Author Interview: Jenna Black

Jenna Black is your typical writer. Which means she's an "experience junkie." She got her BA in physical anthropology and French from Duke University.

Once upon a time, she dreamed she would be the next Jane Goodall, camping in the bush making fabulous discoveries about primate behavior. Then, during her senior year at Duke, she did some actual research in the field and made this shocking discovery: primates spend something like 80% of their time doing such exciting things as sleeping and eating.

Concluding that this discovery was her life's work in the field of primatology, she then moved on to such varied pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation. Among her other experiences . . . Ballroom dancing.  Traveling all seven continents.  Yes, even Antarctica.  Becoming a Life Master in Bridge.  Singing in a barbershop chorus.

Sounds awesome right?  I was so excited that Jenna was able to come by the blog for an interview and can't wait to share, so check it out!

Katelyn:  Fantasy novels have always been popular in Young Adult Literature, and YA novels featuring fairies are long time classics and oh so very popular. Why were you drawn to focus your novel around them? Have they always held a special place in your heart?

Jenna:  I have always enjoyed tales of Faerie, and I’ve been influenced even by the ones that I didn’t particularly enjoy. There’s something about that parallel world, with people who are sort of like us but in many ways not that fascinates me. One of my all-time favorite books is War for the Oaks by Emma Bull. I think I’ve wanted to write a story about the Fae ever since I first read that book, although I didn’t find the story I wanted to write until relatively recently.

Katelyn:  With Glimmerglass being your YA debut novel, this must be a very chaotic and exciting time for you. What's your favorite part about the process so far?

Jenna:  Chaotic and exciting is an excellent description! It’s been a wild roller coaster ride, with my emotions careening all over the place. Some of my favorite moments were seeing the final book for the first time, with its pretty silver dots, and doing my very first reading/signing. A lot of people from my local RWA chapter showed up, but there were also people in the audience whom I didn’t personally know, and that was very exciting. More people seem to come to events for young adult books than do for adult books, so it was a nice ego boost.

Katelyn:  What's your favorite book/author?

Jenna:  That’s an impossible question to answer! I have so many favorites I couldn’t possibly name them all. Obviously, I’d name War for the Oaks as one, but a few more of my favorites are Briar Rose by Jane Yolen, The Host by Stephenie Meyer, and Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. Ask me another time, and you might get an entirely different list of books and authors.

Katelyn:  If you were describing Glimmerglass in three words, what would they be?

Jenna:  Wow, two hard ones in a row! Assuming the three words don’t have to go together, I’d probably say alcoholism, Faerie, and betrayal.

Katelyn:  Did you have a favorite character while writing Glimmerglass? If you did, can you tell us who that was and why?

Jenna:  I’d have to say my favorite character is Ethan, my heroine’s love interest. I always seem to love the morally ambiguous characters best. Ethan has elements of both a hero and a villain, and that makes him tons of fun to write. But if you want to see one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written, you’ll have to wait until Shadowspell comes out and you get to meet the Erlking. He’s morally ambiguous all right, but he leans more toward the villain side.

Katelyn:  I was amazed to hear that you've traveled all 7 continents and was insanely curious to know which you enjoyed the most or if you have any plans to make your way back to certain places that were favorites?

Jenna:  I did most of my traveling with my mother, who passed away in 2004. We were very adventurous travelers (as you can probably guess), and we went to a lot of stunning places. We were always on the lookout for off-the-beaten-path trips and were more interested in natural beauty than in cities. Probably my favorite place to visit was Kenya, because the wildlife is so incredible. But I really loved Antarctica, too, both because traveling there was such an adventure, and for its sheer, unspoiled beauty. It was just breathtaking! (I don’t think I’d want to go again, however. Getting there can be quite an ordeal, especially if you’re crossing the Drake Passage, one of the roughest stretches of water anywhere in the world!)

Katelyn:  Do you have any other novels in the works at the moment, want to share any juicy details about them? I know the sequel to Glimmerglass will be coming out in the future, any hints you can give us as far as what's in store next for our favorite characters?

Jenna:  I do have another adult series in the works, but unfortunately I have not been cleared to share any details about it yet. My publisher doesn’t want me to talk about it until they have determined a release date for it, and that has not yet happened. Sorry! As for hints at what’s in store for Dana and her friends, I can tell you that her life is going to get even more complicated! And the list of people who want something from her is going to grow.

Katelyn:  Anything else you'd like to add or say?

Jenna:  Thanks for inviting me to be your guest!

