Interview with Scott Tracey, author of Witch Eyes and Giveaway

Welcome to today's tour stop on the Teen Book Scene's blog tour for Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey. We decided to change things up by having Scott answer my questions using lines from the book. See details below for your chance to win a copy of the book. Enjoy!

In Witch Eyes, Braden’s gift to see through spells and lies is both a gift and a painful burden. Can you describe an instance where having this gift would be the most terrifying and conversely, when it comes in the most handy?

Taking a shower with sunglasses, and keeping them from falling off, was a struggle....People did really nasty things in the bathroom, things that could scar an innocent boy like me.
------------
Our eyes met, and I saw through him. Trey unraveled in front of me, layers upon layers that peeled away like petals falling off a rose. I saw how deep loyalty ran within him, silver and gold threads that kept all the other parts together. I saw reflections and memories against diamond walls, decayed flowers that had been trampled underfoot, and icy winds of sarcasm that surrounded the core, the dark parts even he couldn’t see.

What are your favorite types of scenes to write (action, romance, etc) and can you share with us an example of one from your book?

“Hackers reference,” Drew supplied. “Angelina played this hot teenage hacker badass schoolgirl chick.”
“Didn’t we talk about you being offensive?” Riley said, actually sounding caustic for once.
“I could try harder, right?”

On your blog, you write about how 2011 is the “Year of the Witch”. What do you think it is about witch-themed novels that appeals to readers of Young Adult books?

Power. Greater than normal magic. Something far more severe. Deadly, but a beautiful kind of strength. I could do anything if I had that kind of power.

What is it that you love most about Braden’s character?

Had he known? Why else ask me that question? “That was the point of dinner, wasn’t it? Give Braden the magical roofie and watch him spill his guts."
“Was she wrong? My mother’s not stupid, Braden. She’s worried you might be a threat.”
“Of course I’m a threat, you idiot!”

What was the hardest aspect of building the world within your novel and how did you overcome it?

Lucien pressed another button, cutting her off. His eyes grew vacant and he glanced behind him, toward
the view over the city. “He does so enjoy unraveling my schedule.”

Which of your supporting characters would be perfect for a spin-off or novella and why?

“I’m Riley. Newspaper editor extraordinaire, fashion wunderkind, and resident expert on all things beautiful and damned.” She shook her wrist, settling the bracelets all to the bottom. “Belle? Dam? Get it?”
-------------------------
Lucien’s expression was inscrutable. “Your son finds himself a beau, and you invite him over for a playdate. How very modern of you.”

Demon Eyes is the second book in the series scheduled to release in 2012. Can you give us any hints or teasers as to what we can look forward to in the next installment?

“He wants the door unlocked. The door that no key should open,” I whispered.

Witch Eyes 

by Scott Tracey (September 8th 2011)

Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves

Want to win a copy of Witch Eyes? Just leave a comment below along with your email address. Contest ends September 1, 2011. US/Canadian residents only. Must be 13 years or older to enter. Good luck!

Fab Five Questions for Devon Ashley, Author of Ordained

1. In Ordained, Abby knows how to fight her way through demons, controlling the elements and setting things on fire with the flick of her wrist. Can you share with us a favorite line, scene or passage from the book? 

[Noel] returned with a glass of blue tonic water and tried to hand it to her. Her stomach growled and her face cringed. She didn’t need to smell the stuff to know she wouldn’t like it.

“No way am I touching that nasty potion,” she said boldly.

“I’ve changed the formula. I added vanilla to make it taste better.”

Abby accepted it but still eyed it reluctantly. Alcohol never sat well with her system. “How much vanilla?”
“Like I’d really load you up with enough alcohol to throw your balance off. Just drink the tonic, Abby. You’ll feel better quicker.”

She sipped the tonic. Her face puckered again. She gagged, covered her mouth and mumbled in disgust, “Oh my God!”

“I said it tasted better, not great.”

Abby continued to force the sour tonic down in sips. She could taste a hint of vanilla but the potion left a bitter aftertaste that was similar to vinegar. Her stomach gurgled and burned.

