Today we have a special guest joining us…Will from Stacey Kade’s BODY AND SOUL (available now from Hyperion Book CH). Abigail got to interview Will about his ghost girlfriend and semi reformed mean girl Alona, what it’s like being a ghost-talker, and even get some info on the odds of a happily ever after for this odd but addictive couple. Want to learn more about the final book in The Ghost and the Goth trilogy? Be sure to check out all the stops on the Body & Soul blog tour hosted by Teen Book Scene & look for Abigail’s review later this month.

ATUF: Can you tell us the best & worst thing about being a ghost-talker?

WILL: The best thing? Helping people, I think. And having proof there definitely is something after this life. That tends to change your perspective a little.

The worst thing is the lack of privacy. Walls, doors, shower curtains, none of those mean anything to ghosts when they really want to talk to you.

It’s no surprise, given how much I love reading and re-reading the Elder Races novels, that the chance to interview Thea Harrison is a special treat.  In addition to her insights below, Thea also has two new novellas coming out this year (and with diligent re-reading, this will be just about enough to tide me over until LORD’S FALL is released this November).  The hero of ORACLE’S MOON actually manages to tie Dragos as my favorite Elder Races hero, and luckily, I managed to squeeze in questions about both of these complex and sexy characters.  As mentioned in my 5bat review of ORACLE’S MOON, “Harrison blends romance with a robust mythology that few, if any, paranormal romance series can match”, and I’m so grateful that she’s here at the blog today to give us a glimpse of the process behind these fantastic books.  Enjoy!

ATUF: One of my favorite aspects of ORACLE’S MOON was how Khalil embodied both an ancient being as well as a baffled man out of his element.  You did a fantastic job writing how Khalil’s other-worldly perspective would perceive mundane life with two small children, were there any “ah-ha” moments when he really came together as a character? (Or alternatively, were there any great Khalil moments that didn’t make it into the final draft?)

TH: The biggest “ah-ha” moment I had for Khalil was actually when I was writing SERPENT’S KISS. The whole time I wrote Khalil in that story (as a secondary character) I was poking at him, asking the character in my head, “You interest me. What makes you tick?”

Today we are excited to welcome Gina Damico who is introducing her debut YA novel; CROAK (available on March 20th from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) about a teen who is sent to live in Croak, a town populated entirely by Grim Reapers.  Julia reviewed CROAK yesterday calling it, “a hysterical parody of YA boarding school genre.” Check out the giveaway below to win a CROAK Prize Pack & let us know your favorite thing about reapers or your favorite reaper book in the comments below.

ATUF: What inspired you to write a YA about Grim Reapers?

GD: The characters of Lex and Uncle Mort just sort of popped into my head one day. I liked the idea of a grim-reaper-in-training, and since her parents probably wouldn't approve of that, it only seemed fair for her to be trained by her wacky uncle. And then of course, I couldn't let her tackle this task all by her lonesome - there had to be more teenagers, each wackier than the last. And before I knew it, the town of Croak had been populated, and a story was born. I really had very little to do with it.

There isn’t a big enough welcome for today’s guest.  Lauren Oliver became one of my favorite authors last year when I reviewed her ‘painful, heartbreaking, utterly real’ dystopian novel, DELIRIUM. This month brings us the sequel called PANDEMONIUM (available on February 28th from HarperTeen) which left me breathless by the end.  I had the privilege of interviewing Lauren as part of the Pitch Dark Dark Days of Winter tour below, but be sure to check out all the other delicious Dark Days books!

Are you ready for the DARK DAYS ahead? Prepare to experience romance, suspense, and a touch of darkness in these new YA books: Balthazar by Claudia Gray, Bewitching by Alex Flinn, Everneath by Brodi Ashton, Hallowed by Cynthia Hand, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows, The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting, Magic of the Moonlight by Ellen Schreiber, Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Slide by Jill Hathaway, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, and Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton! Stay connected to all things Dark Days on the Pitch Dark Facebook page, including exclusive content features every Wednesday!

