Author Interview - Marie Lamba, author of Drawn

Today, Agrippina Legit is participating in a blog ghost tour to celebrate the release of Marie Lamba's latest YA novel, Drawn. You can find my review below but, as a bonus, Marie has kindly answered a few of the (non-spoilery!) questions I was left with after finishing the novel.

1. Your first two novels were both very realistic. What made you decide to dive into the realm of the paranormal with Drawn?

I’ve always been intrigued by ghosts. Not bloody murderous ones, or silly Casper the Ghost ones, but eerie yet fascinating spirits wrapped in longing and unfulfilled dreams.

I’m the sort of person who spends extra time in old graveyards or in the darkest recesses of castle dungeons wondering about the stories and secrets they hold. I grew up adoring Arthurian legends, and have read The Once and Future King countless times. Plus I’m a sucker for a solid chick-flick romance. Drawn pulls all these elements together. And the character of Christopher embodies the haunting longing, the untold secrets and unfulfilled dreams of the past.


2. Sang's Indian-American heritage in What I Meant and Over My Head is similar to that of your children. Are there any aspects of your own life that similarly informed your characters or universe in Drawn?

Definitely. I really relate to Michelle, because I, too, was a teen artist from New Jersey. Also, I spent a semester in college living in an English town similar to the one in Drawn. Before she goes to England, my character Michelle was a bit of an outcast back in New Jersey. I definitely had times in elementary school when I was bullied and an outcast, but by middle school I’d found my footing and my confidence and suddenly my life was different. In the novel, Michelle finds herself the object of William’s affection, she finds that she is actually developing some friendships, and she wonders why. Isn’t she the same girl who was so ridiculed? I remember thinking that same thing myself when I was a teen.


3. You have tried both the traditional and independent publishing routes. What made you return to self-publishing with the release of Drawn?

It would have been great to have Drawn released by a traditional publisher. Truthfully, my agent is
in love with this novel and a number of top editors at the “Big 6” publishing houses expressed a lot of interest in it. But I was anxious to get this novel to readers NOW. I’d spent over two years researching and writing and editing this book, and the traditional wheels of publishing were just turning way too slowly for me.

This felt like the right time to get this one out into readers’ hands. I was so happy with the way Over My Head came out, and it’s been received so well by readers, too, so now I knew for sure that indie publishing was a great option that would get direct results.


4. I must confess to developing a major soft spot for William while reading Drawn. Is there a character whom you are particularly fond of? Or, on the flip-side, is there a character you had a hard time not dooming to a terrible death?

I’m pretty crazy about Christopher, myself. And William is someone I’m definitely rooting for too. But I’d have to say that my favorite character is actually Roger Mortley. Roger is the misunderstood kid who everyone thinks is so strange. Actually he’s quite the hero who silently bears many horrors in his life, yet still has the guts to plan for the future and to put a witty spin on all life’s annoying moments. Prickly, belligerent, but loyal to the end, even if he’s telling you to blow off.

I’d love to have someone like him as a friend.


5. With two contemporary realistic novels and one paranormal romance under your belt, what comes next?

At the moment, I’m trying to sort this out myself. I have a few ideas floating around for the 20-30 age reading group. Humorous and edgy stuff about all the ridiculous hoops people jump through while searching for romance. Plus I would LOVE to write a sequel to Drawn. I’d probably call it “Sketch” and it would explore some decidedly loose ends in Michelle’s life. Questions about just where her missing psychic mother really is, or if she’ll ever see Christopher again. If you read Drawn, you’ll know just how complicated THAT question is. But first I want to see how Drawn is received before I start on the sequel. If readers really like it and push for more, then “Sketch” will be next novel I’ll write.

Thanks for having me here, Tara!

Marie

Sketch sounds great to me, so hopefully Drawn will be just as well-received as I'm expecting it to be!

If you'd like to learn more about Marie or her books, check out her website at http://marielamba.wordpress.com or like her page on Facebook. You can also take a look at the rest of the ghost tour stops for more Drawn information, reviews, interviews and even giveaways.

Author Interview - Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

 As you can probably tell from my review of Rippler, I think Cidney Swanson is a very promising new author, whose Ripple series will be greatly enjoyed by fans of YA fiction. Cidney was kind enough to answer a few questions about Rippler for me – including the one I'd been particularly eager to ask after finishing her novel!



1. In Rippler, several of the main characters are cross-country runners. The descriptions of running are all very visceral; were or are you a runner yourself? Are there other aspects of your life that a reader can catch glimpses of in the pages of your book?

I was never the super-serious runner that Sam is, and a couple of repeated injuries have meant I can't run anymore. I miss it! Like Sam, I grew up very close to Yosemite, and all of the detail about trees, plants, and animal life come from my own experiences in the area. Sam would have learned the names of these things because her mom loved to paint out-of-doors, especially in Yosemite. In another area, I can relate to Sam's loneliness--the moments where she feels on the outside come from truly hard times in my life.

2. The romance in Rippler is secondary to the friendship between Sam and Will. Was it a conscious decision on your behalf to avoid the 'fated love' type of romance that is so common in YA fiction these days?

I definitely made their friendship primary on purpose. I'm so tickled that you noticed! I think love can certainly have a "fated" feeling to it, but that comes much later when you realize how so many things came together that might not have come together, and it can have that feeling of having been "fated." But actually, I think it is nearly impossible to recognize "fated-ness" at the time it is happening. I mean, I think it's a pretty common experience that some guy seems so right, but then it turns out he's a total jerk after all, even though it might have felt fated at first.

3. Do you have a particular soft spot for any one of the characters in Rippler?

I really love Mickie. She's so prickly on the outside but she's made of dandelion fluff inside. Or maybe chocolate pudding. Something soft and yummy that is different from what she seems at first glance. I love how Sam gets to see the softer side of Mickie as time goes by. And I have so much admiration for Mick--she's a fighter, a survivor!

4. If you could have a special ability, what would you choose?

I would choose power over the weather. And no doubt I would make a complete mess of the eco-system, because I would make it sunny and warm in western Oregon all the time.

5. And, the most important question of all: when can we expect the next Ripple novel?

Tee hee! I'm hard at work. My editor keeps making me fix things so that they will be better. Grrrr! (Just kidding!) I think we're looking at early to mid September at the moment. *crosses fingers/knocks on wood*

Thank you very much to Cidney Swanson for allowing us a deeper insight into her work. I, for one, am looking forward to September!

You might also like to check out Cidney's blog, Facebook or Twitter.

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If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Rippler, by Cidney Swanson

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