“Water,” she coughed after her last sip of tonic.

“No. You’ll dilute it,” Noel said firmly, relieving her of the glass.

Smartly, she rebutted, “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do after drinking poison? Or is it throw up?”

2. What three words best describe Abby’s personality?

Stubborn, Sarcastic, Protective

3. Abby’s fellow friend and hunter Emily is important to the story. What is a day in the life of a hunter like Emily like?

Well, right now, Emily’s been forced to return to school and not allowed outside the manor’s protective borders (like that stops her), so she’s not really hunting. But that doesn’t mean life is any easier inside the manor, especially when a group of demons break through the magical enchantments that protect the school…

“And just out of curiosity, how many of these twelve did you two end up killing?” [Emily] glared at the Chancellor. Surprisingly, he didn’t back away from her eyes.

Abby hesitantly looked toward Noel. She could tell he didn’t like where this was going. He slowly and quietly raised three fingers. “Seven.”

“Seven?” she huffed. “Wow. Two of them, seven demons. Well, I’m glad the twenty of us could help you out with the other five,” she ranted sarcastically.

“All right, that’s enough!” the Chancellor bellowed. Reddened, he added, “We’re all upset by this attack. None of you would be alive right now if you hadn’t been given the training you received during your school years.”

“You’re delusional!” she stressed. “These demons kicked our [bums]! Abby and Noel are the reason the rest of us are still alive. Your training only kept us alive long enough for them to sort out the mess!”

“Emily!” yelled Ethan, stamping forward. “You will stop this right now!”


“I’m not taking orders from you anymore!” she yelled back. “Any of you!”

Ethan approached Emily with fury in his eyes. With only four steps, Abby put herself directly in his path and caused him to stop abruptly.

4. Abby has been isolated for thirteen years, lacking affection and nursing a broken and bruised body. What do you think would be the hardest thing about being Abby?

Abby has an evil entity living within her that fights for control of her body – the same evil that took control and murdered five advisors when she was sixteen. The hardest thing about being Abby is keeping the entity contained, but sometimes it manages to break through and stuff her deep within herself, into what she refers to as the hollow.

5. Ordained is the first book in a new series, The Immortal Archives. Can you give us a hint of what we can look forward to in the next book? 

Lots of physical changes, especially with Emily as her body undergoes transformation.
A high pitched screech once again reverberated through Emily’s head. She threw her hands to her ears to block the noise, but it had the opposite effect. The inside of her head vibrated violently. She fell to a crouch, writhing and crying out in pain.

“Emily?”

But Emily couldn’t stop screaming. She felt a pair of arms lift her from the doorstep, then drop her on the sofa. She continued to jolt back and forth viciously. The intense vibrations and screeching within her head refused to relent. She knew it was pointless to scream, but she couldn’t stop the only release her body was giving her.

Thanks to Kim for having me! Don’t forget to stop by my Crazy Dream Blog for a chance to win a copy of Ordained signed with a personalized doodle-graph. Giveaway ends August 20th.

ORDAINED
BY DEVON ASHLEY
(The Immortal Archives #1)
Release Date ~ November 15, 2011


Normally, the school creates the hunters - not the monsters.

Abby Sorrensten likes to play rough. Ripping the horns off the foreheads of demons, manipulating lightning and setting things on fire with the flick of your wrist can give you a serious rush. So she probably wasn’t the best choice for the Order’s experimental training program. Thirteen years of isolation, lack of affection and a bruised and broken body from horrendous training sessions creates more than just an exceptional fighter. It creates an evil within - an evil responsible for several deaths the night she left.

Two hundred years later Abby resurfaces as the very thing the Order trained her to kill: a vampire. A mythical demon has set his sights on the school and only the ordained hunter has the powers to face it. Unbeknownst to the Order, Abby’s their precious ordained one and their only chance for survival. As much as she would love to leave them hanging, she’s not willing to risk the life of Emily, a fellow friend and hunter also fed up with the organization.

