29 June 2013

Interview + Giveaway: Jennifer Rush, Author of Altered

Well, here I am, talking about Altered again. Are you readers sick of me yet? Seriously, I've been raving about this book since January. I have trouble moving on, obviously. 

Anyway, here I am today with Jennifer Rush, who kindly agreed to answer my questions about the book and the writing process, as well as speaking a bit about the amount of sexy time between Anna and Sam. Wait, I mean KISSY SCENES. Not sexy time. I got a bit carried away.

1. One of my favourite things about Altered was the complex plot. How long did the planning/mapping process take? How did you decide how much to reveal and when?

It was a long process. The plot evolved over time. I’m the type of writer that likes to write without an outline, so I had no idea where the overall conflict would lead until I was already halfway through the book. Which meant I had a lot of revising to do later on. The plot continued to change after I signed with my agent, and then again when the book sold to Little, Brown. I can remember sitting by myself in the conference room where I worked at the time and closing my eyes and just thinking for over a half hour about how to make the twisty turny plot work. It finally came to me! But my brain hurt afterward.

2. I'm big on fan casting, and I think that Altered would make a great movie or TV show. Who would you cast to play Anna and Sam? What about Connor?

Anna has been a hard one to cast. I like Britt Robertson (recently starred in The Secret Circle). At times, she looks like Anna a lot, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her act in a way that reminded me of Anna.

I really like Henry Cavill for Sam, though he’d have to be a lot younger. So someone like Henry Cavill!

And Alexander Skarsgard would make the perfect Connor.

3. Anna spends a lot of time doubting everything she knows, did you encounter any self doubts while writing Altered?

YES. MAJORLY. I still doubt myself. Back then, I worried Altered wasn’t The One, just like the dozen projects before it were not The One. I worried it made no sense. I worried it wasn’t exciting enough. I worried the writing itself sucked. I still worry about writing, and plot and characters, though now I know that it’s okay to write a first draft that is not perfect right from the start. Rarely does anyone write a perfect first draft. You have an editor for a reason --- she or he knows what they’re doing. They’ll help you see your strengths and weaknesses, and make your book better.

4. If you could go back in time, is there anything about the writing process or story itself that you would alter (teehee)?

Good question! I will probably always want to change something about a book once it’s complete. Because
a writer never feels like their job is totally done. With Altered, I’d probably write maybe one or two more scenes between Sam and Anna, just to add to their romance. Not to say I dislike the way their romance is currently portrayed! Because I do, and I know a lot of readers appreciated the fact that the romance didn’t take over the book. Still, I like kissy scenes!

5. Say you were going to be thrown into a lab in someone's basement. What would be the best publishing memory that you would absolutely hate to lose?

Receiving the email from Joanna Volpe (now my agent!) where she said she finished Altered late into the night and loved it and wanted to chat. It didn’t feel real. It was the single most important day in my writing life.

6. And finally, which 2013 YA debut would you recommend? (Alternatively, which upcoming YA debut are you most looking forward to?)

Oh gosh, I don’t know that I’ve read a 2013 debut yet! I have been a terrible reader lately. I am currently in the middle of about ten books. Books that I started reading in January, February, March! (I am embarrassed to admit this.)

As for what I’m looking forward to --- I’ve heard great things about Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Tucholke. I was told the boy in the novel, River, is swoon-worthy. And I like my swoony boys.

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Since I'm in a generous mood, I'm hosting another giveaway! You can enter to win a hardback of Altered, or a pre-order of Erased once it's available on Book Depository. Sound awesome to you? I thought so as well. It's international as long as BD ships to your country, and you can only enter once. No cheating! If you cheat I will ban you and possibly name and shame. Good luck!

40 comments:

  1. My favourite bookish memory was when I was about 10 or 11 reading prisoner of azkaban on the bus ride from school. awww, those were the days. hahah.

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  2. my favourite bookish memory would be when I was reading The Truth About Forever and cried (yeah, I freaking cried lol) just because i felt connected with the main character who just lost her dad like me :)

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    1. I LOVE THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER! It's my all-time favorite contemp YA. :-)

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  3. My favourite bookish memory would be reading and picking up my very first Nancy Drew book because from then on I practically owned every Nancy Drew book out there (or at least bought every single Nancy Drew book that I could find). Hehe. Yeah those were the days.

    Thanks for the giveaway! :)

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  4. Ohh, hmmm, I really need to think about that. I have quite some favorite bookish memories, because I've been a bookworm all my life. I think my favorite memory is: 'library day.' I would go with my mother and sister every Friday to the library to get a nice stack of books :D It was one of the best places to spend my time when I was younger. Now, I have a library on my own and that is even better, haha.

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  5. i dont think i have a bookish memorie. but i remember i was reading harry potter as my first book i ever read than cam twilight and that how i started to read again thats my bookish memorie

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  6. The first time I read The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. I love all of his older stuff (you know you are going to cry before you even start). I don't read much by him now but when I was a teen and reading his stuff <3<3

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    1. Also just as a note my first set of entries will come up under Adam Mahaffy because he used his Facebook on my app and didn't log out. I would love to fix it but don't know how and don't want to double enter. I am so sorry. The rest after today will be under Tiffany Mahaffy

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  7. Every birthday and Christmas getting Nancy Drew novels from my grandparents.

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  8. My favourite bookish memory is just... Harry Potter. Like, remembering when I read the books... Aah, all this nostalgia

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  9. My favorite bookish memory is reading The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks. I was in like 8th grade and it was when I first discovered Sparks and it was when he officially became my favorite author ever!

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  10. My favorite is when I was in 6th grade and read Bridge To Terabithia. I just became fascinated with books. :)

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  11. Hmm... favorite bookish memory is a hard one. It would either be the first time I read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (Loved that book) or going to Barnes and Nobles for the midnight release of the 6th and 7th Harry Potter books. Good times.

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  12. My favorite book memory is finding a Barnes and Noble for the first time.

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    1. I also have fond memories of hitting up B&N as a kid. It was like the promised land!

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  13. My favorite book memory is when I attended the Midnight Release of Harry Potter 7 with a former friend of mine.

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  14. My fave bookish memory is probably when I discovered ebay about 10 years ago and started to collect the Point Horror series for bargain prices, I was in heaven!

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  15. My favorite bookish memory is when I received my signed copies of Slammed and Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover. Not so many books arrive here to Estonia and I am beyond happy that I got these two from her blog personalized. That's definitely in my top three best memories:-)

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  16. When I finished a book in one sitting. I forgot to eat!

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  17. My favorite bookish memory is winning my first signed book :) Where I live is really difficult to get signed books ans I was ecstatic when I won it. It was The Raven boys by Maggie Stiefvater.
    Thank you for the giveaway!

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  18. My favorite bookish moment was reading Enid Blyton's Famous Five. I used to enjoy any part in the books that described a picnic. i used to imagine myself being with them on all th eadventures they went on together.

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  19. My favorite bookish memory will forever be reading The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry when I was 9 years old. One of my favorite books to this day!
    "The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart." :')
    Thanks for a giveaway! :)

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  20. My favorite memory is of reading Twilight for the first time. That was my very first book I ever read. I was in my 20's believe it or not. Ever since I read that book I have fallen hopelessly in love with reading. I read anything I can get my hands on. I loved Altered and would absolutely LOVE to own my own copy so I can read it over & over again. Thank you for the fabulous interview and the wonderful giveaway.

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    1. Twilight love! :-)

      So cool to hear you dug Altered! <3

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  21. I remember that day very well, too, Jenn!

    This book ROCKS. Great interview!

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  22. I don't know if I have a particular favourite bookish memory. Maybe discovering the awesomeness of The Fault in Our Stars. :)
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  23. Heeeeeeeeeeee the interview is so awesome!! I love Jenn and her answers were great. I'm not the biggest fan of Sam, but if he is portrayed by Henry Cavill... :) Also, the memory of that email is so sweet. I can imagine why that would be an AMAZING moment! As for my favorite bookish memory, hmmm... I did a post on this once so *goes off to check post* OH RIGHT. The BEST thing was probably the HP7 midnight release, for which my friend forced me to dress up in a Hogwarts costume and I felt completely ridiculous. But the pictures are hilarious XD Did I have anything else I wanted to say? Hmmmm. I'M SO EXCITED FOR ERASED AFEAFEOAIJFPW. Peace out.

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    1. Henry Cavill makes everything better. :-)

      Also, I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO READ ERASED! <33

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  24. I think my favorite bookish memory would be starting my book blog. It changed my life. Awesome interview - I lovvvve Jenn. And thanks for the chance to win!

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    1. You are SO SWEET! :D I <3 you too! Heh.

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  25. Hmmm.... i have lots, but i think going to BEA is at the top! I decided to go at the last minute and room with a twitter friend! It was insanely fun and I got to meet a bunch of my favorite authors!! <3

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  26. Good question! I'd say starting my book blog, Book Nerds Across America.

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  27. The first time I read "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon. I was completely addicted! Couldn't stop reading it!

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  28. Reading Lisa Kleypas's Wallflower Series and Johanna Lindsey's books :)

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  29. My favorite bookish read was when I would borrow A Series of Unfortunate Events from my BFF when I was in elementary school.

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  30. Ahhh, when I got my first ARCs sent directly from the publisher (that I requested), and they were two beautiful and amazing ARCs. Alienated by Melissa Landers and These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner! Got ARCs early May. I might have cried ;)

    Thank you so much!

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  31. When my twitter name was put into the Cinder paperback for having reviewed Cinder. I don't have a blog, so this was a huge surprise!

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  32. When I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer, it was a life-changer. It taught me selflessness and humility.

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  33. One of my favorite bookish memory was something just me and my mom would do. we would in the morning stop by a Longs Christian Bookstore and after that we would go to Barnes and Noble and stay there till closing most times, just sitting surrounded by books, drinking tea and sharing a sandwich from the cafe, I loved those days.

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Thank you for commenting!