I am so pleased to welcome Emmy Laybourne back to Squeaky Books! She was here last year for the Squeaky Books Birthday Bash and I love having her back! Check out her pretty awesome guest post, and then enter to win copies of her books!


It’s such a joy to be back here on Squeaky Books to kick off the Blog Tour for Sky On Fire!

One of the best things about being a writer is the strange and fascinating things you learn while doing research! While writing the MONUMENT 14 series, I’ve learned about Thermobaric bombs, the intricacies of Google Maps, field methods for purifying drinking water, and I’ve basically memorized the layout of the dorms at the University of Missouri at Columbia. (They will show up in Book Three: Savage Drift!)

Without giving you any plot spoilers, I thought that I’d show you a list of the things I googled while writing SKY ON FIRE.

When you know that MONUMENT 14 is about fourteen kids from Monument, CO who take shelter in a
superstore while civilization collapses outside the gates and that the second book in the series, SKY ON FIRE, follows two groups of these kids, as one group tries to survive inside the store while the other braves a violent and dangerous landscape in a battered school-bus, some of these questions take on a sinister significance!

The 8 Weirdest Things I Googled While Writing SKY ON FIRE

1. Can you put sleeping pills into soup?
2. Air force slang for “girl.” Air Force slang for “injured person.”
3. How can I set a dislocated shoulder by myself.
4. Do they make battery powered chainsaws?
5. What’s it called when you throw up from working out too hard?
6. Ingredients of Kingsford Lighter fluid?
7. What’s the Mexican slang for testicles?
8. Can someone actually use a grappling hook to climb a building?

Now the question goes to you! What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever googled when writing? I’d really love to know...

Thanks to Enna and Squeaky Books. Tomorrow my book tour will head over to Reading Teen. Join me there for an exclusive interview. And please keep in touch with me at www.emmylaybourne.com, on Facebook at the Monument 14 Fan page or on the Twitter @emmylaybourne.


Good news! I have TWO books to give away to ONE lucky winner! Somebody will get a paperback copy of the first Monument 14 book, as well as a hardcover of Monument 14: Sky on Fire. Enter the rafflecopter below to win!

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I'm so pleased to be participating in the Fox Forever blog tour! I have been a fan of these books since the very beginning. I have reviewed the first book not once, but twice. The Adoration of Jenna Fox was one of the first ARCs (if not THE first) that I ever received from a publisher. I even have it in French!

Today Mary is here to talk about a passage from Fox Forever. Although this will not be spoilery for Fox Forever, and not explicity spoilery for the first two books, just know that some things will be revealed here that might change how you see the first two books if you haven't read them yet. You've been warned!

With that said, here's Mary!

This passage is from Page 58.
Locke has just arrived at a dance—his first in this new future world but he has to keep his true origins a secret:

“Hi. I’m Locke Jenkins. New to Boston— and all of this.”

Raine doesn’t respond. She just looks down at the torn knees of my pants and then away.

The blond girl next to her smiles. “I heard there was a new guy in the Collective. We rarely get new blood. I’m Vina.”

She holds out her hand, the backside of it up, like I’m supposed to kiss it. I’m caught off guard. I missed this lesson on social graces, but since I don’t know what else to do I take her hand in mine and lightly kiss it. “A pleasure, Vina.”

The group’s eyes widen and I know I’ve missed the mark, but Vina giggles and seems pleased.

“And you are?” I say to Raine.

“Bored,” she replies. She begins to look away again but I don’t give her a chance to disengage.

“Not having fun?”

She’s a piece of work. She blinks her eyes at glacial speed. “This is a requirement of the Collective. Do I look like I’m having fun?”

“Dance?” I grab her hand and pull.

She doesn’t budge, but there’s a brief moment of surprise on her face. It’s a relief to see any expression there at all, but just as quickly she gives me a very firm and deadly, “No,” and shakes my hand loose.

From behind her shoulder I see a large Bot rapidly approaching us. He’s taller than me and his skin is rigid metallic gold. Even his eyes are gold and he has no pupils at all. He looks like he’s been extruded from one solid chunk of metal. He steps around her and grabs me by the throat, lifting me off the ground so we’re eye to eye. “Never lay a hand on the Secretary's daughter unless you would like your hand permanently removed. Do you comprehend?"

