TOXIC Blog Tour!...Interview with Jus Accardo & a giveaway!

I'm so excited to be part of the TOXIC Blog Tour--and even more so to have the author, Jus Accardo, stopping by for an interview! Be sure to visit the rafflecopter at the end for a chance to win an e-copy of TOXIC!

Here's a bit about the book:

TOXIC (Denazen #2)
by Jus Accardo
pub date 10/16/2012

product description from goodreads.com

When a Six saved Kale's life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she'd lose the one thing she'd give anything to keep... And as if it's not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice--surrender to Denazen for the cure...or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn't involve being bagged and tagged--or losing someone she loves--Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there's a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there's any hope of proving Jade's guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead...

And a bit about the author:

     JUS ACCARDO spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her path lay with fiction, not food, and passed on the spot to pursue writing. Jus is the author of YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy fiction. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald. Her first book, Touch was released in November 2011 from Entangled Publishing. She is currently working on the next book in the Denazen series.

Find Jus on her website, Twitter, Goodreads & Facebook!

Here's my interview with Jus!

Hi Jus! Thanks for taking time to answer a few questions for my followers today! Though I could spend this time discussing Kale (which I'm sure said followers would appreciate very much), I'll get right to it!

1. Currently the Denazen Series has given us TOUCH, UNTOUCHED (Denazen 1.5) and TOXIC, with FACELESS (Denazen 2.5) and TREMBLE hot on their heels. Will these five works complete the Denazen story of Kale and Dez, or will there be more?

Hmm. I’ve been asked this a lot lately. While I can’t say anything officially, I can tell you Tremble, book three, does not complete Dez and Kale’s story as it stands. I should have more news soon :D


Ooh, exciting!!

2. One of the many things about your writing that impresses me is your ability to flesh out ALL of your characters--from the hero and heroine to those that grace but a few pages. Is character development your main focus when writing, or is this a natural evolution that comes as the story progresses?

It’s pretty natural, I think. Some I’ve got a crystal clear picture in my head from the moment I start—everything from quirky habits to favorite foods—while others take a little more time to develop. They kind of grow up on the page in front of me.

3. The Denazen world is a wide one, with many facets that weave in and out of each other to create a believable--and frighteningly possible--reality. Was there an immense planning period for this, or did the world you built come as the words hit the page?

It came as I went. The more I write, the more secrets I find out! Everyone in the world is connected in some way or another—even if they don’t realize it at first. It’s been so much fun exploring that. I’ve got a collection of little known facts—some might be obvious, while others are kind of shocking—that I can’t wait to share with people!

And we can't wait to hear them!

4. Okay, I had every intention of breezing right through these questions without asking about our favorite former resident of Denazen, but I'm getting some pretty nasty looks from my dogs right now (hey, this is my interview, I can blame it on whomever I choose), so I'll give in: Though I'm sure you've been asked countless times about Kale, what's one thing you could tell us about him that you've kept to yourself all this time? (oh, say, boxers or briefs? does he snore when he sleeps? boxers or briefs? ahem.)

LOL! I think Kale is definitely a boxer guy—but he’s not telling… Hmm so let’s see…a secret… Kale hasn’t told anyone, but he wants to get his driver’s license. Not to drive—he hates cars—but so that he has an ID. Denazen referred to him by only a number for his entire life. He likes the idea of carrying around that little card that states his name. 
Aww!

5. And lastly, I like to ask all interviewees the same question--but you're in luck, because I've selected a new one, and you're gonna be the first to see it! Okay, you've been invited to meet your absolute favorite author: Who would that be, what one question would you ask him or her, and what would your answer to that question be?

Hmm This is a tough one because it’s SO hard to pick an absolute favorite! I guess if I had to pick, I’d ask Rob Thurman (whose character Cal Leandros is one of my all-time favorite fictional men) which one of her characters she’d kill off if one had to go—and how. If someone asked me, I’d have to say (ready for it?) Jade. Hah! And how? I’m sure everyone would agree that it would need to be something epic. Maybe something with explosions. Or mutated, fanged, apes…

Thanks so much, Jus, for stopping by, and thanks for giving us such a fun and intense story with your Denazen series!
Thank you! And thanks for letting me hang today :D 


Be sure to visit all the stops along the TOXIC Blog Tour here!

Wanna win an e-copy of the second novel in the Denazen series, TOXIC? Then enter the rafflecopter below! (and it's international, folks!)
(winner announced Tuesday, October 16th!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway