Christmas Countdown: Day 8: Kimberly Derting Interview + Giveaway!

It's Day 8 of our countdown, and Christmas is just around the corner~ and as we near the end of our blog event, we are giving away MORE BOOKS!

We're making things a bit interesting today. Yesterday, Precious officially started receiving comments for a PRIZE PACK! Yes, we have a prize pack where you can win a couple of books!

Today, we have the amazing Kimberly Derting on our blog. I absolutely adored Kim and her writing and I think THE BODY FINDER is one of the best paranormal books of 2010. You can read my review below to find out just how amazing Kim and her book is. :)

Kim was born and raised in Seattle. Her debut novel, The Body Finder was published March 16th 2010 by HarperTeen.

Desires of the Dead, the second book in The Body Finder series, is scheduled to be released on February 15, 2011!

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If you were asked to describe The Body Finder to someone who has no idea what it’s about, how will you do it?

It’s about a girl who can find those who have been murdered—and those who’ve murdered them—by the sensory “echoes” that attach to each victim and also to the one responsible for their murder. Oh, and there’s a really sweet romance!

This is precisely why I’m not asked to write the jacket copy. :)


Do you have any quirks or weird habit while writing the book?

I drink inordinate amounts of tea and keep a huge bag of Skittles in my top drawer, but other than that, it’s pretty straightforward. I just need some sweatpants, a comfy chair, and a laptop. (Showers are optional!)


Are any of the characters based on other people/people you know? Who and what are your inspirations for writing them?

For several of the tertiary characters in The Body Finder, I decided to use my friend’s and family’s first and last names (never together though). At my launch party for The Body Finder, many wore their The Body Finder shirts with their names or character descriptions on the back. For example, one of them had the word “Floater” on the back of her shirt. I’ll let you try and figure that one out on your own! :)


What's the hardest part of The Body Finder to write?

For me, it’s probably all of the waiting required. I’m impatient, and it seems like I’m always waiting for something! While that may not necessary be a specific challenge, it’s still one of the hardest parts, no matter what stage of the writing process I’m in.


Since it’s just around the corner, what do you think is the best part of Christmas? The worst?

I love just about everything about the Christmas season: the food, the lights, the music, the shopping! Oh, and did I mention the food???

The worst part, for me, is how busy we are that time of year. I’d like it to slow down just a little so I could spend some more time enjoying it, since it all feels like it’s over in a flash.


How do you celebrate for Christmas?

Christmas Day is sacred in our house. We do nothing. Absolutely nothing! Seriously, we stay home all day in our PJs, watching movies and eating junk food. It’s the best day of the year because we’re all together!


Would you rather give gifts or receive them?

Give them, definitely! Shopping is part of what I love about Christmas. (Although, I’m not opposed to finding something sparkly under the tree!)


What's the one gift you'd like to receive this Christmas?

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I really want a new pair of slippers. What does that say about how much time I spend in the house??? It’s kind of sad, really… ;)


Do you have a tradition you celebrate which you think is special or unique in your family or place?

It may not be very unique, but we all try to eat dinner together every night. That may sound boring and simple, but with a 9-year-old and 17-year-old, and trying to balance all of our crazy schedules, it’s a lot harder than you’d think.

The Body Finder Trailer:

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

Here's what you can win:

The Body Finder will be included in our prize pack, and you will earn an entry for each comment you leave on ANY of the posts of our Christmas Countdown. But that's not all!

We're also giving away a SWAG PACK (see the awesome stuff on the right?) with signed bookmarks, stickers, The Body Finder & Desires of the Dead buttons and rubber bracelets to a separate INTERNATIONAL winner! You can also earn extra entries (for the swag pack) by promoting the contest (tweet, facebook, goodreads, blog post) and being a GFC follower of both my and Precious' blog. Also, leave us a way to contact you (e-mail add)!

Ends January 1, 2011!