Welcome to the FFBC: WEST by Edith Pattou-- Interview & Giveaway

West

(East #2)
by Edith Pattou
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 23, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

In the sequel to the beloved high fantasy East, Rose sets off on a perilous journey to find her true love when he goes missing in a thrilling tale of danger, magic, adventure, and revenge.

When Rose first met Charles, he was trapped in the form of a white bear. To rescue him, Rose traveled to the land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon to defeat the evil Troll Queen. Now Rose has found her happily-ever-after with Charles—until a sudden storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.

First Book in the Series

Interview

Hello Edith! We are super excited to talk to you about WEST and to have you in our FFBC tours. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Favorite Book?  

Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin

Favorite TV show?

Polder

Favorite movie?

Princess Bride

Favorite Song?

Fireflies by Lori McKenna

Favorite Food?

Pizza

Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Narnia 

Hogwarts 

Hobbiton in the Shire 

What were your favorite books growing up?

The Narnia books by C.S. Lewis

Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Agatha Christie murder mysteries

Favorite Quote?

We need never be hopeless because we can never be irreparably broken.  -John Green

What do you find yourself “fangirling” over?

The actor who plays Poldark, Rainbow Rowell and The Rolling Stones

Name a recent book you read that you would recommend to our YA fans?

Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima (the first book of the amazing Shattered Realms series)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Could you tell our readers a little bit about the EAST series?

Published over a decade ago, EAST is the story of Rose who agrees to go off with an enormous white bear in order to save her family, to live in a mysterious castle carved into a mountain. While there, Rose makes a terrible choice and must then set out on an epic journey to right the wrong she did. She travels to the land that lies east of the sun and west of the moon to break a Troll Queen’s spell on the enchanted white bear. It was inspired by the Norwegian fairy tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. 

What can we expect from WEST?

WEST is set three years after the ending of EAST and Rose must once again strap on her boots and set off on another fantastic and deadly journey to rescue all those she holds dear, including her white bear. There is a lot of action, more than a fewcliffhangers (literally!) and a dollop or two of romance. 

Can you tell us 3 interesting/random things about Rose?

She has purple eyes

She is a master weaver

She is incapable of flirting

(sorry, one more 😊)

She has the super power of persistence

What 3 hashtags would you most associate with your book series? (Could be a word or phrase or anything that would instantly make you think of the series). 

#shepersisted

#eastofthesunandwestofthemoon

#roseandherwhitebear

How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?

I hadn’t ever really intended to write a sequel to EAST but a while back I had a “What if” thunderbolt of an idea, which I can’t tell you here because it would be too much of a spoiler, but it set me on the path to telling a new story about Rose and her white bear. As to inspiration, because WEST isn’t based on one fairy tale the way EAST was, I found myself drawing on a whole range of folk and fairy tales—Grimms, Hans Christian Anderson and Greek and Norse mythology. And of course since I’m a big lover of fantasy films and TV, I was inspired by such shows as Game of Thrones and The Princess Bride.  

Tell us your favorite quote from WEST.

I had lost a kingdom, but gained a life. A life with Rose. –White Bear 

If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for WEST– Which one would you pick?

One Woman Army by Kate Earl

Are there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read WEST (specific music, snacks…)? 

Listen to One Woman Army (see above), Ship to Wreck by Florence and the Machine, and East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Diana Krall. 

Snuggle up in polar bear pj’s and drink hot chocolate (not slank!!) and munch on Norwegian pastries and cloudberries. If you don’t happen to have access to Norwegian goodies, substitute any tasty pastry of your choice and some raspberries. 

What’s next for you? 

I’m currently finishing up a chapter book about a girl and some fainting goats. And I’m also making notes for a possible third volume in the EAST series. Haven’t decided if it will be called NORTH or SOUTH! 😊

Thank you so much for everything, Edith!

Edith Pattou is the author of several fantasy novels, including East, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. She is a graduate of the Francis W. Parker School, Scripps College (B.A., English), Claremont Graduate School (M.A., English) and UCLA (M.L.I.S.). She is married to Charles Emery, a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University. They have one child, a daughter.

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Welcome to The FFBC: Perfect Harmony by Emily Albright & Giveaway

Perfect Harmony

by Emily Albright
Publisher: Amberjack Publishing
Release Date: September 18, 2018

Genre: Young Adult - Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Pippa Wyndham is a top cellist―she’d never settle for anything less. Determined to get into the nation’s most prestigious music college, nothing’s going to stand in her way . . . Until her senior year of high school when a new guy from a fancy New York conservatory transfers to her school. 

Declan Brogan’s cocky, and he knows how amazing he is at the cello. He has every intention of knocking Pippa out of first chair and showing her who really belongs on top. Forced together when assigned a duet, their personal competition and mutual dislike transform into a teasing friendship.

