A year or so ago, I had the honor of reading an early version of Victoria Schwab's debut novel, THE NEAR WITCH. I've always loved fairy tales, and this is an instant classic: it envelops you in the dreamy fairy tale landscape, it intrigues you, draws you in...and WHAM scares the crap out of you.
Okay, so I'm not a lyrical writer like Victoria. But it's true. This story will both scare and captivate you. The language is gorgeous, the landscape and characters whole and real.
And it's out officially on August 2nd!! I can't wait for the rest of you to read it.
To celebrate, I cornered V for a little one-on-one interview time--AND I'm giving away a copy of THE NEAR WITCH, mailed to your (North American) door.
Are you ready? Here we go!
1.The Near Witch is in the best tradition of fairy tales: creepy, magic, and possible enough to scare the heck out of you. I know you've picked Little Red Riding Hood as a favorite classic, but for research you must've read some more obscure, off-the-wall stories. What's your favorite out of the ordinary fairy tale, and why?
You know, it’s interesting, but most of my research revolved around the WAY stories are told, passed down from generation to generation, and the way they shape a community. Truth becomes relative, and tradition becomes law. But I have indeed read a good deal of fairy tales and fables.
One of my favorites is Godfather Death by the Brothers Grimm. I have always had a weakness for personifications, especially those of Death (the first book I ever wrote, and one I’m determined to revisit some day, involves Death) and in this one we get God, the Devil, and Death. A man with many children is overwhelmed by yet another, a boy, and goes into the road to seek guidance and a godfather. God walks by, but the man refuses, accusing him of being unfair. The Devil walks by, and the man refuses him, too, knowing his cons. Death walks by, and the man, knowing he treats all equally, chooses him. Death goes on to guide the child, to elevate him to a position of power. But the boy crosses Death once, and is forgiven, but he does it a second time, and in the end Death claims him.
2.Creepy! I am so impressed (always) with your lyrical, almost dreamy use of language—which fits perfectly in the world of The Near Witch. Tell me about the language in this book. How do the village and the moors shape the words? How aware of this were you when you were writing?
The language in the book is incredibly important. Writing a fairy tale means landing the style, and in this case the narration, between fantasy and reality. The tone has to be slightly more formal, without being lofty, well-drawn, but sparse. So much of writing a fairy tale is the WAY in which it’s written. I could have done NW and had it read like high-fantasy, or like paranormal, but I didn’t want to. I wanted a fairy tale, down to the timelessness. And it turns out, as many, many rounds of fine-tuning will attest, finding that little “timeless” patch on the spectrum of style is actually really hard.
3.You're stuck alone in an elevator with Neil Gaiman, and you have time to ask him ONE question. What would it be?
(O_O).
Can I have this dance?
4.You get to bring Neil ONE type of chocolate or baked good, without it being at all creepy. :) What would you bring?
GASP. I’d probably bring him a batch of chocolate cake cookies. Because they are apparently quite eatable, and in my mind he’d take them home, and keep snacking on them, and then I’d leave a more lasting impression than say, a cupcake :p
5.Explain your obsession with narwhals.
Narhwals are the unicorns of the sea!! But seriously, I find them enchanting. They are proof that there is still a little magic in the world.
6.Like everybody, you've had ups and downs in this crazy publication path. Tell me your favorite thing that's happened so far. What do you look forward to most?
Oh yeah, it’s definitely been a roller coaster. But one of my favorite things has been so small and random. A friend and fan of the book (that second F-word sounds sooooo weird) told me that one of HER friends recommended THE NEAR WITCH to her after the friend’s mother, a high school teacher, told her daughter about it, after she heard a group of students in the hall talking about books they wanted to read that summer.
Yeah.
I still can’t process that people out there who are not directly related to me/friends with me even KNOW about my book, so that was pretty wonderful.
**************
Victoria's the coolest.
Okay, so you want to win a copy of this book, right? RIGHT?
Here's what you do.
You saw how I scattered images throughout the post, to illustrate? I want YOU to go on an image scavenger hunt.
1. Go forth and find an image or images of things to do with THE NEAR WITCH or Victoria. Suggestions include, but are not limited to:
narwhals
chocolate
cupcakes
Neil Gaiman
Fairy tales
Witches
Yorkshire villages
Note: You are NOT allowed to steal the images from (a) this post or (b) anything V herself has posted. Search the internet a *little* further.
2. Post your picture(s) somewhere, and tell me here or on twitter (@susan_adrian) where. You can post it on twitter, your blog, Flickr, Tumblr, whatever. Just post and say what it's for (#thenearwitch), and TELL ME! You get an entry point for each picture, UP TO FIVE.
3. You also get one point just for commenting here or twittering with #thenearwitch hashtag, for those people who don't want to mess with the pictures. See how easy I am?
4. Contest ends Friday at noon!! Then I'll do a random draw and order copy of THE NEAR WITCH for the winner!! North American entries only, please. Though everybody is welcome to post pics.
As promised, here's Child's* interview with Jackie Logsted about her part in writing the fabulous Sisters Eight series. Jackie's 10, and Child is 8 (excuse me: 8 and a HALF!). Child loves to read the series, but I think she's also inspired by the idea that Jackie helps write it--she's started writing plays with her classmates at school. She also acts, just like Jackie!
*I promised I would reiterate that her real name is not Child. Child is her secret identity. :)
Here's the blurb about the Sisters Eight series:
It’s a good old-fashioned mystery with missing (or dead) parents, nosy neighbors, talking refrigerators, foul-smelling fruitcake (is there any other kind?), and even a little magic. Eight little girls, eight cats, and one big mystery—let the fun begin!
Stay tuned to the end of the interview to find out how you can win a hardback copy of Annie's Adventures!
Child: What part do you help with when you're writing the books?
Jackie: Well, me and my dad give tons of ideas, and the way I help is, I try to think of good ideas for my mom to write into the story, I tell her the ideas, and hope for the best.
Child: It's hard to pick because I like all of them, but I think my favorite sister is Durinda, because she's nice. What's your favorite character?
Jackie: It's really hard to pick, but if I had to choose, I think I'd choose Zinnia because, if you think about it, she doesn't lie, she's nice and she sticks to who she is. She's unique, and I like it.
Child: In the books, Jackie is funny and fast (like fast-as-a-train fast!). Are you like Jackie?
