44 Winner

Congrats to:

krysykat
Lisa Richards
(claimed =D)

You have until the end of Thursday, June 9th to email me back. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Q&A with Jools Sinclair & Giveaway

Please welcome author Jools Sinclair to P.S. I Love Books!








Jools Sinclair lives in Bend, Oregon. She is an avid reader, movie watcher, orange cat lover, Frye boot wearer and Komodo Dragon coffee drinker. She admits to having an intense passion for opera and loves faraway lands where espresso bars and pastry shops line the streets. Finally, she is absolutely crazy about her family, who in turn thinks she is absolutely crazy.

Welcome Jools! I appreciate you taking the time out to visit P.S. I Love Books while on your blog tour.

Hi Mishel and Friends! It’s my pleasure to be here and thank you so much for having me! You’ve got a fabulous blog and I was thrilled to be asked to join in the fun.

Can you tell us a little bit about your newest release 44?

44 is about 17-year-old Abby Craig who, after drowning in a lake, wakes up from death into a world she barely recognizes. She can’t see colors, memories have been erased, and her friends all hate her. And then there’s Jesse, who she loves, but who refuses to forgive her the one mistake she made long ago.

The book is about her journey of going through this transformation, having to adjust to the changes in her life with some paranormal events sprinkled in, of course! I think basically the story is about life and the changes we all face at one time or another. 

 What was one of your favorite and least favorite things about writing it?

One of my very favorite things about 44 was writing about Bend, Oregon. I used Bend as the setting, with a lot of its landmarks and popular locations. It was so much fun to do this! Bend is a small, fun city in Central Oregon with seven snow-capped mountains to the west and a flat desert to the east. The town has a lot of character and I loved being able to write about real events and the scenery. A river runs through it too, and it’s quite beautiful.

The least favorite thing about writing 44 wasgetting a solid first draft down. Writing is always about faith, especially in the beginning. Faith that there is a story worth telling.But once I’m able to get past those first 30,000 words or so, I get caught up and excited. And then, it really becomes fun, even though its hard work.

Which of the characters did you enjoy working with the most?

I loved writing about Abby, the main character. In the beginning, she is vulnerable, depressed and unsure because she has gone through this terrible, life-changing accident.And people are treating her strangely and she just can’t figure it out. But that’s because she doesn’t have all the pieces yet. It takes her a while to put everything together. She was a great character to write. She was very clear in my head and spoke easily.

If you had the chance to do it all over again would you change anything in 44?

I don’t think I would change anything. Maybe another revising, but nothing major. I’m pretty happy with it.I love Abby’s journey. It’s a classic mythological story, Abby being the herowho is on a journey that transforms her.

What do you think of the cover?

I absolutely love the cover! My artist showed it to me on one chilly morning and my heart started pounding hard! Seriously, I did have an emotional reaction, which I always think is a good sign.

When did you first realize that you wanted to write?

Age 5, Dragon Story, Sherman Oaks Elementary School!

If 44 was made into a movie who would be your ideal cast for the main characters?

I would definitely need some help on this one. Any suggestions from your fabulous blog readers?Abby is definitely a tomboy, low energy, slightly depressed. Kate, her sister, is a Type A personality, beautiful, andambitious. And Jesse, well, we would need someone very tall because he’s a basketball player!

 If you could write a book about absolutely anything with any other author (dead or alive) what would it be about and who would you choose?

Wow, Mishel, what a great question! Hands down, Ernest Hemingway.I’ve read every book and short story and The Old Man and the Sea is one of my all-time favorites.

I’m always looking for books to add to my ginormous TBR (to be read) pile. What books are you currently reading or have read recently? Any good recommendations?

OMG, I know what you mean about a ginormous TBR pile! My Kindle is stuffed with books just waiting to be read…. But, really, isn’t it the best?

I just finished Allison Karras’ Drowning in the Dark and loved it! It’s another paranormal book set in Oregon and it’s so well written and good. Also, JL Bryan’s Jenny Pox, Megg Jensen’s Anathema and Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant. I also love Stephen King,Aimee Bender and Richelle Mead.

What are some of your favorite things to do when given a break from the writing life and other work-related things?

Any and everything outdoors here in and around Bend! It’s the best of the best of the best for hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and skiing and I try to get out and do all that as much as possible. Also, reading and cooking. And traveling. I love to travel.

Are you currently working on any projects that we may see from you in the future?