Mary: Social situations can be so awkward! Ha! That's a bit of an understatement I guess, but I think we’ve all been there done that—like being at some fancy schmancy dinner with 500 forks and trying to figure out which one to use!

But Locke’s situation is even worse. It’s 260 years in the future and it’s his first time at a real social gathering. He has to wing it! Not only wing it but not make the others suspicious about who he really is. When he makes gaffs he has to roll right past them and improvise. Of course, some gaffs incur the wrath of big gold Bots, and have bigger consequences like losing a hand. Suffice it to say, Locke made it through the dance with his hand intact, but just barely!

Besides exploring the technological advances in the future world of Fox Forever, I had a lot of fun thinking about how our social world might change. But some things—like Vina flirting with Locke—are timeless.

Thanks for hosting this leg of the tour, Enna!


Macmillan has been kind enough to provide a great prize pack! Enter the rafflecopter to be entered to win paperback copies of The Adoration of Jenna Fox, The Fox Inheritance, and a hardcover copy of Fox Forever!


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I have a treat for you guys today! To celebrate the release of the NEW KIKI STRIKE BOOK(!!!!!) Kirsten Miller is going on a blog tour and I get to participate! Check out this awesome interview from her and then enter the giveaway for the first two books in the Kiki Strike series!


You have two series that are quite different from each other (THE ETERNAL ONES and KIKI STRIKE). Can you write two such different stories simultaneously, or do you only write one story at a time?

I don’t think The Eternal Ones series really represents me as a writer. (Writing romances does not come naturally to me.) If I had to choose two books in order to demonstrate my true breadth, I’d pick the latest Kiki book, The Darkness Dwellers and my new teen novel (out in February), How to Lead a Life of Crime.

I wrote them back to back. (Sometimes I’ll edit one book while writing another, but I never write two at once.) And while the two books are VERY different (How to Lead a Life of Crime is extremely dark and violent), they share many similarities. They’re thrillers/adventure stories with kick-butt characters and a weird sense of humor. That’s what I do best. I honestly believe that my two latest books are by far the best novels I’ve written.

What were your worst and best subjects in high school?

Best: English
The One I Loved Most: Chemistry
The One I Despised Most: Gym
Worst: Staying Out of Trouble

Do you read your books after they've been published? On a similar vein, do you read reviews? Why or why not?

I will occasionally ready my own books. But only the good parts—and I know just where they are.

I try to avoid reviews, although I’m not always successful. Writing books is one of the most difficult things a person can do for a living. (At least it is for me.) In order to keep going, I need to believe that people will enjoy the results of my labor. From what I’ve gathered, most readers have been quite happy with my novels. But there are always a few folks out there whose reviews seem to be designed to make me miserable. And you know what? They can—at least for a little while. So I do my best to stay away.

Are you a Vespa riding dare-devil like Kiki, or do you prefer transportation with four wheels?

It’s so funny you ask! I live in New York, where you don’t really need personal transportation. But I did have a cherry red Vespa for years. Just yesterday, I mentioned to a friend that I’m thinking about getting another one. (And yes, I am an AMAZING driver. Watch out, pedestrians. Ha.)

What's the single greatest piece of advice you've received since you sold your first book?

Here’s the piece of advice I wish I’d received . . . Always stay true to who you are as a writer.

Do you read the same kind of books that you write? Do you ever worry about accidentally "copying" another author's voice?

I read mostly non-fiction these days. (I’m always on the look-out for weird facts that can provide fodder for my books.)

No, I never worry about copying another author’s voice. Every writer has his/her own set of insecurities, and I don’t possess that particular one. My biggest problem is a lack of patience. I expect everything to be perfect the second it spills out of my brain. (Something that almost never happens.)

If you could jump into the world of Kiki Strike and join her team, would you do it? What if you had a guarantee that you would live?

I would LOVE TO. I don’t need a guarantee, either.

And finally, can we do a mad-lib? Please provide 3 random nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Reptile
Cadaver
Wig

Excavate
Lick
Tangle

Hidden
Sassy
Fiendish

I haven't had time to get my hands on one of Kirsten's book to fill out her mad-lib. But I will soon, and it will be AWESOME!


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Want to know the answers to the best of 2012 contest? Here it is! The winner is below!


And the person who got them all right the fastest is...


The other winner is taking me a little bit longer to figure out. So that person will get an e-mail within 48 hours. Check your inboxes!

Welcome citizens and traders. Your second challenge has just arrived from the Pilot. Please read, act, and then fill out the rafflecopter. Click here for Challenge #1 and Challenge #2.




There are two new options on the Rafflecopter now! You can gain extra entries for "liking" the Facebook page, and tweeting with the link to the Facebook page! Now Rafflecopter away!

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It's week #2 in the read-along! By now you should have finished up to Chapter 12. Participate in the discussion here and at Benji's blog to be entered to win one of the Breathless Reads prize packs! Remember, only if you signed up before today can you participate!

Today's discussion question:


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Welcome, citizens of the society. My name is Archivist Enna Isilee. You may call me Enna. Perhaps you've heard of the new uprising, perhaps you haven't. The point is, we need to get the word out as much as possible. And I need your help.

This is how it's going to work, every Monday I'm going to offer you a challenge. Should you complete this challenge, you will both help the resistance and gain entries to win a finished and PERSONALIZED copy of Reached and some one-of-a-kind swag. Buttons, posters, everything!

You also have one more day to sign up for the read-along and enter to win the first two books in the series. Click here to do that.

Are you ready? Here is your first challenge. This comes directly from management:


Here's the code for the countdown widget! Add it to your blog and fill out the rafflecopter!

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndication/subscriber/InsertWidget.js"></script><script type="text/javascript">if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('cbb6a754-5c12-4e9d-9fee-82ef85b0a5ef');</script>

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All review content © Enna Isilee, Squeaky Books 2007-2012

Today I have a very special treat! Back when I was still a fairly new blogger I met this super-awesome blogger named Chantele. She had fabulous taste, and was oh-so nice.

Well, Chantele doesn't book blog anymore. BUT, now SHE'S AN AUTHOR! It's so cool to get to know her both before and after her being published. She's here today to write about:


Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Enna!

I'm always nervous when people ask me to talk about a certain topic pertaining to my writing. I was happy though, when Enna let me choose between a few different topics to talk about. One of her questions, was how I create real and authentic challenges for my characters.

The truth is ... it just sort of happens! My characters tell their own stories and I just write them down! ;) But truthfully, I love a good story. But a good story has to have believable characters with specific challenges they face throughout the book. In Not Your Average Fairy Tale, one of my main character's, Kendall, loses her father in a car accident. There seems to be a lot of dead parents in YA, so I wanted to make her's a little different. I gave the accident a little twist and had Kendall in the driver's seat when her father died. She has a lot of guilt since she was the one driving, and it was interesting to see how she handled everything. Not well at first, if you can imagine.

When I was writing her story, I kept thinking, how would I ever get over something like that? The truth is, she handled it so much better than I would if something like that happened to me. She's a very strong person, but to make her emotions authentic, (when she showed them) I put my own feelings about death into her character. I've lost a few people during my life and a few of the scenes showing Kendall's grief were really hard for me to write since it brought back so many of my own memories. And for that reason, I think it made the story much better. I believe if you have a hard, emotionally charged scene to write, you have to dig deep into yourself and pull out memories of your own, so the impact and emotion that comes out on the page feels real. I love Kendall's character, not only because she falls in love with a really hot fairy, but because she changes a lot throughout the book. She's very very hard on herself, but there's a point where she realizes how important she is to her loved ones and she has to let go of past things she can't control. Just like in real life. :)

Thank you for having me, Enna!!



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Connect with Ally:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter
It is only once in a lifetime that you meet an author like Ally Condie. Seriously, people. This is the coolest lady in the atmosphere. She's sweet, easy to talk to, and writes DANG good books! I was so happy when she agreed to be part of the bash. Read the sweetness that is her interview, then enter to win Matched! (Even though you all own Matched already, right? RIGHT?!)

What was the biggest thing you felt when you finished Reached? Was it hard to say “goodbye” to the trilogy? I know you recently said on your blog that you were writing something new, but did you have things in mind even before you finished the Matched books?

*The biggest thing I felt was bittersweet. It's hard to say goodbye, but at the same time it feels like the story continues beyond the pages. It was my job to take the characters to a certain point...and then let them go. And that was a bit sad and exciting all at once. And yes, I did have ideas in mind for new stories even before I finished this trilogy. I am always getting new ideas. But I didn't let myself really explore anything until I was done with REACHED--I'd take notes and write bits of a scene here and there, etc., but that was all.

