This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

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Today I am joined by the lovely Amie Kaufman, co-author of the Starbound trilogy, in anticipation for the release of the second book in the series, This Shattered World!

We talk about getting put on watch lists due to supicious internet search history, hate to love relationship stories, the pros and cons of co-authoring among many other exciting tidbits relating to this awesome trilogy (there are cupcakes, too!)

One last thing, don't forget to check out the exciting giveaway below. All of the information is at the end of this post. Enjoy!

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound Trilogy #2
Released: December 23rd 2014
Pages: 390
Source: Publisher
Buy it: Books of Wonder | The Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

Image & Synopsis

About the Authors

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner are longtime friends and sometime flatmates who have traveled the world (but not yet the galaxy), covering every continent between them. They are sure outer space is only a matter of time. Meagan, who is also the author of the Skylark trilogy, currently lives in Asheville, NC, while Amie lives in Melbourne, Australia. Although they currently live apart, they are united by their love of space opera, road trips, and second breakfasts.

Visit the These Broken Stars website for the latest news on the series and follow the authors on Twitter at @AmieKaufman and @MeaganSpooner. This Shattered World is available for pre-order (with fun swag) and will be released in North America on December 23, 2014.

Giveaway

Grand Prize:
- Signed copies of THESE BROKEN STARS + THIS SHATTERED WORLD
- Starbound swag
- A special letter from Tarver to Lilac written specifically for this tour! This can be kept secret by the winner, or shared publicly as he or she wishes.
- Coffee with Amie and Meagan at one of their US tour stops OR a Skype visit

Other prizes:
- 5 additional This Shattered World hardbacks.

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Tour Stops

December 8th: The Midnight Garden Secrets of Starbound: Characters
December 9th: The Book Smugglers Making an Audiobook
December 10th: Ivy Book Bindings Secrets of Starbound: Science and Settings
December 11th: Cuddlebuggery How Amie & Meagan Met
December 12th: Little Book Owl Book Talk with Amie Kaufman
December 15th: Mundie Moms Shooting the Cover
December 16th: Xpresso Reads Starbound Inspirations
December 17th: A Book Utopia Your Next Book Boyfriend
December 18th: Supernatural Snark Q&A
December 19th: Love is Not a Triangle Gender in Science Fiction

Harken Blog Tour & Giveaway!

Welcome to another stop of the Harken Blog Tour! I have for you an interview with Kaleb Nation himself, author of Harken, as well as some awesome giveaways! You know you love free stuff.

Anyway, below is a bit of information about Harken, then continue on to take a look at the interview where Kaleb talks about non-spoilery Harken stuff like the lizard people and inspiration.

If you have not read it but would like to, go here to read the first three chapters: HARKEN PREVIEW.

Harken by Kaleb Nation
Released: January 9th, 2013
Series: Harken [Book One]
Buy it: Amazon & Nook or Don't own a Kindle/Nook?

Michael Asher is almost an ordinary California teenager, except for his unexplainable ability to see a glimpse of a person’s thoughts through their eyes. After surviving an assassination attempt, he discovers that he is at the center of a worldwide conspiracy higher than any earthly power. A clandestine organization with authority over world leaders, celebrities, and the wealthy desperately wants him dead. Tumbling into a web of international secrets, Michael is forced to search for the identity of the puppet master and dig up the truth that humanity is not being told.

Check out my fellow bloggers participating in this tour: Harken Tour
Watch the Book Trailer: TRAILER TIME
Author Links: Twitter | YouTube

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the interview! Now it is time for a giveaway or two? These are INTERNATIONAL so don't forget to enter using the Rafflecopter forms below.


The Daily Prize Pack:
- Signed Giant Poster
- Signed Postcard
- Glow-in-the-dark Wristband
- Glow-in-the-dark Silver Ring

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grand Prize:
- A Harken-Themed Kindle Paperwhite

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Meredith Zeitlin

Meredith Zeitlin is a writer and voiceover artist who lives in Brooklyn with two adorable feline roommates. She also writes a column for Ladygunn Magazine, changes her hair color every few months, and has many fancy pairs of spectacles. In case you're wondering whether any of Kelsey's experiences are based on Meredith's own, the answer is NO WAY. When she was fourteen, Meredith looked and behaved perfectly at all times, was never in a single embarrassing situation, and always rode to school on her very own unicorn. If you want to know more about Meredith's voiceover work, check out www.mzspeaks.com.




In one or two sentences, explain why we should pick up your book.

You should pick up my book because you want to read about the slightly-bonkers adventures of a girl who is probably a lot like you - uncertain, excited, prone to making mistakes, but willing to learn from them. Also because you want world peace and happiness for all - this book is the key! Go get it right away!


What inspired you to become a writer?

I've just been one, really - since I was very little. I come from a family of writers and readers, and books were always everywhere. It sort of came naturally, I think. But my aunt Rhea (Kohan) is a novelist, and her books are hilarious. She definitely inspired me to try my hand at a book.



Do you usually work with an outline, or just write your stories without much more than an idea?

No outlines - far too disciplined for me! Even in school I used to cobble outlines together after I'd finished my papers, and then only if I had to hand them in. I just sit down and write whatever comes to mind. Not a perfect system, but it's all I've got!


Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters certainly was an entertaining read full of horrifically embarrassing moments that were incredibly amusing. Where did the idea for the story come from? Did a specific scene or character pop into your mind first?