Isn't she great?  If you guys haven't had the chance to check out Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker, #1), do yourself a favor and get the bookstore now to pick up your own copy, it's great!  And be sure to be on the lookout for the 2nd installment in the Faeriewalker series, Shadowspell.

ARC Tour & Review: I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1) by Pittacus Lore

There were nine. Three are dead. I Am Number Four.

Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth... protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies, the Mogadorian, are hunting him down.

The only way to keep off radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Finally in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts—his legacies home; Planet Lorien—stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.

But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it’s only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there’s no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five...

I've heard people say that a great writer will make his/her readers feel something when reading their work; be it love or hate for the story itself, the characters as people, etc...if it wasn't great work those strong emotions wouldn't come out. After reading I Am Number Four, I can only say that Pittacus Lore is a great writer. I experienced all sorts of emotions and feelings while reading this book and I must say that after finishing it I wanted to have a nice little chat with Lore. After everything I was put through, the ending! Oh my gosh, I'm not going to give anything away, but Lore....you're killing me with that kind of ending.

I've always loved the paranormal/fantasy genres but never really got into science fiction of any kind, what can I say...aliens never really appealed to me. X-Files wasn't my thing, Sigourney Weaver was great in Aliens but I don't have it on my shelf and let's face it, normally aliens are not dream worthy or likely to make you go weak in the knees after you get a look at them, unless it's from fear. But that was all before I read I Am Number Four. Wow, did I do a 360 and change my mind quickly. John Smith (a.k.a. Number Four) is an alien and all around wonderful and unique character created by Lore. He's been running his entire life just trying to stay alive and ahead of the creatures out to kill him. With only his guardian Henri as his constant companion, life has been lonely for John. Never staying in one place long enough to make friends, he's never really been able to get close to anyone, at least not until Henri and John move to a small town in Ohio. In Ohio a lot changes, John is able to make friends and of course a few enemies (always happens to the new kid in school), information is unfolded and discoveries are made that begin to help John understand more of what his life is really all about.

Lore unfolded this story piece by calculated piece and he hit the nail on the proverbial head each and every time. I don't want to infringe on that but I intend to read more of the Lorien Legacy series in the future and more of Lore's work in general. With amazing writing that brought tears to my eyes (thanks a lot Lore!) and laughter as well, Lore will have you wanting to read more, more, more. He's already got me on his science fiction band wagon and I'm sure when you read this one, you'll be his next victim....readers don't stand a chance!

I gave I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1) 4 shamrocks!!!

Review: The Crescent (The Crescent, #1) by Jordan Deen

Becoming a werewolf is not an option for seventeen-year-old Lacey Quinn, but death can be a strong motivator. Lacey is so focused on her future that everyday life has passed her by. Counting down the days to her eighteenth birthday, Lacey is almost home free. But when she falls for the mysterious Alex Morris, she lands in the middle of an ancient war between two enemy wolf packs.


Tempting dreams, tantalizing lies and a dangerous love triangle ensues leaving Lacey heartbroken and confused. Lacey's fate rests in the hands of Alex and Brandon, but both are pulling her strings for their own agendas. Even as she slips further into the dark world of werewolves, Lacey struggles to find the truth and save the only family she's ever know.


Talk about your love triangles, The Crescent even had me struggling with my feelings over who I wanted Lacey to end up with. Normally when I read a book with strong male leads fighting over the attentions of a female character I find myself easily choosing a side. I then proceed to get frustrated with the female character if she doesn't instantly heed my internal advice. That wasn't the case this time around. I was right there with Lacey, sympathizing the whole time with her situation and the difficult decisions she's being forced to make, not to mention the fact that she doesn't even have all the information and background that would be helpful in her case to make an informed choice. I am still torn, even after having finished the last page. Who do I really think is right for Lacey?

Lacey was an interesting character for me. She had the qualities you can expect from a female protagonist, but at the same time I must admit that the men in the story, in my opinion, overpowered her. She was quickly finding that what she knew and had come to believe in, was in fact far from the truth. Or at least it wasn't all there laid out in black and white as she had once thought. Information had been withheld from her and she quickly found herself not sure who she could trust and believe. People she had always counted on now appear to have nefarious plots involving her, and we all know how hard it is to trust someone you've just met let alone be expected to trust them as if you've known them your entire life.

