You're welcome, Christine! For those of you who don't yet
know Christine, here's a bit about her:
Christine Verstraete is a big Halloween fan who enjoys a
good scare or two. Her short fiction has appeared online and in anthologies
including Timeshares and Steampunk'd from DAW Books. Her new YA
book, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie
released August 1. Stop by her website at http://cverstraete.com
or blogs, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
and http://candidcanine.blogspot.com.
Before you link over to her website or blogs, stick around
here a little longer. I'm grilling Christine with questions about her books and
writing.
Q: Zombies, romance,
and humor -- how do you fit all these in one story?
Christine:
Carefully… ha!
Well Becca, the 16-year-old protagonist is only a
part-Z (Zombie), so a teenager still has
to have some kind of life, (or un-life?) right? Other than fighting off full
Zs, she has this good-looking guy she's getting to know… And when you're in the
worst of times, a little humor can't hurt, though she's not too fond of her
would-be boyfriend's penchant for bad zombie jokes…
Q: You've also
written a children's mystery, which has a sweet and definitely not scary
storyline. Did you write it before you started writing zombies?
A: My kid's
mystery was out originally in 2009 (how times flies!) and as a longtime horror
fan, I've gradually been letting my stories get a little darker, but they still
usually have some weird quirk or a touch of humor. I can't help myself.
Q: The cover
for My Life as a Teenage Zombie is scary looking. The dark eyes, which
actually are looking in different directions, totally say "zombie"!
(I love it.) Did you do the cover or have input on it?
A: I did make
suggestions on the cover, but the eye wasn't my idea and I have to admit I
wasn't sure about it at first… but it grew on me. Since one of Becca's
"quirks" after turning part Z is a sometimes "twirly" eye,
it makes sense. And it's memorable, right?
Q: You do both long
and short fiction. Which is easier, book length or short story and why?
A: I don't know
if I can call either one "easier."
I like writing short stories, but I noticed I tended to be starting them
slower, as if I were writing a longer story. You have more leisure to explore
things in a book or longer story that shorter formats often don't allow, but I
do love both.
Q: Tell
us one thing about yourself that you've never talked about before, be it scary,
funny, or happy.
A: I used to be
afraid of the dark. Really. Must've been all those monster movies I watched or
scary books I read. Had to be. I mean, that thing in the closet isn't real,
right?
Q: Now, in one
paragraph tell us what GIRL Z: My
Life as a Teenage Zombie is about.
Sixteen-year-old Rebecca Herrera Hayes' life changes forever
when her cousin comes home with a deadly secret—he's becoming a zombie, a fate
he shares with her through an accidental scratch. Becca becomes a part-Z
(zombie), with all the weird quirks and habits no girl wants to be noticed for.
But time is running out… she needs to find something, anything, to stop this
deadly transformation before it is forever too late...
Click here:
* Be sure to comment to win assorted prizes. Leave an email or website to contact you. Readers can see pix of the prizes on day 1 of the tour at GirlZombieAuthors.
Links:
Website: www.cverstraete.com
*** Don't forget to follow along the rest of the tour! ***
GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie Book Launch Blog Tour - August
5-17
Monday, 8/5 - Marian
Allen asks Why Zombies?
Tuesday, 8/6 - Armand Rosamilia, http://armandrosamilia.com/
Wednesday, 8/7 - GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Thursday, 8/8 - StraightFromHel, Helen Ginger, http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com/
Friday, 8/9 - Dana Wright, ZombieGirlShambling, http://zombiegirlshambling.blogspot.com/
Saturday, 8/10 - GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Monday, 8/12 - AR Von, Dreamz of Dragons, http://dreamzofdragons.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, 8/13 - B. Swangin Webster, Books, Shoes, Writing, http://booksshoeswriting.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, 8/14 - DB Corey, http://dbcorey.blogspot.com/
Thursday, 8/15 - Wrap-up - GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Friday, 8/16 – Austin Camacho, Another Writer’s Life, http://ascamacho.blogspot.com
Saturday, 8/17 – Winners announced after 12 noon Central –
GirlZombieAuthors, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com
Helen thanks for hosting me!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by!
Deletesounds like a very fun book. I've been reading more YA - the plots and humor grab me. Great cover too.
ReplyDeleteI occasionally read YA but not often. I'd like to read Chris' book and will download it.
DeleteAwesome interview! It's always fun to learn just a little bit more about the authors I follow! I'm still working on this book (I'm flipping back and forth between 2 books right now) but, what I've read so far is GREAT!! Technically I'm a little old for YA books but I really enjoy them when they're well written so I encourage everyone, young and old, to give this novel a chance! It's worth your time....I promise! :-)
ReplyDeleteOne reason I think it's good for writers who write for adults to read YA is because they get to know what that age group like as far as pace, etc. After all, that teen will grow up to read adult books.
DeleteThanks Joanne, YA can be so different to read....
ReplyDeleteJoline, thank you! Can't wait to see your review... and you're never too old!
Yes, I agree with Joline, it's always fun to learn about another author, though I'm a bit of a wimp and couldn't write about zombies :0)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Carole Anne. I don't think I could write zombies and do them justice. But it is worth pondering.
DeleteOh you got to put your 'inner gore' hat on. It's kind of fun. ha! Think Dracula on steroids... :)
ReplyDeleteCarole Anne, thanks for stopping by too!