AS: Jessica Brody's The Karma Club

Jessica Brody wrote The Karma Club (read my review of The Karma Club here!!!). This book received a 10/10 rating from me and it's such a fun book to read! I've been so glad to be able to interview her! :)





1. Thank you so much for letting me interview you. What inspired you to write The Karma
Club?

Thanks for the interview! The Karma Club was definitely one of those ideas that just “came” to me. A friend of mine had told me some horrendous story about how a boy dumped her (I don’t even remember the story, I just remember it was infuriating!) and the entire time she was talking, I kept thinking, “Someone needs to do that right back to him. He can’t just get away with that. He needs a taste of Karma!” And then boom, the idea came to me. A secret society of girls who help each other out, dosing out Karma to those who deserve it when the universe is slow to do it on its own. And thus THE KARMA CLUB was born. Of course, as soon as the idea came to me, I also knew that my characters would never be able to get away with it. Karma is a tricky thing. And you definitely don’t want to meddle with the universe!

2. Could you tell me how you can relate to Maddy when you were in high school?

Out of all the characters in all my books, I’m most similar to Maddy. I definitely modeled her after myself when I was in high school. We’re both very organized, studious, and like to be in control at all times. The fact that she concocts a plan to take Karma into her own hands because she doesn’t think it’s doing a good enough job on its own is something I totally would do! I’m a bit of a control freak. I never trust anyone to do anything for me. I always insist on doing it myself. So I suppose that would also apply to mystical forces of the universe!

3. What was the most difficult part about writing The Karma Club?

Great question. The most difficult part for me was coming up with the various revenge schemes that the Karma Club girls do. Which is funny because I thought this would be the easiest and most fun part of the book. But in reality it was near impossible! I wanted to find payback treatments that “fit the crime” so to speak but that also would fit into the story later when Karma came back to bite the girls in the butt. Each revenge scheme in the book had to be very thoroughly planned out because they each come back into play later. The only one I had in mind going into writing the book was the Crisco swap. I’ve always loved that idea and secretly wished it on a few people (although I won’t name any names!) The rest of them took a long time to concoct!

4. Have you ever...you know, tried to make karma pays instantly and not over time?

LOL. If you’re asking if I’ve ever sought revenge on someone the answer is no. Although I have thought about it many a times. I’m not as courageous as my main character. I would have never had the guts to do the things she did!

5. I noticed that you're working on another YA novel, called My Life Undecided which would be out in the Spring of 2011 (where sadly I'll be in Japan and not in US...). Could you tell me more about the book?

Of course! I’m SO excited about this book. I think it actually might be my favorite yet (but don’t tell any of my other books that!) My Life Undecided is about a fifteen year-old girl who is notorious for making terrible decision and so she starts an anonymous blog and posts every decision she comes across in the form of an online poll and vows to do whatever her blog readers decide for her! Obviously problems and hilarity ensue! The official U.S. release date is now set for June 2011. Hopefully you’ll be able to pick up a copy in Japan!

6. I have been a follower of Free Book Friday (the teens one), and I love how you interviewed the authors right away to promote their book. What made you create Free Book Friday?

Oh great! I’m so glad you like the site! I got the idea for Free Book Friday because I noticed that every time I hosted a giveaway on my own site, my web traffic would spike significantly. So I just thought, why not host a giveaway every week. Almost instantly the name “Free Book Friday” popped into my head. I searched for the domain name and it was available so I snatched it up and launched the site! That was over two years ago and it’s grown tremendously since then. We’ve hosted some fantastic super star authors like P.C. Cast, Alyson Noël, Scott Westerfeld and tons of others!

7. What is(are) your favorite novel(s)?

Ooh! Hard question. I’ll give you my top 3 (as of today, 8/24/10, because it changes daily!):

1 ) Bridget Jones’s Diary – because it’s the reason I started writing my first novel. I was so entertained by that book, as soon as I read it, I knew I wanted to do the exact same thing: entertain people.

2 ) The Hunger Games – This was such an amazing concept and Suzanne Collins did such a tremendous job writing it. I lived this book. Meaning, it was in my dreams, my thoughts and pretty much every conversation I had for a good three weeks. That’s a remarkable thing for an author to do!

3 ) The Time Traveler’s Wife – This book was like magic to me. I’m obsessed with time travel and good love stories and this one did both…extremely well.

8. What would be your advice to the young writers who are struggling?

Well, first let me say that I, too, was a struggling young writer. As were ALL writers you read out there. So keep that in mind. We all had to start where you are. My best piece of advice is to write and write often. Regardless if you’re a bestselling author with twenty books under your belt or you’re just starting out, writing is a craft that needs to be constantly honed. Try to write every day. Even if the stuff that’s coming out reads like a third grade book report. Sometimes you have to get the crap out in order to get to the good stuff. And sometimes writing just to write is the only way to get a book done. Even if it means having to go back later and change it all! For every book I write I have about 50-75 pages of deleted text that never makes it into the final draft! But for some reason, it had to be written before I could move on.

9. Thank you so much for doing this interview. Is there anything else you'd like to say to the
readers???

Thanks so much for having me! I hope everyone likes the book! Don’t forget to check out the movie-style book trailer I produced for The Karma Club featuring a cameo appearance by Deepak Chopra! It can be found on my website: www.jessicabrody.com. And also, stop by www.TheKarmaClub.org (a non-profit organization inspired by The Karma Club) to find ways to spread Good Karma in your community and around the world!

AS: Kimberly Derting's The Body Finder

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting is definitely one of my top favorite books (Yes, it's that good). It's just simply gorgeous and vividly written--definitely a good book worth rereading from time to time. If you missed my review of The Body Finder, click here to read it.



1. (The usual--probably cliche, by now to you) Where did the inspiration of The Body Finder come from?

This is my husband’s favorite question! The original idea actually came from him, when we were driving one day and he said: “What if there was a kid who could find dead bodies?” Of course, in his head it was a middle-school-boy adventure book. But I loved the basic idea…as long as it was a girl in high school and she had a love interest. It took some time to hammer out the rules of her creepy ability (how she would find the dead bodies), but once I did, I was obsessed with getting her story on paper. To this day though, my husband will walk around the house declaring himself my co-author!

2. This is one of the things that intrigued me the most about the book: the part where you wrote about the killer's perspective. It sounded so real--the more I think about it, it's the more like you've studied a real criminal (whereas I mostly watch CSI/similar shows). How difficult was it for you to write the criminal's perspective? Did you do a long research on it?

My first draft only had a few sections from the serial killer’s perspective, mostly because I thought it might be a little too dark and twisted for YA. So when my editor came back and asked for more, I was completely thrilled…I loved writing those scenes (which makes me sounded a little too dark and twisted, doesn’t it?)!!!

3. What was the most difficult part in The Body Finder to write?

I’m not sure I can point at anything and say it was difficult to write. Is it terrible to admit that it was an easy book to write…mostly because I was more than a little obsessed while I was writing it? I fell in love with both the characters and the story, so spending time with them each day was a breeze.

4. I truly love your writing style in The Body Finder. It was just making me so curious; Did you always write like that, or did you especially write it in a way that most people never did (with the 3rd perspective and how the suspense was kept)?

When I wrote The Body Finder, I’d always written in 3rd person. Since then I’ve worked on a project in 1st person and loved the way it turned out. I like mixing POVs, and I think there’s room for a little bit of everything in fiction. I mean, really, how boring would it be if every book were exactly the same???



It was surreal seeing it on shelves for the first time. I thought I was prepared for that moment since I’d already seen a finished copy (I’d held it in my hands, flipped the pages, and I may or may not have smelled it!). But walking into the bookstore for the first time and seeing it there…faceout on real life bookshelves?!?! I’m pretty sure I screamed, or at least squealed. Thankfully no one was standing in my way or I probably would have pushed them down to get to it!

7. Did you always want to be a writer? (If not, ever since when and how did you know you want to become one and what obstacle did you have overcome?)

I started seriously writing right after high school (many, many years ago!). My first attempt at writing a novel (using that word loosely) was a full-on adult horror novel called ONE OF THEM, because I wanted to write like Stephen King (ha!). Fortunately, it was never published but it did make for really good practice. Only when I finally gave up on that manuscript did I discover (and fall in love with) YA!

8. My favorite list of books includes Shiver, Linger (by Maggie Stiefvater), The Hunger Games series (by Suzanne Collins) and The Body Finder (by you, who are so generous by taking your sweet time to answer these questions). What is/are your favorite book(s)/series?

GAH! This is such a difficult question because there are SO many!!! Some of my recent favorite reads have been Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, Firelight by Sophie Jordan, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and anything in the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. But my all-time favorite will always be To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (I re-read it every few years)!