Torn between her childhood crush and the boy who threatens her dreams, Pippa finds herself at risk of losing her best friend, her future, and the boy who makes her heart melt. Struggling to make things right, Pippa discovers that sometimes the thing you want the most doesn’t always end up being the thing you need.

Interview

Welcome to The FFBC again, Emily! I love that we've been a small part of your journey as an author by touring all three of your books so far!

ABOUT EMILY

1. What have you learned about being an author since your debut, The Heir and the Spare?

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is to focus on the positives. No matter what you do, you’re going to find someone who doesn’t like what you do, what you make, or just plain you. But for those few negative people, there are far more people who enjoy it. So, don’t waste time dwelling on the ones who don’t.

2. Which of your books has the most of you in it? 

Perfect Harmony. I play the flute and I’ve always loved music! I was in my school band, and youth symphonies, I did the orchestra pit for school plays and summer musicals, and it’s the only area of my life that I’ve actually been competitive, like Pippa. I feel a definite kinship with her.

3. What has been the best book you've read in 2018 so far?

I finally caught up with Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series and loved that. And I just finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, which was so good!

4. What about your favorite movie of the year so far?

I’m drawing a complete blank. The only movie I can remember watching was Jurassic World, and I while I enjoyed it, it’s not my favorite. I did recently watch To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix and thought it was absolutely adorable! So much so that I just bought the book series to read. :)

5. What are some of your favorite books from your childhood?

My mom used to read the Little House on the Prairie series and Berenstain Bear books to me, which I loved. As I got older I was big into the Babysitter’s Club and anything by R.L. Stine. I enjoyed The Face on the Milk Carton and the Mrs. Mike series. And of course, Anne of Green Gables will always have my heart.

ABOUT PERFECT HARMONY

6. What three things do you want potential readers to know about Perfect Harmony?

Oh gosh, I don’t know if there are three things! I wrote this book because it was a book that I’d have loved to have read when I was in middle school and high school. Back then I never came across a story that was focused on the band and orchestra kids, and I really wanted that. If the books were about music, they always seemed to focus on rock bands, which is cool, but not what I really wanted. I think that’s why this book has a direct line to my heart (I’d love to write a book centered around band kids). The only other thing I can add would be, if you’re involved in the arts in any way, enjoy it! And if you love it, stick with it. The kids you meet in band/orchestra/choir/etc, are some of the best people you’ll ever meet.

7. What is your favorite quote from the book?

I’d tried to convince myself he wasn’t meant to be mine. That he was either my enemy or that he belonged to Quinn. There was just one gigantic, insurmountable hurdle that I kept getting tripped up on. If he wasn’t meant for me, why did he have to complement me so perfectly? And why the hell did I want him so badly?

8. What was your biggest challenge writing Perfect Harmony? What was the easiest part?

Researching string instruments was tough. As a band girl, strings weren’t something I knew a lot about. Thankfully, I found a band/orchestra teacher who let me pick her brain. The easiest was the music terminology and just the feeling you get when you play.

9. If you had to pick a theme song for Perfect Harmony, what would it be?

Symphony by Clean Bandit

10. What's next for you?

I’m currently in the middle of writing a new book, and once I wrap that I’ll jump into a large revision project, which I’m excited about and dreading in equal measure. lol.

Thanks so much for touring with us, Emily!

Thanks for having me!

Emily Albright is the author of EVERYDAY MAGIC and THE HEIR AND THE SPARE, both available now from Simon Pulse. Her next novel PERFECT HARMONY will release 9.25.2018. 

She's a writer, a major bookworm, a lover of romantic movies, a wife, a mother, an owner of one adorable (yet slightly insane) cockapoo, and uses way too many :).

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Welcome to the FFBC: See All the Stars by Kit Frick Interview & Giveaway

**Tour banner made by the fabulous Vicky Who Reads!!**

See all the Stars

by Kit Frick
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: August 14, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis:

It’s hard to find the truth beneath the lies you tell yourself.

THEN They were four—Bex, Jenni, Ellory, Ret. Electric, headstrong young women; Ellory’s whole solar system.

NOW Ellory is alone, her once inseparable group of friends torn apart by secrets, deception, and a shocking incident that changed their lives forever.

THEN Lazy summer days. A party. A beautiful boy. Ellory met Matthias and fell into the beginning of a spectacular, bright love.

NOW Ellory returns to Pine Brook to navigate senior year after a two-month suspension and summer away—no boyfriend, no friends. No going back. Tormented by some and sought out by others, troubled by a mysterious note-writer who won’t let Ellory forget, and consumed by guilt over her not entirely innocent role in everything and everyone she’s lost, Ellory finds that even in the present, the past is everywhere.

