Lycaon Monday: Arrows

Greetings fellow YA readers! Welcome back to another Lycaon Monday! Today we have with us the amazing Lara Hues who is dishing on all things writing and secret cookie love. Take it away Lara!

1.  I write because…

I have to get characters and stories out of my brain. If I don’t write, I don’t sleep.

2. If I were your favorite cookie, what would I be?

My favorite cookie is white chocolate chip macadamia nut.

3. Plotter or pantster?

Depends on the book. ARROWS mostly wrote itself from events in my own life.

4. What is your favorite type of character to write about and why?

Probably young adults, usually women, who experience a paradigm shift and start acting rather than being acted upon.

5. Hamburgers or sushi?

Hamburgers. But I’m more prone to order a chicken sandwich than a burger.

6. Name three things on your desk.

Desk? What desk? I type on my laptop on the couch or in bed. Three things on my living room floor: diaper bag, wooden beaded bracelet, Risk.

7. What books have influenced your writing style?

Along with most of the literate world, I loved reading Harry Potter and getting lost in the world that J.K. Rowling created. When an author creates a world and story, you can forget your own stresses and fears and worries and focus on the story. I dream of the day I can write with such detail and emotion as she does.

8. Tell us a little about your book.

I got the idea for Arrows while I was attending college in Hawaii and facing the challenges inherent in dating life. In Arrows, Emalie struggles to find real, sincere love because all the men who ever see her eyes fall in love with her. I think most people, girls and women especially, struggle with the similar dilemma of wondering how much of their romantic relationships are based on physical traits or emotional ones. 

9. What advice do you have for new and aspiring authors?

Your first book will probably not be that great. My first two were terrible and after years of writing and re-writing and editing, I finally decided to let them be and move on. Then I wrote a new book and realized that my writing was way better. If you are a new and/or aspiring writer, just write. Read and write and if something isn’t great, move on. If I’d been persistently stuck on my first book, I may have eventually found someone to publish it, but I’m glad I didn’t because now that I’m a much better writer, I’d be embarrassed by it.

10. What is next on your writerly horizon?

I’m editing a shape-shifer story, proofing a YA science fiction, waiting to hear back from an agent on an adult thriller, and about 10K words from finishing my first historical fiction.

Top five favorite books/series: Harry Potter series, His Dark Materials trilogy, Wind on Fire trilogy, Sabriel, and The Two Princesses of Bamarre.

Blurb: 

Much like a Greek siren with the curse of broken-hearted suitors scattered throughout her past, Emalie goes away to college hoping to leave her old habits behind and find real love.  To her immense displeasure, her habitual wearing of sunglasses as a means to protect potential ‘prey’ of her powers proves to be ineffective.   Almost immediately, a boy named Quincy sees her blue, beautiful eyes, and as though they are Cupid’s arrows, he is struck with love.  His reaction is much less overbearing than previous ‘victims’ of her eyes and this makes her genuinely like him. 

Only a few hours later however, an older college boy (Tony) kidnaps her for a game with some friends and she must use her eyes to escape the dangerous encounter. The downside to the escape: Tony falls in love with her. Struggling against her feelings of vulnerability and the belief that she is a victim of circumstance unable to influence the plot of her life, she must make a choice. She can either continue a life of captive, possessive love with Tony or take a leap, risk her secrets, and pursue her goal of finding love unsolicited by her cursed eyes.

Buy Link

http://www.lycaonpress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=1&products_id=43

Excerpt:

"Take me back now!" I shouted. There was no one in the restaurant to see the scene that was happening. The pocketknife was still within my reach. My fingers were sweaty as I flipped open the blade only to find that there was no blade. It was another trick. My hands were slippery and shaky as I dropped the useless knife on the ground. Anthony watched the whole thing, rolling his eyes and snickering.

"I'll take you back when I want to," Anthony said and suddenly his face was not so jovial. "Now sit down. No one leaves till I say they do. I'm in charge; not you."

The waitress brought the food over and began passing it out, no change from her previous behavior. It seemed she had seen physical disagreements in this restaurant before.

"If you don't take me back right now I will call the police." I pulled out my phone.

