**Visit Tynga’s Reviews today for her PSF Interview & Giveaway with Cassandra Clare author of CLOCKWORK ANGEL**

On August 31, 2010 Cassandra Clare is releasing one of the most highly anticipated books of the year: the first book in The Infernal Devices series, CLOCKWORK ANGEL.  It is a prequel to the phenomenally bestselling The Mortal Instruments series which I described this way: “If Harry Potter and Wicked Lovely had a book baby it would be City of Bones.”  Have you read The Mortal Instruments yet?  Do you want to?  The fantastic people at Simon & Schuster have provided a special giveaway for Paranormal Summer Fest to promote Cassandra and get everyone ready for the prequel: 3 winners will each get a complete The Mortal Instruments box set (which includes hardcover copies of City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass) as well as a posters!  See details below.

It was London, 1878. Sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray's priority should be finding her brother, not falling in love, especially with two boys. She is soon caught in a dangerous love triangle where a wrong decision could prove fatal. Tessa will need all her strength to save her brother and stay alive.

Without a doubt, The Mortal Instrument US covers are among the most striking and beautiful that the Paranormal YA genre has ever produced:

Some of the foreign covers are a bit more hit and miss for me.  The Czech cover (middle blue one with Jace holding a knife) looks like a weird kung fu cover from the 70’s.  Seriously check out his hair, is that a comb over? The German covers ( the green, red, and blue bottom trio) are much better, but still inferior to the US versions.

Do you have a preference? The US or the foreign covers?  (to see more foreign covers visit The Mortal Instruments website). Let me know in the comments.

Giveaway

Giveaway courtesy of Simon & Schuster

Three (3) Box Sets of The Mortal Instruments Series (City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass) by Cassandra Clare & Three (3) 14 x 9'” posters

 

Book Description

In City of Bones, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is introduced to the world of the Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of warriors dedicated to driving demons out of our world. And she's introduced with a vengeance, when Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque monster sent by the evil and powerful Shadowhunter, Valentine. How could a mere human survive such an attack.

In the second novel, City of Ashes, Clary just wants her life to go back to normal--but that turns out to be impossible. For one thing, her mother is still in the hospital, in a mysterious coma. For another, she and her newfound brother Jace have fallen under a cloud of suspicion now that the Shadowhunter world knows that Valentine is still alive--and that Jace and Clary are his son and daughter. Then Clary's best friend Simon is turned into a vampire and kidnapped by Valentine, who intends to sacrifice him as part of a bloody ritual that will make the Mortal Instruments Valentine's forever.

In book three, City of Glass, Clary has to use all her ingenuity and newfound magical skills to get herself to the Glass City in Idris, the secretive Shadowhunters' home country, where she is forbidden to go--for it is only there that she can find the cure to the enchanted sleeping sickness to which her mother has succumbed. When Valentine attacks the city and destroys the demon towers, Clary and her allies are all that stand between him and the total annihilation of all Shadowhunters. Love is a mortal sin and the past tangles inextricably with the present as Clary and Jace face down their father in the final installment of the Mortal Instruments series.

 GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES

1. Open US only
2. Fill out the form below
3. Entries for all Paranormal Summer Fest giveaways must be received by Midnight MST on July 4th.  All the giveaways winners will be announced on July 6th.

I would greatly appreciate if you shared this giveaway on your blog or favorite social networks. Thanks!

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Interested in offering a giveaway on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME

**Visit Tynga’s Reviews today for her PSF Interview & Giveaway with Cyn Balog author of SLEEPLESS**

I’m so happy to welcome Sharon Ashwood to the blog today.  Sharon is the author of The Dark Forgotten paranormal romance series including Ravenous, Scorched and the upcoming UNCHAINED on July 6, 2010.  The Dark Forgotten world is full of “were-beasts, vampires, hellhounds, demons, dragons, unicorns—you name it.”  And Sharon has generously offered to giveaway a copy of UNCHAINED. Details below.

Sharon Ashwood is a free-lance journalist, novelist, desk jockey and enthusiast for the weird and spooky. She has an English literature degree but works as a finance geek. Interests include growing her to-be-read pile and playing with the toy graveyard on her desk. As a vegetarian, she freely admits the whole vampire/werewolf lifestyle fantasy would never work out, so she writes paranormal romances instead.

