in real life, but living in the Netherlands that’s not easily arranged.

As for meeting authors in real life:


Last November I went to World Fantasy Con in Brighton and there I met some really cool authors. Suzanne McLeod was even kind enough to let me tag along on the first day of the con, when I was pretty much overwhelmed by being at my first con.

I also met Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan and Amanda Sun at WFC. I met Joanne Harris who told me about Zombies, Run, a great running app that my owner now uses to learn to run away from zombies.

And, and…


I met Neil Gaiman!

I acted like a total fan piggy, and he probably thought I was a loon, but it was awesome!


You can bet I will be visiting another con sometime in the future!

Armchair BEA - Literature

Armchair BEA - Literature

I was taught that something is only literature (literatuur in dutch) if it follows three rules:

1 Art for the sake of art
Meaning that it shouldn’t contain a lesson, or meaning.

2 - Individualism
It should be about the most secret inner emotions of the author.

3 - Naturalism
The author should look at his/her characters as a biologist looks at an anthill and should not shy away from the banal things.


So, yeah…
Not only do these three things contradict each other a bit in my opinion, it also makes for books with either really heavy subjects, or with more sexy times than an erotic romance (and those sexy time aren’t really sexy most of the time.)

I can tell you I didn’t really enjoy my required reading at school. A lot of Dutch Literature isn’t my cup of tea.

My preferred kind of books are what in Dutch is called ‘lektuur’. I’m not sure if there’s an English word for it. The closest the internet searches for a translation gave me is ‘reading matter’.

Lektuur is far removed from literatuur according to the rules I was taught. Literatuur isn’t written with the reader in mind, lektuur is. And according to some lektuur is worth far less than literatuur because of that.

Well…

I do not care!

Give me lektuur if that means it’s about zombies, werewolves, or any other cool Urban Fantasy or SciFi creature. If it tells a cool story that grabs me and takes me away to far off places, or places close by that suddenly are infused with magic and wonder.

Most probably there are books out there that are literatuur and that are beautiful and individualistic and naturalistic. And I’m happy they are out there, that there are authors who write them, and that there are people who love to read those books. And if such a book crosses my path I won’t avoid reading it.

But for most part I’ll stick to my beloved Urban Fantasy, Dystopia and SciFi. I’ll plunge into the worlds that the authors of my favorite genres write to entertain both themselves and their readers.

I think both literatuur and lektuur are important and even though I enjoy lektuur more than literatuur I won’t say one of them is better than the other. Both have value and have their own part to play.


How about you?

Armchair BEA - Introduction

This week there will be Armchair BEA posts next to my regular posts, so it's a busy week :-)

Armchair BEA is an event for book bloggers who can't attend Book Expo America and/or the BEA Blogger Convention in New York.


This is my first time joining Armchair BEA, so I’m winging it a bit.
Today I get to introduce myself to other participants, so here goes:

I’m Sullivan McPig, I’m part of a large family of Scottish pigs, that lives in Groningen, The Netherlands. I’ve been blogging since January 2009. I started with The Life and Travels of Sullivan McPig. I created that blog to be able to share pictures and stories with the world about my life, and the travels I make together with my owner.
In June of that year I started my review blog Pearls Cast Before A McPig, to keep reviews of books and movies apart from my regular blog.

At first I posted very little on my review blog, but in April 2010 I became more active in reviewing, and I’ve been keeping a steady pace ever since. The movie reviews almost disappeared, my focus is now mainly on books. I love sharing my thoughts about the books I read.

My best friend Voodoo Bride sometimes reviews books on my blog as well.

My social media details:
Twitter - @SullivanMcPig
Face book - https://www.facebook.com/SullivanMcpig
Instagram - Sullivan_mcpig

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On to some questions:

What genre do you read the most?
I love to read about zombies, because in my opinion they make for cool, action-packed stories. Just throw a few zombies in somewhere and there’s mayhem.

Seriously: although zombies are indeed my weakness, I love Urban Fantasy, post apocalyptic stories and Dystopian stories the most. I also love SciFi and Fantasy. My friend Voodoo Bride loves Paranormal Romance and well written BDSM.

