Tenner Tuesday with Dia Reeves!

1. Where did you get the inspiration for Bleeding Violet?

What is this inspiration? I was just thinking about insane asylums one day and decided it would be neat to write a novel about a crazy girl--one who hallucinates, cuz I dig hallucinations--who moves to a town with lots of monsters. Monsters are

also digable.

2. What was the writing process like for you?

Dreadful. It took two and a half years to write BV. Of course, I was goofing around half the time so that might have made a difference. I wrote over thirty different drafts trying to get the thing to make sense. I finally whipped it into shape though--I'm nothing if not persistent.

3. When did you start writing Bleeding Violet?

I started it during National Novel Writing Month in 2005. Can't wait until November so I can sign up again!

4. How did you pick your main characters' names?

Hanna Järvinen is the main character. She's Finnish, on her dad's side, which is why her name looks like that. I can't remember why I named her mother Rosalee--I think Rosalee named herself--but Hanna's love interest is named Wyatt Ortiga. Ortiga is Spanish for stinging nettle, which I thought was cool as Wyatt is not to be handled lightly.

5. Is there going to be a sequel or prequel?

Nah. I'm not into sequels, but the book I'm working on now takes place in the same world as BV. It's a disturbing world--lots of scope for the imagination.

6. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing when I was nine or ten. I used to write stories about Fantastica from The Neverending Story--loved that book! But when I was thirteen, I read It by Stephen King. It's about a million pages long, and I cried at the end of it because it ended too soon. Even after that millionth page, I wanted to know what happened next. I felt so attached to those characters that I didn't want to leave them, and I remember thinking how cool it would be to make someone feel that way about something *I'd* written.

7. What song best fits Bleeding Violet?

It's a tie between "Gloomy Sunday" by Billie Holiday and "I'll Stay"

by Funkadelic. "Gloomy Sunday" is this old jazz song about a woman who dreams about killing herself after her man dies. Hanna feels like the woman in the song, only about her mother Rosalee because, except for her mother, Hanna is all alone in the world.

I also like "I'll Stay" though, because of these lyrics: "I'll stay, for she'll be coming back. You know her head went out to play--she'll get over that." Sometimes Hanna's not all there in the head, but she always snaps out of it. Eventually.

8. Which writer influenced you the most?

Stephen King, for sure. With a little Anne Rice and Laura Kinsale thrown in for good measure.

9. Are you writing anything right now?

Yep. This book called Strange Fruit (I stole the title from another Billie Holiday song.) Here's the logline if you're curious: two outcast sisters--daughters of a notorious serial killer--decide to put their murderous genes, and latent powers, to good use by only killing people who deserve it. I'm hoping to be finished with it before the next nanowrimo. *fingers crossed*

10. Any advice for future writers?

Unless you're slightly insane, unafraid of rejection, and love finding new ways to describe people's smiles, I would suggest that all you future writers go to medical school.

Thanks so much Dia!

Destroy All Cars

Title: Destroy All Cars Author: Blake Nelson Publisher: Scholastic Number Of Pages: 218 Publication Date: May 1^st, 2009

Synopsis from back of book: IT’S TIME.

It’s time to destroy all cars.

It’s time to own up to the fact that we’re completely screwing over the planet.

It’s time to yell at the world.

And it’s time to deal with the ex that won’t go away.

James Hoff likes to rail against America’s consumerist culture. He also likes to rail against his ex-girlfriend, Sadie, who he feels isn’t doing enough to change the world. She wants to build bike paths. He wants to overthrow the oil companies.

But just like James can’t avoid buying things, he also can’t avoid Sadie for long. They’re in for another crash – and whether you see them coming or not, crashes always hurt.

This is a fantastic, funny, sexy, cool masterpiece from Blake Nelson, acclaimed author of Girl and Paranoid Park.

Review: Destroy All Cars was HILARIOUS. One of the funniest books I have read. James, was a humorous main character who wrote essays about Destroying All Cars, and the Lameness of People. I read Destroy All Cars in a day, because it made me laugh and I couldn’t help but turn to the next page.

While, Destroy All Cars is incredibly funny, it also shows that we do need to take better care of our planet. Blake Nelson is able to tell a story so short, with a lot of meaning and uproariously funny. Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book, and cannot wait to see what Blake Nelson writes next.

I recommend this book if you like hilarious novels, Blake Nelson’s previous books, and young adult novels.

The Naughty List Widget!

I made a The Naughty List by Suzanne Young widget. Suzanne needed a widget, so I volunteered. It is a little too big though, but still feel free to take it. :)

Tenner Tuesday with Heidi R. Kling!

Tenner Tuesday is a new feature, where almost every week there will be a new interview (10 questions) with a Tenner.

To start off Tenner Tuesday, I am going to interview Heidi R. Kling author of Sea.

1. Where did you get the inspiration for Sea?
My husband was a young psychiatrist straight out of residency and volunteered for two separate two-weeks trips to Indonesia after the tsunami. He came back totally altered by the experience. Went into solely non-profit work and is now an expert in cross-cultural trauma mental health and works with anti-torture organizations. So I thought, if this 30-something year old man was this inspired by an experience, what would happen to a 15 year old girl? So I imagined the characters and built the story around that first inspiration.

2. What was the writing process like for you? I'm a pretty fast first-drafter--getting the story down, --then I go back and fix my many, many mistakes. I also build story AS I write as opposed to thinking of everything before hand. I get some of my best AHA moments while I'm out walking or doing yoga, or lying in bed trying to fall asleep, then I go add them into the manuscript. I also smooth out the writing in later drafts. Getting story down is my first, main goal. I've never had writers block. Wood: knock, knock, knock. ;)

3. When did you start writing Sea? Three years before I sold it. I wrote three mornings a week while my son was in preschool. If I had eight hours a day to write it would have taken about a year me thinks.