Can you write while someone is watching TV in the next room? Or do you need total silence?

*I need total silence sometimes, and other times nothing bugs me. So I've splurged and purchased a set of noise-canceling headphones for those times when I'm too easily distracted. They have been awesome!

Matched has been published in so many languages! Congrats! Do you own any of the international editions? Do you speak any foreign languages?

*I own most of the international editions (we've sold in thirty countries and counting, which is fun)! The publishers are usually sweet enough to send me a few copies. It's incredibly crazy to see the book in different languages--I love it. I don't speak any languages, which is embarrassing (i took German in high school and college, but am by no means fluent). But, my daughter was adopted from China, and my husband speaks fluent Portuguese, so those editions were extra special to me even though I don't speak the languages myself. :)

What the strangest thing a fan has asked you since being published? (Either since publishing Yearbook or Matched)

*One time this really nice kid asked me to sign his arm. That isn't that strange or weird, but I felt uncomfortable doing it. What if his mom got mad? So I got him a piece of paper and signed it instead. Honestly, I have the nicest fans. I must be lucky!

And lastly, a mad-lib! Please provide: 3 nouns, 3 verbs, and 3 adjectives

pizza, ferret, shinguards
warble, fret, sashay
pompous, decadent, salacious

I have sad news, friends! I actually don't have a copy of Matched nearby to fill in this mad-lib. BUT I will by the end of today. So check back!!


You can win a SIGNED copy of Matched! Today's giveaway is hosted by The Shangri La of Books. Head on over to win. This giveaway is open TO US ONLY.

Today I have a great post! Last year I interviewed Marie Lu, you can see that interview here, but I still wanted to feature the book this year! Introducing Nicole from The Reader's Antidote, and her amazing guest post! Read it, then enter to win a signed copy of Legend!


I saw the headline of an article like this somewhere a while ago and thought it was a great idea. I didn't read the article, but I could make guesses about what they were going to say. So here's what I think about why teens love dystopians, and how Legend by Marie Lu fits into all this.

When I read Legend, I felt like I was just getting into dystopians, but all of a sudden people weren't interested in them anymore. I was wrong. So very wrong. Dystopians were starting to all be the same and people were getting annoyed. But Legend kind of threw that out the window. The first thing is the multiple point of views, one from June and one from Day. The way the book is formatted, June's words are in the normal font and the usual black color. But Day's words are in a computer-like font and a gold color. That was one of the first things that originally annoyed me about this book, but I grew to love it. It made it very easy to tell who's head we were in, and I think that really speaks to teens (no pun intended). I know as a teenager that keeping up with one person's thoughts was sometimes hard for me (especially since sometimes I was skimming... *turns away shamefully*), and this really gives the reader two very separate voices. Teens always feel the need to be unique, which is what Legend did for its characters. This was also one of the first dystopians where it was actually in two points of view. And somehow, even with being in Day's head (who's the love interest), he remained somewhat of a mystery, as did June. You never really knew what either of them was going to do next.

A big reason that teens love dystopians is that teens' lives are like soap operas. There's really no getting around that, whether you're one of the popular people, a geek, a jock, or a recluse. Someone is always thinking they're better than someone else or are having self-esteem issues. And the drama! Well, dystopians take drama to the extreme and it literally is the end of the world. Teens like taking things to the extremes, so when they read about this world that has fallen apart, they feel they can relate because at one point or another their own world has felt like it's ended. The romance is also often very real in dystopians, and there was no exception with Day and June. Day is a street rat (AKA a geek, nerd or loner by high school standards) and he has to do everything he can just to feed himself and his friend. He has no family, and believe me, there was many a time where I wish I had no family. June, on the other hand, is in a position of power. She's lost her parents too, but she still has her brother and she's certainly not feeding off scraps. She's like the popular girl that everyone fauns over but secretly sort of hates because she has it all. And when these two are put together by circumstances, it's like Breakfast Club all over again. The characters themselves are relatable, and despite the fact that they're in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world, they're still teens and have the same basic problems and interact socially the same way.

