Sunday, May 1, 2011

Interview with Jessica Shirvington + Giveaway ( Ten Winners, Two Books Each - Int'l)


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Hello Everybody! I'm doing a 'Bookie and the Land Down Under' feature which showcases Australian Authors! Today, I have Jesscia Shirvington, author of the Violet Eden Chapters here with me for an interview! Hachette has also kindly offered ten sets of both Embrace and Enticed to you lucky winners!

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Jessica Shirvington is the author of THE VIOLET EDEN CHAPTERS.

Jessica lives in Sydney with her husband of nine years, FOXTEL presenter and former Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington, and their two daughters. She has previously founded and run a coffee distribution company, Stella Imports, in London, and before that was involved in the management of restaurants Fuel Bistro and MG Garage in Sydney. Today, Jessica is a full time mum and author.



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Interview with Jessica Shirvington

Quickies ~

Skittles or M&Ms?
M&M's
Black or white?
Both
Coffee or Tea?
Coffee
Print copies or e-books?
Print copies every time!
Cats or Dogs?
Dogs
Reading or Writing?
That's like saying sex or orgasm. Both!
Vampires or werewolves?
Vampires
Have you watched Vampire Diaries?
Yes
Book you most want to see turned into a Movie?
Hunger Games (which it is going to be!)
Favourite day of the week?
Friday, because every Friday my hubby and I take our daughters to swimming lessons and then we all go out to have lunch as a family. It's perfect!
Your perfect breakfast consists of -
Poached eggs, crispy bacon, sourdough toast and Heinz spaghetti (gross - I know!)
Five things that make a book "good" - ( ie Chocolate reference, strong heroine, good-looking boys, love triangles, happy endings)
Love
Fights (physical or verbal!)
Time constraints
Sacrifice
Sarcasm

and...

Team Edward or Team Jocob?
Edward *hiss*


Questions ~

How did you come up with the storyline for the Violet Eden Chapters?
It just kind of steamrolled me actually. I started with the name Violet, wanted to work with the angel hierarchy and the rest happened from there.

What made you decided you wanted to write a YA novel about Angel Mythology?
YA was a no brainer. I read YA myself, I love the genre and think it is some of the best and most honest writing out there. Angel mythology allows for so much scope with the supernatural themes and I really found myself submerged in the research - I couldn't imagine writing about anything else at the time.

Your take on angel mythology is very original, how much research was required before you could write Embrace?
Thanks very much. There was a lot of research involved - for example each power is somehow linked to a myth or story to that rank of angels and every opportunity I have to link something back to a historical tale - I try and use. When I read a book that is anchored by mythology I find the book can affect me more - that is what I hope to do by entwining mythology into my stories.

Which character do you feel you can relate best to?
Violet. Writing in the first person means that her character and I have grown very close. I feel like I know her inside out and although I wouldn't always do the same things she does, or make the same choices - I can certainly relate to why or how she does.

What's the story behind Violet, Lincoln and Phoenix? Did you just come up with them or are they named after someone you know?
There are certainly elements of people I know in all the characters - as a writer I think you have to be able to pull of what you know but no character or name is in any way a representation of any one person I know.

Favorite scene in the Embrace?
The cliff climb and jump. A pivotal moment for Violet and one that will always stay close to my heart.

Can you tell us anything about the sequels?
ENTICED has just come out so it is available now. Violet is continuing on her journey to becoming her destiny - or not. There is a whole band of new characters that arrive from NY and both Violet and Steph strike up new friendships. But it's not long before Phoenix returns and when he does he shows Violet that the connection between them is stronger than ever.

In the race to get to the Grigori scripture, they find themselves in Jordan and Violet and Lincoln are forced to face a truth they never saw coming.

As for EMBLAZE, I am just finishing it at the moment, so I can't tell you too much yet, other than things definitely heat up - literally!

Do you have any plans on writing other books outside this series?
Yes, I do. There are a couple of other ideas I am pottering around with. Writing the Violet Eden Chapters is taking most of my time at the moment but I look forward to giving more attention to those ideas down the track.