What was your favorite book read last year?
The Outside by Laura Bickle


What’s your favorite book so far this year?
The Mark of the Tala by Jeffe Kennedy

Spread the love by naming your favorite blogs/bloggers:
Agh, there are so many, so I will name the first 5 that come to mind:
Book Punks - http://www.bookpunks.com/
Shredded Cheddar - http://shreddedcheddar.blogspot.nl/
Word-Whores - http://word-whores.blogspot.nl/
Boeklogboek - http://boeklogboek.blogspot.nl/
Between Dreams & Reality - http://www.betweendandr.com/

What book would you love to see as a movie?
Enclave by Ann Aguirre

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That's it as far as my introduction.

Stay tuned for more Armchair BEA posts :-)

An Interview with Susan Spann

Today an interview with Susan Spann, author of the Shinobi Mystery series. A series that is high on my wishlist.

Today is also the last day of the Between Dreams & Reality - Pearls Cast Before A McPig Event on my blog. There will be a last post tomorrow on Between Dreams & Reality. So don't forget to leave some author love in the comments, because I'll be picking an event winner on October 13th.


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

Thank you for inviting me here today!

In addition to writing the Shinobi Mystery series, I’m a California publishing attorney – a transactional specialist, which means I don’t sue people or spend much time in court. When I’m not writing, I work with authors, publishers, and businesspeople on contracts and other document and business-based legal issues.

But mostly, I love to write.

Could you tell a bit about your books?

The Shinobi Mysteries feature the ongoing adventures of ninja detective Hiro Hattori and his Portuguese Jesuit sidekick, Father Mateo. Together, they solve crimes in 16th century Kyoto.

The first book, Claws of the Cat, involves the murder of a samurai in a Kyoto teahouse. Book two, Blade of the Samurai, forces Hiro and Father Mateo to catch a killer stalking the shogun’s compound, and each additional book in the series will feature a different samurai-era setting.

How many books will there be in the Shinobi Mystery series?

As many as my publisher lets me write! At present, I have twelve books outlined and at least as many more in “rough idea” form. I love Hiro and Father Mateo, and hope to spend many years in their company.

Are there any other projects you’re working on at the moment?

Yep. But if I told you, I’d have to kill you. What I can say is that the new project is also series-based and that I expect fans of Hiro and Father Mateo will find it as exciting as I do. I’ll say more as soon as I can!

Have you ever used people you know as characters in your books?

Not as entire people, but I have borrowed character traits. For example, Father Mateo’s housekeeper, Ana, has a distinctive habit of saying “HM” before speaking when she’s frustrated. I borrowed that trait from my father (who’s now deceased). There are others, too.
Distinctive personal traits are easy to carry over without forcing the character to “match” a real person. For me, it’s the best of both worlds.

If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

Probably not. I’d love to live in Hiro’s world as I’ve written it, but my age and my gender would make life in 16th century Japan substantially harder for me than it is for Hiro.

Plus, I’m not a big fan of the whole “squat toilet” thing. I like my indoor plumbing.

Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?

Usually with my nose in a book or my arms shoulder-deep in my marine aquarium, feeding the seahorses. I’ve heard there’s a “world” outside the walls of my house, but I’m treating that as a dangerous, unconfirmed rumor.

What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?

I had dinner at a favorite Thai restaurant with my family and a few close friends. I ate cupcakes. I danced naked with a unicorn under a full moon.

Well, ok, one of those is a lie. I’ll leave you to figure out which.

What authors have been an influence to you?

How much space do we have? The entire list would take pages to relate, but I’ll give you a few of the highlights:

In terms of “inspiration from afar,” I love the works of Michael Crichton, Lee Child, James Rollins, and Laura Joh Rowland – I read their books and I aspire to write as well as they do.

Closer to home, I have author friends who inspire me to keep writing and who urge me to stay on the path when things get difficult. Heather Webb, whose debut novel BECOMING JOSEPHINE releases in January 2014, is one of those, as is my friend and critique partner Marci Jefferson (author of GIRL ON THE GOLDEN COIN, which also releases in early 2014). Kerry Schafer, who recently had an interview here for her debut fantasy novel, BETWEEN, is another. I’m fortunate to have a wonderful group of supportive author friends who encourage and inspire me.

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

Again, too numerous to mention! The highlights, however, would have to include James Rollins’s THE EYE OF GOD, Kerry Schafer’s BETWEEN (I’m eagerly anticipating her upcoming sequel, WAKEWORLD), and J.A. Kazimer’s FROGGY STYLE, which I just picked up at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Colorado Gold conference last weekend – FROGGY STYLE has been out for a while, but I wanted an autographed copy so I waited because I knew she’d be there to sign it for me!