Sharon lives in the Pacific Northwest and is owned by the Demon Lord of Kitty Badness.

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Interview

ATUF: UNCHAINED is the third book in The Dark Forgotten series. There are characters who overlap from each book, but can they be read as standalone stories?

SA: Yes, I’ve tried to keep the stories contained enough so that someone coming in with book three would understand what was going on and would not be frustrated.  However, there are certain elements, like the background of the minor characters or the history of the world, that are less fleshed out.  It’s a balancing act faced by anyone writing a series:  how do you invite new readers in without boring old readers or confusing the heck out of everybody?  I try to make it work for both new and returning readers.
One of the ways I’ve tried to address this challenge is through the viewpoint characters.  Each one has a different take on what’s going on and will see and experience different things.  The longer the reader stays with the series, the more of a 360 degree viewpoint they’ll get of the world.

ATUF: Can you describe the world of The Dark Forgotten series?

SA: My characters live at a historical turning point.  The supernatural beings among us have been out in the open since the year 2000, which has created both fascination and fear among the human population.  On top of that, an interdimensional prison chock-full of supernatural creatures has opened a portal into our world right in the downtown. Who should be rescued from the prison, and who should remain under lock and key? It’s a tough question, because the vampires and werewolves in our world have just made peace with the humans.  They don’t want a whole new element coming in and ruining everything they’ve worked for.
This conflict is a great one to work with because it opens the door to all kinds of adventure. You have justice, freedom, heroism, star-crossed lovers, and the occasional dragon to play with—plus the opportunity for some cracking good bad guys.

ATUF: You have a fantastic resource on your website called the monsterpedia. Do you use it as a resource yourself when writing to keep your facts straight?

SA: I do confess to using it as a reference. It’s important to me to keep all the species and magic rules consistent. I also use the monsterpedia as a place to put weird facts that don’t fit in the books themselves but I’m dying to tell people about. I have more entries to go up and that’s one of my summer projects.

ATUF: Can you tell us about the supernatural prison in The Dark Forgotten series known simply as The Castle?

SA: Long, long ago, all the various supernatural species lived side-by-side with humans. Then, nine sorcerers got together and built a supernatural prison dimension called the Castle.  They belonged to a group of warlocks called the Order, and their desire was basically to be the most magical people around because that meant power, wealth and all that jazz. So, they put as many of the other magical species as they could into the Castle.  This included were-beasts, vampires, hellhounds, demons, dragons, unicorns—you name it.  It really didn’t matter if the other species were hostile to humans or not; they were killed or imprisoned. Of course, a few got away and survived in the shadows, and they became the modern vampires and werebeasts that “came out” in Y2K, when the information age made it easier to live on the grid than off it.  
Now, the Castle started out as a separate, garden-like world, but after the magic in it started to get old and run down, it turned into a dungeon.  I describe it as Escher meets a B horror movie—flickering torches, endless twisty stone corridors, and something vicious around every corner.

ATUF: The Carver family has been at the center of two of the The Dark Forgotten series. Holly in Ravenous and now Ashe in UNCHAINED. Will their half brother Brendan be getting his own story in the future?

SA: Brendan is estranged from his half-sisters, although he knows Ashe a little. I do have a story planned for him, but it’s yet to be determined exactly how that will play out or if the publisher will be interested in it.  What I do predict is that he would be reluctant at first to get involved in their world.

ATUF: Can you tell us about your favorite scene in UNCHAINED?

SA: It’s actually the first time Ashe and Reynard have sex. They’ve both got huge emotional barriers and even bigger challenges at a survival level, but they manage to make it to this turning point and give themselves to each other. As a writer, it gave me a chance to go deeper into the characters than I had before. Sex scenes are like any other action scenes—unless they move the story forward, they’re filler that should be cut but when they work, they’re fabulous.
My second favourites are Reynard’s interactions with Ashe’s daughter.  Those were where I found a fundamental kindness in his character. I think those moments are essential, because they answers the question, “okay, so what’s this guy like when he’s NOT pounding on a bad guy?”