Jackie: Yes and no. Of course, I am Jackie, but I'm not fast. I'd even have to say that I'm one of the worst at anything sports-related in my class. I'm not sure if I'm funny or not. I'd have to say that I'm half like Jackie Huit. Everything else is all me. (Jackie's mom would just like to say that Jackie is very funny, whether she knows it or not.)
Child: So far my favorite adventure is Jackie's Jokes. What's your favorite?
Jackie: My favorite book would have to be Petal's Problems. It comes out in October 2010 and at the moment I'm writing this, it hasn't come out yet, so I can't tell you why I like it. I'll just say, I like it.
Child: If you could have anything from the Huit's house (like seasonal rooms or talking refrigerators), what would you have?
Jackie: I would have to say the Seasonal Rooms because if it was cold and I wanted to get warm, I could! If it was warm and I wanted to cool off, I could! I just think it would be fun and would come in handy.
Child: The sisters each have a cat. I have a dog named Daisy. Do you have a pet?
Jackie: I technically have a pet. In the past, I had two fish: Drink and Goldy. They both died. But a few weeks ago, I was with my friends Lawerence and Andrew and we found a newt! We keep it at their house, but it's technically both of ours, so I technically have a pet.
Child: (We had fish and they died too. That's just like me!) I want to be an artist when I grow up. What do you want to be?
Jackie: Up until recently, I had no idea what I wanted to be, but about three weeks ago I finally decided. When I grow up, I want to be an actress. I just love to act! It's one of my favorite things to do. Thanks for interviewing me!
Thanks for joining us, Jackie!! And as she mentioned, Petal's Problems will be out in a few days. I know we'll be lining up to see what happens when it's Petal's month.
In honor of Jackie's Jokes, we're going to have a little joke contest here on the blog.
To enter to win a copy of Annie's Adventures (read it yourself, pass it on to your favorite middle grader, or donate it to your local library or school library!)--or just to join in--share your favorite knock-knock joke in the comments below. Just make sure to say if you want to be entered to win the book or are just playing! (to clarify: I'll assume you want to be entered to win unless you say different. Thanks!)
Contest will be closed midnight on Thursday. We'll do a random draw on Friday, October 1, for the lucky winner!
I know I usually talk about--and give away--YA books. Even grown-up books every once in a while. Tomorrow I'm talking middle-grade, with a special guest star.
Child absolutely LOVES the Sisters Eight series. She begs to read them at bedtime, during bath...whenever she can. She's also fascinated by the fact that while Lauren Baratz-Logsted is the primary author, one of the co-authors is her daughter Jackie. Just two years older than Child, and already a published author.
What's not to be fascinated with?
So I had the idea...what if instead of ME interviewing Lauren (so DONE), Child interviewed Jackie?
Much more interesting.
We've got the questions and answers ready for tomorrow, AND we'll be giving away a hardback copy of the first book in the series, Annie's Adventures. You can read it yourself or pass it on to that fabulous middle grader in your life.
Please stop by tomorrow to read and comment on Child's first interview, and have a chance to win!
THANKS, guys!! Contest is closed. I'm swamped right now, but I'll get to this and announce the winner as soon as I can!
(Also, I looked up international shipping rates from Amazon, and yep I can swing that. So all entries will be considered.)
Y'all. Without any ado, may I introduce to the stage the fabulous, talented...Kody KEPLINGER, author of THE DUFF!
(also, you can enter to win a copy of THE DUFF here! Details at the bottom!)
Obligatory question: Tell me about THE DUFF and Bianca.
THE DUFF is, in my opinion, an edgy, sexy romance for teens. It’s about Bianca, a girl in her senior year of high school, who is informed that she’s the “designated ugly fat friend” of her group of friends. The word haunts her, but its not her biggest issue. She’s also dealing with a family that’s falling apart, and the only “escape” she finds is in a purely physical relationship with the school’s biggest womanizer. The same guy who called her the DUFF, in fact. But even cynical Bianca has to eventually admit that her feelings for the guy have gone farther than just the physical, but how could he ever feel the same about her when she’s the “DUFF”?
I understand you first heard the term "The Duff" in high school. What was your reaction to it? How did your reaction compare with Bianca's? Luckily, I wasn’t in Bianca’s shoes. No one told me that *I* was the DUFF. I thought I was, and when I heard the word I remember telling my friends “Wow, I’m so the DUFF of this group.” But had someone actually called me that to my face the way Wesley does Bianca? Well, let’s just say Bianca takes it better than I ever could have.
Lucky for B, she’s smart, cynical, and pretty level headed. I think her cynicism is really what saves her from being completely crushed by this. If she was the romantic type, I think being called a “DUFF” would hurt much worse.
In the book Bianca comes to the conclusion that everyone feels like a Duff in some way. Do you think that's really true? (I know I feel like a Duff in publishing sometimes…) :)
Oh, I definitely think it’s true. There are so many incarnations of “DUFF.” You can be the DUFF at work, the DUFF of your friends, the DUFF in a classroom. DUFF doesn’t always have to mean the actually meaning, it can also just mean feeling like the least adequate. We’ve all felt that way, both physically and intellectually, I think. Insecurity is like the great unifier for women and maybe men, too. We all feel insecure sometimes. We’ve all been DUFFs.
I was impressed with the realism of your dialogue. Bianca and her friends sound like actual, smart teens. Did you read it aloud to make sure it sounded realistic? Did you give it to friends to vet?
I read almost everything out loud, or have someone read it to me, just to make sure it sounds all right. With the dialogue, it was my favorite part to write. I always find the things my friends say funny and clever, and I wanted to capture that with Bianca and Casey and Jessica. Some lines of their dialogue are right out of convos I’ve had with real life friends. Others just kind of felt natural for the character. With dialogue, I just try to remember – these are the girls *i* know. Not adults. Not geniuses. Just normal teen girls. I know them, so what would they say? Its’ actually really fun!
I think especially at high school age, we tend to set up ideals for ourselves—what "the perfect guy" should look like (as well as what we should look like as "the perfect girl"). I liked that Bianca didn't want to play into that romance ideal and yet she clearly had firm ideas of who she should and shouldn't be with (Toby and Wesley) and had to open her mind to different possibilities. Can you talk about fantasy vs. reality when it comes to guys?