2 Pitch Dark: Dark Days of Winter eBook Samplers

Kindle | Nook |iBookstore

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ATUF: I've heard you describe DELIRIUM as 'a [dystopian] riff on Romeo and Juliet.'  How much influence did that story have on DELIRIUM, and, if any, on PANDEMONIUM?

LO: It influenced me in terms of its themes alone--the idea of love, forbidden love, as the center of the story. But I didn't stick closely to the original story (or ending). None of the messages in Delirium go awry. :)

ATUF: How would you compare writing BEFORE I FALL to the Delirium series? 

LO: That's such a difficult question! Every book is both different and the same. Writing a series--keeping a book, and its characters, with you for years at a time--is very burdensome in some ways, although in other ways it's a great comfort. I tend to have massive anxiety when I'm not living with characters. And Delirium required research that wasn't necessary for Before I Fall. But on the other hand, the act of writing is always hard in the same way: you have to sit down, you have to park in a chair and do it.

ATUF: You portray more than just romantic love in the Delirium series.  Familiar love, friendship love.  How difficult was it to portray the 'cured' characters of all forms of love?

LO: It was very important to me to explore more than romantic love, as our experience of love is certainly much vaster than that. (I didn't know romantic love until LATE in my teen years.) I'm not sure it was particularly difficult, craft-wise, to portray characters who don't love, although it did make me feel squirmy and sad inside. So I guess it was emotionally difficult.

ATUF: I'm not alone in my utter delight that DELIRIUM might find its way to the big screen.  Can you give us a progress report of the status of the (potential) movie?

LO: The movie has a great team of producers behind it and a fabulous script. Hollywood is very uncertain, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.

ATUF: If DELIRIUM does ultimately make it to theaters, who would your dream or, to keep things interesting, nightmare cast be?

  

LO: There are so many talented young actresses right now, which makes it a great time to be looking for a teen cast. I love Hailee Steinfeld, Emma Watson, Dakota Fanning and Mia Wasikowska, just to name a few. I love Taylor Swift. I'm not sure if she can act, but I love her! Nightmare cast would include: Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez and Justin Bieber.

ATUF: The transformation Lena goes through in DELIRIUM is kind of magnificent.  I likened her as the anti-Katniss in my review because she starts out completely believing and trusting the government in her society, but by the end, she was literally breaking out.  Can we expect a similar transformation in PANDEMONIUM? 

LO: Definitely. My primary interest as a writer is the transformation of personality, and how people become something better or greater or different. It's a theme that runs through all of my books.

ATUF: What are a few of your favorite dystopian titles?

 

LO: I love The Hunger Games, of course, and I'm a fan of Veronica Roth's Divergent series. I also love Moira Young's Blood Red Road.

ATUF: What other projects can we look forwarding to reading from you soon?

LO: Well, apart from Pandemonium and Requiem, the final book in the Delirium trilogy, I have a middle grade book releasing in the fall called THE SPINDLERS. Apart from that, I'm not sure! I'm playing around with a few things right now, but all of it is in very early stages.

ATUF: Finish this statement with as much/little detail as you like: You'll like the Delirium series if you like...

LO: Romance. Or guns and explosions. :)

ATUF: Any other questions that you would like to answer?

LO: No! Thank you very much for having me. :)

ATUF: Thanks so much for stopping by Lauren.  Come back anytime!

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About the author:

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.

Visit Lauren Oliver online: Website|Blog|Twitter|Facebook Want to read more from Lauren Oliver?

Book Details

PANDEMONIUM by Lauren Oliver

 

Available on February 28, 2012 from HarperTeen

Description:

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Read an excerpt|Read our review

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I’m  excited to have Joan Swan here today, telling us a little bit about the first installment in her Phoenix Rising series, FEVER.  FEVER had me hooked from Chapter 1, the hero and heroine have so much drama and danger swirling around them I couldn’t wait to find out how things would resolve.    As my ARC arrived today, I’ll be heading to the couch to satisfy my curiosity once I click “Post”.  Enter to win your own copy of FEVER below, or if you’re not the gambling type, pre-order a copy for March 1.  After reading Joan’s interview, my finger is itching to pre-order BLAZE as well.

