Blog Tour Guest Post: Arwen Elys Dayton

Today I am participating in the blog tour for Disruptor by Arwen Elys Dayton!  This is the last book in the Seeker series and for my stop on the tour I have Arwen with us!  She stopped by to talk her series ending and her feelings that accompany it.

I wrote the manuscript for the first book in the series, Seeker, with no idea if anyone other than myself, my husband, and my fluffy white little dog would read it. (I secretly suspected that my dog wasn’t actually reading the manuscript, but she did lie down on top of the pages a few times in an interested sort of way, and once she licked a word that happened to be misspelled—coincidence???) My book before Seeker, Resurrection, had been a bit of a cult sci-fi hit, but with Seeker I was writing something for a younger audience—a new enterprise. I saw the world of Quin and Shinobu and John and Maud so clearly in my mind, but hey, you never know what’s going to happen once your book is done.

When Penguin Random House bought Seeker, I was elated because other people had stepped into Quin’s world and they wanted to stay there. “But how many books will you be writing?” they asked me, as though I carry around some sort of book-writing accountant in my head who knows the logical answer to questions like that.

“Um…three?” I speculated. This felt about right, though honestly, I could have said any number between two and six and it probably would have felt right, because the world of Seeker was bristling with stories. And yet it was particularly the story of Quin, Shinobu, John and Maud that I saw rolling out in front of me. “Definitely three,” I added a moment later, with less of a question mark in my voice. “Sounds good,” they said.

“Sounds good.” Two simple words. And with that I embarked on a few years of writing. It turns out that seeing the story unfolding in your mind, and actually making it unfold in real words on real paper, for several books, are two different things. But here’s what you don’t know until you’ve written a series: watching your characters change (sometimes for the better, sometimes not) and hate and love and make mistakes, which they try to put them right or insist already are right—all of this is a hazardous and intoxicating experience for an author.

If you have been following the Seeker series, you might imagine that you know where or how Quin and the others will end up. I can promise you that you are wrong (especially about John!), because I didn’t know where or how they would end up, not really, until the last book.

I’ve lost some close friends, now that I have left these characters to go on without me. And yet I’m satisfied that I told their story properly, and truly, which doesn’t mean that there is a happy ending for everyone. Someone once said that a good story strikes a balance between satisfying and defying the reader’s expectations. These stories and the characters that populate them have satisfied and defied me many times—and I hope they do the same for you.

 I love Arwen's answer because I have always been curious if an author is just as sad as I am when a series ends.  I usually try my hardest not to finish a series because I don't want to lose characters either, but I just have to read Disruptor!  I have to know where each character ends up and I have a feeling Arwen will keep me guessing til the last page!

Keep a look out for my review soon!

Disruptor (Seeker #3) by Arwen Elys Dayton

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: February 7th, 2017

Purchase: Amazon

For readers of Sarah J. Maas and of Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy comes Disruptor, the sequel to Traveler, the thrilling conclusion to the Seeker series.

Quin has spent her life as her father’s pawn. She was trained to kill and manipulated to guarantee her family’s power. And now that she’s broken free of that life, she’s found herself trapped again, hostage to a plot that has been centuries in the making.

It’s taken generations for the pieces to come together, and finally all is in place. Her best friend Shinobu’s mind has been corrupted, the Young Dread has aligned with her enemy John, and the bloodthirsty Watchers are being awakened and gathered. Now there is nothing that can stop the force of time.

But Quin will no longer be a pawn. Quin is a Seeker. She stands for light in a shadowy world. She will face the vengeance of the past and its enemies and save herself and the ones she loves, or she will die trying.

“Readers of the first two volumes will find their long-awaited conclusion here, and Dayton will have found fans for life.” -Booklist

Other books in the series

“Katniss and Triss would approve.” -TeenVogue.com

“In this powerful beginning to a complex family saga…Dayton excels at creating memorable characters.” -Publishers Weekly

In the Seeker series, a teenage girl called Quin has spent most of her life training for what she believes is a noble purpose, only to discover that her family is turning her into an assassin instead.

“Fans of Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Marie Lu’s Legend, and Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games series: your next obsession has arrived.” -School Library Journal

Quin has grown up in the remote Scotland Highlands, where she and two boys her age—one her oldest friend, and one her boyfriend—have spent years preparing to inherit two ancient artifacts, which have been handed down in their families for hundreds of years.
 These artifacts allow them to do astonishing things, including appearing and disappearing from anywhere in the world. Quin expects to inherit this power for noble purposes, but her father intends to use her as an assassin, plain and simple.

