Pages

Friday, March 9, 2012

Enter to win a finished copy of Julie Kagawa's The Immortal Rules and a Q&A


Hey everyone! Thanks to Harlequin and Julie’s publicist we’re excited to share a Q&A with the awesome Julie Kagawa! We also have a finished copy of The Immortal Rules to give away to one lucky person. They’ll receive their copy after the release date on April 24th! So sit back relax and enjoy the Q&A then fill out the rafflecopter form for a chance to win your very own copy of this amazing book! Also if you’re not convinced that you need this book check out Jaime’s review here then come back!

A Q&A with
New York Times Best Selling Author Julie Kagawa

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

            It was...very different.  I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless.  Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group?  I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.


Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl.  Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

            Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase.  Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak.  While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.  

            As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers.  Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;) 

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book.  What changed your mind?

            Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses.  I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series.  I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.   

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire.  Would you have made that same decision? 

            Me personally?  No.  I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go.  Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

            Probably Kanin, Allie's sire.  He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules.  He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to.  He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone.  He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series?  When will the next book be coming out?

            At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer.  Do the professions share any similarities?

            Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot.  And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

            I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

            Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

            My "favorites" change daily.  Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

            Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas.  It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small.  I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

            Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

            Sweet.


            I used to play the flute when I was a kid.  I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.           


 Isn’t Julie awesome???? We know you’re excited to read it aren’t you???? Well fill out the form and good luck! The giveaway is only open to US and Canada residents.








a Rafflecopter giveaway

81 comments:

  1. Hey Girls!!!! Well you know how excited I'll be to read this!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love Julie Kagawa!!! Her Fey series is great!!! :D
    Shaina
    shaina333@comcast.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Julie Kagawa is the reason why I read YA. Any book of her's would be awesome to have!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm excited because I love Julie Kagawa's work. The Iron Fey was amazing, and this one sounds so too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm new to Julie Kagawa's work and I gotta say, I am LOVIN' The Iron Fey series so I am super excited to read her next series!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm excited because it sounds great! I love her work(:

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm so excited to see how much everyone wants this!

    -J

    ReplyDelete
  8. Because Julie wrote it!!! Seriously....she's awesome making.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AWESOME interview! Seriously, good job! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  10. I loved the Iron Fey series and Julie so when I heard that she was writing a whole new series about vampires, I was more than ecstatic. I love her writing and I can't wait to dive into this whole new world she built up. I just know it's going to epic!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great interview :) So excited for this book, I loved the Iron Fey series, and I love vampires books and I love post-apocalyptic books. So I pretty much love everything lol.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love Julie Kagawa and I have read the iron fey series and loved it! <3

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is epic! :) I wanted to read this one ever since I first heard about it. Why? Well, first of all: it's JULIE KAGAWA and she is awesomeness personified :) Then - did you see the freaking cover?! HOW GORGEOUS IS THAT?! Finally, the synopsis sounds wicked cool, and I just know that I will love, love, LOVE it! :)

    Thank you SO MUCH for this fantabulous giveaway. I totally love you for that!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am excited for Insurgent and Onyx!! There are too many!! I cant wait to read this book!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm excited to read this book because it sounds awesome! Plus I like the cover a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm very excited for this book!

    ReplyDelete
  17. It's actually been forever since I've read a YA vampire novel, so I'm really looking forward to this! Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi! I'm looking forward to reading this book because I'm curious on whether it can live up to the Iron Fey Series or not and vampyres were my original supernatural creatures that I loved to read about.

    vampyreprincess109(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  19. For starters its a vampire novel. And it sounds so good. Im sure it will be great.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm excited for anything by Julie Kagawa and because I LOVE vampires! Also the little teaser at the end of Iron Knight was sooo good I can't wait for more! Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series! I'm sure this one will be great too! Definitely on my TBR list!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    Leanne

    ReplyDelete
  22. I was really glad when I learned Julie was doing another series!
    The cover looks great and I can't wait to get my hands on this!

    Thank you gurls for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm a fan since the Iron King's release! :D

    ReplyDelete
  24. Cause It's written by Julie Kagawa *DUH*!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Vampire novel by Julie Kagawa? Yes, please. I'm hoping it'll bring back the badassery in vampire :D

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oo! Oo! Oo! I want this!!! :) I <3 The Iron Fey so I just know this book will rock...Uh!...it has vamps...and Jaime never disappoints in the books she recommends! :D

    ReplyDelete
  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Vampires AND post-apocalyptic future? I'm so there! :D

    ReplyDelete
  29. Looking forward to reading this book.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It's not a mushy, twilight vampire book.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'd be interested in finding out what Kanin is so tormented about. He sounds like the most intriguing character.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Im excited because It looks amazing and I loved Ash from her fey series!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book! Her Iron Fey series was just so great, I can't wait for her next book!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I loved The Iron Fey series, so I am excited to read anything that Julie writes now. :)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  35. So excited to read this I love the cover it looks amazing.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  36. I cannot wait to read this book! I love all of Julie Kagawa's books and I know this one is just going to be great!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'm excited to read this book because the cover intrigued me. I meen just look a the blood dripping eye! I'm love reading horror, thriller books, makes sense since I dont like watching horror, thriller movies. And another thing Julie Kagawa. As i the The Julie Kagawa! The creator of Prince Ash!, and well not so creator of Puck ( Shakespeare already covered that part ), but still, Puck! I am just so excited to read more from this author! Love to Jamie, Patricia and Julie!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Even though I'm not finished reading the Iron Fey series (they're sitting in my TBR pile) I'm dying to read this because I love Julie as a writer and this series sounds interesting and so different from her previous series.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Since first reading The Iron King I've known I'd read anything Julie wrote. She has a way of building a world you want to be in and the characters to make your stay there an emotional rainbow. Can't wait to read The Immortal Rules. :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Oooh, Skillet! LOVE them! :) I cannot wait to read The Immortal Rules! <333 Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I'm excited to read TMR because I absolutely LOVE JK's Iron Fey series and I know she won't disappoint in this one! <333

    ReplyDelete
  42. It sounds so interesting I can't wait to read it

    ReplyDelete
  43. I still like vampires so am excited to give this one a try!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I'm really excited to read this new twist on vampires.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Because Julie creates beautiful believable worlds

    ReplyDelete
  46. Vampires! And I really want to try one of Julie's books (yes, I'm a bit behind on reading certain books, lol).

    ReplyDelete
  47. I enjoyed the Iron King series so much I know that this one will be great too, that's why I'm excited for the release.

    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  48. I am excited to read this book because I love Julie's writing!! Cannot wait to see what world she has created in The Immortal Rules since I loved what she did with The Iron Fey series!!

    itlnsilver (at) yahoo (dot) ca

    ReplyDelete
  49. I'm excited to read this book because it's written by Julie Kagawa!! I loved her Iron Fey series and can't wait to see her take on vampires!
    Jessi @ Auntie Spinelli Reads

    ReplyDelete
  50. I LOVED her Iron Fey series and really want to read her next series which im sure will be just as good!

    ReplyDelete
  51. This seems like a very different take on vampires. Because of the overexposure the genre got, the plotlines of most stories fell into a sequence that was cursed into being perpetually overdone. This idea reminds me of the movie Daybreakers, a complete left turn from the franchise. I'm really excited to check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  52. I loved the Iron Fey and Julie's writing style, and I love vampires. I can't go wrong :)

    ReplyDelete
  53. EEEEEEEEEEE!! This was such an awesome interview, guys :D The Immortal Rules sounds completely different from the Iron Fey series but I'm still so excited! I have complete trust in Julie and I'm just really anticipating an awesome new book. And aaaah, Julie mentioned Harry Potter! I feel like I have some radar inside me that immediately seeks out those two words but I had no idea that she was a fan! That's fabulous. Thank you so much for the interview and giveaway! Fingers crossed.

    Sonia

    ReplyDelete
  54. LOVE the cover and love Vampires! Sounds like a great book and i cant wait to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  55. One word- Julie. Her books are always breathtaking.

    ReplyDelete
  56. I have not read any of this author's work and would love to start somewhere. I hear great things about her series and have enjoyed reading the different interviews and reviews. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy.

    ReplyDelete
  57. I am SOOOOOO excited to read this because it's something that is completely different from the Iron Fey series. Seeing how Julie's mind works it always great and exciting :)

    ReplyDelete
  58. Heard it compared to the Walking Dead (my fav TV show)so after reading some early reviews knew I had to have it.

    ReplyDelete
  59. I'm excited to read Julie's take on vampires!

    ReplyDelete
  60. OMG I'm really looking forward to this! I loved the Iron Fey and this new take on vampires sounds too interesting not to check it out!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Big fan of Julie kagawa's iron fey series and this new series sounds great and can't wait to read it

    ReplyDelete
  62. Julie Kagawa weaving a tale about vamps, my favorite being? Of course I'd be excited! It'll be awesome and the heroine seems complicated and interesting and conflicted.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Christina Kit. in the rafflecopter

    Julie Kagawa weaving a tale about vamps, my favorite being? Of course I'd be excited! It'll be awesome and the heroine seems complicated and interesting and conflicted.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Haven't read her other series yet, but this one looks good!

    ReplyDelete
  65. Love Julie's work and I can't wait to get my hands on this new one.

    ReplyDelete
  66. I'm so excited about this book! I love Julie's Iron Fey series and I know this book is going to be fantastic <3 Thanks so much for such an awesome giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  67. I love her books and can't wait for the new series!

    ReplyDelete
  68. Number one because it's JULIE FREAKING KAGAWA!
    Also because the Iron Fey series is my all time fave series, so yeah, I NEED her next series :D
    Who wouldn't be excited? lol

    Thanks so much for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  69. It's because I know Julie Kagawa is one of the greatest authors..
    Thank you for the giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  70. Heck yeah I'm excited to read this! It's Julie Kagawa!

    ReplyDelete
  71. I have never read any of her books before. I know right, how could that be! I love vampire books and am always looking for a fun new take on things. This one offers just that! Can't wait to read it!

    ReplyDelete
  72. I loved the Iron Fey series and all I can say about Julie + Dysopian Vampires = DO WANT! ;) Very excited to read this one!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.