We meet Alex, who is that stereotypical boy in high school that girls swoon over, and never think they have a chance at catching the attention of. But Lacey is all Alex is interested in, he makes her his whole world. What girl wouldn't swoon a little as a result of that kind of attention right? He's good looking and kind and has eyes only for her, would you pass that up? I'm not sure that anyone could, at least until we meet Brandon. Just as qualified in the looks department, not to mention the boy is completely devoted, but what's a girl to do when she's already started to become involved with someone else? I'd go crazy, that's for sure!
I will admit that while this was a story I enjoyed, there were gaps for me. Some details didn't add up and sometimes I found myself confused as to what was what. But with lives on the line and hearts at risk of breaking, pressure becomes a very familiar feeling to these characters. Lacey ultimately must make a choice and it's definitely not going to be an easy one, not for anyone. She's at the center of a very serious tug of war and must make a decision that brings finality to a whole new level. I was sad that the story ended with a cliffhanger. Normally I love a series, but this time I wanted closure. I ended up finishing feeling extremely bereft. I want to know what happens next, what craziness awaits our characters and what surprises are in store for me and my fellow readers next. I am completely hoping the sequel, Half Moon comes out very very soon.

I gave The Crescent (The Crescent, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!

Author Interview: Jackie Morse Kessler

Jackie Morse Kessler grew up in Brooklyn, NY, with a cranky cat and overflowing shelves filled with dolls and books. Now she’s in Upstate NY with another cranky cat, a loving husband, two sons, and overflowing shelves filled with dragons and books (except when her sons steal her dragons). She has a bachelor’s degree in English and American Literature, and yet she’s never read any Jane Austen (with or without zombies). She also has a master’s degree in media ecology. (The living study of technology and culture. Which is cool, but she still can’t figure out how to use Tweetdeck.)

Jackie spends a lot of time writing, reading, and getting distracted by bright and shiny new ideas. (She just came up with a new idea right now.) She has a weakness for chocolate and a tendency to let her cat take over her office chair.

I am so very excited that Jackie was able to stop by and chat with us about her upcoming book, HUNGER (Horsemen of the Apocalypse, #1) and I can't wait to see what you guys think....

Katelyn: Can you tell us a little bit about HUNGER and the writing process you went through. It is such an emotional and powerful book, how did you handle writing a book with such important and sensitive issues like eating disorders?

JMK:  HUNGER is about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new avatar of Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I’d wanted to write this book for years, but I kept putting it off because I was writing other books and stories, and because I was afraid that no one would want to read such a book. It wasn’t until I had lunch with my agent back in October 2008 and told her the idea that I thought I should write the book. Actually, that’s all because of my agent. She said to me, “And why haven’t you written this book yet???” I said, “Because no one wants to read a book about eating disorders,” and she replied, “Are you crazy???” **grins** She was extremely encouraging, so I took a break from writing a contracted book that was due in February and started thinking about HUNGER. Four weeks later, I had the draft done.

Yeah, it was a fast draft. But then, it’s a very short book — and it had been brewing for about ten years. Once I figured out who the main character was, and what the purpose of the Horsemen were, everything just came pouring out. It was extremely cathartic. I didn’t plot it; I wrote this one completely by the seat of my pants. But then, like I said, I’d had ten years to figure out the story!

Katelyn:  Balance is such a large theme in HUNGER, how did you manage to convey the idea of balance in everyone's lives without it seeming like you were standing on a soap box. Where did the inspiration come from for Lisa's symbol as Famine to be the scales?

JMK:  The scales is straight from the Book of Revelations: “And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.” [Revelations 6:5] A pair of balances is a set of scales. I call it a balance, as well as the Scales, in the book. And of course, scales are extremely important if you’re anorexic. Everything about the situation really called for balance to be necessary — starting with “balance” being another name for “scales.”

As for conveying the idea of balance...well, Death is very inspirational, isn’t he? **smiles** I’m glad the notion came through without it feeling like I was standing on a soapbox.

Katelyn:  This book had no sugar coating and you didn't gloss anything over. I know I had difficulty with certain scenes in this book but at the same time I can't imagine the book without them. Why did you decide to write this story in such a graphic manner?

JMK:  One of the things that upsets me greatly is how eating disorders are glamorized in the media, especially in magazines. I can’t tell you how many times I’d see a magazine that would scream on the cover, [CELEBRITY NAME] IS ANOREXIC!!! And then in the actual article, it would tell you how the celebrity goes about her day, what she eats, how much she exercises, how little she weighs, and how successful she is despite the anorexia. Ugh. That’s not focusing on how devastating eating disorders are. So it was very important to me to strip away any glamour when Lisa and Tammy are in the throes of their disorders.

**stands on soapbox** Eating disorders suck!!! **steps off of soapbox**

Katelyn:  I recently learned there will be three more books in this series, is that correct? Can you tell us a little bit about them? Will they connect with the others or are they stand alones?

