Monday, June 22, 2009

Giving it away for free (the only time Mamma would approve)

Serena Robar is giving it away for free the entire month of June. That’s right. A book a day, every day in honor of her latest book release Giving Up the V. All you have to do to is sign up for her newsletter and you're entered to win. Enter once and you're in the running to win a book every day the entire month of June!!

And in honor of all the free books, I asked Serena to answer a few questions!  Thanks for dropping by Serena!! :)

What's been one of the most exciting moments in your journey to publication?

I would have to say the actual call from an editor, wanting to buy my book was a pretty sweet thing.  Finally, I thought, my work is being recognized in a positive light and not with another rejection form letter. Writers get rejected. A lot.  You gotta have thick skin or this industry will eat you alive.

Is there anything you can't write without? 

I started my writing career with two kids in diapers. There were interruptions galore, but I managed to get the books written.  Now that they are older and don’t need me as much (Typing this I should point out I have been interrupted three times as school is now on summer break) I find I need bigger blocks of uninterrupted time.  I will leave and write at the library or if I am on deadline, I will hide out at my husband’s office for the weekend.  It’s tough to keep being pulled away from your train of thought I often look back at the early days and wonder how the heck I managed.

When stuck on a story which do you choose: write make-out scene or explode something? 

I hate being stuck.  When I am, I will usually write a scene that will be placed in the book later.  Something that flows easily because I had envisioned it earlier.  It’s usually the first kiss, get together scene.  Totally makes me happy and usually helps unblock the previous scene J. So yeah, bring on the lovin’.

Can you share a favorite line you've written either in this book or a WIP?

I love opening lines.  I think they really set the tone for an entire book.  My current release, Giving Up the V begins like this:

Where does the underwear go?  I instantly want to know she doesn’t have her underwear on and why it has to be put somewhere.

In Giving Up the V our heroine is at her first GYN visit and she is suffering the age old dilemma put forth to every woman since the beginning of GYN visits. Where does the underwear go?  The underwear is the last thing you take off so where do you put it?  On top of your tidy folded clothes or hidden underneath? Where you put it says a lot about a person.  I suggest picking up Giving Up the V to see exactly what I mean.

Finally: pro fast zombie or anti fast zombies? 

Hah! Totally depends on my goal at the time.  Am I itching to become a zombie or do I want to make my escape? I think in all fairness zombies should be slow, but then where is the conflict in that?  Slow zombies just breed complacency.

About Giving up the V:

 What's So Wrong With Waiting?

Spencer Davis just turned sixteen. But unlike most hormonal teenagers who seem obsessed with sex -- like her entire crew of friends -- Spencer just doesn't get it. She'd rather wait for the right guy and the right moment. But that moment may be arriving sooner than she'd thought.

Enter Benjamin Hopkins, a new transfer student who seems to have his eyes on our V-card-carrying heroine. He's gorgeous, funny, suave, athletic, and capable of making Spencer's knees wobble with a single glance. Spencer has never felt this way about anyone before, but is Ben truly V-worthy?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi :)
That was a terrific interview!
I'd never heard of her before but she & her book sound very intriguing.
Thank you very much for sharing her.
I'm going to follow her now, and not just for the contest either!
Love From Canada
xoxo

Kami Garcia said...

Great interview!

The Gastronomic Goddess said...

Awesome interview! Putting Serena on my to-read list asap :) The book sounds intriguing!