Today we have author Bette Maybee stopping by the blog to take part in our Five Questions feature. Once you've read Bette's awesome answers, don't forget to enter the giveaway to win an eBook of Phoenix: The Rising. It sounds like a fantastic read!!!
Bette has lived most of her life in Iowa with her husband, Tim, eating corn-on-the-cob and tipping cows. (JK—she’s never tipped a single cow, although she does moo at them whenever she gets a chance.) She’s also a mom to three gorgeous kids, Allison, John, and Tim, and a mother-in-law (the good kind) to Tim’s beautiful wife, Pippi. After surviving a fifteen-year career as a middle school Science and Language Arts teacher in the Catholic school systems (for which she deserves a MEDAL!), she’s now spends her days assisting university faculty, who, thank goodness, don’t have a habit of doing the gallon challenge as her former charges did and are easily tamed with a bowl of Jolly Ranchers. She reserves her evenings for writing and tweeting. Phoenix: The Rising is her first published novel.
Phoenix: The Rising
Every 300 years, the immortal Phoenix returns to Mono Lake for its fiery rebirth--but this time it didn't return alone. The Nephilim are back in force, trying to keep it from being reborn so one of them can claim its immortality. But first they have to figure out who the Phoenix is--and any red-haired, green-eyed, seventeen-year-old in the area is fair game. And so, the killing begins...
Julie Mason doesn't believe all this legend crap until she falls for Eli Sullivan, whose hallucination-inducing kiss not only saves her, but makes her the Nephilim’s prime target. But, it's worth the risk. Her death is inevitable...not even Eli can prevent it. All she has to do is keep the Nephilim off Eli’s trail until The Rising. Once Eli is reborn and forgets his past life, Julie’s life is over, whether she’s dead or not. At least that's what she thinks...
Julie Mason doesn't believe all this legend crap until she falls for Eli Sullivan, whose hallucination-inducing kiss not only saves her, but makes her the Nephilim’s prime target. But, it's worth the risk. Her death is inevitable...not even Eli can prevent it. All she has to do is keep the Nephilim off Eli’s trail until The Rising. Once Eli is reborn and forgets his past life, Julie’s life is over, whether she’s dead or not. At least that's what she thinks...
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FIVE QUESTIONS:
1. Why did you choose to write a book in the Young Adult genre?
In one word: Twilight! Yes, I am proud to admit that I AM A TWIHARD!! My teenage daughter got me hooked on the series and it was in the middle of New Moon that she convinced me I needed to write a story based on a thirty year old love letter I had hidden in my undies drawer (yes, I am also older than dirt!!). I started writing that day and I haven't stopped! After cutting my teeth on my first novel (on submission), it was obvious that I naturally gravitated towards the Young Adult/New Adult genre. Of course, it didn't hurt that I spent fifteen years of my life teaching teenagers! Soon after, I got the idea for Phoenix: The Rising, and the rest is history!
2. Who is your favourite character you have written and why?
Lucy Temeluch!!! This is one crazy, hot, mixed up chick! She has more inner turmoil than any character I've written. Her entrance in the middle of Phoenix: The Rising is, hmmm...how shall I put it? SHOCKING! I can't really say any more, but I will treat you to a snippet:
"Lucy staggered to the restroom, pulled the string to the overhead light bulb, and locked the door. She fought the urge to retch as she yanked the blood-soaked hoodie over her head and threw it by the door. Dan would get rid of it later with his own. Turning on the faucet, she plunged her hands into the stream of icy water, and watched as the color changed. A spiral of crimson swirled around the drain, then faded back to plain water as she washed the last bit of the girl’s blood from her hands.
My first kill, she thought bitterly. Dan considered it an honor, even if it was just taking care of a “loose end”. Killing a suspected Fire-Child was one thing, but this girl was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. An innocent. Even knowing that, it amazed her at how easily she did it. Her hand trembled only slightly. All she could think of as she slid that blade across the girl’s throat was her birthright. Immortality.
3. Describe a typical writing day for you?
Honestly? I don't have a typical writing day. With a full-time day job, I have to fit my writing in around real life! I do, however, try to take time on evenings, weekends, and holiday, confiscating my laptop and hiding out in order to get some writing done. I mostly write at night, grabbing a Diet Coke (or a snifter of Irish Mist!) to get the creative juices flowing. I'll write one complete scene, which could be a part of a chapter or a full chapter. I also do most of my editing as I write. I just can't go on until I have it just so. Then, I wait at least 24 hours and read what I wrote to see if I'm still in love with it. If it passes my inspection, then I move on to the next scene.
4. What are you reading at the moment?
I just finished Shrapnel, by another Evernight Teen author, the fabulous Stephanie Lawton. I also just started Four Summers by Nyrae Dawn. Nyrae is a friend and a bestselling author of young adult/new adult novels.
5. If you turned your ipod on now, what would be the song that is currently playing?
I listen to whatever my 17 year old daughter, Allie, is listening to, and right now that is Strangers by The Kinks or anything by Regina Spektor.
I must say....the cover picture is awesome...WOW!!
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