Are there zombies or pigs in any of your books or will there be any in future books?

I’m afraid there weren’t many zombies in samurai-era Kyoto (death by beheading tends to limit the Zed population), but there will be pigs! In fact, I’m toying with the idea of a pet pig for one of my supporting characters later in the series. The biggest roadblock to that so far is the fact that most Japanese pigs eventually ended up the “honored guests” at family dinners, and I didn’t want my audience getting attached to someone I knew would become an entree. (Sorry, Sullivan!) If I can find a way to keep the pig alive, I’ll make it happen.

Thank you again for inviting me here for an interview – I’ve had a great time!

Thanks for dropping by.
And you are right. No pig is better than a pig who ends up as food.



About Claws of the Cat:

When a samurai is brutally murdered in a Kyoto teahouse, master ninja Hiro Hattori has just three days to find the killer before the dead man’s vengeful son kills both the beautiful geisha accused of the crime and Father Mateo, the Jesuit priest that Hiro has pledged his own life to protect. The investigation plunges Hiro and Father Mateo into the dangerous waters of Kyoto’s floating world, where they quickly learn that everyone from an elusive teahouse owner to the dead man’s dishonored brother has a motive to keep the samurai’s death a mystery.




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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.

An Interview with Merrie Destefano + Giveaway

Today I'm interviewing Merrie Destefano. She's the author of the dark fairytale Feast and the imaginative Young Adult novel Fathom among others.


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

Wow. Where to begin...I've loved reading fantasy and science fiction since I was very young, so writing in that genre feels natural to me. I also love plot twists and surprises and things that are a bit scary, so there's almost always a touch of that in my books. I like it best if there's a secret (or two!) at the core of the story that is slowly being revealed to the reader. At this point, I have two novels published by HarperVoyager: Afterlife and Feast. I also have several art books that I co-authored, published by Walter Foster: How to Draw Zombies, How to Draw Vampires and How to Draw Grimm’s Dark Tales. And I have a self-published YA novel, Fathom.

Have you ever been tempted to use people who’d been rude to you in real life as victims in your books?

Definitely! There was a girl who lived next door to me when I was young and who was a quite a manipulative little bully. I've obviously never forgotten her—or the times I challenged her, refusing to let her push me around. She crops up when I'm writing YA. Sometimes I'll use her last name or something similar, or I'll just use her personality.

Have you ever used other people you know as characters in your books?

I've unconsciously taken bits and pieces of people I know. For instance, the grandmother in Fathom is very much like my mother. Not exactly, but my mom was the inspiration. I love it when I hear readers say that they loved the grandma, because it reminds me what an interesting person my mother was.

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

I have a whole list of books I'd love to write! Most of them have anywhere from ten to fifty pages already written. That's my test to see if a book deserves to be born—if I can put together a beginning that compels me to finish writing it, spending anywhere from 5 to 10 months immersed in the story. Right now, I'd just love to write a rendition of my favorite fairy tale, but I've also started a YA science fiction set in a nebulous near-future with echoes of the 1930s. And then I have an alien invasion story that I've started and those characters just sing off the page. So, I'm having a hard time deciding. I just finished writing a YA contemporary that took 5 months to complete and, right now, I'm taking a little breather from writing novels, doing some contract magazine editorial work instead.

Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?

Well, when it comes to writing, I like to write on my Chromebook in local coffee shops (Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is my fave.) Or I might write a little on my iPad in the living room, while sitting on a comfy sofa. But edits are always done on my desktop. When not writing at all? I love watching movies and reading and decorating and having lunch with friends and walking my dogs.


What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?

Unfortunately, there really wasn't much time for celebrating. I was writing my second book, Feast, and doing freelance (writing and editing) work, plus all the promotional work that goes along with a book release. But when I got the initial contract, I did go to a Coldplay concert. They’re my favorite band and it was apt reward, since I listened to their music the entire time I was writing Afterlife.

What is the best thing about being a published author?

I guess being published makes you feel a bit more validated. The writing is basically the same, before or after you've been published. But once someone pays you money and gives you a contract and then you actually see your book in a local bookstore, at that point you start to feel like maybe you really are a writer. I was in a bizarre situation when I finally got my first book contract. At that point, I was already the editor of a nationally-published magazine, so I'd had lots of articles published and had seen my magazine on bookstore shelves. But my heart has always been in telling stories and writing fiction, so having that validated was wonderful.

