Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Fairy Tale, Starstruck & More

Thank to all of you who commented on my Fairy Tale entry! I'm waiting for Emily to post the top 5 and from there I'll let you all know if you need to vote for me or vote for another entrant since I did not make it! We shall see!!!

To keep in the fairy tale spirit Cyn Balog stopped by my blog today and she is fantastic!!!


Happy Tuesday! As you know last week was Featured Writers Week and since I've recently come across such great Writers and Authors I decided to extend it three more days!!!!

Featured Writer: Cyn Balog

Author of Fairy Tale, Sleepless and Starstruck

Fairy Tale - Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They’ve been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they’re totally hot for each other.

But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam’s awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.

When Morgan demands answers, she’s shocked to discover the source of Cam’s distance isn’t another girl- it’s another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their “perfect” love can weather an uncertain future.

To read the others click here!

1. How do you come up with your characters names? Do they just come to you or is there research required? I love with Starstruck that you have nicknames Dough & Wish.

I come up with them in all sorts of ways. Like in SLEEPLESS, I just liked the name Julia, but for Eron and Chimere, I used babynames.com (Eron means “peace” and Chimere means “dream”, which is fitting since they are both sandpeople). “Dough”, hmmm, I have no idea how I came up with that, but I really thought it would be great to have a main character who works in a bakery named Dough, which is short for Gwendolyn. And there was a guy where I used to work with the nickname of Wish (a shortened form of his last name) and I just loved it, so I stole it!

2. Growing up did you dream of being in a fairytale? Were you quiet and shy in school or loud and wild? What character would you have most liked to be?

I think I wanted to be in Cinderella. I was incredibly shy and didn’t utter more than 10 words my whole high school career, so I just had this idea that life would be much simpler if I could just go to a ball and have that love-at-first-sight thing. Also if I could have some mice sew clothes for me and a fairy godmother, too.

3. Is writing your day job or is there something else fabulous you do in your life?? A Ninja fighting crime maybe?

I used to work full-time in addition to writing, but now I write full-time. I also have two little kids, so most of my time is spent with them. Writing is something I do like, an hour a day, after they go to bed!

4. What is your favorite part about writing? First draft? Revisions?

AGHHHH I hate revisions! I can not do them without having a massive brain-freeze. Hmmm, I really don’t like writing first drafts, either. Actually, my favorite part of writing is the first draft, but only like, right after the first paragraph, to maybe chapter 5. And then the last chapter. And then writing THE END. And also coming up with a title. The rest of it makes me want to throw up. It used to be a lot more amusing when I wasn’t on deadline. Before it was fun, like eating ice cream. Now it is like eating ice cream but with someone sitting on your back whipping you and going, “EAT!”

5. Ever had a horror story at a book signing?

Oh yes, I’ve had a bunch of little horrors. I have had people come up to me and ask me to sign books that were not mine, because “I just know you will be famous one day but I don’t want to shell out money to buy your lousy book right now.” And I get a lot of cards from people who want to collaborate. A man came by and showed me about 4000 (bad) illustrations he’d done for about two hours, and a lot of people stop by to just chew your ear off. It’s like they know you’re trapped and can’t go anywhere.

Fun & Random Questions

Pizza Place: Skinny Vinnie’s at Rutgers
Cloud Princess or Water Princess: Cloud!
Fairy or Gypsy: Fairy, of course
Beverage: Iced Tea
Writing Snack: Twix bars
Favorite Book Series: Hunger Games
Favorite Book: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Writing Spot: The porch overlooking the beach
Favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing: Be with my kids

There you have it, the lovely Cyn Balog!!! She has some amazing books that you should definitely check out!!! For more about her check out her website!

31 comments:

Diana Mieczan said...

I tottaly love this interview...When I was little I wanted to be a Cinderella too...awww:)
Fairytales are the best:)
I also eat twix while working...and then feel bad that I eat way too much candy...hahaha
Happy last day of August:)
Kisses,sweetie

Diana Mieczan said...

totally...

Lenny Lee said...

hi miss jen and miss cyn! this was a real fun interview. i like how you got the names for your characters. cool! that book signing got me laughing. mostly the part about signing something thats not your book. you write on your first way different than lots of people. mostly i just write and sometime i dont know how its gonna end up til i get way into the writing. im just learning about planning it out but i dont know if im gonna like it but im gonna try it on my next book i write.
...hugs from lenny

Jessica Bell said...

I'm off to see if you made it over at Emily's! ;o)

Serena said...

Great interview really enjoyed reading it!
Hope that you are all having a great day x

Candyland said...

Another great interview! Hopefully we'll see more of *you* soon:)

Christine Danek said...

Great interview, Jen! I was lucky enough to meet Cyn in person. She is so sweet.

Unknown said...

Cool interview!!

I love these writer's features you do.

Christina Lee said...

O.M.G. book signing horror stories--who knew!! The book sounds FAB! Great interview!

Jaydee Morgan said...

Another great interview!

Summer Ross said...

The book looks fantastic and from the summary I might pick it up during fall break in december

Jemi Fraser said...

Great interview - can't believe those book signing stories - how annoying!!! Book sounds great!

Bish Denham said...

Another fine interview Jen. I think you're a "natural!"

Aubrie said...

Those book signing horror stories are funny!

Great interview! This book sounds fantastic!

Lindsay said...

Great interview, Jen. Now I've got another book to hit the tbr pile :)

I can't believe people would do that at a book signing! I'm so naive. lol.

Jillian said...

ADORED the interview!!!

I will certainly vote for you... Yours should really make it in the top five it was FANTASTIC!!!

Ann said...

Great interview Jen.

Laura S. said...

Cyn's novel sounds so good! I have to read it and make sure they end up together. My husband has been my friend since we were 7, and you bet your best writing pen I would've done whatever I could to fool those fairies and get my love back!

Great interview! Now I want Twix bars.

Anonymous said...

I love fairy stories! This was an awesome interview, Cyn sounds really great :-)

Talli Roland said...

Fantastic interview, as usual!

I can't believe people would aks an author to sign someone else's book! Craziness!

Thanks, ladies.

Melissa Hurst said...

Fantastic interview! I laughed at number 4 - I can picture someone sitting behind me doing that;)

Wow, that's scary about the book signings. Makes you wonder what they're thinking.

Tahereh said...

hahah what a fun interview! thanks so much to both of you for sharing!

Carolyn V. said...

Are you serious about people wanting you to sign books that aren't yours? That is too weird!

Great interview! You guys rock!

Terry Stonecrop said...

The books sound good and great interview. But yeah, weird on the signing!

I have something for you at my blog so stop by when you get a chance:)

Anonymous said...

I love this interview. so much fun!




LOVE!

Amy Saia said...

Oh gosh! The book signing horror stories are hilarious! Another great interview from the Jen : )

Elana Johnson said...

Great interview. I would definitely choose fairy too. :)

Kittie Howard said...

Jen, thanks for a super interview. Cyn had me laughing about the stunts people pull. And I'm off to see how your fairytale turned out...!

Anonymous said...

Nice interview!

So someone actually wanted Ms. Balog to sign a book that wasn't hers??? That's insane, but sort of believable. Just goes to show that a book signing will have more in store for the writer than siging their signature... xD

Vicki Rocho said...

I haven't heard of this one before. The cover is GORGEOUS and I love the idea. Jen, I'm gong to ave to start sending my credit card bills your way hahahaha!

The Words Crafter said...

I cannot imagine bringing someone else's book for an author to sign. What are these people thinking? Fun interview, thanks for posting it!