I knew going in to this book that Wesley, though he was hot and clever and sexy as hell, would not be Bianca’s “type.” So I asked myself “Who would this girl crush on?” That’s how I got Toby. For those who haven’t read the book, Toby is Bianca’s long time crush. He’s basically this insanely smart, cute little political buff. To be fair, I think I’d have a crush on him, too.
I don’t have a lot of dating experience myself, but one thing I have found is that when it comes to guys, expectations and ideals are usually never as they seem. I once had a crush on a boy for MONTHS only to discover that, while we were great friends, he could really drive me up the wall and it was probably better that we never dated. Bianca doesn’t have that kind of realization with Toby or Wesley, but she does have to come to realize that boys can take you by surprise. The right guy can be the wrong guy for you. It’s not always fun to learn, but Bianca’s journey to figuring out who is “right” for her, or if anyone is really, was fun to write for sure.
And speaking of that (ahem), tell us about Wesley.
Oooooh, Wesley. *sigh* I had the most fun in the world writing about Wesley Benjamin Rush. He was one of those characters that took me by surprise. He was intended to be a very different character and, instead, ended up in a very different and much better place.
Wesley is a hottie, and he knows it. He’s a charmer and a seducer. A “man-whore” as Bianca calls him. But he’s also unexpectedly smart – the boy has a taste for classic literature – and he has issues of his own. He’s not what Bianca expects, and writing him was fun because, as Bianca discovered who he really was, so did I.
I was intrigued in looking at some reviews of THE DUFF that the only major criticism some people had was that Bianca was "too bitchy". I've been accused of that myself with my main characters, but have always felt it's important to not make a character too mellow in an attempt to please everybody. Can you talk about the fine line of "bitchy" vs. "too bitchy"?
I want to say upfront that, in my opinion, Bianca isn’t so much “bitchy” as . . . “negative.” And while some people have had issues with that, others have approached me and said, “I WAS this girl in high school.” The fact is that one character can’t appeal to all readers. And that’s the beauty of fiction – it’s a different experience for everyone.
That said, there is a fine line to walk. The trick, I think, is to let the reader see the deeper core of the character. If the reader can see the reasons WHY the character is so negative, then they are more likely to sympathize. Bianca has a lot to be bitter about – she’s dealing with family issues, she’s still a little scarred from a first love gone wrong, and now someone is telling her she’s a “DUFF.” Who wouldn’t be a little bitter?
But, to be fair, I love cynical, sarcastic girls in YA. Even completely unlikeable ones. Because lets be honest, not all of us are always likeable as teens.
After all that, a little bit of fluff. What's your favorite food? What would you hoard if you could only have one thing for a month?
Oh my God . . . favorite food is spaghetti, but if I had to, I could live – and live happily – on pepperoni pizza Lean Pockets. YUM!
****
So I was right--you want this, don't ya?
To win a brand-spanking new copy of THE DUFF, we're going to have a little flash fiction contest. Write me a story in 100 words or less, including the following elements, and post it in the comments to this blog post:
cherry coke the DUFF red Converse shoes spaghetti
Contest will be open until Friday, September 10, at 8 am mountain time. Then I'll do a judgy-thing (enlisting additional help if necessary) and choose my favorite entry. Also, bonus points for tweeting/blogging/facebooking about Kody, The Duff, or this contest.
Got it? DO IT!
And thanks so much, Kody. I loved THE DUFF.
(and if you happen to not win? Go buy a copy. Really.)
~*CONTEST CLOSED*~
I'll announce the winner in a bit! Stay tuned!
Hi all! It is a giveaway FESTIVAL here. So let's dive in to an interview with Enchanting Urban Fantasy Author Kelly Gay, who stopped by to tell us about her debut novel (on shelves now!), THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS. We're also giving away a signed copy!
Susan: Hi Kelly! First, congratulations on the release of your first book! How's it feel so far?
Kelly: Thanks Susan! And thanks for having me on your blog! My book being ‘out there’ in the world feels awesome, scary, exciting, surreal… you name it. A book debut fits that whole rollercoaster analogy incredibly well.
Susan: I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy yet (I will, ASAP!), so could you tell us a bit about the story?
Kelly: Sure. The book is set in Atlanta about a decade after the discovery of heaven-like Elysia and hellish Charbydon, two alternate dimensions, which are home to beings that inspired our myths of angels, demons, gods, and monsters. Now they live among us, and it’s Charlie Madigan’s job to police the off-world sector and keep the peace, but when a new off-world drug is released, an ancient threat emerges, and her ex-husband makes a terrible bargain to win her back, there’s nothing in heaven, or hell, for that matter, that Charlie won’t do to set things right.
Susan: Charbydon and Elysia…aha. A student of the classics, eh? Can you talk about how classic mythology shaped the world you created? How have you diverged?
Kelly: Yeah. I’m a sucker for all things ancient and classical. I was reading Herodotus when I was ten years old. The Histories is still one of my all time favorite reads.
Susan: I'm fascinated with the idea of an urban fantasy heroine who's also a single mother (I love Vicki Pettersson's take on that too, but I'm sure it's very different). Can you talk about the balance she has to strike? How has your experience as a mother influenced that part of the story?
Kelly: Ooh a Vicki Pettersson fan? Me too! LOL. But, yeah, mine takes a totally different path to motherhood. The thing that makes Charlie who she is at the start of BPOD is that fact that her personal life has been very much like someone you might know; someone who has gone through school, gotten married to their high school or college sweetheart, had a child early on, and who works for a living. Charlie has been a mom to her daughter for eleven years now. It has shaped who she is and defines what is important to her. It’s made her a mature, determined, protective woman. And since she’s been in the workforce while also being a mom, she’s already found a decent balance between work and motherhood. It’s become second nature—hard some days, but it’s the norm where Charlie is concerned. (Thought, events in BPOD change the norm somewhat.)
But the balance nowadays is shifting as her daughter, Emma, approaches the age where she wants independence and will fight for it. Charlie is in the midst of learning how much to let go while still maintaining her tight bond with Emma. It’s a scary time for Charlie because she knows things happening now between them could define their relationship later in life. It’s a struggle for sure, wanting to protect but knowing you have to let go of some strings in order for your kid to grow and learn from their own mistakes. And, in this regard, I do find I draw on experiences with my own mother and with my daughter as well, a daughter who is getting very close to the stage Emma is at right now. Lord, help me! J
Susan: I'm not *cough* unfamiliar with the balance of motherhood and writing myself. How do you juggle those roles, which can both be so time-demanding?