ATUF: I have been excited to read FEVER from the moment I saw the excerpt.  Does the Chapter 1 that I read bear any resemblance to where you first started the story?  What character or concept was the seed that got you started on FEVER?

Actually, the story always started here—in the hospital exam room where the hero, a convicted murderer, takes the heroine, a doctor filling in for an absent sonographer, hostage. That scene was the beginning of the idea for the book and everything else in the story stemmed from there.

Some elements of the scene changed from the original version because I first wrote Fever as a straight romantic suspense. So when I rewrote, Teague’s paranormal ability and Cassie’s reaction to it had to be included.

Welcome and happy book birthday to Lynn Weingarten whose latest book, THE SECRET SISTERHOOD OF HEARTBREAKERS hits shelves today from HarperTeen.  If you missed my review, I called it “a fun and thought provoking read that was anything but predictable, and will leave you wondering if it’s ever okay to break a heart.”  I’m dying to talk about the ending with somebody, so hit me up when you read it :) And if you want one of the very cool swag pack containing some exclusive heartbreakers tattoos from the book, check out the giveaway below.

The Elder Races series is characterized by “interesting mythology, snappy dialogue, and smoking chemistry”, and is definitely among my all time favorite Paranormal Romances.  The author behind the magic, Thea Harrison, has stopped by to answer some questions about her latest Elder Races novella, TRUE COLOR,S and give away an eARC to one lucky reader. TRUE COLORS is also available now from Samhain Publishing, so those who can’t stand waiting to win can enjoy the sweet, instant delivery of buying their own copy.  In our interview today Thea talks a little bit about her writing career, offers insights into the hero and heroine of TRUE COLORS, and dropped hints about Elder Races #5 (that sound you hear is me squealing with joy, do not adjust your computer).  I hope you enjoy reading this conversation as much I enjoyed having it, thanks for stopping by! 

An Interview with Thea Harrison

Theresa Meyers is starting a brand new fae infused paranormal romance series called Shadow Sisters.  The first book is called SHADOWLANDER (available now from Entangled Publishing) and Theresa is here to tell us a little about the book and, thanks to her publisher, giveaway an eCopy of SHADOWLANDER. See details below.

Jennifer L. Armentrout is the author of the young adult urban fantasy Covenant series about the teenage decedents of gods training to fight daimons at the Covenant school.  Jennifer is talking today about YA cover art and her debut HALF-BLOOD (available on October 18, 2011 from Spencer Hill Press).  Our review will be up soon.  In the meantime, don’t forget to follow the rest of the HALF-BLOOD book tour hosted by Teen Book Scene.

Remember when we took part in the Nine Paths to Chloe King game earlier this summer to gear up for the new ABC Family show, The Nine Lives of Chloe King?  I hope you all took advantage of the numerous free gifts (jewelry, t-shirts etc) that we unlocked while playing. 

Because we completed all nine paths, I got to submit a question for cast member Alyssa Diaz (she plays Jasmine on the show):

And here is her video response:

 

So have you been watching the show?  It took a few episodes for me to get hooked, but I’ve been watching each week and it’s turning out to be exactly the kind of fun show that’s perfect for summer.  I’m a big fan of the impossible romance between Chloe and Brian.  I mean the poor girl can’t even kiss him because he’ll die…talk about a romantic obstacle to overcome.  You can catch it on Tuesday nights at 9/8c on ABC Family.

 

Today we’re welcoming back Christina Henry, the author of the Madeline Black urban fantasy series from Ace Books, about a Grim Reaper.  The series continues this summer with BLACK NIGHT which is available now (read Julia’s review). One of my favorite characters from this series is Maddy’s smart-aleck gargoyle guardian, Bezzel, who was kind enough to drop by and tell us all what it takes to keep him happy.  Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of BLACK NIGHT.  See details below. 

