BLOG TOUR Interview & eBook Giveaway - Thin Air by Lynn Seresin

 

I am pleased to be able to host author Lynn Seresin on my blog today as part of her Thin Air book tour, 
hosted by Bree of The Awesome Magic Attic

Next up on this tour is Songs and Stories

Where to find Thin Air:

Goodreads | Lulu | Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Facebook

Synopsis (Goodreads) 

Alice Ayre is no ordinary teenager. She took her first name from a statue in Central Park, pulled her last name out of the air (literally), and she’s actually almost a thousand years old. In fact, the only “ordinary” thing about Alice is that she’s in love.

Alice was a sylphid—a winged air spirit—when she spotted Daniel Field camping in the Adirondacks and lost her heart to the handsome NYU student. Intangible to the human senses, her only hope of winning his heart resides in becoming mortal, even though transmutation is forbidden by Paralda, ruler of the air. Risking punishment, however, seems a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness.

Tracking down Daniel in New York City ends up being surprisingly easy. Getting noticed by him for all the right reasons is another story, especially when the human world keeps tossing challenges in Alice’s path. Just when she’s mastered zippers and buttons, she catches herself dropping a sugar packet into her coffee and mistaking a photo of John Lennon for one of Daniel’s relatives. Her eccentricities raise the occasional eyebrow with Daniel and his friends, but her quirky charm, sweetness, and sincerity win out. Before long, she lands a job, begins a relationship with Daniel, and starts settling into her new life—until her past comes after her.

Enraged over Alice’s departure, Paralda has sent transmuted assassins to pursue her into the human world. A near-fatal fire on a camping trip and the murder of a look-alike employee at the club where Alice works convince her they are closing in fast. Alone with her secret–who would believe her?—Alice must elude a nameless, faceless enemy sworn to destroy the happy, new life she’s risked so much to achieve.

Author Interview:

Welcome to Obsession with Books Lynn, Are you able to tell us a little about yourself and your book Thin Air?

Thanks for having me. Years ago, I worked as a children’s book editor at Simon & Schuster, and then at a small publishing house in Connecticut. Once I got married and had my first child, I began writing children’s book on a freelance basis. Freelance writing was basically being a gun-for-hire; I wrote what the client wanted, the way they wanted it. Not a lot of creativity there. Writing my own novel was a dream. THIN AIR is the fulfillment of that dream.

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve been writing all my life, beginning with early childhood. I grew up as an only child living with my parents in an apartment in Greenwich Village. Aside from the time I spent in school, I was mostly alone, or surrounded by adults. Reading became one of my favorite pastimes (I grew up in a time when PCs and videogames didn’t exist) and I guess you could say I fell in love with the world of words and where they could take me. Combine that with an overactive imagination, and you have a writer.

Where did the inspiration for your book Thin Air come from?

I’ve always been a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan. I remember reading Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles in sixth grade and thinking, this is what I want to write. The inspiration for THIN AIR actually came out of an earlier sci-fi YA novel that I completed. I included a character that I called a sylph, not really knowing what a sylph actually was (that was the first of many problems with the book). While I didn’t feel that this first novel was publishable, writing it taught me a lot about my craft. When I was ready to tackle another project, I decided to do some research and discovered that sylphs were part of a larger mythology of nature spirits. I wanted THIN AIR to read like a modern fairytale, and “The Little Mermaid” has always been one of my favorites. So, I combined nature spirits with some plot elements from “Mermaid”, gave it my own twist, and came up with THIN AIR.

Do you mind telling us how long it took for you to write Thin Air?

I’m guessing about six or seven months. The book is a little over 100,000 words, which is pretty long for a YA book. Fortunately, FRIENDLY FIRE, the sequel to THIN AIR (and the second book in the series) is writing much more quickly. It helps when you’re working with familiar characters. It’s kind of like slipping into a comfortable shoe—you know what to expect.

Is there anything about you that would surprise your readers? Any quirks, obsessions, etc.

I have a lot of tattoos. This might not surprise my readers because tattoos do play an important part in the plotline of THIN AIR, but they’d probably be kind of shocked if they met me. When people get a glimpse of my tattoos, they invariably say, “Wow! I wouldn’t think that you’d have tattoos.” I guess I don’t look like the tattoo type—whatever that is.

What is your ideal day as an author?

I treasure my solitude, so I guess an ideal day would be one in which I could spend my time writing without distractions. Since I have a husband, two teenage kids, two dogs, and a cat, this is a rare occurrence.

Are you able to describe what your writing process is like?

I’ve taken over a guest bedroom tucked away at the back of the house and turned it into a makeshift office for myself. My daily ritual, after I get my kids off to school, is to carry my laptop upstairs (I’m usually accompanied by Dudley, our black Lab, and Layla, our teacup Chihuahua), settle down in a comfortable chair and start writing. I’m a huge Adam Lambert fan, so I often watch one of his music videos or an excerpt from his concert tour if my energy is lagging. He’s so upbeat, it’s contagious! Like a shot of Red Bull—without the caffeine.

Are there any books or authors that have most influenced you?

As I mentioned earlier, I devoured every Ray Bradbury book I could get my hands on when growing up. I was so in awe of him I actually had an English teacher in middle school comment that my writing style was very similar to his. I was floored! I couldn’t have imagined a greater compliment.

