Blog Tour- UMBERLAND by Wendy Spinale An Interview & Giveaway!

Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for UMBERLAND by Wendy Spinale! I adore Wendy and this series!! If you haven't read them you really should!

I have an interview with Wendy to share with you today! And make sure to enter the giveaway below!

Haven't heard of UMBERLAND? Check it out!

Title: UMBERLAND

Author: Wendy Spinale

Pub. Date: May 2, 2017

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 288

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, TBD, iBooks, Goodreads

What began with a reimagining of Peter Pan and Wendy now twists into a stunning version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass!

Gwen, Pete, and the others have escaped from Everland. But the safe haven they hoped to find at Alnwick Castle doesn't exist. With the Queen of England on her deathbed, Duchess Alyssa has stepped in to lead, but things have gotten worse as the cure Doc created for the Horologia virus has mutated, accelerating the disease. The only possible solution he can think of is to go back to the virus's origin: an extinct poisonous apple.

Legend has it a tree bearing the apple might be found at the center of a deadly labyrinth hidden deep within Germany. A place that no one in their right mind enters. Leaving Pete in charge of the survivors, Alyssa sets out with only her sword, her wits, and the help of Maddox Hadder, a wild boy who oversees the castle gardens. To get to the center of the maze, she'll be forced to battle monsters more terrifying than her darkest nightmares.

But can anyone truly survive the madness of the maze? And what if there's no apple to be found there? 

Now on to the interview!

Hi Wendy! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books! Umberland was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

For the readers: can you give us a recap of what happened in Everland and what we can expect in Umberland?

Everland, a dark, steampunk retelling of the original Peter Pan and Wendy story, takes place in post-war London. A virus has broken out and the only survivors, with a few exceptions, are the children. Pete, Gwen, and an eclectic group of Lost Boys set out to save Gwen’s sister, Joanna, from the ruthless Captain Hook, who believes that a girl might be the one who holds the cure. At the Bloodred Queen’s bidding, he is responsible for the destruction and release of the deadly disease, but the children refuse to die.

Umberland is the hope for those who survived Everland, but it isn’t all that was expected. The disease has mutated, making its victims more animal than human. Alyssa, the Duchess of Alnwick, joins forces with the caretaker of the Poison Garden, Maddox Hadder, to retrieve a forgotten deadly apple thought to be found in the center of a deadly labyrinth. It’s believed this apple might be the cure to the virus. 

But our heroes aren’t the only ones looking for it . . .

So Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was your choice this time. Why did you choose it? And why do you love writing retellings?

When I planned the series, I looked for common things in fairy tales I loved. Clocks, airships, Victorian themes, tea parties, London. Both Peter Pan and Wendy and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland had those elements. I did my best to come up with a story that could be inclusive of the elements they had in common. I enjoy fairy tales and retellings because I grew up with them and then I worked with them as a Disneyland actress. They took up more than half my life. It only makes sense to go back to the things I love.

Is this the end for Gwen, Pete, and company? Or will there be more stories? There is one more story in the works. Beyond that . . . only time will tell.

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

This would be where I would say “OMG!!! YES!!!” I worked with some phenomenal people during my time at Disneyland. I played hide and seek with Peter Pan, ate lunch (not tea) with Alice, and had arguments with Captain Hook. And while those characters were so true and brilliant out in the park, behind the scenes, they were unbelievable people and lifetime friends. To this day, they are family and always, always will be. I’m forever indebted to them for their love and support.

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

In Umberland? Jack was an intriguing character to delve into. He’s so complicate in so many levels. I’m still surprised as we journey into book three by his choices. Pete was a hard one to write. I missed the brash, charismatic Pete in Everland. He’s become so jaded in book two. I’m hoping we’ll see him bounce back in book three.

What is your favorite passage/scene in Umberland?

I can’t divulge too much on this question. I will say this: one of my favorite characters doesn't make it out of Umberland alive. I cried writing it. Tried to change it. But ultimately, the story demanded this scene. It’s my favorite because it is someone in the midst of fear, of tyranny, of terror, he rises up and gives everything he has to be sure those he loves lives.