Their laughter and chatter hit my ears loudly and my breathing got heavy.

"Lucas," Anthony said, gesturing to my phone. Quickly and roughly, Lucas tore the phone from my hand right in front of the waitress and shoved it into his deep pockets. He grabbed my face and kissed my cheek aggressively.

"Don't!" I protested.

"No," Lucas said, breathing hot spicy breath into my face. "You don't."

"Anthony," I said, making my voice sweet. "Tony." I was taking a big risk. There was no way of knowing what Anthony's reaction would be. Things were getting bad fast and I would do anything to get out of there.

"What?" His voice was heavy with irritation as he wheeled around to face me.

I took off my sunglasses in one swift motion.

Anthony dropped to his knees at my feet and began to cry. "Em, my sweet Em. I have upset you. How could I have done this?"

I put the glasses back on. It was that simple. It was always that simple. That's what made real love—real, unsolicited love—so impossible for me to find.

Author bio:

To state the glaringly obvious, Lara Hues like to write, however, she doesn’t like writing about herself. Maybe that's because it's strictly non-fiction, which isn't so much her cup of tea. That being said, a cup of tea isn't really her cup of tea. She prefer hot chocolate or lemonade. Sure, aspects of her character and details from her own life find their way into the pages of her stories, but that's only natural since she’s the author.

Her first young adult book CERKEL was a semi-finalist in the Amazon breakthrough novel contest when she was eighteen. Since then, she’s tackled a handful of other projects ranging from adult thrillers about kidnappers to middle grade stories of mermaids.  ARROWS is her first published work of what she hopes to be many.

Lara was born in Utah, moved to Massachusetts for middle and high school, and attended college in Hawaii where she graduated with a degree in Cultural Anthropology and received a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate. She can’t for the life of her figure out why she didn’t just study creative writing since she’s been doing it since she was fourteen and it’s a passion that’s stuck with her through the years.

Her character flaws, which double as her greatest strengths, are audacious honesty and child-like optimism. Lara owns a small jewelry business named Zaria’s Box, where she is the designer and creator. She enjoys learning languages and knows at least one phrase in over sixty languages. She is deeply religious and doesn’t believe in being bored.

 The month after Lara’s college graduation she married a devilishly handsome West Point Graduate and officer in the US Army.  She is the mother of two breathtakingly gorgeous little girls and the four of them travel the world together. She’s lived in Arizona, Kentucky, Utah, Idaho, Massachusetts, and Hawaii.

Shannon Hale: The Interview

Author Interview Questions Shannon Hale

Describe your book in 5 words

                Boarding school for children of famous fairytales

Best writing tip you ever received?

                People remember a story for its characters.

What one young adult novel do you wish you had when you were a teen? Why?

                The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. It’s smart, engaging, and discusses so many things I was struggling with.

Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.

                I have 4 kids (including identical girl toddler twins). My husband likes to wear masks and hide around the house to scare me. I like to read while lying on my belly. I love the sky. I’m not a very good speller.

What are you working on now?

                The third Princess Academy book.

For more awesomeness, visit:

http://yallfest.org/

Interview: Ransom Riggs

Author Interview Questions Ransom Riggs

What one thing do you need to have when you write?
Silence. My noise-cancelling headphones have become almost essential.

What is the hardest line to write- the first or the last?
The first. I rewrite and rewrite it a million times. The last comes easy.

Tell us 5 random facts about yourself.
I’m six foot four. I lived on a working farm until I was five. I used to know how to cook Indian food but now I’ve forgotten. I love documentaries. One day I will conquer the moon.

What are you working on now?
A novel for Little, Brown the plot of which is SECRET! (Sort of, for now. But I’m really excited about it.)

What is your favorite genre to write in? To Read?
Oh, definitely YA to write in. I read everything, lots of YA, lots of adult, nonfiction of all sorts. I even read poetry when I’m feeling ambitious. I think it’s crucial to have lots of different influences. If you only read in the genre you write in, your writing will sound like everything else that’s already out there.

