Winner!

The winner of the signed copy of The Pace by Shelena Shorts is.......

aprilnichole (Claimed!)

Author Interview: Estevan Vega

Hi everybody! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Today I'm here with Estevan Vega, author of the great YA book, Arson.

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TBP: Describe yourself in nine words.

EV: Writer. Movie-watcher. Book-reader. Concert-goer. Lady killer.

TBP: Tell us a little bit about Arson.

EV: Arson is a story about the struggle of existence. Existence as a boy, a girl, a psychotic grandmother, spouses trapped in a dysfunctional marriage, growing up...oh, and starting fires with your mind. It's got more than your average novel. Don't go into it thinking you have all the answers. Have an open mind and become a part of their world.

TBP: What inspired the idea behind Arson?

EV: Arson came from a part of me that was just fed up with dealing with life. I was seventeen, thought I had life sort of under control and figured out, and then my family gets torn apart in a matter of months, and with it, my world. I felt like a splintered piece of glass. I love the supernatural and fell in love with X-Men and Spider-man at an early age. Loved all those comic characters. I wanted to explore a similar world, but to add in my own creepy, realistic twist. Funny how much your experiences play into what you create.

TBP: What is it like to be published at so young an age?

EV: It's all I've ever known, so not sure what it'd be like if I were fifty and it happened. Stoked it happened this way, though, to be honest. When I started, my goal was to be famous before prom, so all the hot chicks would want to date me, but I wrote and published Servant of the Realm and it was just kinda there. I ended up driving to the prom in the pimp mobile- my 4runner. The GPS ended up taking my date and me through some off-road woods. I thought I stumbled into Tolkien's world. Whoa...really big tangent. But I guess to answer your question, I love being a young writer. Sure, there are the nay-sayers who are apprehensive about giving my books a shot because of my age, but they're only nay-sayers until they become converts.

TBP: There will be a sequel to Arson right? Any thoughts on a title for it yet?

EV: Of course. I think you're the thousandth person to ask me that. YES, world. Sequel's coming, and it's gonna be awesome. I've been working on it for a while. As for titles, it's likely going to start with the letter A. Get stoked. Hope to have it out sometime in 2011. Check http://www.estevanvega.com/ often for updates.

TBP: Both Arson and Emery are from very dysfunctional families. If it isn't too personal, was any of that based on your own experiences?

EV: Um...yeah. Out of my three novels, Arson is the most personal I've ever gotten. I felt it was really important for this story to explore the root of humanity, love, and the world. For me, that meant striking close to home so the story could feel realistic. Plus, it helped me get through some of the hardest years of my life.

TBP: If you could be any superhero, who would it be and why? Any supervillian?

EV: I loved Wolverine and Spider-man as a kid, and I think they're still my favorite. Wolverine's a badass. And Spider-man gets to kiss chicks upside down without feeling the need to vomit or for his head to explode. Oh, and the fact he can swing from tall buildings helps.

TBP: Who is another author that you would love to co-write a book with?

EV: Ted Dekker. Robert Liparulo. Richard Matheson. I'd say it'd be fun to write a book with King too, but I feel like in the thousand-paged epic he'd write I'd be lucky to get a sentence in. Matheson, though, is the freakin man. He's written so much killer stuff in his lifetime, one of which is I am Legend, that it'd be an honor to write something with him. Liparulo is just plain awesome and a friend of mine. And I think Ted Dekker's audience and my audience are very similar. I'd be down to write a book with any of them.

TBP: What is it that you want most out of life?

EV: Love. Family. Lots of books that I've written that you've read.

TBP: Anything else you'd like to add?

EV: Go read Arson, and then spread the fuego! Sequel's comin, amigos!
-E

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Thanks, Estevan, for letting me interview you. I hope all of you enjoyed getting to learn more about Estevan and his YA book, Arson. If you want to know more about Arson, you can read my Review.

Thanks for stopping by everyone and remember, I luvs reading your comments. :D

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everybody! Mine has gotten off to a pretty great start and I've gotten some awesome gifts which I'll vlog about tomorrow probably. Hope you are all having a wonderful and safe Christmas!

Noteworthy Passages: Oriana's Eyes

Oriana's Eyes by Celeste Simone
Publisher: iUniverse
Pub. Date: February 24th, 2010
Pages: 261
Series: Great Oak Trilogy, #1
Age Level: 13+
Source: From author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis via Goodreads
As a pure-blood Winglet, Oriana isn't supposed to look at a half-blood much less speak to one. Half-bloods are the lowest of all races at Odon's University, because they are half Winglet and half Finlet. But when a half-blood, Dorian, locks eyes with her in the hallway, Oriana can't help but be intrigued by his daring nature. After sneaking out to the garden in the middle of the night to talk to him, Oriana knows she can't let her feelings go. She fears not following Odon's rules, but the more she sees Dorian the more she wants to break them all. When Oriana's idea of perfection crumbles she seeks a way out of the imprisoning University that threatens not only her happiness, but her very life. Dorian promises he has a plan to take her far away, but Oriana doubts they can escape Odon's all-seeing eye. Oriana isn't sure what she fears more, being stuck in the University or finding out what lies beyond its walls.

Noteworthy Passages

Oriana; pg. 7
I stand to leave and notice a shadow at the far corner of the garden. I have't hard anyone enter, and I gasp with a fear that is more exciting than it is paralyzing. The shadow surrenders to the last dying rays of sunlight, and I recognize him. Has he been watching me the entire time?

Oriana; pg. 132-133
As I step into my room, it becomes darker, and I immediately notice a firefly is caught within. It winks on and off, floating above my head and landing on the wall behind me. When I move to reach it, it takes off again, letting its light be seen every other moment, when it appears slightly further from its previous glow as it continues its flight.

Finally, I cup my hand around it and bring it close. I feel its soft wings as it flies against my palm, and my hands light up briefly. I pass through the flap door, set it free into the night, watching it disappear among the surrounding trees, and turn my head upward. The stars above are distinct and bright; they hold their illumination in permanence. Alone they are small pinpoints in the sky, but together they could outshine the full moon.

Oriana; pg. 226
It's not in our hands to become gods, to decide who deserves to live or die.

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Well everyone, there they are; my Noteworthy Passages picks for Oriana's Eyes. If these have sparked your interest then check out my Review.

As always your comments are appreciated and tanks for stopping by!







PLEASE NOTE: This is a feature hosted here at my blog in which I present you with selected passages or quotes that I deem Noteworthy from a book I've just reviewed. My hopes are of course, that these passages will make you want to pick the book up and read it. This feature was started and created by me in January in hopes of making my blog more unique. That being said, I would like to kindly request that you do not use this feature as it was intended to be for my blog only and is not a meme. If you see some one else using it, please know it is without my permission. Thank you.