Parajunkee's View is pleased as a kitten with a can of tuna, to welcome author Joy Preble to the blog in celebration of Paranormal Spring Break. Ms. Preble is the author of the popular Dreaming Anastasia series and in celebration of book two's release she has offered up a copy of HAUNTED. (see below for deets)
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Series: Dreaming Anastasia Book 2
Fantasy Element: Magic
Order Online: Amazon.com
Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter
PJV: In your own words can you tell us about HAUNTED, your latest novel.
JP: Haunted is the sequel to Dreaming Anastasia and the middle book of the trilogy. It begins about seven months after DA left off. My main character Anne has quite the dilemma – she’s learned that she’s connected to the ancient line of the Romanovs, gained frightening magic powers and some terrible enemies. She’s conflicted about her feelings for Ethan, who’s got his own set of issues since he’s mortal once again after decades of immortality. And now – just as Ethan returns to Chicago – Anne finds herself stalked by a mysterious and malevolent Russian mermaid called a rusalka. Plus did I mention the fairy tale witch Baba Yaga? She’s still around wreaking some havoc on Anne’s life. And there’s sweet Ben Logan – Anne’s new boyfriend who has no idea that he’s dating a girl with magic powers and a really crazy life. The stakes get raised for Anne in book 2. Lots of danger and peril. A heightened romantic element. And an ending that I hope leaves readers gasping for more.
PJV: Your novels involve the Russian royal family, the Romanovs, what kind of research did you do for the novels?
JP: I research various sources from on line to books. My local public library is used to my requests from the various university libraries that feed into our system. (I do love to watch my tax dollars at work) Alexander Palace is a fabulous on line clearing house site for all things Romanov, including numerous wonderful primary sources. I also read extensively in fiction, checking out the various incarnations of the Romanov story as well as the myriad versions of the Baba Yaga story since I use it extensively in the novels. This means everything from novels to video games to movies to picture books. And lots of fairy tale books – which is always quite fun.
PJV: Why did you choose to write Young Adult novels?
JP: Really, I think YA novels chose me. I remember those years when I was fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen so vivdly! All those huge emotions, all that drama. All those scary firsts… I think that period of time informed who I’d become later in many ways. Every book idea that’s ever come to me has come to me through the eyes of a character who’s a teenager. That’s just the way it is!
PJV: Who are some of your favorite characters in Young Adult literature, besides your own of course?
JP: I love love love Sarah Dessen’s characters. She has this amazing ability to create people who seem utterly real to me – even their quirks and imperfections. Remy in This Lullaby is an example of a character that just leaps off the page for me.
PJV: Your book covers are absolutely stunning, how much involvement do you have in their creation?
JP: They are awesomely lovely, aren’t they? As for my involvement – I had absolutely no input into the DA cover. I was asked if I liked the Haunted cover very early on; Cathleen Elliott – the cover artist for this series – knew she’d nailed the Haunted cover in one try after reading just the first three chapters. (actually they were the only three chapters at that point!) With DA, she’d subbed at least four other covers. But we all agreed from the start that the Haunted cover was just perfect. My input, though, is pretty much a courtesy. Most authors don’t have control of those type of business decisions.
PJV: If you could possess a supernatural power what would it be?
JP: I have probably pondered this way too much, but that’s what you get for liking and writing genre fiction. If there was a time travel power, I’d be all over it! But backward only – I have no desire to know the future!
PJV: Have you ever thought of who you would cast as some of your main characters?
JP: Another great questions – who doesn’t love dreaming that her books get made into movies? But my answer has become this: I’d rather have unknowns. I don’t want viewers to sit there thinking hmmm, that’s Minka Kelly playing Anne. (although actually, she’d probably make a great Anne…)
PJV: Are you working on any other projects that you can tell us about?
JP: I’ve got a few books in the works, but the one I’m working on right now is Again and Again (working title) which is the third in the Dreaming Anastasia trilogy. I’m so excited to be able to write the end to the Anne and Ethan saga. After that, I hope to get back to a story that’s set here in Texas where I live. That one is more contemporary fiction rather than fantasy… at least right now. We’ll see how it goes.
PJV: How has your journey as a writer changed your life and now that you have your second book being released what have you learned along the way?
JP: Honestly? It’s changed my life in many, many ways – although the basics of who I am are the same. I’ve had opportunities for travel. I get email from people I don’t know telling me how much they enjoyed Dreaming Anastasia. I’ve finally been able to admit that I’m an artist in my soul and that I can – at least partially – make a living that way. I’ve learned enormous patience and resilience and how to handle both rejection and praise. I’ve learned to be public person; am working on boundaries and balance. I’ve met amazing writers and illustrators and learned a new business model. I am humbled to my knees most days by having had the opportunity to make a dream come true.