For more awesome info: http://yallfest.org/

An Interview with Barry Lyga: I Hunt Killers and The Game

1. How did you get started writing about serial killers?

It was sort of an accident, if you want to know the truth. My editor and I were chatting one day about the projects I was working on. One of them was very complicated, so I described it as “a real killer.” She thought I said “serial killer.” Long story short, I ended up with the idea for I Hunt Killers!

2. Cheeseburgers or sushi?

Oh, man! What an impossible choice! I’m tempted to say something like, “Let’s split the difference — raw burgers!” But, no. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but...sushi.

3. What is your favorite kind of character to write about?

I like honest characters. I like characters who tell it the way they see it, even if — as in the case of Billy Dent — the “way they see it” is twisted and vile beyond belief. Lisa McMann once said that I write about “broken heroes,” and I think that’s probably right. I seem to be attracted to characters who are broken on some fundamental level, but who realize it and try to deal with it.

4. Tell us a little about Game. What kind of adventures are we going to be glued to?

Game expands the scope of the series. We move from the tiny town of Lobo’s Nod to New York City, though there are still things happening back in the Nod. We have more points of view this time — in addition to Jazz, you’ll also see events through Connie’s eyes, through Howie’s, and, yes, through Billy’s. The body count is higher, the stakes are higher, and I promise you this: Not everyone you meet comes out of this thing alive.

5. Best vacation spot ever?

I’ve always had a soft spot for Scotland...

6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Easy — coffee! But I don’t actually drink coffee. Weird, eh?

7. Are you a Dexter fan? What about Walking Dead?

I deliberately don’t watch Dexter. People already compare my books to that show, so I don’t want to even accidentally repeat something that they do. As to Walking Dead: I was sick recently, so I watched the whole series from the beginning to the latest season on Netflix. I recently blogged about how most of the characters really aren’t all that bright, but for all that, it’s a very compelling show and I plan to keep watching it.

8. Pantster or plotter and how do you decide how long to make your chapters?

Eh, to be honest with you, I’m not all that interested in the weird sort of dichotomy people try to enforce between “pantsers” and “plotters.” I think they’re false notions. “Pantsers” are plotting — they just do it in their heads, usually subconsciously. And “plotters” often go off-script and let their stories lead them down different paths. I don’t find it a useful distinction.
As to chapter length, I always think of the words of my high school Spanish teacher: When we would ask how long an essay had to be, she would respond, “It’s like a skirt: Long enough to cover the topic, but short enough to be interesting.”

9. Where do you see the series going?

I’ve already written the last chapter of the series. I’ve known where it’s headed pretty much since the beginning. And I ain’t tellin’! 

10. What is your best advice for anyone wanting to write YA?

I don’t have any advice specifically for YA writers — I think good writing advice is good writing advice, period. That said: “Just do it ‘til it’s done.” A friend of mine told me that once when I was struggling to finish something. I was getting all caught up in details and specifics, projected ahead to the revision process… And he reminded me: “Just do it ‘til it’s done.” At the end of the day, writing is about sitting down and typing until you get to the end. Sometimes we have a tendency to overcomplicate it and that gets us all tangled up in ourselves. Cut through that tangle. Just write. Figure out if it’s good or if it sucks later, and fix it if you have to. But first — get it done.

Called a “YA rebel-author” by Kirkus Reviews, Barry Lyga has published eleven novels in various genres in his seven-year career, including the New York Timesbestselling I Hunt Killers. His books have been or are slated to be published in ten different languages in North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

After graduating from Yale with a degree in English, Lyga worked in the comic book industry before quitting to pursue his lifelong love of writing. In 2006, his first young adult novel, The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, was published to rave reviews, including starred reviews from Booklist andSchool Library Journal. Publisher’s Weekly named Lyga a “Flying Start” in December 2006 on the strength of the debut.

His second young adult novel, Boy Toy, received starred reviews in SLJ, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus. VOYA gave it its highest critical rating, and the Chicago Tribune called it “…an astounding portrayal of what it is like to be the young male victim.” His third novel, Hero-Type, according to VOYA ”proves that there are still fresh ideas and new, interesting story lines to be explored in young adult literature.”

