Blog Tour: THE WINNOWING by Vikki VanSickle

Hello, friends!

It's an exciting day here at Lost at Midnight Reviews because I'm participating in the blog tour for THE WINNOWING! Released on September 1st through Scholastic Canada, THE WINNOWING is the newest novel from Canadian Middle Grade/Young Adult author, Vikki VanSickle.
 
Vikki VanSickle is an incredible author and overall amazing human and I could not be happier than to help her celebrate her new release. Check out the cover and the description below!

Marivic Stone lives in a small world, and that’s fine with her. Home is with her beloved grandfather in a small town that just happens to be famous for a medical discovery that saved humankind — though not without significant repercussions. Marivic loves her best friend, Saren, and the two of them promise to stick together, through thick and thin, and especially through the uncertain winnowing procedure, a now inevitable — but dangerous — part of adolescence.

But when tragedy separates the two friends, Marivic is thrust into a world of conspiracy, rebellion and revolution. For the first time in her life, Marivic is forced to think and act big. If she is going to right a decade of wrongs, she will need to trust her own frightening new abilities, even when it means turning her back on everything, and everyone, she’s known and loved. A gripping exploration of growing up, love and loss, The Winnowing is a page-turning adventure that will have readers rooting for their new hero, Marivic Stone, as they unravel the horror and intrigue of a world at once familiar but with a chilling strangeness lurking beneath the everyday.

Doesn't that sound amazing? I can't wait to dive in to my copy! 

In celebration of her new release, Vikki is writing "Winspiration" guest posts to discuss just what inspired her to write THE WINNOWING! Without further ado...here's Vikki VanSickle!
 

RUNNING

Up until a few years ago if you asked me if I ran I would answer, “only when being chased,” and then laugh at my own joke.  But in a fit of spring fever I decided to try running as an affordable means of fitness. I liked the idea of running outside,  but soon found I’m too easily distracted. Look, a butterfly! Look, a cat! Look, a great new window display! *posts photo on Instagram* My wandering eye plus a tendency for Toronto to get stinking hot in the summer thwarted all my attempts to run outside, so I signed up for a gym and tried a treadmill.

At the gym I had nothing interesting to look at. I could blast my music and not be concerned with drowning out oncoming traffic, a kid on a skateboard, or the tinny warning bell of a cyclist. I could set my speed, my time or distance, and then just go for it. After a few red-faced, laboured sessions I found I wasn’t checking the clock to see how much time I had left. I wasn’t reducing my speed to ‘power-walk’ every few minutes. It was easier to find my rhythm and then stick with it. I was…enjoying myself. I liked finding that meditative space, staying there as long as I could, and feeling how every system in my body was working. I loved the deliciously stretched feeling my muscles carried with me for the rest of the day. I loved how well I slept at night.

At the same time I was working on The Winnowing. In the book, the kids in Darby develop strange abilities (called Imps) around puberty. Speed wasn’t one of my original Imps, but it wormed its way into my story when my protagonist, Marivic Stone, despite years of being ‘a champion couch potato’, develops superhuman speed. Marivic learns to love running at the same time I did. It should be noted that Marivic’s ability is superhuman; her strength and speed is remarkable and sets her apart from her peers. I will never win a race, nor do I care to. For me running isn’t about setting and achieving goals. I have no interested in beating ‘my time’ or running a half marathon, a 10K or even a 5K. I just like the way it makes me feel.

Not all stories reflect the experiences or beliefs of the writer, but there are little glimmers of me in all of my work. In the Clarissa and Benji books I’m present in Clarissa’s adolescent outrage and the ease at which she becomes disgruntled; in Summer Days, Starry Nights it’s Reenie’s love of summer and how she feels that being a teenager, that ‘learning the language,’ is always just out of grasp. Even in my picture book If I Had a Gryphon, my love of mythology and animals (not to mention my deeply ingrained practical side) collide.  In The Winnowing you see me falling in love—er, maybe like—with running.

 
Thank you so much, Vikki! 

The last stop on THE WINNOWING blog tour is at Bookmarked on September 22nd! If you've missed any of the other stops, click on this link to catch up. Make sure to add THE WINNOWING to your TBRs! Buy links, as well as links to Vikki's website where you can check out her other amazing books, are posted below. 

Happy reading!

