Thursday 29 December 2011

Rachel McClellan **Author interview and international giveaway** [Fractured Light Blog Tour Day 2]

Rachel McClellan is the author of Fractured Light, which I reviewed as part of the blog tour yesterday (click here to read it).
I'm very excited to be able to say that Rachel is here at Pen to Paper with us today for an interview and a very special giveaway.

So, without further delay, I'd like to welcome Rachel to the blog!
First of all, could you tell us a little something about yourself?

I was raised in Idaho. My summers were spent floating the canal behind our house, making orange julius and watching Days of our Lives. But then I became an adult and had to say goodbye to care-free days. I currently live in Maine with my husband and four kids. I absolutely love the area.

Who are your top 3 favourite authors, and why?
There are several, but I'll choose three: C.S. Lewis whose works helped me become a better person, James Dashner and Suzanne Collins for teaching me about pacing and tension, and (I know I said three, but I've got to choose one more) Markus Zusak for showing me how words can come alive.

If you had to name your all-time favourite novel, which one would you choose and why is it your favourite?
This really is impossible. There are so many great books. Can I choose a few? I'd have to say The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Fountainhead, Chronicles of Narnia, and Odd Thomas.
Which author(s) would you say most influence your own writing?
There are many authors I like to read because their works are darker and that's what I tend to write. It's hard not to be influenced by them. Some of the authors are Dean Koontz, Mary Higgins Clark, Christopher Pike, L. J. Smith, Joshua Gaylord, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Mary Shelley.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? And what was it that made you decide to put Pen to Paper, to create the wonderful Fractured Light?

I've always enjoyed writing and wrote all the time, but I never thought about doing it for a living until several years ago. Honestly, I didn't think I was good enough, but then a trip to Ireland changed everything. Something there helped me grow a pair of ovaries to just go for it. As for Fractured Light, it was my third completed novel. It started out as a fun writing assignment with another friend, but I knew the moment I wrote the first chapter I had something special.

Where did the inspiration for Fractured Light come from?

I wanted to write something different. I thought of all the supernatural beasties that "exist" in our world. As the little wheels in my brain turned, I thought it would be cool to have a girl who could use light as a power. Then when I overheard someone talking about the aura's surrounding a person, I sort of put the two together. Just like peanut butter and chocolate, it turned pretty good.

How long did it take you to write the novel? And when can we expect to see the next in the series?

It took me about six months to write. The sequel, Fractured Truth, will be available February 2013.

I don't want to give too much away to anyone who hasn't yet read the novel, but will Llona and Christian ever find a way to be properly together?
Ah, Llona and Christian. Every true love has to be tested and theirs will be tested more than most.
Did you base any of the characters off anyone you know, or even yourself?

There are pieces of me in every character, and sprinkles of family and friends. I think most authors do this. That's why writing is so personal, at least for me. It was really scare at first when I found out my book was going to be published. It felt like the world was about to read my journal.

Do you know how this series is going to end yet?

I do. It's going to be epic. :)

Do you prefer...

Sweet or Savoury? Sweet
Long books or short books? Long
Paperback or Hardback? Hardback
Physical book or eBook? Physical
Margarine or Butter? Butter
Big night out or quiet night in? Big night, followed by a few hours of quiet.

Other than reading and writing, what are your other hobbies?

I love to snowboard, play racquetball and volleyball, watch football, hike, run, cook, make truffles, throw parties, go to movies, and eat. And then eat some more.
If you were told you could go anywhere in the world, free of charge, for as long as you liked, where would you go?
EVERYWHERE! I was just talking about this with my husband today. We really want to explore the world. I can't wait!

If you had $1 million, what would you do with it?
Make a treasure map and bury it. Then when I get bored I'll have an adventure to go on.
What is your favourite food?

A really yummy chicken madeira with garlic mashed potatoes. It's a little piece of heaven in my mouth.

What are the simple things in life that make you smile?

You're going to make me get all sentimental, eh? Um, watching my husband wrestle with our kids, speaking with old friends, and a bowl of ice cream with homemade fudge sauce on my lap while I'm watching Being Human.
And finally, could you tell us an odd and interesting fact about yourself?

In high school, I played McBeth in the play McBeth for the whole school. I didn't get many dates after that. I don't know why. I thought I looked good in a goatee.

Thank you so much for coming along to Pen to Paper, Rachel - it's been really great fun having you here!

Thanks for having me!

_______________

And now for another exciting event! Rachel has been kind enough to offer the wonderful followers of Pen to Paper a giveaway, with not just one prize available, but two!

  • 1 winner will receive either an eBook or hardcopy of Fractured Light to read - the winner will specify which they will like and the giveaway is open internationally.
  • A second winner will receive the beautiful necklace (engraved with ETTE - 'Endure to the End') that Christian gives to Llona in Fractured Light. Again, this prize is available internationally, so every follower has a chance to win!


When picking out the winners, the first winner that comes out of the Rafflecopter will win the book, and the second will win the necklace - it's as simple as that.

Before we get to the good part, I'd like to lay down some simple rules :)
  • You must be a follower of Pen to Paper for your entry to qualify. In the extra info bit in the initial rafflecopter entry, I am going to need your follower profile URL. This can be found by logging on to the blogger homepage and clicking to view your full profile. This should load a page with a list of all the blogs you are following. This is the web address I needed copied and pasted into the extra info box on your entry.
  • There are a possible 20 entries for this giveaway - 1 initial entry for following Pen to Paper, and another for selecting either hardcopy or eBook. The other 18 are optional, but may be the difference between someone else winning the prize, or you!
  • Please do not leave your email address in the comments below this post. I have been having trouble with this in my other giveaways. I use Rafflecopter so that your personal information is not accessible by anyone other than me - and I only use it to email you if you win! Stick to the Rafflecopter and be safe guys!
  • The giveaway will end on January 20th 2012 at 23:59 EST

Right! Now for the good part! Log in to the Rafflecopter below and get entering!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay!! Thanks for the giveaway Rachel and Pen and Paper!!! I've been wanting to read this an that necklace is GORGEOUS!! You guys are all awesome ;)

fra & fede said...

Thanks for this GA :) I've read that The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is one of Rachel's favourite books, it's mine too!

Kristen said...

Thanks for the awesome giveaway and interview!!! :))

P.S.- I think it's pretty awesome that you played Macbeth! lol ;)

miki said...

Thanks you for this great interview, travelling around the world would be great but if i won so many money i would buy a house new to arrange it so that i can have bookshelves everywhere and all the books i could wish for ( simple pleasure^^;;) since i'm often sick it would be wonderful for me


Happy new year and a big big thanks you for making this contest international i really really appreciate
thanks you

petoskystone said...

I really like what Rachel McClellen would do with 1 million dollars :)

Mary Preston said...

It's always interesting to see which books or authors a writer will choose as favorites, or they are inspired by.

Anonymous said...

Lol make your own trasure map..
Maybe I should do that too...

Emily @ Falling For YA said...

Thanks for the wonderful interview and giveaway. I liked that you asked some serious questions and other fun questions. I always like seeing This or That in author interviews!

Jax's Book Magic said...

I absolutely love the buried treasure map.

Anonymous said...

This is the first time i want to win second. hahah
i dont care! i want to win the necklace.It will be a superb gift for my birthday.

Natalie @ Book Lovers Life said...

Thanks so much for the chance. I love the cover and the book sounds really good.

Barb K. said...

I thought that was so cute when she said she played McBeth in high school. Wearing a goa tee.
Have to say good for her.
Me4Wrest@gmail.com

Rea said...

Aww man, I bet Rachel looked fabulous in a goatee too! We did McBeth at my middle school and I got cast as one of the witches. It was fun! Certainly much more fun than being a carol singer in Cinderella (not entirely sure how they managed to fit carol singers into Cinderella, but never mind that!!)

Fun interview! ^^

Diana said...

I didn't know Rachel lives in Maine! That's where my dad's family lives. It's a beautiful place. Lots of story inspiration there.

Aishah Waheed said...

Lovely Interview...a good way to get to know more about your ideas and go you playing macbeth!! Bet that was brilliant! Love "Fractured Light" would love to have the bracelet as it'd be constant reminder of the book and will feel like the story s actually real because you have the bracelet! Thanks for the giveaway!

Natasha Areena said...

Suzanne Collins ! L.J Smith ! These two are my favorite authors. I liked the Vampire Diaries and of course ! Hunger Games triology!

LisaILJ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LisaILJ said...

I'm way too practical to bury 1 million dollars. That mess would go into the bank where it would earn lots of interest.

Jolene and Family said...

ahhhh, Days Of Our Lives :) My sis and I grew up watching that show with my mom and I stuck with it up until a few years ago. Once I picked up reading again, I said goodbye to my soaps. It was funny, I was at my sister's over my kids's Christmas break and she was watching Day's and I was shocked to see I was totally lost and who were all those new characters. lol Imagine that, watching Day's and I had no idea what was going on LOL

Sharmaine Chan said...

I really love her responses! They made me smile. :)

Thanks for the giveaway!!

Imel Cullen said...

Thank's for giveaway and I really like your Answer about simple things in life that make you smile... ^^

Sr. Joe said...

thanks for the giveaway! it's so amazing! ^^

sweety said...

Amazing Interview!!I loved it.If i had $1 million,i would have bought lots and lots of books :)

Thanks for the international giveaway!!

GFC name - sweety

Bee W Bedard said...

PLEASE accept this for my first entry - I wasn't able to get it to open initially - I am still not sure if this is what you want
http://www.google.com/friendconnect/settings/edit?st=e%3DAOG8GaBMwmz%252FlVMwYr5xBf89%252FUkve57ZzVSPMPWMVjmiCY2DjuwxYtfK5%252Fz5GkZYcsfPS062JO5J1KhpTVnnUDtzX2NzWQq1%252FWrkiNU0CsQpXTidMm9ioFfj1c0v13cJSuQXcFeZUFLUayQ9Cxh1tGVAyKWbuThTfpJAM5fsFD%252BsAGTsrXnbzJmF9Difx35SSOhYRxnmxPSOn5gK5Y7ZrsZ%252F%252BKWfGh7zudxpwjro47TMeuhMef7oDrvqgxBCnKflzSfWNqJF5yJyJL4nERNjjH8i7lDqsFomri4iIh3BHl8zy5Myi75%252Fp%252F38rAJ0NaCmy%252F%252B6Jus0qwmU%26c%3Dpeoplesense

Georgia said...

I liked reading about how she was inspired to write this book. I love reading about how authors come up with some of things they do for their stories.

May A said...

haha Days of our lives :D My mum watches that and I also do sometimes :D If I had 1million I would probably buy a house and have my own library in it and then I will start buying books, I've always wanted to own or read :D Ofc I would also build a house for my nana :D

yoits0330 said...

The necklace is just stunning. I can't say much about it.

Dark_Calling said...

rachel seems like an awesome and fun person :D the book seems awesome!
thanks for the giveaway

WeeWillieWilkie said...

I love The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak too.

Miri said...

Thank you so much for this giveaway. And the book sound awesome, I'd love to read it.

Anonymous said...

so who won?

Dani Cotton said...

I will be posting a joint winners announcement later on today. I decided to do another joint one because there were giveaways ending really close together :)

Dark_Calling said...

so who won?

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