You Asked, I Answered, Get Ready for Part 2!!

Yesterdays Q&A was epic!!! If you missed it click HERE to get the full story of WHY I am doing this. And if you are still reading, then wow.

Two things before I get down to bussiness.

1. A few of you have commented that you missed getting to ask me questions in the torture session Q&A, and since there was no limit on when I'd stop taking questions--feel free to ask and I'll add that to the Q&A Part 3.

2. I've been getting crazy spam comments on one post from November--I don't know why the spammers love that post but they do and so to save me time I've had to add a comment wor verification--which I didn't want to do, but I guess this blog is big enough for the spammers to show so sorry--make sure you do the word verification below.

And now....More Questions, More Answers!!!


Southern Princess asks really hard insightful questions....yikes!

1.If you could 'be' any character from any book who would you be; why?

This is tricky because there are characters that I like that have cool lives and hot boyfriends and go to cool schools, but then all sorts of crappy things happen to them. And then...there are characters that I totally identify with and feel like I AM them and the author was inside my head when writing them and man are they awesome, but then...crappy things happen to them. Basically if you find yourself the main character of a novel, chances are, at some point you're going to be screwed! Unless you end up in a safe novel, then your life is kind of boring....so hmmmm be bored or get screwed?

OK...I'm going to have to say...crap, I really want to answer someone easy with a happy life but that's boring. So...truthfully, I'd be my main character, Lilliana Brandywine, because I'm already living in her head all the time and her life really sucks and is VERY stressful, but...her love interest is dreamy enough to make it worth it, plus she has an awesome tower bedroom with a balcony that I wouldn't mind. Ok, so there!

2. In reference to question number one - would you have made the same decisions that character made?
Hmmmm that's tough because I wrote her decisions for her, but...well if I were sixteen like her I probably would make a lot of the same decisions she makes which are mostly based on her jumping to conclusions way too fast before she has all of the information she needs. I'd probably think things through a little more now. But I love her, she jumps into things and she is really brave.

3. When you decided to write the tentatively named "Roselily" did the characters keep you up at night or did 'plotlining' take up more of your time?

Hehe today its called STOLEN. Ummm hmmm I mean in a way both because my characters will wake me up to be like---soooo I want to do this, or go here, or punch her and just thought you should know and I'm like really, do you really want to punch her in the face/kiss him when you know you can't/sneak out when you know there is demon alert in effect/wear that dress even though that color doesn't flatter your skin tone... and they're like YEAH! Basically my characters are kind of bossy, especially Lilliana who was supposed to be a simple main character going on an adventure and then she decided to do all these things like breaking and entering into places and stealing things to discover secrets about herself and then I planned out five books and I'm just along for the ride.
4.What song makes you sing from the top of your lungs and your heart pound?
Oooooh this is a good one. Back at Cornell my guy friends used to make these mix cds called Screaming CDs and they existed for the sole purpose of screaming your lungs out on road trips--so there are a lot of songs I'll scream along to, but if I have to pick just one...ok this is really lame but I have a lot of memories of screaming this song out in my car with my friends one summer and just go listen and try not to scream along!

5.What sight makes you inhale so fast that you have to remind yourself to breathe?

The sight of my last few chapters. Oh you probably meant beautiful scenery right? I'm particular to trees. I love being deep in the forest when there are rays of sun streaming in, also when its snowing thick heavy chunks of snow, but it's not that cold out (because it's not that cold when it snows--its cold after) and the snow is falling slowly and its sparkling on the ground...this doesn't happen often in Philly, but this was my world when I was in college--Ithaca, NY has some of the most beautiful snow moments, and when it wasn't completely miserable, it sometimes felt like you were walking in your own magic snow globe.

6.Is there one singular point in the universe that you would give everything up in your apartment, leave your purse on the counter, forget your classes, the food on the stove to be at this very minute?

I'd throw everything down to be at a moment when I am in love with someone who loves me too. I bet you expected me to answer with the moment I get my book deal...but that's something I believe in my heart will happen and it's a goal I can work towards. Love though...that's a lot more unpredictable, spontaneous and out of my control--so yes, that's where I'd love to be right now.


7.In your past what one moment made you feel like you were defined? (it does not have to mean that it truly defined you, just that singular moment where you felt you truly understood what life was mean to be like)

This is such a hard question to answer, wow. I don't know if I've had one moment like that, or if I have it's not really jumping to the front of my memory. I feel like there are so many parts to me that I'm still working with and I'm not fully realized yet. But I'll share with you a defining author moment--which might not make sense to people. But basically I was hanging out at a raw food potluck dinner and there was this kid there who you knew had been dragged by his parents and so didn't want to be there and hated raw foods and was shy and miserable and man--poor kid. BUT...the whole time, he was perfectly content with himself, because he had a book with him--it happened to be Cornelia Funke's INKHEART and I just had this moment where I looked at him and I knew that having that book saved him that night and I had this flash of "This is why I'm a writer."
8.What season do you let creep in under the door, beneath the windows, into your fingertips, along your memories and beyond your natural sight?