Who would play Violet, Lincoln and Phoenix in a movie adaption?
No idea. Really! Who do you think?

Since you asked....

Violet - Christian Serratos



Lincoln - Chace Crowford


Phoenix - Ian Somerhalder ( you can't go wrong with this Hottie!!!!)


~ Giveaway ~

The awesome T. at Hachette has offered TEN ( that's a 1 and a 0) sets of both Embrace and Enticed. We'll be giving 8 sets to AUSTRALIAN Readers and 2 sets to INTERNATIONAL Readers. Please read rules of entry carefully!


Also, if you in live in Australia, Dymocks is giving a free copy of Embrace with every purchase of Enticed! Two for the price of one!!! Only while stocks last!

Rule of Entry -

- 8 Australian Winner and 2 International Winner
- MUST leave a comment on this interview
- +1 for Followers ( Old and New)
- +1 for Leaving Comment on Embrace Review ( HERE )
- +1 for Leaving Comment on Enticed Review ( HERE )
- +1 Sidebar Link
- +1 Tweet Link -  @ Giveaway of Embrace and Enticed by Jessica Shirvington ( TEN WINNERS) International Ends 5/25 -
- MUST fill out this FORM
- Ends May 25th

Badass Bookie xx

94 comments:

  1. Great interview and giveaway! I love angels and mythology so this sounds perfect! I love the people picked for the "movie adaption" so I am most definitely interested in reading these books!

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  2. Fantastic interview and giveaway. I just love angels. These novels sound fantastic. And anything that could have Ian Somerhalder... mmm I could definitely handle. Love those cast picks.

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  3. That was a really cool interview. Fun questions :)

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  4. Mmm mmmm.. Hot damn! If that is who you think should play Phoenix I have got to get my hands on a copy of Embrace!
    Thumbs up for the interview - gotta love Aussie authors :)

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  5. Haha...i like the hiss for the team edward question. Lol.

    claroxide@yahoo.co.in

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  6. Definitely adding these books to my TBR list now. I love reading books knowing that the author's a cool person (:

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  7. Thanks so much for the interview! It's always great to learn more about authors!! And I have to say, I like those Quickie questions a lot - very revealing *lol*.

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  8. Wonderful interview. I loved her choice of cast!!

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  9. I love the cast for the movie as well: you're right, you can't go wrong with Ian Somerhalder!

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  10. Great interview and giveaway! the author Jesicca is so cool.. we are in the same team.. :D

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  11. Coffee-dog-vampire team, yoooohooo !! lol
    I have to say : sexy cast ;)

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  12. No way - Chace Crowford! *Dies* I so need to read this! :)

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  13. Thank you very much for this giveaway :) TEAM EDWARD and vampires of course ^^

    Syki
    sykorova.p@gmail.com

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  14. Thank you for this giveaway and interview! :) I have to read it! SOUNDS GREAT! :)))

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  15. I totally agree that sarcasm is awesome in books!

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  16. Thank you SO much for this giveaway! So excited for something to finally be for the Aussies! ;)

    Great interview and casting. Really eager to read this now……

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  17. Great interveiw! The books sound really good. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  18. Great interview! I had not heard of this series - looks wonderful! Thanks for hosting.
    I am an old follower. Please enter me.
    bevsharp@desch.org

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  19. Fantastic cast! :) They all are gorgeous! Great interview! I've been looking forward to reading your books! I love angels!

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  20. Sounds like a awesome series!:D
    Thank you so much for giving us the chance to win our own copies(:
    lisa
    www.turningpages94.blogspot.com

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  21. this looks like a great series! I really love the covers and I agree Print covers are the way to go!

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  22. Great interview! I love this series!

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  23. FOLLOWING @KEPPERS

    I have also tweeted.

    Loved the interview and I also can't wait for the Hunger Games movie

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  24. Loved hearing about Jessica's ideas and points of view, must say I agreed with alot of the writing stuff but not on all the little things like cats or dogs! It was great to get an insight into her world though, just as fascinating as the world she creates in Embraced. I'm yet to read Enticed but am very much looking forward to it. Great interview and keep writing Jessica! Always love reading what you're up to.

