Interview with Emma Michaels, author of The Thirteenth Chime

Today I am fortunate enough to have Emma Michaels, author of the upcoming release The Thirteenth Chime, here on my blog for a little Q&A!
Before we get started, I'd just like to note that the fuchsia font is me and the green font is Emma.

Q) Can you give us a brief summary of The Thirteenth Chime?

A) Imagine being a young woman - successful, happy, engaged to a great man and finally getting a good vacation on your Spring Break. You go traveling with your best friend and roommate Stephanie, who is taking you to the West Coast to see the new house her mother has been renovating. Your first night there begins like a dream - the mother welcomes you with open arms and you feel that the week is going to be amazing. Then something happens... Stephanie and her mother are attacked, both ending up in the hospital. You go to the police to ask for help and they refuse to give you answers - they even treat you like a suspect.

So what do you do? You turn to the one man who can help you - your ex-boyfriend, David, who you haven't seen in almost a year. David comes to help you, but what neither of you know is that a madman created a horrifying trap and has been waiting almost fifty years for his moment to come. David, now estranged to you, has no idea of what is coming and of the darkness that is threatening to consume you both. You only know that if you and David are unable to find the bond again that you once had, then the next time the clock rings it won't be a hospital trip you'll be taking... Hatred never dies, and it has been waiting for you for a long time.

Okay, now that sounds awesome!

Q) How did you come up the story idea? Were you struck out of the blue by the Muse, or was it something that developed over a lengthy period of time?

A) The idea came one night when a storm was hitting the area where I live and it had knocked out the power. We went next door to share a few candles and the storm raged outside. Suddenly, the howling of the wind died down and for a moment there was silence. Then the antique grandfather clock in the house began to chime. The sound echoed throughout the house and it made me unconsciously reach out to grab someone's hand, wanting to feel a bond in that moment. It was in that moment that the inspiration for "The Thirteenth Chime" was born.

A story with a story! That's so cool that inspiration literally came like a bolt from out of the blue.
Q) What came first, blogging or writing? Did blogging help you in any way to write/publish your book?

A) I would say that yes it has, not only because it has helped me have a direct line of communication with my potential readers but because it let me see how much books meant to so many people. I had the courage to write my novels before blogging, but not to keep moving forward and submitting past all of the many rejections, because blogging let me know just how worth it, it could be. It let me see how I could help others with somethign I would going to do either way, as long as I was willing to just keep pushing forward.

Q) Have you always wanted to be a writer or was it something that you were drawn to later in life?

A) It wasn't until I was sick one summer and unable to leave my room for a few days that I was given my first YA novel. I was hooked from the beginning of the book. After that, I started playing with story ideas in my head and before long I was writing them down.

Q) Is there an author that you particularly admire or draw inspiration from?

A) Definitely! I really admire Tamora Pierce. Meeting her really encouraged me and helped me believe that it was possible to become an author and really be able to put a smile on so many faces! I was so happy to meet her and so was everyone else. I would love to be able to give someone else that type of joy!

Oh my goodness, I LOVE Tamora Pierce! She's one of my favorite authors. You're so lucky to have met her!

Q) What was the road to publication like for you? Did you hit many walls or was it smooth sailing? Is there anyone to whom you owe thanks for helping you through it?

A) The road to publication was a frustrating one at first. I received well over a hundred standard form rejections from agents who didn't even ask to see a sample of my work, let alone any part of the novel. It wasn't until a dear friend pointed out that they couldn't be basing their decisions off of my writing (as they hadn't read any of it) that I decided to take the plunge and query publishers directly. From that point on, it was smooth sailing, or as close to it as it could be for me. I owe a lot of thanks to not only my fiance for his support, and to Bokheim for their amazing encouragement and assistance, but especially to all of the bloggers and blog readers out there who have been encouraging and supporting me since I first began querying. I love all of you and thank you!

Awe, we love you too, Emma!


Q) Do you have a favorite classic?

A) I adore many of the old favorites but I think my absolute favorite is "The Count of Monte Cristo". I feel there is much to be learned within the story.

Q) What do you have to say to aspiring authors?

A) Don't give up!!! I know it is frustrating (goodness, after a hundred rejections from agents, believe me I know!) and it can be overwhelming, but success can and will happen to those who do not give up and just keep moving forward and getting better at what they do. I want to get to read and enjoy your books just as I hope you will read and enjoy mine. I also hope that I will one day get to be on the "New York Times Bestseller's List" and hope to see you there with me!!!! Let's go for it!

