Hi Anna! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books it’s
been a long time since you’ve stopped by for a visit! NEMESIS 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!
Thank you SO much for having me! I haz missed u. :)
For the readers:
can you tell us a little bit about NEMESIS and the characters?
Sepora
is a runaway princess who hides in her enemy’s kingdom, Theoria. There she
becomes a palace servant to none other than the boy Falcon King—a Lingot who has the ability to discern the
truth from a lie. She must tread carefully if she’s to hide her secrets from him, including
her ability to Forge spectorium, a very valuable element and just exactly what
he needs to rid his kingdom of the Quiet Plague ravaging his people. Can they
learn to trust each other in order to save lives and prevent a war with her
home kingdom?
So do you have a
title for book 2 yet? When can we expect the cover to be revealed?
The
title for book two is ALLY. I just turned it in to my editor, so the cover is a
long way off. :(
Were any of the
characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?
Not from
my real life. Tarik is inspired by the boy King Tut of Egypt. His kingdom
Theoria is based on ancient Egypt with a few twists thrown in for good measure.
Sepora is the person I wish I was. Courageous, yet humble, and feisty yet
sympathetic. She thinks she’s a coward
for a lot of the book, but truly, she’s as brave as it gets when standing up
for what you believe in.
Who was your
favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?
I really
enjoyed writing Sethos, Tarik’s younger brother who is a Majai warrior trained
at the Lyceum of Favored Ones. Sethos is easy going, a bit of a womanizer, and
provides a good deal of comic relief to slice through the tension building
between Tarik and Sepora. Yeah, he’s my fave.
I didn’t
really hate writing any of the characters. They all have their place, and as
the author, I have a commitment to writing them as best I can, regardless of
whether they’re a villain or not.
What is your
favorite passage/scene in NEMESIS?
And that’s when I see the whole picture, every last painted swoop of
the brush. I drop his hand. “Are you…are you
toying with me?” I scoot
away from him.
“How do you mean?”
“Did you bring me here just to woo me into telling you where you can
find your precious spectorium? Did you bring me here to push me over my edge,
to soften me up?” I feel so betrayed. So foolish. This entire day has been
dedicated to soliciting my knowledge, of plundering my secrets. He wanted me to
meet his people, to feel sorry for them, to see them dying in the Lyceum and
want to help them. He brought me here to see the beauty of a city that could
die if I don’t help them. He brought me here to place the responsibility of it
all on my shoulders.
Just as my father would have done.
I see the exact moment the realization strikes him. His face changes
from confusion to rage and then, to my surprise, softens into laughter.
“Spectorium,” he says, more to himself than to me. “I could see, of course, why
you would think that.”
“Well?” I demand, unamused. I’m not even sure what I’m asking, just
an explanation perhaps, or better yet, a confession.
He slides to me then, closing the distance I’d put between us. I
have nowhere left to move. Does he mean to push me from the top of the pyramid
if I refuse to help him save his people?
“Yes,” he says, leaning toward me. I feel panic and something else I
cannot name ricochet throughout me. “And no.” His eyes fall on my lips, and I
know my cheeks will certainly explode with the warmth filling them. Fears of
our lips brushing together replaces fears of falling to my death.
“Yes, I did bring you here to woo you,” he says softly. “But no, not
for the spectorium.” And he lowers his mouth to mine.
Tarik waits for me then, our lips barely touching, as if asking a
question without words. He waits for me, letting me know that my answer will
determine if this will be our first kiss or his last effort at one. He waits
for me, tiny me who is about to tremble from the ledge under the scorching heat
of his touch.
And I make him wait too long.
What kind of
research did you have to do for the story?
I
watched a lot of documentaries on ancient Egypt, read a lot of books, did a lot
of Pinterest research to inspire outfits in the book, and to inspire places and
scenes. It was fun, all of it.
Who is your
ultimate book boyfriend?
Warner
from the Shatter Me series
What inspired you
to write YA?
You’ve
heard this answer a thousand times, I’m sure, but after I read Twilight, I was
hooked into reading and writing YA. Then Graceling, then Fire, and I never
looked back!
Lightening Round
Questions
What are you
reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
Last
Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig. I have Stalking Jack the Ripper on my nighstand
though, and it’s beckoning me!
What Hogwarts
House would the Sorting Hat place you in?
I refuse
to let Hogwarts sort me. I will not be sorted!
Twitter or
Facebook?
Twitter
Favorite
Superhero?
Wonder
Woman
Favorite TV show?
The
Walking Dead
Sweet or Salty?
Salty
Any Phobias?
Large
crowds
Song you can’t get
enough of right now?
The
Promise by When in Rome
Winter Movie
you’re most looking forward to?
I’m not
sure if it’s a winter movie, but I’m dying to see the new Beauty and the Beast!
Thanks so much Anna for answering my questions! I can’t wait for
everyone to read NEMESIS!