Kelly: Oy. It’s hard, I won’t lie. When my son, who just turned 2, entered the mix, it really became a struggle to carve out quiet time, and enough time to be productive and turn out material at the pace I’d been used to. One of the things I’ve learned is that I have to accept it. I can’t stress and fight against that fact that I must stop writing to tend to a need that arises. I used to get frustrated when I had to stop mid-creative streak. But, I’ve since learned to chill, and I stopped trying to work when they’re home, or even when they’re playing quietly (though I will do things like blog posts, email replies, and answering interview questions, LOL). And since I’ve made that little rule, I’m able to enjoy the time spent with my family without wanting to finish that sentence or rework that paragraph. When they’re at school and daycare, that’s when I sit my butt in the chair and work. If there’s a tight deadline and I need to work in the evenings or weekends, then I make sure I’m not the primary caregiver at that time, and I’ll go outside of the house, wake up early, or wait until everyone is in bed.
Susan: Now. Tell me about this YA series. (please)
Kelly: Yay! I’m so excited about this project! DARKNESS BECOMES HER is the first novel in the series, and it will debut in Spring 2011 from Simon Pulse, with a second book a year later. I call the series, ‘GODS & MONSTERS’, but I’m not sure yet if that will change. It’s dark, urban fantasy, set in a post apocalyptic-like New Orleans that has been forsaken and abandoned by the government and most of its inhabitants due to two massive hurricanes that destroyed the city a decade earlier. It's now become a sanctuary for the supernatural, a place run by the Novem, nine of the oldest (and strangest) families in New Orleans.
My heroine, Ari, is a pretty tough and independent teen, with some unique qualities. She’s searching for answers, clues to an obscure past that leads her to New 2 (what folks now call New Orleans). With the help of some misfit kids and teens living in an abandoned Garden District mansion, Ari discovers a curse that has stood since the time of the gods, one that is beginning to stir inside of her and ignite the age old war between gods and monsters.
I can’t tell you how excited I am about this story. It’s dark, lush, and has a gothic feel. The city is decaying, ebbing back into the swamps, so the atmosphere is very creepy. And I'm blending some ancient mythology (the gods) and the vampire, witches, & shapeshifter mythos (the monsters) together, connecting them with an ancient curse that lives inside of my heroine.
Susan: What have you found different about writing YA versus adult UF? Does one voice or the other come more naturally to you?
Kelly: So far, I‘ve been able to fall quite easily into the voices of both Charlie and Ari. I’ve been writing young adult for a few years now, so I feel really comfortable stepping into the YA role. In fact, the manuscript I was shopping before BPOD was a YA, and I figured eventually I’d hit with one of the genres and either debut as an adult author or as a YA author. But I think it turned out just right because this new YA is much stronger than the one I’d been shopping earlier.
There’s not a big difference to me when I write one or the other. I’m aware of the differences in things like themes, relationships, and goals and motivations, but my style is naturally dark and paranormal, and since both genres allow me to explore that to my heart’s content, I’m pretty comfortable in both roles.
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Thanks so much, Kelly! Now, let's give away a copy of that lovely, dark UF, shall we? For this one I'm going to make you work...well, a TINY bit. With the holidays, I won't make you work hard.
To enter:
For 1 point, post a comment below with the name of your favorite mythological creature. Classic myths, modern myths, whatever you like!
An additional 1 point for tweeting OR Facebooking the contest
An additional 2 points for linking to this contest on your blog!
This is a one-day-only thing: Entries must be in by tomorrow at noon mountain time.
Here it is, peeps! The DANI NOIR interview, with the Most Fabulous Nova Ren Suma!!
Nova is the author of DANI NOIR, a tween novel about noir-movie-obsessed Dani and the lies she uncovers in her small nothing-ever-happens town, out now in hardcover and ebook from Simon & Schuster / Aladdin. IMAGINARY GIRLS, Nova’s YA debut, is the story of two sisters and their bond that can’t be broken. It is due out in hardcover tentatively in Summer 2011 from Penguin / Dutton.
Also, Nova is immensely cool. Just so you know.
Susan: Tell me your summary of Dani's story.
Nova: Speaking of fabulous, first off, thank you so much, Susan, for having me on your fabulous blog!
DANI NOIR is about liars, cheaters, and all things Rita Hayworth. It follows 13-year-old Dani the summer her best friend has moved away, her brother's away at camp, and her dad's left her mom for another woman. Classic black-and-white film noir movies and the stunning femmes fatales that star in them are Dani's only escape from her boring small town where nothing ever happens, or so she thinks. But when she realizes that someone's been lying, and not in the movies but in real life, she sets out to uncover the truth, no matter who gets hurt on the way...
Susan: I was so impressed with Dani's authentic voice, the authentic headspace of a 13-year-old. Tell me about how you slipped into Dani's skin.
Nova: Oh, thank you! You know, the whole time I was writing the book I felt like I was channeling Dani herself, like she was a real girl. She's a very dramatic character, so it turned out to be a very dramatic summer and fall for me while I was writing this novel. I may have acted out a little, so anyone who knows me, please forgive me! To get inside her head and slip into her skin I sent myself back in time to age 13. I remember the summer before eighth grade so clearly—too clearly—so it felt natural to speak from that voice. And when I felt myself feeling distant from Dani, I'd turn off the lights and watch a scene from a noir movie. Also, copious amounts of ice cream helped.
Susan: There is such a fabulous interplay between two different pieces in the book: Dani's troubles, including her parent's divorce, and her love of film noir movies. How did you come up with that combo?
Nova: I can't separate Dani from her love of film noir movies. I can't imagine a story about her without that interplay, it's so much of how she sees the world. I guess this is why, when I look back at the start of the writing before I decided to write about noir movies specifically, the story was completely flat. She was flat. Sure, Dani existed, but she was nobody special. She could barely carry a scene. Then I had one of those click-worthy moments watching a particular scene in a certain classic noir movie called Gilda. It's the scene where you first see Rita Hayworth.
I saw it through Dani's eyes, imagined her watching it from her lonely seat in the Little Art movie theater, looking up and meeting eyes with Rita Hayworth, and it all sort of fell into place. Once I knew where I was going, I went crazy with it. The "if this were a movie" diversions were my favorite parts of this book to write... could you tell?