But for Abby, locking herself away in a fortress with angry descendants of those she killed causes suspicions and tensions to run high. Abby must learn the demon’s weaknesses for battle before the Order learns hers.

Be sure and check out The Teen Book Scene for more tour stops. Devon will be stopping by Ivy Reads on Friday, August 12th.

Interview with Jon Skovron, Author of Misfit

MISFIT 

BY JON SKOVRON

(August 1, 2011)

Jael Thompson has never really fit in. She’s changed schools too many times to count. The only family she’s ever known is her father, a bitter ex-priest who never lets her date and insists she attend the strictest Catholic school in Seattle. And her mother—well, she was a five thousand year old demon. That doesn’t exactly help.
But on her sixteenth birthday, her father gives her a present that brings about some unexpected changes. Some of the changes, like strange and wonderful powers and the cute skater boy with a knack for science, are awesome. But others, like the homicidal demon seeking revenge on her family? Not so much.
Steeped in mythology, this is an epic tale of a heroine who balances old world with new, science with magic, and the terrifying depths of the underworld with the ordinary halls of high school.

 

Jon Skovron has never really fit in, and has no plans to start now. After twelve years of Catholic school, he went on to study acting at a conservatory program for four years before returning to his first love,writing. His second novel, Misfit, will be published in August, 2011 by Amulet Books. Official Website

1.Jael Thompson is no ordinary Catholic school girl, just trying to fit in with the other students. With her unique capabilities, what do you think the hardest aspect of her newfound abilities would be, and conversely, is there any really great perk to being half-demon?

I would count near invulnerability and throwing fireballs as some of the perks. The biggest drawback is probably that everyone hates you.

2.What did you love most about bringing Jael’s character to life in Misfit?

I've never felt so comfortable, so sure of someone as I do Jael. I'll follow her wherever she leads. I trust her implicitly.

3.What were you like as a teen and what do you think your teenage self would say if he was to read Misfit?

I was part rocker, part bookworm, part tech geek, part theater dork: i.e., I didn't fit in anywhere. I would have totally related to Jael.

4. Was there a specific line of dialogue or special moment that is your particular favorite?

"The world is like a giant toolshed filled with babies who don’t know how to use the tools, and don’t even realize that the tools are anything other than something to stick in their mouths."

5. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given as an author?

“Paint what you like and die happy” - Henry Miller.

Be sure to check out The Teen Book Scene  for more tour stops!  The next scheduled tour stop is for tomorrow (August 10th) at Urban Fantasy Investigations.

Interview with Eileen Cook, Author of Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood and The Education of Hailey Kendrick!

Welcome to today's Teen Book Scene tour stop with Eileen Cook.We're doing something a little different with this interview. Eileen has to answer my questions using lines from either Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood or The Education of Hailey Kendrick which released in January of this year!  

1. If you could spend the day with Hailey Kendrick from The Education of Hailey Kendrick and Helen from Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, what would you do with them? Do you think they'd get along?

With Hailey, although I sing like a bad American Idol reject, …”I realized there was something worse than putting myself in a life-and-death situation. Karaoke.”  (TEHK Page 179)

When hanging with Helen, “Once I dressed up a Barbie doll in a cheerleader outfit and tossed it into the giant wood chipper in the park. I grinned as a the flesh-colored plastic sprayed out in tiny half-moon crescents onto the ground.” (GRLW Page 23)

As to Hailey and Lauren getting along it would have to be out in the open and not a secret.  “I’m not interested in being friends with you if you’re going to be all CIA I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. I don’t even know if you want to be my friend.”  (GRLW Page 206)

2. Name a favorite quote of Hailey's and Lauren's from your two books.

Hailey: “Did you know that more people are killed every year in falling vending machine accidents than in shark attacks? Our school had an entire wall of unsecured ending machines in the lobby of the gym. If someone were crushed to death trying to get a frosty can of Diet coke, it wouldn’t be my fault.”  (TEHK Page 9)

Lauren: “Old movies are black-and-white; they’ve got good guys and bad guys. The thing was, I didn’t want to live in the past anymore. It was time for my life to go full color.” (GRLW Page 261)

3. If you were a book on a bookshelf, what books would you want your neighbors to be?

“Bon Appetit” (GRLW Page 80) because I love to cook and “The New Yorker” (TEHK Page 4) because they always have great articles and cartoons.