All that being said, I still have to clean the bathrooms, do laundry and run the vacuum now and then. I still get up every morning and go to the day job. And even when I stand right by my books in Barnes and Noble, no one runs over and starts screaming my name. Which let me say is a good thing!
PJV: What is your best Spring Break memory?
JP: Oh how cliché that I have to say it was my trip to Florida with 7 college friends, all crammed into one small station wagon. But it was everything a spring break road trip is supposed to be. We drove straight through to Sarasota from Evanston, IL and I remember the smell of the orange trees as we crossed into FL from Georgia. Okay, I also remember that I managed to put the car in a red clay ditch in Georgia and we all had to push it out. And then we met some guys… Plus Disney World. And the beach. And… well, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. But it was awesome.
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Series: Dreaming Anastasia Book 2
Fantasy Element: Magic
Order Online: Amazon.com
Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter
PJV: In your own words can you tell us about HAUNTED, your latest novel.
JP: Haunted is the sequel to Dreaming Anastasia and the middle book of the trilogy. It begins about seven months after DA left off. My main character Anne has quite the dilemma – she’s learned that she’s connected to the ancient line of the Romanovs, gained frightening magic powers and some terrible enemies. She’s conflicted about her feelings for Ethan, who’s got his own set of issues since he’s mortal once again after decades of immortality. And now – just as Ethan returns to Chicago – Anne finds herself stalked by a mysterious and malevolent Russian mermaid called a rusalka. Plus did I mention the fairy tale witch Baba Yaga? She’s still around wreaking some havoc on Anne’s life. And there’s sweet Ben Logan – Anne’s new boyfriend who has no idea that he’s dating a girl with magic powers and a really crazy life. The stakes get raised for Anne in book 2. Lots of danger and peril. A heightened romantic element. And an ending that I hope leaves readers gasping for more.
PJV: Your novels involve the Russian royal family, the Romanovs, what kind of research did you do for the novels?
JP: I research various sources from on line to books. My local public library is used to my requests from the various university libraries that feed into our system. (I do love to watch my tax dollars at work) Alexander Palace is a fabulous on line clearing house site for all things Romanov, including numerous wonderful primary sources. I also read extensively in fiction, checking out the various incarnations of the Romanov story as well as the myriad versions of the Baba Yaga story since I use it extensively in the novels. This means everything from novels to video games to movies to picture books. And lots of fairy tale books – which is always quite fun.
PJV: Why did you choose to write Young Adult novels?
JP: Really, I think YA novels chose me. I remember those years when I was fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen so vivdly! All those huge emotions, all that drama. All those scary firsts… I think that period of time informed who I’d become later in many ways. Every book idea that’s ever come to me has come to me through the eyes of a character who’s a teenager. That’s just the way it is!
PJV: Who are some of your favorite characters in Young Adult literature, besides your own of course?
JP: I love love love Sarah Dessen’s characters. She has this amazing ability to create people who seem utterly real to me – even their quirks and imperfections. Remy in This Lullaby is an example of a character that just leaps off the page for me.
PJV: Your book covers are absolutely stunning, how much involvement do you have in their creation?
JP: They are awesomely lovely, aren’t they? As for my involvement – I had absolutely no input into the DA cover. I was asked if I liked the Haunted cover very early on; Cathleen Elliott – the cover artist for this series – knew she’d nailed the Haunted cover in one try after reading just the first three chapters. (actually they were the only three chapters at that point!) With DA, she’d subbed at least four other covers. But we all agreed from the start that the Haunted cover was just perfect. My input, though, is pretty much a courtesy. Most authors don’t have control of those type of business decisions.
PJV: If you could possess a supernatural power what would it be?
JP: I have probably pondered this way too much, but that’s what you get for liking and writing genre fiction. If there was a time travel power, I’d be all over it! But backward only – I have no desire to know the future!
PJV: Have you ever thought of who you would cast as some of your main characters?
JP: Another great questions – who doesn’t love dreaming that her books get made into movies? But my answer has become this: I’d rather have unknowns. I don’t want viewers to sit there thinking hmmm, that’s Minka Kelly playing Anne. (although actually, she’d probably make a great Anne…)
PJV: Are you working on any other projects that you can tell us about?
JP: I’ve got a few books in the works, but the one I’m working on right now is Again and Again (working title) which is the third in the Dreaming Anastasia trilogy. I’m so excited to be able to write the end to the Anne and Ethan saga. After that, I hope to get back to a story that’s set here in Texas where I live. That one is more contemporary fiction rather than fantasy… at least right now. We’ll see how it goes.
PJV: How has your journey as a writer changed your life and now that you have your second book being released what have you learned along the way?
JP: Honestly? It’s changed my life in many, many ways – although the basics of who I am are the same. I’ve had opportunities for travel. I get email from people I don’t know telling me how much they enjoyed Dreaming Anastasia. I’ve finally been able to admit that I’m an artist in my soul and that I can – at least partially – make a living that way. I’ve learned enormous patience and resilience and how to handle both rejection and praise. I’ve learned to be public person; am working on boundaries and balance. I’ve met amazing writers and illustrators and learned a new business model. I am humbled to my knees most days by having had the opportunity to make a dream come true.
All that being said, I still have to clean the bathrooms, do laundry and run the vacuum now and then. I still get up every morning and go to the day job. And even when I stand right by my books in Barnes and Noble, no one runs over and starts screaming my name. Which let me say is a good thing!
PJV: What is your best Spring Break memory?
JP: Oh how cliché that I have to say it was my trip to Florida with 7 college friends, all crammed into one small station wagon. But it was everything a spring break road trip is supposed to be. We drove straight through to Sarasota from Evanston, IL and I remember the smell of the orange trees as we crossed into FL from Georgia. Okay, I also remember that I managed to put the car in a red clay ditch in Georgia and we all had to push it out. And then we met some guys… Plus Disney World. And the beach. And… well, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. But it was awesome.
Contest Deets ONE WINNER:
One (1) winner will receive a copy of Haunted by Joy Preble
Requirements:
Following is not required but is appreciated!
US Shipping Only - NO PO BOXES
Comment to win
One (1) winner will receive a copy of Haunted by Joy Preble
Requirements:
Following is not required but is appreciated!
US Shipping Only - NO PO BOXES
Comment to win
Please Spread the Word
1. Tweet: WIN! Haunted by Joy Preble! hosted by @parajunkee & @Tynga #ParanormalSpringBreak #giveaway http://bit.ly/fJJOAL PLZ RT
Please Donate to help with shipping expenses:
Legal Stuff:
- Parajunkee's View or Tynga's Reviews is not responsible for items lost in shipping or items shipped from 3rd party sponsors.
- Winners are chosen using a random number generator based on the comment number.
- You do not have to be a follower to participate.
- Winners will be announced on this blog on April 6th and by email if one is provided either in comments or on your profile.
- There is no limit to the amount of giveaways you can enter during Paranormal Spring Break but you can only enter each giveaway once (main entry and any extra entries available), if it is found that a person has entered the same giveaway more than the allotted entries those entries will be disqualified.
- If it is not stated, it should be assumed that giveaway items have been provided by a 3rd party as a donation to Parajunkee's View.
69 comments:
Great interview again! These books sound amazing! I'm going to have to go out and get Dreaming Anastasia right now! :) Awesome that you were from the Chicago area! Still live there?
thanks, Parajunkee, for the giveaway! :)
mpyff(at)hotmail(dot)com
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/#!/Pyffer/status/46204553489686528
A fantastic interview and a great looking series. Have to check it out now!
stephanie AT stephaniemloree DOT com
Thanks for the giveaway.
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
Thanks! :) Sounds interesting!
Tweet: https://twitter.com/ivyreads/status/46224023620829184
ivykiddo@ gmail.com
I loved Dreaming Anastasia.
rickimc[at]aol[dot]com
Awesome interview....this series sounds great. Thanks for the giveaway :-)
californiablue17@aol.com
I Tweeted: http://mobile.twitter.com/madiganheart/status/46225979139559424
californiablue17@aol.com
Read Dreaming Anastasia and loved it. Can't wait to read Haunted.
Margay1122ATaolDOTcom
I am a follower.
Great interview! I've heard a lot of great things about this series!
Sara M
sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/NaKeshaBrown/status/46241166999564289
I have a copy of Dreaming Anastasia, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. I must get on top of that right away!
findjessyhere at gmail dot com
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/Emma015/statuses/46245763893825536
findjessyhere at gmail dot com
http://twitter.com/#!/amethystprincss/status/46260054806110208
theamethystprincess(at)gmail(dot)com
Awesome :) Love it! I absolutely love the paranormal spring break concept :D
hense1kk AT cmich dot edu
Great interview! This sounds great!
Thanks for the giveaway!
minas_1989(at)hotmail(dot)com
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/MT0089/status/46259074689531904
minas_1989(at)hotmail(dot)com
Looks good! Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
hnwhitlock2000atgmaildotcom
I actually have Dreaming Anastasia sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. It's a borrowed cop and a bit beaten up, but I love the cover! Thanks tonz (yup, that's a Z) for the giveaway, PJ!
rivkarno1(at)hotmail(dot)com
Sounds awesome! count me in. Thanks for the giveaway. m.ramey@ymail.com
I hadn't heard of Dreaming Anastasia, and, yet, I'm a huge Russian history fan! Thanks so much for this review/interview & giveaway.
I'm a follower and my email is:
thebookishdame at aol dot com
Please come by and see me, too!
http://abookishlibraria dot blogspot dot com
Deb The Bookish Dame
I really love books that revolve around Russian history. Thanks for such a wonderful giveaway.
vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/BookLovershaway/status/46277951402151936
vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com
sounds swesome! Thanks for the chance to win!!!
tenasocal(at)aol(dot)com
I really enjoyed the interview. This sounds like a great series read. I will check these out.
Judy
magnolias_1[at]msn[dot]com
would love to be entered.
tweeted too :)
robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
Great interview. I loved DA and can't wait to read the newest installment. Thanks!
rosie0512 @ hotmail . com
I would absolutely love to win!
mkzellmer at yahoo dot com
Would love to win this book!
books (dot) things (at) yahoo (dot) com
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/BooksThings/status/46370844791939072
Haunted sounds like a very cool story, I'm looking forward to reading it.
Barbed1951(at)aol(dot)com
Great interview! I love the cover, and this book sounds so good! Thanks for the giveaway!
iLiveiLaughiLoveBooks@gmail.com
Great giveaway!
lexie.bookbug(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Leecheeeee_3LB/status/46398563248373760
iLiveiLaughiLoveBooks@gmail.com
I tweeted at http://twitter.com/#!/LexieBookBug/status/46398876864876544
lexie.bookbug(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for doing this contest =)
https://twitter.com/#!/violethourBR/status/46405308167372800
lraecox@gmail.com
violethourbr.blogspot.com
thanks so much!!!
ashtreygonesmokeya@yahoo.com
Great interview and giveaway. Thanks for the chance!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
tweet - http://twitter.com/#!/DonnaS1/status/46431066474561536
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Thanks again!
Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
Another great sounding book to add to my HUGE TBR list! thank you! mmafsmith@gmail.com
Great post. This sounds like an amazing read.
BookNoise at gmail dot com
Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/BookNoise411/status/46852976941342720
BookNoise at gmail dot com
Please enter me in the giveaway. I have thought that this book looked interesting for awhile, but wasn't really sure it would be something I would really enjoy. Your post has convinced me.
justpeachy36@yahoo.com
I've been debating about reading this series for awhile but this defiantly made me want to read it more. Thank you and thanks for the giveaway! =)
I tweeted as well: http://twitter.com/#!/Kyo_Fangirl/status/47069704732409856
simpsons1823@yahoo.com
Great interview. I love to learn about the authros of my favorite books. It helps me understand the purpose behinde it all.
castergirl172@Yahoo.com
http://twitter.com/#!/Castergirl172/status/47124991535349760
Loved Dreaming Anastasia and I'm looking forward to reading this one. Great interview.
lindadao2060(at)yahoo(dot)com
This sounds really good! Count me in the giveaway.
juliecookies(at)gmail.com
I have the first book and would love to read this one!
TaraTagli at gmail dot com
I've heard about this series before. I'd like to read it!
rootml1@hotmail.com
Shared info on FB!
http://www.facebook.com/megan.root1
rootml1@hotmail.com
Awesome.!
I will tweet this!
jgrissum AT att.blackberry DOT net
Awesome! Tweeted this!
jgrissum AT att.blackberry DOT net
I love your interviews!!! thanks for the giveway!
i also tweeted! (@GirlyKat)
katie_tp(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sounds like an interesting book! gorgeous cover, too! :)
shortcut_2_mushrooms(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)nz
Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/manyoceans/status/49039168482971648
shortcut_2_mushrooms(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)nz
Great giveaway!!!
vidishamun@gmail.com
Love the interview questions (and answers). I think I'd love time travel, too....for now I think I guess I'll just have to watch Doctor Who, though :)
book.splot (at) gmail (dot) com
great interview. Thanks for the give away.
flaka.077@gmail.com
tweeted - http://twitter.com/#!/Ronyka7/status/50804765474566144
This looks really really good to me I wuld love to win this book. All books won are donated to the Middletown High school.
chaarmedone1512@aol.com
I tweeted your contest
Tweet: WIN! Haunted by Joy Preble! hosted by @parajunkee & @Tynga #ParanormalSpringBreak #giveaway http://bit.ly/fJJOAL PLZ RT
chaarmedone1512@aol.com
Count me in the giveaway.
juliecookies(at)gmail.com
I admit to being enamored by the Romanovs, which is why Dreaming Anastasia ended up in my TBR pile recently. So, of course I would like to win book number two.
DaSwee94(at)yahoo(dot)com
I have not read these books yet.
Chllybrd(at)gmail(dot)com
I would love to read this book. I've always been interested in the Romanovs and once I heard about this it when immediately into my TBR. Thanks for the chance to win
june111(at)att(dot)net
I tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/joleneallcock/status/55639765881602048
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