Wow, you guys are awesome—so many comments on Kirsten’s guest-post! It’s great to see this kind of enthusiasm for The Eternal Ones. Guys, you are going to love this book!
Okay, same deal as before: comment here and you’ll be entered to win a signed, finished copy of The Eternal Ones. I have two of these bad boys, so on Sunday, after 8:00pm Eastern, I’ll draw two names—one from the comments here, and one from Wednesday’s post—and announce the winners next week. Just a reminder, if you don’t have a livejournal account, be sure to include a name and your email address in your comment.
Now, allow me to introduce my personal favorite part of Eternal Ones Week: a real live actual interview with Kirsten. I love hearing about other people—what they like, what they think about, how they work. This is because I am nosy, but Kirsten didn’t mind. She gave some great answers, which I will now share with you:
1) In The Eternal Ones, Haven and her friend Beau operate a lucrative business custom-making dresses for their classmates. Let us in on the facts—are you a closet-seamstress, or do you prefer to write about vocations you haven’t personally pursued?
One of the best things about writing books is being able to give my characters the skills, strengths, or vocations that I’ve always coveted but never possessed. I often daydream about being able to whip up a fabulous dress in a single evening. If I tried to accomplish such a feat in real life, I would surely stitch my fingers together. I’m quite handy with power tools, and I can fix an impressive number of small appliances, but somehow sewing machines have never made sense to me. It’s too bad, really, because I’m a HUGE fan of Project Runway. I would be soooo good as the bitchy one. (Can I say that on your blog?)(Yes, Kirsten, yes you absolutely may.)
2) Now, people might expect authors to feel equally benevolent toward all their characters, but . . . I almost always have favorites. Without giving too much away, is there a character in The Eternal Ones that you’re particularly pleased with?
Everyone seems to love Beau Decker, but I’m going to go with Leah Frizzell. She’s an odd, otherworldly girl who lives deep in the Tennessee mountains and attends a snake handling church. She’s not at all what one might expect her to be. She’s deeply religious yet extremely open minded (many deeply religious people are, but they’re rarely portrayed as such). She speaks in tongues, but she’s headed to Duke on a physics scholarship. She can see the future, but she’s no crystal ball gazing psychic.
There’s a side of my family that’s lived in the Appalachian Mountains for well over 200 years. Though I’m pretty sure none of them handled snakes (unless they’d been into the moonshine) Leah reminds me a great deal of some of the aunts, uncles, and cousins who were around back in my grandfather’s day. They were eccentric, brilliant, religious, tough, and nothing like the two-dimensional hillbillies you see in the movies.
3) Music plays a big role in my book The Replacement, and it also proved to be a big influence while I was writing it. Is there a particular song or artist that you associate with The Eternal Ones?
Oh yeah. The Rolling Stones. To this day, no one has done sinister and sexy quite like the young Mick Jagger. They have quite a few songs I’d put on my soundtrack:
The Gimme Shelter
Miss You (the ultimate New York love song, in my opinion)
Sympathy for the Devil
Paint It Black
4) Quick—without over-thinking! What’s your favorite verb?
Plunk
5) Is there an author who’s had a strong influence over your own writing, or who just holds a special place in your heart?
I adore EH Gombrich’s A Little History of the World. If it were a required text in every grade school, there would be no need to cram history down kids’ throats. They’d gobble it up willingly instead. The book is funny, beautifully written, and unbelievably useful. It’s the perfect book to give to any smart ten-year-old. (Or thirty-year-old.)
6) On a related note, have you read anything recently that really knocked your socks off—that’s just begging to be shared with everyone you know, plus people you pass on the street, plus that friendly checker at the store?
I really enjoyed your latest book, The Replacement.* I read it a while back, long before I knew we’d be in touch. I insisted the publisher send me a copy because I thought the cover was awesome, I adore scary books, and I’ve always been fascinated by the notion of changelings.
I thought it was completely original, which is a real rarity these days. And quite a few of the characters (you know which ones) have stayed with me for months. You are, I’d imagine, a very interesting lady with a dark and disturbed mind. (A complement in my world.)
7) And last, because I have a deep affinity for hot beverages and naturally assume other people do too: coffee, tea, cocoa? Something more . . . unusual?
I’ve always been a coffee person. I’m kind of a reverse snob about it. I like the coffee you can buy at little metal stands in New York. I think it’s sad that a great tough-girl drink has been turned into something so frou-frou.
(Interview concluded, now Brenna is talking again)
Kirsten, thanks so much for letting me interview you. These are some great answers! Also, yay for black coffee, the Rolling Stones, and Leah Frizzell—who I absolutely love!
This concludes Eternal Ones Week. However, next week, Kirsten will be guest-posting and answering questions on Andrea Cremer’s blog, so I highly encourage you to visit her there, and remember, you can also swing by Kirsten’s website, and stay tuned early next week, when I’ll be announcing the winners of two signed, finished copies of The Eternal Ones.
*Brenna here—totally blushing at this point. Isn’t she sweet, guys?
Brenna Yovanoff 
Nice interview!! I would love to read The eternal ones!!
Jessica
JessRing84@gmail.com
Great interview! I’ve heard great things about this book.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
Yeah I’m entering with two minutes to spare. I hope I win because this book sounds good
Forgot email: prttyprincessa@aol.com
LOL! I like her answer, “Plunk.” That is an awesome word.
Mireyah Wolfe
mireyahwolfe @ gmail . com
=)
Okay, that is so awesome that she’s a seamstress. I started sewing classes when I was 6 years old and I thought no one would find that to be a cool talent to have. I can’t wait for this book to be released! Absolutely awesome interview!