“Both past and present choices shook me to the core, and the final pages left me trembling . . . and then internally cursing that I’ll have to wait until 2017 for a final resolution!” -Fanboy Comics

The story is set in the near future, in a world where the hooded cloaks of Seekers and ancient Scottish ruins live comfortably next to futuristic airships and advanced medical techniques. It’s into this world that we watch Quin try to escape when she discovers the fate that’s waiting for her. And it is in this world that Quin is followed, helped, betrayed and abandoned by those she trusted the most.

Don't forget to check out the other amazing blogs on the tour!

February 6^th - Winterhaven Books

                           Adventures in YA Publishing

February 7^th - The Cover Contessa

February 8^th - Unbound Worlds   

February 9^th - The Eater of Books!

February 10^th - Once Upon a Twilight

February 11^th - Adventures in YA Publishing

February 13^th - A Dream Within A Dream

February 14^th - Two Chicks on Books

February 15^th - Seeing Double in Neverland

February 16^th - Mundie Moms

February 17^th - Take Me Away to a Great Read

February 21^st - Bookhounds YA

February 22^nd - The Reading Nook Reviews

February 23^rd - The Fandom

February 24^th - Page Turners Blog

February 27^th - Fiction Fare

February 28^th - YA Books Central          

Blog Tour Guest Post by Catherine Egan

Today on WinterHaven Books we have the amazing Catherine Egan with us!  She is stopping by to tell us a little bit about her writing space!

When we moved into our current apartment almost four years ago, I decided I wanted a dedicated writing space, something I’d never really had before. I couldn’t claim a whole room of my own, but we bought a little table and a nice ergonomic chair and set it all up in a corner of the living room. My writing nook!

I can’t remember now if I ever wrote at that table, sitting in that chair. We quickly ran out of bookshelf space (and space for more bookshelves) so the table looks like this:

And we ran out of coat-rack space / space to put things in general, so the chair usually looks like this:

My writing nook became instead the Corner of Piled Up Stuff, and I write every weekday morning at the kitchen table. The kitchen is actually the biggest and tidiest room in our apartment. I am near the snacks and the coffee. The table is next to the window – not that the view is so tremendous, unless I want to spy on the neighbors (who wisely keep their blinds closed), but I like the light. So my writing space looks like this:

“stickers on computer courtesy of my kids”

And while I haven’t lit it yet – I am saving it for a Writing Crisis – I keep this votive candle my awesome sister-in- law sent me on the table as well:

The physical space is less important to me than creating the right mental space for writing. While I used to have to write whenever and however I could, I cherish the routine I have now. I drop the kids off at school, and the ten-minute walk home is enough to clear my mind from the morning rush and get my head back into the story. Back home, I leave the breakfast dishes in the sink and make a huge mug of coffee, thinking about where I left off the day before, what needs to happen, what is or isn’t working. Then I sit down at the kitchen table with the coffee and a slab of

dark chocolate, open my computer, and begin.

 Thanks so much for sharing your writing space Catherine!  It looks really comforting and I LOVE the votive candle! 

About Catherine:

CATHERINE EGAN grew up in Vancouver, Canada. Since then, she has lived on a volcanic island in Japan (which erupted while she was there and sent her hurtling straight into the arms of her now-husband), in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Beijing, on an oil rig in the middle of Bohai Bay, then in New Jersey, and now in New Haven, Connecticut. She is currently occupied with writing books and fighting dragon armies with her warrior children. You can read more about her at catherineegan.com. Follow her on Twitter at

@ByCatherineEgan.

Julia Vanishes by Catherine Egan

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: June 7th, 2016

Purchase: Amazon 

Julia has the unusual ability to be…unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people’s senses.

It’s a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it’s a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned—crime pays.

Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders, and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman who is clearly in hiding—though from what or whom?

Worse, Julia suspects that there’s a connection between these people and the killer leaving a trail of bodies across the frozen city.

The more she learns, the more she wants to be done with this unnatural job. To go back to the safety of her friends and fellow thieves. But Julia is entangled in a struggle between forces more powerful than she’d ever imagined. Escape will come at a terrible price.

Giveaway time!  

One lucky reader will receive their very own copy of Julia Vanishes!

Open to US residents only.

