Friday, July 12, 2013

Shadow of the Mark Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

I'm so excited to be a part of the Shadow of the Mark blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! I was lucky enough to get to interview the lovely Leigh Fallon. So let's get to it!


In the Best Worlds: Since you write YA, what were you like as a teenager?
Leigh Fallon: I suffered from horrible awkwardness and shyness and I decided at an early age that I needed to put on a front to survive in the world of an all girls secondary school (in Ireland we don’t have middle schools. We start secondary school at 13 and do 6 years, graduating at 18ish). So I developed a confident persona, I joined sporting teams, but not cliques (I can’t bear cliques). I never relied on people and stood on my own two feet. It got me through, but the act was hard to drop as I moved into being an adult. It was second nature to me. I still struggle with being the real me a lot of the time. It leads to lots of mental postmortems about things I said and did during the day. It’s a constant battle. It’s kind of funny now that I’m an adult. My husband thinks it’s cute how I constantly dissect my conversations and beat myself up over them. I guess writing YA enables me to be the people I’d like to have been, or like to have met during those years.  It’s my brain working things out. LOL!

ItBW: I love Carrier of the Mark and I’m so stoked that there’s a sequel. Can you dish anything about Shadow of the Mark?
LF: I don’t want to give too much away, but things really hot up between a few people. The Marked ones start to see a surge in their abilities, some way more than others. We meet some new allies, a few enemies, and we might even say a farewell or two (sad face).

ItBW: You’ve built a fabulous world around Megan and Adam (thank you so much for setting it in Ireland). Were there any challenges that you met in world building? Is there anything about this world that you know about, but hasn’t quite made it into the books?
LF: Thank you! It’s a world I’ve adored writing. There are still a few secrets to be revealed about this world. You learn of some of them in Shadow, but real zingers are reserved for the last book.  With regard to challenges, to be honest, I haven’t encountered too many when building this world. I based it mainly on a world I already knew. I then mixed it up with fact, history, lore, and some superstitions and voila. It lends itself beautifully to being molded into what I needed it to be.

ItBW: What has been your favorite moment of being a published author so far?
LF: There have been so many amazing moments. The first contact with my editor, my first phone call with my agent. Those first few fan letters that left me astounded that there were people out there who had read and loved my story. It’s sort of surreal. They make me giddy. Nothing quite beats meeting your readers. One standout memory is my signing booth at Book Expo America. There was a line of people waiting for me that was so long that they had to turn some away.  It was an incredible hour and I met some awesome readers. Each book I signed was a memory to hold dear.

ItBW: I know you’ve lived quite a few fabulous places, but if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
LF: Agh! If I knew the answer to that one I’d be living there already. Each place I go to I think is fabulous, then I move somewhere else and I fall in love with it. Then I can’t make up my mind.  I’m currently loving living on the west cost of the US. The Pacific North West is so stunning. You can’t really imagine its beauty until you’ve seen it. It’s so gorgeous I’ve started writing a story based here. I guess I’d love to try a stint in California sometime in the future. Some of my favorite bookish types live down that way and I really would love little sun and surf on my next pit stop.

ItBW: What is your #1 guilty pleasure?
LF: I can’t possibly just give you one. They are all on a par. Chocolate, coffee, really bad reality TV shows (Dance Moms & Married to Jonas spring to mind), and silence (not that I get much of it in a house with four kids).

ItBW: Finish these sentences…
We could be best friends if… you’re honest, straight up, and good for a laugh.
The natural element I most identify with is ...air...., because…the sound and feel of  the breeze makes me feel alive and content with life.
People would be surprised to know… I’m very sensitive and cry at practically anything. And I mean anything, commercials, beautiful music, Hallmark movies…yes, even the really pathetic ones. I’m an utter bag of mush.

Thanks so much to Leigh for answering my questions!
----------------------------- 
About Shadow of the Mark: Their love could destroy them all.

Through the ages, Marked Ones have harnessed the powers of the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Much about the elements is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain: A relationship between two Marked Ones has the potential to cause widespread devastation.

Megan and Adam—Air and Water—are determined to defy the risks.

But the power that swirls inside Megan is growing in twisted ways. And the closer she is to Adam, the closer Megan comes to unleashing a dark force that could spell destruction for the entire Marked line.

-----------------------------
About Leigh: Leigh Fallon was born in South Africa, raised in Dublin, Ireland and moved to Cork in her 20's. While living in beautiful Kinsale, her novel, The Carrier of the Mark was conceived. She promptly abandoned her 'riveting' career in corporate treasury and discovered Inkpop, a website for budding writers of teen fiction. Within weeks her manuscript hit the coveted top five spot and was reviewed by an editor at HarperCollins. A few emails and some hysterical screaming later, she signed her first deal. Leigh and her family now share their time between Ireland and the US.
 Find Leigh Online: Website :: Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Goodreads
-----------------------------
The Giveaway:
1st place - a signed copy of Shadow of the Mark and a boat load of goodies inc. a silver bookmark (pic attached) USA only. 

2nd  place - a $10 book depository gift card & some signed swag . International.

3rd place- signed swag International.
  -----------------------------
         Check out the rest of the stops on this tour!
               7/1/2013- The Irish Banana Review
       7/2/2013- Emilie's Book World
                             7/3/2013- Jessabella Reads                            
               7/4/2013- Bookaholics Anonymous
                       7/5/2013- Tales of the Ravenous Reader 
                              7/8/2013- A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books
         7/9/2013- The Best Books Ever
        7/10/2013- Reading with ABC
7/11/2013- BiblioJunkies

                 7/12/2013- In the Best Worlds          

Friday, July 12, 2013

Shadow of the Mark Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

I'm so excited to be a part of the Shadow of the Mark blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! I was lucky enough to get to interview the lovely Leigh Fallon. So let's get to it!


