I am giving away Darkness Surrounding by Kat Mellon
Convoluted pasts. Moral conflicts. Zanni Anderson, a strong-willed blonde with wit to boot, discovers she's tangled in something more inexplicable and daunting than she could ever imagine. And she — along with a motley crew of teenage boys — are the only ones who can stop what their ancestors began.
Here's my interview with Kat:
--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
Zanni, a strong-willed blonde with wit to boot, discovers she — along with a motley crew of teenage boys — are the only ones who can stop the subtle chaos their ancestors began.
And yeah, that was totally five characters over the limit. I feel like a total badass now.
--How did you get the idea for the story?
Most of the characters and events in The Atavists Trilogy came into being while playing basketball in the ol' Glory days of Middle School and early High School. It was a coping mechanism. I was a meek little dork, and writing was my escape from the oh-so-mean girls who made my life difficult on the court. I also conceptualized a lot of the scenes from Darkness Surrounding while working out at the gym with Avenged Sevenfold's Waking the Fallen album blasting in my ears, particularly the epic scene that goes down in chapter eight.
And no, this is not a novel about basketball, so don't click out of this window just yet!
--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
Having dinner with Garr would be awkward, and you'll see why pretty quickly. However, I would love to have dinner with Benny and Todd. I would probably snort soda out my nose from their antics, but it would be so worth it. You'll learn more about them in Streets, which is the second book of The Atavists Trilogy.
--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
Let's just say I have a good relationship with Sparknotes these days.
Given I'm taking a full load of classes while writing novels and playing the oboe, reading outside of my English classes doesn't really happen. It's sad. I'm going to start plugging my Kindle into the audio jack of my car and using the text-to-speech feature. (Or I could, you know, spring for an audiobook or two and ditch the I-am-an-awkward-robot voice.)
Some books that stuck with me over the years and influenced me one way or another are as follows (in no particular order):
Anthem by Ayn Rand Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Stormbreaker and Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz Lucy's Completely Cool & Totally True E-Journal by Jane Harrington Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Just Listen by Sarah Dessen Valiant by Holly Black The Flowers in the Attic Saga by V.C. Andrews The Haunting of Freddy (The Golden Hamster Saga)
Odd assortment, I'll give you that.
--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
I have quite a few projects coming up. Streets, the second book of The Atavists Trilogy, is due for a mid-March 2012 release. Creation, a novella along the lines of Ayn Rand's Anthem and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, should be out and about in July or August. For a full list of releases, hit up my website (www.katmellon.com).
--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
First of all, my head would explode. Then I would sit and ponder. After pondering, I would lament over Pokémon not being an option. Finally, I would settle for the Spot books, 'cause that dog sure knew how to have a good time.
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?
Caffeine helps. Like, really helps. Other than that, a good, heavy dose of the Waking the Fallen album by Avenged Sevenfold gets me going. In fact, that CD inspired this novel from the ground up (with the help of Epica by Kamelot). I'm a very music-driven person.
--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
To be Limitless, sans addictive pill. You know, the movie with Bradley OMGBLUEEYES Cooper? I'd be spitting out novels left and right. (That should totally count as a superpower.)
--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy running more websites than I can keep tabs open for and reading fashion blogs. I also like to pretend I'm a good singer. I am also known to practice my metal vocals while driving to and from campus.
--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
Prepare for an odd journey with lots of weird dudes!
Also, fun facts:
New Mexico is a state in The United States of America. We are not a part of Mexico. No, I do not speak Spanish. No, it does not cost more to ship here. We are as much a state as Texas or New York. Did I just blow your mind? Good.
Zanni = Annie with a "Z"
Garr = Rhymes with "Car"
Atavism = The return of a trait or recurrence of previous behavior after a period of absence.
Smashwords: Even if you don't win, use the code "BF27Y" to purchase my novel for just $.99 from Smashwords! This coupon code is good from now until one week after the end of this giveaway.
Lightning round: this or that?
Vanilla or chocolate? Vanilla.
Edward or Jacob? Jacob.
Hockey or soccer? Hockey.
Ebook or paper? Paper. (But honestly, both have their perks!)
Salty or sweet? Sweet.
Beach or mountains? BEACH. I am so dang sick of the mountains. My back yard is a mountain. I am WATER freaking DEPRIVED.
Phone call or email? Email. I'm anti-social like that.
Early bird or night owl? Night owl. Go to bed at 8 AM, get up at 5 PM. Life is good, brah.
Dog or cat? Cat.
Messy or neat? I prefer neat, but you know how that goes...
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The Question: What genre do you avoid? -Usually I avoid historical fiction. What about you?
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.
Publishes in US: Feb 21 2012
2nd in Chemical Garden series, Wither (my review here) is 1st, the 3rd out in 2013
My Review:
I was quickly reminded how much I love the characters, Destefano's writing style, and the chilling world that she has created. I've been eagerly awaiting this book, and it didn't disappoint, and I am just as on the edge of my seat for the 3rd one as I was for this one.
