Monday, April 2, 2012

Q&A with Julie Kagawa & The Immortal Rules Giveaway!!


The Immortal Rules is the first in a new series by Julie Kagawa!
In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.
A Q&A with
New York Times Best Selling Author Julie Kagawa


After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.


Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgments in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-
apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?


At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?


Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.


Thank you Julie!


 Why wait? Pre-order a copy of The Immortal Rules!
Indiebound

Enter to win a copy of The Immortal Rules!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Giveaway Fine Print:
  • Must be over 13 years old to enter.
  • Valid US and Canada mailing address only please.
  • Book will ship directly from the publisher and will not be sent until after the book's pub date of 4/24.
 Photobucket

26 comments:

Julie S said...

Thanks for the interview and giveaway! This one has been getting a lot of attention and I'd love to read it.

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

Yes, there are some good vampire stories out there but this so , so much better than good. It was unique and awesome and I can't wait to re-read it!

Vivien said...

So eager for this book. I love Julie's writing style. This is bound to be fabulous!!!

SarahS. said...

Great interview. This book sounds so good. Thanks for the giveaway.

Stephanie27 said...

Waiting is torture. I am so so excited to see what Julie has done this time!

Arianne said...

I hear so many good things about you and yet I have not read any of your books. Shame on me.

Jackie said...

After falling in love with the Iron Fey series it is going to be quite interesting to read your take on Vampires, thanks for the interview and giveaway Julie and Scoot!

Kristen said...

Thanks for the awesome interview and giveaway! :))

donnas said...

Congrats on the release! Really looking forward to reading it.

Book Flame said...

I'm so looking forward to this book! Thanks for the giveaway.

fluffernutter said...

Awesome giveaway!! <3 can't wait to read this book! :) thanks for a surely awesome read!

Louisa @ Words I Write Crazy said...

Oh, thank you for such a great series of the Iron Fey, and I'm sure this one is going to be just as good! :) Thanks for the great giveaway!

whitewolfreads said...

I can't wait to read this new twist on vampires. Thanks for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

To Scoot: Thanks so much for the giveaway! I love Julie's Iron Fey series and can't wait to see what she has in store for us in Blood of Eden. And to Julie: I play flute now! I'm only twelve, so I guess you could consider me as little if you wanted, but I just wanted to say that I play the flute, too! :)

marian said...

love her iron fey series!! so can't wait to read this new book sounds interesting. thanks for the giveaway!!

Anonymous said...

I'm really excited to see these post-apocalyptic vampires. Sounds way different from the Iron Fey, but I love that she's doing something new!

poisnivyred said...

I've heard so many good things about this book, i really hope i win it! I loved the q&a :)

samantha35 said...

great giveaway
follow via gfc
drakebdog@gmail.com

Linny said...

Can't wait to get my hands on this one! Everyone is talking about it and what they are saying is good. Love Julie Kagawa's writing style, so that plus an awesome storyline and I'm sure this book is going to rock.

Texas Book Lover said...

This book looks amazing...looking forward to reading it!

Cover is awesome!

Unknown said...

I think it's cool to learn whether an author would make the same choices as their characters. Thanks for sharing!

Valia Lind said...

Thanks for the giveaway! Julie, you're amazing! great intervew! :-)

Jen@Reading_Lark said...

I used to play the flute too... but I sucked at it!!

kristina shields said...

absolutely loved your iron fey series, and even though there will be no Ash, I can't wait to read this book!

Aylee said...

Reading this now and loving it. SO curious about Kanin!

Lexie@BookBug said...

I'm reading The Iron Fey series right now and totally loving it! Can't wait to read more!

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