Fun Facts about A MATTER OF DAYS by Amber Kizer + Giveaway!

And Dystopian Domination continues, still! I took a short break because of some health issues but now I am back and today I have something good for all of you DD4 fans!

A Dozen Fun Facts about A MATTER OF DAYS by Amber Kizer
ISBN: 978-0-382-73973-3
Buy yours in hardcover or audio on June 11, 2013

1) Amber always burns a special candle while writing—for DAYS it was Herbal Art’s “Dirt” flavor that smells just like warm earth.

2) Amber also writes with a dedicated playlist for each book. On their trip from Seattle to West Virginia Nadia carries the MP3 player that belonged to their Dad. It’s busted and sandy from his deployment, but Zack is able to get it working. It’s filled with artists from the 80s and rock/pop anthems from the 70s-90s including songs from: Guns and Roses, Simple Minds, Cyndi Lauper, Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Heart, Warren Zevon, Peter Gabriel and Bon Jovi.

3) The parrot they meet likes to sing Madonna songs at inappropriate times.

4) BluStar is one mutation away from the influenza that killed millions in the 1918 pandemic. The name BluStar comes from the telltale star-shaped blue bruises that cover victims’ bodies as the virus devours cells—the same bruises written about and photographed over the course of the 1918 pandemic.

5) If you look closely at the cover of A MATTER OF DAYS you can see the overlay of the 1918 influenza under a microscope. BluStar looks very similar.

6) Amber loves books about viruses and survival—if you like A MATTER OF DAYS check out THE HOT ZONE (Preston), THE STAND (King), WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE (Lundin), THE SURVIVORS CLUB (Sherwood), THE PLAGUE (Camus), THE GREAT INFLUENZA (Barry), BLINDNESS (Saramago).

7) Amber used Google Earth to take the real time, mile-by-mile trip Nadia and Rabbit make from Seattle to West Virginia.

8) Like Rabbit if you need fresh water follow grain eating birds like finches and pigeons—when they are flying low and straight, they are heading toward water.

9) Yes, you can pee on wounds to disinfect them—it’s not the preferred method and there are risks so use as a last resort.

10) Yes, most food is good to eat long after the expiration date or sell by date—if the can bulges or smells bad—don’t eat it.

11) Everybody can think about survival and needs to—what if there’s an earthquake or a storm and you get stuck at school? Stick a couple extra water bottles and energy bars on the bottom of your locker and forget about them…best case you’ll never need them…worst case you’ll have supplies. Think ahead and live adaptable!

12) Find Amber at AmberKizer.com, on FB, follow her @WriteAmberKizer and email her your thoughts Amber@AmberKizer.com

A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer
Published June 11th 2013 by Delacorte Press

On Day 56 of the pandemic called BluStar, sixteen-year-old Nadia's mother dies, leaving her responsible for her younger brother Rabbit. They secretly received antivirus vaccines from their uncle, but most people weren't as lucky. Their deceased father taught them to adapt and survive whatever comes their way. That's their plan as they trek from Seattle to their grandfather's survivalist compound in West Virginia. Using practical survival techniques, they make their way through a world of death and destruction until they encounter an injured dog; Zack, a street kid from Los Angeles; and other survivors who are seldom what they seem. Illness, infections, fatigue, and meager supplies have become a way of life. Still, it will be worth it once they arrive at the designated place on the map they have memorized. But what if no one is there to meet them?

Buy a copy: Amazon | Book Depository

And if you want more of A Matter of Days, you can READ CHAPTERS 1, 2 and 3 BELOW!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF A MATTER OF DAYS BY AMBER KIZER!

Rules:

Open Internationally

Ends 8/10

Must be at least 13 years old to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another DD post will go up soon so you can win more stuff!

Interview with Mindy McGinnis + Giveaway!

You think Dystopian Domination is finished? Nope. We're extending the event! Today I am hosting an author whose debut release is one of the most anticipated books this year. Let's welcome Mindy McGinnis, as she talks a bit about her book Not a Drop to Drink. It's not really dystopian. Yep, really. Find out why in the interview below!

(This is my favorite interview in DD4 so far!)

Where did you get the idea for writing Not a Drop to Drink? I've read in your bio that you have a pond in your backyard. Was it because of that?

The inspiration for NOT A DROP TO DRINK actually came from a dream I had, although the pond played a part. I watched a documentary called Blue Gold, which is about the shortage of water on our planet. That night I dreamt I was teaching a small child to operate a rifle, so that she could help me defend the pond. When I woke up I thought, OK - I just wrote a book in my head.

Of all the elements to remove for a post apocalyptic setting, why the absence of fresh water?

Again, the documentary played a big part. It's really a horribly frightening premise. Water is something we all need to survive - every single one of us. And we can't make it. Sure, we can desalinate, but that takes a lot of energy and money. And what about people nowhere near the sea? Rain can only go so far...

Lynn sounds like a fierce character, one who can survive on her own without anyone's help. Was her character patterned from/molded to resemble/influenced by a real person?

