WQI: Kelley Lynn, FRACTION OF STONE

Today is a great day because my bloggy buddy, Kelley Lynn, has her debut book birthday! To celebrate the release of FRACTION OF STONE (Sapphire Star Publishing), I'm pulling out all the stops and doing a World's Quickest Interview (WQI). Kelley has also sweetened the deal with a FRACTION OF STONE giveaway. (Check it out at the bottom of this post.)

You guys may remember the WQI drill. I ask a question and the featured author answers in Twitter style, preferably 40 characters or less. (Though I let them fudge sometimes and that's okay.)

Take it away, Kelley!

 




Describe your book in one sentence.  
One sentence?!?! Wait, that's not it. :) 

The greatest obstacle for saving mankind isn’t the bizarre creatures, extreme betrayals and magic-fearing men; it’s that the only one who can, doesn’t believe the world is worth saving.
 


How long have you been writing?

Since July 2011

Amy's note: Okay, that's not very long, Kelley. *bows head in awe*

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?

Sing. I used to be in a classic rock band. Due to time restraints I make guest appearances when area bands need help.

Amy's note: That is so cool. 

Who’s your favorite One Direction singer?

Okay, I know who these guys are, but I don't know their names :)

Amy's note: That's really okay.

What are three things you’d do on a perfect day?

Write, Sing, Hang out with friends/family/dog

All expenses paid vacation: where would you go?

Travel the world ;) Haha! I'd like to go to South America. Hike to Machu Pichu. Stuff like that.

 

Ice cream or cupcakes?

Ice Cream! It's like its own food group :)

Amy's note: Good answer. 

Early bird or night owl?

Both! 

Three words about what it feels like to reach your book birthday.

Finally! Exciting. Fulfilling.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Everyone can do this as long as they never give up.


Thank you so much for being here, Kelley! Kelley is so cool! Please check out her blog, buy her book (and/or enter the giveaway below), and say a big congratulations!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WQI: Cath Crowley's GRAFFITI MOON

photo by Darren James

I'm honored to have Cath Crowley here for a World's Quickest Interview (WQI).  I read her book, A LITTLE WANTING SONG, and raved about it >>here<<. Cath has a beautiful, amazing voice and her characters are unforgettable. A LITTLE WANTING SONG reminded me why I love reading (and writing) contemporary YA.

GRAFFITI MOON is Cath's newest book and will be available in the US on Feb 14 (Valentine's Day release date - how awesome is that!), but it's already out in Australia where it's picking up awards right and left.

Australian cover.

Describe GRAFFITI MOON in one sentence.  



Light-scattered dream.

How long have you been writing? 



About ten years.

Who or what inspired GRAFFITI MOON?* 

Graffiti Moon is a story about a group of teenagers who are outsiders. They spend one night together, out in the city, and it changes things for them. They don’t work out who they are – that would be hard in one night – but they work out that it’s okay to be different.

Shadow and Lucy, the main characters, connect through art. So the conversations they have are inspired by the artists I love - Mark Rothko, Sam Leach, Rosemary Laing, Jeffrey Smart, Pablo Picasso, Johannes Vermeer, Michael Zavros, Rosalie Gascoigne, Bethany Wheeler, Ghostpatrol and Miso. I wanted to write about two people who speak through images as well as words.

Poet is my favourite character. He mostly comes from my imagination, but he’s partly inspired by all the teenagers I’ve worked with who say they can’t write and then they produce these amazing lines.

The inspiration for Shadow and Lucy’s love story was the painting The Lovers by Magritte; it’s of two people kissing through sheets. I thought that first dates might be easier if people couldn’t see each other.

How long did it take you to write it? 

About two years.

US cover.

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?  

Reading.

Grilled chicken, fried chicken or no chicken?



Grilled chicken.

What's your favorite holiday and why? 

A mix of lazing around reading and going out and seeing things that inspire me to write.

Watch sports or play sports?  

Not really. I like Pilates and walking.

One wish. What is it?

More empathy in the world. And that there would be another series written by Aaron Sorkin. Oops. That’s two. But one wish is never enough.

Any advice for aspiring writers? 

Read. Study great writers. Write every day to find your own style. Be curious about the world. Write about thing things that matter to you. 

Thank you, Cath! In our back-and-forth email exchanges, Cath has been a huge encouragement to me. I'm so thrilled she could be here to share a little bit of her wisdom. I hope you're all salivating over GRAFFITI MOON like I am! And if you haven't read A LITTLE WANTING SONG yet, add it to your TBR list. 