In the Best Worlds: Since you write YA, what were you like as a teenager?
Leigh Fallon: I suffered from horrible awkwardness and shyness and I decided at an early age that I needed to put on a front to survive in the world of an all girls secondary school (in Ireland we don’t have middle schools. We start secondary school at 13 and do 6 years, graduating at 18ish). So I developed a confident persona, I joined sporting teams, but not cliques (I can’t bear cliques). I never relied on people and stood on my own two feet. It got me through, but the act was hard to drop as I moved into being an adult. It was second nature to me. I still struggle with being the real me a lot of the time. It leads to lots of mental postmortems about things I said and did during the day. It’s a constant battle. It’s kind of funny now that I’m an adult. My husband thinks it’s cute how I constantly dissect my conversations and beat myself up over them. I guess writing YA enables me to be the people I’d like to have been, or like to have met during those years.  It’s my brain working things out. LOL!

ItBW: I love Carrier of the Mark and I’m so stoked that there’s a sequel. Can you dish anything about Shadow of the Mark?
LF: I don’t want to give too much away, but things really hot up between a few people. The Marked ones start to see a surge in their abilities, some way more than others. We meet some new allies, a few enemies, and we might even say a farewell or two (sad face).

ItBW: You’ve built a fabulous world around Megan and Adam (thank you so much for setting it in Ireland). Were there any challenges that you met in world building? Is there anything about this world that you know about, but hasn’t quite made it into the books?
LF: Thank you! It’s a world I’ve adored writing. There are still a few secrets to be revealed about this world. You learn of some of them in Shadow, but real zingers are reserved for the last book.  With regard to challenges, to be honest, I haven’t encountered too many when building this world. I based it mainly on a world I already knew. I then mixed it up with fact, history, lore, and some superstitions and voila. It lends itself beautifully to being molded into what I needed it to be.

ItBW: What has been your favorite moment of being a published author so far?
LF: There have been so many amazing moments. The first contact with my editor, my first phone call with my agent. Those first few fan letters that left me astounded that there were people out there who had read and loved my story. It’s sort of surreal. They make me giddy. Nothing quite beats meeting your readers. One standout memory is my signing booth at Book Expo America. There was a line of people waiting for me that was so long that they had to turn some away.  It was an incredible hour and I met some awesome readers. Each book I signed was a memory to hold dear.

ItBW: I know you’ve lived quite a few fabulous places, but if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
LF: Agh! If I knew the answer to that one I’d be living there already. Each place I go to I think is fabulous, then I move somewhere else and I fall in love with it. Then I can’t make up my mind.  I’m currently loving living on the west cost of the US. The Pacific North West is so stunning. You can’t really imagine its beauty until you’ve seen it. It’s so gorgeous I’ve started writing a story based here. I guess I’d love to try a stint in California sometime in the future. Some of my favorite bookish types live down that way and I really would love little sun and surf on my next pit stop.

ItBW: What is your #1 guilty pleasure?
LF: I can’t possibly just give you one. They are all on a par. Chocolate, coffee, really bad reality TV shows (Dance Moms & Married to Jonas spring to mind), and silence (not that I get much of it in a house with four kids).

ItBW: Finish these sentences…
We could be best friends if… you’re honest, straight up, and good for a laugh.
The natural element I most identify with is ...air...., because…the sound and feel of  the breeze makes me feel alive and content with life.
People would be surprised to know… I’m very sensitive and cry at practically anything. And I mean anything, commercials, beautiful music, Hallmark movies…yes, even the really pathetic ones. I’m an utter bag of mush.

Thanks so much to Leigh for answering my questions!
----------------------------- 
About Shadow of the Mark: Their love could destroy them all.

Through the ages, Marked Ones have harnessed the powers of the four elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Air. Much about the elements is shrouded in mystery, but one thing is certain: A relationship between two Marked Ones has the potential to cause widespread devastation.

Megan and Adam—Air and Water—are determined to defy the risks.

But the power that swirls inside Megan is growing in twisted ways. And the closer she is to Adam, the closer Megan comes to unleashing a dark force that could spell destruction for the entire Marked line.

-----------------------------
About Leigh: Leigh Fallon was born in South Africa, raised in Dublin, Ireland and moved to Cork in her 20's. While living in beautiful Kinsale, her novel, The Carrier of the Mark was conceived. She promptly abandoned her 'riveting' career in corporate treasury and discovered Inkpop, a website for budding writers of teen fiction. Within weeks her manuscript hit the coveted top five spot and was reviewed by an editor at HarperCollins. A few emails and some hysterical screaming later, she signed her first deal. Leigh and her family now share their time between Ireland and the US.
 Find Leigh Online: Website :: Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Goodreads
-----------------------------
The Giveaway:
1st place - a signed copy of Shadow of the Mark and a boat load of goodies inc. a silver bookmark (pic attached) USA only. 

2nd  place - a $10 book depository gift card & some signed swag . International.

3rd place- signed swag International.
  -----------------------------
         Check out the rest of the stops on this tour!
               7/1/2013- The Irish Banana Review
       7/2/2013- Emilie's Book World
                             7/3/2013- Jessabella Reads                            
               7/4/2013- Bookaholics Anonymous
                       7/5/2013- Tales of the Ravenous Reader 
                              7/8/2013- A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books
         7/9/2013- The Best Books Ever
        7/10/2013- Reading with ABC
7/11/2013- BiblioJunkies

                 7/12/2013- In the Best Worlds