Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Author Interview: Rebecca Lim
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Rebecca Lim author of the YA angel novel Mercy. Rebecca is great (not only because she answered every one of my long list of questions!) you can tell she really believes in her book which comes through in her great answers to my questions.
Mercy definitely stands out from the pack of other angel themed books that are currently available, I hope you all have a chance to read it. For my review simply click HERE. To visit the official Mercy website click HERE.
I hope you all enjoy the interview!
How would you describe Mercy for those who have not read the book yet?
Mercy brings together some of the genre-mashing I enjoy as a reader. It’s a YA mystery novel – but with angels and romance thrown in.
Its heroine is an exiled angel who constantly finds herself shifted into an unbroken chain of human lives – she keeps “waking” to find herself inhabiting a stranger’s body and is forced continually to think on the fly, and adapt, just to survive.
I tried to imagine what it would be like for someone with extraordinary powers to be suffering from a bizarre kind of amnesia where she only has prismatic flashes of memory. The inklings of more than one past life, and of what she’s truly capable of, will hopefully keep things interesting.
I was fascinated in the concept of Mercy being continually forced to return to Earth could you explain a bit about how you came up with the concept.
Mercy thinks she’s stuck on earth for a crime she’s committed in the past that she can’t remember. And at the risk of including a spoiler, the reason she “fell” has a more complicated basis than that, but she’s in the dark as much as the reader is until “Muse”.
I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of “the fall” (whether of humans or of Lucifer and the angels that fell with him). There’s so little actual detail on fallen angels in the bible that there’s space to play with the idea, if that makes any sense. I didn’t just want Mercy to be a “bad” angel – so her back story is slowly revealed over the course of the first 3 books.
For me Mercy stands out from the multitude of other YA angel books that are available due to the fact that it’s not simply a romance book there is also a suspenseful mystery. Where did the idea of adding this mystery to the plot come from?
I just love reading mystery stories and thrillers and they have their own internal rhythm and urgency that just makes you want to keep going until you know what the ending is. So I thought, why not include that in with the mystery of Mercy’s own search for her past? I like reading layered things, and I like to think that readers like to be challenged because each reader is an intelligent person. So I tried to build in a little more mystery and make it a little more challenging, just to keep things interesting.
The encounter Mercy has with Uri was an interesting one as it’s the first time I questioned if Mercy could really trust Luc, was this the intention of this encounter?
Yup, you got it. There are seven or eight archangels across several world faiths that are the “highest of the high” and Uriel is one of those.
What I was trying to do was signpost to people who might have been responsible for Mercy being the way she is now, and who her partner in crime (Luc) might actually be, without being too heavy handed about it.
My perception of Mercy gradually shifted throughout the book, at the start I found her voice to be a little cold and distant, slowly however her voice seemed to ‘soften’, it appeared like she really cared about Ryan and his family as well as Carmen. Was this gradual shift in the readers’ perception of Mercy what you were aiming for?
Yes, because when the novel “Mercy” starts, she’s pretty much fully in the grip of her “illness” – which is waking up in a new body with very little idea of how she got there. During the course of each “life” she lives she has to think on her feet just to survive and small things start to come back to her and start to make sense, but whenever she first “wakes” it’s a struggle for her (and for the reader) to work out what’s going on, then she “grows” into the body and the life she’s living and it gets easier.
What inspired you to write Mercy?
I’ve been really keen to write a fantasy novel for a while where the “hero” was a girl and actually (eep!) strong for a change, in the sense that her essential character would never bend, buckle, or break no matter what life was throwing at her.
I started off writing a book with a mermaid protagonist a long while ago but was getting bogged down in historical details (what people wore, ate, fought with etc) and thought I’d just transpose the idea of the strong heroine to an urban setting. And I’ve always loved myths and legends and the idea of the Old Testament angel with the burning sword, plus my short term memory seems to have disappeared entirely, so throw all that in a pot and I guess “Mercy” is the result.
Throughout the book there was a presence of music, was this use of music simply utilised as a plot device or was there a specific reasoning behind its use?
I’m a choir nerd from way back and I love that piece of music. Plus, I wanted to layer “Mercy” so that it wasn’t just the typical “school setting” scenario where you have mean girls and jocks and all that stuff. I wanted to shake it up a bit. And music is quite transcendent and something that Mercy (the character) has had missing from her life, so I wanted to bring that kind of transcendent stuff back into her memory because it’s part of her journey of getting herself back, remembering things like music, language, the beautiful parts of life.
Why did you choose to write Mercy for a young adult audience?
With “Mercy” I was hoping to reach YA readers and female readers generally because of some of the themes I cover. The stuff that happens to women in the news just makes my blood boil sometimes, and I wanted to create a female heroine who looks weak, but who could actually dish out vengeance to her persecutors. Kind of an empowering revenge fantasy, I guess.
The YA audience is so fantastically responsive and immediate and intelligent – they will tell you in a heartbeat if something reads as false or inauthentic. I like how YA readers aren’t snobby – provided the story is exciting and hooks you in, they’re happy to go with it.
I read across all genres and I have to say that there are some readers who won’t touch anything that isn’t “literary”. With “Mercy” I tried to cover more than one genre – mystery, romance, paranormal, with a “literary” overlay, I guess. Some people don’t like that, but I had fun putting it all together.
What was your journey to publication like?
I had a day job that was kind of cutting across getting anything up to scratch from a creative writing perspective, so I took time off to do some books for boys and managed to get published and never went back to the office job.
I’ve been lucky enough to get gigs writing across different age groups with some fantastic publishers and editors. There’s been rejections aplenty - like the time a famous New York
It just comes down to keep working hard; even when you don’t feel you can stand firing up the computer again, just to get shot down in flames.
My supportive husband definitely helps – especially when I get into the deadline zone and became monosyllabic and vacant, he’s been brilliant at reminding me about important things like what day it is, what time it is, now it’s time to eat etc.
What has been the response to Mercy?
I think it’s been more positive than not positive, although some of the feedback has been bizarre: ranging from the criticism that “Mercy” was riddled with major grammatical errors (my publisher particularly loved that one) to the fact it was an angel book and therefore it sucked only slightly worse than all of the other angel books out there. Oh yeah, and someone just said “Euugh,” I think.
Most people “get” the character of Mercy and where I’m trying to go with the series, but some people just get more out of the mystery storyline and engage less with the angel parts of the book and I’m hoping they will change their minds as Mercy starts to “wake” more and more to her essential nature as the series progresses. I am going somewhere with all the flashbacks; people just need to be patient and keep piecing it together …
Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself that most people would be surprised to know?
I lived in Warwick , Queensland
I know when I’m writing an essay for uni I have a whole routine I must follow, do you have a writing routine that you follow?
Nope, unfortunately if I get a clear half hour I just write like I’m being pursued by the hounds from hell.
As this is a YA blog what are your favourite YA novels?
The Hunger Games trilogy is just magnificent – not finished yet but I’m getting there and they are just so fantastically well written, plotted. There’s not a word wasted and that’s something great after a lot of overblown series that could have done with a touch more editing (which shall remain nameless)
The His Dark Materials books are fantastic (although I think I got the most out of one and two)
Loved the Harry Potter books – the world (and internal mythology) JK Rowling created was fantastic.
The ending of Mercy left me desperately wanting the next book in the series, Exile, can you give us any information on the second novel in the series?
She’s beginning to “wake” more and more to parts of herself that she thought she’d lost forever. Plus, she finds out who did this to her.
In “Muse”, she finds out why …
I don’t know if you can answer this question but will Ryan be making an appearance in Exile?
Yes!
Are you currently working on anything else, can you tell us anything about it?
Before “Mercy” I wrote a paranormal book that a couple of publishers looked at but said “first half is great, second half sucked”. Once I finish with “Mercy” I’m going back to fix up the back half and we’ll see what happens ...
I just have to thank Rebecca for answering all my questions, I know I had a few! I also have to thank Patricia and Eliza over at HarperCollins Australia
Mercy is available now in all good bookstores throughout Australia
Mercy will also be published for the American market by Hyperion Book’s on May 17th 2011.
Exile, the second book in the series, will be released on May 1st 2011 for all my Australian readers, sorry internationals I’m not sure when it will be released overseas.
Waiting on Wednesday: Exposure by Therese Fowler
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" is:
Exposure by Therese Fowler
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Age Group: Young Adult
In Exposure, Therese Fowler has written her most gripping novel to date—a ripped-from-the-headlines story of ardent young love and a nightmarish legal maelstrom that threatens to destroy two families.
Amelia Wilkes’s strict father does not allow her to date, but that doesn’t stop the talented, winsome high school senior from carrying on a secret romance with her classmate Anthony Winter. Desperately in love, the two envision a life together and plan to tell Amelia’s parents only after she turns eighteen and is legally an adult. Anthony’s mother, Kim, who teaches at their school, knows—and keeps—their secret. But the couple’s passion is exposed sooner than planned: Amelia’s father, Harlan, is shocked and infuriated to find naked pictures of Anthony on his daughter’s computer. Just hours later, Anthony is arrested.