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

SA: My first choice for Ashe would be Anna Torv, who is the actress on Fringe.  She’s the right physical type, and she also can bring out a subtle vulnerability to go with the kick-ass exterior. 
Reynard is harder to think of an actor for.  He was born in the 1700s and is drop-dead handsome, but I wouldn’t want a Patrick Dempsey type to play him, however lovely he’d look in an antique uniform. Reynard has been stuck in a horror show for centuries and survived by sheer force of will. He’s Patrick Dempsey with a layer of rake and then a whole lot of layers of make-my-day tough customer. I have no idea how to cast that!

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

SA: I just turned in the book that comes after UNCHAINED, which at the moment is called FROSTBITE or maybe FROSTBITTEN. It’s all about the hellhound character, Lore, who is left in charge of guarding Fairview while the Carvers take a holiday. I’ll just say Lore will be the one needing a vacation when they get back.
I also have a short story coming out in the MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE 2. It’s in the Dark Forgotten world, but has different characters from the first three books. I went for cute and romantic.

ATUF: What are some of your favorite titles/authors in the paranormal genres?

SA: Yikes! Where do I start? How about I say what’s on my reading stack right now. I’m into Jessica Andersen’s Mayan series, Kresley Cole, Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, and all of my blogging group over at www.SilkandShadows.com have just turned out books, so I’m turning pages as fast as I can!

ATUF: I'm a cover art junkie and UNCHAINED is just gorgeous. What can you tell us about the cover art for UNCHAINED?

SA: I completely agree that it’s a great cover and it matches my mental image of Ashe absolutely. Through my editor, I gave the art department the specs for the Ducati and rifle Ashe has and they went with those. 
Overall, the people doing the Signet Eclipse covers are fabulous. If you look around, they’re many of the nicest ones on the shelves.

ATUF: I did a post recently talking where different authors talked about the books their characters would read. What would Ashe read?

SA: Well, after she’s met Reynard I can see her reading a lot of hot historicals!  In UNCHAINED, there’s actually a lot about books because Ashe gets a job in the library. She reveals a childhood fondness for the Nancy Drew series. Ashe would probably read a lot of stuff like motorcycle repair manuals. I can see her reading the Dante Valentine series, except I’m not sure that would be too much like work. She’d probably have something very romantic that she’d pull out when no one was looking—and she’d definitely read whatever her daughter was reading, just to check it out.

ATUF: If UNCHAINED was a Frankenstein book compiled from elements of other books, what would some of those other books be?

SA: Buffy meets a disenchanted Richard Sharpe (or was it Mr. Darcy on crack?) and they encounter Harvey the invisible rabbit, except Harvey’s turned evil.  Dracula gets political and attacks the public library, then delivers a homily on the demons of materialism. Then everyone re-enacts the Magnificent Seven.

ATUF: In honor of Paranormal Summer Fest, can you describe your perfect Paranormal Summer read? And where would you love to be vacationing while reading it?

SA: My perfect paranormal reads always have vampires. Give me a vamp with some style and a sense of humour, and I’m won over. Where I’d like to go?   Cities with lots of history always get my vote.  I love London, and desperately want to get to Italy.  However, where I am going is to Orlando for the RWA National conference. If anyone is in the area, check out the big book signing on July 28 (my birthday!) because there will be many, many authors there and it’s open to the public.

P.S.:  Because of the increased incidents of paranormal infestation, Ashe has agreed to provide an advice column as a service to the public. You can get your personalized monster-busting advice by clicking here. 

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

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Visit Sharon online:

• Website
• Blog
• Twitter

Want to read more from Sharon Ashwood?

Dark Forgotten
1. Ravenous
2. Scorched
3. Unchained

Giveaway

Giveaway courtesy of Sharon Ashwood

One (1) copy of UNCHAINED by Sharon Ashwood

 

Book Description

Ashe Carver, monster-killer, has the scars to prove it. But faced with a custody battle, she's hung up her stakes and taken a job at the public library, determined to show the courts and her ten-year-old daughter that she's as good a mother as she is a hunter.

Easier said than done. There are lovelorn vampires haunting the library, a slime demon in the shopping mall, and her new-mom sister needs a hand with her ghostbusting biz. Then, after centuries guarding a supernatural prison, Captain Reynard strides into her world like a hero from the library's Must Reads. Smokingly gorgeous, passionate and courageous to a fault, he has only weeks to live unless Ashe finds the thief who took his soul.

