Giveaway and Interview: Realm of the Lost by Emma Eden Ramos

Tour Schedule

Realm of the Lost by Emma Eden Ramos (Novella)

What happens when you die before your time?
Thirteen-year-old Kathleen "Kat" Gallagher has had it with her family. The eldest of three children, Kat feels trapped ever since her parents’ separated and she has had to take on more responsibility than she feels prepared for. Everything changes on a frigid morning in mid-December when an accident propels Kat into unfamiliar territory.
Stuck in the place where people go when they have died before their time, Kat must face obstacles she could never have imagined.
With the help of other young inhabitants of the Realm of the Lost, Kat learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

Purchase
Amazon * MuseItUp Publishing

Author Emma Eden Ramos

Emma Eden Ramos is a writer and student from New York City. Her short stories have appeared in Stories for Children Magazine, The Storyteller Tymes, BlazeVOX Journal, and others. Emma's novelette, Where the Children Play, is included in Resilience: Stories, Poems, Essays, Words for LGBT Teens, edited by Eric Nguyen. Three Women: A Poetic Triptych and Selected Poems (Heavy Hands Ink, 2011), Ramos’ first poetry chapbook, was shortlisted for the 2011 Independent Literary Award in Poetry. Emma studies psychology at Marymount Manhattan College.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog


Tour Giveaway
2 Ebooks of Realm of the Lost
Open Internationally
Ends 12/12/12
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview (feel free to do any or all of the questions, including or excluding the lightning round)

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

What happens when you die before your time? Kat Gallagher finds out in The Realm of the Lost. 

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

I wrote The Realm of the Lost both as a tribute to the people in my life who suddenly passed away and as a way of understanding my own mortality. The idea for The Realm of the Lost came to me in 2010 while I was at a family wedding. This was the first event our family had attended since the death of my grandfather, and the wedding was held on what would have been his 93^rd birthday. My grandfather’s death was not a tragedy because he lived a full life.  There are people in my life, however, who have died too soon and under tragic circumstances. I began thinking about my grandfather’s death and the way in which my memory of it differed from my memory of the others. Do the circumstances surrounding someone’s death dictate whether or not they rest peacefully? Does going to your grave as a result of an accident change your trajectory, or is that just a perception that we, the living, have?  I began asking these questions and found myself writing The Realm of the Lost on the plane ride home from the wedding. 

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

I am in the process of working on another book (full-length) for young readers. Please Stay tuned! 

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

A reader recently compared The Realm of the Lost to Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. I would say that The Lovely Bones could be The Realm of the Lost's older cousin. Both stories deal with the afterlife and have protagonists in their early teens. The Lovely Bones, however, is geared toward older readers. 

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

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, The Giver by Lois Lowry, Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë and Summer by Edith Wharton are among some of my favorite books. I am and always will be a voracious reader. Reading is an activity I cherish. 

--If a fairy godmother told you could be put into the world of your favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

I would probably ask to be placed in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. I wouldn't be greedy and insist on taking Cathy's place in the story. I'd just want to follow the young pair (Cathy and Heathcliff) on their wild adventures on the moors. 

--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?

 I always like to write with a cup of Earl Grey tea at my side. 

I found myself listening to Irish folk music while writing The Realm of the Lost. Grandma Rose, the main character's beloved grandmother, came from Ireland. Before she died, Rose gave Kat a necklace bearing the Celtic triskele symbol. While the story does not take place in Ireland, much of the mythology and storytelling techniques I borrowed does come from Irish culture. Listening to Irish folk music helped me get into the mood. A favorite song was "Ta Muid" sung by Charlie Doidge. 

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

I'd be telepathic. Yes, I'd like to be a betazoid like Deanna Troi from Star Trek Next Generation. 

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

It gets better. The rest of life is nothing like high school.

Lightning round: this or that?

Vanilla or chocolate?

Swirled? Can I get them swirled?  

Edward or Jacob?

Count Dracula. Lestat will also do. 

Hockey or soccer?

Modern dance. 

Ebook or paper?

Both. 

Salty or sweet?

Sweet. 

Beach or mountains?

Desert mountains.

Phone call or email?

Email.

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl.  

Dog or cat?

Dog.  

Messy or neat?

Messy! 

Ninjas or pirates?

I'm not sure I can choose. They're both pretty incredible.

Praise for The Realm of the Lost

"Who would have thought that in that few pages one can make a magical, wonderful and well-written story?... I recommend this book. Most especially to children out there!"

-Samaine from Bookworms Avenue


"What a truly magnificent and unique plot and concept! Where do you go when you pass away too young? Emma Ramos has created a truly facinating and absorbing novella that leaves the reader pondering this question- characters and plot devices are spot on- fast moving and deeply moving, THE REALM OF THE LOST comes very highly recommended!"
-Rick Friedman from The James Mason Community Book Club


"...Ramos offers the right balance of plot and description...allowing the suspense and tension to build to the twist."
-Serena Agusto-Cox from Savvy Verse and Wit