Despite Amelia’s frantic protests, Harlan uses his wealth and influence with local law enforcement and the media to label Anthony a deviant who preyed on his innocent daughter. Spearheaded by a zealous prosecutor anxious to turn the case into a public crusade against “sexting,” the investigation soon takes an even more disturbing and destructive turn.
As events spiral wildly out of control and the scandalous story makes national news, Amelia and Anthony risk everything in a bold and dangerous attempt to clear their names and end the madness once and for all.
A captivating page-turner, Therese Fowler’s Exposure is also a deftly crafted, provocative, and timely novel that serves as a haunting reminder of the consequences of love in the modern age.
A captivating page-turner, Therese Fowler’s Exposure is also a deftly crafted, provocative, and timely novel that serves as a haunting reminder of the consequences of love in the modern age.
Oohh a book about ‘sexting’, now if you’re over the age of umm lets say 30 you’re probably asking what the heck is this ‘sexting’ well according to that fabulous free source of information known as Wikipedia ‘sexting’ is sending sexually explicit messages via cell phone or instant messenger. Now personally I cant imagine why anyone would want to do such a thing, I mean come on if I have learnt anything from celebrity scandals of the past its never NEVER send someone a lewd photo of yourself but apparently this ‘sexting’ is more prevalent than I thought with 20% of American teens (ages 13-19) and 33% of young adults (ages 20-26) having shared nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves either via text or by posting online (look at me I did some research). So long story short this book is probably a really good idea as it will enlighten young adults about this issue plus it just sounds like a really engrossing read. Also I like how it wasn’t the girl that was sending the photos but the boy which is a pleasant change.
Here’s what Teresa has said about Exposure
“This, my third novel, was inspired by a crisis my son and our family endured in 2009. Because of that, it's very close to my heart. I hope readers will embrace it as well.”
It appears Teresa has had some experience with this issue, which can only add to the novel by making it more realistic.
So if this book tickles your fancy why not read an excerpt HERE!
Well that’s my “waiting on” pick, what's yours this week?
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Teaser Tuesday #24
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
1. Grab you current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Today’s teaser is from Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr, this is the 4th book in the Wicked Lovely series. For those of you who haven’t read the books before they are about faeries and focus on the trials and tribulations between the different faerie courts (the High Court, the Summer Court, the Winter Court and the Dark Court) as well as their interaction with the mortal world. I’m liking Radiant Shadows much more than I did Fragile Eternity, the previous book in the series, which wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. Radiant Shadows definitely has a darker tone to it, plus there is more Irial and Niall which is always nice.
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“He repressed all of those untidy things he felt, hid them away, and kept his expression stoic as he’d long since learned to do. It was foolishness, his urge to protect her, but he very much wanted a solution that didn’t involve Ani’s death.”
- p. 161, Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
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If you guys want some more info on the series here’s a really great clip of Melissa discussing her Wicked Lovely series, enjoy!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Waiting on Wednesday: The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" is:
The Summer Before Boys by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Release Date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Age Group: Young Adult
Julia and Eliza are family, but they’re also best friends. They’ve grown up together, and share everything from school and homework to the worlds they’ve created with their imaginations. Now, Julia’s mom has gone overseas to serve with the National Guard in Iraq
But despite all the promise of a summer filled with friendship, sun, and adventure, Julia is distracted by worries for her mother and the sudden development of her first crush. For the first time, Julia and her thoughts are traveling to a place that Eliza can’t follow. And as Julia deals with growing further away from the fantasies the two have always shared, Eliza discovers that it’s not any easier to be the one left behind.
In her follow up to the award-winning Anything But Typical, Nora Baskin Raleigh has written a powerful, touching story about the wedge that can be driven between best friends at the time when they most need each other.
Yep it’s another contemporary book, I’m on this contemporary book reading binge at the moment and this one sounds like a doosey. I just can’t get enough of these highly emotional beautifully written books. What particularly appeals to me about The Summer Before Boys is the exploration of the friendship between two best friends that is changing along with the girls themselves, I’m sure many people can relate to it, I know I can.
Well that’s my “waiting on” pick, what's yours this week?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Teaser Tuesday #23
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
1. Grab you current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Today’s teaser is from Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler, this is my first Sarah Ockler book and I’m loving it so far, Sarah has this beautiful way with words [see teaser below, a-m-a-z-i-n-g!] that makes me want to re-read certain sentences over and over again. And like any good YA book I’m also seriously crushing on the main male protagonist Patrick or ‘Little Ricky’ as he was once known, he’s very swoon worthy ladies!
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“There is no more denying my feelings for him, no more lying to myself about control, no more weighing out the pros and cons, no more comparisons and warnings and walls. I’m tumbling and turning somersaults in the water, no way to know which end is up, which means certain death, which promises all the air I need to breathe.”
- p. 217, Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
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