Ashe picks up her weapons to save the day—but not every problem can be solved with a stake. With so much tragedy in her past, Ashe fears the disaster she sees ahead—and prays she doesn't fail everyone. Again.

Memories are the hardest monsters to kill.

Click HERE to read an excerpt

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES

1. Open to Internationally
2. Fill out the form below
3. Entries for all Paranormal Summer Fest giveaways must be received by Midnight MST on July 4th.  All the giveaways winners will be announced on July 6th.

I would greatly appreciate if you shared this giveaway on your blog or favorite social networks.  And please say hi to Sharon. Thanks!

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

Book Description

Death
Some people will do anything to avoid it. Even trade their immortal souls for endless existence.
Wraiths
Secretly, inexorably, they are infiltrating our world, sucking the essence out of unsuspecting victims with their hideous parody of a kiss.
Segue
Adam Thorne founded the Institute to study and destroy his monster of a brother, but the key to its success is held in the pale, slender hand of a woman on the run. There is something hauntingly different about Talia O’Brien, her unknowing sensuality, her uncanny way of slipping into Shadow.
Twilight
This is the place between life and what comes after – a dark forest of fantasy, filled with beauty, peril, mystery. And Talia is about to open the door

Review

Book 1 in The Shadow Series

SHADOW BOUND is a shockingly good read. I mean, where did this book come from?  I barely remember hearing about it before I saw it in my Shelf Awareness email. I actually thought it was a YA book based on the cover (it is definitely adult).  Although the cover really does a poor job of capturing this often somber, yet darkly beautiful urban fantasy.
The prologue that sets up the mythology and history for the main character is nearly poetic. I reread it twice before continuing the story.  I found my heartbeat actually racing and slowing along with the cadence of the prose.  I was a little disappointed that the entire book was written the same way. 
The actual story is told from the shifting POV of Talia O’Brien, a brilliant young doctor with a terrible secret, and Adam Thorne, a man consumed by guilt and rage driven to find the answers that will destroy his brother and save the world. I typically prefer female POV’s but in SHADOW BOUND it was Adam’s chapters that were strongest.  Talia was so closed off in life, so cautious that at times I found her boring.
What was never boring was the world building.  Made up of a combination of Greek mythology, Irish folklore, and traditional fey lore.  The villains are the Wraiths, demon spawns who suck the soul from their victims via a Harry Potter-like Dementor’s kiss.   They cannot be stopped, they cannot be killed, and their numbers are growing. 
SHADOW BOUND is likely to appeal to UF/PNR lovers as well as fans of supernatural thrillers.  The writing is evocative and lyrical, especially the prologue, and the mystery of the Wraiths and Talia is original and satisfying.  The middle drags a bit, but that’s when the romance really develops so not a bad trade.  The next book in the Shadow series is called Shadow Fall and will be released next month on July 27, 2010 and I will definitely be reading it.
Sexual Content: References to sex. A scene of graphic sensuality. References to rape. Several graphic sex scenes.

My Rating (out of 5):
Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & pre-order the sequel.

Click HERE to read an excerpt of SHADOW BOUND

Product Details

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing

Published: 20 July 2010

Format: Paperback 336 pages

See: Full bibliographic data

Categories: Horror | Fantasy | Romance

ISBN 13: 9780505528292 ISBN 10: 0505528290

*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of Dorchester Publishing

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Disagree with my review?  Contact me with your review for this or any other book I’ve reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review.

Book Description

Eons ago, vampires tried to turn the Dark Fae in order to harness their power. Instead, they created a demonic enemy more powerful than they dared to dream. Bent on enslaving the world, the Vampiric Fae have been quietly massing their strength for centuries. Now, Myst, queen of the Indigo Court, is rising again...and a long-prophesied war is brewing...

