Author Interview: Ellen Hopkins - Triangles

Today my lovely readers, I have the honour of interviewing the New York Times Bestselling Author Ellen Hopkins. Ellen is the author of several Young Adult books and has just published her first book for adult readers. Triangles was released on October 18, 2011 and published by Atria Books. Today she stops by to talk a little bit about it.

N: Can you tell us who or what inspired you to write Triangles?

EH: Interestingly enough, the suggestion for a book about midlife crises came from a teen boy reader. I assume one or both of his parents was experiencing one (which also underlines the fact that all family members can be aware of and affected by them).

N: What was your favourite chapter (or part) of Triangles to write and why?

EH: Hard to choose one, but maybe the part where Marissa and her husband, Christian, go to Monterey for the weekend to try and rekindle their romance. My husband and I have spent several romantic weekends in Monterey/Big Sur, and if any place could inspire love, I think that's it.

N: Did you base any of the characters in Triangles on people from your own life? Why or why not?

EH: Holly and Marissa are both inspired by friends who hit huge turning points in their early forties. And there are little threads of me in all three women. Which, I guess, says I've got multiple personalities or something.

N: Is there a message that you want readers to take away after having read the book?

EH: I think it's okay to question ourselves and our lives. To reevaluate when we must. It's natural. Smart. So don't worry when it happens to you. But choose your direction carefully, especially when kids are involved.

N: Was it always in your plan to move into adult books and essentially grow with your readers?

EH: My life has been a series of unfoldings, as a woman, and as a writer. I didn't plan to write teen fiction until the right story hit me, and it had to be YA. Then I discovered a talent for and love of writing YA. Neither did I plan to move into adult fiction until the right story hit me, and it had to be aimed at older readers. I feel fortunate that as my readers have grown they have continued to embrace my writing.

N: When writing, do you plot our story or is it more of an organic process?

EH: I generally don't outline a book, but rather carefully craft characters, building their stories as I learn who they are, partially in the prewrite phase, but mostly letting them tell me which direction THEY would go as I write.

N: What can readers expect next from you? Are you currently working on another book now?

EH: The next YA, TILT (Fall 2012), is a companion to TRIANGLES, focusing on three of the teens in that book. And I'm currently writing the next adult, COLLATERAL (Fall 2012), about deployment and what that means to those left behind. I've been researching the topic for months, including interviewing military families.

N: If you had to recommend one book to another person, what would it be?

EH: ONE book? Wow. That's hard. Maybe WATER FOR ELEPHANTS.

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I would like to thank Ellen for stopping by and participating in the interview.  You can order a copy of Triangles here!

Be sure to connect with Ellen Hopkins online!

• Website
• Twitter
• Facebook

Review: Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

Title: Triangles
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Genre: Fiction & Literature
Rating: PG
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Pages: 544 Pages
Source: ARC provided by Publisher
My Rating: 4*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

THREE FEMALE FRIENDS FACE MIDLIFE CRISES IN A NO-HOLDS-BARRED EXPLORATION OF SEX, MARRIAGE, AND THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE.

Holly: Filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, she sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Will it bring the fulfillment she is searching for?

Andrea: A single mom and avowed celibate, she watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband?

Marissa: She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay, rebellious teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts.

As one woman’s marriage unravels, another’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s reconfigures into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness.

Unflinchingly honest, emotionally powerful, surprisingly erotic, Triangles is the ultimate page-turner. Hopkins’s gorgeous, expertly honed poetic verse perfectly captures the inner lives of her characters. Sometimes it happens like that. Sometimes you just get lost.

Get lost in the world of Triangles, where the lives of three unforgettable women intersect, and where there are no easy answers.

Quotes

’Falling to pieces. That’s how my life feels. Fractured. Crushed. Disintegrating. And the weird thing is, it’s all because of that stupid little word: love. I’ve fallen in love with ..., and it’s tinting everything normal about me with shades of insanity.’

My Thoughts

This was the first book by Ellen Hopkins that I have ever read.  It was also my first time reading a book written in verse.  When the opportunity came to participate in a blog tour for Triangles I absolutely jumped at the chance and I am glad that I did.


Triangles is an absolute roller coaster ride from beginning to end.   Told from the various point's of view, Triangles is at times emotional, erotic, raw, honest and above all real.

The stories of Holly, Marissa and Andrea are ones that are found in everyday life.  A woman unfulfilled and unhappy in her marriage, a woman struggling to hold on to her family and herself in the face of overwhelming odds, and a woman simply searching for something more.  All are stories that we hear about everyday, some of us, maybe experiencing for ourselves in some way shape or form.  That, to me, is the mark of excellent writing and storytelling.  The fact that it was done so well and in verse is a bonus.

This is not a YA book, but fans of Ellen's YA readers who have grown up and matured with each novel written by Ellen Hopkins will find Triangles to be a welcome addition to their collection.

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About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, and Identical. She lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her husband and son. Hopkin's MySpace and Facebook pages get thousands of hits from teens who claim Hopkins is the "only one who understands me".

Ellen's Website
Ellen's Facebook Page
Ellen's Twitter Page

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Be sure to visit the other stops on the Triangles blog tour!

11/2/2011 Reflections with Coffee
11/3/2011 Taming the Bookshelf 
11/4/2011 Oodles of Books
11/5/2011 Ravishing Reads
11/7/2011 Review from Here
11/8/2011 Proud Book Nerd
11/9/2011 The Book Swarm 
11/10/2011 Tiffany's Bookshelf
11/11/2011 Kritters Ramblings
11/13/2011 Hippies, Beauty, and Books Oh My!
11/15/2011 So Many Books, So Little Time
11/16/2011 Book Snob 
11/17/2011 Reader Girls 
11/18/2011 Colloquium

Author Interview: Trevor Shane - Children of Paranoia

So today I am joined by Trevor Shane, author of Children of Paranoia.  He has graciously agreed to allow me to interview him about his debut novel.  Children of Paranoia is published by Dutton Books and was released on September 8, 2011.


N: What inspired you to become a writer?

T: Ever since I was a very young kid, I’ve been a gluttonous reader and an uncontrollable daydreamer.  The daydreaming has simply always been an integral part of how my brain works.  Not only have I always daydreamed incessantly, but all of my daydreamers take on a very vivid and often complex narrative.  So I didn’t really need any inspiration to write; the stories were already in my head.  I simply needed inspiration to overcome the fear of the rejection that is inherent in being a writer.  The inspiration to overcome that fear came from three things that hit my almost simultaneously: (1) a sudden realization that I was getting older and that the time I’ve been allotted is finite; (2) a day job that I hated; and (3) a story that I felt like I had to share with the world.  Children of Paranoia just happens to be that story.

N: What was your favourite chapter (or part) of Children of Paranoia to write and why?

T: Not to give too much away but there is a scene in Children of Paranoia where Joseph, the main protagonist, is on an island during a moonless night and is running away from people who are clearly out to kill him.  He eventually reaches a dead end on a beach and realizes that the only way he might be able to escape is to try to hide from them in the churning, black ocean water.  If you’ve ever swam in the ocean at night (or, failing that, if you’ve ever seen the first scene of Jaws), you know who scary floating in waves in the dark can be.  I tried to take that fear even further by forcing Joseph to plunge himself down into the water to avoid being seen by his chasers, leaving him floating in a black abyss.  A lot of Children of Paranoia was fun to write, but that scene probably tops my list because it is so visceral.

N: Was it a conscious decision to make this a series and not a standalone book?

T: From the moment that I conceived of it, Children of Paranoia was always the first book in a trilogy.  When done right, I love trilogies.  The key to a good trilogy to me is to have each part of the trilogy have a natural beginning and ending and to have each part tell a complete story but to have the three parts work together in a way that makes each part even more satisfying than it would be on its own.  With Children of Paranoia, I also saw a unique opportunity to tell each of the three books from a different perspective and to have each of the three books focus on a different character.  While that may have been done before, it’s a new concept to me and something that I’m really excited about.

N: Is there a message that you want readers to take away after having read the book?

T: I’m a firm believer that you can’t dictate the message in your writing.  If you try, your work is going to be much less compelling and you’re not going to convince people of your message anyway (though I’ll admit there are a whole bunch of Ayn Rand fans out there who would seem to prove me wrong).  Essentially, I believe that, once you publish your work, you don’t own it anymore.  Once it’s out there, it belongs to the readers and it’s up to them to find their own message.  All I’ll say is that I hope Children of Paranoia makes people think and that they find something in it that makes them look at the world a little bit differently.

N: If you had to go back to the beginning and do it all over again, is there any aspect of Children of Paranoia that you would change?  Why or why not?

T: This is a tough question.  I’m pretty sure my answer will be different ten years from now, but I can’t think of anything that I’d change in the final product.  I’m immensely proud of Children of Paranoia and incredibly happy with the feedback that I’ve gotten (you can read a bunch of the reviews here).  So, I guess the real question is the “why not” part.  Getting your first novel published by a traditional publisher is still an immensely grinding process.  I finished the first draft of Children of Paranoia in 2008 and it didn’t get published until 2011.  When I finished it, it had a different title, was 30% longer than the final product and wasn’t nearly as good.  I got lucky though and got to work with a wonderful agent and a great team at Dutton, all of whom really loved the book and understood what I was trying to do with it (so I never had to fight them on the things that I considered important).  All of whom also had opinions on how to make Children of Paranoia better.  I really think that the things that needed to be changed in Children of Paranoia were changed through this process and I ended up with a book that’s way better than I ever dreamed it would be.  So, no, I wouldn’t change a thing in the finished product and hope that most readers agree.


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I would like to thank Trevor for stopping by and participating in the interview.  You can order a copy of his book here!

Be sure to connect with Trevor Shane online!

• Website
• Twitter
• Trevor Shane on Facebook
• Children of Paranoia on Facebook

Review: Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

Title: Children of Paranoia
Author: Trevor Shane
Genre: Dystopian
Rating: PG
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication Date: September 8, 2011
Pages: 384
Source: Finished Copy provided by the Publisher
My Rating: 4*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis

ALL WARS HAVE RULES

Rule Number One: No killing innocent bystanders.

Rule Number Two: No killing anyone under the age of eighteen.

BREAK THE RULES, BECOME THE TARGET

Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn't fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides-one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away.

Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he's one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he's sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away.

Before Maria, Joseph's only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the War...is leaving it.

You can read an excerpt here!

My Thoughts

I am not even going to lie.  The title of the book hooked me before I even read the synopsis.  Then I read the synopsis and knew I had to get a copy for myself.  I am so glad I did.

For me, while the book started off a bit slow, it still allowed me to dive into both the characters and the story.  Once the story gets going, it really gets going and before you know it you are kneed deep in suspense, drama, action and intrigue.  I think it's a real testament to Trevor Shane's ability as a writer to be able to craft a character like Joe, who to me is the ultimate anti-hero and the opposite of everything that you would typically look up, and yet you still want to see him succeed.

I love the contrast between Joe's darkness and Maria's light.  There is just something that is so moving to me about Joe having been a person of absolutes who then has his world turned upside down by Maria and her introduction into his life.  To watch their relationship unfold and to see the changes both characters go through was just amazing.  Knowing that this was the first book in a trilogy, I didn't think that we would get a chance to see such character depth and development in the first book, but I was wrong and I was pleasantly surprised.

All in all this was a fabulous book.  I absolutely devoured it roughly four hours and of course I am now left dying to know what happens next.  Trevor Shane has managed to create an absolutely wonderful and engaging debut that leaves readers wanting more.


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About the Author: Trevor Shane lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son. This is his first novel, and the first in the trilogy.  Be sure to visit him online!

Website
Twitter
Trevor Shane on Facebook
Children of Paranoia on Facebook


Be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour!

Review: Edge of Grace by Christa Allen

Title: The Edge of Grace
Author: Christa Allen
Genre: Christian Fiction
Rating: PG
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Release Date: August 1, 2011
Pages: 336 Pages
Source: Finished Copy Provided by Author
My Rating: 3*

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Synopsis
In a matter of seconds her entire world shifted...

An early morning call shatters Caryn Becker's world. Unable to cope with her brother's news that he is gay, Caryn rejects him and disappears into her own turbulent life as a young widow and single mom. But when David is attacked and nearly killed, Caryn is forced to make hard choices about family, faith, and her own future; choices that take her to the very edge of grace.

Quotes

     "I heard you.  I'm just not all that shocked," she said with a tender weariness - like when I tell Ben for the umpteenth time to stop digging snot out of his nose when we're in the grocery store - and patted my hand.  "Caryn, click your heels together.  It's time to leave Oz.  Your brother's gay.  He's still your brother.  The same brother you loved seconds before the phone call."

     "Seriously?  You're telling me this is okay?"  She couldn't be.  Of all people, Julie would share my outrage, not intensify it.
     "He's your brother.  Want to ignore him?  Sure.  Who's left?

My Thoughts

Let me preface this review by stating that I normally do not read and review Christian fiction, but for some reason this was a book that I kept coming back to and when I had the chance to be a part of the blog tour, I jumped at the chance.  I can honestly say, I am glad that I did.  Christa Allen tackles what is a very difficult topic with tact and sensitivity.  The book did not leave me feeling like I was being preached to, but rather left me thinking about some of my own long standing beliefs and ideals.  While this book does have religious overtones, I don’t really feel that it is limited to a Christian audience.  It really speaks to basic human understanding of themselves and those around them.  

Caryn is a single mother trying to raise her child and build up her own business.  She gets the shock of her life when she receives a phone call from her brother David to inform her that he is gay.  Struggling to reconcile her beliefs with her reality, she chooses to cut her brother out of her life due to his lifestyle.  Her world changes once again when she receives a phone call informing her that her brother has been the victim of a hate crime.  She decides to help work on the case with her brother’s lawyer and soon her  business begins to suffer as a result of her brother's lifestyle.  She ends up being forced to do some soul searching in order to make some very hard choices about her faith and her family.

While the circumstances may be different, the general idea of something happening that is at odds with who you are and what you believe in is not so far fetched.  It something that happens to people everyday.  Therein lies the appeal of The Edge of Grace.  Not only does it take a topic straight out of a news headline but it does so in a non-judgmental and meaningful way.

In My Mailbox #17: September 4 - 10, 2011 Edition!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.

The purpose of the meme is to highlight books that you have received in your mailbox over the past week. So let’s see what I got in my mailbox this week!

Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane [Goodreads | Amazon]

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel [Goodreads | Amazon]

Both books look really interesting.  Children of Paranoia was sent to me by the publisher.  I am on Trevor's Blog tour and he will be stopping by on October 26 for an interview so keep your eye out for that.  Half Brother was sent to me by HarperCollins Canada after I won a contest on Twitter run by ChaptersIndigo (I <3 twitter contests).  My copy is actually a paperback copy, which I don't think has been released yet!  It's also the second Kenneth Oppel book that I now own.  Unfortunately, I haven't read either of them, but I promise to rectify that soon!

What's in your mailbox this week?