Title: Allusive Aftershock
By: Susan Griscom
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Published by Amber Glow Books
Release date: December 18, 2012
Blurb:
What happens when a major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving you? Three times!
Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because … well, he is weird. He communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, seventeen-year-old Adela Castielle can’t quite figure out, but when he saves her from being trampled by her own horse, she begins to understand him a little better and wants to learn more about him.
But, Max--her best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-her-husband-only-he-doesn’t-know-it-yet--hates Courtland with a passion. Adela wants to know why, except neither boy is talking.
When Max leaves her stranded in his parents' wine cave with his worst enemy, Courtland, after what the experts are calling a “megathrust” earthquake, Adela starts to question her loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark damp cellar only fuel her emotions with more conflict.
But does she really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction and mayhem surround her?
Excerpt
With no electricity, I could barely make out the two figures standing by the door to the cellar. If not for the half moon, I would not have been able to see them at all. I stepped up to them and realized they were staring up at the sky and my eyes naturally followed their gaze. I had never seen such an awesome sight. Without any city lights for miles and miles, the stars in the sky were unusually bright and plentiful. A truly beautiful sight.
“Wow,” I whispered, standing between Max and Court. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Court’s focus change and he stared down at me. There was something strange about the way his eyes bored into me, as if he could see into my soul. I waited for him to look away but he held his gaze on me while I pretended to marvel at the sky. I’d never seen him stare at me that way before and I got nervous. My fingers fidgeted with each other and I clamped two of them in my other hand to steady them. If I hadn’t known better, I never would have guessed in a million years he had injuries. His eyes stayed fixed on me with an intense tenderness I had never seen from a boy before. Maybe Courtland Reese wasn’t so bad after all. Standing between the two of them in all their glorious hotness had my stomach doing flip-flops. I knew it was wrong to think these things under the circumstances, but maybe my mind just needed the distraction … or confusion. I loved Max, but I was beginning to like Courtland too. Man, I was in so much trouble.
Interview
Allusive Aftershock interview questions
Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Pam. I have been looking forward to this for a while.
Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?
The outline for Allusive Aftershock was originally written as a challenge from a writing group I once belonged to. The challenge was to write an outline for NaNoWriMo for the year 2010. We didn’t necessarily need to sign up for NaNoWriMo and actually write the novel, but I decided to go for it. At first, the story was to be a based on a full blown world catastrophic event, but then later decided to tone it down to be more realistic.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
Even though I’ve been in several earthquakes, since I live in California, I still did a ton of research on earthquakes, fires, horses and also wine cellars and wine barrel tasting. The very first scene in the book is actually based on an experience I had when I was seventeen. Like Adela, I, too ran to my mom’s bed and watched the water slosh around in the pool while the cement ripple in waves around it. It was my very first earthquake and I had no clue what was happening. It did feel as if we were being bombed, which I also had no clue how that felt and never want to know.
What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?
This is a really hard question to answer. I’ve been asked so many over the years I don’t know if I could think of one that hadn’t already been asked. But I can tell you my favorite question. That is, who would I pick to play my characters if my book was ever made into a movie. I love this question, because it gives readers some idea of what was going through my head while I was writing. Descriptions are great and as a writer I would hope readers are able to form a picture in their head, but still sometimes a little visualization helps too because everyone sees things differently in their mind. It is difficult for me though with Allusive Aftershock because in the cover I used Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, which by the way, I had designed by Robin Ludwig Designs July 2012. I picked that pose because I needed a picture of a guy carrying a girl and that particular pose had not, at the time, been used yet. So, yes, although they are not actors, I would have to go with someone similar to them and sorry to say, I haven’t found any, yet. Maybe Thomas Dekker.
Thomas has that bad boy look and a soft gentle side that makes Courtland so special. And those eyes, you could just drown in them. LOL I don’t know about a female to play Adela. I tend to lean toward someone with long dark hair, maybe someone like Victoria Justice.
