Author Interview & Contest with Marlene Perez

I am a big fan of author Marlene Perez's Paranormal YA series about the Giordano sisters. So when I had the chance to read the newest edition to the series back in May I couldn't refuse!

Dead is just a Rumor is finally due out tomorrow and if you have been following the series then you need to go and get this one! If you haven't been reading then I can highly recommend the books!

However if you want to try your luck...read the interview and then enter the contest and maybe you will win a complete collection of the series! Or just a copy of the new release...actually Marlene is giving away quite a few copies! Check out the contest details below!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as
a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your Nightshade Series?

Marlene - The DEAD IS series is about three teen psychic sisters who solve paranormal mysteries in Nightshade, California. There will be a total of five books in the series.

Amber - The newest installment, Dead Is Just A Rumour, is just out. What can readers expect from the new book?

Marlene - I hope they can expect more of what they liked about the first 3 books in the series. Dead is Just A Rumor takes place during Daisy's senior year at Nightshade High. And someone is being blackmailed. There's a nice book trailer, which can be viewed here. Nowicki Productions created it and I think they did a great job!

Amber - Daisy has had a lot of paranormal adventures so far. How do you decide what to throw at her in each book?

Marlene - My procress is always a little bit of a mystery to me. I've always known what song I wanted to end the series with, but getting to the end has its challenges. I love that Nightshade is full of possibilities. Titles are really important to me and think that a title should represent the essence of the book, so my titles actually help me focus on what's going to happen in that particular book. And I love to shake things up by introducing a new paranmoral creature so if I have a chance to add something or someone new into the mix, I go for it.

Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?

Marlene - I think a character's name is very important. I always go to those baby namer sites/books to see what each name means. But Daisy, Rose, and Poppy were obviously named afer flowers. I read somewhere a long time ago that there is an actor whose sisters are all named after flowers and I thought that was really cool.

Amber - What kind of research have you done for your books? Anything interesting or is the research boring?

Marlene - Research is never boring. I am fascinated with it. I research everything, like what a real high school schedule looks like, recipes for Daisy to cook, and stuff I have no clue about, like football. I also like to find photos in magazines of houses, dresses, people, etc.

Amber - There has been quite a lot of Paranormal TV series and Films to hit the screens lately. Why do you think that is? Would you like to see Nightshade come to life in the same way?

Marlene - I think it's great. I think part of it is cyclical. I was on a panel last year at Comic Con with a bunch of writers of paranormal fiction and a couple of us mentioned DARK SHADOWS as an influence. That was on television in the 70s and before that, there was TWILIGHT ZONE. The Anne Rice VAMPIRE LESTAT books came out in the 80s. It's been around for a long time and its popularity ebbs and flows, but I don't think it will ever disappear entirely.

If it's paranormal, I'm in. I usually don't get to see a movie until it's released on dvd though. And I am a little bit of a wimp when it comes to scary movies. I'm hoping Nightshade comes to life on the Disney Channel! They recently optioned the first three books in the series.

Amber - Will there be more books in the series? How long would you like to see things continue for Daisy? Do you see an end in sight?

Marlene -The 5th book, DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION, is the last book in the DEAD IS series. I'd actually love to catch up with Daisy and Ryan and the whole Giordano family a few years from now. I love Daisy so much that it's hard to let her go! I'd also like to work on a spin-off of the DEAD IS series with one of the characters in DEAD IS.

Amber - I know you have written more books. Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Marlene - I always have more ideas than time. Right now, I'm working on a stand-alone novel that's a little bit different for me. And an idea for a teen paranormal trilogy.

Amber - There are alot of online sites taking up peoples time lately. Are you on Facebook or any other sites? Do you think the sites are useful or do they just take up too much of your time?

Marlene - I am on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I think onlines sites are useful, if you don't procrastinate the day away there. I set daily writing goals and try to make sure I get the words in before I play. That doesn't always happen of course. Writing can be a lonely profession. I try to get together with other writers for coffee or lunch. But a social networking site like Facebook is my office watercooler. That's how I stay in touch. I also just started a community page called Welcome to Nightshade for DEAD IS readers, in the hope that I could connect directly with my readers there.

Amber - What are you listening and watching lately? Is there any music or other media that influences your writing?

Marlene - I am positively addicted to Glee. I'm kind of a geeky fangirl about some things. I'd watch anything Neil Patrick Harris is in. Or anything that Joss Whedon does. I love TRUE BLOOD and read all the Sookie Stackhouse books. I'm really into music and just discovered Joe Bonamassa's music. And Codeine Velvet Club. Certain paintings can influence my writing. Reading is one of my favorite things to do, but I try to read outside my genre when I'm writing. So if I'm writing a teen paranormal, I read adult contemporary fiction. Or a biography.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Marlene - Hmm. My answer changes on this one all the time. I'd kind of like to be one of my characters in the DEAD IS series. I can't say WHO because you don't find this out until book five. So how about if I say I'd like to be a woman warrior with special powers? Someone strong and sassy. And I kind of think the ability to cook, to REALLY cook, is kind of a superpower. One I do not have. So I'd like to be like Daisy and be able to cook. Sadly, my husband is the chef in the family.

Amber - Thank you for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again sometime!




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Contest Time

Marlene is being very generous and is giving away 7 books altogether! One winner will get a signed copy of all 4 books and three other lucky people will get signed copies of DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR (Sorry only open to US and Canada!)

How To Enter

What are you addicted to?

No addiction = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

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You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

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The contest will stay open until Sunday 29th of August 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.