Today, in the Hot Seat...

Last week we asked for volunteers to let me turn the tables and ask some questions. We start today with our HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, Anum.

Tina: Hi, Anum! Can you please tell us a little about yourself?

Anum: Me? I don't think there's anything special! Haha! I'm just your average nerdy girl, who doesn't wear glasses. =) I love to read (duh!), and I'm actually hoping to become a graphic designer when I grow up. Another joy of mine is playing Rockband. I so rock at playing guitar!


Tina: Me, too! (Okay, I just rock at the singing part.) Back to you...

Anum: I'm a family person, I'd choose to spend a day at my cousins’ rather than going to the mall to see friends, and I see them a lot anyways! Hmm, I have a unnatural obsession for Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian) and Johnny Depp!

Tina: Great taste, there! =) How about you name a few super-popular books that you see people reading on your campus?

Anum: Well, obviously there'd be Twilight! But lately I've been seeing a lot of vampire books such as Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast. They're not “super-popular” yet, but they will be! I've also been seeing a lot of Meg Cabot books, especially books like The Princess Diaries, and the Mediator series.

Tina: Tell us, based on your experiences, what are some ways that teen authors are getting it right?

Anum: Hmm, they're probably getting it all right with their views on abuses, relationships, and the whole way to make people hooked on their books. OMG, they also SO get it right with drama! Sure, they go over the top a bit, but still. It so describes our current teenage lives, haha!

Tina: Thanks! Now, tell us a YA book you'd love to see turned into a TV program or movie?

Anum: Gosh, there are a lot! *ponders* OMG yeah, there's this book I just read that I instantly started thinking: Oh, who would THIS character be if this was a movie? Yeah...that book is called Pretty Little Devils by Nancy Holder. I love horror books, they're like my weakness. I thought it would kinda cool to have a whole serial killer thing going on, and I would definitely watch it!

Tina: Final question, you're about to take off on a 14 hour international flight. Sure, they'll be movies and meals, but plenty of time to read, too. You can bring one book--either one you've already read, have been wanting to read, or one that's in the works like Stephenie Meyers latest. What's it going to be and why?

Anum: Hmm, there are so many books! I must bring one, though. So I'd choose a funny book to keep me laughing. I'm always depressed on the airplane. Haha. I would choose How To Ruin A Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles. I can relate to her books a lot! And they make me actually LOL. I don't LOL that much from books. There are like a few that do that. (:



Tina: Wonderful. We love Simone, too! In fact, her book, Leaving Paradise, is up for the Best Young Adult Romance in the Romance Writer’s of America Rita Contest, along with Kelly’s Graffiti Girl! Thank you, Anum. And if anyone has any questions for Anum or us, please ask away!

You've Never Known Vampyres Like These

In Marked: A House of Night novel by P.C. & Kristin Cast, sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has just been marked as a vampyre.

Her already unhappy life becomes worst…or so it seems...when she must leave the home of her mother and annoying stepfather, her best friend from school, and her almost ex-boyfriend in order to go through the “change” from human to vampyre--if she survives it--in the mysterious House of Night.

Talk about stress!

The only problem is, Zoey doesn’t fit in there, either. As a new “fledgling” vampyre she already has powers beyond her dreams, as well as an uncomfortable and embarrassing bloodlust. She feels so alone and unsure who to trust.

The reader is taken into the House of Night with Zoey and is introduced to an array of fun characters and the inner workings of a distinguished school, while Zoey goes through a journey of self-discovery and learns to make new friends.

Marked is a unique tale of vampyres in training and the goddesses they honor. The Cast team know how to spin one cool vampyre story with a fresh voice!

(Check out the interview with P.C & Kristin Cast here!)

What's Fresh with PC & Kristin Cast's Marked: A House of Night Novel

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Hello P.C. & Kristin, thank you so much for chatting with us. (My first mom and daughter writer team interview! I'm so excited!) Could you both please tell us a little about your writing background and how you each made your first sale?

PC: I’ve been writing for as long as I've been reading, which is as long as I can remember. Actually, I wrote my 1st book in first grade (it didn’t get published). My first novel sale was the first adult book I completed, GODDESS BY MISTAKE. I sold it to a small press and it was published in 2001. My first NYC sale was to Berkley. GODDESS OF THE SEA began the Goddess Summoning Books, and was published in 2003.