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A GARGOYLE CARE & FEEDING MANUAL
by
Christina Henry’s Beezle

My name is Beezle, and I’m here to instruct you on an extremely vital topic – the correct way to care for your gargoyle.

Gargoyles have incredibly important jobs and their services are often unappreciated by the residents of the homes that they guard. A gargoyle can see the true nature of things. That means if a demon shows up at your door disguised as the electric meter reader I can see through all the layers of reality down to its true essence. Now, don’t you want to know if that handsome guy knocking on your door is really from ComEd or if he’s there to yank your intestines through your nostrils?

I, for one, would prefer to have that information in advance, and given the value of such information I think that the humans (especially a certain Agent of death) that live with gargoyles should provide them with the following:

1) A steady supply of popcorn, preferably freshly popped at 15-minute intervals,

2) As many Boston cream doughnuts as I want without arguing about saturated fat content,

3) The so-called “emergency” chocolate stash should be redefined as “for all occasions” chocolate. Additionally, more quantity and variety in this stash would be welcome. Ghirardelli has many, many flavors of chocolate squares and there is no reason to be stingy.

4) Cinnamon rolls from Ann Sather should magically appear in the kitchen at least twice a week. I do occasionally enjoy surprises so the days of the week can vary as long as my minimum cinnamon roll needs are being met.

5) When we order pizza, we should also order buffalo chicken wings and mozzarella sticks. I don’t see why we have to have a loud discussion about this every time.

6) Please stop buying vegetables. Nothing green will ever pass my lips unless it’s a sour apple Jolly Rancher.

If you have any further questions or suggestions on this topic, please direct them to my human, Madeline Black. She seems to be off in mortal peril at the moment (that happens a lot around here) but I will have her get in touch when she returns. If she returns.

If she doesn’t come back, who would like to adopt an incredibly adorable gargoyle? If you know how to bake, I’m all yours.

-----------------------------------

About Christina Henry

CHRISTINA HENRY is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time.  She lives in Chicago with her husband and son. Visit Christina Henry online: Website|Facebook

Want to read more from Christina Henry?

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Giveaway provided by Christina Henry

One copy of BLACK NIGHT by Christina Henry

Description:

Madeline Black is an Agent of death, meaning she escorts the souls of people who have died to the afterlife. Of course, not everyone is happy to see her...

If obstinate dead people were all that Maddy had to worry about, life would be much easier. But the best-laid plans of Agents and fallen angels often go awry. Deaths are occurring contrary to the natural order, Maddy's being stalked by foes inside and outside of her family, and her two loves-her bodyguard, Gabriel, and her doughnut-loving gargoyle, Beezle-have disappeared. But because Maddy is Lucifer's granddaughter, things are expected of her, things like delicate diplomatic missions to other realms.

Read our Review

Pre-Order from

GIVEAWAY GUIDLINES

1. Open US only
2. Leave a comment that includes a way to contact you
3. Winner will be announced on August 11th
4. See our Giveaway Policy HERE

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Interested in guest blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME

I’m so glad to welcome Allison van Diepen to the site today. Allison’s new paranormal YA, THE VAMPIRE STALKER, is releasing in a couple days on June 1st from Point.  I was fortunate to receive an early copy and reviewed it yesterday, describing the premise as TWILIGHT meets Kate & Leopold.  Allison is answering all of my burning questions and sharing her (literally) A-Ha moment when she came up with the premise.

ATUF: I was sold on this book from the one line premise: ‘What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world--and came into yours?’ How did you come up with the idea?

AV: The idea hit me while I was watching the A-Ha video “Take On Me” in which a guy from a comic and a girl from the real world struggle to be together. It got me thinking about how we’ve all fallen in love with book characters. I wanted it to be possible that the reason we love those characters so much is that they actually ARE real.

