27 February 2009

Embracing Author Interviews: Carrie Ryan

I promised you something special, and I am here to deliver...an interview with 2009 debut author, Carrie Ryan!


A Little About Carrie: 

A Greenville, South Carolina native, Carrie is a litigator-turned-writer. (Come now, we here at Wuthering Life don't hold the past against people. What matters is that she's better now!). She and her fiancé currently live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their two fat cats and one large puppy. And apparently, they are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse. (Tsk, tsk!)


A Little About the Novel:

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is Carrie's debut young adult fantasy. It arrives on bookstore shelves March 10, 2009. 


The Blurb:

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?

The Interview:

(Note: When I asked Carrie to complete the following sentences, I gave her explicit instructions to not upstage me on my own blog. She disregarded those instructions. I'm currently trying to think of ways to get back at her.)

Writing...makes time stand still.

My favorite part of the publishing process (so far) has been...seeing people excited to read my next book and liking it when they do read it.

My least favorite part was...waiting. LOTS of waiting and not being sure what comes next.

Without my agent...I'd be utterly lost and confused!

The best thing my editor suggested was...to add contractions to the book (I'd originally written without any). It was a tough decision, but ultimately I think it reads better.

My greatest writing asset is...being in the scene I'm writing, seeing what the main character sees and feeling what she feels (hopefully!).

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is like...The Village meets Dawn of the Dead.

Mary's biggest problem is...trying to figure out how to go after what she wants.

Don't read this book if...you're expecting "Buffy" but with zombies.

If I were a zombie and had to choose between brains and flesh, I'd eat...brains, though then I'd have to crack the head open, which could be a pain.

The best zombie movie EVER is...(Trick question! They all rock!)

Come zombie apocalypse time, I won't be able to live without...JP, my fiancé. And some sort of weapon.

If I had to be on a reality TV show, I'd choose...Amazing Race, that way I'd be able to really see some cool places!

If I had to be on a reality TV show with zombies, I'd choose...Man vs. Wild — that Bear Grylls could have everything under control in a heartbeat! Or Top Chef, for two reasons: lots of cutlery to use as weapons and a way to cook the brains!

Zombies...rule, unicorns drool.

(The opinions and views contained in this interview are not the opinions of the blogger...particularly since said blogger's own novel contains unicorns, and everyone knows that flesh is better than brains! Wait, that came out wrong...)

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed having Carrie here as much as I did. Class, say, "Thank you, Miss Ryan."

If you want to know more about Carrie or THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH (on sale March 10, people!!), her Web site and blog are great places to start.

Please stay tuned for more author interviews in the future, and don't forget to buy me...I mean yourself...a copy of FHT a week from Tuesday!

5 comments:

E. Van Lowe said...

Wow! That was great. Obviously I will buy the book... despite the fact I'm totally jealous of Carrie's book cover. Your blog rocks!

Samantha Elliott said...

Your cover ain't too shabby either, mister!

PS - If you don't agree to do an interview for my blog in the fall, I will cry... a lot!

E. Van Lowe said...

You are too funny! Wow. My first offer for an interview. I accept! I hope you will still want to interview me by then.

Carrie Ryan said...

Thanks so much for the interview - it was totally fun!

Unknown said...

Great interview. The hometown girl rox. I was born and raised in charlotte (live in matthews now so same thing) When are you doing a book signing around here Carrie?