Giveaway of Crashing Eden and Interview with Author Michael Sussman

Crashing Eden by Michael Sussman

For one boy and his friends, the path toParadise comes at a cost—one they may not be prepared to pay.
When a biking accident leaves 17-year-old Joss Kazdan with the ability to hear things others can’t, reality as he knows it begins to unravel.
A world of legends exists beyond the ordinary life he’s always known, and he is transported to the same Paradise he’s studying in World Mythology. But the strange gets even stranger when his new friends build a device that delivers people through the gates of the Garden of Eden.
Now Samael, the Creator God, is furious. As Samael rains down his apocalyptic devastation on the ecstasy-seeking teens, Joss and his companions must find a way to appease Samael—or the world will be destroyed forever.

About Michael (visit his site)

Michael Sussman is the author of Crashing Eden, a YA fantasy/paranormal novel, and Otto Grows Down, a children’s picture book featuring illustrations by Scott Magoon.

Dr. Sussman is a clinical psychologist and has also published two books for mental health professionals. He’s the author of A Curious Calling: Unconscious Motivations for Practicing Psychotherapy and the editor of A Perilous Calling: The Hazards of Psychotherapy Practice.

Dr. Sussman resides in the Boston area with his son, Ollie.

--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.

For one boy and his friends, the path to Paradise comes at a cost—one they may not be prepared to pay.

--How did you get the idea for the story?

When I was nineteen I lived in a commune in Nova Scotia, in a town called Paradise. One night, I suffered a concussion in a car crash in which I was a passenger. Like my protagonist in Crashing Eden, I spent the days following the concussion in what I can only call a state of grace, filled with deep feelings of gratitude and joy.

I’ve been interested in world mythology for many years, and am especially fascinated by the widespread myths suggesting that humans have degenerated from an ancient state of grace, symbolized by Paradise or the Golden Age.

The story began to take shape when I wondered what might happen if we were somehow able to recapture the state of mind experienced by people before the Fall. What if we built a device that altered our brains in such a way that we felt like we were back in Paradise?

My son also provided much inspiration and helped me enormously in coming up with the plot.

--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?

I’d most like to have dinner with Samael, the blind Creator God. I mean, how often do you get to share a meal with divinity?

I’d least like to have dinner with Katherine, the protagonist’s mother. I tried to make her more likeable, but she just wouldn’t cooperate!

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

I love some of the old classics like Huckleberry Finn, The Idiot, Anna Karenina, Lolita, East of Eden, and J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories and Catcher in the Rye. I also like science fiction and mysteries. My favorite YA titles are Marcelo in the Real World, Feed, Unwind, and His Dark Materials.

Sure, I always make time for reading.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
I’m working with a fabulous British illustrator on a comical adventure story in verse, titled The Great Gogglemog. I hope to start another novel this summer.

--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Because it’s so magical and you’d never know what might happen next.

--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?
Just peace and quiet, and chocolate breaks. I love music, but need total silence when I write (which is tough, since I live next to the playground of a daycare center!)

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
I think flight. X-ray vision is certainly tempting, but I would most love to soar through the sky.

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
I’m a musician and dancer, and I love to read. Most of all, I like to spend time with my son, who is thirteen and a wonderful guy.

We like to vacation in Cape Cod and go skiing in New Hampshire or Vermont.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?

Please visit my new website and blog: http://www.MichaelSussmanBooks.com

If you enjoy the novel, please consider posting a brief review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Thanks, Brandi, for interviewing me and helping spread the word about Crashing Eden!

Lightning round: this or that?

Vanilla or chocolate?

No contest: chocolate!!!

Edward or Jacob?

No comprendo.

Hockey or soccer?

Soccer. Slower paced, but more strategy.

Ebook or paper?

Paper. Love the feel of a book in my hands.

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1 paperback (US & Canada) and 3 e-books (Int.)
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