4. How did you pick the main characters' names? Oh they picked me! Spider came out of nowhere. I was writing dialog and suddenly he was Spider. His real name is Jesse and I don't think that ever appears in the version of SEA now. There was this big back story about Spider and his twin sister Bev, which I had to cut, about how he got his nickname. Vera and Bev also came out of nowhere. Vera fits Vera perfectly (IMHO). Deni was from a list of Acehnese names my Acehnese friend Usul sent me. It was my favorite one and is pronounced like Denny (rhymes with Lenny). While I was writing the book, Denny was a beloved character on Grey's Anatomy, so that worked well. SEA is short for Sienna, which my main character's name.

5. Is there going to be a sequel or prequel? OOOH! I just got chills when I read that. I would love to do either or both! Knock on Putnam's door and say WANT! and see what happens. =) If there is demand, I would for sure write. SEA is a complete book in itself but I have fantasized about the futures of my characters and I would love to meet up with them again. (I really miss them when I'm not working on revision. Seriously.)

6. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? I used to write songs when I was a little girl. And then plays. And finally screenplays and my first novel in high school. I would entertain my sisters with my chapters. I think I've always been writing in one way or another.

7. What is the most difficult thing about writing? Now, honestly, it's finding the time. I have two little kids and I stay home with them, which I love--but sometimes it's tough to balance everything. I guess the hardest part of writing is making my editor happy while staying true to my original vision of the story. Does that make sense?

8. What is your favorite thing about writing? Everything! I love it when I feel like my characters are speaking through my fingers as I type. I love writing something that makes me misty eyed. I love the idea that people want to read my words and hear my stories. I love it all!

9. Thinking ahead, if a movie studio was going to make a movie about Sea who would you want them to cast as the characters? Dude! You keep elevating my heart rate! Okay, oh boy. So, I really really like the cast of Friday Night Light's. I adore Tim Riggins in a major big way. I would love for him to play any

one, but he would be particularly cute as Spider. I would love Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to get on board as Sienna's parents (Angie would have to play a ghost, but that's cool.) I would like a real Indonesian boy to play Deni. I went to an Indonesian film festival and there was the hottest boy in one of the films. I want him. Sienna is pretty, but in a very natural way. Julie from Friday Night Lights would do a nice job portraying her. (Great question!)

10. Are you writing anything right now? Yes and no. I WAS writing. But now I'm finished! I wrote a whole manuscript called JADE this past year. It's in with my editor now. JADE is the first novel in a proposed contemporary fantasy series about teenaged witchez and warlox. It features swordfighting and surfing. Good combinations. I had so much fun writing it. Hope to hear good news soon!

Thanks for participating in Tenner Tuesday Heidi!
Thanks for having me! You're awesome. =))

-Senfaye :)

*Photo by Anne Knudsen.

Immortal

Title: Immortal Author: Gillian Shields Publisher: Harper Teen Number Of Pages: 360 Publication Date: August 4^th, 2009

Synopsis from back of book: The electrifying debut in a paranormal-romance series about a mystical teen.

As the elite Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies’ newest student, Evie Johnson is lonelier than she could have dreamed. Evie’s only lifeline is Sebastian, a dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. But as Evie’s feelings for Sebastian grow, she suspects he has a secret. And there’s something sinister about Wyldcliffe and its strict, unfriendly teachers. Then there’s a ghostly girl so eerily like Evie she could be a sister. In an extraordinary battle between past and present, Evie is faced with an astounding truth about Sebastian and her own incredible fate.

Immortal will dazzle readers with suspense, mysticism, and the power of friendship and first love.

Review: Immortal was a satisfactory read. I had problems reading the first 100+ pages; I wanted to put it down at times because it had no action, suspense, or anything interesting. But, it was worth reading past the first 100+ pages, because then it quickly became a page turner.

Evie and Sebastian relationship, was nothing very different from most books, but it was a beautiful relationship nonetheless. The plot was complex, and had a few predictable moments, and a few very unpredictable moments. The characters were also really complex and striking. Another pleasurable thing about Immortal was Lady Agnes’ journal entries, they explained many things that wouldn’t have been explained very well if it hadn’t been in the book.

Overall, Immortal had a good story line and characters but took a little too long to get into the story, but worth reading!

I recommend this book if you like paranormal/fantasy novels, romance, and young adult novels.

What is happening today...

Okay, so today many special things are happening.

1. Today is my older sister's 20th birthday! Happy birthday Meilani! I love you!

2. Prophecy Of The Sisters by Michelle Zink officially comes out! Yay, congrats Michelle. Review here.

3. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater comes out! Congrats Maggie! Review here.

4. The Comeback by Marlene Perez comes out, review to come.

5. Ruined: A Ghost Story by Paula Morris comes out, review to come also.

-Senfaye :)

Books Read in July!

85. Undead Much? by Stacey Jay

86. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

87. Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

88. Once A Witch by Carolyn McCullough

89. Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors

90. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

91. I Can't Keep My Own Secrets:Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure

92. I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

93. Boyology by Sarah O'Leary Burningham

94. The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart

95. The Hollow by Jessica Verday

96. Behind Every Illusion by Christina Harner

97. The Comeback by Marlene Perez

98. Fashionista by Micol Ostow

99. Jennifer's Body by Diablo Cody

100. Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

101. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

102. Sloane Sisters by Annabelle Vestry

103. Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

YAY!! I passed 100 books!! :D Now, I am going to try and read up to 150-200 books by the end of the year!!

-Senfaye :)