All About {n}: Author Interview

Wednesday

Author Interview: Rebecca Maizel

Being vampire week and all around here, I thought it would be great if I interviewed the author of one of my favorite vampire books this year.

Luckily for me, the very lovely Rebecca Maizel, author of Infinite Days, agreed. I was so excited she agreed and after doing a little dance, these are questions I asked her:

How did you come up with the idea of a Vampire becoming human?
I connected to my main character, Lenah's voice. it was so strong; and sinister and tragic. I wanted to tap into that sorrow and darkness. I wanted to bring this person, whoever she was back out to light. It turned out that she was a vampire and thematically, it worked. Every person out there has done something they aren't proud of. And whatever that thing is, they have to live with it - forever. That's Lenah but time about a million! I just started writing one day and there she was with a motive, a purpose, and some really scary enemies.

Was it hard to create a character who readers can sympathize with, especially one who has been EVIL in the past?
It was hard. I had to make sure that I showed Lenah in her every day life as a human with good intentions. When I juxtaposed her evil past to her human life at Wickham Boarding School you're able to see that had Lenah been thinking with her right mind, her human mind, she might have made different choices.

With so many men in Lena's life (whether they be friends, love interests, or mentors), how hard is ti to actually choose one, kill some off, etc.? I know as a reader it hard to pick sides - I can only imagine how much harder is it for you as their creator.
Every man in Lenah's life has a purpose, every character in Infinite Days has a purpose and as a writer you need to make difficult decisions but ultimately you need to let the character and her motivations dictate the plot, if you do it the other way around it'll feel forced and uneven.

Can you tell us anything about the sequel to Infinite Days? Spoilers are accepted! ;)

I cannot tell you anything! Only that everything, absolutely everything is turned on its head!

What does Halloween mean to you? Any childhood memories you’re willing to share with us?
I have memories of pillowcases full of candy. I remember dividing up all the different kinds - making a pile for Butterfinger, a Hershey's pile, etc. I always had friends to walk through the neighborhood with - I had a great childhood, Halloween was always an important part of it. Every year on Halloween morning I would come down to eat and with breakfast would be a piece of chocolate shaped like a pumpkin or witch. My mom was great like that.

This might be a dumb question (with you writing vampire books and all), but are you Team Vampire or Team Werewolf?

Team Vampire, I gotta support my people!

If you were able to go trick-or-treating with three authors or characters - who would they be, and what would y’all be dressed up as?
Hmmm...

I'll pick characters.

Vicken - He'd be a T-Bird from Grease
Harry Potter - He'd be dressed as Nearly Headless Nick. I don't know why but that seems fun to me.
Daniel from Fallen - He'd go as himself because he is SEXY.

Any guilty pleasures you’re willing to share with us?
Coffee.
Chinese Food
Any 1990's alternative rock. Wow, I am a BIG dork.

And last, but not least, (and this is more to satisfy my curiosity)... do the boys in your books wear boxers or briefs?
Oooh. Hmm. Justin is boxer briefs for SURE. ;)
Rhode...well. I don't think he wears any! :) wink wink

Rhode... le sigh. I hope you enjoyed the interview with Rebecca Maizel. To learn more about author Rebecca Maizel and Infinite Days, please visit Rebecca's blog at http://rebeccamaizel.blogspot.com/.

I also have two copies of Infinite Days to giveaway. This is one of my favorite books this year and I thought why not celebrate its awesomeness with some copies to giveaway.

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

GIVEAWAY: I have 2 copies up for grabs!

As always, leave a comment for one entry. If you'd like extra entries just say so in your comment or separate comments (extra entries for followers, Twitter, sidebars, Facebook, my spiffy All About {n} button, etc.) Make sure to leave an e-mail address, especially if you are leaving a comment under Anonymous.

Rules: This contest is open internationally! Winners will be drawn Wednesday, November 3.

Tuesday

Author Interview: Sarah Beth Durst

In honor of Enchanted Ivy's book birthday today, I asked the lovely Sarah Beth Durst to honor me and my little blog with an author interview (my very first) and she agreed... squuueeeee! Obviously I was excited. Now, I must first say that I am a novice when it comes to author interviews... why? well I had never done one before - but I am very excited about Sarah's newest title and I really wanted to hear about it from her. Here's what she had to say:

I am fascinated by your latest release Enchanted Ivy. Give us a little insider detail on what it’s about?

It's about getting into college. You know, taking the campus tour, talking to the gargoyles, flirting with the were-tigers, riding the dragons... While visiting the campus of Princeton University, 16-year-old Lily discovers a secret gate to a magical realm and must race against time to save herself, her world, and any hope she has of college admission.