Susan: Do you have favorite film noir bits? Are they the same as those in the book? Why?
Nova: If you asked Dani, she'd say her favorite thing about noir films are the femmes fatales, such as her hands-down favorite Rita Hayworth, but she'd also give props to Barbara Stanwyck, Lauren Bacall, and Lana Turner. And if you asked me the same question, I'd have to agree with Dani. Maybe that's why it was so easy to write her: We connect to the same things. So I think you could say that the scenes mentioned in the book are scenes that resonated with me personally, and that's why I shared them with my character.
Here's another scene that stuck with me from Gilda and that Dani also mentions loving:
In one point of the book, the projectionist, Jackson, insists on showing Dani the opening shot of Touch of Evil, which he says is genius because it's one camera moving through the streets without cuts, one of the first times that was done in movies. (View the Touch of Evil opening scene here) In real life it was my husband, an NYU film school grad, who insisted I watch that scene. I remember how excited he was by how skillfully it was done, not a cut until the car blows up at the end—and it sure was pretty impressive—but when I was watching I had the kind of reaction Dani might have had. The whole time I'm going, Yeah, yeah, that's great, but where's the femme fatale?
Susan: I understand you'd ghostwritten some projects before writing DANI NOIR. How many books did you complete before this sale?
Nova: For a few years, I did write a lot of books for kids and tweens under different pseudonyms and house pseudonyms—I lost count at seventeen. That amount probably sounds ridiculous, but only four were novels; the rest were shorter. Before DANI, I also wrote two adult novels of my own that were never published. At one point I remember counting up the pages I wrote in the span of two years—and it was more than a thousand. Let me tell you something about those years: I was tired. Very, very tired.
Anyway, I guess DANI NOIR is technically my seventh novel, but it feels like my first. It's the first original tween novel I ever wrote, and it's the first time someone actually gave me a real shot to publish my own story under my own name. Thank you, Simon & Schuster! Now that the book is out, it's also the first time people are actually reading what I wrote, reading and responding, and that's all new to me. It's a wonderful, exciting, frightening feeling. It took a while, and a lot of pages, to get to this place, but I'm glad it waited to happen with DANI NOIR.
Susan: Talk a bit about your writing process. Outliner or seat of the pants? Quick draft or revise as you go?
Nova: Outside my various day jobs, I am at heart a very disorganized person: scattered, messy, easily overwhelmed and terribly forgetful. This is why I need an outline to write a novel. It's important that I know what I'm in for, that I plan out my story in order to reach the end. Now, what I call an "outline" may look more like a rough or quick draft to another writer, but I like calling it an outline because I don't consider it real writing. I'd prefer not to show these "outlines" to anyone except my husband, who reads everything I write at every stage and helps me make it better (I'm so lucky to have him). No one else should see the outline though. I'm afraid it would make someone who didn't know me not want to read the book!
As for revising as I go, this is exactly how I write a first draft. What I consider a first draft has already been gone over multiple times—so it's maybe a third draft, technically. I do this chapter by chapter, so after writing to the end of one chapter, I spend days (sometimes weeks) rewriting it before hitting the next chapter.
I know that wise writers and writing teachers say that, for a first draft, you should just let your words flow and not get hung up on shaping your sentences at such an early stage, but I can't work that way. I do realize this is a waste of time when big chunks are cut later, or big plotlines changed, but I can't help it. I write in layers: I go over it and over it and over it and the story and the characters come clearer the longer I've spent carving them out. The first words I spit onto the page are never the ones you'll find by the end.
This method may sound painful, but I love it. The rewriting process between my private first draft and the official first draft I'll show readers is the most thrilling, delicious part of writing a book for me.
Susan: You were one of the leaders of the "twitter-break" last week. Can you talk a bit about your love/hate with social media? Do you think it's valuable to you, or too much of a time-suck?
Nova: I'm so very conflicted about Twitter, mainly because I like it so much. Too much. I'm a very easily distracted person, so I tend to misuse it. I tell myself it's perfectly okay to tweet (or check Facebook) while writing, and then I spend much of my writing time clicking back and forth between windows, reading people's updates, commenting... and there I've lost an hour and my scene feels dead on the page. I have no self-control.
Last fall, while I was writing DANI NOIR, I forced myself to give up Twitter for about two months. And that was before so many people were using Twitter; I followed maybe 20 people. So imagine how much worse it is now to follow hundreds!
Fact is, Twitter is a wonderful tool for authors and, through it, I've connected with so many people in the industry: writers, editors, agents, librarians, reviewers, not to mention it's a great way to keep up with my faraway friends. In fact, Susan, I'm pretty sure that Twitter is how I first connected to YOU! I just need a way to find balance—to write when I'm writing and not let Twitter call me away. That's how this week off Twitter came to be. For me, abstaining like this has been cleansing. I hope to come back to Twitter refreshed and focused, and not let my bad habits hold me back from writing the best novel I can. Fingers crossed.
Susan: What are you working on now? Is there any more to Dani's story?
Nova: I'd love to write another book about Dani—in my mind, her story certainly continues, but there are currently no plans for a sequel. However, as we speak, I am in the midst of developing some new tween novels and there's one especially insistent 13-year-old who's making herself known in my head. I'm excited to try to find her story.
But that's for the future. Because the novel I'm writing under deadline now—the one that's so important to me, I even gave up Twitter for a week!—is due this winter. It's my debut YA novel, and it's called IMAGINARY GIRLS. It's the story of two sisters, their strong bond, and the dead body that threatens to break it. Even though it's for an older audience, you'll find some echoes of DANI NOIR in there: the first-person voice, since I always write in first person, and the place, as IMAGINARY GIRLS is also set in the Hudson Valley, where I'm from. I'm at the point in writing this novel where it's completely taken over all my senses. It feels more real to me than the real life I'm walking around in. This is dangerous, like when I'm outside crossing the street and don't pay attention to oncoming taxicabs, but it's been great for the novel so far. Assuming I make my deadline, look out for IMAGINARY GIRLS from Dutton in, tentatively, Summer 2011.
Thank you so much for interviewing me, Susan! I appreciate the chance to connect with your readers. And if anyone wants to find me elsewhere, my main website is http://novaren.com, and all things DANI NOIR can be found on http://daninoir.com. And... guess what? I'm on Twitter. Feel free to follow me and distract me, within reason!, at twitter.com/novaren.