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

I’ve never been to England. So the entire setting of Alnwick, the Poison Garden, Lohr Castle . . . all of it require hours of research, maps, tourism brochures, history behind the cities and castles. Oh, and watching lots of Harry Potter movies. Why? Because Hogwarts was filmed at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England.

What inspired you to write YA?

When I write, it sounds young adult in my head. I blush when it comes to adult themes and I don’t quite get the middle grade. I guess my creativity is stuck in YA.

Lightening Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

I’m reading Carval by Stephanie Garber.

Team Cap, Team Iron Man, Team Hulk, Team Black Widow, or Team Thor?

Team Thor. I met him today at the pet store. He’s a fluffy (obese) chinchilla at the pet store. I’m seriously thinking about bringing him home. And, yes, the chinchilla’s name was Thor.

Would you rather live in Neverland or Wonderland?

Not a fair question. Can I buy lakefront property in both lands?

Favorite TV show?

The Big Bang Theory

Sweet or Salty?

Spicy

Any Phobias?

Interview questions J

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

I just discovered a song called “Peter Pan” by Kelsea Ballerini. Seriously, it’s the story of my life.

2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Movies? What are those?

Thanks so much Wendy for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read Umberland!

About Wendy:

I must admit, I have lived an extraordinary life and will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had.

I was the middle of three kids, my older brother being deaf for as far back as I can remember. At the time, I didn't realize how much that would later impact my life. I was a sign language interpreter for a short time (although I'm extremely rusty now), taught my kids to sign as infants, and now am using that experience in my current manuscript.

During college I was living in southern California working for Disneyland as a Cast Member in the Entertainment Department. I met my husband there who was also a performer. After four incredible years working with the Mouse, we moved to his hometown in the Bay Area.

I eventually got my Bachelor's in Kinesiology and worked in the fitness industry for ten years before a knee injury ended my career. Not sure what to do with my time, I applied to job posting to be an online journalist. I loved writing, but had no experience. I didn't hear back so I wrote up a review about a local restaurant and sent it to them to prove I could do the job. Twenty-four hours later, I was a journalist with AOL Media/Pleasanton Patch.

I spent three great years with them before cut backs forced me without a job again. That's when I started writing my first novel, which went nowhere. Dozens of rejection letters later. I started a second book. A year later I was offered representation by Thao Le from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and within another six months I was offered a book deal. EVERLAND (Scholastic) is scheduled to debut Summer of 2016!

Today I live in the Bay Area with my husband and three sons who are my biggest fans. While they're off at work and school, I bounce ideas off my four-legged, furry family members, Odie and Sammy.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of UMBERLAND, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/1/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview

5/2/2017- A Glass Of Wine Blog- Review

5/3/2017- Margie's Must Reads- Excerpt

5/4/2017- Swoony Boys Podcast- Review

5/5/2017- Brittany's Book Rambles- Guest Post

Week Two:

5/8/2017- BookHounds YA- Review

5/9/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

5/10/2017- History from a Woman's Perspective- Review

5/11/2017- YA Books Central- Interview

5/12/2017- Emily Reads Everything- Review 

Go back to where it all started and get the prequel and book 1!

Blog Tour- EVERLAND by Wendy Spinale An Interview & Giveaway!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on blog tour for EVERLAND by Wendy Spinale! I freaking LOVED this book it was such an interesting take on Peter Pan!!!! I have an interview with Wendy to share with you today! And make sure to enter the awesome giveaway for a finished copy of the book! 

Haven't heard of EVERLAND? Check it out!

Title: EVERLAND

Author: Wendy Spinale

Pub. Date: May 10, 2016

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Format: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Find it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

Forget the story of Peter Pan you know. Because in Everland, the only way to grow up is to survive.

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German Army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a mysterious boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook? 

Now on to the interview!

Hi Wendy! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! Everland was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

Thanks for having me! I appreciate your time and am excited to share some EVERLAND tidbits with you.

For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about Everland and the characters?