Vikki VanSickle is a devoted member of the Canadian children’s book industry. She is the author of the acclaimed Clarissa books, including WORDS THAT START WITH B (CBA Libris Awards Children’s Book of the Year Finalist), LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD (Indigo Kids Best Book of 2011), and DAYS THAT END IN Y (Best Books for Kids and Teens selection). Frequently referred to as “Canada’s Judy Blume,” Vikki’s novel SUMMER DAYS, STARRY NIGHTS, has been called “Summer reading at its best” and was a finalist for the 2015 Red Maple award. IF I HAD A GRYPHON (shortlisted for the Blue Spruce Award and the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award) is her first pitcurebook.

After obtaining an MA in Children’s Literature from UBC, Vikki’s career began in bookselling at The Flying Dragon Bookshop, which earned her the 2011 CBA Young Bookseller of the Year award. She is a popular children’s lit blogger and is frequently called upon to speak about kids’ books for radio panels, conferences, and as Lainey Gossip’s YA mentor! Currently she balances writing with her duties as the Marketing and Publicity Manager for Young Readers at Penguin Random House Canada.

LINKS

Add THE WINNOWING to Goodreads

THE WINNOWING - Amazon Canada

THE WINNOWING - Indigo

THE WINNOWING - Scholastic Canada

Vikki VanSickle's Website

- Ciara (at Midnight)

BLOG TOUR: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Hello, lovely blog readers!

Today is an extra special awesome day because today is my stop on the Canadian Blog Tour for The Orphan Queen! I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this book and, let me tell you, Jodi Meadows hits it out of the park once again. I'll have a full review up hopefully next week (depending on how well school work goes!) in which I'll gush about how much I loved it. Because I LOVED it. (Seriously, WK + BK = OTP). 

Anyways, since I've been such a huge fan of Jodi's after reading her incredible New Soul trilogy (my reviews of Incarnate and Asunder here!), I wanted to do something special for this post.

SO! May I present to you...

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WILHELMINA VS. A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ME

WILHELMINA

Wilhelmina Korte is a badass. That's one thing you need to know. She sees a roof top; she runs across it. She sees a threat; she battles it with her insane knife-wielding skills. She runs through forests with ease and confidence. All in a day's work for Wilhemina.

ME

I, on the other hand, am not a badass (as much as I'd love to believe I am). I see a roof in summer and think 'that would be cool to climb' then promptly walk the other way. I see a roof in winter and make this face.

I don't see threats in my everyday life (THANKFULLY) but if I do get mad I use my impressive vocabulary of swear words. And when I try to run through forests in winter....well....

AND SHE STICKS THE LANDING

WILHELMINA

Wilhelmina also spends her days practicing her IMPRESSIVE forgery skills and doing beautiful calligraphy.

(Beautiful calligraphy done by Jodi Meadows in this pic!)

ME

I have terrible hand-writing. I'm better at typing....and Goodreads stalking.

#meta

 WILHELMINA

Wilhelmina spends her nights climbing fences and out of windows. She searches the city for bad guys while trying to reclaim her kingdom and she does a dang good job of it.

ME

...this is what happens when I try to climb a fence.

And, at night, you can usually find me curled up with a blanket, my dog, and some goldfishes probably watching Netflix.

SO. To conclude, Wilhemina is epic on every level (and I'd love to be a bit more like her). She is one of the best protagonists I've read about in a very long time. And you guys all need to meet her.

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters | Goodreads | Jodi's Website

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world. (Summary from Goodreads)

Jodi Meadows lives and writes in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, with her husband, a Kippy*, and an alarming number of ferrets. She is a confessed book addict, and has wanted to be a writer ever since she decided against becoming an astronaut. She is the author of the INCARNATE trilogy and the forthcoming ORPHAN QUEEN Duology (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen). Visit her at www.jodimeadows.com 

 The Orphan Queen is OUT NOW! You can buy this book RIGHT NOW! You can meet Wilhelmina RIGHT NOW! And you guys really really should.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

P.S. HUGE thanks to Emilie for being an epic photo taker.   

BLOG TOUR: Even in Paradise by Chelsea Philpot

Hi guys!

Today I'm lucky enough to be a part of the Canadian blog tour for Even in Paradise by Chelsea Philpot! Check out the absolutely gorgeous cover and description here:

When Julia Buchanan enrolls at St. Anne’s at the beginning of junior year, Charlotte Ryder already knows all about the former senator’s daughter. Most people do... or think they do.