No, not really. She's just a prototype of one way you could choose to live in order to survive. Killing is all she knows. The idea of mercy is not in her worldview at the beginning of the book. While I can say that the character isn't based on any person, she is in some ways patterned after the little girl I dreamt about. I had to ask - what kind of adult would this child grow up to be if she's killing so young in order to survive? The answer I came up with was Lynn.

If you were Lynn and you have one of the few ponds left with freshwater, how would you defend it? Would you rather share it or save it for yourself?

Tough question. Let's go ahead and assume I'm willing to kill to survive. Deep down I think we all are perfectly capable of killing someone else in order to ensure our own survival. If it came down to it, are we moral people or are we base animals? I'm not sure, and a lot of DRINK is about trying to figure that out.

Are there any particular challenges you encountered while writing Not a Drop to Drink? How did you tackle that?

Not really. This book completely fell out of my head. I honestly wasn't writing so much as just dictating what my brain had to say.

Why dystopia? What is it about dystopia that you like?

Technically, DRINK is not dystopian. There is not over-arching society or rage against the machine involved here. DRINK is survival at its most basic. You need water. You have water. What will you do to keep it?

What I like about it is how it cuts right to the chase. There's no questions about who likes who, or what to wear, or how your hair looks today. The question is - will you kill someone in order to live through the day? That tells you a lot more about someone's character than what label they're wearing.

A short message for the readers, please?

It's perfectly acceptable to read DRINK for a romp, an adventure about living one more day just to face hardship the next. But it's also a novel about the human condition, who we all truly are when it comes down to it. So I'd like people to read it with that in mind.

-----

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
September 24th 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

About the author:

Mindy McGinnis is an assistant YA librarian who lives in Ohio and cans her own food. She graduated from Otterbein University magna cum laude with a BA in English Literature and Religion. Mindy has a pond in her back yard but has never shot anyone, as her morals tend to cloud her vision.

Follow Mindy: Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Blog

GIVEAWAY TIME!
WIN $15 Amazon Gift Card + Swag!

Rules:

Open INTL

Ends  7/25

Must be at least 13 years old to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Heather Anastasiu + Shutdown (Glitch #3) giveaway!

I am back with another interview from a fabulous author whose book, Shutdown, has been recently released and with that wraps up the Glitch series! Sit tight and read on and you might get yourself a copy of Shutdown!

The book
It's the third book in the series! How's the writing journey so far? How does it feel to finally write Shutdown and conclude such a thrilling story?

It was so strange to write that final page and know that I was done! I felt so many things as I was working on Shutdown – anxiety, relief, and just happy that I felt like I was giving these characters the right ending.

Glitch and Override were fantastic books. What else can we expect in Shutdown? (Will it break a lot of hearts???)

Well, because I’m an evil author, I do have fun breaking hearts. But from what most people have said after reading Shutdown, I give a very satisfying ending for all my characters. That’s all I can say without getting all spoilery ;) But there’s also a ton of action and a lot of time spent with our favorite characters.

Your most favorite part in writing the Glitch series?

Ooo, great question, and so tough! I would say that probably my favorite part was writing the middle section of Shutdown. I finally knew these characters back and forth and I could really take them emotional places in the romance and wring them for all they were worth.

Dystopia
Why dystopian?

I’ve loved dystopias since I was a kid reading The Giver and 1984 watching movies like Total Recall and Logan’s Run. As a writer a dystopia is fun because you get to write in this high stakes setting where your characters are constantly in danger. It lent a certain thriller aspect to it just from setting alone. And you can make very dramatic things happen and drop the floor out from underneath your characters at any point. All in all it was just such a fun genre to write in.

There are sci-fi elements in Glitch as evident in the role Link plays in everyone within the Community, how important is world building for a book, especially if it's a dystopian? Is it hard to build Zoe's world? What inspired you to shape it the way you did?

The world-building for Glitch came pretty naturally. I spent about a semester when I was in college not writing any of the book, but just thinking about it. So I figured out a lot of the rules for Zoe’s world by just daydreaming through the problems and coming up with logical explanations for them. And I knew I wanted to write a classic dystopia – where everything looks so pretty on the outside only to find out there’s a heinous underbelly. So that shaped a lot of how I made the Community work. And really the first thing I came up with that inspired the entire idea was the V-chips that control people’s emotions. So then I just built and went daydreaming from there. It was a lot of fun!

You, the author
After the Glitch series, any plans on working on a new book?

Of course, always! I’m always writing and have a book out on submission now – a contemporary horror story with Beauty and the Beast themes. And I’ve got another sci-fi series percolating in my brain too. So many ideas and only these two little hands to write them with!

Shutdown (Glitch #3) by Heather Anastasiu
July 2nd 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin

The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution.

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

About the author:

Heather Anastasiu is the author of the young adult sci-fi Glitch trilogy (St. Martin's Press).

She grew up in Texas but recently moved to Minneapolis with her family. She spends all her time writing, reading, and dreaming about getting new tattoos.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF SHUTDOWN (GLITCH #3) BY HEATHER ANASTASIU!

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Interview with Alaya Dawn Johnson + The Summer Prince Giveaway!