Since then, he has also written Goth Girl Rising (the sequel to his first novel), as well as the Archvillain series for middle-grade readers and the graphic novel Mangaman (with art by Colleen Doran).

His latest series is I Hunt Killers, called by the LA Times “one of the more daring concepts in recent years by a young-adult author” and an “extreme and utterly alluring narrative about nature versus nurture.” The first book landed on both the New York Times and USAToday bestsellers lists, and the series has been optioned for television by Warner Bros./Silver Pictures.

Lyga lives and writes in New York City. His comic book collection is a lot smaller than it used to be, but is still way too big.

Buy links: http://barrylyga.com/novels/

Excerpt: Link to:https://www.facebook.com/IHuntKillers/app_208195102528120

Thank you for being here today Barry!

Reckoning: The Virtual Book Tour and Interview

Reckoning
Dark Prophecy, Book 1

Molly M Hall

Genre: YA Paranormal

ISBN: 978-1479342112

ASIN: B0095JKKFC

Number of pages: 276

Word Count: 77,782

Cover Artist: Claudia McKinney -PhatPuppy Art

Amazon Print, Amazon Kindle

BN Paperback , Nook

Smashwords

Book Description:

"They say the truth can set you free. I found out it can kill you."

Seventeen-year-old Kat Matheson has never revealed the dark secret that sets her apart from everyone else: She can see and hear the dead. Until now, she has been able to ignore the strange apparitions and whispering voices. But it may not be that simple anymore. Haunted by eerie visions and increasingly frightening nightmares, Kat begins to fear she may be the target of a dark and ominous force from beyond the grave. Complicating matters is the arrival of her new neighbor, a young man she instinctively distrusts but is inexplicably drawn to. Gorgeous and mysterious, he seems to hold a disturbing knowledge of her long-held secrets.

As she desperately tries to maintain control, events take an unexpected and violent turn. Discovering that nothing is what it seems and that her psychic abilities may involve far more than just communing with the dead, Kat may be forced to confront her worst fears and the powerful curse that controls her destiny.

Add it to your Goodreads list

     A gentle breeze moves through the trees and gooseflesh creeps up my arms. I look around cautiously, my ears straining for even the slightest sound. Nothing. No dreaded flashes of a ghostly pink dress. No brain-numbing whispering. Just an empty expanse of green, dotted with trees, the stark silhouettes of houses rising behind.

     My phone buzzes again, the vibration rippling through the nerve endings in my hand like a low-voltage jolt of electricity. I feel a sudden desire to fling it as far away from me as I can.

     Reluctantly, I look down and click on the message.

     RUN

     Turning around, I see Rick, smiling back at me, waiting patiently. A scream of anguish and frustration begins to build deep inside of me and I hear a noise to my right, like the whooshing of wings. Jerking my head to the side, my eyes widen in shock, and I duck, narrowly missing a massive black bird as it sweeps past me, angling upward. I think I hear Rick say something, but his words are drowned out by the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears. I glance up, looking for the bird and see a large, dark shape sweeping past the top of the trees. I have no idea how any of it is connected – the girl, the texts, the bird – but instinctively I know they are. And it isn’t good.

     I look at Rick again, the wonder and magic of this evening still singing through my veins, and my shock turns to anger. Hot, fiery, rebellious anger. This will not happen. Not tonight.

     Clenching my jaw, I glare up at the sky. LEAVE ME ALONE, I scream in my head. Whatever issues this dead girl has, it has nothing to do with me.

      Rick begins walking toward me. “Everything OK, Kat?”

     I swallow, gathering my emotions back into a tight bundle. “Fine.” I force a smile onto my face, jogging back to him. “Just Rachel sending me another message.”

     I step into the pool of light beneath the streetlamp, anxious to leave the darkness behind. Suddenly, the light flickers, an odd sizzling sound emanating from the globes. I stop and stare, watching as several sparks shoot out the sides. The bird, the largest crow I have ever seen, swoops down from the trees, one shining, jet black eye looking directly at me. Sound disappears and time seems to fold in on itself, slowing to half-speed. The same weightless feeling I’d experienced at school creeps over me, and I tense, fighting off the panic.