4. In Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, Helen wants payback for all the pain Lauren put her through. What would you say is Helen's greatest fear?


“You make him sound like a cocker spaniel. That’s not love. That’s affection. He’s a habit. Deep down you want to break the habit, so you did the one thing you know he wouldn’t be able to stand. You kissed someone else, and now you’re free. You’re scared to be off track, but I think you’re sick of always living in the lines.” (TEHK Page 145)

5. Describe your books to us in 5 words or less.

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood: Karma (page 25), best friends (Page 98) Revenge (Page 38) Fun (Page 126)

The Education of Hailey Kendrick: Independent (Page 255), Wondering  (Page 149)  declaration of love (Page 187)

6. What is something surprising that Hailey keeps hidden from others The Education of Hailey Kendrick?

“I wouldn’t have pegged you as a the vandal rebel-without-a-cause type.” (Page 97)

7. If Helen was a superhero, how would you describe her?

“Fa-la-la-la kind of crazy.” (GRLW Page 127)

8. What can we expect next from you?

“I’m not sure where life is going to take me….but at least now I feel like I’m going somewhere.”  (TEHK Page 225)

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Her latest release, Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood was released in Jan 2010.

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at http://www.eileencook.com/. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

Be sure and check out The Teen Book Scene for more tour stops! 

Read my review of Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood

Interview with SM Reine, Author of Six Moon Summer

 Today I'd like to welcome SM Reine, who stopped by to discuss her new werewolf series entitled Six Moon Summer. Book 1, Seasons of the Moon released in April and I had a few questions for SM.  Let's get started!

SIX MOON SUMMER (BOOK ONE SEASONS OF THE MOON)

BY SM REINE APRIL 26 2011

Rylie's been bitten.

She's changing.

And now she has three months to find a cure before becoming a werewolf... forever.

Rylie Gresham hates everything about summer camp: the food, the fresh air, the dumb activities, and the other girls in her cabin. But the worst part is probably being bitten by a werewolf. Being a teenager is hard enough, but now she's craving raw flesh and struggles with uncontrollable anger. If she doesn't figure out a way to stop the transformation, then at the end of summer, her life is worse than over. She'll be a monster.

INTERVIEW

1.    In Six Moon Summer, Rylie is an outsider – always picked last and always bullied. Then she's sent away to summer camp and Rylie's life changes in ways she never could've imagined. Can you tell us a bit more about the book and perhaps share with us a favorite line, scene or passage?

On the surface, Six Moon Summer is about a young woman who is bitten by a werewolf and only has three months to find a cure before she loses herself forever.  Underneath that, however, it’s about insecurity and growing up and finding out who you are-- and being comfortable with it!  But that’s my inner English major talking.  I can’t resist the urge to talk about the themes in books!

Bullying is a major problem in schools these days, and you really have to find your inner strength to deal with it.  Rylie struggles to deal with these things in Six Moon Summer.  I’ll let this scene speak for itself:

The cabin’s lights were already on.  The sounds of laughter poured out the window.  Disappointed she wasn’t the first back, Rylie pushed the door open.

Her four roommates were clustered around a cot by the door.  “...but I hope he doesn’t ask me out,” read Patricia in a nasal voice.  “I don’t want to reject him and hurt his feelings, but I don’t want to be his girlfriend, either.”

Rylie recognized those words.  She had written them herself.

In her diary.

The contents of her backpack were spilled across a bed as her roommates pawed through them.  Patricia held out her diary so everyone could see it.  None of them had noticed Rylie yet.  “I bet she made it all up,” said Kim.  “Who would want to go out with her, huh?  She wouldn’t even show up for the date!”

“What are you doing?”

