Interview + Giveaway with Anya Parrish

I interviewed a fairly new YA author, Anya Parrish, about her writing and her views of Halloween.

A little bit about the author: I'm Anya Parrish. I write books about killer imaginary friends and falling in love. I have a very short attention span and I write for similar people who must have something HAPPENING on every page. I hope readers enjoy my 2011 debut, DAMAGE. I'm also a mother of two and a wife to an amazing man in addition to a cook, a knitter, a wine drinker, a dancer, a game player, a song singer, and a mess. My house, however, is usually clean.

Damage by Anya Parrish
Published September 8, 2011

When Dani was eight, she fell from a building. No one believed her claim that she was pushed by Rachel... her imaginary friend. It took years of therapy to convince Dani that Rachel wasn't real. Now fifteen, Dani wants to make it as a dancer. But a deadly freak accident sends Dani a terrifying message: Rachel is back, she's real, and she'll stop at nothing to kill Dani. Complicating matters is Jesse, the school bad boy who's being stalked by his own invisible childhood nemesis. Dani and Jesse join forces to learn why their astral tormenters are back. Their investigation leads to a horrifying discovery—and the terrible experiment that binds them to each other.

Where did the idea of a 'killer imaginary friend' come from?

I was horror story brainstorming--as I am wont to do--imagining what would have been the scariest thing that could have happened to me as a child. The answer was: If something/someone were trying to hurt me, but my parents didn't believe me/couldn't see what I saw. I couldn't think of anything more terrifying than having the people I love and trust the most thinking I'm crazy, while an evil force hunted me in the night. The concept of killer imaginary friends grew from that brainstorming session.

If Damage was to be made into a movie, who would you choose to play the roles of your characters?

Total unknowns. I would love to see some new talent get a chance on the big screen. I'm all about new talent ;).

Do you have a favorite Halloween/autumn recipe?

I make pumpkin soup. It's a tradition that started in college and I still make it every year right after the release of the Beaujolais nouveau. (You use a cup of wine in the soup.)

What is the scariest thing to ever happen to you?

About a year ago, my family moved cross country. We signed a one year lease on a rental home while we got to know the real estate market in our new county. During this one year stay, I heard high-pitched, ghostly voices--children's voices--singing at 2 a.m. no less than fifteen times. Once, I made the mistake of going downstairs to investigate the voices, to make sure one of my little boys hadn't crawled out of bed, and saw a fuzzy white cloud floating in the corner of the living room. It was about three feet tall. The singing seemed to be coming from the cloud. I ran back upstairs and never came down those stairs at night again. (I pinkie swear this is the truth. I never believed in ghosts before this, but I sure as heck do now.)

Do you have any Halloween traditions?

Every year my kids and I bake creepy cupcakes with "grave dirt" icing and doll parts stuck inside. It's disturbing, but they love it. They fight to see who gets to lick the icing off the disembodied arms...

What’s the scariest ghost story you’ve ever heard?

Paranormal Activity was pretty darned scary. I couldn't watch it until we moved out of our own "ghost house," however.

Who are your favorite villains from literature and/or movies?

Pennywise the clown from Stephen King's "It". How brilliant is Mr. King? I mean, really, what is there in the world that's scarier than an evil clown? (Other than maybe a zombie baby. Those are pretty creepy.)

If you had to describe yourself as a candy bar, what would it be and why?

I can't go to this place imaginatively. If I imagine myself as a candy bar, that introduces the possibility that I might chew my own arm off in the night.

Can you share with us an excerpt from Damage?

There's an excerpt on the home page of my website (and a longer one on my blog). Click here to get started: http://anyaparrish.com/

Do you plan on writing another book?

I would LOVE to write another book set in this world. As of now, however, we're waiting to see if sales of DAMAGE are strong. If so, I have a lot of ideas for book two. There are several secret-reveals that were cut from the original draft of DAMAGE. I'd love to be able to let my readers in on some of those secrets!

Well good luck with the release of your debut book and thank you for answering my questions!

Thanks so much for the interview, Ashley!

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Anya is generously letting one lucky blog reader win a copy of Damage! Just fill out the form linked below if you'd like to be entered.

Rules:
Must be a new or old blog follower.
Ends on November 8. Open to USA and Canada only.
Two extra entries to those of you that spread
the word about this interview & contest!

Click here to fill out the entry form!

CONTEST CLOSED

For 3 extra entries, leave a comment answering this question:
How would you convince others that you had a killer imaginary friend?

FIND ANYA ONLINE: Website | Blog

Interview + Giveaway with Jeyn Roberts

I got the chance to interview debut author, Jeyn Roberts!