Tina Z.
ScottishFairy15@hotmail.com
The Eternal Ones
This book is sounding more and more awesome every time I read
something about it. So is yours!
Can’t wait for both!!!
oreo_93@hotmail.com
The Eternal Ones
Great interview! I love to sew also, i’m not very good at it but i can pretty much sew the basics :). Looking forward to reading The Eternal Ones when it is releases!
I am here again! I want a book! I don’t care if it isn’t an arc! You can never have too many books, right?
Fabulous interview! The book sounds so awesome…hehehe, favorite verb plunk! I think I’ll have to use that one! Thanks for the interview, and Brenna I can’t wait for your book to hit shelves too! Oh and thanks so much for participating in the YA panel over on Romance Divas! Lots of great info!
Rebekah Purdy
rebekahg22 (at) yahoo.com
Great interview! I love the song Paint it Black :)
Raelena
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
Awesome interview! I would love to read the Eternal Ones!
Harmony
twisterstar(at)live(dot)com
Weird books are always the best. Signed copy or not I will totally read this! :D
Constance (poisongrl@sbcglobal.net)
Oooh! Very nice interview :D Plunk?! Haha I haven’t really heard that word used in text now that I think about it! The Eternal Ones sounds fantastic!
~Alison
lostinbelieving@yahoo.com
Great interview! I’m even more interested to read it now that I know that it includes a character from deep Appalachia. I was transplanted to east Tennessee three years ago, and I’ve enjoyed learning about the local history and culture. This region has a real sense of place.
Thanks for the contest!
Angela
Such a great interview and mostly because it wasn’t completely just about her book. I really enjoy getting to know the deeper sides to authors – what makes them tick or what they’re into outside of writing. Thank you for shedding some light on little things like that with this interview.
I was already interested in reading this book, but it seems like you’ve done an excellent job at convincing me throughout the week that waiting to read it isn’t a possibility, it’s one of those MUST BUY ON THE RELEASE DATE kind of books. My book buying habit is seriously getting out of hand, thanks for contributing to my problem ;)
great interview .
meandi09@yahoo.com
Plunk is a fantastic verb.
Now I can’t wait to read about Leah! Totally intrigued.
I have put The Eternal Ones on my must read list. It sounds so good. What an interesting interview. I’ll also have to check out A Little History of the World. Thanks.
Plunk is a lovely word. :)
This book looks really good!! :D
julie102794@gmail.com
This book sounds fascinating! I must have it. >:D
so great to hear about the person behind the name on the book! can’t wait for eternal ones sounds amazing!
also Rolling Stones unbelievably cool!
Project Runway totally rock!!
*furiously reads over WIP to see if there’s anywhere I can use Plunk, because it’s just SO DARN AWESOME*
I’m glad to know that it’s okay to choose favorites! (I’m a sucker for the angst-y ones. :) )
I love the idea of Haven and Beau running a custom dress-making business for their classmates – what an original idea. Looking forward to reading the book. Btw – I took a dress-making course at college *mumble mumble* years ago, and I really did see someone sew their fingers under one of the super-fast sewing machines. Ew! These things scar a girl for life!
The Eternal Ones! Who else is thinking, “MacLeod, there can only be one.” Cool interview Brenna.
Oh my goodness, I loved this interview! I am also a huge fan of Project Runway! I cannot sew to save my life, but I love watching the end results come form some scraps of fabric that look like it will never be completed in the time constraints!
The Rolling Stones…need I say more? They are gods!
Thanks to Brenna for hosting this amazing contest and interview!
astewart305(at)rogers.com
Interview
That was a great interview! I can’t wait to read the book!
Awesome interview sounds awesome count me in.
chaarmedone1512@aol.com
I’m looking forward to a good Appalachian character
I am so excited that you have included an Appalachian character who is not a 2D hillbilly. Our people are too often stereotyped that way.
Great interview–it makes me want to read this book even more. And…PLUNK! I love that verb!
Great interview! I love the Rolling Stones too, especially the song Sympathy for the Devil!
Great interview can’t wait to read
Cassandra c
cassandra dot crouser at yahoo dot com
Awesome! I can’t wait to read!
Travis
spongyman1026@yahoo.com
Great interview! I really need to get around to reading your books! This is a great chance. Thx!
xnzkisha17 at yahoo dot com
Great interview. Loved it. And the reviews for The Eternal Ones has me drooling to read it. Please count me in for the giveaway too.
-Lisa B.
angel28140 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com
Love it!
Thanks for the great contest! Is the contest international?
Really? Ive always been a Tea person, although i love the smell of coffee, and yes im a total Tea junkie :D. Im really looking forward to the book, it sounds fabulous, thank you for the interview, i love learning new things about the author behind the book! :)
fantasy4eva@hotmail.com
The Eternal Ones
This sounds like such a great book. The cover fascinates me (as does the verb “plunk”.)
Thanks for the chance!
Julie
onebookshy at yahoo dot com
Congrats on the revision and the UK release! Such great news! :)
I was a lot like you in high school–more likely to be silent and put up with something instead of exploding. (Although I did have my moments where I DID explode, haha.) Thanks for sharing yet another glimpse from your past–I always enjoy reading those!
Matched
This book sounds amazing! What an awesome giveaway!
Rachel
TheOneRing111 at gmail dot com
Gorgeous cover, Brenna! And the Gummi Bears theme is one I will often sign to cheer myself up – it is the cheeriest of themes.
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