Hello everyone! I am back with a Dystopian Domination post and today I have Alaya Dawn Johnson on the blog to answer some questions about her wonderful dystopia sci-fi novel set in a futuristic version of Brazil, The Summer Prince!

How much research and planning was involved in the creation of a futuristic Brazil? What inspired you to create such a world?

I've always loved Brazilian music and culture, but when I visited the south of the country with my sister and cousin I got the seeds of what eventually became The Summer Prince. Seeing the strong influence of
African diasporic culture there really inspired me, because I had always wanted to write a science fiction novel that was about other parts of the world besides the United States. When you watch disaster
movies, even though the disasters often affect the *whole world*, all we see are how they affect the US. I wanted to write against that, and depict other countries as centrally important after a huge cataclysm.
It definitely took a lot of research, and I had the help of Brazilian writers who were kind enough to read and comment on an early draft.


Are any of your characters inspired by other people, especially Enki? Or are they crafted purely from imagination?

I don't think that I've ever written a character purely based on someone that I know. However, people in my real life do seep into the characters that I write. Sometimes, though, I don't even know that I'm
doing it! In hindsight, I think that the character of Principal Ieyascu bears a strong resemblance to a few of my teachers in high school. The fact that Bebel enjoys and respects her competitors is very much like me. Enki is entirely a character from my imagination--if he references anyone, it's characters from other books!


There has been quite a mixed reaction over The Summer Prince, but ultimately, what do you want readers to get out from your book?

A big reason why I wrote The Summer Prince was because it was the sort of book I wanted to read. And particularly, the sort of thing I wish I'd had to read when I was a teenager. So I hope that it finds readers
like me, ones who want a book with characters of color and characters with varied and fluid sexuality, who have to navigate complex moral and political dilemmas. I hope that it will challenge readers, but
also reward them. I wanted to write a book that would reward re-reading. For the right reader, my hope is that this novel will stick with you for a long time. I know that it won't work for everybody, but I hope the readers who need this sort of book find it.


I was reading your profile and it said there you lived in Japan for quite a while. Any plans on writing a book set purely in Japanese City/island or Japan in general?

Great question! In fact, when people ask me about a sequel to The Summer Prince, I always say "no." However, my slight exception to this is Tokyo 10. I couldn't write another novel about June, Gil or Enki but I admit to being fascinated by the hints I dropped about the ghost city of Tokyo 10. I have vague notions of a giant city filled with the voices of people who have uploaded themselves, but only the bodies of
a few holdouts. There might be a gang of wild teens who rule their section of the ghost city until something goes wrong...so who knows! Maybe in a couple of years I'll be able to go back into that world with fresh eyes.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Published March 1st 2013 by Arthur A. Levine

The lush city of Palmares Três shimmers with tech and tradition, with screaming gossip casters and practiced politicians. In the midst of this vibrant metropolis, June Costa creates art that’s sure to make her legendary. But her dreams of fame become something more when she meets Enki, the bold new Summer King. The whole city falls in love with him (including June’s best friend, Gil). But June sees more to Enki than amber eyes and a lethal samba. She sees a fellow artist.

Together, June and Enki will stage explosive, dramatic projects that Palmares Três will never forget. They will add fuel to a growing rebellion against the government’s strict limits on new tech. And June will fall deeply, unfortunately in love with Enki. Because like all Summer Kings before him, Enki is destined to die.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

About the author:

Alaya (rhymes with “papaya”) lives, writes, cooks and (perhaps most importantly) eats in New York City. Her literary loves are all forms of speculative fiction, historical fiction, and the occasional highbrow novel. Her culinary loves are all kinds of ethnic food, particularly South Indian, which she feels must be close to ambrosia.

She graduated from Columbia University in 2004 with a BA in East Asian Languages and Cultures, and has lived and traveled extensively in Japan.

Follow her: Twitter | Facebook

GIVEAWAY TIME!
WIN A FINISHED COPY OF THE SUMMER PRINCE BY ALAYA DAWN JOHNSON!

Rules:

US Only (publisher's request, sorry!)

Ends 7/18

Must be at least 13 years old

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: Shannon Stoker + The Registry Giveaway

And Dystopian Domination continues! Today I have the wonderful Shannon Stoker on the blog for a short interview about her recently published debut dystopian New Adult novel, The Registry!

Can you tell us how you were able to came up with the idea of writing The Registry?
Sure! I have a friend who hates facebook. She refuses to join and says it's "evil". I don't agree with her, but her statement gave me the idea to create an evil facebook, which became the Registry.

Mia lives in a world where the fate of each and every person has been set from the moment they were born. What message do you want to convey with this type of world?
My main goal with The Registry was to write a fun, quick, action-packed read. Readers have mentioned different themes and messages they've picked up on, but above all I want people to read the book and enjoy the plot.

Why this kind of world?
I didn't set out to create a specific world. It developed as I was writing. I have more fun writing the darker aspects, so I think that is why it's such a dark place they live in.

How hard is it to build this kind of world for new America?
There were some obstacles and a lot of crossing what I wrote through-out the book. I have an image in my mind of how everything is supposed to look and I think I carried that with me to make sure the tone was coming across appropriate.