As promised, here's an *exclusive* interview with the lovely and talented Lisa Mantchev, author of EYES LIKE STARS. (which I reviewed yesterday) No fairies were harmed in the process of this interview. (well, MUCH)
Lisa: I would move there in a heartbeat. Seriously... a messy bed that disappears below the stage, Mrs. Edith to do my laundry for me, food appearing in the Green Room? Sounds like a frazzled writer's dream-come-true! And I'd probably spend the majority of my time with Bertie, the fairies, the comedic characters, because I love to tell inappropriate jokes and have a good laugh. Cue Beatrice and Benedick, if you please...
Susan:One of the primary themes of ELS is Bertie's search for herself: her past, and her future. I'd think this would relate to just about any teenage girl. Did you plan that as a theme, or did it just develop through the story?
Lisa: Bertie's search for her mother and herself was part of the novel from its earliest incarnation, but I wouldn't say I thought about it in terms of "theme" when I was writing (mostly because "theme" is one of those words that got used in my high school English classes that made everyone groan.) Once I'd revised the novel four or five times, I could see the self-discovery was integral in a way that will make movie trailer voice-over guys say things like: "A girl without a past.... *cue dramatic swell of orchestrated music* will seek the truth beyond the footlights." *snerk*
Susan:The pirates are yummy. Tell me about the pirates.
Lisa: Oh, Nate. Well, he's got the requisite ship, muscles, accent, earring, sword, and "interesting tattoo" but he really does spend more time offstage with Bertie and the fairies than on it buccaneering and shouting "Arrrr, matey." In fact, he'd probably look askance at anyone who ran up to him and yelled that. In a conversation with Dan Bostick, who's directing the Full Cast Audio version of ELS, we discussed the need for him to have pirate-lilt rather than sounding like Long John Silver. And while I'm a huge fan of Johnny's Captain Jack, Nate's origins have more to do with the pirates in Peter Pan than those sailing the Caribbean.
Susan:Obviously you've been in the theatre a lot. What's the favorite part you've played, and why?
Lisa: I played the Stage Manager in a production of Christopher Durang's The Actor's Nightmare. Not a huge role, but I gave her this super-high Brooklyn accent that deepened when she also got shoved onstage to act; she went from Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors to a husky-voiced homage to our department's movement instructor in one line, and the transformation made everyone howl.
Susan:I've always thought there was a parallel between the ability to lose yourself in a part and in your characters while writing. Agree? Do you think the skills tend to overlap, to some degree?
Lisa: Absolutely. Nine times out of ten, when a scene is flowing, it's because all the characters in it are yammering away in my head... then I'm just transcribing the crazy. And then the writing is just limping along, it's usually because one or more of them has taken a coffee break and wandered off to the Green Room without telling me.
Of all the characters, the one most likely to disappear is Ariel. There's just something about that boy that makes me want to staple his shoes to the floor.
Susan:What would you like to tell readers, about Bertie and Eyes Like Stars? C'mon. Make it juicy. Something sekrit that happened offstage, maybe?
Oh, all right, here's one thing I haven't shared anywhere else: Nate gets 95% of his accent from Gerard Butler. OM NOM NOM.
Susan:WHEN OH WHEN is the sequel coming out?
Lisa: PERCHANCE TO DREAM will be out in the Fall of 2010, and the third book (yes, Virginia, it IS a trilogy!) will be out in 2011.
*********
Now that you've fallen in love with the book and are dying to read it...I don't have an ARC to give you. WHY? Because I loved it so very much I promptly passed it on for others to love. Still, there's no fun doing an interview without giving away goodies. So instead of an ARC, I'm going to give the winner a choice of one of these 3 Shakespearean goodies, from http://www.shakespearesden.com.
Rules: Contest will be open until midnight MST Thursday, June 25th. You get one entry for posting a comment on this blog, and an additional entry for linking to the contest/interview on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog (just include the links in your post below, or send me an email at susan dot adrian @ yahoo.com)--one entry for each proved posting! Winner must be in North America, due to shipping costs.
WHAT’S THE WORST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE? When “Perfect” Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter’s High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher’s pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace? Parker doesn’t want to talk about it. She’d just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her counselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there’s a nice guy falling in love with her and he’s making her feel things again when she’d really rather not be feeling anything at all. Nobody would have guessed she’s turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth. Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.
I have been waiting for it for years...okay, maybe A year, but I am very excited about this book.(Plus I lurve Courtney--she makes me laugh all day on Twitter--but that is beside the point.) After you've read the interview and entered the contest, you can go read the first two chapters here, and you'll need it like I do.
I know, I've given you all these links and you want to click them. But no. Be patient. First, the interview! We did get a leetle bit crazy. But just enough to entice, really.
1. Your imminent and utterly fabulous book CRACKED UP TO BE, being YA, has some nasty high school scenes. What was your most embarrassing experience in high school?
Is there a person out there who has gotten over their most embarrassing high school experience enough to actually admit ON THE INTERNET what it was? But I don't want to cop out and let you down because you are so ~*sparkly*~, so here is one of my most embarrassing experiences: I had really short hair during my (brief) time in Catholic high school. REALLY short hair. Like, Winona Ryder at her Shortest Short Hair. I dunno why. It was likely to save myself the trouble of brushing it. I still remember wanting to die when I heard the following words spake in my direction: "Why is that boy wearing a kilt?" And that is all I will say about that. 2. Though I have not yet read all of CUTB (I will pounce on it the very first second it appears in a retail establishment), I sneak-previewed your first two chapters online. What struck me the most was how very real the voice was: I was immediately sucked into Parker's head, and her perspective. Did you work to achieve that, or did the voice come fairly easily?
Aw, thank you so much! Parker is pretty sarcastic and bitchy. I don't know how bad it sounds to say I never have to work too hard to get into the headspace required to write someone who is like that, but there it is (now who wants to be my BFF?). I have to say, writing a book is always tough, though... I think if one part of telling a story comes easily, your novel will inevitably be difficult in different ways to make up for it. Parker's voice came to me very clearly, but figuring out the reveal of her Big Secret did not. I kept giving it away too soon and then having to go back and edit it like, fifty bajillion times.
3. What part of the writing beats you up the most? Which comes most easily to you? (or should I say which do you pwn?)
All of it. I mean, all of writing totally beats me up, from start to finish. There are brief moments of reprieve, but I have a feeling I'm just so concussed by my own words at those points that they're all in my imagination. Pwnation comes when the book is done and done. And that can take... a while. *sob*
4. How have things changed since you got The Call? How has it affected your writing?
One of the biggest things that has changed is the way I manage my time. I have more things to keep up with than I did before (social networking, promo stuffs, replying to people in a timely fashion), and I have to be able to stay on top of them while finding the time to write. I don't always succeed. So finding a balance, I think, is going to be an ongoing adventure for me. As a result of Cracked Up to Be's sale, my writing process has become slightly more organized. Like, I OUTLINE now. I used to HAATEEE outlining. What is up with that.
5. Tell me about the ~*sparkles*~ and the sparkle hos.
I was saving this chapter for my autobiography--IN SEARCH OF JEFF PROBST--but I will tell you and only you about The Origin of ~*sparkles*~ and ~*The Sparkle Hos*~ because you have a way of asking questions that makes me want to answer them, just like Barbara Walters. The ~*Sparkle Hos*~ are a vigilante group of Twilight fans who right all wrongs in this corrupt, justiceless society, sort of like your world's Batman. We inherited our ~*sparkles*~ from the ~*sparkliest of them all*~ (Edward Cullen) and cut bitches with our ~*sparkle knives*~. Sometimes we pair up with The Outsiders and save orphans from burning buildings, if we feel like it. In our free time, we like to search the world for Carmen Sandiego. Wednesday is our Twilight Book Club Day. We drink tea and eat crumpets and discuss the Meyerverse at length. Sometimes we beat up Jacob Black fans just for kicks. By the way, are you Jacob Black fan, Susan? I ask for for no particular reason. 6. You put together a book trailer for CUTB that made the rounds of the internets pretty successfully. Can you talk about trailers as promotion, and the best way to tackle putting one together?
I know lots of authors feel differently about how effective self-promotion is in the long-term but as M.J. Rose says,"No one will buy a book that they do not know exists." I think making a book trailer for your novel can go a long way into getting the word out. My editor was thrilled when I told her I wanted to do it. I was fortunate enough to have my friend Daisy Whitney (http://daisywhitney.com) feature it on her New Media Minute and her segment on NCB's KNTV (thank you, Daisy!) and these were great opportunities for exposure--neither of which would have occurred if there'd been no trailer there in the first place. You can't overstate the value of actively promoting yourself, really. As far as putting a trailer together--that was a more intuitive process. I experimented with Windows Movie Maker for months before the final trailer was released, just to get a sense of how the program worked and how to best take advantage of its features. I scanned in the hand drawn elements (the notes, the hangman, the broken heart) and the rockin' photographs and music were provided by talented artists who I got in contact with well before the trailer was released. They gave me permission to use their work. Everything was taken care of by the time the trailer went live, and I think choosing to releasing it prior to the book's release (I know some people make a trailer after the fact), allowed for some nice build.
7. What music did you listen to most while writing CUTB? What are you listening to now?
I listened to lots of melancholy, emo tunes or really angry rock/alternative songs while writing CUTB. Matthew Good's song, Anti-Pop really headed up the Cracked Up to Be playlist. The chorus is very Parker: "You're not my girl, you're just tired." Right now, I'm listening to a lot of mah girl, Britney. Cause she's FIERCE and I heart her. Circus, Womanizer--SO SATISFYING. And songs from Lily Allen's upcoming album (I can't wait for it!). Also the Twilight soundtrack/score because when I buy in, I buy in. And Matthew Good Band's The Audio of Being. Brad Sucks's latest release, Out of It, is in constant rotation. All good stuff.
8. Time for your own magical words of advice: one sentence of wisdom for wanna-be writers out there. Go!
Go straight at it. ---------- Yay! Thank you so much, Courtney!
Now, the CONTEST. Simple as eating pie. Add a comment to this post with the word ~*sparkle*~ in it. (It doesn't have to have the fancies, but you get extra karmic bonus points for them.) Entries close at noon Montana time Saturday, December 20. Then we'll do a random draw for...
your very own copy of CRACKED UP TO BE!
I know. I would fight you for it, if I wasn't already buying my own copy and taking it away with me.
Joanna Bourne writes excellent books. You don't have to take my word for it--check out just about any review of The Spymaster's Lady. And then read it yourself, if you haven't already. You'll thank me.
Jo's new book, My Lord and Spymaster, is officially coming out on Monday, though the sneaky booksellers have been filling the shelves with it early. To celebrate the fantabulous release, I roped Jo into an exclusive (somewhat wacky) interview, and we're giving away a Signed Copy! Check the end of this post for contest details. First, the interview:
Susan: Congratulations on the wonderful reception of The Spymaster's Lady, and the release of My Lord and Spymaster! I can't wait to get my hands on it.
JO: Thank you so much.
Susan:Now, the interrogation. Annique, the heroine of TSL, was a strong, crafty--but somewhat naïve--French spy. Tell us about Jess, the heroine of MLS.
JO: Jess is a slum-born Cockney. Guts, luck and brains got her out of the grim rookeries of London and a life of crime.
Now she's headed back to those mean streets. They're more dangerous than ever. She left unfinished business behind her, and dangerous enemies, and chunks of her soul.
Guess she still needs the guts, luck and brains.
If Annique is juggling the fate of nations, Jessamyn is fighting on a different, more intimate, scale. She has to save her father, and the man she's falling in love with. Maybe that soul, too.
Susan: The rumor is (and I am totally making this up) that you love to write about spies because you were, in fact, a spy. True/False? (or if you answer, will they send someone to wipe my computer after?)
JO: Oh, good heavens, no. You would have to see me. I'm this dumpy, little round woman with glasses.
I am perfectly willing to pretend to be a spy, though, if that lends authenticity to the series.
Jess is a master merchant. I'm not actually a merchant. (Jo tries to assume the mien and demeanor of commercial genius.)
Susan: Over at the Compuserve Books & Writers Forum you're renowned--some might say worshipped--for your detailed posts about the craft and mechanics of writing, featuring Myrtle the Vampire. Any chance Myrtle could come out and play for a minute? (question for Myrtle: illustrate the difference between show and tell with an example)
JO: Worship like with incense and chanting, or worship as in turning me upside down like Ganesh? Ah well.