Hosted by the publisher

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Traveler (Seeker #2) by Arwen Elys Dayton

Today on WinterHaven Books I am participating in the blog tour for Arwen Elys Dayton hosted by the publisher.  I thought Seeker was fantastic so I am beyond excited to help out with Arwen's tour!  For my stop Arwen, being the amazing person that she is, has videoed taped her answer to "What is your writing process?"!
Take a look...

TRAVELER (Seeker, #2) by Arwen Elys Dayton

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: January 12th, 2016

Purchase: Amazon

Quin Kincaid is a Seeker. Her legacy is an honor, an ancient role passed down for generations. But what she learned on her Oath night changed her world forever.

Quin pledged her life to deception. Her legacy as a Seeker is not noble but savage. She was trained to be an assassin. And the boy she once loved is out for vengeance, with her family in his sights.

Yet Quin is not alone. Shinobu, her oldest companion, might now be the only person she can trust. The only one who wants answers as desperately as she does.

But the deeper they dig into the past, the darker things become. They are long-vanished Seeker families, shadowy alliances, and something else: a sinister plan begun generations ago with the power to end the legacy forever. And it might destroy them all.

 About the Author

ARWEN ELYS DAYTON is the author of SEEKER and TRAVELER. She spends moths doing research for her stories. Her explorations have taken her around the world to places like the Great Pyramid at Giza, Hong Kong and its many islands, and lots of ruined castles in Scotland. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @arwenelysdayton, and check out her video series about writing, 1 QUESTION, 2 MINUTES, at arwendayton.com and on YouTube bit.ly/1mLcdIn.

For those who can't access the video or who are at work trying to be sneaky here's a transcript you can read!

I’m here with Winterhaven Books to answer the question, “What is your writing process?”

This is a tough question because it’s a little bit like saying, “What is your living process?” I don’t know if I have a grand plan for how to write books. I think that each one is kind of a different animal and has to be tackled differently. But I will try to pull out the universal things I do to get a book done.

It really starts with the vision of a character – a personality that kind of starts manifesting itself and sticks around. Or it could be a place I am fascinated with or a situation, but for me it’s usually a character.

The beginning of writing for me is pulling on that thread because there is something there that intrigues me. And I hold onto that and keep pulling it toward me. Usually as I do that, more things will come into focus, whether it’s the people that surround this character or what led up to this situation I saw.

If it’s interesting enough to me, slowly, maybe over weeks, months, or even years, depending on the idea, little pieces of this world come toward me, and I catch hold of them. When I really start to like them, I’ll probably start writing anything down that’s in my mind that I think belongs in this world.

Once I have enough of these ideas and notes and pieces of the world, then I actually sit down and start putting it together into something that feels like a story: meaning, I think it starts here and it goes somewhere where we hit this point and then this point and perhaps it ends up over here. Even if you don’t want to call it outlining, it is kind of like the broad strokes of who does what when, just so I can form the story in my head.

Usually at that stage, so many more ideas come into play and get put into different places in my mind or this timeline or outline or however I decide to do it. And then at a certain point you just have to take that leap off the edge of the cliff into the dark abyss of unknown and start writing.

Maybe that’s actually what Winterhaven Books is asking me about – once you start writing, what do you do – but I feel like that earlier part is really where the book is born and comes to life. Pulling that thread toward you, for me is how I start to know that I have something that is good enough that I want to tell other people about it.

So I hope that gives a little insight into the writing process. And I actually do a weekly video called 1 QUESTION 2 MINUTES where I take up questions readers ask me about writing and publishing and editing and all that sort of stuff, or you can send me your own question for me to answer in the future.

Thank you very much to Winterhaven Books for having me.

A little more about SEEKER and TRAVELER…

SEEKER is the story of three teenagers who have spent most of their lives training for what they think is a noble purpose – to be Seekers - only to discover that their families are actually turning them into assassins. In TRAVELER, as they try to break away from this fate, or maybe embrace it, they discover that the world of Seekers is larger than they’d realized, and they become entangled in a plan begun generations ago that immediately threatens their very survival.

Arwen thank you so much for this!  I know your video will help a lot of writers out there and I know I will definitely check out your weekly videos!  Such a fun idea!!

We also have an amazing giveaway to share with you!!  The amazing people at Delacorte Press are offering to send one lucky reader their very own copy of Seeker and Traveler!
US only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Guest Post Morgan Rhodes!