Why write a dystopia novel?
There aren't many rules! :)
I think it is really freeing to write in a dystopian setting. There are a lot of small details to worry about, but overall you get to create and build a world which gives a writer great range. That being said I would NEVER want to live in the same world as Mia or Andrew.

The best and the worst part in writing one?
The best part is putting a spin on modern traditions, for example the dress Mia wears in her "meet and greet" wouldn't be appropriate for the average eighteen year old to wear when going on a date.

The worst part is making sure the audience can suspend their disbelief, that the ideas aren't too farfetched. Though someone showed me some advertisements directed at women in the 1950s and they weren't too far off from what one would expect to see in the world Mia lives in, so that was refreshing.

Any message for your readers?
I hope you have as much fun reading The Registry as I did writing it :)

-----

The Registry by Shannon Stoker
Published June 11th 2013 by William Morrow Paperbacks

The Registry saved the country from collapse. But stability has come at a price. In this patriotic new America, girls are raised to be brides, sold at auction to the highest bidder. Boys are raised to be soldiers, trained by the state to fight to their death.

Nearly eighteen, beautiful Mia Morrissey excitedly awaits the beginning of her auction year. But a warning from her married older sister raises dangerous thoughts. Now, instead of going up on the block, Mia is going to escape to Mexico—and the promise of freedom.

All Mia wants is to control her own destiny—a brave and daring choice that will transform her into an enemy of the state, pursued by powerful government agents, ruthless bounty hunters, and a cunning man determined to own her . . . a man who will stop at nothing to get her back.

BUY THE BOOK: AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

About the author:

Shannon Stoker lives in DeKalb, IL. She received her undergraduate and law degree from Northern Illinois University where she now works as the Research Integrity Coordinator. It's not a stretch to say she's a die hard Huskie fan!

When she's not working or writing Shannon spends the majority of her time playing with her terrier mix Nucky or her husband.

She loves watching horror movies, including those straight to DVD classics most people never heard of. If she wasn't an attorney or an author she would have been a beautician and is constantly bugging her friends to come over and let Shannon play with their hair.

Follow her: Facebook | Twitter

GIVEAWAY TIME!

WIN A FINISHED COPY OF THE REGISTRY BY SHANNON STOKER!

(2 WINNERS)

Rules:

US only

Must be at least 13 to enter

Ends 7/18

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Head over to Fragments of Life for more Dystopian Domination contests and posts!

Author Interview: Jen Minkman + Giveaway of The Island

It's the 2nd day of Dystopian Domination 4! Having fun so far? We have another author for you who will share some information about her lovely book, The Island. Check out my interview with Jen Minkman below!

What inspired you to write The Island? (novel)

Initially, the fact that I wanted to participate in a dystopian writing contest in my home country inspired me to come up with something original that would fit into a 20,000-word novella without feeling too rushed. This meant I had to cut back on the character development but created a 'hook' - the WTF moment in this book has to do with the famous story of Star Wars. Want to know how that could possibly have a place in a dystopian story? Read the book!

Where does the idea of the Island (the place) came from?

For my plot idea, I needed a secluded place where my dystopian society could develop, and an island was the best choice.

What's life like in The Island? (is it possible to describe this without spoiling any part of the story?)

Life on the Island for the Eastern Islanders is as follows: at age ten, children are supposed to move out and live in the mansion (a place where everybody between 10 and 18 lives) and leave their parents behind. Once they decide to marry, they come back to their native village (called Newexter) and start their own families. They don't stay in touch with their parents at all; dependence on parents is seen as a sign of weakness.
On the western part of the Island is a different society of people and the Eastern Islanders call them 'the Fools'. They never encounter these people, because there is a wall separating one part of the island from the other. Everybody knows that Fools don't believe in their own power; they don't feel the Force within, but they rely on a savior coming to them from the World across the Waters. The people from Newexter thinks the other people on the western part of the island are deluded and, you guessed it, foolish for thinking so.

Why write dystopian?

Because of the writing contest :) but ever since reading Hunger Games and re-reading Fahrenheit 451, I was playing with the idea of writing a dystopian story. I just think the genre is so interesting because you can link up theories about what the future will be like with current world issues and make people think: what if..?

World building is important especially for dystopian novels. What do you think makes people love this particular genre? How hard is it to build a dystopian world?

If you want to build a dystopian world, you have to create a believable reason as to why the world came to be like that. However, I think it is even more important to make sure you understand your characters and give them a suitable life philosophy. The way people in your story act builds the most convincing world of all.

Can you tell us what it's like to be an indie author? A lot of readers have certain misconceptions about indie/self published books, some are reluctant to try them, what's it like? How hard/easy is it?

