Blog Tour: Interview with author of Embrace, Jessica Shirvington.

Hi GCReaders!

We recently got the chance to ask author Jessica Shirvington some questions about her upcoming book, Embrace. Hope you like our interview! :-)

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1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your book.

First, I'm a mother of two beautiful girls. My husband, Matt, and I live in Sydney, Australia. I have a background in hospitality, first in managing restaurants and later I founded and ran a coffee import & distribution company in London for six years, before selling it to move back to Australia.

After the birth of our second daughter, Winter, I was reading a lot and particularly enjoying YA. I'd always had a love of great storytelling and dabbled in little bit of writing and poetry but had never considered actually writing a book until one day, instead of picking up a new book, I started to write the story I wished I could read. That was the beginning of EMBRACE.

EMBRACE is the first book in the EMBRACE SERIES. It is the story of 17-year-old, Violet Eden, who discovers she is part of an ancient war between exiled angels on earth and the Grigori - human-angel warriors that defend humanities right to existence and free will. The hardest thing is, the person that delivers this life-changing revelation is Lincoln, the one person she thought she could trust above any other. Now she has to acknowledge that he has been lying to her since they first met two years ago and it breaks her heart.

Meanwhile, Phoenix enters her life. She knows from the outset what he is - an exiled angel - he is supposed to be her enemy and yet, when there is seemingly no one else there for her ... he is.

Violet must make her choice - embrace her destiny or not. The only problem is, every time she thinks she has made up her mind something happens to change it.

2. How long was the journey from the idea to the actual published book?

From starting to write EMBRACE to publication date - it worked out to be one year in total. I was extremely lucky to find the right agent and publisher at the right time and the entire process moved ahead very quickly for me, first in Australia, and now in Germany, the UK and US. It has been a whirlwind!

3. Which character was the hardest to write and bring to life on paper?

I found it difficult sometimes to do justice to Lincoln's character. He is so gorgeous, but his appeal is in all the tiny little things (as well as the more physically beautiful things!). The charm of his character, and his feelings for Violet, is not easily shown. It's in his actions, in his consideration, in his ability to stay away at times that really make his character, and that makes him more difficult to write than other characters who are more obvious or outspoken.

4. What one song would you say embodies each of your main characters?

One song for all the characters is hard! One band would definitely be: Florence And The Machine. For song, I'd have to go with: Hardest of Hearts (again by Florence and The Machine). Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkzORb7JolI

5. If Embrace were to be on the big screen, who would you cast as Violet, Lincoln and Phoenix?

I really like the idea of Violet being played by an unknown actress. Someone who would make the role their own rather than already being well known as another character. As for Lincoln and Phoenix, I'm not sure. I have very clear images of the boys in my head and I'm not sure if anyone really fits the bill! Some people have suggested Chace Crawford as a potential Lincoln - can't say that idea repulses me! Others suggest Ian Somerhalder as a good Phoenix.

6. What are you working on now, and can we have a sneak peek?

It has definitely been an eventful schedule for me. I'm working on Book 4 in the series, ENDLESS, right now. And I'm also working on the American edit of ENTICED, which Sourcebooks will be releasing in September 2012. I'm also hoping to get around to writing a short story to complement ENTICED in the near future.

I would love to give you a sneak peek, but I would hate to ruin the reading experience of EMBRACE first. ;)

Links: Website † Facebook † Twitter † GoodReads

About Embrace:

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

Thank you Jessica for taking the time to do this interview with us. By the way, I would love to see Ian Somerhalder as Phoenix. ;-)