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  25. Really interesting interview!

    Jules

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  26. I've wanted to read this for a while now, can't wait until my library gets it.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  27. Congrats on the great interview! I loved it :D

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  28. Fantastic interview! I've been wanting to read these books since a friend of mine in Australia recommended them to me. Can't wait for them to be released in the US!

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  29. That's SO very generous (especially the international part!)!!! Can't wait to read those! :))

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  30. EXCUSE ME WHILE I DRUEL OVER IAN SOMMERHADLER
    lol his so nice!!
    Jessica seams so down to earth, love you us Aussies, woohoo

    The Book Mystress, xx

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  31. I live in America and this series has yet to be released here. I feel like I have embarked on an endless journey to get these books. Thank goodness for this completion. :)

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  32. Great interview! I'm a little distracted by Chace Crawford and Ian Somerhalder right now... that was cruel. How am I supposed to focus on studying with those two smiling up at me from my laptop?? Anyways, thanks so much! Fingers crossed - these books sounds lovely.

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  33. Nice interview, great questions! I didn't realise exactly who Jessica Shirvington was!! I have to agree with her on a few points - yay Team Edward ;-); love her brekky choice; mythology is definitely a grabbing point; and YA is the best! :-D

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  34. A great interview, and a pic of Ian Sommerholder *sigh*

    Shelleyrae
    www.bookdout.wordpress.com

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  35. I totally need to meet this woman. Awesome interview!! =D

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  36. I've wanted to read this series FOREVER! Thanks, awesome interview!

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  37. Great interview! Friday is my favourite day of the week too (but because the weekend is coming up).

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  38. I've never heard about this books before, but now I'm gonna run and put them on my goodread to-read list, because they sound amazing!

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  39. New books for me. I think I have to check your review about this two books soon.
    It was nice to see Ian Somerhalder above. I wish I have read this book so I can picture Phoenix with Ian's Image XD

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  40. Thank you for this giveaway and great interview :-).

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  41. These books look soooo good. And the covers are gorgeous.

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  42. The more I hear about these books, the more I want to read them. So thank you so much for the giveaway, fingers crossed!

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  43. This sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway.

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  44. great choice questions, I would have asked most of the same ones. I love when mythology can break through in modern day story tellings. i cant wait to read entice and eden.

    Tezza V.
    GFC Follower: SpadesHighReads

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  45. Embraced has been on my wishlist for quite some time now. Fingers crossed I'll be one of the happy winners :)

    I don't actually ever think I've read a YA novel with a cliff climb scene :D

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  46. Loved the interview :) It`s great to know a bit about the author while reading their books. After reading the reviews, I`d love a chance to read these books!

    Christie
    International
    swaggirl01 at gmail dot com

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  47. Thanks for the giveaway and for having two International winners.

    I think it is great that you are trying to promote an Australian author by getting more International people to read her.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  48. Thanks for the giveaway!! You sure are lucky to interview Ms. Jessica Shirvington. Hope this book make a huge success. :)

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  49. Great interview and thanks you for the giveaway, the most for two international winners.:)

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  50. I haven't read many novels about angels yet so I'll be interested to read these :) Fingers crossed I can manage to win them, because that'd be a bonus! I agree about sarcasm, I always relate more to characters that use sarcasm in a crisis.

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  51. Thanks for the chance to win these! I love books about angels.

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  52. My friend keeps raving about these books!! She mentioned this contest to me since I'm in the US and we're not sure if they'll be coming here. Would love a chance to win a copy!! :)

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  53. Great interview and awesome giveaway! Thanks for making it international!

    And can you imagine Chace Craeford and Ian Somerhalder on the same movie? With the Embrace plot? I think I'd might die of too much awesomeness!!! lol

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  54. what a wonderful interview!!;)love to read the books.

    thanks for making this internationAl, and choosing ian somerhalder(HOTTIE!!)

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  55. Great interview! And really thanks for the giveaway! :-)

    Nikita
    bookworm.nikita@gmail.com

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  57. First Off that interview was AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!!
    Second You are right you can never go wrong with
    Ian Somerhalder. Also i love how the interview was funny but also got a lot of important questions answered. I also hope im one of the international winners because i have been obsessing about this book for quite some time now. And i think its really cool that your giving people a chance to win these books you have now become my hero :)

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  58. Awesome interview. I'm very intrigued to see how good this book is! It sounds like Jessica did some great research and I wanna see how she was able to use that in the story. :) And I see two of the hottest guy crushes I have as the guys in the story? YUM! :D

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  59. I agree with the author, YA definitely has some of the best and most honest writing ever. Can't wait to read her books!

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

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  60. Great interview! I had fun reading it. :) It's great that you're featuring Australian authors!

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  61. Great interview. Heinz spaghetti for breakfast???

    My keeper shelf

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  62. I would so love to win these! That is one amazingly hot movie cast!!

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  63. Awesome interview, I can't wait to read the books!

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  64. She seems like a very funny person!
    Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway!

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  65. Chace Crawford AND Ian Somerhalder!!!! *faints* So much hotness in one book!!! *GAH*

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway!! I realllllly want to read these books now...XD

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  66. I just love angels. These books must be...fantastic. I really want to read this books now. Jessica Shirvington is an amazing person!

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  67. Nice interview! I liked the answer to ''Reading or Writing?''! I've enjoyed all angel stories I've read so far and would love to read another one!!

    Though really?? Heinz spaghetti for breakfast? Yuk... My stomach cannot take it...

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  68. I love this interview! It's so honest! :)

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  69. Awesome interview!! I loved the 'hiss' hahah!!And thanks for the giveaway!! Glad I'm in Australia :)

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  70. I have read both books and am now eagerly awaiting the next one. My daughter wants to borrow some books and I don't know if I will lend these too her...I am particular about the care of my books, but I would be denying her of an awesome storyline if I don't. The dilemma. :-)

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  71. awesome interview! now I have an idea who to envision when reading the book/s. :D

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  72. Great interview. Thanks for the giveaway!! :D

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  73. Great interview. thanks for the giveaway. Hi from Mexico,

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  74. Ooooh, Crawford and Sommerhalder! *_*

    But Edward? Neither of them! ;)

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  75. Lovely interview!! I love the casting choices and the covers for these books are gorgeous! :)

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  76. Oh, Ian is good choice:D I love nim!

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  77. Thanks for the giveaway and interview!! I love Ian Somerhalder!!!

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  78. Great interview! Love Jessica, she's great :). And thanks fot the giveaway!

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  79. Great interview! I can't wait to read the books! :)
    I loooooove Ian Somerhalder too!!

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  80. Ian Somerhalder ♥ Thanks for great interview! and thanks for giveaway :)

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  81. Awesome giveaway. And I agree you can never go wrong with Ian Sommerhalder xD :P

    Btw. Never really heard of these books. Only seen the pictures here and there.. But really curious. They look awesome :) and sound great. Love angel stuff..

    I am a new follower :) Just found your blog. Looking great :)

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  82. I never hear about these books, but I read your review about the first one, and if I not going to win, I´ll definitely buy them ;-)
    Thanks for giveaway and interview!

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  83. Awesome interview and thanks for the giveaway! AND thanks for making it international! xD

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  84. Thanks for giving so many chances to win! And for being international :)

    I am a follower, and I commented on the reviews of both books.

    3 extra entries
    jwitt33@live.com

    Thanks again!

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  85. Great giveaway! I'm entering, fingers crossed as really want to read this series!

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  86. What a fun interview & really cool giveaway! I'm so glad its international since I've hear really wonderful things about these books. Thanks Lisa!

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  87. Great interview, nice to have a new Australian author to enjoy her books. Sounds like a great read especially on cold winter nights.

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  88. nice interview :X

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  89. After reading your reviews and this hilarious interview with Jessica I can't wait wait wait to read this series!

    Thanks for the giveaway, I'm so excited to get chance to read these!

    -Elisquared

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  90. Awesome interview! I can't wait to read the series. Seems Phoenix is an interesting character especially if you think Ian should be cast. ^__^

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