The girl with the gold anklet looked up.  Amber.  She was holding a pair of Rylie’s shorts in one hand and Byron the Destructor, her favorite stuffed cat, in the other.  “We noticed you hadn’t unpacked yet.  We were just... helping,” she said before bursting into giggles.  The other girls followed suit.

Rylie stared at them.  Her embarrassment in the mess was nothing in comparison to the numbness spreading through her now.

“Nice teddy bear,” said Kim before dissolving into snickers.

“You guys-- you-- I can’t...”  She didn’t know what to say.  Her mouth worked, but no sounds came out.  “It’s not a bear.  It’s a cat.”

She ripped the backpack off the bed, and they scattered.  They had gone through everything, even her underwear.  Rylie snatched her diary from Patricia’s hands and stuffed it into her bag.

“Way to be grateful,” laughed Amber.  “Didn’t you hear me?  We were helping!”

Eyes stinging, Rylie backed up until she hit the door.  Why were they laughing?  What was so funny?

“Of course,” she whispered hoarsely.  Helping.

Rylie flew out of the cabin and passed Louise, who was setting pokers and marshmallows on a table by the fire.

“Where are you going?” called Louise.  “Rylie?  Rylie!”

She ran without looking where she was going.  She passed a line of people heading back from the dining hall, and she knew they could all see her crying.  Everyone would know what Patricia and Amber did to her.  The teasing would only get worse.

Rylie had to stop by the office on the shore of the glistening lake.  Her chest felt constricted and she wheezed with every breath.  She fumbled for her inhaler and tried to let all the air out of her lungs, but it took a few tries before she could calm down enough to breathe at all.

She sucked down the medication.  Wheezed again.  Took another puff.  Slowly, her air passage relaxed.

“How could they do this to me?” Rylie rasped, fist clutched around her inhaler.  “I hate them.  I hate them.”

2.       Six Moon Summer has a twist on the classic man-eating werewolf story in that this time around, the heroine is actually the wolf.  What made you decide to write a story with this type of roll reversal?

You know, I never considered it as much of a role reversal at all.  When I’m plotting out a story, one of my main thoughts is that I want to write characters to whom I can relate.  I write what I like to read, and that’s usually strong but flawed women who take control of their lives.  Although I love a good romance as much as anyone else, I don’t want to imagine myself as the woman waiting for some big beastly man to sweep me off my feet-- I want to be the beast!

3.       What do you think sets Six Moon Summer apart from other werewolf books currently in the market right now?

In Six Moon Summer, werewolves are cursed beings.  They are controlled by insatiable hunger.  Even so, Rylie is still a good person at the core.  How does she deal with her new, violent urges?  There’s a depth and humanity to the book you often don’t see in classic horror, where the wolf man is purely monster, but the subject also isn’t sterile.  Werewolves are scary, and you get to really experience the horror!

4.       What is the significance of the title "Six Moon Summer"?

The werewolves in my mythology don’t immediately transform as soon as they’re bitten.  There’s a transitioning phase elapsing three full months, wherein they change on every new and full moon-- so that’s six moons from the bite to the final change.  Rylie experiences her transition during the summer, so... there you have it.  :)

5.       What three words best describe Rylie's personality?

Awkward, abrasive, and adventurous.

6.       In what ways (if any) do you relate to Rylie?

Rylie’s kind of a punk kid who doesn’t know how to handle the adult problems happening in her teenage life.  I was much the same, although I got along much better in high school than she does!  I had a great support system, but Rylie is alone.  We don’t have too much in common.

7.       If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Ooh, anywhere?  How about everywhere?  Haha!  I want to go somewhere no other human has set foot in centuries, like a river deep in a jungle canyon.  I would love to be somewhere as beautiful as the places I imagine in my head!  Of course, I’m not super athletic, so I’m probably not cut out for hiking to remote places.  I’ll just go to the Middle East.

8.       What are some young adult novels you think every teen and adult should read?

Obviously the Harry Potter books.  Anybody who hasn’t read Harry Potter is living a dull, sad life.  I forced them on my husband as soon as we married!  Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven is also amazing (and terrifying), and I think Christopher Pike’s Last Vampire books are a total must-read... although maybe not the new ones.

