Author Interview: Judith Graves (UNDER MY SKIN)

March 27, 2010 Jason Judith Graves 2

Today on My Overstuffed Bookshelf, I would like to introduce you to author Judith Graves!! She is the author of the new and upcoming book Under My Skin. Judith was kind enough to stop by here for her blog tour and answer some questions for us! Here we go!

To start off can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

You betcha! I’m a Canadian author, co-president of the Class of 2k10 (www.classof2k10.com – a group of debut YA and MG authors) and lately my life has been all about promoting my soon-to-be-released YA paranormal, Under My Skin.

Can you tell us a little about your new or current releases?

Eryn McCain, the main character in Under My Skin, isn’t your typical emo kid. She’s troubled, sure, with a messed up home life. And, yeah, she used to cut herself. But not because she was depressed or wanted attention. Eryn discovered blood. Warm. Alive. For a while she gave into its pull. Cutting was a release for the beast waiting under her skin. But she has that under control. She’s reined in her wolven side. Or so she thinks. When her parents disappear and are likely dead, Eryn has to find new ways to cope with the increasing strength of her wolven half. She doesn’t have access to the drug her father had been feeding her since birth—the only thing that stifled her abilities. To top it off, all this has made her dangerously unpredictable—even to herself. Eryn is beginning the change—but thanks to her father’s chemical manipulations—she doesn’t know what she’s changing into. Not exactly the best time to strike up a friendship with a crew of teen hunters tracking her kind…no matter how hot their tall, dark, and dead-wrong-for-her leader, Alec Delacroix, might be.

For more about the book, see the Under My Skin book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s3kQ4nnSEk

When you’re not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors that are must reads?

I read a lot. I work as a library technician in an elementary school, so I’m always surrounded by books – picture books, middle grade fiction, non-fiction, and then I read YA and adult fiction as well. One of the coolest things about being in the Class of 2k10 is getting a sneak peek at the amazing debut novels our class has produced. We have this nifty program called “Readers of the Last ARC” where we pass an ARC copy of our book to the class (signing them along the way). I loved Kitty Keswick’s Freaksville. A snarky, fun werewolf tale. Kitty is the other co-president of the class and another Leap Books author – she’s also a writing buddy and great friend – I’m so glad we’re on this crazy ride together.

What are 3 things that are “must haves” for you when you sit down to write a new book?

1. A coil notebook – but it has to have the right attitude/artwork for the story or I won’t write in it.

2. A finepoint black pen.

3. Tunes. The louder, the better.

List your favorites:
Snack- Chocolate chip cookies
Drink- Chocolate milk
Perfume- Something chocolately
Candy- Chocolate
Color- Chocolate Brown

Favourite dog breed – Chocolate lab

Are you seeing a pattern here, or is it just me?

I am a fly on your wall today. What would I see in the day of Judith?

Today is a writing day. The wall would be shaking quite a bit as I would be banging my head into it. Not to worry, that’s how I come up with unusual plot twists.

Where can we purchase your books?

Under My Skin is currently available for pre-order on the Leap Books website (www.leapbks.com)