Prodigy, which is the sequel to Legend, brings up even more issues that teens can relate to. There's always something teens think is better, like the iPhone 5 or the next Call of Duty. It's something they don't have, and something they'll do anything to get. Well, anything in a teenager's head never goes as far as death. But it's taken to that level in Prodigy, just as it was in Legend. Again, it's the life-or-death feelings that teenagers align themselves with. The characters are in search of something they once thought never existed, but they know that if it does exist, they will be safe. It's that mixture of danger with the promise of finally being safe that teens connect with. Marie also brings up the issue of sexual orientation, and it involves someone close to her. I'm so glad this issue was faced, because it's not mentioned enough in YA. Dealing with someone close to you being gay is a shock at first. Someone you've known for so long, and you thought you knew them, and then you find out through someone else that they were gay, is hard to digest. It's especially hard on teens because they trust so completely, so this was a really relatable element that was brilliantly added to this already epic tale.

So why should you jump on the dystopian bandwagon? Because of books like Legend. It's a world so separate--so different--from our own, and yet the human element is still the same. The problems don't change much. Sometimes they become more deadly, or less important. But teens can relate to dystopians because they feel like they're living one every day. They go through challenges that people out of high school laugh at now, but for them it really does feel like one decision is the difference between living and dying. And that's why teens love dystopians; because they find themselves in a world where your decisions and your choices really do matter, and to more than just you. In dystopians, the teens make the difference, not the adults.


You can win a copy of Legend! Today's giveaway is hosted by The Reader's Antidote. Head on over to win. This giveaway is open TO US ONLY.

Connect with Rae:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter
It's been over a year since I read The Girl of Fire and Thorns and I still think about it all the time! I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, which comes out TOMORROW! You can win the first book here, but you should buy the second book ASAP!

Some of the things I love about Girl of Fire and Thorns are the YA "barriers" that you break down. When writing did you write these with the intention of being different? Have there been any unforeseen consequences?
Thank you! Yes, my intention was to be different. I love epic quest fantasy with the fire of thousand suns. But there are things about the genre that bug the crap out of me. One of them is the paucity of normal women. In high fantasy, women tend to be either improbably beautiful or improbably repulsive. I know so many young women in real life who are extraordinary, but not one whose singular defining quality is beauty--or ugliness. I decided I wanted to write a quest fantasy featuring a young woman who becomes extraordinary through her personal choices, just like so many of my real-life girlfriends.

This was the ARC cover that caused a ton of buzz because it followed the same stereotypes that the book tried to break down.

Your own life story is so interesting! I especially love how you knew you wanted to be a novelist, but tried to find something more "practical." What advice would you give to people in the same boat? People who want to be writers, but are afraid it won't make ends meet.

My number one piece of advice is this: Don't punish yourself for not being able to pursue your dream every day. These are tough times for a lot of people, and practical considerations have to win out. It's a hard, cold reality. So don't feel guilty, don't get down on yourself; just do what you can.

Having said that, it takes a lot of hard work to become a published author no matter what your circumstances. So my number two piece of advice is this: Do take every reasonable opportunity to practice your craft. When I got serious, I hung out with a group of about 10 or so aspiring authors. We wrote, we critiqued, we revised--for years. A few gave up. Of those who didn't, every single one is now published.

Would you want to live in the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns as yourself (not as a character)? Why or why not?

I'm a wimp. I wouldn't last a week in that hot desert. But there are a couple of gorgeous tropical islands introduced in book 2, The Crown of Embers. Palm trees! White sand beaches! Bioluminescing bay! Who wouldn't want to live in paradise? Do you think The Rules would allow me to bring my own Mai-Tais from this world?

There are a TON of different covers for The Girl of Fire and Thorns because it's been published in so many countries (congrats!). Do you have a favorite cover? (I personally can't decide between UK and German, though I love them all)

I love the German with all my heart. I think it does the best job of capturing the mood and tone of the book, and its bright colors will make it stand out on shelves. In the U.S., though, that cover would be considered too "young" for its intended audience, so it will be interesting to see how it fares in a different cultural market.

Do you have something you regularly overuse when you write? (Parenthetical statements, commas, etc. [those are mine, can you tell?]) Or any other writing ticks? Things that get edited out before the book goes to print?

Oh, dear, should I confess? I suppose I must… But yes. My characters tend to speak "softly" to each other. Sooo much soft speaking. With softness. Once, I did an edit/replace and changed "softly" to "big green boogers" just so they'd stand out in my manuscript. It forced me to evaluate each one in a new context, and I ended up deleting most of them!

And just for fun: what's your opinion on arachnids?

I used to live in a house infested with black widows. I kept a kill count on my blog. I even posted pictures. (Behind a cut, don't worry. You're welcome.) The one good thing to come of that harrowing experience is I became desensitized to spiders. And while arachnids and I will never be bff's, I no longer scream in terror to see them. By the way, there are lots of arachnids in book 3.

Mad lib time! Credit for this idea goes to Everead!

The jock strap slopes upward as we furry deeper into the sandstorm. Here the tiara stretch higher with viscous lines, slothful curtains. Occasionally, pony flashes against real hadron collider. With the change in slime mold, I expect my new home to be swollen and shimmering.

You can win a copy of The Girl of Fire and Thorns! Today's giveaway is hosted by Clean Teen Fiction. Head on over to win. This giveaway is open INTERNATIONAL

Connect with Sarah:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter
Sarah is one of the very first authors that I associate with blogging. I've been a fan of her since her debut middle grade novel, Into the Wild and I'm so excited to feature her today to support her new novel, Vessel. Enjoy!

This is the third year in a row you’ve been part of the birthday bash. It seems like you’re always coming out with a book each fall! How long does it take you to write a book (from first word to the moment you send it to your editor)?

Happy birthday, Enna Isilee!

Yes, I've had a book out every fall since my debut novel, INTO THE WILD. And soon, I'll be doing two books a year. I'm really, really excited about this!

To my (happy) surprise, I've become a faster writer. In the beginning, it took me about two years to write a book. Now, it takes about six months. I think there are two reasons for this:

(1) I've learned more about my writing process. If my muse decides not to show up, I know how to hunt her down, coax her to my writing desk, and trick her into staying. (Hint: It involves Raisinets.)

(2) I've let go of the myth of free time. You can't wait until you have vast stretches of empty time with zero interruptions or distractions. Those lovely stretches don't exist, at least not on a regular basis. So I try to write in whatever time is available, even if it's only in fifteen minute chunks.

What’s one thing that’s gotten easier now that you’ve published a few books? Has anything gotten harder?

When you're starting out, one of the hardest things to do is fight that voice inside that says "you can't do it." After you've written a book or two... that voice begins to lose credibility. So I always recommend to new writers: finish the book. Even if you hate it, even if you plan to never show it to anyone ever, finish it! Then you'll know you can do it, and the next one will be easier (and better!).

If you HAD to choose (and I’m making you choose), which of your book covers is your favorite? And which do you think is the most accurate reflection of what’s in the book?

Oh, no, don't make me choose!

If I must choose... I think VESSEL is my favorite. It's simply so beautiful! I am in awe of the photographer Jaime Ibarra and the S&S art department. I also think it's an accurate reflection of the book. You can see Liyana's strength, and you can see the harsh beauty of her world.

Vessel takes place in a desert setting. Did you have to do much research in order to create an authentic world, or did you just go for it?

Yes, I researched and meshed together a variety of deserts (primarily the Gobi and Sahara, but also several deserts in the Southwest US). I love doing research, and I am fascinated by the intersection of reality and fantasy. Plus from a purely technical standpoint... I think the best way to create a believable fantasy world is to fill it with reality before injecting it with magic.

You publish under the name “Sarah Beth Durst.” Why all three names?

I'd love to give you a deep, psychological reason bolstered by amusing anecdotes, but honestly I just like my middle name. I think it sounds nice with the Sarah.

What’s one thing that’s happened to you since being published that you weren’t expecting?

I wasn't expecting to love book events as much as I do. Growing up, I was shy, and the thought of public speaking made me want to hide under my bed. But it turns out that I simply never tried talking about something that I really care about, i.e. writing. Give me a microphone and ask me to talk about books, and I'm as happy as a clam.

Mad lib time!

She contineud to lie lovely on the roof, running to control her breathing and to resist the urge to ride off all the skies and toss them in a massive temper tantrum. The desert felt lovely on her wolf. In fact, the longer she hid on the roof, the more merciful she felt. It was almost as brave as drinking blood.

Thanks so much for interviewing me!