     I stare at the bird, watching it descend lower and lower. It’s wings beat once, moving slowly down and back up again. Sparks continue to jet from the streetlamp, each brightly pointed flash of light spewing out in a torpid, glowing trail, before dropping slowly and silently to the ground. The bird is nearly on top of me. It sweeps past, close enough that I can feel the rush of air beneath its wings, gently lifting my hair. Then it arcs upward, higher and higher, before turning and diving back toward me again, it’s beak open in a silent cry.

     I stand and stare, frozen in place, numb with shock and disbelief. My phone vibrates dully in my palm, and I slowly lower my head. As though acting strictly through muscle memory, my thumb pushes the message button.

     NOW

     I look back up at the bird. Then at the streetlamp. And suddenly, I understand. The obscure text messages melding into clear and precise meaning. But my legs won’t move.

     I gasp, inhaling sharply as I struggle to break free of the torpor that has possessed me, and the world abruptly charges back into normal motion, sound and movement taking on a vivid clarity. The bird rushes toward me, it’s head cocked at an odd angle. The sparking and sizzling of the streetlamp grows louder, the globes glowing and flashing like some kind of deranged sparkler on the fourth of July. I take one slow step backward just as the globes explode with a loud bang, hundreds of tiny pieces of glass slicing through the air. I yelp and duck, lunging to the side.

An interview with the author:

1. What first got you into writing for a YA audience?

    I really enjoy the YA genre, and I think the potential for stories in this genre are limitless. When I first had the idea for Reckoning, I knew it had to fall into the YA category in order for it to play out the way it needed to. Kat Matheson, the main character in the story, needed a certain amount of innocence and naiveté that I wouldn't have been able to give her if she were older. For me, part of the appeal of YA is that characters (usually) aren't so jaded and cynical. They're on a journey of discovery and that's what make it so exciting.

2. How do you keep your story on track? Are you a panster or a plotter?

    I'm probably a little of both. I do have a general outline for each book and I always know how I want it to end. But ideas come to me as I write, and frequently, scenes will take on a life of their own, sometimes shifting the direction I thought the story would take. I think the most important thing is to keep the main concept of the story in mind and then drive it to its conclusion. The unexpected sidetracks along the way are what keep it exciting.

3. Cheeseburger or sushi?

    I'm going to have to say neither. I don't eat red meat and raw fish kind of grosses me out. But if it was cooked, I'd be all over it. I love Asian cuisine!

4. What was your favorite book as a teen and why?

    I don't think I had a particular favorite. I've always been an avid reader and have always read a variety of genres. When I was a teenager, I read a lot of biographies, British history (I'm an extreme Anglophile), and British mysteries. Agatha Christie will always be the queen. I also loved those epic, British sagas by writers like Susan Howatch, Anya Seton and Thomas Tryon. I'd come home from the library with stacks of them and lose myself for hours within their pages.

5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

    Get ready to gasp in shock...I don't really like ice cream. Crazy, isn't it??

6. What three things must you have on your pizza?

    Cheese, onion and bell peppers.

7. Flip open your book to any page and tell us what is happening.

    Kat is walking by her neighbor's house and hears a crashing noise. Concerned, she makes her way inside and finds him prostrate and bleeding on the basement floor. It's obvious he's suffered some kind of physical attack. But from whom? There's no one else in the house and she didn't see anyone leave. Was it a supernatural attack or is something else going on?

8. What is your favorite series on television?

    The Vampire Diaries!!!!! Love, love, love it.

9. What was the hardest scene you ever wrote and why?

    The hardest scene I ever wrote is the ending to the Dark Prophecy series. The ending?? How am I even there yet? It's three books away! Well, like I said before, I always know how it will end. And, yes, I've already written the final scenes. It was hard for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, I can't tell you why or that will give it all away!

10. What is next on the writerly horizon?

     Next is Book 2 in the series. Titled Relentless, I am nearing completion on the final chapters and it should be available in the spring. I'm also releasing the first in a new historical mystery series set in 1911 London. That should be available in the spring as well.

About the Author:

Molly M Hall is the author of Reckoning, the first novel in the Dark Prophecy series. She has spent most of her life in Colorado and currently lives just outside of Denver. She pursued a degree in English Literature at Columbia College, and worked in the corporate world for several years before turning to writing full time.

When not reading or writing, she can be found shopping for awesome boots, listening to music, exercising, working on her very inadequate French, playing piano, or looking for inspiring landscapes to photograph. More at: mollymhall.com

Blog – www.mollymhall.com

Twitter - @mollymhallbooks

Facebook – www.facebook.com/mollym.hall.31

                    www.facebook.com/pages/Reckoning/457393657635234

Goodreads – www.goodreads.com/book/show/16077558-reckoning

The Sweetest Taboo Virtual Tour

Sweetest Taboo

by Eva Marquez

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college, everything had fallen apart. This hadn’t been an ordinary love, though. Not a love between two dear friends, or even high school sweethearts. This had been the most taboo sort of love there was: a relationship between a student and her teacher. Isabel started her high school career as a normal student, but set her sights on Tom Stevens as soon as she met him, and pursued him with an intense – and sometimes reckless – fascination. When he finally approached her after swim practice and told her that he shared her feelings, it was the start of a forbidden and dangerous relationship.

I realized suddenly that I had gone from one extreme to the other in a few weeks. That was a mistake, and people were bound to notice. I couldn’t backtrack now, though – the damage was done. What was I supposed to say? “Yeah, I'm staying away from Mr. Stevens because I don’t want anyone to know I’m making out with him after practice” would never do.

“You know, he was pretty cool at first," I replied as nonchalantly as possible. “But one day I was late for practice and he made me go to the diving pool to swim laps. I’m not going to hang around with him if he’s going to be such a jerk, you know?”

That answer must have been good enough for Vicky, because she lightly tapped my shoulder and then jumped into the water to swim off. I laughed as I watched her swim away; she was doing the butterfly – badly – and bumping into other swimmers as she shimmied from side to side down the crowded lane. My smile faded, though, when I realized that she was probably voicing what everyone else had noticed as well. My sudden change of attitude had been just that – sudden and unexpected – and people were going to wonder why. I had to come up with a better story, and quick, or change my behavior again and hope that no one else said anything.

I wasn’t sure which option was best, or which would cause me more pain. Our late- afternoon rendezvous were becoming more and more intense, and my senses were becoming fragile. When I walked toward his classroom, now, I knew that there would be more physical contact, with less clothing. We hadn’t gone all the way yet, and Mr. Stevens was always very careful about my feelings – he asked me if I was okay with what we were doing every five minutes, it seemed – but we were both getting braver, and closer. I didn’t know if I could be close to him without really wanting him, but I was afraid of getting hurt.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was also starting to fall in love with him.

Q: Relationships between students and teachers is a really controversial issue in the media today. What inspired you to write about this in your debut novel?

A: I grew up as an immigrant in a lower-to-middle class Southern California suburb. So I tapped into that experience in ‘Sweetest Taboo’, which chronicles the love affair between a young Hispanic schoolgirl and her much older, married teacher. I drew from my experiences growing up to develop several plot ideas. Romantic experiences are universal. Provocative, illicit and risqué contexts do not take away from the experience of love, and that’s what this debut book sets out to communicate.

I was also intrigued by the news of one of my former teachers being convicted of [sexual] misconduct with a minor. Since I can remember, I have always been fascinated by similar stories making the news, but like many people, wondered about how these relationships originate and how they flourish under the radar. In Sweetest Taboo, I got to unravel one of these clandestine relationships, one exciting page at a time.

Q: Is there an instance where you feel that such a relationship should be taboo?