Born a witch, Cicely Waters can control the wind. When her Elemental warns her that her aunt and cousin are in danger, she packs her Pontiac GTO and returns home for the first time in twenty years. But the magical town of New Forest, Washington has changed. The Indigo Court holds the city in fear; people are vanishing, and strange deaths plague the town. Swept into an unexpected and passionate reunion with her trusted childhood friend Grieve, the Fae prince who taught her how to harness the wind, Cicely finds herself with a fierce and territorial lover. But Grieve has become enslaved by Myst's court, and now both lovers must walk a fine line to survive the machinations of the Vampiric Fae Queen. Caught between two evils, both vying for supremacy, Cicely must fight for her family and her future. As she discovers the hidden secrets to her own heritage, will she lose her soul in the process?

 Review

Book 1 in The Indigo Court Series

NIGHT MYST was my first Yasmine Galenorn novel and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised.  I’d been sort of leery of her books as I understood them to be more in the erotica genre, but I would have to categorize this book as closer to urban fantasy romantica.  Why? Because although there is plenty of sex (and it is explicit), it serves to support a richly complex world populated with fully fleshed out characters and not the other way around. 

Sex and vampires go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Sure you could have one without the other, but aren’t they so much better together?  The vampires in NIGHT MYST are dripping with sex, specifically Lannan. He can manipulate desires and enjoys pain and pleasure equally.  His interactions with Cicely are scorching, seductive, and dirty.  I went back and forth dreading and anticipating his scenes, which ultimately I think is a good thing.

But enough about the sex.  The world building was my favorite part of NIGHT MYST.  The series title, The Indigo Court, is named for the vampiric fae.  A failed experiment by the Crimson Court (the vampires) to enslave the fae.  Instead the vampiric fae became a separate court consumed with hatred and revenge.   As NIGHT MYST starts, The Indigo Court, led by the first vampiric fae Queen Myst, have been quietly adding to their numbers and preparing for war:

And she arose from her deathbed in a gossamer gown, with eyes the color of starlight and hair as black as the night. And those who were her captors trembled, for the scent of death and madness emanated from her soul, and yet-she was not dead. She moved like the spiders that creep in the treetops, and none could look away. Taking her first captor in hand, she fed deep and ravenous. And so it was that Myst, Queen of the Indigo Court, was born from the blood of the dead. –opening of NIGHT MYST

Cicely and her first love, the aptly named Grieve, are caught up in the war, each one unwillingly connected to opposing sides.  There is a rich history and mystery surrounding these two characters that unfolds slowly throughout NIGHT MYST.  There is nothing neat or easy about their relationship.  It’s messy and impulsive, and utterly compelling.

Overall, the writing wasn’t amazing, full of a lot repetition as Cicely was constantly explaining the situation to new characters.  And I did groan at the number of clichés Yasmine used in her writing.   But the pace was perfect for me.  The plot raced along like Cicely’s Pontiac GTO, shifting seamlessly between adrenaline fueled action, heart pounding terror, and steamy passion. I’m already looking forward to Night Veil, book two in The Indigo Court series, which will be released in June 2011

Sexual Content: References to sex.  References to homosexuality. References to incest. Several scenes of graphic sensuality. Several graphic sex scenes. A scene at a vampire orgy where various sex acts are described.

My Rating (out of 5):
Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

Click HERE to read an excerpt from NIGHT MYST

Product Details

• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Published: 23 September 2010
• Format: Paperback 320 pages
• See: Full bibliographic data
• Categories: Fantasy Romance
• ISBN 13: 9780515148145 ISBN 10: 0515148148
• Cover Art: Tony Mauro

*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of Penguin Group

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Disagree with my review?  Contact me with your review for this or any other book I’ve reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review.

**Visit Tynga’s Reviews today for her PSF Interview & Giveaway with Andrea Cramer author of NIGHTSHADE & A chance to win 2 more copies of OTHER**

My guest today is debut author Karen Kincy whose upcoming Paranormal YA OTHER, which releases on July 1st, about a teenage girl shapeshifter with serious denial issues caught my eye awhile back and made me think of Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause (who incidentally blurbed about the book too). Karen was kind enough to stop by for an interview and her publisher Flux sent along two copies of OTHER to giveaway!  Details below.