You can win a copy of Vessel! Today's giveaway is hosted by Young Readers. Head on over to win. This giveaway is open TO US ONLY

I started Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix after the bash was already going. But it was SO AMAZING that I knew there was no way I could let this bash go by without featuring Cindy. So here she is! Not only did Cindy provide awesome interview answers, Megan (owner of Braun Books bookstore and the one who recommended Cindy's books to me) has donated a kaboodle of prizes for a giveaway! So read the interview, then enter to win!

Now, except for my experience playing “Age of Empires: Asian Dynasties” (and I know that totally doesn’t count) I’m a complete ignoramus when it comes to Asian culture. One of the things I was really curious about in the books were the names of the characters. Some characters had one-part names, some had two, and some had three! Is there any meaning to how many names there are? And do you have to do extra research to create these names (more than someone who makes up random European-sounding names, I mean)? I’m specifically curious about Li Rong And Silver Phoenix. Because wasn’t his family name Li? So is he Li Li Rong? And why does Silver Phoenix have a name that seems more like a title?

Yes! Chen Yong and Li Rong's family (last name) name is "Li". The family name always goes first for the Chinese. So if I were to write my name, I would write Pon Cindy instead of Cindy Pon. Usually, it is more common to have two characters for a given name: Ai Ling and Chen Yong. But sometimes, only one character is given like for Li Rong. (His given name would just be "Rong".) Then it wouldn't be uncommon to attach his surname when referring to him. Creating Chinese names was definitely a challenge for me. I wanted names that non-Chinese speaking readers could pronounce. Chen means the passing on of great traditions and Yong means courage. Ai means love and Ling means forest. Rong means glory or honor. Silver Phoenix is a name given in English because it had meaning in the book (since it was the title). It was necessary or the reader wouldn't know the significance of the title. It is the other way around, the book was named after Silver Phoenix--which is the character's name. =)

You said in your interview at Tu books, and at the end of Fury of the Phoenix that the mythology in the book is primarily from your imagination. But surely to create such intricate culture and mythology you must have some favorite stories that already exist, right? What are some of your favorite historical/mythological stories?

I did research and used a really ancient text to help inspire for creatures and worlds in Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix. The serpent demon is part of common Chinese folklore and the book I read spoke of a Land of One-Armed tribe, Land of Women, etc, that I incorporated into my stories. As a child, I grew up on Greek and Roman mythology and loved reading them a lot.

Your brush paintings are beautiful. Is Chinese brush the only kind of art you dabble in? Is it very different from oil painting or acrylic? (I’m an art ignoramus too)

I have been a student of Chinese brush painting for eleven years now. It is similar to western watercolor but also different in strokes, history, subject matter and aesthetics. I have no background in oil or acrylic painting but from what I understand they are a more forgiving medium--as in you can go back and cover up or work over mistakes. In Chinese brush painting, this is usually impossible. If you do something wrong, you have to start over.

Did anything about how the first book was received by readers influence what happened in the second book?

Honestly, no. I write for myself and it's most important to me that I stay true to the characters and my story. I know some readers [SPOILER] were upset by how things ended between Ai Ling and Chen Yong in Silver Phoenix. But I felt it was true to the characters and where they were at the time.

Would you like there to be more books in the Phoenix series? If you did write something else, do you think you’d continue to write Asian-inspired fantasy, or do you have other genres that you’d like to try?

Ai Ling's story is finished. But yes, I have written another book in the same world (Kingdom of Xia) with new characters. This one (which I'm hoping to sell) stars a heroine that is a shape shifting serpent demon (similar to the one that Li Rong had "an exchange" with, ha!) and features a strong female friendship.

If you had to step into the world of the Phoenix books, take the place of one character and live out their entire life, which would you choose and why?

I would have to say Zhong Ye. He is not a good character but he's complex and he goes through a lot in my books. Also, as bad as it is, I can't help but wonder what it's like to feel almost immortal. I think life is too short and much of that comes through in what I write.

Mad-lib time!

The game continued on for some rounds. Peng hollered a sea ditty for the crew, Loa Lu juggled three teapots, and Yen crawled a mochi about the Moon Goddess, surprising Ai Ling with the pristine tenor of his voice. Fuzzy clouds gathered, and the night deepened. The crew’s damp teasing faded into the distance. Ai Ling licked her ankle.

Are you ready for the awesome that is this giveaway? Megan has donated THREE prizes:

• A Paperback Silver Phoenix
• Your choice of a hardcover Silver Phoenix or Fury of the Phoenix
• A hardcover set of both Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix!

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