Welcome to our
stop on the Masque of the Red Death
blog tour! Today we have the honor of hosting the amazing Bethany Griffin who
answered some of Jaime’s burning questions about Masque, writing, and
birthdays! Yep you heard that right, birthdays why you ask? Well not only is
today our tour stop day but also Bethany’s birthday. Happy Birthday Bethany!!!!!! Yay *throws confetti*
*cracks open the champagne* and because it’s Bethany’s birthday we’re giving
away a present! One signed ARC of the Masque of the Red Death a gorgeous bookmark, and an awesome leather
wristband with a quote from the book!
On to the Q&A
and we love Bethany’s answers!
1. Why Poe
and why Masque? What made you decide to pick that instead of say…. The Fall of
The House of Usher or The Tell Tale Heart?
Well, I don't have
any reason NOT to write/retell any of Poe's other stories, but there are
a million reasons for Masque of the Red Death. The themes of Masque, trying to cheat
death, the idea of a rich upper class trying to cheat death by partying while
the world falls apart, these are relevant and timely, and...interesting. I've
always loved dystopian and post-apocalyptic books, The Handmaid's Tale, The
Stand, and The Giver are three of my all time favorite books. But I wasn't
willing to even attempt any of those genres until I felt I had something
interesting and unique. When I started re-reading Poe's The Masque of the Red
Death, the ideas that were percolating in my head were (or at least seemed)
unique and different, and that gave me the impetus to start this project. And
once I started it, I really couldn't stop. I loved writing it.
Jaime loved reading
it J
2. Did you
always plan on writing both of the male characters Will and Elliott to be so
darned different but lovable? Usually in books there’s a clear choice whom the
heroine should be with but in yours it’s almost impossible to choose.
Honestly, I don't
know. I do love both of them in different ways. Elliott was fun because he is
so messed up (you'll learn a bit more about that in book 2) and Will is
mysterious and so different from you expect the first time you meet him. I
loved writing them. And I agree with your assessment that there is no clear cut
choice at the end of book 1. I had a basic plan for the story, but when I sat
down to write the outline for book 2, I had to really second guess my choices
and think about who she would end up with and why.
Ok dying to know
here but we know we’ll have to wait…… (very impatiently)
3. The cover
art for Masque is gorgeous!!! Was it love at first sight when you saw it? Is
that what you pictured Araby looking like?
I thought it was
beautiful when I saw it. But now that I've seen the effects, the glowing
background and the raised lettering, the entire package of the book, I'm
totally in love with it. I guess I see the girl on the cover as sort of
symbolic representation of Araby, rather than like an exact portrait. That's
really how I like to see characters on book covers, I guess, sort of symbolic
and representational (which is another reason I LOVE my cover).
We loved it too it’s
very haunting and beautiful!
4. Oh and
the Debauchery Club (loved it btw) how did you imagine this multi-leveled place
with secrets and danger? Was there a location that you had maybe seen or is it
all made up?
The Debauchery Club is based on Victorian
Gentleman's clubs, or private clubs where people would have gone to drink and
gamble, hang out? I don't know. I had a vague idea what those sort of places
might be like, and then I changed it in ways that I thought were awesome and
cool and worked for the story. Of course I needed the club to be open to
females, and teenage girls at that. I'm pretty happy with it. I've seen a few
reviewers who said that not enough Debauchery happens there...but I think we
see enough. We see what Araby is okay with seeing.
Haha Jaime thought
it was perfect no one wants to see all the seedy things going on. Some things are better
left to the imagination ;)
5. Did you
listen to any music when you were writing Masque? What was your playlist?
Ah, the Playlist
question. I don't actually listen to music while I write (okay, sometimes the
LORT soundtrack, but don't tell anyone) but really, music with lyrics is
distracting to me. When I do listen to music, is when I walk, and I amble
around a lot when writing. When writing Masque I listened to a lot of
Portishead, a lot of Nine Inch Nails, and quite a bit of Tool.
Just had to say Hell Yes to Portishead, Tool, and Nine Inch Nails!!!! Jaime loves those bands and they totally popped into her head when thinking of the Debauchery club and
certain other scenes.
6. So we
know April 16th is your birthday and it just happens to be our
tour stop day ;) what was the best birthday present you ever received?
Oh wow, that's a good
question. I'm not really a surprise person, I'm more of a carefully choose
something and think about it for three months before the event happens sort of
person, but, when I was in 6th grade, my grandmother took me to Hawaii over
spring break, so for my birthday, which was the week before, my mom bought me
this fancy underwater 35mm camera, complete with a variety of cases and
accessories. It was awesome, and way too expensive for a 6th grader.
Oh what a great mom
and grandma! That would have been an awesome birthday!
7. So
we know you’re going to be in Salt Lake City for the Smart Chicks Kick It tour
in September. What’s the rest of your tour schedule look like? And how excited
are you to get out and meet your readers?
I'm going to be at BEA, and I'm checking for more information...if I don't get back to you on this email me!
I'm going to be at BEA, and I'm checking for more information...if I don't get back to you on this email me!
Oh poop we’re not
going to BEA. Haha don’t worry we will ;)
8. Last question any tips for
our aspiring writers out there?
I think you just have to find the thing that's right for you. Masque is such a weird blend of all the genres I read growing up, and all this weird knowledge I have about different time periods. My first published book, which I'm still really proud of, was realistic contemporary, and I didn't have anything particularly new or insightful to add to that genre. It wasn't until I figured out what I could do that was different that I really found my voice/niche. So, find what you want to do...what you are good at...and don't ever stop trying. I've written a lot of manuscripts.
Thanks so much
Bethany for answering our questions! And happy birthday again hope your day
totally rocks! Make sure to check out Jaime's review of Masque of the Red Death
Also thanks to
Harper Teen for inviting us to be on the tour and the signed ARC of Masque that
we’re giving away! To enter just fill out the rafflecopter form below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Make sure to check out all
the other awesome blogs hosting the tour for some awesome posts and a few other
chances to win a Signed Book!
4/18 http://bookalicio.us
