I'm super excited to be joined today by Aimee Carter, author of the gorgeous and fantastically imagined YA Fantasy Romance series, Goddess Test. The fabulous writer is here with us to talk about the inspiration behind her novels, her passion for Greek mythology, and her upcoming new series (how exciting is that?!). To celebrate the release of Goddess Interrupted (released on March 27th!), I will also be giving away a Goddess Test prize pack: The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted to one lucky winner (open World Wide).
About this author
Aimée Carter was born and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. She started writing fan fiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn’t stopped writing since. Her first novel for young adults, The Goddess Test, was published by Harlequin Teen in May 2011. The sequel, Goddess Interrupted, has hit the shelves just a few days ago!
E: Evie
AC: Aimee Carter
E: Welcome to Bookish, Aimee! Thanks so much for joining us today! I can only imagine how insanely busy you must be with the upcoming release of the second novel in your Goddess Test Series! Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit Bookish! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
AC: Thank you so much for having me! I'm Aimée, and I wrote The Goddess Test series. The second book, Goddess Interrupted, is released on March 27th in the US and Canada. I live in Michigan, write a lot, and love logic puzzles, reality TV, and my puppies.
E: Who or what inspired you to write “The Goddess Test”?
AC:
I write the books I want to read, and as a huge fan of mythology, I always wondered what drove Hades. He's very neutral character in actual Greek mythology (despite what pop culture depicts), with the exception of him kidnapping Persephone. So part of the story came from me wondering what made him do that in the first place.
E: Do you mind telling us how long did it take for you to write each novel in the series?
AC: I've been "researching" Greek mythology since I was a kid, reading and studying every text and source I could find. But when it came time to put pen to paper, so to say, I knew I wanted to twist the myths around, so that took additional research, including comparing the various versions of the myths to try to find which I wanted to work with. In the end, I did twist a few of the myths for various reasons, though it was all to serve the story. I have such a huge respect for Greek mythology, but the last thing I wanted to do was write a story that everyone felt they'd read before.
E: What was the most difficult part of the novel for you to write?
AC:
The rewriting. The first draft of TGT is nearly unrecognizable from what you see now on shelves, and combining all of the drafts, it was nearly a complete rewrite. There's really only one scene that remained the same (the Christmas scene).
E: I would kill to see The Goddess Test adapted into a movie! If that was to happen and you could pick the cast yourself, who would you chose?
AC: Me too! A lot about the story would have to be changed, simply because films and novels are such different mediums, and a lot of the conflict in TGT is quiet and internal rather than the explosions and bangs you see so often at the movies. But I would love to see it made someday. As for the cast, the only two I feel really strongly about are Ben Barnes for Henry and Elisabeth Harnois for Ava, though she might be a bit too old now. I think I'd prefer a newcomer for Kate, and I have yet to see an actor who looks exactly like I picture James. Darren Criss embodies his spirit though, despite not being physically similar.
E: Where is your favorite place for writing? Do you have any special writing rituals?
AC: I can write anywhere as long as it's quiet. I prefer to write either at home or a bookstore, and the only ritual I have is to sit down and turn off the internet.
E: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
AC: I almost always outline ahead of time, if only to make sure I have a viable story that will fill three hundred pages with meaningful material. But I have dived into a story before with only an idea of where I want it to go, and the result of that experience is the best thing I've ever written (in my opinion). Unfortunately it will likely never see the light of day, but that's part of the business.
E: What genres do you like to read in your free time?
AC:
I'll read anything as long as the plot appeals to me. YA, Adult, Middle Grade, anything. For me it isn't really the genre - it's the story.
E: Which of your favorite books would you recommend everybody to read?
AC:Harry Potter, of course. The Hunger Games. Ender's Game. Those are three I think can be universally enjoyed no matter what genres you're used to reading.
E: What’s next in line for you? Are you working on a new book/series now? When can we expect to see the third book in The Goddess Test Series?
AC: The Goddess Inheritance, the third book in the Goddess Test series, will be released in late March 2013. Before that, The Goddess Legacy, a collection of five novellas told in the points of view of Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James, and Henry, will be released on July 31.
After the Goddess series is completed, I have a dystopian series coming out in mid-2013. The first book is called Masked, and it's about a girl in a strict society who's forced to take the place of the Prime Minister's assassinated niece. I'm very, very excited for everyone to have the chance to read it.
E: If The Goddess Test had a soundtrack to accompany it, what songs would be on it?
AC: I think Someone Like You, by Adele, is the perfect song for Goddess Interrupted. If you've had the chance to read The Goddess Test, which songs do you think would make a good addition to the soundtrack?
Aimee, thank you so much for joining us today!
I'm looking forward to reading The Goddess Test series!
I hope you guys enjoyed the interview, for more information about Aimee Carter and her books, please visit her website.
GIVEAWAY
Since I LOVE Aimee Carter (she's such a fabulous, lovely person!) I decided to celebrate the release of Goddess Interrupted by giving away first two books in Goddess Test series!
Up for grabs are:
(if you already have The Goddess Test, I can pre-order the third book in the series for you, The Goddess Inheritance (as soon as it becomes available))
RULES:
Up for grabs are:
+ paperback of The Goddess Test
+paperback of Goddess Interrupted
(if you already have The Goddess Test, I can pre-order the third book in the series for you, The Goddess Inheritance (as soon as it becomes available))
RULES:
You do not have to be a follower of my blog to enter (although it would be nice^^)
Open to: WORLD WIDE
Ends: April 30th
for extra entries answer Aimee's questions in the comment section:
If you've had the chance to read The Goddess Test, which songs do you think would make a good addition to the soundtrack?
(ENTER AFTER THE PAGE BRAKE -> click: read more!)
for extra entries answer Aimee's questions in the comment section:
If you've had the chance to read The Goddess Test, which songs do you think would make a good addition to the soundtrack?
(ENTER AFTER THE PAGE BRAKE -> click: read more!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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About the AuthorEvie is the Blogger behind Bookish. She enjoys reading many different genres, especially YA, Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction and Fantasy.She loves talking to authors and is always happy to welcome them for interviews, and guest posts. She also likes spreading the love for awesome books and chatting with fellow book-worms.
You can find Evie here: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Shelfari | The Library Thing
