Siren's Storm Blog Tour Stop

 

Today as apart of the blog tour, hosted by The Teen {Book} Scene, for Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou, I have an author interview answered in tweet format (180 characters or less!). I hope you enjoy! 

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1.) Please describe Siren's Storm in five words or less.

Eerie, dark, frightening...occasionally hilarious

2.) Why do you write YA apposed to other genres?

YA=Just how my brain works. #noclue

3.) Who is your favorite character in Siren's Storm and why?

Angus is the most fun to write dialogue for. #iheartfunnyboys

4.) Did you have any writing must-haves? Candy, music, etc...

I write better when my nails are polished. Why? #noclue

5.) Was Siren's Storm an oh-my-gosh-I-must-write-this-now! Or an idea that bugged you for a while?

Siren’s Storm came to me in a dream. I tried to figure it out, then finally made it into a story. #thankssubconscious

6.) When you wrote Siren's Storm did you know what events were going to take place? Or did you let the book write its self.

I always write an outline. My books never write themselves. Lazy books!

7.) Character question: Will, if you could have one wish, what would it be?

Memory.

Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou

Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou
288 Pages (Hardcover)
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

July 12, 2011


*An ARC of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review

Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.

Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people.

Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?

(From Goodreads)

Greek mythology is something that never gets old for me. So needless to say, I was pretty excited to pick up a book surrounding the sirens (they're beautiful and badass... and they can sing). Siren's Storm was a quick, interesting read, but I can't help wishing there was a tad bit more to the story... 

When the story started, I was a bit confused because of the narrator switched from one point of view to another. I feel like the transitions could have been somewhat smoother, but once I got used to it, it was okay. Between Will's (MC) brother's mysterious death, Gretchen's (MC2) sleep walking and Asia's creepy ability to change someone's emotions (so it seems), Siren's Storm holds a constant eery feeling. There was a real atmosphere to the story world and I really enjoyed that aspect.

I liked how there were bits and peaces of clues and information throughout the chapters that all came together in the end. I really liked how at the beginning of each chapter there would be a snippet from a local newspaper or song, etc. that would sort of be like a preface for the chapter. It made the book seem strangely real. 

My only real problem was that I wished there was more to the story throughout. The last two chapters suddenly sped up super fast with thrilling action. It was a great ending, but I wish there was some of that action throughout. 

Other than that, I was happy with the story. The sirens' story doesn't often get told, so this is definitely a great read if you are interested. 

Songbird by Angela Fristoe

Songbird by Angela Fristoe
208 Pages (Paperback)
Little Prince Publishing
June 30, 2011


* An ARC of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review

There are defining moments in life when everything changes. For Dani Mays, it was the day she witnessed her father kill her brother. Now seventeen years-old, she still hasn't put it behind her. 

After Jace's death, she bounced between her alcoholic mother and foster homes, until she found a permanent place. And a reason to stay: Reece Tyler. He's her best friend, yet Dani wants more from Reece. 

Faced with possibly losing Reece, Dani struggles to define his place in her life and escape the memories of her brother's death and the influence it has over her choices. Even as she weaves the pieces of her heart back together, the past becomes more than a memory when a former foster brother reappears and Dani begins receiving threatening phone calls.

(From Goodreads)

This is another one of those books that tells about what comes after. There are tons of stories that lead up to this monumental event describing how the character got to that point. This story isn't like that. This story starts after a tragic event, showing how the main character is coping, developing and how she is still plagued by the memories of her past. 

I felt mixed things with this novel. On one hand I felt that not much happened, that it wasn't exciting enough. But then I though, that's not really fair. This book isn't supposed to be exciting - it is supposed to be real, and it was. I appreciated Dani's struggles and the way flashbacks are tied into triggers in the present the way that memories often come about in real life. I like Dani's friendship/romance with Reece. I like how it was so many different things at once and how they both felt weary of it, afraid to ruin such a long friendship. I really liked how they both needed each other, and that they knew it - even when they wanted to kill each other. This may not necessarily be an "exciting book", but it didn't really need to be. There were many other emotions present and  just enough suspense to keep me reading. 

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Check out my stop on the book tour organized by The Teen {Book} Scene HERE. Or visit Angela on her website, blog or on Songbird's website.

On Vacation

I know, I just got back from vacation Monday... what can I say, I'm a lucky, busy girl! Not only is today my birthday (I gladly accept presents - haha, just kidding), but right now I am on a plane getting ready to land in Italy! I will be chilling (or baking - considering it is gonna be HOT) on the Amalfi Coast for the next two weeks. I'll be surrounded by lots of books, but no phone or computer... in other words, no internet. Although I will not be actively blogging, I do have some posts scheduled, so this blog won't be completely dormant. 


I have no vacations planed for August, so I'll be back - I promise! IMM, Book Blogger Hop and Book Birthday Shout Out posts will resume once I get back. I will respond to emails, comments, tweets, etc. once I get back. 


Have fun doing whatever it is that you're doing during the next two weeks! 


Ciao! ( Ti piace il mio italiano?) 

Pretty Bad Things by C.J Skuse

Pretty Bad Things by C.J Skuse
256 Pages (Hardcover)
The Chicken House (Scholastic)
July 1, 2011
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC

"Wonder Twins" on the run--and running amok--in Vegas. Road Trip!

Paisley and Beau are boldface names again. Last time, paparazzi called them the "Wonder Twins," two kids found alone but alive in the woods of exotic New Jersey. Three days after their mom's death -- and before their dad's criminal misdeeds. Flash-forward to now: Their so-called lives? Suck out loud: Hating on their cougarized, Botoxic grandma, they're totally clueless about the location of ex-con Daddy. Till they discover a stash of old letters. That's when they decide to jack the Pontiac and hit the road. Holding up donut shops in Sin City might seem extreme, but if they can just get their pretty bad faces back on TV -- or TMZ -- they might wrap up their whole gaga saga with an Oprah-worthy reunion already!

    There were somethings about this novel I liked... and some things I just couldn't get over. Here's what I wasn't too fond of... The language. There is so much swearing in this novel. I'm okay with swearing, I hear swearing, I sometimes swear, but the profanities in this novel are excessive. It's like every other word is a swear or dirty slang. I liked how Paisley was a strong female, but she was a little too... insane for me. I just couldn't relate to any of the characters. Because of that, I felt that I couldn't connect to the book.

    But those are just my personal feelings. The book wasn't all bad. I really liked seeing Beau and Paisley's relationship. It is very complex. They are extremely close, as most twins are, but at the same time they are very different people. Beau is constantly pressured to do things he doesn't want to do. It is one thing when a peer is doing it, another when it is your sister. I liked exploring their relationship because there was so much to it. Also, there are some funny, quirky adventures that go down in this book. I mean, they are in Vegas.

    If this book sounds interesting to you and you are not turned off by profane language and other "pretty bad things", then maybe this book will be a better fit with you.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Winners!

I have the three winners of the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children giveaway to announce! Here they are...

1st Place Winner (Book & Poster) is...

Cheyenne Teska

2nd Place Winner (Poster)

Loreal

3rd Place Winner (Poster)

Leila @ Within Pages

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners! If you didn't win, better luck next time - check the giveaway page for more chances to win.

Dark Parties by Sara Grant

Dark Parties by Sara Grant
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
August 3, 2011
Source: Big Honcho Media
Format: ARC

In a world shrouded in fear and lies, how can you shed light on the truth?

Sixteen-year-old Neva lives in Homeland, an isolated country separated from the rest of the world by the Protectosphere.  The government insists there's nothing beyond its borders, but as Homeland's resources dwindle, people, girls mainly, have started to go missing.If there's no way out of the Protectosphere, where are they going? Suspecting the government is lying about everything, Neva and her friends stage a Dark Party in the hope of uncovering the truth and finding the freedom they dream about.

    Dark Parties was an interesting, fast read, but it left me with a few questions... but I'll get to those later.

    Neva lives in the Protectosphere, an area that closed itself off from the world when the rest of the world became too dangerous to live in. Neva's grandma never let her believe all that she's been told and ever since her grandmother disappeared, Neva has kept an illegal list of all the people she knows have also disappeared. No one knows what happened to them - they are just gone, their former families and friends claiming they didn't know them. At sixteen, Neva decides to start finding answers for herself, even if puts everyone she knows in danger.

    I love dystopians, so I was very excited to read this new debut. The story kept my attention throughout, but I was a bit confused. What I really didn't understand is what is a dark party? I realize it is a gathering... in the dark... but I feel like I'm missing something. I don't really understand why it is so central to the story... I'll be interested if anyone else feels this way.

    Other than that, I really enjoyed the story. There was one part in particular that drew up an insane amount of emotions: I was terrified, disgusted, horrified and anxious. Even though those aren't the most desirable emotions, I'm always impressed when a book can evoke strong feelings because it means the book mattered to me. If you like dystopians, I'd recommend that you give this one a try.