 Today on WinterHaven Books I am squeeing from the rooftops because the AMAZING Morgan Rhodes is stopping by!!  I am in LOVE with her Falling Kingdoms series and I can't believe that our blog was chosen as a tour stop for her!  And she typed up a pretty awesome guest post!  Seriously my year has been made!!  

I asked Morgan

Which titles do you think will hold your readers captive while waiting for The Falling Kingdoms next installment? 

See below for her answer and some great distractions!

1. THE PRINCESS BRIDE – The movie or the book by William Goldman is a light, humorous, and unforgettable twisted fairytale that will sweep anyone away to another world. Virtually, of course. Truly a fantasy classic.

2. GAME OF THRONES by George R.R. Martin – Falling Kingdoms is often referred to as “Game of Thrones for Teens” since both series feature a fight for the throne between warring kingdoms and a large cast of characters set in a gritty fantasy land, so I must mention it as a mega amazing book series and TV series to binge read or watch if you’re looking for that type of tale. Just keep in mind, GoT is definitely R-rated when it comes to sexytimes and violence and not for the faint of heart!!

3. VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Richelle Mead – Looking for some non-sparkling teenaged vampires to go with your snazzy elemental magic? How about some shocking twists and unexpected deaths? *cue dramatic music* This is one of my favorite series ever (along with its sequel series Bloodlines), and well, pretty much anything by Richelle. These characters will seriously take over your life and you’ll be frantically turning the pages to find out what happens next.

4. AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER – This isn’t a book, it’s an animated TV show, but it has everything a Falling Kingdoms reader would want – elemental magic, war, betrayal, deception, romantic ships, REAL ships, humor, action, and mega elemental magic!! The way I learned about this show in the first place was someone telling me how much Prince Zuko reminded them of Prince Magnus. I’ve watched most of the first season and…yeah, he sure does!

5. REIGN – Again, not a book, but a castle-set, historical fantasy with kings and queens and magic and fabulous costumes? That seems very Falling Kingdoms to me! (I may change my mind when I actually get around to watching it – it’s available to binge watch on Netflix, right??)

6. LORD OF THE RINGS – I shall now hang my head in shame and admit I’ve never read the books by J.R.R. Tolkien…but the movies? So amazing, each and every one of them…including the recent Hobbit trilogy. Fun fact: The elves of LOTR were a definite inspiration for my immortal Watchers in Falling Kingdoms.

7. SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN – No, seriously. Not for the story or the acting, although Chris Hemsworth is really quite…….. Um, sorry, I got distracted for a moment there. I remember watching the trailer for this movie and thinking that if Falling Kingdoms became a movie or TV show (hey, one can hope!!), THIS is what I’d want it to look like. The cinematography is fantastic and worth watching for alone. (Whispers: I actually kinda loved this movie.)

8. AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir – A truly killer YA fantasy by an incredibly talented debut author…this book will sweep you away to a gritty, spectacular world of brewing rebellion, brave heroines, shadowy assassins, and dangerous romance…made all the better when one realizes there is a sequel in the works!

9. RUSH: THE GAME TRILOGY by Eve Silver – Okay, enough with the fantasy. How about a palate- cleanser of some seriously kickass sci-fi in which a girl is pulled from her real life into a game world where she has to fight aliens with the ultimate fate of the human world at stake? BRING IT ON, Y’ALL!

10. A BOOK OF SPIRITS AND THIEVES by (yours truly) Morgan Rhodes – This is the spinoff/companion series to Falling Kingdoms! Partially set in our “real” world and partially in the world of Falling Kingdoms, two sisters discover an ancient book that leads them to a power hungry secret society and a porthole to another world full of magic and danger. I’m working on the sequel right now and it’ll be out June 2016, which will help bridge the gap a bit before Falling Kingdoms #5 in December 2016!

Happy Reading!

Morgan

Morgan thank you so much for this!  These are great picks and I know I will definitely use them between  now and when the next installment of The Falling Kingdom's comes out!

About Morgan Rhodes:

Morgan Rhodes lives in Ontario, Canada. As a child, she always wanted to be a princess -- the kind that knows how to wield a sharp sword to help save both kingdoms and princes from fire-breathing dragons and dark wizards. Instead, she became a writer, which is just as good and much less dangerous. Along with writing, Morgan enjoys photography, travel, reality TV, and is an extremely picky, yet voracious reader of all kinds of books. Under another pen name, she’s a national bestselling author of many paranormal novels. Falling Kingdoms is her first high fantasy. 