9.       What was the most unexpected thing you've learned so far on your publishing journey?

Nothing happens without work.  Every little bit of this has been the result of hours of sweating and stressing and hair-pulling, from the cover to the editing to the promotion.  It would be wonderful if there was a magical publishing fairy that came along and made it all happen, but no matter which route you pursue in publishing, you’re going to spend so much time bleeding your life into the book.  It sounds gruesome, but it kind of is!

10.    Can you discuss with us what we can look forward to next in this series? Any other upcoming projects in the works?

I don’t want to share too much and spoil it, but we can look forward to Rylie learning even more about herself and coming to terms with the events of the first book.  There’s going to be four books in the series, so Rylie still has a long, painful journey ahead of her before she finds some kind of catharsis.  We also get to learn a lot more about the mysterious Seth and his family.

SM Reine is an author of dark fantasy for teen and adult audiences. Her most widely known work is "Six Moon Summer," which has been hailed as "fresh and fast-paced" and "captivating." She lives in Nevada with her husband, the Helpful Baby, and too many black animals to count.

Interview with Deborah Cooke, Author of Flying Blind!

Today I'd like to welcome Deborah Cooke, author of Flying Blind: The Dragon Diaries, the first book in a new series about shape-shifting humans trying to control their "inner dragons". Deborah stopped by to discuss the book with us, which recently released on June 7th. Be sure and check out my contest to win an ARC of Flying Blind as well. 

Deborah makes her home in Canada with her husband. When she isn't writing, she can be found knitting, sewing or hunting for vintage patterns. Deborah Cooke has always been fascinated with dragons, although she has never understood why they have to be the bad guys. She has an honors degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales and fantasy novels, and has written over thirty romance novels under the names Claire Cross and Claire Delacroix.
Official Website

INTERVIEW

1. Zoe Sorensson  is a girl trying to “fly blind” in a world where other find it effortless to conjure and control their dragons.  As the only female dragon shape shifter with special powers, what would you say is the hardest thing about being Zoe?

Having no references and no one to ask for advice. I think it really bugs her that she can't just look up Wyvern and get an itemized list of what she should be able to do, maybe some tips on how to accomplish it.

2.If you had to name a theme song to sum up Zoe’s personality, what song would you pick and why?

I was listening to a lot of old music when I wrote this book. The one song that ran in my head for Zoë was Queen's first hit, KEEP YOURSELF ALIVE. It's a song that to me seems to be about being careful what you wish for.

3. With your history degree and special focus on medieval studies, can you share with us some interesting research tidbits about dragon folklore you’ve encountered along the way?

Probably the most interesting thing is that medieval people believed that dragons were real. They lived off the edges of the maps ("here be dragones") or in Africa, where all sorts of strange creatures were known to live. Any hero worth his salt had to have killed one in a fierce battle, and a lot of medical remedies were made of dragon components - dragon's blood, or dragon skin. Saints also confronted dragons and were eaten alive by them - or defeated them with the sign of the cross.

The other interesting thing about dragon lore is that most cultures in the world tell stories about dragons. Maybe they are real!

4. You are the author of the adult series Dragonfire and have written over thirty romance novels under the pseudonyms Claire Cross and Claire Delacroix. What made you want to venture into the Young Adult genre? Would you say it’s been more challenging than writing for adults?

I followed Zoë's story into the YA genre. In the adult Dragonfire series, there is only one female dragon shifter at a time, called the Wyvern. The current Wyvern died in book #$3 of that series, which was KISS OF FATE. And so the child conceived in that book turned out to be a girl, not a boy, and was named Zoë. The idea was that she would ultimately become the new Wyvern. It took me a while to realize that Zoë's powers would manifest at puberty - the guy dragons come into their powers at puberty - which meant that her teenage years would be particularly challenging. I thought her coming of age story would be fun to write, but it was only when I realized that she'd be turning 16, in high school, keeping her dragon identity secret from her friends, etc. etc., that I saw it as a YA trilogy. So, it wasn't so much that I wanted to write YA, as that I wanted to tell Zoë's story and her story was a YA.

