**After you're done here, you should head over to Kristen at Better Read Than Dead, the other stop for the Hushed Virtual Book Tour for today. :)
Thank you, Ms. York for coming by The Bookaholic during the Hushed blog tour, and providing your time and answers to the questions!
Do you write in other genres (ex: adult, paranormal, fantasy)?
I write YA paranormal as well. My first and third books (which tied together) were both paranormal. I’ve tried writing fantasy before, but I could never get a proper grip on it.
Will you be having any new releases coming in 2012?
I’m not sure yet! It would be nice, and I hope so, but we’ll see how it goes.
What inspired HUSHED? The characters are so realistic and dimensional, do you know any real-life people with traits like Viv, Evan or Archer?
HUSHED began with Archer, and the rest grew and expanded around him. I knew girls a lot like Vivian back in high school. They were girls who justified everything they did in order to put the blame on others. They were girls who bounced from one relationship to the next, never seeming to learn from their past mistakes and always ending up with a guy who mistreated them.
When did you first start writing? Was it something you always wanted to do or just an accidental hobby and interest? Any quick advice to other aspiring authors who are trying to get out there in that world?
I’ve written for as long as I can remember, but it was never anything serious. Just dabbling here and there with little things. My first book was finished about four years ago, and I had so much fun with the process that I knew instantly I wanted to make a career of it. Quick advice...keep learning! Don’t let yourself stagnate. There’s always, always room for improvement.
What would be your dream career if you couldn’t write?
I used to want to be a character designer for video games. Or someone who trained animals for movies and stuff. I also started going to college to major in psychology at one point, but I had no idea what I would’ve done with that degree.
Who are your top three favorite and most inspirational authors?
Hannah Moskowitz, Sean Olin, Maggie Stiefvater.
Tell us five quirky/fun facts about you:
1. I’m obsessive about doors being locked. They have to be locked. Especially car doors.
2. Sometimes I cry when I write. I’ll get to an emotional scene and the tears just start coming.
3. I hate 99% of reality TV. The only one I love is So You Think You Can Dance.
4. The first and only concert I’ve been to was Britney Spears back when her second album was released. My cousin loved her so my sister and I got her tickets as a birthday gift, and went as a group.
5. I’m a sucker for Don Bluth cartoons. The Land Before Time, The Secret of NIMH, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Banjo the Woodpile Cat, The Small One... I like his stuff better than I ever liked Disney movies. (Though I love those, too.) Probably because they were a bit darker and less predictable.
Thank you so much for your time and the wonderful interview!
'Kelley York delivers in this impressive debut. I was at the edge of my
seat waiting to see what would happen next! Bottom line, this was
unputdownable!!!' --- YA Fantasy Guide ---
'How exciting that we live in a time when gay teen protagonists can be
just as screwed up as straight ones -- and their stories just as creepy!'
--- Brent Hartinger, award-winning author of Geography Club and Shadow
Walkers ---
Author Bio:
Kelley was born and raised in central California, where she still resides
with her lovely wife, daughter, and an abundance of pets. (Although she
does fantasize about moving across the globe to Ireland.) She has a
fascination with bells, adores all things furry - be them squeaky, barky
or meow-y - is a lover of video games, manga and anime, and likes to
pretend she's a decent photographer. Her life goal is to find a real
unicorn. Or maybe a mermaid.
Within young adult, she enjoys writing and reading a variety of genres
from contemporary with a unique twist, psychological thrillers,
paranormal/urban fantasy and horror. She loves stories where character
development takes center stage.
Kelley's website: http://www.kelley-york.com/blog
Hushed - Synopsis:
He's saved her. He's loved her. He's killed for her.
Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn't protect his best friend, Vivian, from
what happened when they were kids, so he's never stopped trying to protect
her from everything else. It doesn't matter that Vivian only uses him when
hopping from one toxic relationship to another - Archer is always there,
waiting to be noticed.
Then along comes Evan, the only person who's ever cared about Archer
without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more
Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.
But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders
Archer's committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn
him in if she doesn't get what she wants...And what she wants is Evan's
death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hushed-Kelley-York/dp/1937044742
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hushed-kelley-york/1033904538
Pixie - Your questions were great and I'm glad we didn't overlap much.
ReplyDeleteKelley - I completely agree with the reality tv thing. Ugh...everything is just so horrible. And I loved Archer so much. Thanks for bringing him to our lives.
~Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead
Great interview. I enjoyed Hushed.
ReplyDelete