Book Nerd Interview
When Jennifer Walkup isn’t writing or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and young sons, listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers, and coming up with costume ideas for Halloween. She’s obsessed with good coffee and new recipes and likes broccoli on her pizza, flowers in her hair, flip-flops on her feet, and the number 13. A member of SCBWI and RWA, Jennifer also serves as fiction editor for The Meadowland Review and teaches creative writing at The Writers Circle. Second Verse is her first novel.
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In your book; Second Verse, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it?
Second Verse is a Young Adult Romantic thriller. It’s about a group of teens who hear a disembodied voice in a barn that leads them to investigate an ancient, unsolved murder, and hopefully stop another. Unless the killer finds them first.
There is a lot of mystery, a lot of love, and a lot of second guessing who is behind it all. And, perhaps a fair amount of kissing and a major twist or three.:)
For those who are unfamiliar with Lange, how would you introduce her?
Lange Crawford is an artist who feels most at home with her sketchpad and charcoal pencil in hand. She’s had a bit of an unstable childhood, has an affinity for escape, and isn’t a fan of technology or the big creepy farmhouse she lives in. Also, she can’t get enough of caramel lattes or listening to songwriter Vaughn strum his guitar and sing to her. Lange is one tough girl, but the closer they get to running out of time, and the stronger the threats against her get, the more rattled she becomes. She’s really hoping history doesn’t repeat itself.
What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
The Second Verse sequel (yet to be titled) is in the works with plans to be released fall of 2014. It takes place with some of the same cast members, but in a different location. An old psychiatric institution turned boarding school – with a whole host of secrets of its own.
If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
I think Lange would do well to hang out with Andi from Revolution. They have completely different stories, of course, but they could compare the times they had to unravel a messed up historical mystery from a dead girl’s diary, all while trying to save themselves (though in different ways). Also, Rose from the Vampire Academy books. Lange may be a mere mortal, but she could certainly use some of Rose’s fighting skills when it comes down to it.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Vaughn?
Who eats that many Twinkies? Ha! No, but seriously, I had to learn a lot in writing Vaughn. In general, I am a huge music fan girl and intrigued and amazed by musicians. But I’m not one myself – at all – so creating that part of Vaughn, which is a major part of what defines him, took a lot of research and a ton of rewrites.
Was there a defining moment during your youth when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
Pretty much always, I think. I have the first book I ever wrote on my bookshelf, possibly in fifth grade or so (THE HOUSE ON THE HILL - about a bear and a fox – it was riveting, I tell you, riveting!). Reading has always been my escape and absolute favorite thing to do. I discovered magic in those pages, and the love of books very naturally turned into creating my own characters and worlds.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
There is so much wonderful advice out there, but they best advice I ever read was in Stephen King’s memoir (which is an amazing book, overall). “If you want to write you need to read a lot and write a lot.” It’s so simple, but so very true. Also, the advice of “you can’t revise a blank page” is one that always stays with me, although I can’t remember who said that one. But it’s true. You will never have a finished book if you don’t write. So just write, and write, and write some more, and don’t worry about getting it right.
What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a teenager?
1960s. No doubt.:)
Where can readers stalk you?
Twitter: @jennwalkup
FB: facebook.com/jenniferwalkupbooks
Website: www.jenniferwalkup.com
Email: jenniferwalkup@gmail.com
And please do! I love hearing from readers.:)
Bad things come in threes. In Shady Springs, that includes murder.
Murder Now
Lange Crawford’s move to Shady Springs, Pennsylvania, lands her a group of awesome friends, a major crush on songwriter Vaughn, and life in a haunted, 200-year-old farmhouse. It also brings The Hunt: an infamous murder mystery festival where students solve a fake, gruesome murder scheme during the week of Halloween. Well, supposedly fake.
Murder Then
Weeks before The Hunt, Lange and her friends hold a séance in the farmhouse’s eerie barn. When a voice rushes through, whispering haunting words that only she and Vaughn can hear, Lange realizes it’s begging for help. The mysterious voice leads Lange and Vaughn to uncover letters and photos left behind by a murdered girl, Ginny, and they become obsessed with her story and the horrifying threats that led to her murder.
Murder Yet to Come
But someone doesn’t like their snooping, and Lange and Vaughn begin receiving the same threats that Ginny once did. The mysterious words from the barn become crucial to figuring out Ginny’s past and their own, and how closely the two are connected. They must work fast to uncover the truth or risk finding out if history really does repeat itself.
You can purchase Second Verse at the
following Retailers:
And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you Jennifer for making this giveaway possible.
10 Winners will get a signed Bookmark (open internationally)
1 Winner will get: The Romance Pack
Stickers | Bookmark | Leather Love Journal | 2 Love Picture Frames | $10 iTunes Gift Card | French Kiss Lip Gloss | Love Ring | Touched by Corrine Jackson | Breathe by Abbi Glines | Guitar Notes by Mary Amato
1 Winner will get: The Mystery Pack
Stickers | Bookmark | Halloween Journal | Creepy Tree Candle | Skeleton Girl Trinket Box | $10 iTunes Gift Card | Glitter Nail Polish | Skeleton Key Necklace | Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma | Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
ADDITIONAL GIVEAWAY!
If SECOND VERSE can get 75 Review ON AMAZON by November 1st (one month after release) Jennifer will do a giveaway for a KINDLE just for those who reviewed it! Winner will be chosen from the reviews, so don’t forget to read it and put that review up! ON AMAZON!
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