Well, most of those moments really were based on actual events from my own horrifically embarrassing life (yes, I know what my bio says. I can't give everything away up front, right??). I get into a lot of pretty ridiculous situations somehow. The Loehmann's scene, which was originally much longer, was the first thing that came to mind, though - I had plenty to say about that, having been dragged to that store against my will for my entire childhood. (Note: I totally love Loehmann's now that I'm old. Yay Loehmann's!) Kelsey and her mom were the characters that I knew exactly how to write from the beginning, so that's where I started. Then the rest of the story unfolded as I went along.


Whilst writing Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters, did you have any characters write themselves into the story or attempt to take over?

Well, Travis's character got much bigger for a while, and then got trimmed down again, but I was always in control of her antics. I think the characters or moments that surprised me by having a bigger or different part than I'd originally planned happened pretty organically. JoJo's storyline changed a lot; her being gay came to me well into the editing process, and it just made sense. Same for the Ben/Valentina angle. So no - I didn't let the characters escape my iron grasp!


What was the hardest scene you had to write? 

There were a few scenes I worked on for many, many drafts to try and get just right - Kelsey's first meeting with Ben was one, and the scene where Kelsey ends up in a bedroom alone with Sam at the party was another. But the opening chapter was the hardest for me. It's the first impression the reader will have of the book and the characters, which is SO important, but I also had to work in a lot of information and set up the story without it getting boring or expositional. Probably because it got rewritten so many times, it got harder and harder to tell if it was any good. So that was difficult. Hopefully it came out okay - I can't really tell anymore!


Do you have any other books planned or that you are in the process of writing?


I wrote a children's picture book that I'm hoping will find a home soon, and a friend and I wrote a super-creepy horror feature. (So, some pretty different stuff!) I'm also working on another YA novel. It's not a sequel to Freshman Year..., but it takes place in the same world, so you'll see some of the characters again.


FUN FACTS

What is your favourite sweet food?
ICE CREAM.


Do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotel rooms?
Nope.


What is your biggest pet peeve?
Chronic lateness. It drives me crazy.


What book are you most anticipating for this year?
The Twelve, by Justin Cronin.

If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Hm. Maybe the ability to shape-shift. This or That?

Computer or Television?
Well, a computer can function as a TV, but not the other way around... so I guess computer.


Vampire or Werewolves?
Vampires. I'd certainly rather BE a vampire than a werewolf!


Coke or Pepsi?
Coke. Extra points for Cherry Coke.

Blind or deaf?
Oh, this is so hard. I don't think I could bear to be blind, but not being able to listen to music - or laughter! - would be crushing... If I HAD to choose, I'd say deaf. Hopefully that won't ever happen.

Harry Potter or Twilight?
HARRY POTTER. No contest.


Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions! It has been a pleasure to have you on Little Book Owl.

Interview with Jason Letts

Jason Letts is the author of The Inevitable Trilogy, The Powerless series and the Spencer Nye Trilogy. He was kind enough to send me an eBook copy of the first book in his Spencer Nye Trilogy, Suspense which I have just reviewed. Jason Letts was also more than willing to answer a few questions about his writing, and Suspense!


What inspired you to become a writer?

I started writing when I was living in Japan, and it was a great way to relieve stress or tension that I was having being in a different culture and with the language barrier and all. I've always been a heavy reader, and then I just started putting together the ideas for a story, and then one word after another I started ending up with books. Now I'm lucky enough to be writing full time.


Do you usually work with an outline, or just write your stories without much more than an idea?

I'm actually a compulsive planner, and for Suspense especially the planning was absolutely crucial. That's not to say a lot of the story isn't discovered along the way, but it's good to have a lot of it down to know what I have to get out in each scene. Crossing fingers and hoping something great will come out probably wouldn't work for me.


Suspense is a very unique story and there is so many interesting elements of the world you have created, like Connect, defying gravity and all of the amazing technologies, let alone the plotline! I did not expect that ending. How did you come up with Spencer's story? What inspired the world and everything in it?

There were a couple of deep interests that came together to form this story. A girl getting a taste of fame. A perfectly secure world where people had complete freedom (to contrast so many books where there are absurdly oppressive regimes begging to be overthrown). A meaningful friendship between two female characters instead of just love interests. And I've also really wanted to up the action and push the envelope a little bit in terms of what YA is. The book was a lot of fun for me to write!


When writing Suspense, did you have any characters write themselves into the story or attempt to take over?

I have had this happen before where I needed a character who hadn't been planned at all. For Suspense, I pretty much had the cast down, but I've been surprised at how big a role Taka has had to play in the whole trilogy. That was completely unexpected, but it should work out great. There's a lot more going on with her than just what we see in Suspense.


What was the hardest scene you had to write?

I hate to give anything away, but there's some body switching that happens in the book, where characters end up switching genders, and it was tough making that work the way I wanted it too. There's a lot in the book that I feel emotionally invested in, but that doesn't stop me from writing.


Is anything you write about based or influenced by your personal experiences? Or are they purely imagination?

I'm sure there are, bits of character here or there, or experiences that I've had with various things. Some jokes I've come up with in real life conversations end up in books too. I came up with them, so why can't I use them, right?


Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming book, Expense (Spencer Nye Trilogy #2)?

Expense is actually set to release in just a few days, and I'm excited to see how readers respond to it because there's plenty that's different while so much is the same. The challenges are different and more difficult, requiring some deep thinking to resolve, and there are revelations that cast events in Suspense in a whole new light. There's a lot more going on than just meets the eye, and I'm hoping that draws in readers and makes this a trilogy that they can really get invested in.


Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions!

I'd like to take a moment to send a big Thank You to Catriona for all of her time and effort. I wish you the best of luck with the Little Book Owl blog and all your future reads. Thank you!

-- Jason