The path forward isn’t a straight line. And moving on will mean sorting the truth from the lies—the lies Ellory has been telling herself.

Interview

Hi Kit!!! We are so excited to have you join our tours and to chat with you about SEE ALL THE STARS!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

1. Favorite Book?

In YA, I go back and back and back to Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall. It’s perfect!

2. Favorite TV show?

Right now, Riverdale. Of all time, close tie between The O. C. and My So-Called Life.

3. Favorite movie?

Reality Bites! (There’s even a tiny reference in the pages of See All the Stars … let me know if you find it!)

4. Favorite Song?

Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinéad O’Connor (by way of Prince).

5. Favorite Food?

Sushi. (Specifically, spicy crunchy salmon roll with avocado on top!)

6. Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.

Capeside, Stars Hollow, and Bluebell. (I must have endearing television towns on the brain; bonus points if you can name all three shows without going on Wikipedia!)

7. What were your favorite books while growing up?

Ann M. Martin’s The Babysitters Club. I devoured that series. I was also a huge fan of William Sleator’s books, especially Interstellar Pig; The Giver by Lois Lowery; and Beauty by Robin McKinley.

8. Favorite Quote?

“Writers live twice.” —Natalie Goldberg

9. What do you find yourself “Fangirling” over?

Other authors’ books! Right now I’m all about Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson, The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, and American Panda by Gloria Chao.

10. What recent book would you recommend to our YA fans?

I just finished reading Lynn Weingarten’s Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls, and I’d highly recommend it to readers on the lookout for lyrical thrillers with messy friendships between teen girls!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

1. Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about SEE ALL THE STARS?

Of course! See All the Stars is my debut YA thriller. It’s about four best friends, one beautiful boy, and a deception that ruined everything. The story takes places in two timelines that alternate between the past—leading up to the event that tore Ellory’s group of friends apart—and the aftermath. The “Now” timeline picks up on the night before senior year begins, after Ellory has been suspended from school (for her role in said event) and has spent the summer away, off social media, and otherwise disconnected from her friends and classmates. And now she has to return to high school, totally alone and consumed by guilt and regret. If you like stories about first love, intense and messy friendships, secrets, and lies, See All the Stars is for you!

2. What 3 hashtags would you most associate with your book? (Could be a word or phrase or anything that would instantly make you think of SEE ALL THE STARS.)

Aside from #SeeAlltheStars (obv!) I’d hashtag my book with #SecretsAndLies and #BFFBreakup

3. Can you tell us three things about Ellory THEN and NOW?

THEN:

Ellory is an artist.

Ellory wants to be seen.

Ellory is falling in love.

NOW:

Ellory is alone.

Ellory is filled with guilt.

Ellory can’t forget.

4. Tell us your favorite quote from SEE ALL THE STARS.

Here’s one favorite. When Ellory’s former best friend Ret tracks her down at the start of senior year, Ellory can’t resist falling back into her trance:

“Come find me. The echo of her words in my ears starts as an invitation that swiftly becomes a rush of river water, pummeling and loud, until all I can hear is the greedy, deafening roar.”

Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write? Or which part was the most difficult to get through?

There’s a scene toward the middle of the book (in the “Then” timeline) when Ellory and her friends hold an epic dance movie marathon. That scene was super fun to write because I wanted to be there watching Step Up and eating all the snacks!

5. If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for SEE ALL THE STARS– Which one would you pick?

Imogen Heap’s Hide and Seek.

6. Are there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read SEE ALL THE STARS (specific music, snacks…)?

For a high-low snack combo while reading, I highly recommend Jenni’s poached shrimp crostini (from the movie marathon scene!) paired with sugary gummy worms. (Maybe just not in the same mouthful.)

For tunes, there’s a fun See All the Stars playlist available on Spotify, which is comprised of songs and artists from the pages of the book! So you can totally listen along.

7. What’s next for you?

My next book is also a stand-alone YA thriller, called All Eyes on Us. It’s about two girls under unbearable pressure from their families and communities—and what happens when an anonymous texter threatens to uproot their lives. All Eyes on Us is scheduled to release in May 2019, also from S&S/McElderry, and I’ll be able to share a lot more later this year!

Thanks so much for chatting with us!!

Thank you for having me!

Kit Frick is a novelist, poet, and MacDowell Colony fellow. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, she studied creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College and received her MFA from Syracuse University. When she isn’t putting complicated characters in impossible situations, Kit edits poetry and literary fiction for a small press, edits for private clients, and mentors emerging writers through Pitch Wars. Her debut young adult novel is See All the Stars (Simon & Schuster / Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2018), and her debut full-length poetry collection is A Small Rising Up in the Lungs (New American Press, 2018).

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