9. Some authors can write with music (with lyrics). When you wrote The Body Finder, did you have a certain playlist that you listen to? If not, are there certain songs that you think would fit some scenes in The Body Finder?

I can’t write with music for some reason, and I’m amazed that anyone can. If I like a song I find myself listening to that instead of paying attention to my work. But whenever I hear something slow and melodic by Evanescence, it makes me think of The Body Finder…they just have that haunting sound. And when it comes to the scenes from the serial killer’s POV, I always think of Possum Kingdom by The Toadies (it’s old, but super creepy…especially if you watch the video!).

10. What would be your advice to some of the young writers that hasn't make it yet to the bookstore shelves?

Hang in there! Seriously, I don’t know many writers—or any really—that haven’t faced rejection in some form (and most of us have stacks of rejection letters to prove it). I think that most published writers are published because they never gave up!!!

11. What would be your reaction if The Body Finder is adapted to a movie?

[INSERT HYSTERICAL SCREAMING HERE]



Really, I’m sure you’d hear me from wherever you live!


12. Thank you very much for the copy of The Body Finder and this interview. Is there anything else you'd like to say to the readers?

Just thanks so much for having me here today, and I hope you all enjoy The Body Finder!

AS: Bonnie Hearn Hill's Star Crossed Series + Giveaway!!

As you guys have known, I recently read the Star Crossed series by Bonnie Hearn Hill. Right now there are two books that are out for the public; Aries Rising and Taurus Eyes. Gemini Night, the third book in the series will be out in Fall 2010. Bonnie has been so generous, she's going to give one lucky winner a signed copy of each book! (Gemini Night has to wait, of course, until it's published :D)

Here is a chance to win the signed copies of Star Crossed series by Bonnie Hearn Hill! It ends August 31, 2010. US/Canada only. There will be ONE WINNER! Fill out this FORM to enter!

(P.S: Read the interview below to find out the Star Crossed facebook page, and Like the page to be entered to win an iPod Touch when Gemini Night comes out!! :D)

Here are the gorgeous covers:



Read my review of Aries Rising here.
Read my review of Taurus Eyes here.

My interview with Bonnie Hearn Hill:

1. While writing the Star Crossed series, which book made you felt satisfied the most and why?

A: Each book was satisfying in a different way. ARIES RISING was exciting because--well, because it was first--and because I got to experience Logan coming into her own power. TAURUS EYES was deeply personal to me. Although there's a ghost and a lot of conflict, it's really a love story, and it's a story about letting go of what we love. GEMINI NIGHT was challenging because I got to up the stakes and write more of a mystery. In that book, Logan has to figure out the astrology chart of a celebrity who will be attending the launch party of the teen magazine she wants to write for. She doesn't know which celeb it is. She only knows the stars spell disaster. The love story from TAURUS EYES also plays a part in this book.

2. Which character(s) (Or, based on their zodiac, I guess) was the most interesting to write?

A: Well, I'm a Gemini, so it was fun creating Chili, Logan's best friend. My best friend is a Pisces--and an astrologer--so Paige, Logan's other best friend, ended up with many of her traits. I've had many Pisces readers tell me that they relate to Paige because they are also shy and creative. I hope they like how she changes in GEMINI NIGHT. I've never met a Leo I didn't love, so Nathan Sullivan, Logan's first crush, was fun to write. Logan herself is my favorite. She's conflicted about her mom being on the golf tour and her parents' problems. She's not sure about how to use astrology, but she's proactive and refuses to be a victim. She's willing to take risks. Taurus is also one of my favorite signs. I like their solid dependability, their passion, even their stubborn always-right nature. Some of my favorite people, including my husband, are Bulls. The love interest in TAURUS EYES is also a Taurus, and he is still very real to me. I knew Logan would fall for this guy, and so did I.

3. (I already know your story, but...) Where did the inspiration to write Star Crossed series came from?

A: As I mentioned to you, my best friend, Hazel Dixon-Cooper (the Pisces mentioned above) was once my writing student and became the author of the Rotten Day humorous astrology series and the Cosmopolitan Bedside Astrologer column. She is also a member of my private critique group. You can't spend any time with Hazel before you start checking your Rising sign, staying close to home when Mercury is in Retrograde and refusing to date a guy with a Virgo Moon. When I got the idea for the book, I asked her if she would help me get the astrology part right, and she was a tremendous help. If you read these books, and your sign sounds like you, it's because Hazel was a very good teacher.

4. Does the book Fearless Astrology actually exist? Will you be writing one after the series ends???

A: Others have asked me that. I invented Fearless, and as you know, a member of Logan's family is the author of this imaginary book. I have not thought much about actually writing one, but it could be fun.

5. Do you listen to music while writing? Can I get a playlist?

A: If I listened to music, I would not be able to hear my own voice. I sometimes play classical music in the other room with the volume down. Never anything with lyrics. I'm auditory, and much of my writing process is trying to hear the characters and the story.

6. What was the most difficult part of writing the Star Crossed series?

A: Good question, Eliora. Until then, I had written only thrillers and some nonfiction. I guess it was having the faith to try something new. Even though I was a published writer, I had never written young adult, so I had to complete an entire novel and gamble on whether it would sell. That was ARIES RISING, which I sold as FRANKENSTEIN WAS A TAURUS, a title that was ultimately too young for it. Writing the books was the fun part.

7. Did you ever have your own writing camp sessions in high school? Was it with a famous author, too?

A: I wish! I did marry my high school English teacher, however. Henry Jaffa, Logan's mentor, is based on a best-selling novelist I know who is talented, professorish and extremely helpful to young writers. He's the kind of mentor I wish I'd had.

8. What is your favorite series that you absolutely recommend for YA readers to read?

If you are interested in astrology, read Hazel Dixon-Cooper's Rotten Day books. For fiction, I can't tell you because so much of it is really good. Read well and read widely. Some of the best fiction written today is YA.

9. Is there anything else you'd like to say to Star Crossed readers?

A: To those of you who want to write, never give up. To the rest, I'd love to hear from you. You can reach me at bonniehh@gmail.com. Or on my Facebook page.

facebook.com/StarCrossedseries

AS: Emma Michaels' The Thirteenth Chime

Emma Michaels' The Thirteenth Chime is coming to stores Friday the 13th in August 2010!

Emma Michaels' Official Website
Emma Michaels' Blogspot

No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.

Hatred never dies.

+ + +

1. What was the biggest obstacle writing The Thirteenth Chime?

A: Rejections. I think deep down, I was really afraid that I would never get published. I've always been told I'm a great writer by many people, but to actually be faced with knowing that a story I have given life to would be sent out into the world? It was a daunting experience, but I am so glad I stuck with it!

2. I've only read the summaries, but the one thing that really caught my attention was this antique clock. Do you have a special connection with something similar? If not, where did the “clock” idea came from?

A: I live on an island out in Washington State that occasionally loses power during bad storms. One night, I was at a neighbors and we lost the power. It was late in the evening when this happened and after we had retrieved a few candles and lit them, the storm was going full force outside. Then the grandfather clock in the house began to chime. It made me jump, it was so eerie the way the sound echoed through the house and made my heart beat faster. It was as if the clock came alive during the storm.

3. Where did the inspiration for writing The Thirteenth Chime come from?

A: Lots of places. Everything here in the area I live in is full of inspiration for me. I sometimes feel like every time I get up in the morning, a new book, filled with promises of a new story, opens before me. I just wish my hands could keep up with the way my mind races with ideas!

4. Did you always want to be a writer? If not, how did you change and become one?

A: I think I first realized I wanted to become a writer when I was reading a book and thought about the ending. I imagined what the book would be like if it continued - what would happen? Within no time, I was creating characters and giving them a life of their own, letting them weave a story as they came alive.

5. What is(are) your favorite book(s)?

A: Tamora Pierce's "In The Hand of the Goddess"

6. Did you listen to music while writing The Thirteenth Chime? Can I get a list of the playlist???

A: (I'll have to put together a playlist for everyone)

7. As a writer, I feel like putting personality to the characters and not putting myself as the character is a challenge. Who is the most difficult character to write in The Thirteenth Chime?

A: For me, I feel like most of my characters come alive in my writing. I really don't think I give them personality, so much as they develop their own personalities as they make their journey through the book, just like people in real life. I think when writers allow it to happen, they become like readers - they meet the characters for the first time and they never know what is going to happen next. Life is such a beautiful thing. It is filled with so many possibilities and interesting twists and turns that we can never truly expect!

Thank you so much for your interview and to everyone who reads it! I am so blessed to have so many people supporting me!