If you get a chance amid holiday festivities, leave a comment and let Cath know how awesome she is!

*I decided not to hold Cath to the Twitter-length answer for this question. For one thing, I forgot to mention the short-answer thing when I asked Cath to do the interview (this is when I pull the I'm-a-mom-with-tons-of-little-kids card and claim scatter-brainedness). Then, after I read the answer, I thought it was so cool, I didn't want to cut it down at all. Nobody minds, right? :)

World's Quickest Interview: Tess Hilmo

It's Tess Hilmo's book birthday today, so of course I had to invite her over for a World's Quickest Interview (WQI)! Tess' debut, WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE, is on store shelves TODAY. She's running a contest over at her blog to give away a free copy, so don't forget to pop over >>there<< to enter.

I have to preface the WQI with the world's quickest story. I first *met* Tess (or, in this case, Tess' book) in a Miss Snark's First Victim Secret Agent contest. We were both entrants. I don't remember how either of us scored with the agent, but I do remember her first page. I loved it. So later, when I stumbled upon her blog and found out that same book had not only landed an agent, but was getting published, I was ecstatic! Congratulations again, Tess!

Now, on to the interview.... (Tess took me seriously. This is QUICK.)

Describe your book in one sentence.  
Southern murder mystery full of heart and soul

How long have you been writing? 
9 loooong years!

Who or what inspired WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE?  

Old southern spirituals like Amazing Grace

How long did it take you to write WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE? 
Five months

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?  

Making my kids laugh 

Larry, Mo or Curly? 
Curly :D

What's your favorite holiday and why? 

Thanksgiving = family

If you could meet any one person from any point in history, who would it be?  

Florence Nightingale 

What's your favorite food?  

Tikka masala or curry 

Any advice for aspiring writers? 

Believe!

Thank you, Tess!

Make sure to tell Tess Happy Book Birthday in the comments. And stop by her blog >>here<< to enter her totally-easy-to-enter contest for a chance to win WITH A NAME LIKE LOVE.

World's Quickest Interview: Medeia Sharif

A big welcome to Medeia Sharif, author of BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. (Flux, 2011)!  You probably know how World's Quickest Interviews work. I ask really short (sometimes silly) questions and Medeia gives me really short answers. (Think: an interview on Twitter, but on a blog instead.)

 

Got it? Are you ready? Let's go!

 

 

Describe your book in one sentence.

Fifteen-year-old Almira Abdul is fasting for Ramadan for the first time ever, but the month does not move smoothly at all.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing novels for seventeen years. I started when I was a teenager.

Who or what inspired BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.?

I wanted to write about a character celebrating the holiday. An idea for a MG novel with a male MC led to a YA novel with a female MC.

How long did it take you to write BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.?

About 9 months.

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?

Read, of course. :)

What do you think of Justin Bieber? 

I don’t think about him. I'm not hating, but I don’t listen to that type of music.

Tell us three things you'd do on a perfect day.

Nap, read, and watch Netflix.

Dogs or cats?

Cats. I love the little munchkins.

All expenses paid vacation: where would you go? 

The Maldives. They look gorgeous in pictures, like a watery wonderland.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

If one manuscript doesn’t work out, work on another and another. Many published first books are not the writers’ first manuscripts.

Thank you, Medeia! (I love cats, too! And I don't think much about Justin Bieber, either. For the record.) Make sure to congratulate Medeia in the comments. BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. is her debut novel and it just released this summer, so while you're thinking about it, run out and pick up a copy. Click >>here<< to visit Medeia's awesome blog.

WQI & ARC Giveaway: May B.

I'm so, so, so excited. Author Caroline Starr Rose agreed to do a World's Quickest Interview (WQI) with me! Caroline is an incredibly talented writer and a very sweet blog-friend. And, because she's a former teacher, she's a huge advocate for literature in the classroom. Her blog is very wise and informative, so if you're not already a follower, check it out. 

 

Earlier this year, I was privileged to win the ARC of her debut middle-grade verse novel, MAY B. And today I'm -- *sniff, sniff* -- giving it away to one lucky winner. It's really okay, though. I'll buy my own copy when it comes out in January. MAY B. is the kind of book I want to own in hardcover, so it will last through all my five children reading it and someday my grandchildren.

Now, without further ado, I give you the amazing Caroline Starr Rose and her very short answers to my very short questions:

Describe your book in one sentence.