A: Even as I developed what I felt to be a very powerful and emotional love story in ‘Sweetest Taboo’, I do feel that such a relationship is and should be taboo. The fact is that young students should be free to attend classes without worrying about advances by their teachers and/or coaches. For the most part, I believe that to be the case in our society. However, in ‘Sweetest Taboo’ it was evident that Isabel was the one pursuing her coach and not the other way around. So is that relationship taboo, even though she instigated it. Well…yes. Mr. Stevens should have warded off her advances and he should have been the ‘adult’ and professional that he was hired to be. Perhaps this was a case of love at first sight and Mr. Stevens was swayed by what he sincerely felt was love for Isabel so the relationship was warranted? That is up to each reader to decide for him/herself. I did not include judgment in ‘Sweetest Taboo’, therefore each reader can develop their own judgment about this love story. Back to the question, though, I think student/teacher relationships should remain taboo and if a student/teacher pair finds love I believe it’s most prudent for the teacher to hold out and wait until the student has graduated and is of legal age to consent.

Q: What is the on thing you want readers to get from your book?

 

A: Because my books deal with controversial topics, cross and intersect genres and do not fit into neat little boxes, I ask my readers to be prepared for the journey. My novels are not for everyone, and those who are disturbed and bothered by stories that push the envelope or challenge societal norms would likely not find my literary work appealing. So in essence, this is a bit of a warning to potential readers and/or followers. I do not intend on writing for all audiences, as that is almost impossible to do. What I can and have committed myself to doing is writing about what I know, writing about my own contexts, environments and experiences and pushing those to the limits to create controversial stories that inspire people to perhaps think out of the box, which is very much what Ms. Adichie and Ms. Alvarez have done with their literary work. To my future readers and followers I also say, thank you! For every reader and follower I have, I am that much more enthused to write and develop characters that challenge our existing comfort levels and perceptions. I would also ask any future readers or followers to contact me if they have any questions about anything I have written, or about my future work. Many of my ideas for character development and plots come from discussions I have with friends, colleagues or people I’ve met casually at a lounge, bar or book store!

Q: Did you write with a playlist in mind?

A: I wish I were that clever! Actually, as I wrote the book I was inspired by songs that meant a great deal to me as I was growing up, songs that inspired me, songs that made me emotional, and songs that reminded me of past loves and heartaches. Since this story is about the love and heartbreak of a high school girl, I thought it would be most appropriate to tip off the reader with a song title in order to foreshadow the contents of the upcoming chapter. It made perfect sense to me, and because songs evoke such strong emotions, especially as we first discover music, love and freedom during our teenage years, I couldn’t help but title each chapter after a song that had some sort of impact on me, emotionally.

Q: Plotter or panster?

A: Definitely a plotter. My inspiration for ‘Sweetest Taboo’ came in spurts, but those spurts were carefully jotted down in a notebook as chapter titles and brief descriptions of what I wanted to include in each chapter. Plots, characters and timelines were all carefully plotted which made the writing process flow. Because of the comprehensive outline, I was able to develop each chapter at one sitting. However, as I wrote I also became somewhat of a panster, weaving new plots, characters and climaxes into each chapter. In essence, my writing process can be described as highly organized and plotted, with room for creative ‘interventions’ when the inspiration hits.

Q: What are some authors that have influenced your writing?

A: There are dozens of authors I admire, but two that have captivated me with their work are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Julia Alvarez. Ms. Adichie is Nigerian-born and now living in London and I think I had an instant connection with her work because I lived/worked in Nigeria for two years and was able to really get to know the southern Nigerian culture and context because of my work in the communities. Her first book, Purple Hibiscus, resonated with me because of my experiences in Nigeria and her second book, Half of a Yellow Sun, was so expertly written and wove four amazing human and social stories that I fell absolutely in love with her prose and skill for telling complex stories. Ms. Adichie writes about what she knows well, Nigeria and Nigerian culture, history and society and because she does so, her books include incredibly sincere stories. Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American who writes primarily adult fiction, although she has also written young YA fiction as well, which are characterized by fantasy-type series. My favorite all-time book from Ms. Alvarez is In the Time of the Butterflies, which is a uniquely narrated book written in the perspective of four sisters growing up in the Dominican Republic under the dictator ship of President Trujillo. It’s superbly narrated and the story just tells itself effortlessly, it seems. Another book I very much enjoyed was How the García Girls lost their Accent, which is a story about Dominican immigrants to New York and their journey into mainstream American life. What these two authors have in common is that they are strong, confident and experienced women writing fiction about their natal lands, writing about their contexts and weaving extraordinary stories of strength and love in times of adversity.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: Although I did not intend on ‘Sweetest Taboo’ being part of a series or trilogy, I decided that my next literary project would embark upon the story before the story, so to speak. Readers really want to know what Isabel was thinking when she became intimate with her school coach, they want to know how she could have gotten herself into such a mess, a mess that involved the authorities and potential prison time for Mr. Stevens, the man she loved most. So what I am doing is writing the prequel to ‘Sweetest Taboo’ that explores Isabel’s childhood and early adolescence as an immigrant in a Los Angeles suburb. Readers can expect complex and somewhat disturbing revelations, some violence, and definitely some tears. Then of course, there will be a sequel to ‘Sweetest Taboo’, where readers will learn about Isabel and Tom’s journey and what their relationship had in store for them. The stories I weave will always include trials and tribulations, but they will also include redemption and hope.