Tumblr / Twitter / Facebook 

Click on each cover to visit Goodreads and to find out more information about each book.

Be sure to follow the rest of the tour!

http://theirishbanana.blogspot.com	The Irish Banana Review	12/7 - interview
http://addictreaders.blogspot.com/	Addicted Readers	12/7 - review
http://aperfectioncalledbooks.blogspot.com/	A Perfection Called Books	12/8 - review
www.bookiemoji.com	Bookiemoji	12/8 - Would You Rather?
http://winterhavenbooks.blogspot.com/	WinterHaven Books	12/9 - guest post
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/	Once Upon a Twilight	12/10 - Review & giveaway
http://www.twochicksonbooks.com/	Two Chicks on Books	12/11 - guest post
http://www.jessabellareads.org	Jessabella Reads	12/11 - review
http://www.myfriendsarefiction.com	My Friends Are Fiction	12/14 - guest post
Http://www.amidsummernightsread.com	A Midsummer Night's Read	12/15 - Book Playlist
http://darkfaerietales.com/	Dark Faerie Tales	12/15 - review
www.iceybooks.com	IceyBooks	12/16 - Top 10 list
http://thedailyquirk.com	The Daily Quirk	12/17 - review & giveaway
http://www.mundiemoms.blogspot.com	Mundie Moms	12/18 - interview
http://hollywoodnewssource.com/	Hollywood News Source	12/18 - review

Interview & amazing intro with Jennifer Donnelly!

This month we have had some amazing guest posts and interviews with our favorite authors.  Today's author, Jennifer Donnelly, not only committed to an interview, but she sent one of the best guest posts ever!  I actually had chills, goosies, goosebumps, and any other word you can think of after reading this.  Take a look...

THESE SHALLOW GRAVES started with a dead guy.

A man with weird markings on his face showed up in my head. He had long dark hair and was wearing clothes from another time.

Who are you? I asked him. What do you want?

But he wouldn’t answer. He just lay in his coffin with his hands folded over his chest, decay beginning to creep. He wouldn’t leave, either. And since he wasn’t going to explain himself, I needed someone who would.

That’s when other people started showing up: a teenaged reporter named Eddie, a thief lord called the Tailor; Oscar, a coroner’s assistant. And a girl. Her name was Josephine Montfort.

Jo immediately intrigued me. I could tell she was wealthy and educated from the way she dressed and spoke. And yet, something wasn’t quite right. I sensed that her porcelain coolness was only a veneer, and that underneath it, a fierce intelligence burned. In her gray eyes, I glimpsed a restless longing.

As my characters do, Jo made me work to get to know her. As she labored to uncover the dead man’s story, I labored to uncover hers.

I learned that she’d been born into an old and distinguished New York family, and that she led a life of privilege. Jo was fortunate in many ways, but she didn’t have the one thing she wanted the most: freedom.

So few young women of the 1890s did. Poor girls were expected to work, as early as possible. Wealthy ones were expected to marry, as well as possible. As I researched These Shallow Graves, I met many of these young women.

I met Edith Jones, brilliant and misunderstood, and watched her marry the wrong man and live the wrong life—until she found the right life, and became Edith Wharton.

I met eighteen-year-old Lizzie Schauer who was arrested, imprisoned, and subjected to medical examinations to determine whether or not she was of good character – all for the “crime” of being an unaccompanied female walking alone in the city at night.

I met Consuelo Vanderbilt, a teenage heiress, forced to marry the Duke of Marlborough, a man she didn’t love, to satisfy her domineering mother’s social ambitions.

I met scores of teenage girls for whom education was only a dream—and the factory floor or scullery or sweatshop, a reality.

Edith eventually broke free. Consuelo, too. I doubt poor Lizzie, or the scullery girls, ever did.

I so badly wanted Jo to. And thanks to the dead man, she finally did. He gave Jo her life, and by the end of the book, he gave me my peace. He stopped haunting me and went on his way.

Jo’s on her way now, too. And I can’t wait to see where life takes her.

I still have chills!  This explanation of how These Shallow Graves came about is the best thing EVER!  I love it to pieces!  Jennifer thank you sooo much for sharing this me and our readers!

And because Jennifer is beyond awesome she signed up for an interview with me as well!  