JMK:  Yes! **throws confetti** Each book is meant to stand alone, but if you read all of the books, you’ll see some hints of what is to come. For example, some information in HUNGER foreshadows something that will happen in RAGE, which will be coming out in spring 2011. That second book is about a teen girl who self-injures, who becomes the new avatar of War. The third and fourth books will focus on Pestilence and Death, respectively. I’m currently working on the third book, LOSS, right now.

Katelyn:  I must say that Death was one of my favorite characters (and I never thought I would say that), but how did you decide to give him Kurt Cobain like characteristics?

JMK:  **laughs** You know, I wish I knew! I wasn’t even into Nirvana when I started writing HUNGER. But Death simply had to look exactly like Kurt Cobain. It was just one of those Athena moments, when the character springs fully formed out of the author’s head. Maybe I was influenced somehow, somewhere, but darned if I know how or where. But now, whenever I hear Nirvana, I feel like my Muse is speaking to me. 

This is cool: My crit partner, Heather Brewer, got to read HUNGER very early, so she knew what Death looks like. Last year, she gave me a present at Dragon*Con: a small paperweight statue of Kurt Cobain, shoulders-up, with a skull for a face. It was PERFECT. **grins**

And you know...Death is one of my favorite characters too. We get to see more of him in RAGE.

Katelyn:  Some of the proceeds from Hunger sales will be going to the National Eating Disorders Association, can you tell us a little about that?

JMK:  Because this is such a personal issue for me, I wanted to do something to help others who are trying to educate people about what eating disorders are, and what they’re not. NEDA is a terrific organization, and I’m happy to donate a portion of proceeds to it.

I just want to say thank again Jackie for stopping by, I really enjoyed HUNGER and can't wait for the next books in the series to come out!  If you guys haven't had the chance to read my review of HUNGER, you can check it out here, mark you calendars and make sure you check it out when it hits the shelves in October!

In My Mailbox (14)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board.

Every week we’ll post about what books we have received (whether they’re bought/borrowed, etc… you get the idea). Everyone participating will try and visit other lists to comment and possibly pine for the new arrivals everyone’s talking about. I’ve learned that it’s a great idea to really try and stop by at least two or three lists because I’m constantly finding out about new books that I’ve later added to my TBR list.

This week I got a few to add to my collection, and a few that I must pass on as part of the ARC tours, but regardless I'm super excited to get started!

         

The Broken Lake by Shelena Shorts (ARC) (thanks to Shelena and Jenn @ Book Crazy)

Virals by Kathy Reichs, Brendan Reichs (ARC) (thanks to Razorbill publishing)

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

        

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (ARC from Star Book Tours)

The Crescent by Jordan Deen

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

        

Looking for Alaska by John Green

The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones

Maximum Ride:  The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

So what did you guys get this week?  Any good recommendations for me?  I'm always hoping to add to my every growing TBR pile, help me out!

It's Friday, and you know what that means....it's time to do the Book Blogger Hop! I'm hoping that I'll find even more great blogs than I have in the past few weeks, there are so many great ones out there, I can't wait to check them out!

So have a great weekend guys, enjoy the holiday and as always.....Happy Reading!!!

Contest Update

Looks like I've hit the 250 followers mark and everyone knows what that means......another book and another winner will be added to my 200 followers contest (I guess I could update the title, lol).

So here's what I decided.....I want to leave it up to you guys.....just leave me a comment below or send me an email (thebooksophisticate@hotmail.com) with suggestions of some books you would be interested in winning and I'll pick from one of your requests.  And as far as future updates go, if the followers keep growing I want it to be fair of course so I'll add another book and another winner to the list if I hit another milestone, so to speak.

So start making suggestions/requests and at some point next week I'll post an update with the new book addition.  As always good luck everyone and happy reading!

Attention Angel Star Fans!!!

I received an email this morning from the fabulous Jennifer Murgia, author of the recently recently Angel Star.  For those of you who haven't had the chance to read her debut novel, please run to the stores now and get yourselves a copy, it's fantastic...much like the author, lol!  But whether you've read her book or not, I had to share this with you guys....

Jennifer informed me and some of my fellow bloggers that the jewelry site called The Clearwood Connection has added a great collection of jewelry inspired by Angel Star!  Isn't that awesome?

   

I've included some pictures of a few of the pieces for you guys to take a look at, aren't they beautiful?  I've already checked the site out and am currently contemplating which pieces I want to order for myself, my cart is a little too full at the moment.  They have other great pieces as well, but I had to start with the Angel Star inspired line of course!  

    

So head on over and check it out and be sure to let me know what you guys decided on...or if there are a few pieces you think I need to take a better look out to add to my already overflowing cart!