Well, in my home country, I am a trade-published author. That has its advantages (such as people taking care of promotion for you) but also some drawbacks (traditional publishing is slllooooww...) . I enjoy being an indie author abroad. I translate all my Dutch books into English for publication on Amazon. I can do whatever I like, so no one will ever tell me that I can't publish a particular book because it doesn't match up with the genre I write in - I have total freedom. So that is the easy part. The hard part is that you have to do all the promotion yourself, and it takes a huge amount of time. You want to make sure people discover your work, so you have to work on visibility, and that is tough.
I can totally see why some readers/bloggers are reluctant to try indie authors. While some dedicated indie authors really take the time to double- and triple-check their work and hire an editor as well, some others don't bother and just publish books with bad grammar, spelling mistakes and incoherent storylines - books that would never make it past the gatekeepers of big publishing houses. While some people might not mind reading books with spelling mistakes, I am always irked by it (maybe because I am a teacher of English myself so I have developed hawk eyes for mistakes! I have to stop myself from getting out the red pen sometimes ;)

What's the best part of being an author?

The best part for me is the process of writing. Just sitting down with some cool music on (right now I listen to Sting's 'The Soul Cages' a lot while writing the sequel to The Island) and creating a world from scratch and not worrying one bit about whether people are gonna love the stuff I write. I love writing it, and that's the most important thing at that moment.
The worst part is getting really bad reviews from people who somehow didn't 'get' the story. This has been kind of an issue for The Island, actually, because some Goodreads reviewers accused it of being Star Wars fanfic, which is absolutely, certainly, definitely isn't. I would hang my head in shame if I had to steal characters from other stories to populate mine! There is a clear definition of what fanfic is, and if people claim I wrote that and published it under my name to make money from, it tarnishes my reputation as a writer. But at the end of the day, I can't do anything about it - every reviewer is entitled to her/his own opinion, even if it is based on a false assumption or misunderstanding.

Is there anything you want to say to the readers?

Yes! I love reading as much as I love writing, and so I know that a lot of people are hungry for good books with original ideas that are well-executed and told with a great attention to detail. I vow that I will always try to bring something to the reading world that is new and different, so it adds something fresh and vaulable to what is already out there.

The Island (The Island #1) by Jen Minkman
Published June 1st 2013

‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.

Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.

If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall. Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.

I have never seen one.’

Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

(Please note: this novella contains a few references to the famous sci-fi movie Star Wars which are pivotal to the plot. None of the characters in The Island are in any way related to the characters in the movie. Leia is named after one of the ancient heroes of her culture/religion.)

Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the author:

Jen Minkman was born in Holland, in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn. When she was 19, she moved between The Hague, Salzburg (Austria), Brussels (Belgium) and Cambridge (UK) to complete her studies in intercultural communication. She is currently a teacher of English, career counsellor and teenage coach at a secondary school in Voorburg, Holland. She tries to read at least 100 books a year (and write a few, too!). She is a published author in her own country, and translates her own books from Dutch into English for self-publication.
In her spare time, she plays the piano, the guitar and the violin. For every novel she writes, she creates a soundtrack.

Follow her: Facebook | Twitter

GIVEAWAY TIME!

WIN A PAPERBACK COPY OF THE ISLAND BY JEN MINKMAN!

Rules:

Open Internationally

Ends 7/18

Must be at least 13 years old to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking for more giveaways, nterviews and other awesome dystopian feature? Check the list below!

Current contest:
Character Interview with Josh + Giveaway: Aberrant by Ruth Silver

It's here! Dystopian Domination 4

Just so you know, the blog isn't dead. What's going on is we're just gearing up for a blog event that's epic awesomeness! If you remember, Precious and I, my book sister extraordinaire always have something up our sleeves during this time of the year. You know what that means?

Dystopian Domination is back, and it's the 4th time we're doing this!

When: June 26 to July 18, 2013
Where: Fragments of Life + Amaterasu Reads
What: Guest Posts, Author Interviews, Character Interviews and Giveaways

Now if you're not convinced that we are hosting more than 20 authors with various amazing dystopian novels over a period of three weeks then hey! We are proving you wrong. Check out our schedule below:


And look! We even have banners! We got a small one and a bigger one so you can feel the awesome dystopia vibe of our event. Check it out:

<a href="http://amaterasureads.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-here-dystopian-domination-4.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvqYvyiSEO3r70SC_1qB5EVF_HkHkDX7CzftcUom8bD-aj6MXSR8XMFdnS5q0s9VGn0WYVmjHWvMF-kNWxAMPRF8nU1rMKuZnu6HBAXejbs252Dcr9e3ZaaI0S5s79g1jqgD7GSyzVccJB/s250/dd4+01.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>

<a href="http://amaterasureads.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-here-dystopian-domination-4.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AVObC_V9RfEYt3a2kcUF_0mYwc9MVc1SNZoe7TQNnFHqRvKilGJRhqZQBba6eI6H04D_HQ-CfaEev2cCSLg020PpmDNHeB2j_VxTch6d1T7o-R5QoFZre4d9dh8aeItvILUWfYpIP0hR/s250/dd4+02.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>

And yes, if the image in the banner looks really familiar to you, then your guess is probably right. The background is from Jordana Frankel's The Ward, and that is the image of the Wash Out. You'll know more when you read the book, but! In the meantime!

Please help us spread the word about the event by putting a banner on your blog, blogging about the event, tweeting about it and posting on Facebook.

We hope you have fun during this event of ours! It feels good to have this event again. Watch out for each and every post because you can win a lot of awesome goodies and prizes!

Winners!!!! LOTS OF WINNERS!!!

