Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for INTO THE BLACK by Ava Jae!
I have an interview with Ava to share with you today! And make sure to enter the giveaway below!
Haven't heard of INTO THE BLACK? Check it out!
The world ruler is dead, technology foundational to their society destroyed, and Safara is on the brink of collapse. Half-human, half-alien Eros is the rightful heir to the world throne, but before he can return to the capital, he's abducted by a rebel group of humans who call themselves The Remnant--and won't release him until he swears to help them overthrow the very government he's inheriting. With Eros missing, ex-queen Kora is determined to stave off mad grabs for the throne. But as royalty from across the territories flock to the capital, and a new charismatic candidate takes the spotlight, Kora sets off into the desert with a skilled prince-turned-bounty hunter to find Eros before it's too late for both the future king and his kingdom.
Now on to the interview!
Is there a title for book 3 yet? How about a cover?
Book 3 doesn’t have a cover yet (though that process will be starting sooooon) but it does have a title: THE RISING GOLD. It also *cough, mumble* has a Goodreads page if you wanna, you know, do that thing…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30965937-the-rising-gold
Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
Uh…nope! Everyone in the trilogy have been purely fictional people without any real-life counterparts.
Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
Deimos, who is a new character, was easily my favorite to write. From his very first line of dialogue I knew he was going to be an absolutely delight—and I was right. J I’m not sure I really had a least favorite to write—even the jerks were interesting to work with because they were jerks. Kora has remained the most challenging to write, though, from first book to last.
What is your favorite passage/scene in INTO THE BLACK?
I’m going to be vague about this because spoilers but there’s this one scene where Eros has to do this test, and before he does the actual testing portion he has to take some substances, which, er, put him in a good mood. He makes some really hilarious observations and his inner thoughts were super fun to write throughout that scene—plus the seriousness of the test he’s taking mixed with the ridiculousness of his state of mind was just a total blast to put together.
What kind of research did you have to do for the story?
Off the top of my head, I remember doing research on PTSD, brain injuries and partial blindness.
Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?
Nikolai from the Shadow & Bone trilogy has remained a favorite of mine for years. (And yes, I am very excited he’s getting his own book!)
What inspired you to write YA?
I sort of started writing YA before I knew what YA was—which I had no excuse for because YA was totally a thing at the time. But once I realized YA was actually what I was writing, I began reading more and more of it—and the more I read the more I knew that was what I wanted to write.
I’m in the middle of A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab, which I’ve been reading for months now—but between grad school and everything else I’ve had verrrry little time for pleasure reading. So I’m reading and enjoying that, and I have a mountainous TBR waiting for me, including The Ship Beyond Time, They Both Die at the End, There’s Someone Inside Your House, One Dark Throne, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, Heart of Iron and seriously so much more.
What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Ravenclaw!
Twitter or Facebook?
Twitter, obviously. ;)
Favorite Superhero?
Gambit from X-Men. Also Deadpool from X-Men.
Favorite TV show?
Sense8. Also Vikings. Also Stranger Things.
Sweet or Salty?
Both!
Any Phobias?
Spiders and bees are 100% terrifying 100% of the time.
Song you can’t get enough of right now?
The fully Spanish version of “Despacito.”
Winter Movie you’re most looking forward to?
STAR WARRRRRRRRRRRRS oh god why isn’t it December yet?
Thanks so much for having me! J
Hi Ava! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books I’m
happy you stopped by for a visit! INTO THE BLACK is going to be absolutely
fantastic and I can’t wait to read it!
Is there a title for book 3 yet? How about a cover?
Book 3 doesn’t have a cover yet (though that process will be starting sooooon) but it does have a title: THE RISING GOLD. It also *cough, mumble* has a Goodreads page if you wanna, you know, do that thing…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30965937-the-rising-gold
Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
Uh…nope! Everyone in the trilogy have been purely fictional people without any real-life counterparts.
Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
Deimos, who is a new character, was easily my favorite to write. From his very first line of dialogue I knew he was going to be an absolutely delight—and I was right. J I’m not sure I really had a least favorite to write—even the jerks were interesting to work with because they were jerks. Kora has remained the most challenging to write, though, from first book to last.
What is your favorite passage/scene in INTO THE BLACK?
I’m going to be vague about this because spoilers but there’s this one scene where Eros has to do this test, and before he does the actual testing portion he has to take some substances, which, er, put him in a good mood. He makes some really hilarious observations and his inner thoughts were super fun to write throughout that scene—plus the seriousness of the test he’s taking mixed with the ridiculousness of his state of mind was just a total blast to put together.
What kind of research did you have to do for the story?
Off the top of my head, I remember doing research on PTSD, brain injuries and partial blindness.
Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?
Nikolai from the Shadow & Bone trilogy has remained a favorite of mine for years. (And yes, I am very excited he’s getting his own book!)
What inspired you to write YA?
I sort of started writing YA before I knew what YA was—which I had no excuse for because YA was totally a thing at the time. But once I realized YA was actually what I was writing, I began reading more and more of it—and the more I read the more I knew that was what I wanted to write.
Lightning Round
Questions
What are you
reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
I’m in the middle of A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab, which I’ve been reading for months now—but between grad school and everything else I’ve had verrrry little time for pleasure reading. So I’m reading and enjoying that, and I have a mountainous TBR waiting for me, including The Ship Beyond Time, They Both Die at the End, There’s Someone Inside Your House, One Dark Throne, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, Heart of Iron and seriously so much more.
What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
Ravenclaw!
Twitter or Facebook?
Twitter, obviously. ;)
Favorite Superhero?
Gambit from X-Men. Also Deadpool from X-Men.
Favorite TV show?
Sense8. Also Vikings. Also Stranger Things.
Sweet or Salty?
Both!
Any Phobias?
Spiders and bees are 100% terrifying 100% of the time.
Song you can’t get enough of right now?
The fully Spanish version of “Despacito.”
Winter Movie you’re most looking forward to?
STAR WARRRRRRRRRRRRS oh god why isn’t it December yet?
Thanks so much Ava for answering my questions! I can’t wait for
everyone to read INTO THE BLACK!
About
Ava:
Ava Jae is a writer, an Assistant Editor at Entangled
Publishing, and is represented by Louise Fury of The Bent Agency. Her YA Sci-Fi
debut, BEYOND THE RED, is releasing March
2016 from Sky Pony Press. When she’s not writing about kissing, superpowers,
explosions, and aliens, you can find her with her nose buried in a book,
nerding out over the latest X-Men news, or hanging out on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, tumblr, Goodreads, Instagram, or YouTube
channel.
Giveaway Details:
3 winners
will receive a finished copy of INTO THE BLACK, US Only.
Tour Schedule:
Week
One:
11/6/2017- YA Books Central- Interview
11/7/2017- Here's to Happy
Endings- Review
11/8/2017- Wandering Bark
Books- Guest Post
11/9/2017- Dreamy
Addictions- Review
11/10/2017- The Cover Contessa- Interview
Week
Two:
11/13/2017- Literary Meanderings- Review
11/14/2017- Emily Reads Everything- Review
11/15/2017- Seeing
Double In Neverland- Review
11/16/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