Abandoned and alone, May must fight to survive a harsh winter and even harsher school memories as she comes to terms with who she truly is.

How long have you been writing?

Thirteen years.

Who or what inspired this book?

Laura Ingalls love, Hatchet fascination, and curiosity about the way children with disabilities would have been treated in the past.

How long did it take you to write this book?

I started the first draft in 2007 and wrote in fits and starts during the 2007-2008 school year.

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?

Reading, running, cuddling with my boys, and eating green chile and curry (not together!)

Cats or dogs?

Both. We have a goldendoodle whom the groomer transformed into a weird-looking poodle, but we'll keep her!

Do you have a favorite Smurf?

I don't remember many names, just the fun little figurines.

Chutes and Ladders or Candy Land?

Snakes and Ladders (I learned to play in Saudi Arabia where I had lots of British friends).

What’s the best thing about life right now?

Watching it all unfold.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Remember you have something unique to say. Your work can only get better if you keep at it.

 

 

Thank you, Caroline! 

If you'd like to win a MAY B. ARC, just leave a comment below, telling Caroline how amazing her interview was and how much you'd love to win a copy of her book. I'll keep the giveaway window open until Friday, August 12, Midnight PST. Then I'll pick a winner using random.org.*

Got it? Okay, fly away to the comments!

*Oh, and yes, I'll open this contest internationally. Caroline and I both have international backgrounds, so it would be unfair to leave out our international friends, right? This is the kind of fine print I like to write.

WQI with Author Jodi Compton

Today I have a special treat for everyone -- another World's Quickest Interview (WQI), this time with author Jodi Compton, whose newly published book THIEVES GET RICH, SAINTS GET SHOT just hit the shelves yesterday! 

You probably know by now how WQIs work. I ask short questions, authors give me short answers.

Describe your book in one sentence.

An identity-theft story with very high stakes -- two murders are committed -- and a lot of gangland flavor.

How long have you been writing?

Professionally, I started late: 28 years old. Before that, I kept some notebooks for character sketches and story ideas, but didn’t finish anything.

Who or what inspired this book?

My two-book contract: I had to write a sequel to Hailey’s War. Hailey and her world, though, are inspired by my love affair with Los Angeles and its vibrant, high-spirited youth culture. That’s reflected clearly in both books, in which no major character is over the age of 26.

How long did it take you to write this book?

Eight weeks, I think. Then revisions, once for my agent and once for my editor, and those take about the same length of time -- seven to eight weeks per. 

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?

Work out: A day without getting my heart rate up feels slow and dull. Which is not to say I’m rail thin, because I love food, too.

If you had to be an animal, what would you be?

Anything that could fly. Let’s shoot for the moon and go with dragon. 

Play it safe or out on a limb?

Safe. The first thing I do on plane is count the rows to the nearest emergency exit. I’ve always got an escape route planned. 

Chess or Parcheesi?

Chess. I don’t know what Parcheesi is. 

Tell us three things you would do in a perfect day.

Snowboard, sit in a hot tub afterward, have a fantastic evening meal.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Start now. Don’t wait. 

Thank you so much, Jodi! Your new book sounds so intriguing. And those of you who are writers, aren't you impressed that she wrote it in eight weeks? I know I am!

And by the way, readers....
Sara J. Henry is having a THIEVES GET RICH, SAINTS GET SHOT giveaway on her blog TODAY, so hop on over there and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing, QUICK! Sara has read the book and has awesome things to say about it. 

WQI & Book Giveaway: THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS

I'm so excited to introduce author Bill Loehfelm for today's World's Quickest Interview (WQI)! His novel, THE DEVIL SHE KNOWS, is coming out in exactly one week.

And the exciting news is: he's giving away a signed copy of his book to one lucky winner on this blog! Giveaway details to come....

And now, without further ado, here's Bill:

What's your book about?

A worn-out NYC cocktail waitress sees something that puts her on the wrong side of some very bad people.

How long have you been writing?

Since the third grade. That's when I first noticed I could tell a good story on paper.

Who or what inspired your book?

I've had the protagonist, Maureen Coughlin, around for a while. I finally found the right story for her.

How long did it take you to write this book?

Between a year and eighteen months. That's the usual pace for me. Writing is the only thing I do quickly.

What do you enjoy doing besides writing?

I play the drums in a local band. I also run, practice yoga, and watch a lot of baseball.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm a pantser. I usually don't know much beyond the next scene.