I know I'm late in announcing winners of some of the contests, but here they are now. It's crazy sorting out entries because Intense Debate ate most of them (glad I made a back-up before and I got e-mails!) but finally! Here they are!

The winner of the FORGOTTEN ARC is:

Tricia!

(Triciagervacio at g...)

The winner of Solstice e-book + Trading cards is:
bookchilla
(bookchilla at gm...) 

DYSTOPIAN DOMINATION Winners:

The winner of the finished copy of DIVERGENT (US) is:

Jessica

(readinginspires at y...)

DIVERGENT (International):

isamlq / sassyreads 
(isa6357 at yah...) 

The winner of ASHES, ASHES by Jo Treggiari is:

Mia

(girlaboutbooks at gm...)

The winner of Restoring Harmony swag is:

Laura

(the.zealous.reader at gm...)

The winner of Inside Out by Maria Snyder is:

Smash Attack!

(ash at smashattack...) 

Miss Lauren

(lwilkerson21 at gm...)

The winner of the Simon & Schuster Prize Pack (Wither, Possession & Blood Red Road) is:
 Gaby
(magabygc at gm...) 

 I've sent an e-mail to all the winners and you guys have 48 hours to send me your mailing addresses, otherwise I have to pick new winners!

Dystopian Domination Event: Winners!

First, I would like to thank you all for participating in our Dystopian Domination event! Precious and I had a lot of fun and it was so amazing getting your thoughts as well as those of the authors about the said genre!

Now that the event has drawn to a close, I am here to announce a few winners! Please check this page in the next few days to see if you have won! Thanks again for participating!

Pre-order of The Eleventh Plague winner:

Badass Bookie (callmeghostgirl@yahoo...)

A copy of Those That Wake winner:

Brodie (hanging.by.a.moment_@hotm...)

Dark Parties Latte Mug:

Ambur (ambiepie_6@hotm...)

The winner of the finished copy of DIVERGENT (US) is:

Jessica

(readinginspires at y...)

DIVERGENT (International):

isamlq / sassyreads  

The winner of ASHES, ASHES by Jo Treggiari is:

Mia

(girlaboutbooks at gm...)

The winner of Restoring Harmony swag is:

Laura

(the.zealous.reader at gm...)

The winner of Inside Out by Maria Snyder is:

Smash Attack!

(ash at smashattack...) 

Miss Lauren

(lwilkerson21 at gm...)

The winner of the Simon & Schuster Prize Pack (Wither, Possession & Blood Red Road) is:

 Gaby

(magabygc at gm...)

I have e-mailed all the winners and they have 24 hours to respond. Otherwise I have to pick new winners if I don't hear from them after a day!

[Dystopian Domination] Last Day: Solstice by P.J. Hoover Character Interview + Giveaway!

You want this, you know you want this!

Our final guest for our Dystopian Domination event is no other than the fabulous author of Solstice, P.J. Hoover! I have read her book, Solstice and I absolutely loved it! You can read my review of the book HERE.

Today, P.J. was so kind to let us have Shayne (or should I say Hades?) over for a quick interview. Don't worry, this is a spoiler-free interview, so you can read it and it won't give anything away major from the plot, I promise!

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Were you bothered with how Earth was slowly deteriorating, I mean I know you have other problems to think about but... were you? Or do you prefer the heat?


Not to sound harsh, but I’m not Atlas or anything. The weight of the world is not on me. I have the Underworld on my shoulders, and with all the problems we’ve been having down there, Earth above hasn’t been high on my priority list. We’ve got monsters getting out of control and souls trying to cross the River Lethe. Sure, I realize Earth has been in trouble, but that’s why I’m not the only god in the world.
As for the heat, I soak it in. There are some places here in the Underworld (Tartarus as an example), where I have to walk through fire. Earth hitting one hundred and twenty degrees is nothing…at least not for me.

May 2011, Andrea Brown Literary

Do you prefer being called Shayne, or your other name?

Shayne has this cool sound to it, and when I introduce myself to people today, they don’t get all freaked out or anything. So I’m sticking with it for a while. It’s not like I can walk into a high school and introduce myself as Hades. The other students would think I was nuts. Not cool for high school not matter what year it is.

What was the most romantic thing you've ever done for Piper?

Okay, you can’t tell Piper this, but after I met her, I went home and made this gorgeous ceramic rose. I got the clay from the banks of the River Styx, and I fired it the same kiln Hephaestus uses. I painted it red because I know it’s her favorite color, and I was all set to give it to her. But…well, I chickened out. I figured she’d think I was being pushy if I started giving her presents on day two. So I hid it away. Someday, when the time is just right, I’ll give it to her.

That must be a harrowing 18 years of waiting and searching. Can you describe a typical day down there without Piper by your side?

A typical day in the Underworld consumes me, what with having to judge each and every soul that dies. I’m already on the workaholic side. So take that and top it with having to search the world for someone I’m not even sure is alive, and at times I felt like it would push me over the edge. There were times when I wanted to give up completely. I almost did. And when that happened, I threw myself more into the job and tried to pretend she never existed. But something would always remind me. Maybe a certain flower or a joke we shared. And I’d start up the search again.