I like writing different kinds of stories, so I wouldn't say this series was more challenging. The structure of the story is different, as it is the story of Zoë's journey - while the Dragonfire books are romances. She became more clear to me when I wrote in first person, so that's a difference from my romances, too. Writing YA was actually more similar to writing women's fiction for me, specifically the four Coxwell books I wrote as Claire Cross. The first two of those were in first person, as well, which is one of my favourite writing tools.

5.Winging It, the second book in the series is currently scheduled to release in December 2011. Can you give us any insider scoop on what we can look forward to next for Zoe,  rocker Jared and best friend Meagan?

Trouble! One of my favourite things to do to characters is challenge their expectations. Zoë's will be challenged in a big way in this next book - and again in the third one. Essentially, as she becomes more adept with her abilities, she needs bigger challenges in order to grow even more. I really like the dynamic between her and her father in WINGING IT. It was only a matter of time before two dragons in one house became too hot to handle.

 

Flying Blind (The Dragon Diaries Book 1)
by Deborah Cooke  (June 7, 2011)

The next generation of shape-shifting dragons from the popular author of the Dragonfire novels.

Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal, except she's been told she's destined for great things. Zoë's the one female dragon shapeshifter of her kind. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL, so she's sent to a Pyr boot camp.

Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line-unless Zoë and her friends can work together and save their own kind.

Check out The Teen Book Scene for more tour stops on the Flying Blind Tour.

Interview with Jill Alexander, Author of Paradise

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Jill Alexander author of Paradise, a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Read my review here. Jill stopped by to discuss Paradise with us and she brought along a signed copy of her first novel, The Sweetheart of Prosper County for one lucky winner. Details below. 

PARADISE BY JILL ALEXANDER

Paisley Tillery is the drummer for a country rock band. If they can make it to the stage at the Texapalooza music fest, then Paisley will be closer to her dream of a career in music and a ticket out of her small Texas town. 

Drumming and music are what Paisley has always wanted. Until the band gets a new lead singer, the boy from Paradise, Texas.

With Paradise in her life, what Paisley wants, and what she needs, complicate her dreams coming true. 

1.  Paradise is the story of a small-town country rock band.  It conjures up images of pasture parties, hot summer nights and sweet Southern romance.  When Paisley, the band’s drummer develops a romance with the group’s new lead singer, it leads her to question if what she wants is really what she needs.  If you had to choose one song to sum up Paisley’s personality, what would you pick and why?

    It’s so hard to pick one song to sum up Paisley because she is many things – passionate yet cautious, fearless but sensitive.  I have to go with the song that first came to mind and that is Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks.  The song is about a girl loving her rural country home and the cowboy beside her.  In PARADISE, Paisley struggles at times with the tension between those two loves. 

2.  Paisley dreams of a career in country music and a ticket out of small-town life into the bright lights and big city world of country super stardom.  You’ve mentioned how you grew up in rural East Texas so I have to ask, what were you like as a teen?  Did you share Paisley’s desire to leave small town life behind in the dust?

    To me, Paisley’s desire is not to leave anything or anyone behind.  There’s a difference between “venturing out” and “leaving behind.”  I think she’s reaching toward a future and experience with one hand while holding onto home with the other.  Like Paisley, I’m a rural-route country girl.  Wherever this life takes me, I’ll always be that girl and proud of those roots.  In the novel, Paisley finds that it’s her connection to home that keeps her strong.  We have that in common.

3.  What was the most challenging aspect of writing Paradise and conversely, what seemed to be the easiest?

    I loved writing this story, and I hope readers will feel the passion in the music and relate to the intense love Paisley has for her family and band mates and home.  I don’t think writing is ever easy, but the storytelling can be smooth.  And for me, PARADISE poured like honey.