ATUF: THE VAMPIRE STALKER is a book within a book story.  There is a vampire infested alternate Chicago in the Otherworld series that Amy and her friends obsess over.  Even just from the brief passages/references in THE VAMPIRE STALKER, I can see why.  Any chance you’ll ever write it?

AV: If there’s another VAMPIRE STALKER book, it’s more likely it would be from Amy’s viewpoint rather than being written as an Otherworld novel. But you never know! I’d love to continue Amy and Alexander’s story and show readers Otherworld Chicago as I picture it…

ATUF: If THE VAMPIRE STALKER were ever made into a movie, who would your dream or, to keep things interesting, nightmare cast be?

AV: How about Oprah as Ms. P., the cool librarian/physicist? (grin) Ideally, I’d prefer Amy and Alexander to be played by unknowns so that viewers could see them through fresh eyes. Nightmare cast? Well, if Kesha and Justin Bieber teamed up to play Amy and Alexander, I wouldn’t be too happy!

ATUF: THE VAMPIRE STALKER bucks the current trend of portraying vampires as romantic characters.  The vampire villain in your book, Viggo, is a sociopath.  What made you choose to portray vampires as (mostly) monsters?

AV: I prefer vampires as villains instead of heroes. And for THE VAMPIRE STALKER, I wanted to put Alexander up against a terrifying, unredeemable vampire who had lost all of his humanity. Having said that, I do find many vampire heroes appealing, but it’s more because of the characters themselves than because they’re vampires. To me, what’s important in a hero is that he’s totally strong, masculine and tortured, with an I’ll do anything for you romantic side.

ATUF: You actually explain how the characters from the Otherworld books cross over into our world.  I found the idea fascinating, especially how it relates to author inspiration.  Can you tell us anything about it without giving away too much?

AV: Sure. Let’s put it this way: have you ever read a book that’s so vivid you wondered if it could be real? Many authors, including myself, have had the experience of a book writing itself—we find ourselves writing as if we’re in a trance. What if we’re not actually creating the world of our story, but actually peeking into it? That’s the essence of what I call Literary Physics. It’s the idea that some authors are writing about the events in parallel worlds without even realizing it.  

ATUF: What other projects can we look forwarding to reading from you soon?

AV: I’ve written an urban book called THE GAME which is along the lines of my books STREET PHARM and SNITCH. It’s about a teen who’s come out of juvie bent on revenge against the drug kingpin who put him there.

ATUF: Can you tell us about your favorite scene in THE VAMPIRE STALKER?

AV: It’s hard to say without giving anything away… I’ll just say it was exhilarating to write the final fight scenes—that whole episode was big, chaotic and intense.

ATUF: Finish this statement with as much/little detail as you like: You'll like THE VAMPIRE STALKER if you like...

AV: …to fantasize that your favorite book characters are real.

ATUF: Thanks so much for stopping by Allison.  Come back anytime!

-------------------------------------------------

Allison van Diepen is the author of six teen novels: Street Pharm, Snitch, Raven, The Oracle of Dating, The Oracle Rebounds, and The Vampire Stalker. Her novels have been named ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers and New York City Public Library Books for the Teen Age. Allison holds degrees in History and Education. She is currently Head of English at an alternative high school, where her focus is on literacy. She lives with her husband and son in Ottawa, Canada. Visit Allison online: Website|Newsletter|Twitter|Facebook

Want to read more from Allison?

Book Details

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen

I glanced at him, and felt like the air had been sucked out of me.

His profile was straight and chiseled. Dark brown hair curled slightly over the collar of his long, cape-like coat. A line from Otherworld came to mind: He would have been classically handsome were it not for the forbidding expression on his face.

I gave my head a shake. After all I’d just been through, I was still thinking of Alexander Banks. It must have been a mirage—my mind’s way of bringing me comfort after the terror.

What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world--and came into yours?

Amy is in love with someone who doesn't exist: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he IS Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo. Together, Amy and Alexander set out to track Vigo and learn how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, Amy wonders if she even wants him to ever return to the realm of fiction.

Click HERE to read an excerpt

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Interested in being interviewed on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME