Cinderella and Zombies : Book Cover Makeover!

Cinders is looking a little tired, I think. So to celebrate the upcoming release of Snow White and Zombies, we have a brand new cover for both books!

Snow White and Zombies should be coming out March 31st. I can't wait!

The Next Big Thing Meme

Oh, dear. I've been tagged for a meme. This has been a long time coming, seeing as I've been tagged for it twice by Thea van Diepen and Kat Gerlach. There's no avoiding it any longer, so here we go. :) (Thanks, ladies!)

The Next Big Thing

This meme lets me talk about books, which is always fun. (Remind me to thank Kat and Thea...)

What is the title of your next book?
I suppose it's time for me to commit to one book now, huh?

I did some math and planned out my schedule and it looks like Snow White and Zombies should be available March 31. A little later than I'd planned, but these things do take time.

(To be honest, I'm scared out of my wits that I'm going to publish a sub-par book. I want to make sure this story doesn't disappoint those who liked Cinderella and Zombies.)


Where did the idea for your book come from?
It seemed like a sensible thing to do, after wonderful, amazing readers told me they liked Cinderella and Zombies.


What genre does your book fall under?
Fantasy, with some horror thrown in for good measure. This one is less thriller-ish than Cinders, but has some unexpected emotion tied into it. (And by unexpected, I mean that I wasn't expecting it. Sometimes the book goes where it wants to go.)


What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Felicia Day is quirky and pretty and I think she'd be perfect for Snow White's character.



What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When a failed suicide attempt leads to the zombie apocalypse, an ugly queen struggles to put things right in her kingdom.


Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Self.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
About 2 weeks. I did it during Nanowrimo, since my planned book fell short (WAY short) of the 30 days. 


What other books of the same genre would you compare yours with?
...

*blinks*
Er.... Cinderella and Zombies? Sorry, that's a tough one. When I describe it to people, I give them the title--Snow White and Zombies--and I tell them it's exactly what it sounds like.


Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Readers who liked Cinderella and Zombies. Cinders was an experiment. It was something that I wrote because I thought it would be fun. (It was!) But I wasn't expecting people to write me and tell me that they liked it so much. (You guys are the greatest!)

What else about your book might pique the reader's attention?

There's something in the works right now. Nothing official. But I'm working with other authors on making zombie fairy tales a thing.

Also, I'm still undecided about the cover for Snow White and Zombies. If you follow me on facebook, you've probably seen several of my drafts. I'm seriously considering releasing the same book twice, with different covers. (sigh)


Tag! You're it!*


*And my you, I mean you. Yes, you. If you're reading this, if you write, and if you haven't done the Next Big Thing yet, then consider yourself tagged. Sorry, that's how I roll.

Things You Don't Know About Me (Unless I told you and forgot)

• You may know that my dad was in the military (Navy), so we moved around a lot. We lived in North Carolina, different parts of Florida and Virginia, Washington DC and Iceland. I learned a lot about the Icelandic culture during our stay there. (Yes, it's green, but only during part of the year. It snows a LOT and the grass is frequently soggy and brown.)
• I've eaten frog legs, squid, dolphin (one that had been caught in a tuna net), alligator, snail, fish sauce, water buffalo (yuk!), halo halo (an ice cream sundae with chick peas and weird purple ice cream, coconut, and other odds and ends) and something my husband showed me: an avocado filled with sweetened condensed milk. (Mmm!)

• One time I ate so many mangos, I almost developed an allergy to them. I was in the Philippines (where I ate the halo halo) where the mangos are INCREDIBLE. I ate a few every day until my lips started tingling. I decided to back off at that point. Still, even if I had become allergic, it would have been worth it. They were SO good!
• I've been to several foreign countries including Philippines, Mexico, Belize, Iceland, France, and England, but I've never been to the western United States.
• I'm the oldest of four girls. My dad is the oldest of 6 boys (plus one sister).
• My birthday is November 29th, the same as Louisa May Alcott, Madeleine L'Engle, and C.S. Lewis (unless someone lied to me)
• I married my husband here because we're Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I'm always open to discussing my faith with others because it reminds me why I live this way. Besides, if  I have something that makes my life better, it shouldn't be a secret. It should be shared.

• I didn't always want to be a writer. It never really occurred to me. Growing up, I considered being "an artist" (when I was ages 5-7), a nurse, a lawyer, a psychologist, and a veterinarian, but I always knew I wanted to be a mom. The writing came later, and was inspired mostly by reading Harry Potter and some Gail Carson Levine in 2007.
• I don't want stardom. I like having readers that love my work. It's more important to me to keep those readers happy than it is to write the next best-seller. 
• I'm 6'1''. It wasn't easy growing up taller than all the boys, but I know that short people have their own problems. And at least I can reach the top shelf. :P
• One of my favorite things to cook is banana bread. Chocolate chips are a must.
• My big, scary German Shepherd is a softy. He was named after a character in a computer game.

Guybrush the German Shepherd

I have a sister who writes, though she hasn't published anything yet. She likes to use the pseudonym Emma Rosewood. I designed this book cover for her time travel romance. (I'll let you know when it comes out.)

I can't think of anything else, but you can ask questions in the comments. I'll answer as soon as the baby goes down for a nap. No really.

 

The Heartache of a Good Book

Merry Christmas, everyone! I love getting books as presents,so leave a comment for a chance to win a free ebook! (Your choice, Fairy Tale Trap or Cinderella & Zombies). Deadline is the end of the year.

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever cared so much about a person, be it a spouse, child, boyfriend/girlfriend, or dear friend that it physically hurts you to think about losing them?

Why is a good book like that? I sometimes call them magical books because of the effect they have on me. Magic is the only way to describe it.

You know what I mean (or at least, I hope you do so I don't feel crazy). While I'm reading a truly awesome book, I sometimes get a tightness in my chest. And that feeling that makes me keep reading. A good book demands that I give up sleep. It plagues my thoughts during the day. I make excuses to sneak of and spend time with that book. It's addicting.

Just like being in love.

But why to good things make us do crazy things? I think we can all agree that love is good. A good book is, by definition, good. Yet, we're talking about chest pain and sleep deprivation. It sounds like torture.

I'm sure there are a lot of really complicated, very different answers to this question, but here's my best guess:

That there's always a balance. High highs come with high risk, but we love it. We seek it. Because the height of emotion is the height of human experience.

What are your thoughts? Why have you chosen the life of a fiction junkie?