Young Adult Debut Promotions: Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes

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...

Shaunta Grimes
And she will be doing an interview and giveaway!

Viral Nation

by Shaunta Grimes

Pages: 320
Release Date: July 2, 2013

Goodreads / Purchase

Brilliant but autistic, sixteen-year-old Clover Donovan has always dreamed of studying at the Waverly-Stead Academy. Her brother and caretaker, West, has done everything in his power to make her dream a reality. But Clover’s refusal to part with her beloved service dog denies her entry into the school. Instead, she is drafted into the Time Mariners, a team of Company operatives who travel through time to gather news about the future.
When one of Clover’s missions reveals that West’s life is in danger, the Donovans are shattered. To change West’s fate, they’ll have to take on the mysterious Company. But as its secrets are revealed, they realize that the Company’s rule may not be as benevolent as it seems. In saving her brother, Clover will face a more powerful force than she ever imagined… and will team up with a band of fellow misfits and outsiders to incite a revolution that will change their destinies forever.

Author Interview:

1. Why did you decide to become a writer?

Some people connect songs or places with the major moments of their lives. For me, it's stories. They're my mojo. I've always known I wanted to write them. In November 2004, when I was eight months pregnant with my daughter Ruby and losing my mind with the waiting and waiting for her to get here, I decided to distract myself with NANOWRIMO. Something happened when I got to 'the end' that first time. I knew I could do it. Knowing I could do it changed everything.

2. Who were your biggest influences?

My biggest literary influences are authors who write the books that stick with me and change me somehow. Octavia Butler, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, David Brin, Nancy Farmer, Truman Capote, Margaret Atwood – I could go on forever.

3. Where do you like to write?

I like to write where I have some distance from the fray, but where I'm not totally removed from it. I grew up with eight siblings, and then was a single mom through my twenties—I have a seriously high tolerance for chaos. After living in a teeny tiny apartment with no office space, or even corner-of-the-living-room space, for a while, I got used to writing in bed. Now I'm a little bit addicted to that.

4. Do you have a special routine you like to do before you write?

I open a Diet Pepsi, check my email and whatever websites are obsessing me at the moment, and then I just get down to business. I tend to write in little bursts – a page or two, and then a break, and so on.

5. When and how did you get the idea for Viral Nation?

Viral Nation was a culmination of several different ideas that kind of collided. About a year before I wrote the first draft, I woke up with the words “Time Mariner” ringing in my head. I think I actually said them out loud, and for some reason they seemed super important, so I wrote them down before I went back to sleep. I knew I wanted to write about the relationship between siblings when one has autism. I was also really inspired by Lake Tahoe, which is a prehistoric natural lake.

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

Yes! Berkley Trade bought two books, so a sequel is in the works. You can expect more Jude and Clover, for sure. Their relationship is so fun to write. Things are breaking apart in the cities, and that's going to become more obvious in the second book.

THIS OR THAT

1. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

Milk chocolate—smooth and creamy!

2. Cats or dogs?

Cats are my first love.

3. Hardcover, paperback or ebook?

Paperback—cheap and old school.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

1. Movie?

The Postman (I know, I know, I'm a fan club of one.)

2. Ice cream flavor?

Cherry Garcia.

3. Animal?

Gorillas, ever since I read Daniel Quinn's Ishmael.

4. Book?

Does a novella count? Truman Capote's “Breakfast at Tiffany's”

5. Actor and actress?

Katharine Hepburn—she will always be my Jo.

6. Fictional character?

Jo March is my spirit animal.

Giveaway:

THE RULES:

~There will be 1 winner

~Giveaway ends on July 9, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is US/CAN


THE PRIZE:
A finished copy to one lucky winner!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get to know Shauna Grimes:

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH SHAUNTA FOR STOPPING BY!