Book excerpt:

Coach Stevens and Vicky were waiting for me outside of the girl’s locker room. As soon as Vicky saw me, she gave me a nod and ran ahead toward the swimming pool, leaving Mr. Stevens and me to walk alone. This should not have been an awkward moment for either one of us; he was my coach and I was a swimmer on his team. Time spent alone before a meet should have consisted of some last words of wisdom or encouragement. Perhaps we would have discussed the races I was to swim, and my chances against the other team. We may also have talked about the classes he taught, and whether I would be using them to pad my transcript in the next two years.

Instead, though, we said nothing, and the thirty seconds it took us to walk to the poolside were slow and tense. I searched for words that would break the silence, but came up with nothing. This was the chance I had been waiting for – Mr. Stevens was walking next to me, with no one else around. I could have said anything I wanted. But my mind stubbornly refused to tick, and my lips remained glued together.

I noticed instead the confident momentum of his walk, and the proximity of his body to mine. He was close to me – almost close enough to graze my hand with his own. Certainly closer than he should have been. He seemed to tower over me, although he was only about 6 inches taller than I was. That height comforted me; I felt protected in his presence.

He must have felt the awkwardness of the silence, too, because he stopped walking and turned toward me. I stopped in turn and looked up at him.

“Isabel, are you nervous?” he asked quietly.

I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts and fantasies that I replied without thinking. “No, you don’t make me nervous.”

He drew back, confused, and I felt my cheeks flush crimson. I had misread the situation, and grasped for a way to save the conversation.

“Um, what I mean is, are you trying to make me nervous about my event?” I asked quickly, smiling. “If you are, it’s not working,” I forced another bright smile and ducked my head, looking up at him through my lashes.

He laughed and placed his hand on the back of my neck, pressing his fingers softly to my skin. I stopped breathing, reveling in the feel of his fingertips caressing me. He leaned forward to speak closer to my ear.

“You’ve got nothing to be nervous about, young lady. And you certainly don’t need to be nervous about me.”

I blushed again, and he released me. He had understood my statement, then, and seen through my attempt to cover the mistake. I looked up at him and smiled, then turned and walked toward the pool. As I put my cap on, though, I turned to look at him again, and caught the smile that lingered at the corner of his mouth. My heart hammered at my ribcage and my knees grew weak, but I forced myself to turn away and focus on the upcoming meet.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, daughter of European immigrants, Eva Márquez has spent most of her life outside of her home country. At the age of five, Eva accompanied her parents to the United States, where the family settled permanently. After graduating from university, she went on to complete graduate studies in International Relations in Spain. Eva received her Master of International Studies degree from the University of Sydney and went on to work in the global health field in Sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Eva currently resides in Southern Africa.

Links:

www.SweetestTabooBook.com (website AND blog)

www.facebook.com/Sweetest.Taboo.YA.Book (FB Book page)

@EvaAuthor (Twitter)

www.goodreads.com/eva_marquez (GoodReads)

http://youtu.be/flff2TcA4AQ (Official Book Trailer on YouTube)

Eva will award a Kindle touch to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a swag pack of goodies to one commenter at each stop. So make sure you leave a comment!