A shameless nerd and lover of snark, Karen lives in Olympia, Washington, where she is a senior studying linguistics, literature, and computer science at The Evergreen State College. She ripped off her hometown of Snohomish, WA for the fictional locale of Klikamuks, where Other takes place. When she’s not at her computer, writing, she’s probably out in the forest with her notebook, writing, or on a photography expedition with her trusty digital camera. She likes to imagine werewolves lurking among the trees. Karen is represented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger, Inc.

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Interview

ATUF: OTHER is the first book in a new young adult urban fantasy series. Can you tell us a little about the book?

KK: The ten-second elevator pitch: In a small Washington town, a shapeshifter girl starts discovering paranormal people like herself dead in her backyard, and it’s up to her to catch the killer before she’s next. And you guys get a summary and blurbs, too:

Feathers unfurl from my skin. My plummet curves into a swoop, and I tuck my talons beneath my body. From girl to great horned owl in about a second. Pretty good, huh?

Gwen Williams is like any other modern teenager with one exception: she's a shapeshifter. Never having known her Pooka-spirit father, Gwen must struggle with the wild, wonderful magic inside of her alone—and in secret. While society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in Klikamuks, Washington, who don't care for her kind.

Now there's a new werewolf pack in town, and Others are getting killed, including Gwen's dryad friend. The police are doing zilch. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen meets a cute Japanese fox spirit who's refreshingly comfortable with his Otherness. Can Gwen find the courage to embrace her true self and find the killer—before she becomes the next victim?

"This who-done-it is an unusual blend of mystery and fantasy, starring original characters not often featured in modern urban fantasy for teens. I really enjoyed it."—Annette Curtis Klause, author of Blood and Chocolate

"Other has it all; love, shifters, pookas, and nail-biting action. What's even better, Kincy's characters are vibrant, real and lovable. This is a debut that leaves you aching for more."—Carrie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of Need and Captivate

ATUF: Gwen is the main character in OTHER and she is a half pooka. What exactly is a Pooka?

KK: Pooka: a shapeshifting spirit from Wales or Ireland, most commonly found in the form of a pure black horse with glowing golden eyes. Can assume any animal form, though the golden eyes are a dead giveaway. Gwen passes them off as hazel, when human. She’s never met her real father, though she does know that her mother met the pooka in Wales and took a fancy to him. The rest is history. For more info, I actually have a nifty section on my website.

ATUF: Can you explain the world building of OTHER? What is unique about how conceived it?

Believe it or not, the very first proto-draft of Other took shape as a parody of some urban fantasy/paranormal romance clones I had been reading, which inevitably featured badass werewolves, brooding vampires, and a tough-as-nails, dagger-wielding, smart-talking heroine who alternately slays or sleeps with the paranormal dudes.

So I thought to myself, “Yeah, right. Surely by now the innocent townspeople would have wised up to the presence of werewolves in their backyard. And I’ll bet that not all the paranormal people lead exciting glamorous lives.” I started this proto-draft with a scene involving an immortal teenage vampire checkout boy, working at the same grocery store as Gwen, worrying about an immortal pimple on his nose.

Needless to say, Other evolved a lot over the course of revisions. The tone became more serious, but I kept the general idea that the magical and the mundane people rubbed shoulders and knew very well of each other’s existences. Hence, prejudice and preconceptions about Others like Gwen, who isn’t sure how many are hiding in her town: “Maybe they’re also under the bed, as they say. Monsters that haven’t come out yet.”

ATUF: I took the Other quiz on your website and it turns out I’m a Watersprite. What kind of Other would you want to be?

What Other are you? Your Result: Watersprite   You are a watersprite! You inhabit ponds and rivers, have webbed fingers and toes, and generally lead an aquatic life. You go by many names in different countries: Nix in Germany, Neck in England, Morgen in Wales, and of course the famous Siren of Greece. In OTHER, a watersprite family lived secretly in the river near Klikamuks.
Dryad
Kitsune
Werewolf
Pooka
Leprechaun
What Other are you? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

KK: Definitely some sort of shapeshifter, so I have an excuse to run around at night and blame those feral urges on my morning crankiness. Probably not a werewolf, though, but a feline shapeshifter. Gwen turns into a cougar at some point; we have a lot in common.

ATUF: Gwen is torn between two guys in OTHER, her longtime boyfriend Zack, and Tavian, “a sexy Japanese fox-spirit.” How important was it for you to have two love interests representing Gwen's Other and human sides?