Is there are book you are reading at the moment? And do you tend to favor a particular genre?

I’m currently reading Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children. The awesome book trailer totally sold me. Since I have a limited amount of reading time (when I’m reading, I’m not writing), I choose carefully, and read YA exclusively to keep on top of industry trends. It’s helpful to see what other writers are writing—and what YA readers are reading. I also learn a lot from my peers. Seeing how other writers handle plot twists, character development, and pacing is an education.

If Thin Air were to be made into a movie, who would you chose to play the roles of your main characters – Alice and Daniel?

I’d love to see Kevin Zegers and Mia Wasikowska in the roles. They’re beautiful—and they can act!

Are there any hidden messages within Thin Air or one you are trying to convey?

My goal in writing THIN AIR was to entertain. If I managed to keep you turning the pages and gave you an ending that left you satisfied—but also craving a bit more—than I did my job as an author, as far as I’m concerned. If there’s any message to the book at all, it would be that people of all races, ethnicities, and orientations should embrace each other and let each other just be. I deliberately included characters that were white and African American, gay and straight, interacting comfortably with each other so that readers might learn by example.

Are there any songs that you listened to whilst writing or songs that makes you think of a certain character?

I tend to write in silence. If I listen to music, I get caught up in the lyrics or the beat and wind up not writing. I can’t say I associate any particular song with the book or the characters, but the feel and look of Adam Lambert’s “For Your Entertainment” definitely contributed to the way I envisioned Delirium, the club that plays an important role in the book. If you watch the video, you’ll see a long corridor, ornate ceiling, and ornate crystal chandelier—all part of Delirium’s urban-glam look.

What is up next for you?

I’m busy working on the next book in the Thin Air Saga, FRIENDLY FIRE, and having a blast with the characters—some old, some new—and the storyline. I’ve got another series in the wings involving witchcraft; the first draft of the first book is about 70% written. I’m very excited about sharing it with readers in the future.

Is there any advice you would give to aspiring writers?

Write, write, write AND read, read, read. Writing is the sort of craft you learn best by doing. But it’s also important to expose yourself to good writing (not just “popular” writing; bestsellers are not always well-written). Find an author(s) who really speaks to you and gobble up as many books by that person as you can. Expect your early efforts to be derivative; we all learn through emulation. As you write, you’ll find your own unique voice.

Quick Questions:

Fave band / television series / movie? Paper Tongues/Maroon 5- Modern Family - Too many to mention, but I adored “Avatar”

Coffee or tea? Coffee in the morning, tea in the evening

E-reader or hardcopy? These days, mostly E-reader, though I’ll always love the feel of a book in my hands.

Cats or Dogs? Tough one, since I have both. I admire feline independence and attitude, but I love the unconditional acceptance that dogs offer. My dogs light up when I come into the room. My cat yawns.

Ideal travel destination? I’d love to see Hawaii. My husband’s been there several times and told me I’d really love it. I think he’s probably right.

Thank-you so much Lynn for taking time to talk to us today!

My pleasure. Thank you for featuring THIN AIR.

eBook Giveaway

Author Lynn Seresin is kindly giving away an eBook copy of her novel - Thin Air.

• Please leave a comment with your name and email address (to make contacting the winner easier).
• Winner will be chosen using Random.org
• This giveaway is open to International entrants.
• eBook Giveaway will end on October 30th at 11:59 pm aest.
• Winner will be notified by email and announced on my blog, you will have 48 hours to respond before an alternate winner is chosen.
• Good luck!! 

Grand Prize Giveaway:

As a grand prize, Lynn's giving away a signed paperback copy of Thin Air, and a gorgeous pair of earrings to one lucky, randomly chosen entrant! Here's how you can enter for this amazing prize:

You have to collect all the letters from the blog tour. Not all of the participating blogs will have letters on their posts, but when they do, the letter will in bold and in red somewhere in the post. For example, if the letter is 'J' then:

"This is how the blog tour post should look like. Then there's a bunch of content here, and somewhere in the middle, the blogger will just bold and put in red their letter."

Collect them all, and they should spell out two words. Then you fill out THIS FORM, and you're all set :) See you during the tour! (Grand Prize will be drawn on the 31st October)

Tour Schedule:

theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com

http://thefairytalenerd.blogspot.com/ 

http://inklingsread.blogspot.com/

http://everythingtodowithbooks.blogspot.com/ 

http://unputdownablebookies.blogspot.com/ 

http://inklingsread.blogspot.com/ 

http://www.thebookaddictedgirl.blogspot.com/ 

http://www.thelifeoffiction.blogspot.com/ 

http://theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com 

http://www.thebookaddictedgirl.blogspot.com/ 

http://everythingtodowithbooks.blogspot.com/ 

http://blogonlinerandom.blogspot.com/ 

http://silver-thistles.blogspot.com/ 

http://www.thebookaddictedgirl.blogspot.com/ 

http://wordsthatfly.wordpress.com/ 

http://seeitorreadit.blogspot.com/

http://www.memyshelfandi.com/ 

http://www.angelsdemonsandvampires.com/ 

http://theburstingbookshelf.blogspot.com/ 

  http://www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com/

http://liedermadchen.blogspot.com/ 

http://syco4twilight.blogspot.com/

http://blabbing-books.blogspot.com/ 

Tour Ends. Winners are announced: 

10/31/2011http://theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com