What's your favorite novel of all time?

Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY. Perfection. And a truly American story.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us about them.

Two dogs. A goofy, lovable ridgeback/lab/pit mix (she's a rescue) and a really smart Aussie/Border Collie mix. She's a princess.

Do you play croquet?

I do not, but my friends and I do play some Bocce, usually on the neutral ground (the streetcar tracks). 

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Get back to work. You can catch a break, but there are no shortcuts.


Thank you, Bill! Great advice and your book sounds awesome. I'm excited to read it.

Now, for the Easiest Contest Ever rules:

1) You must have a mailing address in the U.S. or Canada to enter. (Even if you live overseas, if you have a friend or relative in the U.S. or Canada who could receive the book for you-- enter the contest!)
2) Leave a comment. (1 entry)
3) Leave another comment if you blog about the contest. (Another entry)
4) Leave other comments if you tweet or facebook about the contest. (Potentially two more entries)

The contest runs until 11:59p.m. (PST) on May 24. I'll announce the lucky winner on May 25.

So, go ahead -- comment away! Congratulate Bill on his book and tell him how great he is. And treat yourselves to a wonderful day.

WQI with Author Crystal Allen

Please join me in welcoming Crystal Allen, whose middle grade novel HOW LAMAR'S BAD PRANK WON A BUBBA-SIZED TROPHY debuted last month.

I had the privilege of meeting Crystal at the SCBWI conference in LA last summer. She is such a lovely person, I just knew I had to do a World's Quickest Interview (WQI) with her. 

The rules for a WQI are simple. I ask short questions and she gives me short answers. So, without further ado....

Describe your book in one sentence.  

Thirteen-Year-Old Lamar Washington always strikes out with the girls so he decides to change his image from dud to stud.

How long have you been writing? 

I've always loved to write, but it was more along the lines of rhyming poems.

Who or what inspired this book?  

This book started as a sample for a ghost-writing opportunity and blossomed into a very fun novel!

How long did it take you to write this book? 

Four years. (That includes edits from my agent!)

Besides writing, what do you like to do most? 

Hang out with my family.

If you had to be an animal, what would you be?  

A Lemur.  I like to move it-move it!

Play it safe or out on a limb?  

Out on a limb of course!  I'm a Lemur!

Are you good at math? 

No.

Tell us three things you would do in a perfect day.  

cruise, write, laugh

Any advice for aspiring writers? 

Do not listen to the little voice in your head that says "I can't."  That is not the voice of truth.

Thank you, Crystal, for taking the time to be a World's Quickest Interviewee!

Doesn't her book sound great, people? Crystal doesn't have a blog (though she does have a very cool website), so take a few moments to tell her how cool she is in the comments. I know it will make her day.

LEARNING TO SWIM Contest & Interview with Sara J. Henry

It's contest time!

I'm thrilled to announce that my talented blog-friend Sara J. Henry's debut novel, LEARNING TO SWIM (Crown), will be splashing into bookstores on Feb 22, 2011.

What better way to celebrate than by giving away an autographed copy of her book?

Below is a World's Quickest Interview with Sara, followed by the World's Easiest Contest guidelines.

Please describe your book.
A woman dives into a lake to rescue a small boy, who turns out to speak only French –and who no one seems to be missing.

How long have you been writing?
Since I could first form words on paper – I wrote my first short story (less than a page – I guess you could call it flash fiction) when I was 5.

Who or what was your inspiration?

A house filled with books.

How long did it take you to write this book?
About seven months – the first time. Then I had to learn to rewrite, which at first involved a lot of staring at the pages.

Besides writing, what is your favorite thing to do?
Reading. Many other things run a close second, but books are always there, and can fit any mood.

All-expenses-paid vacation: where would you go?
Australia, this time without broken foot and book to be rewritten (during a five-week house swap) and New Zealand. Or the south of France.

What’s your favorite color and why?
Black, because it goes with everything – I’m shopping impaired.

Lunch with anyone: who would you choose?
My dad, if he could come back from the Great Beyond. I’d show him this book, and thank him for letting me read his Travis McGees.

Cat or dog?
Dog. Without a doubt. They seem to find me. Although I’ve become fond of a friend’s two cats.

Any advice for aspiring writers?
Read a lot. Don’t be afraid to rewrite and cut. Read your work aloud – preferably to someone else. And keep working at it until it’s really good.