However, Max is easy. Alex Pettyfer with blond hair would be perfect. Alex has the ability to pull off that spoiled selfish side of Max.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
All of it. LOL. Creating the storyline is always the hardest. I mean, I have a ton of ideas floating around in my head, but putting them down in a story takes plotting and then there is flow and making things sound believable. Editing is easy and hard. It easy because the story is there, the words are there, but then when the editor says, I think you should move this, or change this or this doesn’t work, or this is a repeat or maybe find a different way to say this, then you need to rethink and try to make it all fit and work. Writing a book takes time and patience.
What makes your book different from others in this genre?
Allusive Aftershock is a book about a major megathrust (9.1) earthquake with many very powerful aftershocks. There are friendships being tested and gained, loss and, yes, there is death and tragedy, but there is also love. There are many YA novels revolving around catastrophes, dystopian worlds and fantasies, science fiction, zombies, fairies, vampires, etc., but I don’t know of many young adult books that revolve around true life natural disasters and how in the midst of it all they manage to survive and love and at times, even hate.
Which one of your characters is most like you?
I guess I would have to pick Adela since she is the only female. Well main female. And we did go through the same earthquake experience.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I read, write reviews and try to promote my books. LOL I also design book covers. I did not design Allusive Aftershock’s front cover, though I did design the back and a couple of my other covers.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No. I wrote it the way it should be. In fact, the ending was different and much more brief, but after many hours of soul searching, I changed it and hopefully made it better.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I learned about horses. I also learned a little about wine barrel tasting and wine caves. I also learned that no matter how bad things get, you need to get up and try and try and try. Because everything that Adela, Court and even Max had to overcome, they never quit trying.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Never give up. Get beta readers and always have your work edited by a professional editor. Seek out other authors because they are full of information. I am constantly seeking out my authors friends for advice and recommendations.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I hope you like Allusive Aftershock. I loved writing about Courtland’s and Adela’s relationship and they way they fell in love. I still get goose bumps when I think about it. If you are over eighteen, please check out my other two books from the Whisper Cape Series, Whisper Cape and Reflections, book 2.
What was the first book you remember reading?
The Littlest Witch.
Thank you for the fantastic interview. I had a great time.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Pam. I have been looking forward to this for a while.
Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?
The outline for Allusive Aftershock was originally written as a challenge from a writing group I once belonged to. The challenge was to write an outline for NaNoWriMo for the year 2010. We didn’t necessarily need to sign up for NaNoWriMo and actually write the novel, but I decided to go for it. At first, the story was to be a based on a full blown world catastrophic event, but then later decided to tone it down to be more realistic.
What kind of research did you do for this book?
Even though I’ve been in several earthquakes, since I live in California, I still did a ton of research on earthquakes, fires, horses and also wine cellars and wine barrel tasting. The very first scene in the book is actually based on an experience I had when I was seventeen. Like Adela, I, too ran to my mom’s bed and watched the water slosh around in the pool while the cement ripple in waves around it. It was my very first earthquake and I had no clue what was happening. It did feel as if we were being bombed, which I also had no clue how that felt and never want to know.
What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?
This is a really hard question to answer. I’ve been asked so many over the years I don’t know if I could think of one that hadn’t already been asked. But I can tell you my favorite question. That is, who would I pick to play my characters if my book was ever made into a movie. I love this question, because it gives readers some idea of what was going through my head while I was writing. Descriptions are great and as a writer I would hope readers are able to form a picture in their head, but still sometimes a little visualization helps too because everyone sees things differently in their mind. It is difficult for me though with Allusive Aftershock because in the cover I used Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, which by the way, I had designed by Robin Ludwig Designs July 2012. I picked that pose because I needed a picture of a guy carrying a girl and that particular pose had not, at the time, been used yet. So, yes, although they are not actors, I would have to go with someone similar to them and sorry to say, I haven’t found any, yet. Maybe Thomas Dekker.
