I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on blog tour for CIRCLE OF JINN by Lori Goldstein! I have an interview with Lori to
share with you today! And make sure to enter the awesome pre-order giveaway!
Haven't heard of CIRCLE OF JINN? Check it out!
Author: Lori Goldstein
Pub. Date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Being Jinn is Azra’s new reality. As she grants wishes under the watchful eye of the Afrit council, she remains torn between her two worlds—human and Jinn. Soon, secrets spill. Zars are broken. Humans become pawns. And rumors of an uprising become real as the Afrit’s reach extends beyond the underground world of Janna.
Straddling the line becomes impossible. Aware of her unique abilities, Azra must not just face but embrace her destiny. But when the role she must play and those she must protect expand to include a circle of Jinn greater than her own, Azra will be forced to risk everything. A risk that means there’s everything to lose, and at the same time, everything to gain—for herself and her entire Jinn race.
In this dramatic sequel to Becoming Jinn, Azra’s story comes to a heartfelt and thrilling conclusion.
Now on to the interview!
Hi Lori! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books! I’m
so happy you could stop by and can’t wait to read CIRCLE OF JINN!
For the readers: can you give us a little recap BECOMING
JINN and the characters?
First of all, thanks so much for having me
back! I can’t believe it’s been a year since BECOMING JINN released!
BECOMING JINN is a modern spin on the tale of
wish-granting genies. It’s a contemporary fantasy, set in my home state of
Massachusetts, and follows the main character, Azra, from the day she receives
the magical powers that turn her into a Jinn. On the one hand, magic is great
(teleportation, hello!), but on the other, she’s now tied to the harsh rulers
of the Jinn world, the Afrit. Book one centers on Azra learning to use her
magic, reconciling where she fits in the Jinn world and with her Zar sisters,
especially Laila, her best friend, and Yasmin, the opposite of her best friend,
as well as what her role in the human world is including her relationships with
Henry, her neighbor, and Nate, the lifeguard at the beach where she works for
the summer on whom she develops a serious crush. Stakes are raised by the end
of the book regarding who the Afrit—and Azra—really are.
So what can we expect from CIRCLE OF JINN?
CIRCLE OF JINN picks up two weeks after
BECOMING JINN ends. It deals with the aftermath of the tragic incident that
closes book one and sees Azra uncovering a lot more about the Afrit, her
father, and herself. If book one is about Azra learning about the Jinn, book
two is about her learning about the Afrit and the underground world of Janna.
Now that the series is over what are you working on?
I’m sad to not be writing Azra anymore as I
love her voice. I needed a complete change in order to transition out, so I’m
working on a contemporary YA that’s been an idea I’ve had for more than a year
and am just coming to the close of writing the manuscript. No one tells you how
hard it is to keep writing while also promoting! But slow and steady wins the
race, right?
Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people
from your real life?
No. I may take a name (my old cat, a friend,
grandmother) from my real life and sometimes a quirk or two, but there’s no one
who’s fully someone I know. The characters come to life on their own.
Who was your favorite character to write? What about your
least favorite?
Azra is my favorite. Her voice comes so
naturally to me, I don’t even have to think about it. She’s just there, ready
and willing to leap onto the page. I’m not sure I have a least favorite, though
sometimes channeling Laila, who is so very different from Azra and in some ways
more like me than Azra is, can take some time. Hard to write someone closer to
yourself, I guess!
What is your favorite passage/scene in CIRCLE OF JINN?
There is a scene at the end of CIRCLE between
Henry and Azra that is my absolute favorite. It had me bawling while I wrote
it, while I revised it, and just about each time I re-read it. It’s the
culmination of all they’ve been through together and the uncertainty of what’s
to come. It might be my favorite scene of the entire series, but that’s all I
can say because it’s a major spoiler!
What kind of research did you have to do for the story?
I didn’t have to do much for CIRCLE OF JINN
because the groundwork was laid in BECOMING JINN. Though I did some browsing
online at photos of areas in Morocco and the Middle East to inspire me to write
certain scenes, but that’s getting spoiler-y. For BECOMING JINN, I did a lot of
research into the Jinn, both from an academic standpoint and a spiritual one.