KC: My writing started with my first book , THE FLOWER, which I wrote in elementary school. I was also the editor of my high school magazine. My first sale was MARKED: A HOUSE OF NIGHT NOVEL, and I am so excited!

Readers and writers often like to get a behind the scenes peek of an author's writing routine. It would be great if you could please share your typical writing day schedule.

PC: My writing schedule depends upon where I am in a manuscript. In the early stages (which I’m in now for my 2008 Goddess Summoning Book) I don’t usually write every day, but I’m constantly thinking about the characters and plot. I usually write the first chapter or two quickly, and then do a lot of rewriting until I get the feel for the characters. Then it’s like sloughing through ankle deep mud for about the next 250 pages until I get to a magical place in the manuscript where the thing just takes off. At that point I can’t stay away from my computer and easily put in 8 – 12 hour stretches producing 10-20 pages a day.

KC: I don’t really have a routine or a schedule. When my mom gets done writing a few chapters, she emails them to me and I rewrite and add things.

Please tell us about your latest novel, and what we can expect from your characters.

PC & KC: I can answer this one for Kristin and me. I have four novels coming out this year: MARKED: A HOUSE OF NIGHT NOVEL (St. Martin’s, May 07), GODDESS OF LOVE (Berkley, June 07), DIVINE BY BLOOD (LUNA, Sept 07), and BETRAYED: A HOUSE OF NIGHT NOVEL (St. Martin’s, Oct 07). The two HOUSE OF NIGHT novels are the wonderful paranormal YA books I’m co-authoring with Kristin. They are set in a world very much like ours, except in the House of Night world vampyres exist. Our vampyres mythos has a biological basis, but they do have paranormal abilities and they follow the Goddess of Night, Nyx. Their society is matriarchal, and doesn’t exist very comfortably beside humans. Our books follow an unusual vampyre fledgling, Zoey Redbird, as she undergoes the Change that will either turn her into an adult vampyre or kill her. Zoey has been Marked as special by Nyx – even though she’d be much happier if she could just fit in with her friends and be normal. The series is funny and slick and appropriately sexy. We’re having a great time writing it!

As for my other two books – GODDESS OF LOVE is the next book in my Goddess Summoning series. This time Venus is my heroine. And DIVINE BY BLOOD completes the fantasy trilogy that began with DIVINE BY MISTAKE and DIVINE BY CHOICE (LUNA).

Sounds fantastic! I'm thrilled to be able to read an ARC and share about MARKED on YA Fresh. What's up next for you both?

PC: Later this year I’m going to dive into a new dark paranormal series I’ve sold to Nocturne slated to come out in 2008. I’m also writing another novella for the second MYSTERIA anthology with MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, and Gena Showalter. And Kristin and I will be working on the third book in THE HOUSE OF NIGHT series.

KC: Well, right now I’m doing research on selkies, so keep your eyes open for a big underwater adventure.

Great Ladies! Thank you again for chatting. I wish you the best with this cool new series! Would you like to close with a writing tip?

PC: The best advice I was ever given about writing is that there’s no trick or magic pill or short cut to creating a successful book. You just have to sit your butt down and write and write and write. And then rewrite and rewrite and rewrite.

KC: Your biggest enemy is yourself. You have push past that voice in your head that’s telling you that your writing sucks.

P.C. Cast:

Ms. Cast is an award winning fantasy and paranormal romance author, as well as an experienced speaker and teacher. In addition to her new paranormal YA series for St. Martin’s, THE HOUSE OF NIGHT, she writes the popular Goddess Summoning Books for Berkley, and epic fantasy novels set in the world of Partholon for LUNA . Her novels have been awarded the prestigious: Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers’ Best, and Laurel Wreath. Currently she lives and teaches in Oklahoma with her talented daughter who is attending college, her spoiled cat (who has refused higher education), and her Scottie dogs – better known as The Scottinators. Ms. Cast loves to hear from her fans and can be reached through her website, www.pccast.net.

Kristin Cast:

At 20-years-old, Kristin is thrilled to be coauthoring the YA series, THE HOUSE OF NIGHT, with her mother. MARKED is her first published novel. She has won awards for her poetry, as well as served as journalist for her intermediate high school newspaper, Tiger Tales, and as editor for her high school magazine, Tiger Eye. Kristin attends Oklahoma’s Northeastern State University as a biology major. She has a cat named Hank who is very ADD. Kristin would love to hear from her fans, and can also be reached through her mother’s website, www.pccast.net.

(Check out the YA Fresh review here!)