Welcome to the 14th day of Christmahanakwanzika. Today I have a fantastic interview with author of THE ALMOST GIRL, Amalie Howard. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.
The Almost Girl
YA Science Fiction
Publication Date: January 7th, 2014
Seventeen-year-old Riven is as tough as they come. Coming from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, she has to be. There’s no room for softness, no room for emotion, no room for mistakes. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes, a parallel universe to Earth. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.
Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows. Riven isn’t prepared for the beauty of a world that is unlike her own in so many ways. Nor is she prepared to feel something more than indifference for the very target she seeks. Caden is nothing like Cale, but he makes something in her come alive, igniting a spark deep down that goes against every cell in her body. For the first time in her life, Riven isn’t sure about her purpose, about her calling. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide whether Caden is simply a target or whether he is something more.
Faced with hideous reanimated Vector soldiers from her own world with agendas of their own, as well as an unexpected reunion with a sister who despises her, it is a race against time to bring Caden back to Neospes. But things aren’t always as they seem, and Riven will have to search for truth. Family betrayals and royal coups are only the tip of the iceberg. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?
First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release of THE ALMOST GIRL.
Thank you so much, and thanks for having me. I am thrilled to be here. I’m a big fan of Houston—it’s always been one of my favorite cities. In fact, I was just there a few weeks ago for a book conference and had a blast meeting so many terrific readers.
If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?
I celebrate Christmas. I am most excited about spending time with my family and watching my children open presents on Christmas morning. There’s nothing that beats the look of delight on their sleepy morning faces once they see the plump stockings, the half-eaten cookies, and everything piled under the tree. It’s magical.
In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?
I would donate it to Save the Children, which helps children around the world where they need it the most—health, education and disaster relief.
If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?
That’s kind of a tie. I’d either be Hermione from Harry Potter and not just because she’s the most badass witch ever (ok, yes, definitely because she’s the most badass witch ever), or I’d be Eowyn from Lord of the Rings because dressing up like a man, heading into battle and slaying the leader of the Nazgul with a hair-raising “No living man am I” declaration is totally something I would do.
Do you have any favorite quotes from your novel, THE ALMOST GIRL?
This is one of my favorite quotes from a scene between Riven and her sister, Shae.
“I don’t even notice as she slides her fingers along mine, hooking her little finger into the crook of mine. “Sister-swear,” she whispers, and all I can feel is the hot imprint of her skin against my own with the force of a hundred memories behind it.”
The second is another of my favorites only because it embodies Riven and what she feels about herself. It’s a little heartbreaking because the truth is she’s so much more than the sum of her parts.
“I’m death in a girl’s body.”
Lastly, I have to include a kissing quote because, well, it’s full of the steamy and who doesn’t love the steamy?
“Every thought in my brain fizzles into shocked silence. And then I’m kissing him back, following his lead, with an intensity that has our teeth grinding together. I don’t even know where he begins and I end – my lips are part of his mouth, and his part of mine. My hands, now free, are twining in his hair, and his arms are locked around me. Every living part of me is caught up in him.”
Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?
Be resilient. When life throws you a curveball, don’t be afraid to take a swing. Life’s not going to be easy at the best of times, and it’s about how you respond to those challenges. Face what comes your way with courage, trust yourself to do the best thing you can do, and don’t be afraid to have an open heart. Sometimes, you just have to take the jump without knowing what’s on the other side.
Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?
Right now I am working on the sequel to THE ALMOST GIRL, and I can tell you that it’s going to be even more of an adrenaline rush than this one with twists you won’t see coming. I feel like I need a sound byte from Belt the Sloth on The Croods (http://youtu.be/boSmmVxqcW8) after writing that!
I’m trying to keep this interview short and sweet, but if there is anything you are dying to say, please by all means say it. I don’t need anyone dying on my watch.
I think you’ve covered all the bases. Wishing all your readers (and mine) a warm, happy and healthy holiday season! ROCK THE CHRISTMAHANAKWANZIKA!
About the Author
Amalie Howard
***Giveaway***
One (1) signed copy of WATERFELL
International
International
The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika
No comments:
Post a Comment