Everland is Peter Pan and Wendy cast with a steampunk twist.   Captain Hook and his army of Marauders have bombed London exposing a deadly virus. Only London’s kids have survived. Hook is seeking the cure with the help of the Professor, a biological lab technician; both believe one of the surviving children carries the antibodies for the cure. Gwen Darling, the eldest of three, fights to protect her siblings, but when her sister is taken she must journey to Everland with the help of Pete and a gang of Lost boys to save her sister and find out the truth about the virus.

Why make a post-apocalyptic/steampunk Peter Pan with no magic?

Creating a Peter Pan world without magic is easily solved with pixie dust, faith and trust, and happy thoughts. I wanted to create a grittier Peter Pan where problems aren’t so easily solved with a poof of magic. I think Everland delves into a conflict we all confront: growing up amidst a world that isn’t exactly a fairy tale.  Peter Pan is never going to come and whisk us away from the responsibilities that come with being an adult. Tinkerbell isn’t going to shower us with pixie dust so that we can reach that far off goal we want. Life is tough and Everland addresses the hard knocks that it takes to grow up in a world that isn’t always bent on happy thoughts.

Do you have a title for book 2 yet?

Still in the works. Yes!

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

YES! YES! YES! First off, Gabs, the quirky little Lost Boy was inspired by my nine-year-old son who is autistic. That boy has stories that never end. As I was creating characters, I immediately knew I had to have one Lost Boy that was like my little Riley. Also, Pete was inspired by my dear Disney friend Guy De La Cruz, and Hook was inspired by my Disney friend Phil Hill. Although Phil isn’t nearly as jaded, he has a heart of gold. I wanted Hook to be a bad guy, but not for the sake of being a bad guy, but because he genuinely has a good heart, but is misunderstood.

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

Gabs by far is my favorite because I can relate to him so closely. His voice, as crazy as this sounds, was the voice that dominated in creating the story and I had to scale him back. He’s funny, sweet, and encompasses all that is innocent. I didn’t have a least favorite although I will say that Jack is complicated and I’m still trying to figure him out. 

What is your favorite passage/scene in Everland?

My favorite passage is the scene when Gwen tells Pete not to die and Pete responds, “To die would be an awfully big adventure.”

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

Aside from reading the original Peter Pan and Wendy story, I did have to do a lot of research on steampunk and what that meant, from clothes, to weapons, to ideals, and politics.  I used a lot of maps to understand the routes of the Underground and iconic buildings in London. Book two is requiring far more research because it is set outside of London and although there is some information available, it is far less than researching London.

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

I do love Jace in Cassandra Clare’s Immortal Instruments series.

What inspired you to write YA?

Honestly, I really connect with the YA voice. I’ve dabbled with adult, but there’s something inside of me that just can’t quite get the adult voice quite right. Middle grade resonates with me as well, but not to the extent that YA does.

Lightening Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read? Currently, I am rereading something for book three. Since I don’t want to give away any spoilers, I won’t tell you what I’m reading. As far as my TBR list, I have to say my stack of YA 2016 debuts is taller than my kid. Symptoms of Being Human, Underwater, Into the Dim, The Girl From Everywhere, Beyond the Red, Abyss Surrounds Us, Summer Sloane, Ivory and Bone, Future Shock, and Firsts are currently in my ordered or pre-order lists.

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

Interesting enough I average fairly equal between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor but am higher in Hufflepuff.

Twitter or Facebook? Twitter all the way!!

Favorite Superhero? Elektra. I love strong female heroines.

Favorite TV show? The Big Bang Theory. Humor is the best medicine.

Sweet or Salty? Salty

Any Phobias? I have no real phobias, meaning I can endure anything. Flying in airplanes is not my favorite thing, but I do fly when I need to.

Song you can’t get enough of right now? Ha ha! This is an easy question. “Lost Boy” by Ruth B.

Spring Movie you’re most looking forward to? Movies? I have no idea what is even in the theater right now. One thing about being an author is that sometimes you lose track on new release films and get behind on your television episodes. Right now my only entertainment is watching my dogs chase the tennis balls.

Thanks so much Wendy for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read EVERLAND!

About Wendy:

I must admit, I have lived an extraordinary life and will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had.

I was the middle of three kids, my older brother being deaf for as far back as I can remember. At the time, I didn't realize how much that would later impact my life. I was a sign language interpreter for a short time (although I'm extremely rusty now), taught my kids to sign as infants, and now am using that experience in my current manuscript.