TELL:
Myrtle pretended to be a spy, a sensual Mata Hari, a vamp, instead of a vampire.
She'd hope Bond would think she was interested in death rays, instead of corpuscles. Maybe he'd lock his secrets up safe and bare his neck.
Bad choice for him, if he did.
SHOW:
"Tell me about the MS-27." Myrtle unhooked the back of her dress and let it slither to the ground. Then she did some slithering herself, approaching. "You know you want to."
"I think not." Bond considered her cleavage. He was shaken, but not stirred. "Shall we discuss the weather instead? I'm British."
She licked his sternocleidomastoid. Yum. Yum. "Have you ever made love to a dead woman?"
"Not that I know of."
Susan: Perfect!! Seriously, thank you for the massive hours you must have spent over the years teaching and mentoring other writers. Who do you consider your mentors?
JO: Diana Gabaldon is endlessly helpful and supportive to everybody at Books and Writers. Darlene Marshall and Pam Patchet are beautiful comedic voices. I've learned a lot from them.
Susan: I know you've been at this crazy writing business for a while now. What has your journey to publication been like?
JO: When I was six, my mother took all five of us kids and drove through Mexico in an old woody-sided stationwagon. It had a bullet hole in the side (but that's another story), and was not entirely reliable in the radiator and oil pan departments. One time, we drove off and left my little sister behind at the border crossing. Once, we got stopped by what was either a zealous community watch organization or bandits, and I got amoebic dysentery.
Oh. Flat tires. Lots and lots of flat tires.
That's what my journey to publication has been like.
Susan: {recovering from belly-laugh} Hokay. Serious Face. Is your approach to the writing any different now that your books are on the shelves? How?
JO: The major difference is that now I have deadlines. That appalls me and fills me with dismay. I do not think deadlines make me write any faster. They just make me miserable.
I also have book reviews. The bad ones confound and devastate me. Or puzzle me. The good ones always feel like they must be about somebody else's book.
Susan: Any final bits of advice for aspiring writers?
JO: Write what you love. Love it so much you don't care whether you get published or not. Listen carefully to advice. Ignore most all of that advice.
------------------- Ah, Jo, you rock. Thank you again.
The CONTEST: Add a comment to this post, including your name somewhere. You have until MONDAY JULY 1st! Monday morning whenever I get into work, I'll do a random drawing and select one winner. The winner will receive a Jo-signed copy of My Lord and Spymaster. Ready? GO!
And here it is!! An interview with author extraordinaire Vicki Pettersson about her new book The Touch of Twilight, the zodiac series, writing stuff, and other completely random and possibly freakish questions. CONTEST DETAILS AT THE END!
Vicki and I were born in the same year, and married in the same year (not to each other). We've been friends since we both were writing historicals, since she was a showgirl and I was...oh, I was still an editor. Right. Anyway, YEARS. She's one of my writing heroes. She knows what she wants to do, and she puts her head down and gets it done. You can see her passion and her hard work in every page.
And in spite of her currently scrabbling to finish Book 4, I pinned her down long enough to answer a few questions:
Susan: Joanna, your heroine, discovers in the first book (The Scent of Shadows) that she has superpowers, among other things. It's been rumored that these books are actually a confession of your own super abilities. Can you tell us one of your own uber-mortal talents?
VICKI: I have the ability to bruise myself in my sleep. No kidding. I'll wake up in the morning with bruises and have no idea how they got there. Of course, the first fight scene in SCENT came to me in a dream, so maybe that's where I test a scene's plausibility. (My poor husband. He'd probably prefer it if I wrote romance.)
Susan: In TOT, Jo burrows even deeper into the underworld of Las Vegas. What's your favorite new thing about that universe that you discovered while writing this book?
VICKI: Oh my. Tough question, because obviously I'm only writing about things that interest me as a writer and a reader. Without giving too much away, I suppose my favorite elements were discovering about new creatures, unfolding more of the history behind the Zodiac's matriarchal lineage, and sensing a possible subculture that none of the characters in the books seem willing to acknowledge. As Jo and I share a perverse curiosity that causes us to plunge headlong in directions others would rather us not (which I like to think of as an endearing trait), I got to indulge in all of these things.
Susan: Confession time. If you had to choose, would you rather have one night with Hunter or Ben? (I know which one I'd choose…)
VICKI: One night? Dude. There are seven days in the week. If pressed, I suppose I could divvy the days up evenly and take my day of rest on the Sabbath. How does that sound? (Slutty, I know. But I won't hold it against them if you won't. {Evil grin})
Susan: How does Vegas continue to influence the books?
VICKI: Vegas is as much a player in these books as any other major character, or so that's the goal. I want things to happen in this series that could only happen or evolve in this particular place, so I choose city settings that are unique to the environment, and that speak to me as a native. I'm always amazed at how place affects mood, and I'm sure to note my emotions when I travel. Vegas speaks to me of hope, so despite the noir tone of this series, I try to convey that as well.
Susan: Where do you get your ideas? Kidding. But about your writing process: how is it different now, with several published books under your belt, than when you started?
VICKI: I know that I can write. I know that I can finish. I know what works for me and why. (Or maybe I should say I know a lot of what doesn't work for me — that's sometimes more important.) I can tell when I'm heading off track before I get too far, and I have the tools to correct such missteps quickly and easily, so that I don't waste too much time detouring down rabbit holes. The different stages of creating a novel are now familiar to me, so even if I'm in an uncomfortable place in the text, I recognize that I've been there before, and move forward with the confidence that I'll get out of it again. But I'm still basically a plough horse about it (or maybe just a mule {G}). I just put words on the page one at a time and shove them around until the day's work is done.
Susan: We know the advice for writers in the midst of books: Read, write, don't stop. What's your advice for writers with a finished book, starting the query process or in the publishing waiting game?
VICKI: Why? Do you know someone in that position? {Innocent blink}
Actually my advice is to do the same thing that you do in all other areas of your life: build on it. Do what you've been doing all along - write. It's really the only thing you can control anyway, but fortunately it's also the most important thing. And while seeing your work on the shelves is definitely a Dream Come True, the writing is still the best part of the job. Enjoy it.
And now you KNOW you need to read TOUCH OF TWILIGHT, right? To enter to win a signed copy, just post in the comments to this post, and we'll do a random drawing. Contest ends at midnight MST. Good luck!!!