Charlotte certainly never expects she’ll be Julia’s friend. But almost immediately, she is drawn into the larger than-life-new girl’s world—a world of midnight rendezvous, dazzling parties, palatial vacation homes, and fizzy champagne cocktails. And then Charlotte meets, and begins falling for, Julia’s handsome older brother, Sebastian.

But behind her self-assured smiles and toasts to the future, Charlotte soon realizes that Julia is still suffering from a tragedy. A tragedy that the Buchanan family has kept hidden … until now

Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to finish reading Even in Paradise in time for this post. My apologies to the blog organizers and Chelsea Philpot! Instead, I'm going to be talking about the two things I love to read: prologues and first lines. My mom always used to say, every book needs a good first line. Something to grab your attention and then a story to keep it. I look for a great first line in every book I read. 

So, how did Even in Paradise's first line measure up? Let's take a peak.

"The Buchanans' pull was as natural and strong as the moon on the tides, and when I was with them I was happy in the warmth of their reflected light" (pg. 1)

A lot of first lines go for the gut. They shock and scare and intrigue. Even in Paradise's first line instead is subtle and light, but captivating all the same. I'm usually skeptical about long opening lines, but I really like this one. It sets the tone of the novel as almost magical. We are introduced to the Buchanans' in a way that casts a spell around them. I love the wording and the metaphor and how visual it all is. I can perfectly picture an evening on a sandy beach, reflecting back to how things used to be. It's a picturesque opening, that also hints at some dark times to come.

Basically, it sure as heck captured my attention.

Now onto the prologue. Chelsea Philpot definitely backed up that first line with an intriguing opening prologue. I have a serious love of prologues (when they are done right) and Chelsea Philpot definitely does it right. As we all know, I'm a sucker for those broken, messed up characters and the Buchanan's definitely fall into that category. The prologue of Even in Paradise offers a glimpse of what's to come in the novel and, despite all the glamor and beauty, it doesn't look so pretty. I love the way Philpot describes the narrator's nostalgia. It's gripping, and kind of heart-breaking even though we don't know why just yet. It makes me want to be a part of the Great Buchanan's. To fall under the spell like the narrator clearly has. There's also this desire for more which appears between the lines of this prologue. The sense of wanting more, wanting to be more, that is wholly relatable. I cannot wait to get to diving into the rest of the pages and be enchanted by this family.

So, what do you guys think? Does that opening line grab your attention? Like the sounds of the prologue? Then go and pick yourself up a copy of Even in Paradise by Chelsea Philpot, in stores now!

Kaleidoscope Kid's Books (my local indie!)

Chapters/Indigo

River Run Bookstore (you can order signed copies here!)

Chelsey Philpot grew up on a farm in New Hampshire and now works as an editor and journalist. She's written for the New York Times, Boston Globe, Slate, and numerous other publications. Like her main character, Charlotte, Chelsey attended boarding school in New England. You can visit her online at www.chelseyphilpot.com or on Twitter @ChelseyPhilpot.

If you need more incentive to read Even in Paradise check out the rest of the Canadian Blog Tour!

October 13th: Kathy - A Glass Of Wine - Interview

October 14th: Siobhan - Conversations Of A Reading Addict - Review

October 15th: Emilie - Emilie’s Book World - Guest Post

October 16th: Ambur - Burning Impossibly Bright - Review

October 17th: Lily -  Lily’s Book Blog - Interview/Character Interview

October 20th: Shilpa - SukasaReads - Review

October 21st: Sabrina - Hiver et Café - Top 5 or 10

October 22nd: Meaghan -  Feeling A Little Bookish - Interview/Character Interview

October 23rd: Ciara - Lost At Midnight Reviews -  Review

October 24th: Jess - Read My Breath Away - Review

 

Happy reading! (And be sure to check the blog next week for my review of Even in Paradise!)

 

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight

BLOG TOUR: Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez

Hello, everyone!

Today I'm excited to be a part of the Canadian blog tour for Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez! This book sounds intriguing and captivating, and I cannot wait to start reading it! Check out the description (and the STUNNING cover) here:

Valentina Cruz no longer exists.