Any chance you'll ever be friends with Reese? How about talking to Piper's mother? Do you get along with her dad?

Reese? No freaking way. The guy is the lowest of the low. He’s a cocky jerk, and even during the times we’ve formed alliances of one sort or another, he’s never been reliable or trustworthy. If there’s a way to cheat, Reese finds it. Always.

Piper’s mom? Personally, I think any relationship with her is beyond repair. Piper claims the same, but deep down, I know she’d love it if some way we could all get along. It would take a huge amount of stress off her. She tries not to show how it affects her, but I know Piper. I can see it in her eyes.

As for Piper’s dad…if we talk about Piper, we get along. He’s a total pushover when it comes to her. But if we talk about anything else, we argue. But that’s because I don’t want anyone telling me how to run my domain, and he has this burning desire to control everything. He tries to pretend otherwise, but he can’t stand it when I ignore advice he gives me. It makes me want to ignore everything.

Did you ever think about getting another pet besides Cerberus?

Cerberus has three heads. That’s enough licking to last an immortal lifetime. So no. He’s the only dog for me.

Is there anything you want to say to the readers?

Off the record? Okay, here goes. I have a secret I’m keeping from Piper, and I’m pretty sure if she finds out, she’ll leave me forever. So she can never know. So no, you’re not going to find out in Solstice.

-----

(I think Shayne just dropped a major hint for us but I can't really figure out what the secret is. Haha!)

P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. P. J. is also a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing Kung Fu, solving Rubik's cubes, and watching Star Trek.

Her first novel for teens, Solstice, takes place in a Global Warming future and explores the parallel world of mythology beside our own. Her middle grade fantasy novels, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, and The Necropolis, chronicle the adventures of a boy who discovers he’s part of two feuding worlds hidden beneath the sea.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

We are giving away an e-book of Solstice!

And P.J. was so generous she even included a full set of Solstice TRADING CARDS!

Rules:

Must be a follower

Comment with your e-mail address

Leave a MEANINGFUL comment on this interview

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!

ENDS June 16, 2011

Extra entries:

(not required)

+2 Follow Fragments of Life

+2 Spread the word: twitter, sidebar, tumblr, etc.

+3 blog about it

+3 post our Dystopian Domination button on your blog and link back

[Dystopian Domination] Day 14: Interview with Maria Snyder + Giveaway!

* This is not a repost!

I'd like to officially welcome the lovely Maria Snyder to our blog!

I have recently read her book, Inside Out, which is the first book in the Insider series and I absolutely loved it! Now we are hosting Maria on Amaterasu Reads as part of our Dystopian Domination and she will answer a few questions about her Insider series, and talk about them more!

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Book summary (Twitter version)! Can you give us a summary of Inside Out in 140 characters or less?

Trella reluctantly gets involved with an illegal search for a Gateway to the Outside. Trouble, deception and life changing danger ensues. (137 characters with spaces!).

This is an unusual question (I think), but if you were asked to blurb your own book (either Inside Out or Outside In), what would you say about it?

You’re evil – you know that, don’t you? J I always have a hard time writing blurbs for others! Okay – I’m not one to back down from a challenge.
INSIDE OUT – Maria V. Snyder takes the dystopian genre and turns it inside out with a unique and chilling tale of Trella’s search for Gateway and escape from her enclosed world.
OUTSIDE IN – Another page turner that will leave you gasping for breath. More trouble follows Trella and, this time, she has no place to hide. A must read!
How’s that? Sounds like shameless self promoting to me, but YOU asked the question J

If Trella and Riley were to live in the same world we are in right now, how do you think they'll survive?

I think they will need some time to adjust to the vastness of our world, but both would be able to adapt. Trella would love to explore our world – I see her camping and hiking and climbing mountains. Riley, would be content to work and stay in one place, but he’d happily tag along on Trella’s adventures, protecting her back.

Are there any plans of writing/adding a third book in the Inside series? (I hope it’s not obvious that I am begging for a third book!)

Right now there are no plans for a third book. Sorry! However, I won’t say “never” as there is plenty of potential problems in this world.

Your other series, Study, is a mix of magic and fantasy. What made you decide to write a dystopia series like Inside?

I didn’t really decide (see the answer below for more on this). With INSIDE OUT, I dreamt the story, the world, the characters, and even the twists and surprises all in one long dream. While it’s a departure from my fantasy stories, I’ve always enjoyed reading science fiction and have written a number of SF short stories. It was fun to dabble in another genre and a creative challenge, which I think is important for authors.

Did you intend to write Inside w/ a specific genre in mind? And why dystopia?

I’d no idea the story I was writing about Trella and her world was a dystopia. I started writing INSIDE OUT back in 2006 and finished it in 2008. When I handed in the story to my editor, she asked me if I had read the recently released THE HUNGER GAMES. She said, “It’s also a dystopian.”

Dystopian? Really? My story is a dystopian? Time for a confession – at that time, I didn’t know what a dystopia was – I had to look it up in the dictionary (shhh…don’t tell). And I read the THE HUNGER GAMES – enjoyed it – and had to agree that, yes, INSIDE OUT is a dystopian novel. Wow.