1. I love the time period These Shallow Graves is in! If you lived in 1890 which type of life would you want to have a newsie, a pick pocket, or a debutante?

I would have loved to have been a reporter during the 1890s. NYC's papers were intensely competitive. The atmosphere was rough and tumble, and I would have loved to have been a part of it. Many reporters zoomed around town on bikes to get their stories, and get back to the newsroom as quickly as possible. Homing pigeons would be sent from high profile court cases to newsrooms with artist sketches of the defendant folded into a capsule on the birds' legs. And one of the first female journalists, Nellie Bly, faked insanity, got herself committed to an asylum on Blackwell's Island, and then exposed the abuses inflicted on the asylum's female patients. Her work sparked outrage and changed the way the mentally ill were treated in New York. She's a heroine to Jo, and to me.

2. Throughout your revision process were there any characters that ended up dying in the final version that hadn't died in the previous ones and vice versa did any survive that hadn't originally? I know you can't name names, but I just learned that this sometimes happens so I am very curious if you experienced this in your writing =)

No. Sorry!

3. Can you please, pretty pretty please write a novella about Oscar??!! He's such an interesting character!

I would LOVE to write more about Oscar. I adore him! He came on the scene, and proceeded to take up many more pages than I thought he would. I think about him all the time and wonder what he's up to. Same for Fay.

4. If Jo and Eddie were going to a Halloween party what costumes would they wear?

Poe and Annabel Lee

5. If you were going to a seance which 2 authors would you want by your side and why?

Emily Bronte and Caitlyn Doughty, because I think those two know from ghosts and would keep me sane and seated when I felt like running screaming out of the room. 

 I love that you chose Emily Bronte!  I have to say that would be pretty awesome.

Jennifer thanks again for being amazing!  I can't wait to see what's next up for you and in the mean time I'm definitely going to pick up Deep Blue ASAP!  

*still crossing fingers for more Oscar & Fay!*

Find the Author:

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Publisher: Random House Delacorte

Release Date: Octovere 27th, 2015

Purchase: Amazon

Set in gilded age New York, These Shallow Graves follows the story of Josephine Montfort, an American aristocrat. Jo lives a life of old-money ease. Not much is expected of her other than to look good and marry well. But when her father dies due to an accidental gunshot, the gilding on Jo’s world starts to tarnish. With the help of a handsome and brash reporter, and a young medical student who moonlights in the city morgue, Jo uncovers the truth behind her father’s death and learns that if you’re going to bury the past, you’d better bury it deep.

Guest Post: Kim Savage

Guest post topics are so hard for me almost to the point of painful sometimes because I never know how far I can go.  So, when I asked Kim Savage to cast her own high school Scream movie I thought for sure she would pass, but she's amazing and was totally up for the challenge!  Not only was she up for the challenge she KILLED IT!  Ha I made myself laugh XD This is by far one of my favorite topics ever and Kim did an amazing job with it!  

Check this awesomeness out!

   

Randy: There are certain RULES that one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie. For instance, number one: you can never have sex.

[crowd boos]

Randy: BIG NO NO! BIG NO NO! Sex equals death, okay? Number two: you can never drink or do drugs.

[crowd cheers and raises their bottles]

Randy: The sin factor! It's a sin. It's an extension of number one. And number three - never ever, ever, ever under any circumstances say, I'll be right back - 'cause you won't be back.

Stu: I’m getting another beer, you want one?

Randy: Yeah, sure.

Stu: I'll be right back.”

I love dark humor, satire, and insider jokes. When it was released nearly 20 years ago, the first SCREAM movie was a wickedly fresh mash-up of all three. SCREAM laid out the ground rules for horror movies, then played them for laughs.

Back in 1996, Drew Barrymore was the only sure-fire box office draw. The rest of the cast was filled with lesser-know, budding stars.

Kinda like The Sweet Sixteens.

In this guest post, I’m casting my own SCREAM send-up with some members of The Sweet Sixteens debut authors group. If you haven't heard these names before, you will, very soon. Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

 

The role of doomed Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) will be played by Darcy Woods, author of SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS (Spring 2016), about a girl’s quest to connect with her astrological soulmate before their planets misalign. Like Drew, Darcy is a sparkly gal. Like Casey, whose bubbly nature belies a knack for horror movie trivia, Darcy’s surprising party tricks involve grenades and bayonets. Ghostface wouldn't stand a chance against Darcy, but it would be fun to watch.