KK: I don’t think Zack and Tavian represent Gwen’s human and Other sides, respectively, so much as they do her struggle between concealing and revealing her true self. I’ve met a lot of people who feel like they have to pretend to be somehow “better” than themselves around friends and love interests. Not to tread into the realm of cliché advice, but both Gwen and I agree that it’s better not to fake your personality or hide important facts.

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

KK: That’s a complicated question. I would have to sit down and do a proper guest blog on it, but for now let’s just say that I would be seriously creeped out if anybody from the cast of the Twilight movies joined the cast of the hypothetical movie Other. Wouldn’t be able to get Meyer’s characters out of my head. However… I would say that Rachelle Lefevre, who plays the evil vampire Victoria, might make an interesting Gwen.

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

KK: The sequel! Bloodborn should be out Fall 2011, starring Brock, a character from Other who hates and fights werewolves, but then—unluckily for him—gets bitten by one. As a bloodborn (i.e., newly made) werewolf, Brock struggles with his own self-hatred, shifting body, and the pack dynamics of some werewolves who aren’t sure whether they want to help him or kill him. You can read more about Bloodborn on my website.

ATUF: What are some of your favorite titles/authors in the paranormal genres?

KK: I’m a YA author, so I read a lot of YA paranormal by authors such as Annette Curtis Klause and Carrie Jones (though I’m biased because they both blurbed Other), Libba Bray, Carrie Ryan, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, etc…

ATUF: I'm a cover art junkie. What can you tell us about the cover art for OTHER? Do you know who the artist is?

KK: The wonderful people at my publisher, Flux, whipped together the cover art for Other from various images. I don’t know too much about the designer, other than that her name is Lisa Novak, as evidenced by the credit on the inside of the cover. But I do know that the cover still makes me do authorial dances of glee.

ATUF: Can you tell us about your favorite scene in OTHER?

KK: Nope! Because that would be unfair to the other scenes. Okay, okay, I will say that the very first scene came to me at a bus stop, after I missed my bus, and I scribbled it down almost word-for-word while sitting there. Still love it.

ATUF: If OTHER was a Frankenstein book compiled from elements of other books, what would some of those other books be?

KK: I have to tip my hat to K. A. Applegate’s Animorphs series, which I devoured as a teen and still have a soft spot for. They inspired my obsession with shapeshifters, as did Annette Curtis Klause’s Blood and Chocolate. Other than that, I can only assume that a little bit of every beloved book has crept into my own creation. It’s alive, it’s alive!

ATUF: In honor of Paranormal Summer Fest, can you describe your perfect Paranormal Summer read? And where would you love to be vacationing while reading it?

KK: Tough question! I’m drooling over a lot of paranormal novels that come out this summer. One of my perfect Paranormal Summer reads would be a juicy new werewolf novel like Jennifer Lynne Barnes’s Raised by Wolves or Jackson Pearce’s Sisters Red. Best read while sitting in a Washington forest, back against the bark of some old tree, toes curled in the leaf litter in imitation of claws. No vacation necessary.

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

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Giveaway

Giveaway courtesy of Flux

Two (2) copies of OTHER by Karen Kincy

 

(Flux, July 1, 2010)

Book Description

I can’t last much longer. It’s been one week, three days, and I forget how many hours.

My belly cramps, and I curl on my bed, staring out at the stars. A delicious breeze glides through my window and cools my sweaty forehead. The air smells of summer–mowed grass, recent rain, lingering barbecue–and tempts me more than I want to admit. Shards of moonlight and shadow shift on the wall. I clench my teeth and toes and try to ride out the pain. My bedroom drifts counterclockwise, and I shut my eyes.

It can’t be good for me, not shapeshifting.

Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.

When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate–into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and–most importantly–stay alive.

Click HERE to read an excerpt from OTHER

GIVEAWAY GUIDLINES

1. Open to US/Mexico/CA
2. Fill out the form below
3. Entries for all Paranormal Summer Fest giveaways must be received by Midnight MST on July 4th.  All the giveaways winners will be announced on July 6th.

I would greatly appreciate if you shared this giveaway on your blog or favorite social networks.  And please say hi to Karen. Thanks!

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