    The resistance has staged its first Dark Party. Listen in now and share with it your friends. Join the resistance!

Kara, Lost Blog Tour Stop

Today as apart of the blog tour for Kara, Lost by Susan Niz  I have an interview with the main character, Kara. This tour is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Teen {Book} Scene. I hope you enjoy!

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1.) Why did you decide to run away from home? Was it just one thing, or a series of events?



When my dad gave me the ultimatum about either taking the antidepressants or being grounded until I did, I just couldn’t deal with it.  The idea of being forced to take a drug by people who I felt had already abandoned me was just intolerable.  



2.) Did you run away on impulse? Did you even think about what was to come? Did you have any plan?



Running away was an emotional reaction.  I had no idea what was to come.  My plan was to go stay with my sister.  I don’t know if I would have had the guts (or been stupid enough) to just take off to the streets. 



3.) Do you have any regrets?



The things that went down after I left home changed me forever.  I couldn’t and wouldn’t undo running away because it all made me a wiser person, even if I had to experience some awful things.  Either way, the past can’t be changed. 



4.) What do you think is the most important thing you've learned from your journey?



You have to trust people in order to have a life, but be smart about who you trust.  Sometimes your friends have to be your family, but there are times when you might just be better on your own than with bad people. 



5.) Kara, if you could have one wish, what would it be?



To not be haunted by Alex. 



6.) Any plans for the future?



If I didn’t have plans for myself, I probably wouldn’t have fought for myself the way that I did.  I’m going to be somebody. I’m going to go to college and take care of myself.  I’m going to make a difference for people one day and be seen as a professional.   



7.) Anything else you'd like to add?



I know life can get better, even after all I’ve been through. 

Two Winners

I have to winners to announce today, so I'm gonna just get right into it!


The winner of a copy of Legacy by Cayla Kluver is...

TheGirlOnFire27

The winner of a signed copy of The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander is...

Erin L.

Congratulations to the winners! If you did not win, there are always more chances - check the giveaway page regularly. Thanks to all who entered. 

Kara, Lost by Susan Niz

Kara, Lost by Susan Niz
320 Pages (Paperback)
North Star Press of St. Cloud, inc.
June 1, 2011
Source: Blog Tour
Format: Paperback

Sixteen-year-old Kara flees the suffocation of her suburban life, trading in her home and family for a gritty, anonymous existence on the streets of Minneapolis. She begins a perilous journey, naive, well-intentioned, and isolated as she struggles to reconnect

    This book was just not for me. I could appreciate Kara's struggles, but the book just didn't hold my attention. It was not that it was the content that I couldn't read, but I just didn't feel like I wanted to read it.

    This is the story of Kara, a sixteen year-old girl who runs away from home after her parents start trying to force her to take anti-depressents. After being turned away by her sister, she is left to figure out a life for herself on the streets of Minneapolis. Kara struggles to become close to her sister, her only family left, all the while battling hard work, little pay, homelessness and danger.

    The story just did not grab my attention. Other than the fact that Kara and everyone else was smoking literally every page, nothing really bothered me. Which might be a problem in itself - I didn't care enough to be bothered. The last 50 pages are so started to pick up and I was actually excited to see where the story went. I was happy with Kara's end of the story, but the last line kind of got me mad. It seemed like the story was optimistic, but the last line was anything but.

    I did appreciate how motivated Kara was to make a change. I liked how she was dealing with some pretty hard stuff, especially because she is a minor and not legally allowed to do alot... and the fact that she has no ID adds to that mess as well. I just didn't like how there seem to be no consequences for her actions. She trashes two places within the story, one also being a breaking and entering. Consequence? None. She has a confrontation with an undercover cop? What happened? Nothing. Something really bad happens to someone... you guessed it! Nothing happened. For a book that is so realistic to the hardships of anyone in Kara's position, this no consequence thing seemed very unrealistic.

    If you are able to relate to this story on a semi-deeper level, then maybe you'll like it better than I did. I didn't hate it, I just was not interested by it. I wish I was, but I wasn't.

   

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater
400 Pages (Hardcover)
Scholastic Press
July 12, 2011
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

    I was really proud of myself for making it through this book without crying... Then I read the author's note where Maggie says goodbye to the trilogy and I lost it... Now looking back on this book, all I want to do is cry. Even though I feel like I appreciate this series so much because it has an end and doesn't go on forever (ironic), I kind of wish it did... Saying goodbye is tough.

   If one thing has been consistent throughout the first two books, it is that Grace and Sam love each other, but Sam is a wolf... making the situation quite difficult. Forever switches it up. Now it's Sam's turn to miss and worry about Grace as she is a wolf somewhere out in Boundary Wood. There are two missing people connected to Sam, an impending hunt threatening to murder all of the Mercy Falls wolves, and an hourglass that is running out. The fate of forever rests on now.

   This book had more action than the previous two. Well, maybe that's not fair to say, but this book had more dire action. There was little room for error or extra time. That aspect was definitely very intriguing... but that wasn't my favorite part.

   My favorite part was how much the characters developed. Forever is told from four point of views: Grace, Sam, Isabel and Cole. Of course I loved spending time with Grace and Sam, but I really enjoyed getting inside Isabel's and Cole's heads. I feel like I never really understood Isabel or Cole, with Forever you get a chance too.

   Oh the ending... Don't worry, no spoilers here, I'm not gonna say anything! The only thing I will say is that it is not the ending I wanted. It was a really good ending and it didn't disappoint me, but it is not really the ending I was expecting. The longer time away from the book, the more I appreciate it. I'm not going to say anything else - but if you want to talk to me about it after you read it - email me (I've been dying to talk about it!)

   This thrilling conclusion is suspenseful, heartbreaking, heartwarming, shocking and action packed. Just two more days until it hits stores...

The Wolves of Mercy Falls (Books 1 & 2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Okay, so this isn't really a review... more about me raving about a series that I really love. The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater. This trilogy captured the heart of many, and I am sure I am not the only one who will have cried at the end of Forever, the third and final book in the trilogy. My review of Forever will be up soon which is why I decided to talk about the first two book first (since I read them pre-blog). So, here is my two cents on the first two books in the trilogy.

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Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

392 Pages (Hardcover)

Scholastic Press

January 1, 2009

the cold. 
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why. 

the heat. 
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now. 

the shiver. 
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

(From Goodreads) 

It took more than one person to recommend this book before I finally picked it up. I feel like the biggest idiot that I did not read it immediately after one person said I should. This book has made my all-time favorite list and Sam has become one of my biggest literary crushes. I love all of the vibrant characters, and I love how Maggie Stiefvater let the reader inside of their heads through the switching point of view. Sometimes switching point of view can be confusing and choppy, but these books are not, and would not be the same without it. It adds to the suspense and atmosphere of the novel. 

There are few book that I would do this for, but if I had to jump up and down on a table or do some other strange thing to make everyone read this book, I would. I really, really love everything about this book. From its lovable (and love-to-hateable) characters, to amazing description that actively immerses the reader in the book's vibrant world, to Sam's song lyrics that play in your head on repeat, and to the bittersweet reality of the wolves' lives, I love it all. 

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Check out the incredible stop motion trailer Maggie Stiefvater made herself!

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Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

360 Pages (Hardcover)

Scholastic Press

July 13, 2010

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, inLinger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

(From Goodreads) 

Shiver had me running to Borders on the day of this release, plopping down in a chair and reading this book straight through. I already fell in love with the characters and the story in Shiver, which allowed this book to take a frustrating turn... There was action and discovery that wasn't quite in Shiver, but there is a pretty big duration where Sam and Grace's love isn't as... easy (I'm trying not to spoil anything - don't read into it so much!). There is still romance in this book, just not as much as I would have liked. 

This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it works better than what I would have liked to see. Maggie Stiefvater's writing is just so good that I don't think I could ever be disappointed with anything she writes. Just like Shiver, when I read the last page in Linger, I was eagerly awaiting (and dreading) the release of Forever.

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I know, I didn't really say much about the books. The truth is that I read these too long ago to adequately describe them because I'm sure there are parts I am forgetting. What I hoped to accomplish with this post is to convince you to go out and read these book if you have not already. Even though I'm claiming Sam for myself - I'm willing to share (sometimes). 

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
464 Pages (Hardcover)
Simon Pulse
June 28, 2011
Source: Gifted
Format: ARC

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

    This book.... I really don't know how to describe this book. The whole premise of it is taboo and seems wrong - I would even go with disgusting. But reading it, it didn't seem to be wrong or disgusting. It did seem impossible and frustrating, but not wrong. The writing really forces you to look at a taboo relationship from the point of view of those two people and understand. It asks the question, should anyone have a say in what relationships are "right" or "appropriate"? Is it anyone else's business except the two individuals?

    Maya and Lochan have always been more than just siblings. Their father left when they were younger and their mother might as well have also for all the time she spends at home. Most of the time it is Maya and Lochan's responsibility to take care of their three younger siblings while managing all of the household chores like cooking, cleaning, shopping and paying the bills. They've taken on the roles of parenting in an odd, roundabout way. They've only ever had each other to lean on because they are both in this difficult position... is it really a wonder that they've started to fall in love?

    This book plays with your emotions and makes you feel things you'd never thought you'd feel. Each chapter switches point of view, alternating between Maya and Lochan. I really liked how that happened. It really forces the reader to throw away their preconceived notions and understand the dynamics of their relationship. When Maya and Lochan start to fall for each other, they know it is wrong, they know it is impossible... they know it is illegal. If someone told me their story, without another thought I would say "Eww. That is disgusting." But reading the story I had a much different reaction. I found myself actually rooting for Maya and Lochan. The way the story is written, it is kind of hard not to.

    I feel the need to say that this story did not change my opinion on incest relationships - I still think they are gross. However, it made me think that my opinion - or anyone else's - shouldn't matter. If some one loves their sibling, teacher, a person of the same sex, or anyone else - is it someone's else's business to say that they can't?

    I also want to point out that this book is very sexually graphic. If that would make you feel uncomfortable, this probably isn't the book for you. However, all of it fit into the story. It wasn't unnecessary or ill fitting. It added greatly to the shock factor of the book.

    There are so many adjectives that could attempt to describe this story - shocking, disgusting, frustrating, heartbreaking, heartfelt, intense - but not one of these words really encompass all that this story is. Suzuma went out on a limb with this story, discussing an extremely socially unacceptable topic in Young Adult literature. In my opinion, she did an amazing job. I would definitely recommend this book for all the content of it that no Young Adult author has dared to write about before.

The Chosen Blog Tour

Today I have a this-or-that list made by the author of The Chosen, Sheenah Freitas. This is a stop on the book tour hosted by The Teen {Book} Scene. I hope you enjoy! 

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Popsicle or Fudgesicle?

I’m going to have to side with Fudgesicles on this one. My love for chocolate wins over fruit flavors.

Blondes or brunettes?

Blondes. (I envisioned this as Peeta or Gale to get this answer.)

Skydive or bungee jump?

I hate heights and am not into extreme sports. I’ll go with bungee jumping and pray that the cord doesn’t snap. I’ll probably forget to open my parachute if I ever skydived.

Edward or Jacob?

Edward. Jacob has that bond with Renesmee and I don’t think any gal has a chance with him, though I doubt any girl has a chance with Edward either since he has Bella.

Call or text?

Call! I’m not a big fan of texting. I know. I disgrace my generation.

Dogs or cats?

Kittens are cute, but I love dogs. I grew up with them. My dad’s a dog encyclopedia. He can glance at a dog and tell you the breed (granted it’s a purebred) and I’m starting to get that way too. It scares me a little.

Narnia or Hogwarts?

Narnia is a pretty awesome place, but I’d rather be a witch-in-training at Hogwarts than having to keep the peace at Narnia.

Fly or be able to read minds?

Though I hate heights, I’d rather be able to fly than read minds. I feel that’s an invasion of privacy I’m sure that’s a hard power to keep turned off. Jean Grey and Professor Xavier make it look so easy to turn off though.

Live without computer or tv?

Television definitely. The computer makes writing so much easier and I have research at my fingertips. I can always watch television shows on the computer if I need to anyway.

And … Did the chicken come first or the egg?

I’m going to side with the egg. My reasoning: eggs have been around since the dinosaurs. Have chickens?

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Visit the author on her website, blog, or learn more about her book HERE.  

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Leave a Comment: Answer some of these for yourself!

Interview with Ransom Riggs ( & Giveaway)

So a few weeks ago I read an insanely good book. It is called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (check out my review HERE). This book is entirely original and a really great read. There are creepy vintage photographs throughout the book that are beautifully woven into the story. If you have not yet read the book, I highly recommend that you do! I was extremely excited and grateful when Ransom Riggs agreed to answer some of my questions. I hope you enjoy!

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1.) For those who have not had the wonderful experience of reading your book and who have yet to hear about it, can you describe Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children in one sentence? 

It's tough to do without giving any major plot twists away! I'll just say that it's a dark, mysterious bit of ground fantasy -- and a coming-of-age story, too -- that's illustrated with creepy vintage photographs.

2.) I understand that you do a lot in the film world, including making short films, book trailers and writing screenplays. Did this influence how you went about writing Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children?

It might have, though unconsciously. One thing that's drilled into you when you're writing screenplays is to always keep the story moving at a healthy clip, which I tried to do in Miss Peregrine. Also, I think my writing style is fairly atmospheric and "visual," if you can describe a book that way, because I find that I have trouble writing a scene unless I've imagined its setting completely, so that I'm describing a mental picture I've created in my own head.


3.) You have made book trailers before, but how was it to make a book trailer for your own book? Was the experience different than any previous experiences?

Once I'd written the script for the trailer, it wasn't terribly different -- you take off your author hat and put on your director hat, and your job is to film the script. When you're worried about locations and angles and color correction and everything else, it's easy to forget that the script you're shooting just happens to be based on a book you wrote. One thing that was different, though, was that I was able to travel to Europe to shoot part of the trailer -- the exteriors of Miss Peregrine's house, and a few other shots, as well -- which was a great thrill. And I didn't have a crew for those shots, just a friend and myself. 

4.) I watched your short film "Taking Pictures" (as well as your others - they are amazingly interesting), how long have you been interested in photos and photography? Obviously vintage photos play a huge roll in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but how exactly did the story emerge from the photos?

I've been interested in photography and have been taking pictures ever since I got a little 35mm camera for Christmas in the seventh grade. In college I took some photography classes and learned how to develop and print film in a darkroom, which you don't technically need to do anymore, thanks to digital technology and photoshop and whatnot, but which I found totally fascinating and really useful. I'm still an amateur, really, but it's something I love to do.

As for the photos in Miss Peregrine, they came first. I had a small collection of vaguely unsettling old pictures of kids from 80-100 years ago, and I approached my editor at Quirk Books with them -- it was he who suggested that I find a story to weave through them, and then I started writing the novel. I "cast" a lot of the roles in the book from my cache of photos -- almost like casting roles in a movie, from a pile of headshots -- and very early on the title of the book occurred to me, so I just had to figure out what these kids were doing in this home for peculiar children, and what their story was, and how the reader would eventually come to meet them.

5.) Do you have a favorite photograph that you have come across? Do you have a digital copy of it that you could share?

All the best pictures ended up in the book! I think my favorite was the photo of an older woman and younger boy walking away from camera in a tunnel, into a circle of glowing light. The mystery of that photo kind of sums up the whole feeling of the story for me.


6.) Other than photography, are there other things that inspire your work (specifically with this book?) Any places or people, etc?
Oh sure, a zillion things. As far as Miss Peregrine goes, I worked in everything that was fascinating me at the time -- priest holes, bog bodies, shipwrecks, remote islands, abandoned houses, ornithology, Victorian English culture, ancient stone burial cairns, and a number of things I can't mention without giving away the plot!

7.) So, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is going to be made into a movie by 20th Century Fox! Are you excited? Do you feel like it will be a bit odd not being in charge of it's development when you are so involved with film yourself?

SO excited. And as much as I'd like to write, direct, shoot, and set design the whole film myself, I know enough about Hollywood to know that that's not how it works, and the best thing for Miss Peregrine: the Movie would be for an amazing, talented filmmaker with a great track record of box office successes to swoop in and get as excited about it as the producers and I are. 

8.) When you're not making movies, writing novels are flipping through buckets of photos, what are you doing?

Playing guitar, cycling around my neighborhood, hanging out with friends, traveling ... living life!

9.) What's next for you? Are any sequels in the making?

Um, not any that I can officially talk about yet (ahem, cough).

10.) Anything you'd like to add?

Just that I'm really grateful and thrilled that people are reading and enjoying the book! So many great books are written every year that are overlooked or underappreciated, and I feel extremely lucky to be getting this kind of attention for my very first novel.

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Giveaway Time!

The lovely people at Quirk Books are offering one hardcover copy of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and three posters. So there will be THREE winners of this giveaway. 1st place will get both a book and a poster, 2nd and 3rd will each get a poster. The rules and how to enter are below. (Picture of poster is to the right)

Rules

• US ONLY (Sorry)
• Must be 13 years or older to enter
• Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen
• Comments are appreciated, but will not enter you in giveaway
• Giveaway ends July 12, 2011 at midnight EST
• Fill out THIS FORM To enter

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Visit the incredibly talented Ransom Riggs on Twitter (@ransomriggs), on his website, or his youtube page (so you can watch more of his amazing videos). 

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Leave a Comment: Have you read this book yet? What did you think?