Guest Post with Becca Fitzpatrick and Hush, Hush Contest!

One of the most common questions I'm asked is...why fallen angels? Truth be told, I didn't set out to write a book about fallen angels. I set out to write a book about a girl with a haunted past who's trying exceptionally hard to be an everyday girl, and a really (really) bad boy. Not only that, but a really (really) bad boy who used to be...good. A boy who fell from grace to become someone sinister, sexy and dangerous. Over time, the metaphor of “falling” that I was carrying around in my head became something quite literal – a fallen angel. And when you think about it, fallen angels are the original bad boys. The ultimate bad boys. The kind of boys your mom has warned you about since the day you went out and bought your first bra.

When HUSH, HUSH sold to Simon & Schuster, and my editor drafted up a revision letter, one of the things she wanted addressed was Patch's character. He was almost too bad, she said. Bad to the point that some readers might have trouble accepting him. When I revised the manuscript, I threw in a few parts here and there (not too many, though!) softening Patch up and making him more redeemable. At first I wasn't sure how I was going to like this new, almost likable Patch. After all, there's not a whole lot of room for virtue in a bad boy, but now that I've gone through and softened a few of his edges, I'm really happy with who he is. He's sinister and arrogant enough that readers should know right away not to trust him, but charming enough to seduce them into believing they should trust him...against their better judgment.

One glance at the cover of HUSH, HUSH will clue most people in to the fact that this is a book about fallen angels, but I'm here to tell you fallen angels aren't the only angels lurking between the pages. To introduce you to a few of the other angels, I've drafted a quiz. Yes, a quiz! And believe me, it is very, very scientific. With that disclaimer, the only thing left to do now is find out What kind of angel are you?

It's Saturday night. You can be found:

a) At the movies with a couple of friends. I'm comfortable in my own skin, and don't mind hanging solo now and then, but I love people and naturally gravitate toward social situations.
b) Par-TAY-ing! And I'm not coming home anytime soon!
c) Babysitting. Hey, I need the money and besides, my neighbors deserve a night out.
d) Color-coding my closet. Not surprisingly, the majority of my clothes are black.

My favorite color is:

a) Yellow
b) Red
c) Blue
d) Black

My school locker is decorated with:

a) Books, a few quotes cut from magazines, a movie poster
b) My locker is The Place to Be. I've got candy, pics of me and my friends, posters, my iPod, notes from friends, a stuffed animal of my school's mascot...you name it, I've got it.
c) I'm not really into decorating my locker. I mean, it's a locker. It stores books. What more do you want me to say?
d) My locker is empty; anything I'd want to decorate with would probably be considered illegal by school administration.

My teachers would probably have this to say about me:

a) I'm witty; I've got great lightning lines.
b) Um, let's not go there. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all, right?
c) I'm a good student. I get all-As-all-the-time.
d) I'm pretty sure my teachers don't know I'm alive.

In the yearbook, I'll probably be voted most likely to:

a) Be a self-made millionaire...purely by luck.
b) Be the next Angelina Jolie
c) Become the next president of my country
d) Never return to a high school reunion. Even at gunpoint.

My dream vacation would be:

a) I'm flexible; I can relax anywhere.
b) Miami, baby!
c) Washington, D.C. The place is rich with history, and I'd rather learn on vacation than hang out on a beach and subject myself to skin cancer.
d) An African safari – lots of possibility for animal death and mayhem

A thousand-dollar windfall just dropped into your lap. You:

a) Take my friends out for dinner, then stash the rest for later
b) Go shopping and blow it all...and then some
c) Put it in my college savings account
d) Donate half to charity, in secret, then buy a cool piece of art or attend a concert.

If you answered mostly As, you're a Guardian angel. Unlike archangels, who watch over entire populations, guardian angels watch over individual humans and guard them from demons, danger and untimely death. They're very good at developing interpersonal relationships, and often prefer deep, meaningful relationships with a small number of individuals over casual friendships with many people. They're easygoing and have an engaging sense of humor. They're often viewed as the most “normal” angels and can have a wide circle of friends, ranging from the eclectic angels of death, to the vivacious fallen angels.

Mostly Bs: Fallen angel. Any angel rejected from heaven by committing one or more of the seven deadly sins (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride). Fallen angels are seductive, powerful and magnetic. In a crowd, they can be found at the center. They're used to having all eyes on them, and they wouldn't have it any other way. They know what they want, and they go after it. Others view them as ambitious, charismatic and pure fun.

Mostly Cs: Archangel. The highest ranking angels in heaven, archangels were sent down to the Garden of Eden to watch over humankind and protect them from evil. They're responsible and take their duty seriously. They're often viewed by others as extremely intelligent and, at times, too serious. However, archangels are religiously dependable, and rarely, if ever, betray the trust of friends and family. While they aren't out winning popularity contests, they are highly respected and admired.

Mostly Ds: Angel of death. Angels of death escort the souls of departed humans into the afterlife. They have an innate need to organize their world, and while it can be burdensome, they often find themselves cleaning up the messes of others, whether physical or emotional. They're highly creative and emotional. Outsiders falsely view angels of death as quirky and disinterested in socializing, when the opposite is true: angels of death enjoy socializing, but they prefer to observe from outside, rather than jump into the center of attention.

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. HUSH, HUSH is her first novel.

Visit Becca Fitzpatrick's Official Website & Blog

CONTEST!!

Want to win a SIGNED copy of

HUSH, HUSH?

TO ENTER: Take the quiz and tell me which type of angel you are!

BONUS ENTRY: Post/Link to any social network of your choice

Contest Ends:

11/13/2009

(OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!!)