Sara J. Henry has been a soil scientist, sports writer, corresponding writing school instructor, book editor, freelance writer, magazine editor, bicycle mechanic, and webmaster. Her first novel, Learning to Swim, has been called “emotional, intense, and engrossing” by Lisa Unger and “an auspicious debut” by Daniel Woodrell. It’s available for pre-order and will be in stores Feb. 22 –you can read the first chapter here.

 
 
Contest Guidelines for an Autographed Copy of LEARNING TO SWIM:
 
(1) Comment on this post. (Easy, right? You're entered!)
 
(2) If you choose to spread the word through your blog, Twitter or Facebook, leave a separate comment for each.  (ie. If you blog about the contest, leave an additional comment: "I blogged." This will give you a total of two entries. If you blogged, tweeted and facebooked, leave three additional, separate comments: "I blogged," "I tweeted," "I facebooked." This will give you a total of four entries. Got it?)
 

The contest will run for a full week: Friday, Feb 11 to Friday, Feb 18 at 11:59p.m. PST.  

 
 

WQI with Sara J. Henry: Learning to Swim

Welcome to another World's Quickest Interview!

This time I'm delighted to have Sara J. Henry, author of the novel Learning to Swim (available for sale in February, 2011, but up for preorder on Amazon now!) here to answer my questions in 140 characters or less. Sara blogs over at Sara in Vermont.  I hope after reading her interview you're as excited to read her book as I am.

Please describe your book.

A woman dives into a lake to rescue a small boy, who turns out to speak only French –and who no one seems to be missing.

How long have you been writing?
Since I could first form words on paper – I wrote my first short story (less than a page – I guess you could call it flash fiction) when I was 5.

Who or what was your inspiration?

A house filled with books.

How long did it take you to write this book?

About seven months – the first time. Then I had to learn to rewrite, which at first involved a lot of staring at the pages.

Besides writing, what is your favorite thing to do?
Reading. Many other things run a close second, but books are always there, and can fit any mood.

All-expenses-paid vacation: where would you go?
Australia, this time without broken foot and book to be rewritten (during a five-week house swap) and New Zealand. Or the south of France.

What’s your favorite color and why?
Black, because it goes with everything – I’m shopping impaired.

Lunch with anyone: who would you choose?
My dad, if he could come back from the Great Beyond. I’d show him this book, and thank him for letting me read his Travis McGees.

Cat or dog?
Dog. Without a doubt. (See photo.) They seem to find me.

Any advice for aspiring writers?
Read a lot. Don’t be afraid to rewrite and cut. Read your work aloud – preferably to someone else. And keep working at it until it’s really good.

And that's it, folks! Quick, huh?

Thank you, Sara! We're cheering you on, and I can't wait to read your book. I got the chance to read the first couple sentences during a Miss Snark's First Victim critique session and have been salivating ever since.

Take care, everyone, and have a great weekend!

WQI with Author Samuel Park: This Burns My Heart

Welcome to the first ever WQI (World's Quickest Interview)!

Today, I have a very special guest. Samuel Park is the author of THIS BURNS MY HEART (published by Simon & Schuster), scheduled for release in June, 2011.

Thanks for being a willing first victim, Samuel! No, but seriously, I am very excited to read Samuel's book, and I hope after reading this WQI you're as excited as I am.

The rules for WQI are simple: my questions are under 140 characters long and Samuel's responses are just as brief.

Take it away, Samuel!

Please describe your book.
THIS BURNS MY HEART is about a woman in 1960s Korea struggling to give her family a good life and find true love.

How long have you been writing?

I've been writing since I learned how to read--I've always been addicted to the idea of being a writer.

 

Who or what inspired this book?

My mother's life. It had all the elements of a really great drama--conflict, heroes and villains, and a fascinating setting.

How long did it take you to write this book?

It took me nine months to write the first draft, then 2 years to revise it.

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?

I love watching TV, especially Survivor and Real Housewives of New York City.

All-expenses-paid vacation: where would you go?

I would go to England, because I have lots of friends there who I never get to see.

What’s your favorite color and why?

I like green because it's calming.

Lunch with anyone: who would you choose?

Vittorio De Sica--I know he's dead, but his movie A BRIEF VACATION made a huge impression.

Cat or dog?
I love cats, especially rubbing their stomachs.

That's all, folks! Quick, huh? And don't you feel like you know Samuel better? And don't you wish this book was available NOW?

Thanks again, Samuel. I'll be reminding everyone next year to preorder their copy because I know I will be! In the meantime, enjoy his blog by clicking here.