If anyone thought that Rhine's freedom would be easy, they will be deeply disappointed. But I loved following their journey, even during the hard parts, because I love Rhine's undying spirit, her loyalty to finding her brother, and how much she is a fighter.
It was emotional as she realized how much she really missed her sister wives, and even how Linden stayed in her heart. Her feelings for Gabriel are still there, but they still really don't get a chance to bloom because of all of their difficulties. I think, like Rhine, I really appreciate the freedom of choice here--I don't think they are in love, but I'm glad they're able to support each other, see if love blooms. I think that her feelings for Linden grew more than she wanted to admit, and I kinda wish that her and Linden had a chance to figure it out without the weird love triangle (was square I guess with Jenna, and I don't even know what you call it if you figure in Rose...) but I also don't want Cecily to be abandoned. So, if I as the reader can't figure it out and see the obvious answer, then I can only imagine the turmoil in Rhine, and that it really must be easier to try to forget/ignore the feelings for Linden. And that is not even factoring in Silas--but I can't really get too much a read on their dynamic. I def liked his character, and hope to see him again.
Destefano really knows how to torture her characters, and its hard to read, but it is awesome how they grow and change. As well as what their suffering and trials make me feel. I have no idea what is next for them, but I am dying to find out.
What did you think of the book/series, and what do you think about the love [insert shape here]?
In near future Las Vegas, Beatrice D’Angelo, a descendant of famed poet Dante Alighieri, receives a mysterious voice recording on her thirteenth birthday. What she hears is a story with incredible implications . . .
Several thousand years ago, a routine temptation goes awry and Mona—a young Hopi woman—saves the life of a snake who happens to be the adored pet of the demon Astaroth. Their encounter sparks a crisis for Astaroth, who breaks a cardinal rule of Hell and must prove to his fellow demons that he still has what it takes to be part of Hell’s inner circle.
Astaroth is tasked with tempting Mona’s soul into damnation across three of her lifetimes on the Purgatory (Earth), but in order to save his job and her soul, the two embark on a tour of Hell that will change them both forever.
In this bold re-imagining of Dante’s Divine Comedy, where our own Earth is the Purgatory and the Seven Deadly Sins are the temptations of a lifetime, a most unlikely friendship will shake the foundations of good and evil.
Morgana Bridget Gallaway was born on a full moon in March, 1983. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, and learned to love books, bake cookies, and shoot guns. Woefully unpopular in high school, she overcame her dislike of social events to study at (and graduate from) the University of St Andrews in Scotland, where attendance at charity balls was just as important as lectures and exams.
Armed with a double degree in geography and international relations, she set forth to find a traditional job, only to discover that no one was interested in her knowledge of world capitals or her skill at navigating cocktail parties. It was then that she decided, on a suggestion from her mother, that she would write novels.
Inspired by her previous travels through the Middle East and Africa (and motivated by the idea of living on a few dollars a day) she moved to India and wrote her first novel, The Nightingale. Braving monsoons, over-friendly shopkeepers, intestinal disease, snow leopards, and immigration police, she persevered and emerged twenty pounds lighter, with a manuscript in hand.
Ever since, she has had the good fortune of being published and living in England, Texas, and Arizona. She is already hard at work on her next project.
--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
It’s a re-mix of Dante’s Inferno when dissatisfied demon Astaroth falls in (sort of) love with Mona, the human soul he’s supposed to tempt.
--How did you get the idea for the story?
I had a really vivid dream about this gold-skinned demon stalking a human girl through Hyde Park, London, during the Victorian era. (My dreams always include fashion.) The demon was depressed that they couldn’t be together and he couldn’t offer her anything. The entire Inferno Trilogy began as an effort to tell the backstory of that poignant scene, but now it’s turned into a real epic.
--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
I would love to have dinner with Astaroth. If you can get past the irredeemable evil part, he’s very entertaining.
I would least like to have dinner with the demon Gressil, because his body odor would really kill my appetite.
--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
I try not to read anything while I’m writing—I’m too afraid another writer’s amazing story will taint my style! But when I’m in editing mode, I catch up on my giant stack of to-read books. I’m a huge fan of J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and Jane Austen. One of my favorite things to do is get immersed in classic sci-fi series written long ago, like Isaac Asimov’s Foundation books or the Dune books by Frank Herbert.
--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
Currently I’m working on Mortal Coil, the second book of the Inferno Trilogy. I’m aiming to have it finished by early summer 2012. Here’s a little teaser:
“By near-unanimous consent amongst demons, the most problematic gate of Hell was the one in London. It was uncomfortably close to several churches, and too many of the nearby streets were named after holy things, like Worship Street, Gracechurch Street, and a particularly offensive Bartholomew Lane.
Then again, there was Houndsditch, Crutched Friars, and my personal favorite, Wormwood Street.
One might even say that the geography of London was a battle between good and evil.”
--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
That’s tough, because if I were immersed in the world of, say, Harry Potter (with magical abilities, of course!) it would be awful to have to leave it again after just 24 hours. I guess I would pick up a Time Turner and extend that day as long as possible.