During college I was living in southern California working for Disneyland as a Cast Member in the Entertainment Department. I met my husband there who was also a performer. After four incredible years working with the Mouse, we moved to his hometown in the Bay Area.

I eventually got my Bachelor's in Kinesiology and worked in the fitness industry for ten years before a knee injury ended my career. Not sure what to do with my time, I applied to job posting to be an online journalist. I loved writing, but had no experience. I didn't hear back so I wrote up a review about a local restaurant and sent it to them to prove I could do the job. Twenty-four hours later, I was a journalist with AOL Media/Pleasanton Patch.

I spent three great years with them before cut backs forced me without a job again. That's when I started writing my first novel, which went nowhere. Dozens of rejection letters later. I started a second book. A year later I was offered representation by Thao Le from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and within another six months I was offered a book deal. EVERLAND (Scholastic) is scheduled to debut Summer of 2016!

Today I live in the Bay Area with my husband and three sons who are my biggest fans. While they're off at work and school, I bounce ideas off my four-legged, furry family members, Odie and Sammy.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of EVERLAND, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/2/2016- Brittany's Book Rambles- Interview

5/3/2016- BookHounds YA- Review

5/4/2016- Novel Novice- Guest Post

5/5/2016- A Glass Of Wine- Review

5/6/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

Week Two:

5/9/2016- Beauty and the Bookshelf- Review

5/10/2016- Pandora's Books- Excerpt

5/11/2016- Please Feed the Bookworm- Review

5/12/2016- Once Upon a Twilight- Excerpt

5/13/2016- 5 Girls Book Reviews- Review

Top Ten Tuesday (63)- My Five Childhood Characters I'd Love To Revisit As An Adult

Hi thanks for stopping by!!! And welcome to my Top 10 Tuesday post! 

Thanks to the lovely ladies at The Broke And The Bookish for creating this weekly meme!

Here's this week's topic.

May 3: Ten Childhood Characters You'd Love To Revisit As Adults 

I don't remember many of the books I read as a little kid so I'm going to also use some of the books I read as a teen although most of those were adult books so my list may be short.

1. Alice from Alice In Wonderland. 

2. All the kids from Peter Pan.

3. The Characters from The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith. (The original 4 books not the new ones and not the crappy ghost written ones)

4. The Characters from The Secret Circle by L. J. Smith. 

5. The Characters from Sweet Valley High (and no I didn't read the book about them as adults lol)

So what about you? What Fantasy books are on your list? And check back next week for my Ten Websites I Love That Aren't About Books!

Hugs,

Jaime

Blog Tour- UNHOOKED by Lisa Maxwell Talks about Good and Evil in Neverland & A Giveaway!

I am so excited to be hosting a spot on blog tour for UNHOOKED by Lisa Maxwell I loved this book if you haven't yet check out my review HERE. I have a guest post about the good and evil in Neverland to share with you! And make sure to enter the awesome giveaway! 

Haven't heard of UNHOOKED? Check it out!

Title: UNHOOKED

Author: Lisa Maxwell

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Pages: 352

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Formats: Hardcover & eBook

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks

From “talented wordsmith” (Publishers Weekly) Lisa Maxwell comes a lush, atmospheric fantasy novel filled with twists and turns about a girl who is kidnapped and brought to an island inhabited by fairies, a roguish ship captain, and bloodthirsty beasts.

For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home. Her mother believes they are being hunted by brutal monsters, and those delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. Gwen’s only saving grace is that her best friend, Olivia, is with her for the summer.

But shortly after their arrival, the girls are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and dragged to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey. And Gwen begins to realize that maybe her mother isn’t so crazy after all…

Gwen discovers that this new world she inhabits is called Neverland, but it’s nothing like the Neverland you’ve heard about in stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through your fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and tries to find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the captivating pirate who promises to keep her safe.

Caught in the ultimate battle between good and evil, with time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to finally face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But can she save Neverland without losing herself? 

Now on to the post!

I asked Lisa. What made you want to flip Neverland on its heels? Why make the villain the good guy and Peter the bad guy? 