Much of what I learned and read found its way into the story and mythology of
the Jinn, from their love of sweets to their dislike of salt to the ancestry
that Azra begins to discover in CIRCLE OF JINN. It’s great fun for me to
integrate these nuggets even if most people won’t recognize them as being
actual pieces of Jinn lore. Like my own Easter eggs!
What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your
TBR that you’re
dying to read?
I am about to start the first Outlander book,
based on the recommendation (ahem, shoving) of my friend, Trisha Leaver, author
of the terrific The Secrets We Keep.
Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend?
I’ve got to go with my boy, Damon Salvatore!
What inspired you to write YA?
YA is simply a great fit for the story ideas
I have and the characters traipsing through my head. It’s less a conscious
genre decision and more about the stories I want to tell.
Since we did lightning round questions last time I thought
we could do some “would you rathers”
Would you rather wear a prom dress for the rest of your
life or sweats? Prom dress, I like dressing up!
Would you rather have the ability to fly or teleport? TELEPORT!!! I hate riding in cars.
Would you rather have the ability to read minds or to heal?
To heal, for sure.
Would you rather change the past or be able to see into the
future? The future. (And it’s not about lottery
numbers…well, not JUST about lottery
numbers.)
Would you rather read one awesome book for the rest of your
life or a hundred mediocre books? A hundred
mediocre because then I can spin the ways I’d write them and change them.
Would you rather have a dragon or be a dragon? Ooh, have one, though I know from Game of Thrones the challenge that
would be!
Would you rather speak every language in the world or play
every instrument? Speak every language. Wow, how
cool would that be? I love to travel and without the language barrier, would
feel so free to do so.
Would you rather take a vacation on an exotic island or in
a romantic city? Exotic island, love the beach!
Would you rather live in the city or the country? Both—city house and country vacation house!
Thanks so much Lori for answering my
questions! It was a pleasure to have you on the blog!
Thank you for having me and being such a
great JINN supporter!
PREORDER GIVEAWAY!
The sequel to BECOMING JINN, which VOYA Magazine named one of the Best
Science, Fiction, Fantasy or Horror of 2015 in a starred review, releases
on May 17, 2016.
Advance praise for CIRCLE
OF JINN from Booklist says “book two takes a sharp turn into high fantasy . . .
Romance and wish granting take a backseat to friendship, political intrigue,
and Azra’s maturation and ongoing discovery of her heritage. Fans of the first
book should be satisfied by this conclusion.”
Preorder or buy a new
copy of CIRCLE OF JINN by May 27, 2016, and you’ll automatically become a
genie* yourself!
Every preorder,
including signed preorders from Lori’s local indie, Porter Square Books (both books available for signed
orders), will be mailed a signed bookmark, signed bookplate, and metallic
bracelet tattoos.
But wait, there’s more!
You’ll also be entered into the grand giveaway to win one of the exact
shiny silver bangles featured on the cover of both Becoming Jinn and Circle
of Jinn. Details: http://www.lorigoldsteinbooks.com/2016/04/18/preorder-time/
* Swag includes temporary bracelet tattoos; the
power to become a Jinn must already be inside you.
About Lori:
My debut novel, the Young Adult Contemporary
Fantasy Becoming Jinn, is a modern spin on the traditional tale of
wish-granting genies. It will be released on April 21, 2015, by Feiwel and
Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s. The sequel will follow in Spring
2016. I am represented by Lucy Carson of The Friedrich Agency.
Too much of my day involves chatting books,
obsessing over The Vampire Diaries, and perfecting the art of efficient writing
through Twitter. Find me at @loriagoldstein and follow my blog at
www.lorigoldsteinbooks.com or my Tumblr at
http://lorigoldsteinbooks.tumblr.com. Like my author page on Facebook for fun
book-related photos, tidbits, and happenings as well as news on Becoming Jinn.
Tour Schedule:
11-May- Curling Up With A
Good Book
12-May- Adventures
of A Book Junkie
13-May- Fiktshun
14-May- The Reading Nook Reviews
15-May- Two Chicks on Books
17-May- Fierce
Reads