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?
Absolutely. I make up playlists for every book I write, based on the feel and emotion of the story. For Discordia, the list includes a lot of dark stuff like Massive Attack, IAmX, Apocalyptica, Dead Can Dance … and even some Sting!
I also need good supplies of tea (and occasionally an energy drink).
--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
I’d like to be able to shape-shift. It would be cool to experience life in a different form.
--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
I’m a bit of a computer game nerd (Civilization! Warcraft!) and I also love to cook. Whenever I feel tense or anxious, I go into the kitchen and make up some new recipe. It usually turns out pretty well, especially if I’m baking cookies.
--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
I’d like to thank my readers for reading! As an author, my favorite moments are hearing how one of my stories affected someone else—their worldview, their knowledge, or even brightening up an otherwise dull day.
First let me explain that I must be a This AND That kind of person!
Vanilla or chocolate? I love vanilla milkshakes but also adore chocolate candy.
Edward or Jacob? Okay, neither, but my daughter says to pick Edward. She even has a cardboard Edward in the school library where she’s the director. I thought it was a real boy standing very still while I was doing a Skype visit. Okay, he was way far away, and I did realize after a few minutes that he couldn’t be real. But then neither is Edward.
Hockey or soccer? Soccer! My kids played soccer, and our oldest son is a great volunteer soccer coach.
Ebook or paper? Reading in bed, I prefer an e-book. Reading in a chair, I like a regular book.
Salty or sweet? Sweet
Beach or mountains? Mountains although I hate heights but love looking at the views from a safe point.
Phone call or email? Phone call from family and email from friends and email from anyone if it’s about the business end of writing, such as school visits, Skyping, etc.
Early bird or night owl? I like being up early but am a night owl.
Dog or cat? Both! We have three dogs and four cats.
Messy or neat? I like things neat but I am messy.
Ninjas or pirates? Aren’t ninjas covert warriors? Although I guess I’d like some of their super powers. But pirates are thieves, right? So, I guess I’ll go with ninjas.
And now for the giveaway- one print copy, open to US only.
REVEALING EDEN tells the story of Eden Newman, who lives in a future, post-apocalyptic world where resistance to a deadly, overheated environment defines class and beauty. A month away from her 18th birthday, Eden must mate—or die! If only someone wanted a lowly, white-skinned Pearl, worthless in a world ruled by dark Coals. When Eden unwittingly compromises her father’s secret biological experiment, she is cast out—into the last patch of rainforest and the arms of a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction to him.
Check out the promotional site for the book About Victoria from her site Raised in Coral Gables, Florida, Victoria attended the University of Miami and received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and French with a double minor in German and business. Later, she studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, the Beverly Hills Playhouse in Los Angeles, private acting classes with Geraldine Baron and many UCLA Extension film courses. She cites her primary literary influence as Ernest Hemingway, and counts Don Quixote and Gone with the Wind as two of her favorite books. Victoria currently lives in Santa Monica, California with her two children and a lot of books.
Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
--How did you get the idea for the story?
Revealing Eden was born from my deep fears about global warming, increasing racial strife, and a personal search for true love. Basically, I channeled it.
--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
I’d like to dine with Bramford, Eden’s Jaguar Man and find out what it really feels like to be such a beast. Maybe he could teach me how to growl with conviction.
--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
I read about 30 books a year, each one an intriguing mini writing class. Some favorites: Pride and Prejudice, A Confederacy of Dunces, The Poisonwood Bible.
--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
Work is play—the “game” in progress: Save The Pearls Part 2. The past catches up with Eden, testing her courage and emotional ties to her mate. Will she be a hero or loser?
--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
Yikes! Most interesting protagonists suffer terribly. The sex scenes in the beloved romance novel, Flowers From The Storm, are hot—I’d be “Maddie” for a day!
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?
When I write, I’m listening to the characters speak, watching what they do, and feeling their emotions. So I need quiet (and dark chocolate) to keep up with them!
--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
Always holding a compassionate view of others.
--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
Play tennis! I love when the ball hits the sweet spot, the precision of a great serve, entering the zone of a rally. It gets me out of my head, which is mostly where I live.
--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
I love to hear from you! Please visit me at VictoriaFoyt.com. And thanks for all the cool videos you’ve uploaded at SaveThePearls.com. You make it all worthwhile.
Lightning round: this or that?
Vanilla or chocolate? Theo’s 91% dark chocolate.
Edward or Jacob? Jacob with less makeup.
Hockey or soccer? Tennis or swimming.
Ebook or paper? I need paper to read at odd angles.
Growing up Wired by David Wallace Fleming ends 1/31
Silver Dew by Suzi Davis ends 2/4
Travel to Tomorrow by Angela Sage Larsen ends 2/6
Entanglements and Fated Hearts by P.R. Mason ends 2/9
The Lucky Boy by Caroline Gerado ends 2/10
Deluge by SB Sebrick ends 2/12
Discordia by Morgana Gallaway ends 2/15
