Welcome to today’s stop on Meet the Newbies!! I am excited to be hosting Kim Savage, the author of After the Woods which released on February 23!! Incidentally, I loved the book, and you can see my review here!
While I am at it, let’s just drop my favorite book picture that I have ever taken, which happens to be of Kim’s debut!
Kim’s Yearbook Entry!
Class Flirt
Nickname: Queech
First Day of School: February 23
Homeroom: Farrar Straus Giroux/Macmillan
Grade: YA Contemporary Suspense
Extracurricular Activities: Falconry, Taphophilia, Beetle Fighting, Beat-Boxing
Favorite Class: Origins of Old School Hip-hop
Favorite Quote/Motto: “And in conclusion, may I please remind you it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty. Thank you very much.” —Cher Horowitz in Clueless.
My Q&A With Kim!
** This was the prompt that I gave to ALL the authors- and I will answer them myself at the end of the event 😉 **
I figured that since this is called “Meet the Newbies”, it might be fun to go ahead and actually MEET you! But when I was coming up with questions, I thought about how being an author was really just one part of the bigger picture. With that in mind, I want to ask some questions about things that make you you.
As a Teen
What was your high school experience like?
Remember Lindsay Weir from Freaks and Geeks? That.
If you had the chance to go back and do it again, what would you change?
I would study harder. Seriously. My grades weren’t nearly as good as they could have been. I was easily distracted. Let’s just say I was the perfect candidate for same-sex schooling.
Shannon’s Sidenote: ?
As an Author
What do you wish you knew before you started this adventure?
That “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” applies to being an author. If you start feeling distracted by what other writers are doing, get your head and heart back into the story. Then let the story steer you. If it’s a good story, it will lead you away from those pretty, shiny time-sucks. And we all know what those are without naming them.
As an Everyday Woman
What are a few things you simply cannot get through the day without?
So easy. And I wish it were more original, but: coffee. I drink disturbingly large quantities of coffee.
Shannon’s Sidenote: I feel you on a spiritual level.
Describe the absolute perfect day for you- sky’s the limit!
Writing with no interruptions. Someone serving amazing, healthy meals. A coffee IV (see #4). Long walks in a gorgeous setting during breaks. Then dinner with a good red, a roaring fire, and a bunch of other creatives, both sexes please, for balance (see #2).
How much do I need a writing retreat right now?
Shannon’s Sidenote: I am on board with every part of this. Where do I sign up?
As a Reader
What book has made the most impact on your life (in any way, really) and how?
A Tale of Two Cities, which I read around age 16. It devastated me. There is no greater storyteller than Dickens. Get a couple cocktails in me and I will argue that it’s the most perfect novel of our time. Deconstructing anything he wrote serves as a master class in novel writing, but ATOTC has my heart, mainly because of Sydney Carton. I have special affection for anti-heroes.
Is there a book that you could read over and over again and never get tired of?
So many: I’m a pathological re-reader. The two contenders for number of times read are The Virgin Suicides and The Lovely Bones, I think.
Thanks so much for participating!
Book & Author Info!
After the Woods by Kim SavagePublished by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on February 23rd 2016
Pages: 305
"Statistically speaking, girls like me don't come back when guys like Donald Jessup take us."
Julia knows she beat the odds. She escaped the kidnapper who hunted her in the woods for two terrifying nights that she can't fully remember. Now it's one year later, and a dead girl turns up in those same woods. The terrible memories resurface, leaving Julia in a stupor at awkward moments-in front of gorgeous Kellan MacDougall, for example.
At least Julia's not alone. Her best friend, Liv, was in the woods, too. When Julia got caught, Liv ran away. Is Liv's guilt over leaving Julia the reason she's starving herself? Is hooking up with Shane Cuthbert, an addict with an explosive temper, Liv's way of punishing herself for not having Julia's back? As the devastating truth about Liv becomes clear, Julia realizes the one person she thinks she knows best-Liv-is the person she knows least of all. And that after the woods was just the beginning.
Today I have two giveaways to share! The first is the tour-wide giveaway for a finished copy of ANY of these fabulous books in the event, open internationally!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The second is thanks to author Kim Savage, how sweet is she for giving away a finished copy of the fabulous After the Woods? (This one is US only, sorry international friends!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AFTER THE WOODS does look amazing. On my reading list.
OMG I need this book! I love the mystery aspect of it.
My experience in HS… Well I went to a Math & Science HS, played sports, and was friends or talked to pretty much everyone. I wasn’t a popular kid and I wasn’t an outcast. I was happily in the middle.
Love this cover and I’m looking forward to it! Definitely on my reading list! Thanks!
Great interview! I like loved After the Woods (my book pic for that is my fave too!!) and I can’t wait for Beautiful Broken Girls. The cover for that one is FANTASTIC!
This debut psychological thriller gives me chills already just reading the synopsis, which is such a contrast to the lovely and serene cover. Look forward to reading it. Thank you for the giveaway!
Love these interviews Shannon, you’re the best!!
This book is on my TBR and I can’t wait to read it — love that cover!!
I really like the cover, and the book sounds fantastic. Thanks for having the giveaway.
Nice interview, and looks like a good book. I’ve seen some good reviews for it. It does have a nice cover… hope the book does well!
Nice pic too Shannon, the book fits in well w/ the rocks and leaves. 🙂
This book is on my tbr-list and I’m looking forward to read it. Thanks for giveaway!
I wish i was more of a rereader but really i dont have time to when there are so many other good books i haven’t read yet. great interview. this book looks good
I really loved this book too! AND my favorite book picture is also this book. Guess it inspires pretty pictures!
I love this!! It’s always fun to read about someone loving a book I STRUGGLED with reading in HS. And that includes most of the required reading I had to do in HS. I guess I just don’t relate to a lot of the classics. BUT YAY for The Lovely Bones. I’d like to reread that one of this days… it’s one of my all-time faves!
This one is already on my TBR and I am super excited about it. And I love Kim’s fave quote. Anyone who can quote Clueless is a winner in my book.
haven’t read it
I fell in love with this book’s synopsis, I feel like I would enjoy this very much. I’m so excited!
Thanks for the chance to win! Have a lovely day.
That photo is really amazing. I can see why it’s one of your favourites. (And I seem to remember you’ve said you weren’t good at bookstagramming … seriously, Shannon? That is a fantastic photo. I am expecting more photos on the blog from now on. Yes? Yes.)
ANYHOW. I’ve heard about this book here and there but I loved Kim’s answers to this so much I may have to check this out more! And what I wouldn’t give for a writing retreat … or a blogging/reading retreat … or just someplace away from school, you know 😉
Thank you so much for this giveaway , I haven’t read this book but I’ve heard so much about it, sounds great.,
I check your webiste every day and love your updates. I always learn something new.
This books sounds awesomely spooky. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Def have my eye on this!
Cool cover! This looks like a super spooky book.
interesting Q&A
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