Interview with Kelley York - Author of Hushed

Title: Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release: December 6, 2011
Genre: YA Thriller
My Review of Hushed

*After your done here head on over to The Bookaholic for another piece of the Hushed Virtual Book Tour.

Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads ǀ Amazon ǀ Barnes & Noble

Kristin: Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you live?
Kelley: I'm in my mid-twenties and I live with my wife, step-daughter, and a lot of animals in central California. I don't care for this part of Cali, honestly. I loathe hot weather, and Sacramento gets that in abundance. ;)

Kristin: What is the name of the book you are currently promoting?
Kelley: HUSHED, an upper YA thriller. The blurb:

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.

Kristin: Where did you come up for the idea for your book?
Kelley: I'm very character-focused. I came up with Archer first, and the rest of the story fell into place, centered around him.


Kristin: How long did the entire process from writing your current work to getting it published take?
Kelley: I can't honestly remember how long it took me to write but I'll wager a guess and say 4 months. I started querying in November/December of 2010 and signed with Entangled in June, 2011.


Kristin: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
Kelley: Definitely Archer. I love the slightly psychotic, sad, broken boys. There's so much that goes on inside his head and his emotional reactions to things are so heavy and complicated. ***I know everyone thinks it is completely creepy to fall in love with a boy who kills for love, but I found myself completely captivated by Archer. His pain was palpable.


Kristin: Do you feel like you put parts of yourself in your characters?
Kelley: Yeah, I definitely do. A character might share a hobby or pet-peeve of mine, or maybe a certain tick or habit like I do. Not all my characters, but there are a few I feel closer to than others because I relate to how they view the world.

Kristin: Will there be a sequel or do you have another project in the works?
Kelley: HUSHED is a stand-alone book. Currently I'm working on another YA contemporary piece! I don't want to say more than that and jinx it. ***Completely understood. We wish you the best with your new project.


Kristin: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Kelley: Music, mostly. I do a lot of daydreaming and spacing out, thinking of random scenes and ideas. My wife acts as my sounding board and I bounce a lot of ideas off her. My critique partner is great for brainstorming ideas with me, too.


Kristin: Do you have any “rituals” when you write?
Kelley: Not really. Music really helps me focus. Especially if I can find a song that clicks perfectly with a scene, then I can put it on repeat and speed through that scene, motivated by the song.***Excellent idea. I have never thought about doing that.


Kristin: If you couldn’t be an author, but anything else…what would you be?
Kelley: Probably a psychologist or some kind of counselor.***Brave woman.

Kristin: Independently published or commercially published?
Kelley: If 'independent' means self-published, then commercially, though not through one of the Big 6.


Kristin: If independent…did you attempt to get commercially published?
Kelley: I didn't get into a publisher via an agent like a lot of people these days. I did spend a long time looking for an agent, however; I got a lot of positive feedback, but any agent who was interested in my writing said they thought the story was too dark for a publisher to want it.


Kristin: Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?
Kelley: Keep at it! Work, work, work. Don't limit yourself to one project. Write a book, revise, edit, rewrite...then start something new.


Kristin: What is the most useful advice you received while writing any book?
Kelley: At the beginning stages of my book-writing adventure, I had an agent really work with me on the concept of 'voice.' She was right when she said it's something difficult to explain, but her help was absolutely crucial to my writing.


Kristin: When did reading and writing become important you?
Kelley: I was a big reader growing up. I devoured anything anyone gave to me, including all the required reading for school. I always did really well in writing classes (math was where I failed miserably). I've written for friends and myself for years, but it wasn't until the last 4 or 5 years I got into writing actual novels.

Fun Stuff

Kristin: The apocalypse is coming…what do you do?
Kelley: Is this, like, a zombie apocalypse? I have a book to prepare me for that. Apparently swords are better than guns against zombies—which is good 'cause I'm scared of guns, but I have a sword!—so I'm all set. ***I vote this best answer ever.


Kristin: If you were stranded on an island, name the 5 things you could not live without?
Kelley: I'll assume we're talking objects and not living things. Uh... (1) Pen, (2) paper, (3) iPod. (4) Hotel with (5) working electricity... ;) ***Great thinking. Hotel with electricity is a must!


Kristin: What 5 things are within your reach right now? No cheating!
Kelley: (1) Cherry blossom body spray, (2) bubbles I use to play with the cats, (3) my external hard drive, (4) a tiny wooden urn that contains my dog's ashes (think I'm weird yet?), and (5) a sweet card Wife got for me a few months back. ***I don't think you are odd at all. You would not believe the things happen at my house.


Kristin: Favorite book ever?
Kelley: THE SECRET OF NIMH by Robert O'Brien.


Kristin: Ultimate bad boy crush? (TV, Movies, or Books)
Kelley: Cole St. Clair from Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER series. (Told you I liked the broken boys!) ***Oh, I completely agree. I love, love, love Cole. I’ve never gotten him for an answer on this question before. Great thinking.


Kristin: Ultimate good guy crush? (TV, Movies, or Books)
Kelley: Can I cheat a little and use a video game? (Well, technically, he did show up in a movie, too.) Chris Redfield from the Resident Evil franchise. He'd come in handy for that apocalypse mentioned earlier...


Kristin: Favorite food?
Kelley: Steak! ***A girl after my own heart.


Kristin: Favorite Movie?
Kelley: The Labyrinth and The Neverending Story are movies I grew up loving. More recently, I've become addicted to Help!. It's the flick I put on anytime I want something to giggle at or need background noise.


Kristin: Favorite TV show?
Kelley: I'm not hugely into watching television. I adore The Walking Dead, though, and I've been getting into American Horror Story.  ***Both excellent choices.


Kristin: Favorite Song?
Kelley: This varies from one week to the next, really. A long-time favorite of mine that I’ve never gotten sick of is "Spin" by Splender, and "Dancing" by Elisa. Lately I’ve had on “Two of Us” by the Beatles.


Kristin: Favorite singer or band?
Kelley: The Beatles, easily.


Kristin: One food you would never try?

Kelley: I watched an episode of Bizarre Foods once where the host ate a duck egg wherein the duck was half-formed inside. I would never. ***Oh now, that’s just wrong. Wrong in so many ways.


Kristin: The most exotic food you have ever eaten?
Kelley: I tried oysters once and they were disgusting. I'm a really picky eater so that's as exotic as I've gotten... ***Braver than me…I won’t even eat oysters.


Kristin: Day on the beach or snow skiing down a mountain?
Kelley: Skiing terrifies me. I'd probably choose the beach.


Kristin: Campfire with smores or curled up in front of the fireplace?
Kelley: Definitely a fireplace. Campfire means summer and summer is ick.


Kristin: If you could move anywhere on this Earth, where would it be?
Kelley: Ireland! More realistically, Maine or Oregon. ***Ireland would be so cool. I would love to visit Maine. I have a couple of friends who live there and they say it is so beautiful but I don’t like the cold…so winters would be out for me.


Kristin: Health nut or junk food junkie?
Kelley: I try really hard to stick to healthier, organic stores for my grocery shopping, but they’re so expensive! I can't stand 99% of vegetables, but I like fruits. I'm a really big meat-eater. I love meat like I love breathing. ***Seriously, we could be twins.




Kristin: Two books you think everyone should read. (Yes, you can and should include your book.)
Kelley: Well, sure, I would include mine! ;) It's my favorite book out of the three I've written, and I'm hoping it's unique within the YA genre. Another book I would recommend is WITH OR WITHOUT YOU by Brian Farrey, another male/male YA. It completely blew me away, made me laugh and made me cry. ***Well, I beyond loved Hushed. I will have to check out With or Without You soon.


Kristin: Are there any blogs or websites you frequent?
Kelley: I follow a ton of blogs, though I'm kind of bad at commenting as often as I should. I prowl around the Absolute Write forums, occasionally popping into conversations or critiquing queries.


Kristin: Places my readers can stalk you?
Kelley: I have a website and blog, Flowers for Ghosts, twitter @elixing, and I'm also a member of two awesome group blogs: YAtopia, and For the Love of Contemporary.

Kelley, thank you so much for taking this time to let us get to know you better. We have enjoyed having you today. I hope you have enjoyed yourself and will stop by to see us again soon. I know I look forward to see what you have in store for us next time.

Guys, I reviewed Hushed a couple of weeks ago. If you haven’t seen the review, you can find it HERE. I cannot tell you how much I loved Kelley’s book. It is phenomenal. If you think it may be a little dark for you, I encourage you to read it anyway. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

I want to say thank you to Entangled Publishing for allowing me to be a part of the Hushed Virtual Book Tour. It has been my honor to have Kelley York stop by for a visit.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'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 ---

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

TBR Intervention Challenge - Week 2 (After a restart)

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by
Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray, and April@Books4Juliet

The goal of this challenge is to help each other (fellow readers and bloggers) manage our enormous and constantly growing TBR (To-Be-Read) List. The rules are simple and everyone is encouraged to participate. It does not force you to commit to more than what you can manage to read in a week or so, but participants are encouraged to read at least one book within a week. You are free to choose the book you want to read and commit to this challenge. You may post your entry every Saturday, at the frequency of your choice--EVERY WEEK or EVERY TWO WEEKS.

Here are the rules:
1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).
2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers.

So last week, I committed to Hushed by Kelley York. If you haven't read my review...you should. Especially April, who is squeamish about this book. You can find it HERE.

I have been reading non-stop for reviews, tours, and other obligations this past week...so this TBR is of my own choosing because, well...I deserve it.

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Goodreads

Synopsis: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Yes, Yes, I know. I just won this book recently but it has been on my TBR shelf a while...so it still counts. So...now that I have revamped every book review on my blog, made a book review archive, and finished my posts for tomorrow and Monday...I'm gonna read. Have a great weekend everyone!

