YADP Post: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help out debut authors, and to get them noticed.  My posts will definitely include a feature of the book, a feature of the author, and a giveaway, with an interview, guest post, or excerpt optional.  If you would like more information about YADP click here and scroll down until you come to the section talking about it.

Today I am featuring...


Lenore Appelhans
And she will be doing an interview and giveaway!

~The Book~

Level 2

by Lenore Appelhans

Series: The Memory Chronicles #1

Pages: 288

Format: Hardcover

Release Date: January 15, 2013

by Simon & Schuster

Goodreads / Purchase

Three levels. Two loves. One choice. Debut novelist, Lenore Appelhans has written a thrilling otherworldly young adult novel about a place that exists between our world (Level 1) and what comes after life (Level 2).

'I pause to look around the hive - all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories ... I've wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me. There has to be more to death than this.'

Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend ... and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her.

Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves.

~Author Interview~

1.    Why did you decide to become a writer?

 I’ve always been good at expressing myself on the page, so it seemed natural to want to pursue writing as a career. I studied journalism and foreign languages at university and then worked for many years as an advertising copywriter. 

Back in 2004, my husband and I started working on a picture book because his illustrations are so adorable. That first attempt will never see the light of day, but it was important because it set us on the path to publication, a path made easier by the fantastic organization SCBWI. I’m thrilled that one of our collaborations is finally being published next year: CHICK-O-SAURUS REX (S&S, July 2013).

As far as the novel, blogging was an essential component. It never occurred to me that publishing was an attainable dream until I met authors through my blog.

2.    Who were your biggest writing influences?

I’m an eclectic reader, but what I gravitate towards most are genre-bending, high-concept novels. I love an author who is brave enough to be experimental – authors like David Mitchell, AS King and Lauren Oliver.

3.    Which of your characters is most like you?

There are bits and pieces of me in many of the characters, I’m sure. Like Felicia, I grew up moving around a lot. Like Autumn, I tried to get my friends to write books and plays with me.  Like Neil, church youth group was a big part of my life in high school.

4.    Where is your favorite place to write?

Both my husband and I work from home and we share an office.  I wrote LEVEL 2 dutifully at my desk.  Even though I love to make playlists for my books (Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National is the theme song for LEVEL 2), I can’t listen to music while I’m writing – I always want to sing along.  My husband listened to Siddharta by Herman Hesse on audio book in German part of the time.  Fortunately, I am able to tune German out!

5.    Is there another book in the works?  If so, what can we expect?

Yes! There is a sequel to LEVEL 2, tentatively called LEVEL 3. LEVEL 2 doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but there is still much to discover about Felicia and the afterlife. In fact, LEVEL 3 puts into question everything you think you know after LEVEL 2. For example, in LEVEL 2, Neil was very much seen through Felicia’s lens of nostalgia, so in LEVEL 3, you get a more complete picture of him.

~Get to know Lenore Appelhans~

Bio:

Lenore Appelhans has been blogging about books at Presenting Lenore (PresentingLenore.blogspot.com) since 2008. She is the author of the Memory Chronicles, which includes Level 2 and the forthcoming Level 3. She lives with her illustrator husband Daniel Jennnwein, and their first picture book together, Chick-O-Saurus Rex, is being published in 2013 by Simon & Schuster. She splits her time between Frankfurt, Germany, and Benton, Kansas.

Connect:

Goodreads | Blog | Twitter

~Giveaway~

The Prizes:

One Level 2 tote bag!

The Rules:

~There will be one winner

~Giveaway ends on January 30 @ 12:00 A.M.
~This giveaway is INT


 

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