 

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) will be played by Heidi Heilig, author of the mythic THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE (Winter 2016). Like Sidney, Heidi is both adorable and fearless. Need proof? GIRL’s timeline spans contemporary New York, ancient China, and 19th century Hawaii, to name a few. Call it world-building without a net.

 

Sidney’s boyfriend, the secretly evil Billy (Skeet Ulrich), will be played by Jeff Zentner, author of THE SERPENT KING (Spring 2016). Firstly, “Skeet” sounds a lot like a minor character in THE SERPENT KING, his satisfyingly layered novel set in the rural South. Second: okay, that’s it. Because Jeff’s a good guy, and Billy is a seriously bad dude under all that hair gel.

 

Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) will be played by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of FIRSTS (Winter 2016). Everyone knows that in horror movies, the virgin dies last. But Sidney loses it and still survives. Laurie’s protag Mercedes is decidedly not a virgin, and she not only survives—she thrives. Yes, FIRSTS is that original, and utterly awesome.

Deputy Dewey (David Arquette) will the played by Brooks Benjamin, author of MY SEVENTH MY GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS (Spring 2016). When David Arquette was cast, they wanted someone more manly-slash-burly, but Arquette played Dewey quirky, and thus far more interesting. Brooks’ debut could be a straight-forward dance-victory story, but it’s about fitting in and following your heart, and it is hilarious. Also, Brooks claims to gain power from wearing funky socks. Enough said.

 

Because Stephenie Meyer says gender flipping is in, Randy (Jamie Kennedy) will be played by Shannon Parker, author of the heart-pounding contemporary about love and obsession, THE GIRL THAT FELL (Spring 2016).

 

Stu (Matthew Lilliard) will be played by Everly Frost, author of FEAR MY MORTALITY (Winter 2016), because her title is something secretly evil (sensing a theme?) Stu might hiss. Also, “Everly Frost” just sounds like a movie star.
Frost’s understudy is Parker Peeveyhouse (WHERE FUTURES END, Winter 2016), for the same reasons.

 

Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber), SCREAM’s red herring, will be played by Jeff Garvin, author of SYMPTOMS OF BEING HUMAN (Winter 2016), about the struggles of a secretly gender-fluid teen. In real life, Liev Schreiber is this insanely talented classical actor. In real life, insanely talented Jeff has been an actor and the front man for a rock band. Seriously.

 

The Phone Voice of Ghostface (Roger Jackson) will be played by Marieke Nijkamp, author of THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS (Spring 2016), since she can phone it in from the Netherlands.
Alternately, the role will be played by Kurt Dinan, author of DON’T GET CAUGHT (Spring 2016), because we’ve traded emails for months and I’m convinced he has an extremely resonant voice in person.

Janitor (Wes Craven, in a cameo role) will be played by me. Because I am the creator of this monsterpiece.

What’s your favorite scary movie? Answer correctly, or Ghostface won’t be pleased.

OMG KIM!  This was AHMAHZHINNNG!!!  I love that you switched the gender for the villain!  Brilliant!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  You are a total rock star and I can't wait to read After the Woods!!!!

About the Author:
KIM SAVAGE is a former reporter who received her Master’s degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. She worked as a business journalist, pitching story ideas along the lines of "When Murder Kills Property Values." You get the idea. Today, Kim lives in a town north of Boston, Massachusetts, near the real Middlesex Fells Reservation of After the Woods. Born directionally challenged, the fear of getting lost in that lovely, dark forest lives close to her skin. She and her husband have three children, each of whom beg to appear in her books. They shouldn’t.

You can follow Kim on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter, and visit her at kimsavage.me. AFTER THE WOODS (February 23, 2016 with FSG/Macmillan) is her debut novel.
Find the Author:

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

 

After the Woods by Kim Savage

Publisher: Farra, Straus, and Giroux

Release Date: February 23rd, 2016

Purchase: Amazon

An emotionally-charged debut novel about the deadly lies hidden beneath a destructive friendship.
One year ago, two best friends, Liv and Julia, were attacked in the woods by a paroled predator. In an attempt to save Liv, Julia was left behind while Liv escaped. After spending three days in the woods trying to escape her abductor, Julia was rescued. She only remembers what happened in the woods in terrifying flashbacks. Now, on the eve of the anniversary of the attack, a body is found in the woods. This discovery rips open fresh wounds between the two girls as the truth about Liv's role in the kidnapping is revealed.