Giveaway and Interview: Empty and Cracked by K.M. Walton

Empty by K.M. Walton

Dell is used to disappointment. Ever since her dad left, it’s been one let down after another. But no one—not even her best friend—gets all the pain she’s going through. So Dell hides behind self-deprecating jokes and forced smiles.
Then the one person she trusts betrays her. Dell is beyond devastated. Without anyone to turn to for comfort, her depression and self-loathing spin out of control. But just how far will she go to make all of the heartbreak and name-calling stop?

Publishes in US: Jan 1 2013
Read my review HERE

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Find K.M online:


 Buy Empty:  Barnes & Noble  Amazon Indiebound Book Depository
Find K.M.
Website Goodreads
Simon & Schuster author page: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K-M-Walton/81347146
Blog: http://skateorbate.blogspot.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kmwalton1/
Twitter: @kmwalton1 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cracked-fan-page/225425247511173?sk=wall
CRACKED on Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781442429161
CRACKED on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cracked-K-M-Walton/dp/144242916X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317237706&sr=8-1
Book Trailer for CRACKED: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZptHh37Kz1c&feature=g-upl

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

How far will Dell go to make all of the heartbreak and name calling stop?

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

EMPTY took a long time to brew, and it was a culmination of my life’s experiences. Back when I was teaching middle school my mission was to make the invisible and forgotten students feel special and seen. Actually I wanted each and every one of my students to feel that way, but I put extra effort into the students no one else seemed to care about. My main character, Dell, is one of those students.

In EMPTY, I wanted to explore the power of words, negative and hateful words in particular. A hideous story in the news shocked me to my core, adding more to the “story brew”: a teenaged girl was bullied to the point that she took her own life. One of her bullies typed in “Mission Accomplished” on the victim’s facebook wall. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around that kind of evil. Since I am passionate about anti-bullying, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I wanted to give a voice to the bullied in EMPTY (I did that in CRACKED as well—it alternates POV between the victim and the bully.).

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

Most: the main character, Dell. I would want nothing more than to sit across from her, look her in the eye, and explain how truly wonderful she is.

Least: Dell’s crush, Brandon. I’d actually never want to be in a room with him.

--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?

I have just finished a brand new manuscript that my agent is currently reading. It’s about a sixteen-year-old girl whose family implodes, and she takes her anger out by bullying the Autistic girl in school. It’s a story about growth, self-discovery, and redemption.

--What book(s) is your book’s “cousin”? (Similar set-up or style)

I’ve been told that fans of contemporary YA authors, John Green and A.S. King, have also enjoyed CRACKED and EMPTY.

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

I read every night before bed. Many nights I don’t watch television because I’d rather read. This year I really loved Small Damages by Beth Kephart, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, The Fault in our Stars by John Green, and The Diviners by Libba Bray. 

--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?

Complete silence. It’s the only way I can write my first draft. However, I do create playlists. My playlists come from when I’m in my car – after my first draft is complete – and I’m constantly identifying songs that remind me of my characters or scenes from the book. I jot title/artist down on post-its and compile the list.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

Teleportation. I’d love to will myself all around the globe.

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I’m quite fond of my husband and two sons, and we do a lot together as a foursome. I figure I better milk the time I have my boys home with me – one is almost sixteen and the other is almost twelve – and they’ll be off to college in a blink.

--What is one thing you would tell your 15 year old self?

I actually wrote a letter to my teen self for the Dear Teen Me Project. I’d be honored to have your readers give it a read: http://dearteenme.com/?p=1376

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

An excerpt from my Author’s Note at the end of EMPTY:

I did not write this book to sensationalize or shock. I intended Dell’s story to serve as a window into her soul—the soul of a broken human being. I wanted you, precious reader, to feel the pain of the bullied, the neglected, the heartbroken, and the humiliated. I wanted you to experience the absolute power of hateful words – whether said or typed online. Words count.

And a final though to my readers—thank you. I deeply appreciate the time you took to read what I created. Thank you to the many fans who have tweeted and facebook messaged kind things and written reviews that made me tear up.

Lightning round: this or that?

Vanilla or chocolate?

Vanilla

Edward or Jacob?

Jacob

Hockey or soccer?

Hockey – my youngest son plays ice hockey.

Ebook or paper?

Paper.

Salty or sweet?

Sweet.

Beach or mountains?

Beach.

Phone call or email?

Email – it’s so efficient and quick.

Early bird or night owl?

Middle-of-the-dayer

Dog or cat?

Cat – we have the best cat named, Danny.

Messy or neat?

Great at organizing and cleaning but I’m not a fan of actually doing either.

Ninjas or pirates?

Pirates

Thank you very much for hosting me here today, Brandi. It was a pleasure.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Have you ever felt Empty?