FALL! I love fall!!!! I love the colors and the holidays and the food and the new begining and the crisp cool air and how everything suddenly feels cozy and you can wear gloves and scarfs, but you don't really need a jacket yet, and there's spiced cider at Starbucks and apple picking and....love it!

9.Life always seems to throw me a curve. Which curve, so far, twisted you up and had you rethinking the fastest?

A curve ball? Hmmm I don't think I've had any major life changing moments yet where suddenly everything switched on me--though I'm sure I will at some point. My life feels more like one where there is a constant tide ebbing and flowing and I just hit the waves and see where it takes me.
10.What is your favorite thinking spot in Philly?

Any bookstore is where I love to think. WOW-those were intense, I hope I answered ok.

Carolina Valdez Miller asked...
1. Favorite horned animal?
Unicorn!!!

2. Favorite food to eat with your hands?
Mango-also just my most favorite food ever.

3. Favorite book title? Oh noes I don't want to talk about book titles for awhile...but--I really love Shiver and Hush, Hush---those titles are just so cool to me (as are the words inside).

4. Favorite plot twist? Dimitri turning Strigoi in Vampire Academy--I knew it was coming, but it still gutted me in the stomach--I like a plot twist that not only turns everything on its head, but one that also has emotional resonance and changes the character and the way they see the world beyond "OMG I didn't see that coming"

5. Favorite Harry Potter magical gadget? The Time-Turner definitely I NEED one of those like yesterday!

6. Favorite paranormal/fantasy being/creature? Ooooh another tough one--I'll go with witches because I'd love to have powers but not be like doomed to eternity or forced to drink blood or live somewhere wierd like most paranormal/fantatasy creatures.

7. Favorite kissing scene from work of lit or movie?
  Well right now my favorite kissing scene from literature is actually a kissing scene in my WIP (now called STOLEN aka the WIP previously known as Rose Lily) so sorry--that doesn't help a lot of people. But I think my favorite onscreen kiss is...oooh I hope I can find it....oh man youtube is not being helpful--ok, it's the first kiss between Danielle and Henry in Ever After: A Cinderella Story--they're chilling with the gypsies and Danielle says something like "your job comes with a lot of responsibility" and then Henry smiles and she's like "Oh I'm sorry, my mouth has run away from me again." And he's like, "No, no, it's your mouth that has me hypnotized." And then they lean in and kiss and....that's one GOOD kiss!



Marybeth Poppins (who is awesome and also created the Gnome Award and is essentially the reason I have to answer these questions!) asked...


So um...what's your favorite...
-Mini Edward? The one with or without glasses? Or do you prefer the new one in the sports coat?
Sunglasses Edward definitely and I especially enjoy the people who take pictures of their mini-Edward in funny situations or take him traveling--I love it that this little plastic toy gets around more than me.

-Lip Smackers Flavor? Wow I haven't had any lipsmackers in forever--I was more of a Bonne Bell girl, but I always loved strawberry

- Chinese food dish? Vegan general tso's chicken--yummy!

- Elephant? I don't know, this is so random--but I DO LOVEEEE Elephants!!!! I even had a cedarwood candle shaped like an elephant.

- You Tube video? This is a dangerous question--you've clearly never played#youtubewars with me, but I'll leave you with this gem! Don't worry it's safe to click on--I promise.




- SNL Skit? Not a skit officially, but still SNL and awesome!





- Mary Poppins song? Oh no....I can only remember A Spoonful of Sugar..

 

LK Gardner-Griffie asked..

1. What is your favorite thing which hasn't happened yet? (and I expect a lengthy well thought out response to this one)

Lengthy well thought out response, huh? Well I think this is the same as my answer to Southern Princess' question above about where I'd drop everything to be and that is with someone I love--that's probably the one thing I want the most in life....major 3 book deals can't hug you.

2. Who is your favorite character you haven't written about yet?

Ok this is easy!!! I introduce a knight named Aidan in STOLEN Book 2/BOUND/The Sequel/Scattered Petals/The Next Book I Will Write. Aidan is a Master level Knight, he's from England is totally obnoxious and calls everybody Love. He is so funny in my head and he is going to butt heads with Lilliana in the WORST way --they are going to absolutely abhor each other and the fights will get physical--and that's all I can say without giving too much away.


3. In your masochistic quest to have others torture you, what is your favorite moment so far & why? Well I'm not finished with this quest yet and I'm sure that there will be plenty of other moments like these in the future, but so far....well having Shannon throw the Gnome award to me would count especially because it then led to ALL of this!


4. What is your favorite moment of sadism inflicted on someone else & why? Did you giggle for minutes, hours, or days?

When I asked Shannon all the Harry Potter questions but then it backfired. I giggled until then. Now I'm not giggling...


OK! I hope you all enjoyed! Are you really still reading?????? WOW! See you tomorrow!!