Teaser Tuesday - Hushed by Kelley York

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Title: Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: December 6, 2011

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.

My Teaser:

...what did he do now? Wait around to see if the murder was linked back to him? He'd flat-out lied about his night. All it would take is a visit to Evan's to confirm.

Just finished my Hushed Review. Check it out HERE.

Hushed by Kelley York

Title: Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release: December 6, 2011
Genre: YA Thriller

Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads ǀ Amazon ǀ Barnes & Noble

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

So, if you have read the synopsis, you are probably asking why anyone would want to read a book where the protagonist is obviously a killer? A serial killer at that. The answer is simple...Archer, though far from perfect, has his redeeming qualities. He loves Vivian unconditionally, does anything for her, and takes care of her when nobody else can. Problem - Vivian is as toxic as they come. Only running to Archer when there is no one else for her to run to. When he starts pulling away, she decides that she cannot let him go that easy.

Oddly, Archer's dysfunction was easy to get past. He wanted to change but didn't know how. His neurosis was obvious. The signs of OCD and Borderline Personality Disorder combined with a little Post Traumatic Stress Disorder never makes for an easy life. However, when he met Evan, his life started turning in a new direction. He was peaceful, happy, and had the love that Vivian could never give him. He began to see her for the energy sucking parasite she was. (Nope, don't like Vivian even a little bit.) He trusted Evan in ways he had never trusted anyone. Archer and Vivian both had difficult childhoods. Each dealt with it in their own way. Archer had the capacity to make his life better, to change.Vivian...not so much.

Everything Archer did, he did for Vivian. Everything Vivian did, she did for Vivian. Only Evan ever cared about what Archer wanted or needed.

I enjoyed the relationship between Archer and Evan. Evan brought light into a very dark story. He was proof that just because bad things happened, you could remain good. Evan was stability in Archer's life where no other stability existed. He defined love, friendship, and trust. I laughed at Archer when he was near Evan because he would just say whatever he was thinking while simultaneously thinking "why did I say that?" I adored his inability to hide from Evan...even when you knew he really wanted to.

Everyone is going to have their own take on Hushed. Much like the characters in the book, you can choose to see the light behind it, or you can be taken in by the darkness. I walked away feeling that justice was served, that bad things happen to everyone but they don't define anyone. You define who you are with the choices you make. It's never too late to change.

If you are see-sawing about reading Hushed, keep an open mind and do it. I think you will be surprised. This is another of Entangled Publishing's phenomenal books. Kelley York wrote an excellent thriller with the perfect amount of suspense. Always enough to keep the pages turning.

Be sure to look for my interview with Kelley York on December 21st as part of the Hushed Virtual Book Tour. As always, I would like to thank Entangled Publishing for including me in one of their promotions.

*I was provided an e-book from Entangled Publishing in return for my honest review and participation in the Hushed Virtual Book Tour. Hushed does contain a male/male relationship and a graphic murder scene.

TBR Intervention Challenge - Hushed by Kelley York

TBR Intervention is a weekly challenge hosted by
Dani@RefractedLight , Ayanami@Whatever you Can Still Betray, and April@Books4Juliet

The goal of this challenge is to help each other (fellow readers and bloggers) manage our enormous and constantly growing TBR (To-Be-Read) List. The rules are simple and everyone is encouraged to participate. It does not force you to commit to more than what you can manage to read in a week or so, but participants are encouraged to read at least one book within a week. You are free to choose the book you want to read and commit to this challenge. You may post your entry every Saturday, at the frequency of your choice--EVERY WEEK or EVERY TWO WEEKS.

Here are the rules:
1. Post the book(s) you committed to read in your last TBR Intervention post and tell us something about it. Did you finish it? Did you enjoy it or not? Post the link to your review (if you have one).
2. Post a book that you want to read and already own. Pick something that has been sitting on your shelf for too long now (6 months or longer). Commit to read the book in the next couple of days or week.
3. Grab the TBR Intervention Button and post it on your blog sidebar so you will be constantly reminded of the challenge, making it easier for you to commit. This will also encourage other readers/bloggers/visitors to join the challenge.
4. Add the link to your post in the Linky below and make sure to visit the other blogs. Comment, encourage, and spread the love to our fellow readers.

Okay, I am telling you right now that I really suck at this. My TBR list grows by the second so I suppose I should really start knocking a few of them out. I am going to start with a book that I need to review for a blog tour soon.

Title: Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Goodreads

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.

I haven't read this book yet, obviously, but I am telling you now, I haven't read a single book that has been published by Entangled Publishing that I haven't fell in love with. They have the market on new and intriguing books. As of this second, Goodreads has a 4.47 Star Rating on Hushed. I can hardly wait to see what its all about.

I never finished my last TBR challenge, so I am starting fresh...like it's week one all over again!