Yes, indeed! 44 goes on! Book 2 will be out in the summer. It’s going to be a trilogy, with Book 3 coming out in autumn.

Thank you so much for stopping by Jools! Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

Thank you so much, Mishel! Your blog is absolutely fabulous and I’ve bookmarked it and will checking in regularly. I’m always so appreciative of you book bloggers!! Thank you so much for taking the time to read 44 and for having me as a guest.

I have a blog of my own, but it’s new and basic…let’s just say that it’s a work in progress, so I imagine it can only get better. I would love for you and your readers to stop by and say hello!

http://joolssinclair44.blogspot.com/

Thanks again and happy reading!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Want to win an ebook copy courtesy of the lovely Jools Sinclair?

Simply fill out this form to enter!

Giveaway ends June 6th!

Open Worldwide

**be sure to check out Jools' website for her final stop!**

Can't wait and want to purchase a copy of 44??

Click one of the links below!

Barnes & Noble

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Next Stop on Tour : Star Shadow Blog

Review: 44

44

Jools Sinclair

Series or Stand Alone: 44 planned trilogy, book one

Release Date: March 2011

Publisher: You Come Too Publishing

Pages: 67

Author Site: http://joolssinclair44.blogspot.com/

My Rating: 3.75/5

Source: Received for review from The Bookish Snob Promotions

Synopsis:

[from goodreads.com]

Last year after falling through the ice, seventeen-year-old Abby Craig woke up from death.

But she woke into a world she barely recognizes. She can’t see colors, memories have been erased, and her friends all hate her. And then there’s Jesse, who she loves, but who refuses to forgive her the one mistake she made long ago.

Just when she thinks it can’t get any worse, the visions begin. In them, she sees a faceless serial killer roaming the streets. While the police believe that there have been a lot of accidents in town lately, Abby knows differently. And she soon realizes that it’s up to her to find him.

But to stop him, she’ll have to confront more than just the killer. She’ll have to face something else that was lost in those dark waters. The truth.

In the tradition of Amanda Hocking, 44 is a thrilling paranormal romance mystery novel that keeps readers at the edge of their seats and glued to the very end. The ending will haunt you forever.

Review:

I was very taken aback at the detail 44 had since it barely came in at 67 pages. I worry with short novels and novellas because I feel like it’s never enough for me for some reason or another. But 44 was a lovely surprise! The characters were pretty much spot on. The story-telling was nicely paced and the plot was really entertaining. After Abby comes back to life after a drowning accident her entire world has changed. She’s lost the sight of color, a lot of her memories, and the friends she was once closest too. The only constants in her life are her best friend Jesse and her strong-willed sister Kate. She may be in love with Jesse but he’s crossed that bridge long ago and Abby failed to reciprocate his feelings. But despite the strained emotional tug Abby feels for Jesse he still remains to be the rock she leans on.

When terrible visions start to plague Abby she thinks everyone may be right about her: maybe she is just a freak. But then the visions turn out to be accurate and Abby knows there’s a deadly serial killer hunting the streets of her hometown and she may be the only one who can stop him…

It took a little bit of time for me to get to know and care about Abby. She’s extremely vulnerable and depressed in the beginning of the story. But it isn’t until she breaks from her shell and realizes how much courage she possesses that I really got a sense of who she was. I didn’t really understand why she was treated so horribly after she came back from her accident. I know people can be cruel for no reason but it still baffles me (both in reality and fiction) when people act cold and callous. Even after the ending I still didn’t really get why her friends (i.e. Amanda) starting acting so differently. There’s an obvious cause for Amanda’s dislike towards Abby but again, after the ending is revealed, I was still not okay with her behavior.

I was surprised at how much I liked Kate. I really loved how supportive she was for Abby. It was refreshing and I was happy Abby had someone like Kate in her life. Despite the fact that Kate can be impossibly stubborn she’s very smart. Jesse was great too although he was somewhat confusing with certain actions, but things pieced together like a frustrating puzzle at the end. It was very satisfying…well, not satisfying in the sense that the ending was what I wanted but I still liked how everything started making sense towards the end.

The serial killer part of the novel was interesting and a nice addition to the story. I can definitely see another book coming and Jools herself says she is planning on a trilogy for Abby. I’m excited to see what happens next for her. 44 is a very thrilling and enjoyable read surprised me in many ways. I definitely recommend it!

P.S. (cover talk)

I defnitely like the creepy feeling. The purple color...eh, not so much.