Thomas has that bad boy look and a soft gentle side that makes Courtland so special. And those eyes, you could just drown in them. LOL I don’t know about a female to play Adela. I tend to lean toward someone with long dark hair, maybe someone like Victoria Justice.
However, Max is easy. Alex Pettyfer with blond hair would be perfect. Alex has the ability to pull off that spoiled selfish side of Max.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
All of it. LOL. Creating the storyline is always the hardest. I mean, I have a ton of ideas floating around in my head, but putting them down in a story takes plotting and then there is flow and making things sound believable. Editing is easy and hard. It easy because the story is there, the words are there, but then when the editor says, I think you should move this, or change this or this doesn’t work, or this is a repeat or maybe find a different way to say this, then you need to rethink and try to make it all fit and work. Writing a book takes time and patience.
What makes your book different from others in this genre?
Allusive Aftershock is a book about a major megathrust (9.1) earthquake with many very powerful aftershocks. There are friendships being tested and gained, loss and, yes, there is death and tragedy, but there is also love. There are many YA novels revolving around catastrophes, dystopian worlds and fantasies, science fiction, zombies, fairies, vampires, etc., but I don’t know of many young adult books that revolve around true life natural disasters and how in the midst of it all they manage to survive and love and at times, even hate.
Which one of your characters is most like you?
I guess I would have to pick Adela since she is the only female. Well main female. And we did go through the same earthquake experience.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I read, write reviews and try to promote my books. LOL I also design book covers. I did not design Allusive Aftershock’s front cover, though I did design the back and a couple of my other covers.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
No. I wrote it the way it should be. In fact, the ending was different and much more brief, but after many hours of soul searching, I changed it and hopefully made it better.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I learned about horses. I also learned a little about wine barrel tasting and wine caves. I also learned that no matter how bad things get, you need to get up and try and try and try. Because everything that Adela, Court and even Max had to overcome, they never quit trying.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Never give up. Get beta readers and always have your work edited by a professional editor. Seek out other authors because they are full of information. I am constantly seeking out my authors friends for advice and recommendations.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I hope you like Allusive Aftershock. I loved writing about Courtland’s and Adela’s relationship and they way they fell in love. I still get goose bumps when I think about it. If you are over eighteen, please check out my other two books from the Whisper Cape Series, Whisper Cape and Reflections, book 2.
What was the first book you remember reading?
The Littlest Witch.
Thank you for the fantastic interview. I had a great time.
I daydream often and sometimes my daydreams interrupt my daydreams. So I write to remember them. If I didn't write, I think my mind would explode from an overload of fantasy and weirdness. To the annoyance of my friends and family, my characters sometimes become a part of my world. During my childhood, I would frequently get in trouble in school for daydreaming. Eventually, my vivid imagination paid off and I had the privilege of writing and co-directing my sixth-grade class play—a dreadful disaster, though not from my writing, of course, I must blame it on the acting.
I love writing about characters living in small quaint towns and tend to lean toward the unusual and spooky.
My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like the bizarre mixed with romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running hot.
Buy Links: Kindle http://www.amazon.com/ALLUSIVE-AFTERSHOCK-ebook/dp/B00AQ9LF72/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356055532&sr=1-1&keywords=allusive+aftershock
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Allusive-Aftershock-Susan-Griscom/dp/0615737897/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356055655&sr=1-3&keywords=susan+griscom
Website: http://susangriscom.com
Blog: http://swblog.susangriscom.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanGriscom
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/SMGriscom
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Griscom/e/B008R94FNO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_3
Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/SusanGriscom1
Goodread: http://www.goodreads.com/SusanGriscom
Giveaway
Must buy to be eligible for the swag pack. Please enter your receipt number. New purchases only, date must fall between 1-14 and 2-14. If you purchase my book and then win an e-book copy of AA, I will reward you with another book of equal value of your choice. Winners will be chosen on my birthday, February 23rd.
I wanted to let you know that I nominated your blog for the One Lovely Blog Award. You can find the details at http://pinkyjustlisten.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-blog-was-nominated.html
ReplyDelete~Kassandra