I'm super stoked to be a stop on the FLAWED tour, you guys! If you've yet to read this amazing book, I urge you to do so ASAP, seriously. Kate Avelynn has some wicked talent, and the characters in this book grab you and won't let you go till they're done with ya. So good!
Moving on... The fab Kate agreed to a little mini interview for my stop on the tour, so I won't keep you from it any longer. Well, maybe just a wee bit longer. ;-P
Up first, a bit about the book...
FLAWED
by Kate Avelynn
product description from goodreads.com
Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago — James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.
Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.
Sam Donavon has been James’ best friend — and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on — for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact . . .
And now, on to the interview!
Hi, Kate! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Let’s just dive right in, shall we? :-)
FLAWED is a beautifully written, haunting tale of pain and loss and obsessive love. Was this a story that grabbed you and wouldn’t let go, or did you really have to work at getting it onto the page?
Thanks for having me, Jamie! I’d definitely say this book grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Once I had an image of James watching Sarah in my head, the rest kind of just poured out of me, emotional chaos and all.
And we are so glad it did!
You did an amazing job of portraying both the good and bad in Sarah, James, and Sam, which, to me, made them seem even more real. Is that balance in their characters something you knew was necessary to this story? Is that something you strive for in every character, showcasing how there’s good and bad in us all?
Aw, thank you. You nailed it with your second question—I see the good and bad in everyone, so it feels only natural that the characters I write reflect what I see around me. There’s nothing more fascinating than a villain we can relate to, or a flawed protagonist!
Isn't that the truth? A great villian is one who manages to make us root for them!
Sarah is a character that I imagine most readers of FLAWED relate to, in some way or another. She’s both timid and weak, as well as strong and a survivalist—traits many of us possess. Was her journey through self-discovery something you planned from the beginning, or did she surprise you?
Sarah was the least developed character when the story first came to me, so while I knew what was going to happen next, her reactions to the situations I put her in surprised me. She’s more of a fighter than I expected! The best kind of surprise, right?!
I have to admit that Sam is my absolute favorite character in FLAWED. I can’t really explain it, but there’s something about him that got to me in the best way. Tell us, who was/is your favorite character, and why? Definitely James. He’s the character who came to me first, and to me, this is his story. I’m fascinated by how genuine his motivations are toward Sarah and his mother and even his father. He’s not an evil person, but love has twisted him into something he can’t overcome.
Okay, this is proof that you are meant to write dark, my friend. ;-)
And finally, a question I like to ask all interviewees: You’ve been invited to meet your favorite author, living or dead. Who would that be, what’s the one question you would ask them, and what would your answer to that question be?
My high school English teacher assigned several of Toni Morrison’s books my senior year, and I found her wisdom and use of language both grounding and inspiring. In her 1993 Nobel Lecture, she said, “Make up a story. Narrative is radical, creating us at the very moment it is being created. We will not blame you if your reach exceeds your grasp; if love so ignites your words they go down in flames and nothing is left but their scald. We know you can never do it properly—once and for all. Passion is never enough; neither is skill. But try. For our sake and yours forget your name in the street; tell us what the world has been to you in the dark places and in the light. Don't tell us what to believe, what to fear. Show us belief’s wide skirt and the stitch that unravels fear's caul. You…can speak the language that tells us what only language can: how to see without pictures.”
Whenever I read this, I feel like I have to write. Even if the words come out all wrong and I wind up putting the book straight into a drawer never to be seen again, I owe it to myself to try. I honestly don’t know what I’d ask her. Maybe to tell me about the very first thing she remembers writing and what it was about the experience that made her want to do it again. It’d probably be one of those really embarrassing situations where I hung on her every word, incapable of saying anything intelligent back. It definitely wouldn’t be my shining moment!
Ooh, that's a very inspiring speech!
About the Author:
Kate Avelynn lives in Central Oregon with her husband, whom she fell in love with at eighteen after realizing he shared her obsession with music, sports, and psychoanalysis. When not devouring books, holding down her editing gig, or attempting to coax life out of the weed patch she calls a “garden,” Kate writes dark, young adult romance that blends first love, betrayal, and danger. FLAWED is her debut novel.
Kate's the best, truly. If you don't already, follow her on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to visit her website and Goodreads page to keep up with what's ahead for this superb talent!
And now for the prizes! Kate is giving a $15 gift card to either
Amazon or B&N—your choice. All you have to do is leave a comment about the author who inspires you most and why,
along with your email address and which gift card you’d prefer. Today’s
giveaway is open to International readers.
Kate is also running an Ultimate
FLAWED Fan Pack contest via the Rafflecopter listing below.
Enter daily for a chance to win some really cool stuff!
A huge thanks to Kate and the team at Entangled for allowing my lil' slice of Bloggerdom to be part of the FLAWED Blog Tour!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