One moment, she was wrapped in Emilio’s arms, melting into his kiss. The next, she was witnessing the unthinkable: a murder in cold blood, ordered by her father and carried out by her boyfriend. When Emilio pulled the trigger, Valentina disappeared. She made a split-second decision to shed her identity and flee her life of privilege, leaving the glittering parties and sultry nightlife of Miami far behind.

She doesn’t know how to explain to herself what she saw. All she knows now is that nothing she believed about her family, her heart, or Emilio’s love, was real.

She can change her name and deny her past, but Valentina can’t run from the truth. The lines between right and wrong, and trust and betrayal, will be blurred beyond recognition as she untangles the deceptions of the two men she once loved and races to find her own truth. (Summary provided through blog tour)

Lost at Midnight Review: Welcome, Jessica! Thank you for stopping by my blog to talk about your new release, Kiss Kill Vanish! Can you describe Kiss Kill Vanish in three words?

Jessica Martinez: Is it cheating to say the title? Because those three words really do it best! How about I add three to that: Murder. Romance. Revenge.

LM: How would you describe your protagonist, Valentina?

JM: Valentina is wary of everything and everybody, which forces her to be extremely independent. She’s also reflective. She can’t stop examining the memories of her past for clues to the things she missed.

LM: I'm really intrigued by the plot line of Kiss Kill Vanish. I can't think of any book like it! What inspired you to write this kind of thriller? Was there any research involved?

JM: I have a friend who confessed to me that her family was a “crime” family back in the country she was born in, and that her father and uncles had spent time in jail while she was a teenager. It got me wondering what that would be like. When would somebody would find that out or would they always know? And if they were in the dark, what would that realization would be like?

I took research trips to both Montreal and Miami. I’d been to Montreal as a teenager, but that was a while ago, and I really wanted to get a feel for the setting. And I’ve lived in Miami as an adult, but I had to go back for the same reason. I have to wander around a place and look at it through my characters’ eyes to know how to write it.

LM: It seems like the romance between Emilio and Valentina is over at the start of the novel, but will we see any other romantic interest in the book? ;)

JM: Definitely! But that’s all I’m going to say…

LM: Finally, I gotta ask since it is so darn striking: how much do you love your cover? What's your favourite part?

JM: I did hit the cover jackpot, didn’t I? I love the plume of color, but my favourite part would have to be the silhouette—it’s just visible enough that you have to really focus to see the entire figure, but even then you’re not sure you’re seeing the whole thing.

LM: Thanks for taking your time out to answer my questions!

Jessica Martinez is the author of young adult novels Virtuosity, The Space Between Us, The Vow, and Kiss Kill Vanish. She was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. As a child she played the violin, read books, and climbed trees incessantly. She went on to study English and music at Brigham Young University, and since then has been an English teacher, a symphony violinist, and a mother. She currently lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband and three children.

Are you guys excited to read this book? Have any of you already read it? Let me know in the comments! Be sure to check out all the other stops on the blog tour!

Thanks again to Jessica MArtinez for answering my questions, and thanks to Jess and Kathy for including me in the tour!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters | Goodreads | HarperCollins Website

BLOG TOUR: The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

Hello, all!

Today, Lost at Midnight Reviews is one of the stops on the Canadian The Art of Lainey blog tour!

Soccer star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warning, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that’s when the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, they're sure they can use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey’s arms. So Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous. After a few "dates", it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game. 

What's a girl to do when what she wants is totally different from what she needs? How do you figure out the person you're meant to be with if you're still figuring out the person you're meant to be? (Summary provided by tour hosts)

My stop here was supposed to be a review, but there has been a slight change of plans. I had allotted last week to reading Lainey and writing up my thoughts on the novel to have ready for today. Sadly, there was an unexpected death in my family last week and I wasn't able to finish reading. So! I've decided instead to do a post about why I'm excited about The Art of Lainey! Without further ado:

TOP FIVE REASONS I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE ART OF LAINEY

5) It's a summer contemporary.

- Seriously, contemps set in the summer about budding romance and warm sunny weather make me happy like nothing else. So far, The Art of Lainey has had that in spades. (Especially the budding romance part!) There's something special about summer contemps. They always have this hopeful tinge to them, and I can't wait to see if The Art of Lainey does too.