Inspiring words! You make want to write just so we can be on the best seller's list together!

Q) What is something that not many people know about you? (For example, not many people know that my team took first place at an out-of-state soccer tournament in Las Vegas when I was fifteen or that I'm an avid embroiderer.)

A) Hmmm... I LOVE this local restaurant that has different types of Asian food and enjoy drawing. I mostly just do all of my drawings in extremely fine tips pens so that I can include a lot more detail.

Q) Is there anything you wish I'd asked?

A) Yes! I have always wanted someone to ask me what my 'kryptonite' would be if I was a superhero :-) Even if I am not sure what my answer would be. Probably chocolate would be my red kryptonite (addictive) and writers block, while it doesn't happen to me very often, would probably be my green kryptonite (harmful). I guess that can be added as a random fact: I sometimes spout random comic facts, even though I did not read many comics.

I think chocolate might be everyone's red kryptonite! :D
Great answers, Emma! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Thank you so much for having me! I love your questions and really appreciate the support! Thank you to everyone reading and I truly hope that you will love "The Thirteenth Chime"!!!!

I'm really looking forward to reading your book, and I'm sure I'll love it! Good luck!


If y'all want to learn more about Emma and her book, The Thirteenth Chime, which releases Friday the 13th of August, head over to her blog!

Happy reading,
Zombie Girrrl

The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels

I'd just like to shine a little light on an upcoming release, The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels. Emma was a bookblogger before she got the gumption to write her book and seek publication, and now her book is set to release on Friday the 13th of August!
To check out more about her, her blog, and, most importantly, her book, head over to her site!

No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.

Hatred never dies.

Happy reading,

My take On: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (ARC)

  Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared—the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood—but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

  The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

  The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it—her soul.

  Firstly, I'd like to thank the Kirks, of Teens Read and Write for hosting that uber spectacular contest in which I won an ARC of the aforementioned novel and a handful of their really cool, personalized bookmarks. Thanks, y'all!

  Secondly, I'd like to apologize for my absence of late and tell y'all that my posts will continue to be as sporadic as they've become due to: A) a general lack of time; B) severe laziness; C) preparing for my becoming a Catechist in the fall at my church (I'll be helping with the 9th grade Confirmation class, wish me luck! A few prayers wouldn't be ill placed either as I'm rather nervous/skeptical about what I can actually contribute to them); and D) I am writing a book! *Hurray!* It's still in the primordial ooze phase, so there's not much to talk about, but I can tell y'all how much I've completed! So far I've got the whole story line and plots worked out and I'm polishing up my main characters and working out a few more points of conflict. This isn't the first book I've attempted to write, but it will be the first one I finish! (I have a tendency to write myself into corners, but this time I'm planning the whole thing out before I even start so that won't happen again! See, I realized while rereading Harry Potter this summer [as is one of my book wormier traditions] that Rowling is a master planner, there's not a single word in that series that doesn't serve a purpose, and while my book is nothing like hers, no magic or anything like that, I decided it wouldn't hurt to take some notes from such a smartly written series. But anyhoo!)

  Why am I on here again? Oh, yeah! My review...

  The up side: Grace was a very capable girl and I loved her interactions with Daniel and trying to figure out the mystery of their pasts (something I'm not very good at), as well as where the real danger lay. It had a lot more mystery than I usually go for, and that kept the pages a'turnin' at a fairly good clip.
  I could go on about how great of a character Daniel was and how moved I was by the story of his past (actually "moved" isn't quite the word, "disturbed" is much more accurate) and how much I loved the dynamic and tension between him, Pastor Divine, and Grace's brother, Jude, but what I really want to talk about is the reference to Of Mice and Men which occurs pretty early on in the book. Grace mentioned how much Don Mooney, a parishioner who once held her father at knife point before being reformed and is always talking about how his ancestors were famous monster hunters, reminded her of the character Lennie Small. Before continuing with TDD, I read OM&M and discovered how very much they were alike. I'm glad Despain pointed out the blatant similarities between Lennie and Don, because they were many. Certain scenes even played out the same way. It was interesting to see her take traits from such a seemingly random character and put them in another story and context.
  Now the down side: While I immensely enjoyed reading The Dark Divine, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d read this story before. The actual story as well as the monsterage was fairly original, especially the origin story of said beasty (and I very much liked the origin story), but… well, it was a bit like the structure of a house. Every house in my neighborhood has the same bones as the next one, and while they still look different because the rooms are arranged differently and they’re decorated to the homeowner’s taste, they’re still the same house underneath it all. And I’m beginning to feel that way about a certain branch of YA books. You know the one, a bad boy and a good girl fight monsters/become monsters/befriend monsters/etc. In this way, TDD was very similar to Hush, Hush, Shiver, etc. The build up to the ultimate conflict follows the same course at the same pace and has, more or less, the same conclusion.
  But still I must give The Dark Divine...

...Four zombies.

It was a thrilling ride, despite the predictable turns, and I am looking forward to reading the next book, even though I'm sure I've done so before.

Until next time, happy reading!

Giveaway: Hunger ARC

Eleni of La Femme Reads is giving away an ARC of Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler, a book I am really looking forward to sinking my teeth into!
The contest is open internationally and ends July 7, 2010.
I really am excited to read this book which takes such an original look at the topic of eating disorders. I mean, making the protagonist, an anorexic teen, into Famine, one of the Four Riders, is pretty briliant.

Anyway, good luck!
Zombie Girrrl

Guest Post! Titania86's Take On:The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Titania86 of Fishmuffins of Doom has kindly accepted my invitation to do a guest review! Titania is one of my favorite bloggers, her reviews are very insightful. So without further ado, I give you Titania's Take On: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

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Mary lives in a post-apocalyptic world, surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth and the horrific Unconsecrated. Everything in her village is controlled by religious zealots called the Sisterhood. Marriage and having children have nothing to do with love and everything to do with continuing the human race. Both of Mary’s parents have become Unconsecrated and her brother will no longer allow her to live in his house. Her only choice is to join the Sisterhood unless a man expresses interest in marrying her. Her dreams are bigger than all of this. She longs to see the ocean her mother told her about, but that no one in her village has ever seen. She has a burning curiosity and a drive to be more than what her village will allow. Will she settle and accept her fate or will she somehow escape?

Carrie Ryan has crafted a completely unique zombie novel. When I think of the zombie apocalypse, I think of the breakdown of society and the government. This book goes past the initial phase with generations of people living with the zombies and creating a new way of life. This setting seems more suited to the medieval era. The oppression of women and the general backwards thinking of the villagers, coupled with religious fundamentalism really angered me. There were so many things that were kept from the villagers by the Sisterhood that I don’t know how they could stand to live like that. Most of the other people there were resigned to their less than satisfying existence in order to survive. The Sisterhood isn’t above leaving people in the forest to be eaten if they make too many waves. Through about the first half of the book, I really wanted to throttle some characters in the book. So many of Mary’s problems could have been solved if she could make her own decisions and decide what she wanted to do with her own life. I’ve read many reviews that complain that Mary is selfish and unlikeable, but I completely disagree. What teenager doesn’t dream of bigger and better things? In her society, it just seems unattainable.

There is no shortage of zombie mayhem in this novel. There are also both slow and fast zombies. The slow zombies are the ones seen in most movies that shuffle about. The fast zombies in the book are a new development, which makes sense because of how long it had been since the initial zombie uprising. Plus, the problems with muscles atrophying are addressed as well. It has always been my complaint with fast moving zombies that there would come a point when the zombie wouldn’t be able to move anymore. These zombies are also unique because of what they represent. In George A. Romero’s movies, they are frequently about the mindless consumerism that is popular in America. These zombies are a symbol for the oppressive social constructs that consume any happiness that Mary and her friends would have had.

I absolutely love The Forest of Hands and Teeth. A zombie fan might find the first half of the book slow, but the second half totally makes up for it. I was engaged for the entire novel, on the edge of my seat for most of it. I would recommend this to any zombie fan.   

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

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Thanks, Titania for stopping by! It's been a pleasure to have you. :)
Happy, reading!

My Take On: Catholic, Reluctantly by Christian M. Frank

   George Peterson used to wrestle for a big school. Now he has to go to a Catholic school run by a few parents: John Paul 2 High. Just seven kids in a rundown building where scary things are happening. Then there’s Allie. Gorgeous, yes, but hardly Catholic! Why do they make her go here? And what is Allie so afraid of?

