Meet Aimee Carter!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

[Update: I completely forgot that this giveaway was supposed to be limited to US/Canadian residents, and since that was my mistake, I'm going to throw in a second copy of Aimee's debut, which I'll personally ship to one international winner. Of course, it won't be signed, unless you want me to sign her book. ;)]

It's been a while since I've had a guest on my blog, and I couldn't think of a better way to resurrect the idea than by inviting my fellow Harlequin Teen author Aimee Carter over for an interview. And Aimee has graciously agreed to give away a signed copy of her debut novel, The Goddess Test for one lucky commenter!





Rachel: Hi Aimee! Thanks so much for participating in my little interview! And for offering a prize!

Aimee: Hi Rachel! Thank you so much for having me!

Rachel: First of all, our mutual editor tells me your name is not pronounced like “Amy.” Could you please clear that up for me so I can stop making a fool of myself every time I mention you? ;)

Aimee: You’re not making a fool of yourself at all, don’t worry! Technically my name is pronounced “ah-MAY,” but so many people call me “Amy” that I don’t even think about it. So if you want to stick with “Amy,” that works for me!

Rachel: Thanks! Now on to the questions!

So, the Persephone myth! One of my favorites. Have you always been a fan of classical mythology? Do you have a favorite myth or deity?

Aimee: I’m a huge fan of classical mythology and have been since childhood. One of my favorite books when I was a kid was D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths, and I used to pore through it again and again. The myth of Hades and Persephone always fascinated me, not necessarily because of what happened to Persephone, but because I wondered how lonely Hades must have been to have to force someone to marry him and keep him company. As I learned more about Hades – that he wasn’t the evil god that pop culture depicts him as, and that he really did love Persephone – I began to look at that myth in a different way. Hence The Goddess Test, which is really more of a sequel to the myth than a retelling, since it’s about Hades finding a new Queen of the Underworld after Persephone leaves him. As for favorite deities, I’d have to say Athena – she has brains, beauty, courage, and an independent streak a mile wide. Can’t beat that!

Rachel: Goddess Interrupted, the first sequel, is scheduled for February 2012, right? Are you continuing with the same myth in the sequel, or will you be updating another? Any hints? Have you seen the cover yet?

Aimee: Yep, Goddess Interrupted is scheduled for February 2012! The sequel incorporates several other myths, though none are strictly a retelling. They’re more like callbacks to the original myths. It’s hard to give hints without revealing the whole plot, but I will say that there are several new characters, including a few mentioned but not seen in the first novel, and their corresponding myths play a role. I’ve seen the first version of the cover, and it’s utterly gorgeous.

Rachel: Did you always envision this as a trilogy? Did you plot all three books at once?

Aimee: I originally wrote The Goddess Test as a standalone novel, actually, though I was aware that it could be extended into more books if it came to that. It was only after I signed with my agent that I really sat down and did a loose outline of the next two stories.

Rachel: Now for some quick, fun either/or questions about your taste in fiction:

• Love triangle or one true love? – One true love! Though I can’t say no to a good love triangle.




• Brooding, strong and silent type, or quick-witted funny man? – Brooding, strong and silent type, but only by a hair.




• Paranormal, contemporary, historical, or some combination of the three? – I have an odd love for historical, but I will read anything that catches my attention regardless of genre.




• Super strength or telepathy? – Telepathy.




• The truth hurts, or the truth will set you free? – The truth will set you free while going at you with a meat tenderizer.
  

Rachel: And now let’s talk about writing/publishing:

The Goddess Test is your debut, right? What’s surprised you most about the publishing industry so far? –

Aimee: Definitely the amount of creative freedom I’ve been allowed so far. I don’t know if that’s a typical experience or not, but our mutual editor is so wonderful and so receptive to ideas, and the Harlequin Teen team is so respectful. Before all of this, I’d heard over and over again that once you sign with a publisher, you lose all control, but I’ve never once felt that way. And I’m extremely grateful for it.

Rachel: I have to agree, our editor is awesome, and I've experienced that same creative freedom! Is there any aspect of writing for publication that turned out to be exactly like you expected?

Aimee: I’d spent years hearing about how supportive writers are of one another, and I’ve made so many wonderful friends in the writing community so far. It’s really helped me feel like I’m a part of things, and while I’m a very little fish in a very big pond, it’s nice to be able to wave at the other fish and not feel like a fool.

Rachel: What’s your favorite part of the process? (plotting, rough draft, revisions, edits, etc…)

Aimee: It’s a tie between plotting and revising. I love the rush of first outlining an idea and seeing it turn into something tangible, and I absolutely adore revising and editing. For me, it’s a chance to correct the mistakes in earlier drafts and really make the story the best it can be, and I love the rush of pride that comes along with finishing those revisions. Of course, that’s completely shattered in the next round of edits, but it’s nice while it lasts. For me, the most difficult part about writing is the rough draft.

Rachel: Are you making any appearances for this first release? –

Aimee: I’ll be doing a signing in Lansing on June 2 with Leah Clifford, Lisa Desrochers, and Courtney Allison Moulton, and there is also at least one other appearance in the works around the beginning of August. I’ll be sure to post more on my site (http://www.aimeecarter.com/) when everything is confirmed.

Rachel: I hear you’ve sold a second trilogy to Harlequin Teen! Congratulations! Anything you can tell us about that? –

Aimee: Thank you so much! The first book is called Masked, and it’s a dystopian series set in a future America ruled by a rigid ranking system. It’s about an orphaned girl, Kitty, who is surgically altered to replace the Prime Minister’s assassinated niece. Unfortunately for Kitty, she must deal with the dead girl’s secret life, her fiancé, a growing rebellion and a kidnapped heir, along with the knowledge that the Prime Minister will kill to preserve his own secrets. It’s action-packed, and I’m extremely excited about it.

Rachel: Wow, that sounds awesome, and I love dystopian, so I'll probably be bugging our editor for an early copy. ;) Thanks so much for answering my questions!

Aimee: Thank you so much for having me, Rachel!

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Now, readers, if you're interested in a signed copy of The Goddess Test, leave Aimee a comment here telling her which is your favorite mythological (it doesn't have to be Greek)diety/myth/concept/human character, etc... Or, if you're unfamiliar with mythology, just tell Aimee how awesome her hair looks in her official author photo.

I'll draw a winner at random on Friday and will announce the winner's name here.

Please note: You MUST check back in on Friday to see if you've won and claim your prize.