Blog Tour: Interivew with Author Maggie Stiefvater + a Contest!!

Title: Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 368 Pages (July 13th 2010)

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

I'm a HUGE fan of both of Maggie's series - Mercy Falls and Books of Faerie and was more then excited to be able to do a interview with her. I hope you'll all enjoy this just as much as I did (and still am) if not more.

1. Can you tell us what a usual day in the life of Maggie Stiefvater is like?

One of the things I love about being a writer is that there is no usual day. Hmm, let me try to break it down roughly, though. I guess I bundle the kids off to school, make myself a giant steaming mug of tea with lots of sugar, and then check e-mails. That is pretty reliable. After that, though, I may have scenes to write, revisions to do, copy edits to tackle, interviews to answer, or trailers to create. If I’m drafting, I try to hit 2,000 words in a day -- that’s one solid scene, roundabout. But really the only rule is that there are no solid rules.

2. You are one of the most creative people/authors around, is there anything you have yet to master that you either want to try or have tired and just can’t get the hang of?

Thanks. *grin* I can’t make tortillas. I’m not very good at bowling. I can’t eat preservatives. Do those count? Mostly if I’m not good at something, I throw myself at getting better at it. I’m not really good about giving up, even if I’m not in love with doing something.

3. For your Mercy Falls series – what’s been the hardest part in writing such stunning characters and the world around them?

Remembering to keep the gestures small and intimate and problems personal and realistic. It’s really tempting to make every book BIGGER, BADDER, MORE EXPLOSIONS! than the last one, but I think Hollywood’s shown us that we don’t really need more, more, more in each sequel -- we just need character growth.

4. Without giving too much away do you have a favorite line or quote from Shiver and/or Linger you could share with us?

Hmmm. *gets book* I think I have to say “She was so interesting-looking and unpretty that she actually traveled through ugly to someplace on the other side that was almost as good as pretty” from Linger.

5. Is it, or will it be hard writing The Mercy Falls series in 3 books knowing how many of us have fallen utterly and completely in love with this series? Will it be hard to know when Forever is finished that the story of Sam and Grace is finished? Or will the door be left cracked for something else down the road to feature… well I know for me, one of my all time favorite couples?

I would be definitely lying if I said it wasn’t different writing for an audience of several hundred thousand instead of one. But the big challenge is reminding myself that ultimately, I have to pretend like you guys don’t exist while I’m drafting, and just write without being afraid of the consequences.

And I think FOREVER is truly the end. I never like to say never, because I said I’d never write about werewolves and look at me. But FOREVER answers the questions I have for the people I’ve invented. I hope readers feel the same way.

6. And lastly…. Could you ask Sam and Grace a question for all of us???

“Sam, Grace? Batman or Ironman?”

Sam: Batman.

Grace: Ironman

Thank you so much for taking the time out to answers these questions Maggie!!

Thank you so much for having me!

If you haven't already - be sure to check out the pretty amazing trailer for Linger!



You can find Maggie and more information about her books at the following links:

Website
Blog
Twitter
Shiver Series Site
Facebook
Scholastic.com official Shiver page

CONTEST TIME!!

Looking to get your hands on a finished copy of Linger? Well, now's your chance to enter to win your own pretty, shiny copy! The amazing people Scholastic have offered a copy to one lucky winner.

Rules are, as always simple.

This contest is open to US residents only. Sorry!
You must be 13 years or older to enter.
Contest ends on - August 10th, 2010

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!!

 

Please enter using THIS FORM.

Entries in comments will not count, but as always I love to hear from you all, just no entries in comments please. Good luck to everyone!