  With a bullet point synopsis reminiscent of Nancy Drew, I wasn’t quite certain of what I was in store for, but I was certain of oine thing: Catholic, Reluctantly was not going to be my usual cup of tea. What I got was a light mystery filled with emotional teen conflicts, some soul searching, hard-hitting elements like hazing and gun violence, and not a lick of magic or monsterage. But I like broadening my horizons, so I gave it a shot. I’m rather pleased that I did.
  The story centers on George, a big time wrestler with a heart of gold who went to the state finals and would like nothing better than to return to his old stomping grounds and his old life, a life where he had nothing to worry about but pinning his opponent and getting his homework done, a life where the impending doom of his new school wasn’t constantly weighing on his mind; Allie an average girl who’s been dropped into a weird, new school after a gun scare at her old school and feels like an outcast among the “goody-goody Catholic kids”; Celia, John Paul 2 High’s principle’s daughter (and the nicest person you will ever read about), who struggles with the weighty belief that she alone has to save the school from being closed down or condemned; and James, a new transfer to JP2 High whose bizarre loner personality and tendency to spout disdain set him at odds instantly with everyone at the upstart Catholic high school.
  A couple unique things I liked about this book were the smattering of IM conversations which filled in the gaps and linked the characters to their respective clicks. The small cast was a little weird at the beginning (I mean a school with only seven students? Sounds kind of strange), but I actually liked it. I thought at first that the author was trying to keep it simple by keeping his (or her) cast so small, maybe make it easier as I suspect that this is his (or her) first novel, but the lack of peopleage was actually very important to the story. The meager student body of the fledgling high school was important; it made it where, in certain situations, the JP2 kids had to either stick together or risk being swept apart. And with such a small group of students there was no room for clicks to form, which really emphasized the fault lines between them. I also liked the (obvious) emphasis on Catholicism; it’s not often that you come across a book that features faith in an interesting and realistic way. It reminded me strongly of The Dead and the Gone by Susan B. Pfeffer in that the characters really struggled with their faith and with what it meant to live it, even when faced by severe persecution. The JP2 High kids really stand out when compared to the rest of the teen populace, and they catch their share of flack about it. When two of the seven teens join the public school wrestling team, more than their skill on the mats is tested. They meet with people who don't understand them, their faith, or why it is that they're willing to stand apart.
I give Catholic, Reluctantly…

…Three and a half zombies!

A quick read with an admirable, if not dimensionally challenged, cast and a heavy-on-consequences but light-on-complexity plot that pulled me along and left me wanting more. I look forward to continuing the saga with Trespasses Against Us.

Happy Reading!

NOTE: Sophia Institute Press, a non-profit, Catholic publishing house, sent me a complimentary copy of this book for review.

And the winners are...

The random number generator has spoken! VVB of vvb reads, a true zombie lover, is the lucky winner. Velvet said her love of zombies are, "too many to count... they just keep coming despite people beheading them ;-D" Great answer, V! And because the randomizer was so much fun to use I've drawn a second winner! The second winner is Corcey of The Flying Muskrat who said, "I love zombie because I love the idea of people eating others brains and us having to run away from them. It makes a great story and I love great supernatural stories with death on the line! Death is one of the biggest prices to pay and when you have to spend your eternity searching and scraping for living people's brains, it just makes it all the more desperate. I love zombies so much I'm currently writing a book where the protagonist's name is Zombie. Love them." I love your blog title, BTW! Corcey will be receiving a surprise work of zombie art entitled "The Attack!"
And while we're at it, I've picked a surprise winner chosen for their clever answer! This lucky winner made me laugh with their hilarious answer. Winner #3 is Heather of Gofita's Page who said, "Zombies rule! My love of zombies comes from Night of the Living Dead which I saw many years ago! I always like to dress up as something dead every halloween and one year was a zombie hippie. That was one of my favorites. Usually buy all the zombie books I can get my hands on as well! There's just something about their brain eating ways that fill me with joy1!"
1: Brain-eating zombies fills me with joy, too.
Heather will also be getting the work titled "The Attack!"
I really did try to post pics of y'alls' prizes, but my computer is being super slooow and won't upload anything *dratted Stone Age relic*. I will try again later, though. In the meantime I'll be getting in touch with you lucky zombiephytes and will be shipping you your prizes ASAP!

So, to sum up:
Winner #1 and recipient of the gilded "Shambling Man" is Velvet
Winners #2 and #3 and recipients of "The Attack!" are Corcey and Heather
Thank you all for celebrating my first blogoversary by entering my little contest and submitting such funny answers. It warms my heart to see so many zombie aficionados!

Happy reading!