So you’re thinking an author shouldn’t be surprised about their own novel, right? Guess not. When writing, my focus is always, always, always, on the characters – their problems, their fears, their hopes and desires. The world and setting details are the stage for them to perform.

Lastly, any thoughts on the sudden rise in popularity of books in the dystopia genre? Having written a book that falls in the said genre, can you share us your thoughts about it?

I agree that dystopia is popular right now, and I think there are many reasons for this trend. One, because there have been a number of great books released in the last few years and readers are clamoring for more. Two, the current global economy is rather glum and it's all over the news. These books portraying horrible societies gives readers a sense that compared to say THE HUNGER GAMES, things aren't THAT bad. Third it could also be a generational feel since the main characters in these books change their world and teens are constantly being told they're the future and they CAN change the world. Plus these characters are strong survivors and proactive – they're great role models, making the best of the worst situations.

And I would like to comment that I finished INSIDE OUT well before the dystopian genre became popular. And I'm sure other authors of this genre have as well and I think it's interesting how these ideas form in many writers around the same time. It's not like we all rush to write a dystopia because it's popular (some do – but it’s probably because they are inspired by the genre). Many writers have already finished the story and it's either been sitting in their drawer or making the rounds of editors.

-----

Thank you so much for inviting me to your event! If your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read. I also have a page full of writing advice for any aspiring writers out there :) Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com And my blog is: http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com

Maria V. Snyder switched careers from meteorologist to novelist when she began writing the New York Times best-selling Study Series (POISON STUDY, MAGIC STUDY and FIRE STUDY) about a young woman who becomes a poison taster. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Maria dreamed of chasing tornados and even earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology from Pennsylvania State University. Unfortunately, she lacked the necessary forecasting skills. So she worked as an environmental meteorologist until boredom and children drove her to write down the stories that have swirling around in her head. Writing, proved to be more enjoyable than meteorology, and Maria returned to school to earn a Master of Arts degree in fiction writing from Seton Hill University. Unable to part company with Seton Hill and its wonderful writing program, Maria is currently a teacher and mentor for the MFA program.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Maria is so generous that she is giving 2 SIGNED, FINISHED COPIES OF INSIDE OUT!

Rules:

Must be a follower

Comment with your e-mail address
Leave a MEANINGFUL comment on this interview
OPEN TO US and CANADA

ENDS June 15, 2011

Extra entries:

(not required)

+2 Comment on my review HERE. 
+2 Follow Fragments of Life

+2 Spread the word: twitter, sidebar, tumblr, etc.

+3 blog about it

+3 post our Dystopian Domination button on your blog and link back

* If you have entered in our other Maria Snyder post where I featured Inside Out and Outside In, you can STILL enter here. Just leave a MEANINGFUL comment on this interview and tell me that you have already entered on our other post. You will get an extra point if you leave a comment here! Also, I extended the contest deadline from June 10 to 15!

[Dystopian Domination] Day 16: Blood Red Road by Moira Young feature + S&S Prize Pack Giveaway!

We're almost at the end of our great event. It's been real fun to share with you guys some love of the Dystopian genre, you all are awesome! I hope you join us again soon because we have more events planned this year!

But before we say goodbye, here is our SECOND BIGGEST GIVEAWAY for this event! Please take a few moments to read about a book that we will be featuring today in this special post. I must say, this book is one of the most anticipated books this year, and I am honored to have it featured on my blog today.

We have BLOOD RED ROAD by MOIRA YOUNG.

Title: Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Pages: 512
Release Date: June 7th 2011
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry
Visit its Simon & Schuster Page

Summary:

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Why I think Blood Red Road is a novel to watch out for:

I have heard a lot of great things about this book. Most people are thoroughly impressed with the voice Saba has throughout the entire book, though it takes a while to get used to.

Blood Red Road's world reminds me of Topside in Enclave where it was virtually a big Wasteland, with gangs scattered everywhere. Saba is learning a lot about herself through her journey, and what better theme is there to read about than a person's growth through a series of tough experiences in life?

Blood Red Road is a novel a lot of people are looking forward to for its story and its characters holds a lot of potential, and a great promise that it is indeed a great novel.

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Also, you might want to try reading Lauren DeStefano's debut novel, Wither.

Title: Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Pages: 358
Release Date: March 22nd 2011
Published by: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Visit its Simon & Schuster Page

Summary:

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

Who has not heard of this book yet? Grab a copy now, will you!

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

Simon & Schuster was very generous and donated a prize pack for our Dystopian Domination event! What books do we have, you ask? HERE THEY ARE!

We are giving away finished copies 3 GREAT BOOKS:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Possession by Elana Johnson

Rules:

Must be a follower

Comment with your e-mail address
OPEN TO US only

ENDS June 12, 2011

Extra entries:

(not required)

+2 Comment on my review of Blood Red Road (review to be posted tomorrow)
+2 Follow Fragments of Life

+2 Spread the word: twitter, sidebar, tumblr, etc.

+3 blog about it

+3 post our Dystopian Domination button on your blog and link back