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Tuesday, May 08, 2012

"When I'm not writing" with Sarah Cross + giveaway!

Jennifer Estep

Today's guest post comes from Sarah Cross, a YA author. Her latest release is KILL ME SOFTLY, a dark take on fairy tales, available now. It sounds like a fun read and I'm pleased Sarah is able to visit us and tell us a bit about her non-writing life.

Keep reading to find out just what Sarah does when she's not writing and make sure to stick around for the giveaway!


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Red Shoes Life is unimportantI spend a lot of time writing. I'm one of those people who will choose work over hobbies (almost) every time, and who finds it totally reasonable when Anton Walbrook counsels dancer Moira Shearer in The Red Shoes that "Life is so unimportant." What can I say? Writing is one of those things that, if it wasn't more fulfilling than anything else, wouldn't be worth doing.

But while I may share the mindset of a ruthless (fictional) dance impresario, I don't write all the time. Sometimes my brain needs to recharge, and that's why my favorite non-writing activities take almost no effort, and could be accomplished by Hello Kitty or a zombie.

Here's a rundown of how I spend my non-writing time:

1) Watching TV. There's no better brainless pastime. Current favorites include Mad Men, Southland, Downton Abbey, The Big Bang Theory, reality shows like Big Brother and The Amazing Race, snow whiteand the Korean TV show My Princess.

2) Taking walks, preferably in woodsy locations where there's a chance of spotting deer, hawks, interesting birds, chipmunks, rabbits, etc. I love animals, and seeing them in the wild is one of my favorite things.

3) Curating Fairy Tale Mood, my fairy tale art/fashion/etc. tumblr. To be fair to myself, a zombie would probably have trouble with this one. Finding good fairy tale art takes time, and, I'd like to think, a discerning eye. But it's a fun, almost meditative process, and it feeds my imagination like nothing else.

angry Tom Coughlin4) NFL. This is more of a fall/winter hobby, but during football season, I am obsessed, alternately cheering for my team and raging at them, and trying not to talk to my sports-indifferent friends about football. Because they don't care about how angry Tom Coughlin looked last week. And I try to respect that.


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Thank you so much for visiting us, Sarah, and sharing your hobbies!

For more information about Sarah and her books, check out her website or Fairy Tale Mood, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Here's the scoop on KILL ME SOFTLY:

Sarah Cross Kill Me SoftlyTrue love’s kiss just may prove deadly....

Mirabelle’s past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents’ tragic deaths to her guardians’ half-truths about why she can’t return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who’s a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren’t pretty things, and they don’t always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy-tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy-tale curses of their own ... brothers who share a dark secret. And she’ll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

Read an excerpt

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

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giveaway

Sarah is generously offering one (1) copy of KILL ME SOFTLY to a lucky reader!

To enter the giveaway, obey the Rafflecopter!

US/Canada only

Ends Monday, MAy 21, 2012


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Do you guys have suggestions for who you’d like to see featured on the blog? If so, you can make your suggestions on this page. No guarantees that your favorite authors will be able to participate but we’ll try!

Authors, would you like to visit and share with us? Please email me at jennblogs (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll set it up!

Jenn

Born and raised in the Toronto area, Jenn moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, eight years ago for school. She's still in school (thankfully on another degree!), now trapped in her dissertation. When she's not dissertating, which happens more often than it should, Jenn spends her time reading, watching movies, playing volleyball, travelling, and enjoying the local music scene. Her latest addictions: yoga and Almond Crunch cereal.

72 People left their mark' :

  1. The US or CA entry had no room to answer so I will just say it here: I live in the US.

    My fav fairy tale character is sleeping beauty.

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  2. Being a fan of the TV show Once Upon A Time, I would have to say Snow White. Can't wait to watch Snow White and the Huntsman in theaters soon!!

    Thanks!

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  3. What a fun interview with Sarah. I've been wanting to read this for a while, love her writing style! My favorite fairy tale character I think changes depending on the interpretation and my mood. Lately with Once Upon a Time I've really liked Snow White.

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  4. Belle from Beauty and the Beast! I loved that she was afraid to sacrifice herself for her father and that she could see beyond the beast.

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  5. Favorite fairy tale character = Belle

    Have to say thought that it is so awesome that you watch kdrama. I am TOTALLY obsessed with it. :0

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  6. My favorite fairy tale character is Snow White!

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  7. Thanks for the awesome giveaway! I've always had a soft spot for Little Mermaid and Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

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  8. My favorite fairy tale character is Ariel from the little mermaid.

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  9. Sleeping Beauty is my fav.

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  10. Really like Rapunzel from Disney's Tangoled. I have 2 snmall daughters so I am surrounded.

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  11. Beauty and the Beast. Both of them. One is enhanced by the other!

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  12. My favorite fairytale character is the Little Mermaid. She's fierce.

