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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Author Interview & Contest with Sherry Ficklin


This week I would like to introduce a new author to you! Sherry Ficklin is a new writer on the block and the debut book in her Gods Of Fate Trilogy is already out for you to enjoy. Foresight is the first in the YA trilogy and and I am looking forward to reading it.

Here is your chance to get know the author and maybe even win a Book Bag?

Enjoy!

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Amber - Hello Sherry! 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 debut book, Foresight?

Sherry - Thanks for having me! Foresight is the saga of Grace Archer, a modern teen who discovers she's the daughter of the Greek Goddess Pandora and it has fallen to her to protect her mother's deadly box.

Amber - Foresight is the beginning of a trilogy. How did you come up with the idea for Gods of Fate Trilogy? Was it a long process or did it just come to you?

Sherry - The story has been rattling around in my head for forever. As soon as I put pen to paper and decided to write it down, it just sort of tumbled out. It's been amazing.

Amber - Did you always wanted to be an author? Did you pick Young Adult and Fantasy or did it pick you?

Sherry -I never wanted to be an author! I've always loved writing and reading, but the idea of OTHER PEOPLE reading my stuff? Terrifying! But after I wrote Foresight, I couldn't wait to share the story.

As for YA and Fantasy, I've never limited myself or my stories. They just are
what they are. Even Foresight starts off with Grace as a teenager, but she's a
woman by the end of the series. So is it really YA? Maybe. Maybe not.

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

Sherry - I don't usualy pick the names. I know, it sounds strange, but the characters usualy tell me who they are.

Amber - What is the hardest part about writing a book?

Sherry - For me it's finding a balance between writing time and family time. I'm on hiatus from writing right now to spend time with my kiddos while they're on summer break. When they go back to school, I'll head back to 'work'.

Amber - Foresight is a very interesting title. How did you come up with the titles for your books and series? Did you go with the first title or is there a history of titles for the trilogy?

Sherry - The trilogy is Foresight, Secondsight, and Hindsight. The first book was named because of Grace's father and the Demon of Foresight. The sceond was named because of Grace's unusual powers in book 2, and the third is a reflection on all the choices (and mistakes) she's made throughout the series. It's a progression, a maturing of her life.

Amber - Alot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?

Sherry - I do actually have a soundtrack for Foresight on my website. It's a small selection of the music I listen to when I write. My husband jokes that he can tell what scene I'm writing by the music playing. For example, the fight scenes are Pocrupine Tree, the love scenes are usualy Needtobreathe, and the scenes in Faerie are Enya.

Amber - Being an author must have its ups and downs. What experiences have you had so far?

Sherry - The most fun so far was the photo shoot for the book trailers. Seeing these models bringing my characters to life was beyond surreal. The worst, the most nerve wracking, is the rejections. Although, after Foresight was under contract with Dragonfly Publishing, I got a rejection from someone I'd sent it to almost a year earlier that was particularly harsh. I just laughed and tossed in in the trash. It was very carthardic.

Amber - What is like being a new author on the writing scene? Wild parties with other authors or sitting at home writing more books as fast as possible?

Sherry - Both and neither. Lots more invites to writing conferences and requests for apearences. At the sime I've had to cut back on my play time to make deadlines and meetings with editors. I'm not complaining. It's been wonderful.

Amber - What is next? When is the rest of the trilogy due for release? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Sherry - The release for the trilogy is Foresight: Out now. Secondsight: May 2011. Hindsight: September 2011.

I'm working on my first paranormal romance right now, at least I think that's
the genre it will land in. Like I said, I'm not good with genre boundries. I'm
also looking for a home for my new YA mystery (think Nancy Drew 2010) and I'm
tinkering with a new MG novel based on King Arthur. Hopefully You'll see
something new from me soon!

Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?

Sherry - I read everything. I devour books. I'm not a fan of true crime or literary fiction (think Nicholas Sparks). I LOVE paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, teen, horror, romance (not smutty), and mysteries. My fave authors are Terri Goodkind, Laurel Hamilton, and Homer. (yeah, I'm a nerd)

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

Sherry - That's a tough one. I think I'd like to be a Dark Hunter. (thanks alot, Sherilyn Kenyon)

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

Sherry - Anytime! thanks for having me!



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Contest Time

Sherry is giving away a very cute prize (see photo)! This week one lucky person will win a Book Bag! It's a reversable book tote and will have a beaded bookmark and some random goodies inside. Open internationally!

How To Enter

To win the prize just recommend a YA author and/or book to us!

No Author/Book = 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.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

Amberkatze's Book Blog

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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.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!

The Book Depository


The contest will stay open until Sunday 19th of September 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.

46 comments:

Vickie said...

Just added FORESIGHT to my B&N shopping cart. This really looks super.
My YA book and author recommendations:

Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, listening to INK EXCHANGE now and it's even better than the first in the series WICKED LOVELY.

Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series

Lili St Crow's Strange Angels series

Been listening to all of the above and each one brings something supremely awesome to the YA paranormal genre.

Linda Henderson said...

I enjoyed the interview very much, I always enjoy learning more about an author. A YA book I would recommend is Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus, I enjoyed it when I read it.

seriousreader at live dot com

Llehn said...

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff.

Van Pham said...

The Iron King and The Iron daughter by Julie Kagawa

Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent

Foresight sounds great, will be adding this to my TO BUY list!

Ina said...

my recommendations are:
House of Night Series by PC and Kristin Cast
and Fallen by Lauren Kate...

Sherry, thanks for being here and for a very interesting interview!
wish you all the best, Ina

inale87 at gmx dot at

Dovile said...

