Debut Author Interview: Kristen Simmons, Article 5

It is an absolute honor to be hosting Kristen Simmons on the blog today with an interview! Her debut dystopian novel is a 2012 release, Article 5, and it is a phenomenal read! A great read for anyone who is a fan of the genre!

Kristen Simmons is the author of young adult fiction. Her debut novel, ARTICLE 5, the first installment of a dystopian trilogy, was published by Tor Teen in January 2012. Words cannot describe how happy this makes her. Kristen Simmons has a master’s degree in social work and is an advocate for mental health. She lives with her husband Jason and their precious greyhound Rudy in Tampa, Florida.

Facebook | Twitter | Website

1. Can you sum up your book in 5 words or less? Oh boy, I'm notoriously bad at summing things up, but how about this: Teens hunted by moral regime! (That sounds sort of newspaper headline-ish, doesn't it?)

2. Article 5 has a setting in Kentucky and surrounding areas. As a Lexingtonian, I flailed and squeed as I don't get to experience knowing the setting like that often. Of all the places, what was it about Lousiville and Lexington that landed a special place in your book? I LOVE that area. We lived there for about 6 years - during that time I wrote ARTICLE 5 and the sequel BREAKING POINT. It's this great, community-driven place - a clash of new, progressive ideals and traditional values. The people are friendly and welcoming, and yet there is such diversity of opinion in everything. It the was perfect place to stage a story about a girl who is learning what is really important to her.

3. Can you build up any expectations for us to live us desperate for Breaking Point? Well...I can tell you that the resistance is becoming more active, there's a daring rescue scene, and things are heating up between Chase and Ember.

4. Do you find your characters can upset you at times with their decisions or outlooks? Absolutely. Sometimes they drive me crazy. There were times I wanted to scream at them just to talk to each other! Communicate! It's not that hard! But it was for them. In ARTICLE 5, Chase and Ember struggle with things that have happened in their pasts. This doesn't make it easy to always make the right decisions. But, they live and learn, like we all do I hope!

5. How does it feel having your debut finally released? It feels like, ahhhhhh....at last.

6. People usually share the best advice they have ever been given about life, writing, etc. Have you ever been given terrible advice? Someone several years (yes, years) into the querying process told me to forget about it. If it (publication) hadn't happened yet, it probably wasn't going to. A couple years after that I wrote ARTICLE 5 and hey, it DID happen. So here's my advice to anyone working toward a goal: NEVER GIVE UP. It may take a long time, it may be painful, but in the end it will be that much sweeter when you get it.

7. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation? I think Hunger Games did a pretty good job! That and Harry Potter 3. For some reason, that movie stands out as a really nice adaptation of the book.

Debut Spotlight: Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

We are quickly approaching February which means we are also approaching Sarah Wilson Etienne's debut novel, Harbinger. With beauty on its cover and within the pages, it is sure to ensnare the senses of YA fans all around!

Girl, Interrupted meets Beautiful Creatures in this fast-paced thriller... 

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red.

Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too.

Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller.

Debut Spotlight: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

To start off 2012 right, Marissa Meyer's retelling of Cinderella, Cinder, has hit the shelves and taken the young adult readership by storm. Life from the futuristic, cyberpunk world Meyer has set before lies in wait to be devoured, savored, and enjoyed.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.