I’m not sure that anyone is really good or bad in the moral sense in UNHOOKED. There are people who want to kill Gwen, and people who want to kill her more. They all have their reasons for wanting to kill her, and they all believe their own reasons are noble. Gwen, of course, disagrees.

Part of the reason I wanted to flip the usual understanding of good and evil in Neverland is that Barrie already did the job for me. If you go back to the source material—Peter and Wendy¬—Captain Hook is a nasty piece of work, but Peter Pan is not exactly someone you’d want taking your kids out the window. In Barrie’s book, Peter Pan is not a “good guy,” in the usual sense of the word. He’s the hero, but in the original story, Peter Pan only cares about his own amusement, not the lives of Wendy, John, Michael, or any of his boys. In fact, there is a line that suggests he kills off his own boys when they get too old or there are too many of them. The truth is, in Barrie’s story, most kids don’t come back from Neverland, and they also don’t go on living happily forever on those magic shores. In Barrie’s story, the lost boys are expendable—there’s always a new crop showing up.
Part of Barrie’s story that I think has gotten lost is that his Peter Pan has no sense of empathy. The character doesn’t care about human life—only about his own amusement and how clever he is. He’s manipulative and often lies to the children to get his way. In Peter Pan, Barrie created the perennial child—he’s joy and adventure, a child who laughs each time like it’s the first time he’s ever laughed and who still has all of his baby teeth. That’s charming, but Peter Pan is also basically an overgrown two-year old. If you really think about what it would be like to have a two-year-old the size of a ten-year-old? No thanks.

Someone once said that all toddlers are sociopaths, and I’m fairly certain from my own experience that it might be true. ;O)  The thing is, when kids are that young, you have to teach and model empathy. For a two-year-old, it’s all about wanting things and wanting them NOW, and Barrie’s Peter Pan is very much like that. He’s not necessarily evil, but he is basically a sociopath—he wants what he wants, and the safety or happiness of others is irrelevant. 

But another Part of Peter Pan’s heartlessness in Barrie’s book comes from the fact that his version of Neverland inspires forgetting. All of the characters—Wendy and her brothers, included—start to forget who they were before once they are in Neverland. Like most very small children, Peter Pan doesn’t have long-term memory. In the source book, Peter forgets about the three siblings on their way to Neverland, and leaves them flying along without a guide for days. After he finally kills Hook—his great nemesis—he doesn’t even remember him. “I always forget them after I kill them,” he says. In short, life in the Neverland of Barrie’s book is all about the moment, not about the past or future. That means it’s full of adventure, but it’s also full of darkness.

In my Neverland, I wanted to play with that idea of the island inspiring forgetting—something that most popular versions of the story do away with—because I wanted to explore what makes us human. If you can’t remember the emotional impact of a death, can you value life? If you lose your memories, who are you and who might you become? My Pan has been in Neverland for a loooong time. But then, so has the pirate. While there’s definitely a character you probably will root for more, the lines between good an evil get blurred in UNHOOKED. All that’s left is what you can do and what you will do, and it’s a question that each of the characters wrestle with in their own way.

Check out a teaser graphic or two!

About Lisa: 

Lisa Maxwell is the author of Sweet Unrest, Gathering Deep (Flux, Fall 2015) and Unhooked (Simon Pulse, Spring 2016). When she's not writing books, she's an English professor at a local college. She lives near DC with her very patient husband and two not-so patient boys.

Find Lisa: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram

Giveaway Details:

 (1) winner will receive a signed finished copy of UNHOOKED, a large Neverland map, and a Funko Pop Captain Hook, US Only.

(5) winners will receive a swag pack containing a NVR sticker, bookmark, postcard, other stickers, US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/25/2016- Supernatural Snark- Interview

1/26/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review

1/27/2016- Please Feed the Bookworm- Guest Post

1/28/2016- Stories & Sweeties- Review

1/29/2016- A Glass Of Wine- Interview

Week Two:

2/1/2016- A Reader Under The Sea- Review

2/2/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

2/3/2016- Owl Always Be Reading- Review

2/4/2016- Lili's Reflections- Interview

2/5/2016- Mundie Moms- Review