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  13. My favorite fairy tale character has always been Cinderella.

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  14. I like Cinderella. She's so sweet despite her circumstances and so easy to root for.

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  15. Love Peter Pan! He will always be my favorite character!

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  16. Without a doubt it's Rumpelstiltskin. Funny conniving old troll that he is, I still love him.

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  17. I love the Belle...she started out as just an ordinary girl...not a princess=)

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  18. From the seven dwarf's Sleepy because he likes naps too :)

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  19. My favorite is Cinderella.

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  20. My favorite is Cinderella because although she's alone, she's brave and she befriends animals.

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  21. My favorite character has to be Belle because she's smart and a bookworm.

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  22. This sounds good! I don't know about fairy tale art, but I do collect statues by Nene Thomas. Those are lovely, and could come out of a fairy tale ...

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  23. I love Ariel from The Little Mermaid!

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  24. My favourite is Belle from Beauty and the Beast!

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  25. My favorite is Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. I am a Once Upon A Time fanatic though and there is no sleeping beauty in it. :(

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  26. Since the show Once Upon a Time started, I've developed a great love of Snow White. Before that, I've always loved Belle.

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  27. I live in the USA. I love Beauty and the Beast. Tore923@aol.com

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  28. My favorite Disney fairytale is either The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. Although, I have to agree with everyone about Snow White on Once Upon a Time. That's such a great show!

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  29. My favorite fairytale character is probably Repunzle =)

    ~Paige @ Comfort Books
    http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/

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  30. my favorite is sleeping beauty. somehow I loved everything about it. from her having to be raised outside the castle by fairys always seemed cute

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  31. My favourite fairy tale character is Peter Pan!

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  32. My favorite fairy tale is by far "Beauty and the Beast!" I'm pretty sure I've watched the Disney cartoon thousands of times and I've seen the off-broadway play. I even bought a dress similar to Belle's gold dress to wear to a ball one year.

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  33. Thanks for the post and giveaway! I love the fairy tale "The Six Swans" as well as retellings of Beauty and the Beast.

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  34. My fave fairytale character is Ariel, The Little Mermaid.

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  35. My favorite is Sleeping Beauty. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  36. The Little Mermaid. :) Thank you for this awesome giveaway!

    - Beckie @ Bittersweet Enchantment

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  37. Mine is definitely the Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Beauty and the Beast is also my favorite fairy tale overall. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

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  38. Sleeping Beauty!!! Or Cinderella? I'm also a Snow White fan. Gosh, I think I like them all!!

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  39. My favourite fairy tale character would probably be Belle from Beauty and the Beast - she's brave and strong and learns to love someone beyond what he appears to be. Must love that! (and if I can choose from the Disney versions, a close second would be Chip from Beauty and the Beast haha.)

    I live in the US :)

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  40. Cinderella or Snow White, I would say :)

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  41. I'd have to say Cinderella because she beat the odds and came out on top.

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  42. Ariel from Little Mermaid. I mean, she had the guts to go with her feelings defying her father and even supernatural laws.

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  43. Belle/Tinkerbell Belle because of her love of reading and adventure and Tinkerbell for her attitude!

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  44. Ooh. Good question. I've always been fond of Ariel, though now that I think of it, she gave up everything just for a dude...How about Gretel, then? I mean, she saved her brother and pushed the evil witch into the fire. That's pretty bad a**

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  45. My favorite fairy tale character is Sleeping Beauty, although I've always been a little concerned about her tendency to talk to forest animals...

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  46. Definitely a toss up between Ariel and Belle - I love them both. Their curiosity and Belle's bookworminess :)

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  47. I've always loved Belle from Beauty and the Beast :)

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  48. Rapunzel is my fave
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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  49. Sleeping Beauty is my favourite!

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  50. I can only choose one? Ah crud. I think I'd have to pick Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

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  51. Hi! Hummm I don't have a favorite fairy tale character but I really enjoyed The Little Mermaid: Ariel and Belle from the Beauty and the Best!
    Thanks for this giveaway!

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  52. My favorite would be Belle of Beauty and the Beast
    Thanks for the giveaway

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  53. Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. Bippity-Boppity-Boo!

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  54. I'm with most other people, I love Belle!

    On an unrelated note, I'm with Sarah on the NFL but not on the team (Go Steelers!).

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  55. I havent read the fairytale but i enjoyed The Princess and the Frog. but for me it would probably be a toss up between belle or ariel

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  56. I'm going with the fairy tale a lot of people went with, but not the character. I like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast because he goes from being a huge jerk to a nice guy.

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  57. My fav. fairy tale is Sleeping Beauty but my fav. character from a fairy tale is Belle from Beauty and The Beast

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  58. My favorite fairy tale princess is probably Belle or the original little mermaid.

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  59. My favorite would have to be Cinderella :)

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  60. My favourite fairy tale character is Snow White :)

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