4) Because SOCCER

- Guys, do you know how often I get to read about female soccer players? Oh, yeah, never. It's one of those sports I rarely see in YA and it happens to be my favourite one! I played soccer for the majority of my childhood and still absolutely adore the sport. So, all of Lainey's soccer talk is delightful to me. Makes me want to get outside and play.

3. It's got character progression

- I'll admit, The Art of Lainey took me a good chunk to get into because I was decidedly Not A Fan of Lainey herself. She is pretty materialistic, a quality I simply can't handle. But, I could tell right from the start that she wasn't going to stay that way. There's so much potential for such a fascinating character progression. And, in my opinion, watching a character change and evolve throughout the narrative is one of the best storylines there is. I can see it happening already in The Art of Lainey and I've been enjoying every bit of it.

2. It's got this punk kid named Micah...

- I had heard about him before I started reading, but he pretty much flew off the page when he first appeared. How could he not, considering the mohawk and piercings! But, what has struck me most about Micah so far is his heart. He may joke around and throw out barbs, but there's caring behind his words. He is genuinely a good person, with a nice and attractive bad boy exterior. 

1. Because of the feeeeeels

- Despite having my reservations at the start, The Art of Lainey has seriously picked up and has me completely intrigued. It also has me feeling the swoony feels, which are obviously the best kind. I absolutely cannot wait to see how the relationship between Lainey and Micah progresses and causes me to melt in a pile of swoons. I'm also looking forward to that happy, hopeful feeling you get when things work out like they're supposed to. And, although Lainey can't see it just yet, I have a feeling they're going to work out just fine.

The Art of Lainey has so many things going for it, and I'm so excited to continue reading. What about you guys? Why do YOU want to read The Art of Lainey? Tell me in the comments and be sure to check out the other stops on the tour!

Paula Stokes is half writers, half RN, and totally thrilled to be part of the word of YA literature. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri where she graduated from Washington University and the Goldfarb School of Nursing. When she's not writing, she's kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. Paula loves interacting with readers! Find her online at www.authorpaulastokes.com or on twitter as @pstokesbooks. 

Follow Paula: Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest

I want to say a giant thank you to Jessica and Kathy for hosting the tour (and for being so understanding)! Another thank you to Paula Stokes for writing The Art of Lainey and, of course, a huge thank you to HarperCollins Canada for the review copy! 

My review for The Art of Lainey will be up (hopefully) by the end of the week, and I'll be updating this post with the link!

Happy Victoria Day, fellow Canadians! And happy Monday everyone else!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book:  Amazon (US) | Amazon (CA) | Barnes & Noble | Chapters/Indigo | The Book Depository | Left Bank Books (Signed) | Goodreads | HarperCollins Canada  

Unspeakable Blog Tour: Q&A with Caroline Pignat

Hello, lovely people!

Today is the first stop on the blog tour for the new historical YA novel, UNSPEAKABLE by Caroline Pignat! I'm honored to participate in this blog tour, and have an awesome Q&A! Seriously guys, this book sounds so interesting and I cannot wait to read it! Check out the description:

On her first voyage as a stewardess aboard the Empress of Ireland, Ellie is drawn to the solitary fire stoker who stands by the ship’s rail late at night, often writing in a journal.

Jim. Ellie finds it hard to think of his name now. After their wonderful time in Quebec City, that awful night happened. The screams, the bodies, the frigid waters … she tries hard to tell herself that he survived, but it’s hard to believe when so many didn’t. So when Wyatt Steele, journalist at The New York Times asks her for her story, Ellie refuses. But when he shows her Jim’s journal, she jumps at the chance to be able to read it herself, to find some trace of the man she had fallen in love with, or perhaps a clue to what happened to him. There’s only one catch: she will have to tell her story to Steele and he’ll “pay” her by giving her the journal, one page at a time. (Summary from Goodreads)

Doesn't that summary sound so good? Thanks to Penguin Canada, I was able to ask Caroline Pignat a few questions about Unspeakable!

Lost at Midnight: How would you describe your main character Ellie?

Caroline Pignat: Ellie is a victim of her circumstances. Her wealthy childhood made her spoiled. Her secret makes her shameful. And now surviving the recent sinking makes her feel guilty. She has been powerless in all of these situations, but this tragedy forces her to dig deep and find her true self, her true strength. She is smart, creative, and resilient. She has integrity and compassion and ultimately she learns she is the hero of her story, not the victim of someone else’s.

