Interview with Christine Johnson, Author of Claire de Lune + A Contest!

Claire de Lune By: Christine Johnson
Release Date: May 18th, 2010
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Synopsis: Torn between two destinies?

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not only with her changing identity, but also with a rogue werewolf who is putting everyone she knows in danger. Claire's new life threatens her blossoming romance with Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. Now burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, Claire is struggling to feel comfortable in either skin. With her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, she will make a choice that will change her forever?

Being that this is your debut novel – what made you choose to or what were you drawn to in the Young Adult Genre?
 
I’ve always loved YA books. I think it’s a great genre to read in, and a challenging genre to write in. There’s much less leeway in YA than in, say, adult literature. I’ve read adult books - prize winning adult books - that spend hundreds of pages meandering through themes and thoughts and things. YA readers would never put up with that. They want an exciting plot and really great writing. I like the challenge of not sacrificing either of those things.
 
When did you first start writing Claire de Line and can you tell us some of your experiences in how you became published?
 
I started the book nearly two and a half years ago. In general, the publishing process takes patience. It’s not a quick business! After I gave Claire to my agent, there was some time that passed while she sent it to publishers . . . and then Simon Pulse acquired it, and it’s been about eighteen months since then, with revising and editing and whatnot. I knew other authors who had gone through the crucible of the publishing world, and so I was well prepared for the rejections and the waiting. I have a thick skin for those things!
 
How did the idea of these characters and your version of Werewolves come to you?
 
Most of my ideas come while I’m walking or in the shower, so I’m sure that’s where the initial seed of an idea came from. The thing is that the rest of any idea I’m working on develops slowly. I take that little idea seed and start what-if-ing it. So, first I had the idea of a girl who finds out that she’s really a werewolf. Then, as the days pass, I wondered what would happen if she were dating a human guy. And why she would date a human guy in the first place (answer? No male werewolves. Humans are the only option.) Eventually, the wondering and thinking turns into something plot-shaped, and I can start writing!
 
Without giving too much away to your future readers – what was your favorite scene and line from the book?
 
Okay . . . I do have a favorite, but I really can’t say anything about it. Except that it’s a scene late in the book, between two of the main characters. Any more than that is spoiler-y. Sorry! As far as a favorite line - that’s easier. I can tell you that there’s one particular line - a thought, actually. “One lie, two lie, red lie, blue lie.” In the context of the book, yeah, that’s my favorite. It was one of those lines that made me shiver when I wrote it, and I just *knew* that it belonged in the book.
 
Have there been any books you’ve recently read that have fast become one of your favorites?
 
Let’s see . . . favorites of late have been anything by Maureen Johnson (she’s funny in a way that I’m just not, and it makes me insanely jealous even though I love her stuff!) I also adore anything by John Green, and I’m *really* looking forward to WHITE CAT, Holly Black’s new one.
 
Any must haves while writing? Place, drink, time of day, etc?
 
I have two small kids, so my writing is pretty much catch-as-catch-can nowadays. Half the time, I’m writing in the car while both kids take a nap in the back seat, or late at night after they’re in bed. But I *do* have an ideal writing set-up. It never happens anymore - or, almost never - but it’s a brass ring worth chasing in my world! It goes like this: afternoon, on the couch, with a Diet Coke and reeeeally dark chocolate at hand. In that scenario, the writing pretty much always goes well, and I could write forever.
 
Are you currently working on anything? If so, what can you tell us about it and when we might see it in print?
 
Yes! I’m madly drafting the sequel for Claire de Lune. It’s currently slated for publication sometime in the summer of 2011, so you can expect to see more from Claire and Matthew and the rest of the Claire de Lune cast. Speaking of which . . . I have a deadline looming over me. Back to work!
 
Thanks for having me over for a chat. It was great!
 
Thanks for stoping by for the interview Christine, it was fun. Looking forward to the sequel to Claire de Lune!
 

For more information about the book and author, please visit these links:

Christine's Web Site

Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Web Site

My review of Claire de Lune

Ordering Info.

Amazon, Borders, Barns and Noble, The Book Depository

Check out the trailer for Claire de Lune here:

CONTEST NOW CLOSED!

And now for a Contest!

Christine has offered a finished copy of Claire de Lune to give away to one lucky winner!!

Rules are pretty simple.

Please fill out the form to enter:

Enter Here

Comments are always welcome! I love them just like the next person. However, entries in comments won't count.
You must be at least 13 years old to enter.
Open to US residents only, sorry!
Contest ends on May 30th, 2010

If you have any questions, please email and ask. If you email before May 5th I should be able to get back to you pretty quick, anything after that and it might be a couple days until I can respond. Don't forget to check out the Policy page for info as well.

Thanks to all who enter and Good Luck to you all!