You have self-published several books. What are your thoughts about traditional publishing versus self publishing? Would you recommend self publishing to other authors?

Tough question! I have done some self-publishing and it seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but I still prefer traditional publishing. I'm not one of those people with a large, impressive platform, so my self-publishing sales aren't very big. Would I recommend it to other people? Sure. I'd just recommend that you try to do it professionally and realize that it might not open any doors to traditional publishing.

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?

I'm continually influenced and inspired by other authors, especially those who seem to write books that cross genres. Books that have made a strong impression on me are: The Sky Is Everywhere, The Time Traveler's Wife, White Oleander, Origin, The Time Machine, Havah, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Replacement, Ashes, Ironskin, The Hallowed Ones, The Snow Child, The Road, Don't Breathe A Word, 17 & Gone, and Charm and Strange. I'm particularly attracted to books with a strong voice and unusual characters and a world I'm unfamiliar with. I long to get lost in a story that has all three of those elements.

Are there zombies or pigs in any of your books or will there be any in future books?

There are definitely zombies in my future! I was just asked to be the editor of the second issue of Zombies magazine. So, for the next month, I'll be eating, sleeping, and breathing zombies. In other words, I'll be having a blast!

Thanks so much for inviting me to be on your blog today! I really appreciate it. =)

Thank you for dropping by!
And I'll have to get hold of Zombie magazine, it sounds like my kind of magazine.



About Fathom:

Turning sixteen can be hell, especially if everyone in town thinks your mother killed herself and your sister. All Kira Callahan wants to do is swim, hang out with her best friend, Sean, and ignore the kids who torment her at school. That is, until one day when she gets invited to a party. For three minutes her life is wonderful—she even kisses Sean. Then somebody spikes her drink and some girls from out of town lure her into the ocean and hold her underwater.

Kira soon discovers that the group of wild teenagers who have come to visit Crescent Moon Bay are not as innocent as they seem. In fact, nothing is as it seems—not the mysterious deaths of her sister and mother, not her heritage, not even her best friend. And everything seems to hinge on the ancient Celtic legends that her mother used to tell her as a child.

Buy Fathom from Amazon here


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Giveaway:

Merrie kindly offered a digital copy of Fathom to one reader of my blog

The winner is Michelle W.

A winner will be picked at random on October 25th.
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.

Mary Sue vs. Debbie Harry - Guestpost by Jennifer Harlow

Today a guestpost by Jennifer Harlow.


About Jennifer Harlow:

Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Northern Virginia home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time, she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills. She is the author of the Amazon best-selling F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad, Midnight Magic Mystery series and Justice, the first in the superhero thriller trilogy. For the soundtrack to her books and other goodies visit her at www.jenniferharlowbooks.com


Mary Sue vs. Debbie Harry - Jennifer Harlow

Urban Dictionary Definition of a Mary Sue:

A female character in FanFic or original stories who is so perfect, so superior to all other characters, so powerful,she's annoying. Often based on the author.

(See Ana Steele, Bella Swan, TV Sookie Stackhouse)

Jennifer Harlow Definition of a Debbie Harry:

A female character who is flawed in many ways but does her best to overcome and accept them, is mouthy or prickly, strong or finds her strength, and who has to work for all she has, especially love.  

(See Anita Blake, Kinsey Milhone, Lizbeth Salander)


I consider myself a tough broad. I have a mouth on me, dirty a lot of the times, I've walked through dangerous cities at night alone, I've seen someone assaulted and got my friends out of the situation while keeping a calm head, and I've kicked not one but three dudes in the balls when they wanted to play rough and I didn't. I can shoot a gun, change a tire, I kill spiders and open jars for my brothers, and I take shit from no one. I'm not ugly but it takes over an hour for me to become pretty. The only things I'm exceptional at are dispensing advice, storytelling, and keeping fish alive (Beta Larry lived 2! years). I'm stubborn, solitary, I have no sex appeal or mojo, and I live with my parents.  In other words, I am not a Mary Sue. I am a human being, flawed yet still fabulous. And so should your main character be.

I came across the term "Mary Sue" when I read an article on "Fifty Shades of Grey" (yes, I read the book. Got it from the library. Wasn't great, wasn't terrible, read it in about three hours.) Like most blockbuster books, there was some derision about it, especially from authors. So much was said but for the purpose of this blog I'll just focus on the main character Ana. She was definitely a Mary Sue: perfect, every male falling over her, had the supernatural gift of having mind blowing orgasms every time. The woman would not exist in the real world. 