LM: Why did you chose to tell the story of the Empress of Ireland through the perspective of a stewardess?

CP: Because the ship sinks so soon after sailing (9 hours) and so quickly after being struck  (14 minutes) in the middle of the night, it didn’t give me much time to show the ship from a passenger’s point of view. Showing it from a crew member’s POV meant I could refer to previous voyages, I could travel anywhere on the ship, and the loss for them would be even greater. They would have had a greater attachment to the ship itself, a sense of responsibility for the passengers, and would mourn the many crew members and friends that were lost that night. Plus when I read that only one stewardess had survived, I knew I wanted to put Ellie in those circumstances.

LM: Was there any scene in the novel that you found was very difficult to write?

CP: Most of the sinking details and corpse recovery were very hard to research. I kept putting myself into each situation. I imagined what it must have been like to be trapped below as it tilted, knowing I couldn’t get out. Or standing on the hull as she sank looking for my loved ones. Or walking the rows of coffins looking for my missing family. I found all that extremely moving and at times overwhelming. But the writing came fairly easy because I had imagined it so vividly.

If anything, the romance scenes were difficult. :)

Caroline Pignat is the Governor General's Award winning author of the highly acclaimed novels Greener Grass, Wild Gees, Timber Wolf, and Egghead. Her freelance work appears in numerous publications for both children, teens and adults. An experienced and engaging educator, Caroline has taught elementary, intermediate and senior grades and currently teaches Grade 12 Writers Craft. (Summary from author's website)

Thanks for stopping by, Caroline! 

Unspeakable is out TODAY guys! Stop by your local bookstore and grab a copy! Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour! (I'll be tweeting/updating this post with links!)

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Caroline Pignat's Website

Blog Tour: Anywhere But Here by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Hey, everyone!

Today, I'm happy to be participating in the blog tour of Anywhere But Here by Tanya Lloyd Kyi! It just released on October 15th and sounds like it's one heck of a book. (She also happens to be a Canadian author which is awesome!) I was lucky enough to get to interview Tanya for the tour so check it out:

Ciara: Can you describe Cole in five words?
 

Tanya: Cole is (1) smart, (2) funny, (3) creative, (4) selfish, and (5) a bit of an idiot. But he's working on that last one, and he's slightly improved by the end of the book!

C: What do you love most about contemporary fiction?

T: I love when characters become so real that I know them better than I know the people next door. I love when I'm deep in a novel and find myself noticing real-world details the way an imaginary character would notice them. And I love finishing a book and feeling reluctant to let go of someone I've grown close to. 

My favourite contemporary writers are masters of developing complicated and nuanced characters. They create people who are real enough to live on in my mind long after I've turned the last page.

C: What was the hardest part about writing Anywhere But Here?

T: To properly tell the stories of Cole and his friends and family, I needed an advanced degree in the art of weaving. While Cole's tale is definitely the dominant one in the book, my secondary characters kept developing lives and problems of their own. His best friend is dealing with his parents' relationship issues. Cole's dad is battling grief and alcohol. Even the school counsellor has a love affair going on! So I had to weave their lives into the background of the novel. At one stage in the writing process, I had a giant chart covered with multi-colored post-it notes to track the lives of different characters.

Sometimes, developments in secondary stories are just a sentence in a conversation. Or a scene glimpsed in the school hallway. But together, these little moments help create a fabric of overlapping lives. And since my book is set in a small town and it's about discovering the value of friends and community, I needed to tell these stories -- in a way that didn't overwhelm Cole's point of view. 

Whew! It was even hard to explain the hardest part of writing this book! 

Thank you for having me, Ciara, and thanks for the thought-provoking questions!

C: Thank YOU Tanya for taking the time to answer my questions, and for the detailed answers!

Cole’s small town is a trap he’s determined to escape in this fresh and moving debut novel that balances loss with humor.

Ever since his mom died, Cole just feels stuck. His dad acts like a stranger, and Lauren, his picture-perfect girlfriend of two years, doesn’t understand him anymore. He can’t ditch his dad, so Cole breaks up with Lauren. She doesn’t take the news very well, and Cole’s best friend won’t get off his case about it.

Now more than ever, Cole wants to graduate and leave his small, suffocating town. And everything is going according to plan—until Cole discovers the one secret that could keep him there…forever.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for including me in the blog tour!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Tanya Lloyd Kyi's Website