I'd like to recommend Scott Westerfeld and also Break by Hanna Moskowitz.

spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

Asylumgirl said...

The Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine is a good YA series to check out.

Deidre

Margaret said...

To be honest I absolutely love the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. The man's a genius to create another boy genius himself. I love the different look into the world of faeries instead of the usual with maybe Wicked Lovely (though that's a brilliant book, as well). I hope you like it as much as I do :)

legally_write[at]hotmail[dot]com

SandyG265 said...

My recommendation is Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn.

Jessica @ a GREAT read said...

One of my favorite YA authors when I first started reading heavily when I was 13 was Amelia Atwater Rhodes. Particularly her first four books:
In the Forests of the Night
Demon in My View**
Shattered Mirror
Midnight Predator

**My all time fave

Another great title was Marianne Curley's Old Magic! I read this one over and over! Nothing supernatural, just magic and it was awesome!!

banner is in sidebar:
http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com

Sue Brandes said...

Flowers a collection of dark fiction by Scott Nicholson. Really enjoyed your interview.
Sue B
stevebrandes(at)gmail(dot)com

Victoria said...

There are so many good YA out there right now - so hard to choose.

I'll go with RAISED BY WOLVES written by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

The WINGS series by Aprilynne Pike is also very good.

Unknown said...

I am a follower. I would recommend Shiver and Linger. I love those books. I can't wait for the third book. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read your book. Tore923@aol.com

Mysteriousrose said...

I would recomment The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith and The Den of Shadows series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes they was the first YA paranormal I read.

forceofstars(at)yahoo(dot)dk

cbowley72 said...

I loved Foresight and cannot WAIT for Hindsight to be out in May! I also look forward to Sherry coming to Front Royal for a book signing next year. I would have to recommend The Dark Divine, by Bree Despain. Although I am an older YA reader, I found I could relate and understand some of the dilemmas faced by the main character.

whitewolfreads said...

I would definitely recommend the Mortal Instruments Series and the Infernal Devices Series by Cassandra Clare.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmspettoli/status/24401991035

Thanks for the giveaway!

Stephanie said...

I would recommend Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

Skk25@aol.com

Margay Leah Justice said...

I would recommend anything Maggie Stiefvater writes. Also Sarah Dresden, and I did enjoy Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick.

Margay1122(at)aol(dot)com

mverno said...

raised by wolves mverno@roadrunner.com

Unknown said...

Years by Lavyrle Spencer
Thank you
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

Books Glorious Books said...

This book looks like a great read!

I would recommend Bitten by Kelley Armstrong; she's one of my fav authors and bitten is such a fab book!

http://twitter.com/gloriousbooks/status/24500805667

skyla11377 said...

I actually have Foresight coming to me soon in the mail and I really can't wait to read it. I really enjoyed your interview with Sherry. I recently read Shadow Hills By Anastasia Hopcus which in my opinion was an amazing debut YA novel by Anastasia. Another great YA author and series is The Vampire Academy Series By Richelle Mead. Then there is The Morganville Vampire Series By Rachel Caine and The Mortal Instrument Series By Cassandra Clare. That is only a fraction of the good books and authors I have read recently.

I tweeted about this giveaway on Twitter (@skyla11377).
http://twitter.com/skyla11377/status/24500670617

I posted this giveaway on my Facebook page.
http://bit.ly/drRaf2

I posted this giveaway on my Myspace page.
http://mysp.ac/dw0orh

skyla11377(At)AOL(Dot)Com

Audra said...

I like Gena Showalters Intertwined
audie(at)wickerness(dot)com

Mystica said...

Hush Hush by Becca Fitzparick.

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Sandy said...

I recently was introduced to Kay Hooper's books and thoroughly enjoy them.

Carrie said...

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is a really good series.
The interview was great. I like reading into the mind of an author.

FICTION STATE OF MIND said...

great contest foresight looks great id reccommmend Graceling and Fire if you havent read them already.
kai
mailkaicharles@yahoo.com

All This Silence... said...

Sarah Dresden is a really great YA author, although her books aren't supernatural.

Sarah said...

I'd recommend Golding's Lord of the Flies.

Tonya Dean said...

Jim Butcher - The dresden files

tdlsfm(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Halloween, by Alexander Quinn

Laura Pruett
backflash_tuna@juno.com

Anonymous said...

BLUE SO DARK by Holly Schindler

Meg Cabots Princess Diaries Series

Laura said...

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Unknown said...

Kimberly Frost - Would be Witch

Thanks

Pamela S said...

A YA author we love is Libba Bray. Thanks so much! pamelashockley(AT)aol(DOT)com

Anonymous said...

My recommendation is also the "House of Night" Series by P.C. & Kristin Cast.

Dawn M. said...

Some of my favorites:

Perfect Chemistry & Rules Of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

Thanks! :0)
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

cman said...

Interview with a Vampire ~ Anne Rice

Dawn Reid said...

The Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine Great.
mightynaynay(at)cs.com

Anonymous said...

I like the Christy Miller Collection by Robin Jones Gunn

Amber said...

I think Ellen Wittlinger is a great YA author! Hard Love was one of my favourites of hers :D

ayoung3360@hotmail.com

Jodi said...

I really enjoyed Numbers by Rachel Ward.

purehrt555(at)yahoo(Dot)com

Unknown said...

I recommend Carrie Vaughn. I've enjoyed reading her books. garrettsambo@aol.com

April Yedinak said...

I love Tamora Pierce. Her Circle of Magic series is really cool.

Anonymous said...

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins..

iheartjmac87@yahoo.com

Lucky's Luna said...

I recommend Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
luckysluna(at)yahoo(dot)com