Welcome Readers to 2017's Debut Authors Bash!
I hope you have had a great month of reading so far! I am so excited to be part of this again this year!
Please make sure you go and check out everyone else's post and if you are doing any social medias include the hashtag #17DABash!
I am so pleased to announce that I did an interview with Karen McManus - the author of "One of us is lying"! I have included some information about her, the interview and a giveaway! Make sure you get to all of it and if you have read the book I would love to hear your thoughts!
Author's Bio:
"As a kid I used to write books when I was supposed to be playing outside, and not much has changed. I'm a marketing and communications professional who also writes Young Adult contemporary and fantasy fiction in Cambridge, MA.
When not writing or working I love to travel, and along with my nine-year old son I've ridden horses in Colombia and bicycles through Paris. A member of SCBWI, I hold a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of the Holy Cross and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Which I have never, ever used professionally.
One of Us Is Lying is my debut novel, and I'm currently working on a second book with Delacorte Press that's scheduled to be published in 2018."
(from karenmcmanus.com)
Author's Interview:
1) First of all thank you so much for the interview! So, How long did it take you to write this book?
It took two months to write and two months to revise, so four months total.
2) Who are your favorite authors? Did they influence your writing style? What about your favorite book? What is it and did it influence this book?
Two of my favorite classic authors are Agatha Christie and Charles Dickens, and they definitely influence my style—Christie for her red herring-laden mysteries, and Dickens for the sprawling cast of characters he always creates. When it comes to contemporary young adult, I love Becky Albertalli’s witty, authentic dialogue, and Mindy McGinness’ unflinching take on dark themes. I could never pick a favorite book, but also I’m a big Suzanne Collins fan, and the Hunger Games series is what inspired me to start writing YA in the first place.
3) I saw you got your Bachelors in English, is writing books what you always wanted to do?
Yes, but it took me a long time to get here! I started writing stories in second grade, but by the time I was in college I’d given it up, because I found it too hard to finish a book. I thought I’d do something else with writing, like marketing or journalism. And in fact I’ve done business-related writing for a long time, but the urge to create stories never really went away.
4) When and how did you get your idea for this book?
I was driving to work one day and the song “Don’t You Forget About Me” came on the radio. It’s the theme to The Breakfast Club, and I started thinking about that movie and how it might be fun to write a modern, twisted take on it. The phrase “The Breakfast Club, with murder” popped into my head and stayed there. I started thinking how you could kill somebody in a classroom without anyone realizing you’d done it, and thought of a way. Then I wondered WHY you would do that, and the story started to take shape.
5) I think what pulled me in right at the beginning was how similar it was to Gossip Girl (which is my favorite tv show) - Did this show have anything to do with some of the ideas in the book?
It was an influence, along with The Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars. I’ve seen the book described as a mashup of all three, which I take as a compliment :)
6) Do you have a favorite character? Personality wise or favorite to write?
I love them all equally, but Nate was the most fun to write. His voice was clear as a bell from the beginning and his scenes always flowed. Addy’s character arc was my favorite and her storyline is close to my heart.
7) Was it hard going from character to character between chapters? Like having to go from one head space to the next?
It was! I made it easier on myself by creating a separate musical playlist for each character. I’d listen to that while writing their scenes, which helped me get into their heads.
8) Did you know how it was going to end when you started writing or did it come later?
I didn’t know at the very beginning. I had a few different ideas, and decided to get started by writing sample chapters and getting to know the characters. By the end of the second chapter I knew who these kids were, and who had done it.
9) What is something you edited out of the book? Or what is something extra about the book the readers do not know?
While I was drafting I asked my son Jack, who was nine at the time, if he wanted to name a police officer. He immediately said, “Officer Hank Budapest.” So I put that in. Once the book sold and started going through the editing process, I thought somebody might suggest I change it, because it’s a highly unusual name. But nobody ever did, and Officer Hank Budapest is now canon, which makes Jack extremely proud.
Thank you all for joining me for the 2017 Debut Author Bash!! I hope you all are inspired to pick up this book because it is simply amazing!
Make sure you enter into the raffle below for your chances to win a hardcover copy of "One of us is lying" - Open to anywhere bookdepository.com can ship to.
See you all next year!!