A little bit about the author: Jeyn is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier and tree planter. An avid traveler, she’s been around the world, most recently, teaching high school in South Korea. A lover of animals, Jeyn volunteers regularly with helping abandoned and abused animals, especially cats.

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
Published November 1, 2011

Since mankind began, civilizations have always fallen: the Romans, the Greeks, the Aztecs…Now it’s our turn. Huge earthquakes rock the world. Cities are destroyed. But something even more awful is happening. An ancient evil has been unleashed, turning everyday people into hunters, killers, crazies. Mason's mother is dying after a terrible car accident. As he endures a last vigil at her hospital bed, his school is bombed and razed to the ground, and everyone he knows is killed. Aries survives an earthquake aftershock on a bus, and thinks the worst is over when a mysterious stranger pulls her out of the wreckage, but she’s about to discover a world changed forever. Clementine, the only survivor of an emergency town hall meeting that descends into murderous chaos, is on the run from savage strangers who used to be her friends and neighbors. And Michael witnesses a brutal road rage incident that is made much worse by the arrival of the police--who gun down the guilty party and then turn on the bystanding crowd. Where do you go for justice when even the lawmakers have turned bad? These four teens are on the same road in a world gone mad. Struggling to survive, clinging on to love and meaning wherever it can be found, this is a journey into the heart of darkness – but also a journey to find each other and a place of safety.

If Dark Inside was to be made into a movie, who would you choose to play the characters?

That’s a really tough question. I honestly don’t know the answer. I’d almost like to see some new talent out there for the main characters. However, there is a Bagger coming up in book two that Colin Farrell is more than welcome to portray.

What's the most memorable Halloween you've ever had?

A few years ago my old roommate and I decided to get creative and we built an entire cemetery from scratch. It included a full sized wooden coffin and several tombstones. It ended up being so scary; the smaller kids wouldn’t come to our house. In fact, for several days, kids crossed the street so they didn’t have to pass our place. I loved it.

Who is your favorite Disney villain and why?

It would have to be John Silver from Treasure Planet because he’s a grey villain and those are my favourites. I also loved Ursula from The Little Mermaid.

What's the scariest book you've ever read?

That would have to be The Stand by Stephen King. There’s something very terrifying about a super flu that wipes out the entire world’s population.

What's the funniest Halloween costume you've seen or worn?

When I was a little girl I went as the ten of diamonds one year. My Mom was very disappointed because she wanted me to be the Queen of Hearts but for some strange reason I was determined to be the ten of diamonds. No clue why.

Can you share an excerpt from Dark Inside, or if not what was your favorite scene to write?

I think my favourite scene to write in Dark Inside was when Mason first talks to Twiggy. What made the scene so much fun was that I didn’t know the twist until I actually wrote it. Came as a bit of a surprise to me but it worked beautifully. I also love the scene where Clementine is in the woods and bumps into the bodies swaying from the trees.

Do you plan on writing another book?

Yep. I’m currently in final edits for the sequel to Dark Inside and I’m working on another stand alone book.

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Jeyn is generously letting one lucky blog reader win a signed copy of Dark Inside! Just fill out the form linked below if you'd like to be entered.

Rules:
Must be a new or old blog follower.
Ends on November 8. Open to USA only.
Two extra entries to those of you that spread
the word about this interview & contest!

Click here to fill out the entry form!

CONTEST CLOSED

For 3 extra entries, leave a comment answering this question:
What would you do during an apocalypse?

FIND JEYN ONLINE: Facebook | Goodreads

Get ready for Halloween goodies!

Be sure to stop by my blog every day during the last week of October because you don't want to miss out on what I'll be posting! There will be author interviews, guest posts, and giveaways! I'd love it if you all could spread the word to others, too. Stop by starting on Tuesday, Oct. 25 up until Halloween night!

Waiting On Wednesday: You Are My Only

This week's WoW book is You Are My Only by Beth Kephart! It will be released on October 25, 2011.

SUMMARY: Emmy Rane is married at nineteen, a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with a husband she no longer loves, Baby is her only joy. Then one sunny day in September, Emmy takes a few fateful steps away from her baby and returns to find her missing. All that is left behind is a yellow sock. Fourteen years later, Sophie, a homeschooled, reclusive teenage girl is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place, perpetually running from what her mother calls the "No Good." One afternoon, Sophie breaks the rules, ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. It is this loving family that gives Sophie the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever...

I really love this cover, and I like how the book is told from alternating narratives. PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 25, 2011.