How did you come up with such fascinating ideas as secret Legacy’s, talking gargoyle’s, etc.?

I had this image of tigers stalking through a college campus at night... Princeton's mascot is a tiger, so that made it a logical choice. The rest of my inspiration came from the campus itself: the gothic towers, the wrought-iron gate, the ancient oaks, and the bizarre gargoyles.

I love books set in boarding schools, universities, etc. Did you have to do any research in order to get a good grip on the setting of Enchanted Ivy?

I drew on my memories for the basics, plus I took two trips to the campus with my camera and my notebook for the details. I traced every step of Lily's journey. I am fascinated by the intersection of fantasy and reality, and I wanted my reality to be as accurate as possible to contrast with the magic.

I love the fantastical feel all your books have. What made you choose fantasy?

I love fantasy, and I think it's important to write what you love. (In fact, I think that's much more important than the old adage "write what you know.") Plus, you know, dragons and were-tigers and talking gargoyles are AWESOME. And I think it's important to write about things that are awesome.

I think fantasy is a vital and often undervalued type of literature. I believe that it restores a sense of wonder and empowerment to people in an age of debilitating cynicism.

Has it been hard to write any of your books? And if so, what advice would you give an aspiring author?

All books are hard sometimes. Every writer I know has days when he or she wants to crawl under the desk, sing lullabies, and wait for the laptop to finish typing the book on its own. But the trick is to figure out ways to coax yourself out from under the desk and write anyway. I recommend chocolate.

Seriously, don't wait for inspiration. And especially don't wait for that glorious chunk of uninterrupted time when you are free from other responsibilities or distractions. It won't happen. Life is busy. If you want to be a writer, you need to squeeze the time out of your day (even if it's just fifteen minutes) and write (even if it's just a paragraph).

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about Enchanted Ivy?

If you're interested in reading the first chapter, it's here on my website: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/EnchantedIvy.htm

What does Halloween mean to you? Any childhood memories you’re willing to share with us?

Growing up, I always thought Halloween was the most stressful holiday ever invented (right up there with Valentine's Day). I'd agonize for months about the perfect costume, and then at the last minute, I'd choke and end up wearing a box and saying I was a robot. I have a vivid memory of hurrying through the trees after my older neighbors and getting stuck between the branches... Also, I was so shy that the thought of knocking on a strangers' door was enough to make me want to dive into the shrubbery.

Halloween got much better for me when I was old enough to stay home and help my mom answer the door. Also, this afforded continuous access to our bowl of candy. Win, win.

Are you Team Vampire or Team Werewolf? Or are you another team altogether?

Both and all. I pretty much love all paranormal creatures. Lately, I've been dying to read a book about a were-hedgehog... I think that would be so random that it would slide directly over into awesome.

If you were able to go trick-or-treating with three authors or characters - who would they be, and what would y’all be dressed up as?

I'd be a fairy (because I've always wanted wings and somehow went through my whole childhood without a fairy costume). And I'd want to trick-or-treat with Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Dr. Seuss, all dressed as Star Wars characters. Just because.

Any guilty pleasures you’re willing to share with us?

My primary guilty pleasure is Raisinets. *offers half-eaten bag*

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

And there you have it my lovelies - my very first interview. You can learn more about Sarah Beth Durst, Enchanted Ivy and Sarah's other titles at her blog. And in celebration of Enchanted Ivy's release *throws confetti and blows party horns* I have a little something special for you guys. Not only did I go out and buy myself a copy of Enchanted Ivy, but I also got 2 lucky winners a copy too.

What Lily Carter wants most in the world is to attend Princeton University just like her grandfather. When she finally visits the campus, Grandpa surprises her: She has been selected to take the top-secret Legacy Test. Passing means automatic acceptance to Princeton. Sweet!Lily's test is to find the Ivy Key. But what is she looking for? Where does she start? As she searches, Lily is joined by Tye, a cute college boy with orange and black hair who says he's her guard. That's weird. But things get seriously strange when a gargoyle talks to her. He tells her that there are two Princetons—the ordinary one and a magical one—and the Key opens the gate between them. But there are more secrets that surround Lily. Worse secrets.When Lily enters the magical Princeton, she uncovers old betrayals and new dangers, and a chance at her dream becomes a fight for her life. Soon Lily is caught in a power struggle between two worlds, with her family at its center. In a place where Knights slay monsters, boys are were-tigers, and dragons might be out for blood, Lily will need all of her ingenuity and courage—and a little magic—to unite the worlds and unlock the secrets of her past and her future.