4.  Your debut novel, The Sweetheart of Prosper County, is about Austin Gray, a fifteen-year old girl who will do anything to become the coveted FFA Sweetheart, including raising a farm animal,  hunting or fishing.  What is it you enjoy most about writing for teens?

    When I sit down with the laptop, I don’t think I’m writing a book for teens.  I’m writing a story for me.  Deep down, the teen girl in me needs to both heal and be celebrated.  I’m so humbled by the mail I receive that teens relate to my stories.  We can heal and celebrate together.  *Hugs*

5.  What can we look forward to from you next?  Any upcoming series or new projects in the works?

    I’m always writing and am currently finishing a third novel.  And yes, there will be small-town teens keeping it real.

Thanks Jill for taking the time to talk with us. Now, up for grabs, I have one signed paperback copy of The Sweetheart of Prosper County.

To enter to win, just leave a comment for Jill below, along with your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. Contest is open to entrants with a valid U.S. mailing address and must be 13 years or older to enter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Jill S. Alexander is the author of The Sweetheart of Prosper County. A Texas native, she taught high school English and Spanish before turning to writing full-time. She lives in Tyler, Texas, with her husband and son. You can visit her on the Web at www.jillsalexander.com.

Be sure and check out The Teen Book Scene for more of Jill Alexander's tour stops. Her next stop will be on Friday, June 24th  where with Danielle at There's a Book.

Interview with Suzanne Young, Author of A Need so Beautiful

Welcome to today's stop for Suzanne Young's blog tour for A Need So Beautiful! Suzanne stopped by today to answer a few questions about her book (which I thoroughly enjoyed- review to come soon!) Let's get started-

Suzanne Young currently lives in Portland, Oregon where she uses the rainy weather as an excuse to stay inside and write obsessively. After earning her degree in creative writing, Suzanne spent several years teaching middle school language arts. Now she can be found at home chasing after her two children and writing novels for teens. Learn more about Suzanne at www.suzanne-young.blogspot.com.

A Need So Beautiful is a book unique in premise with a fresh take on angelic principles of light and dark. What inspired you to stray away from the traditional angelic elements played out in the majority of YA books today?

I hadn’t read any angel books when writing this book, but to me the idea of Charlotte’s existence not being grounded in any one religion was important. I wanted her to a being of the light, an honest love that doesn’t follow traditions. Something pure and without prejudice.

2.       What three words would you say best describe main character Charlotte, a girl whose fate is both fascinating and terrifying?

Brave, Kind, Forgotten

3.       As A Need So Beautiful kicks off, we learn that Charlotte already has a relationship with Harlin, her dreamy motorcycle-riding boyfriend of two years. In a genre where most protagonists meet and rapidly fall in love, what prompted you to switch things up and have Charlotte firmly planted within a committed relationship right from the start?

I feel that you can learn a lot about a character by their interactions with others. And I wanted to have high stakes, something truly wonderful (her relationship with Harlin) that she would fight for. I’m definitely a fan of the established, healthy relationship. I do it again in my next series as well.

4.       You spent several years teaching in the middle school system. Do you think being around young people has helped to bring a sense of authenticity to your character’s speech and actions? Do you ever draw aspects of your characters personalities from teens that you have worked with?

I think teaching helped me with my pacing. I taught reluctant readers and starting out, I kept them in mind. Would they turn the page or set the book down? But I didn’t draw from them or their lives. I had enough angst of my own.

5.       The end of A Need So Beautiful is very open-ended and leaves much to the imagination. Can you give us some insider scoop on how you see Charlotte’s story progressing? In addition, do you already have her path mapped out or are you letting the creative muse guide you where it will? 

A Want so Wicked is finished and heading into revisions. I really wanted to make sure the sequel had a story of its own and wasn’t just a continuation of the first book. 

A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL BY SUZANNE YOUNG

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be forgotten.

Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become—her mark on this earth, her very existence—is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny—no matter how dark the consequences?

Be sure and check out The Teen Book Scene for more of Suzanne Young's tour stops. Her next stop will be on Wednesday, June 22nd where she will interview with Just Your Typical Book Blog.