In this article (which I'm sorry I can't remember the name of, sorry) the author also mentioned that this type of character a "Mary Sue" was prevalent in Fan Fiction, which is how Fifty got its start. The term came into existence when Paula Smith wrote a short story about the type of female character prevalent in Star Trek FanFic. Mary Sue was only fifteen, a genius, the youngest lieutenant, with unprecedented skill in everything both mental and physical, and is beloved by all characters in this case especially Spock and Kirk. Mary Sue has no flaws, she struggles at nothing, and everyone fawns over her. In other words, she's boring. Unbelievable. Those are the worst words any writer can face.

If Mary Sue kept herself contained in the pages of FanFic I'd really have no problem with her. Full disclosure, I don't read or write FanFic. My roommate was obsessed with it, especially Wincest (EWWWW) and Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy parings. I understand the desire to write them. These are characters you love, and in writing the Fic you get to tinker with those characters however you see fit. You put yourself into this fantasy world. You're in control. But before Fifty no one was really making money on it. Now publishers are checking the sites for the next Fifty. Besides the copyright issues, my main concern is that more characters like Ana (a copy of Bella Swan) are going to be the norm. The only acceptable female lead will be demure, gorgeous, subservient, basically a feminist like me's worst nightmare. Ana let a man tie her up and spank her just to please him. Bella literally became a teenage bride, got knocked up, then DIED in childbirth. This is what has captured the minds of American women. It gives me chills.

When it came time to write my latest book, Justice, I made the conscious decision not to let my main character Joanna be anything close to a Mary Sue. In fact, what makes her special is that she is not special. She is a normal police officer who lives among superheroes and villains. She cusses like a sailor, drinks too much, makes tons of bad decisions, and nothing comes easy for her. Yet she’s also excellent at her job, owns up to her flaws, and loves with everything she has. When my agent was shopping the book around one of the reasons editors gave for not publishing it was Jo was too tough. She wasn’t “feminine” enough, whatever that meant. She was the kind of woman who if someone punches her in the face, instead of crying and shutting up, she spits blood right back in his. In other words, she's wasn’t perfect, and there's a reason for that. Perfection is boring. Who would you rather hang out with, spend money on? Little Miss Perfect Mary Sue or flawed, funny, tough Debbie Harry? Me, I'd rather spend an hour with an interesting shit than a whole day with a super nice person. You get more from Debbie than Mary Sue.

What about all of you? Do you prefer Mary Sue or Debbie Harry? Why? Am I being too hard on poor Mary Sue? Can you think of any other examples of either?



About Justice:

It’s hard being a regular police officer in Galilee Falls, a city with the highest concentration of superheroes and villains in the country. It’s even harder watching your best friend, the man you’re secretly in love with your whole life, planning to marry another woman. Detective Joanna Fallon has to contend with both. When the vilest supervillain in the city’s history, Alkaline, the former crime boss who can shoot acid from his wrists, escapes from the maximum security prison, the whole city is gripped by panic. Leading the pursuit is Captain Harry O’Hara, Joanna’s boss and secret lover, and the city’s champion superhero Justice, who caught the villain last time, much to Joanna’s chagrin. Before her father was murdered in a mugging twenty years earlier, Joanna worshiped the hero, but when he disappeared and failed to save her father, that adoration turned to contempt for all supers. After Alkaline attacks too close to home and targets Joanna as his next victim, tough-as-nail Joanna has to contend with her increasing fear while struggling to choose between her life-long crush and her new-found love.

At turns vulnerable and fierce, equally mordant and winsome, Joanna is an earnest yet emotionally damaged heroine, who despite the tough breaks of her childhood sees the good in people and vow to protect her beloved city at all costs. An ass-kicking petite firecracker with no superpowers of her own, she charges after supervillains unflinchingly, never losing her wit even when facing her toughest fight. With a coy blend of whimsy and vivid imagination, she delivers both humor and thrills in an action-packed and edgy blend of comic book cool, fantasy-noir, and bitter-sweet romance.

Buy Justice from Amazon here

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Giveaway:

Jennifer kindly offered a digital copy of Justice to one reader of my blog.

The winner is Texas Book Lover

A winner will be picked at random on October 23th.
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.