Bitten by Books
BBB: Describe yourself with five adjectives.
LM: Dramatic, fannish, nerdy, bossy, extroverted-introvert
AP: Pragmatic, funny, dirty, OMG, WTF
BBB: What real-life science, pseudo-science, history, religion, or mythologies did you research for your book?
LM: You name it, we had to research it. The city of Los Angeles itself, real estate, commuting times, supercars…
AP: Greek mythology, theology, explosives, guns, blood types. You name it, really. That’s not to say that everything in this book is 100% biblically/mythologically accurate, because I mostly just took all the bits I liked and stuck them together like a mutant gummi bear.
BBB: Would your main character win on the show Survivor by strength, cheating or not at all?
LM: I am laughing at the idea of Xaine on a celebrity season of Survivor. Given that he’s a vampire, he’s not only got superior strength on his side, but predator skills. Also, he would cheat.
AP: Lore would probably die. That or… skate by because she wears a mean bandanna bikini and shy smiles at everyone.
BBB: Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?
LM: Yup. Done the shirt inside-out thing AND driven all the way to the kids’ school before I realized I had slippers on.
AP: Yes. My shirt was on inside-out for an entire day and nobody at my job said a thing… despite the big, white tag stamped at the back of the collar. Jerks.
BBB: Please tell us more about Lost Angeles and the storyline that drives it. (Don’t use the book synopsis, please write this in your own words.)
LM: It starts on a personal level, with Lourdes trying to unravel her mysterious past and Xaine’s current dilemma of blond girls that keep turning up dead on his property. Their stories intersect, and then a much larger story arc slowly comes into focus.
AP: Much, much… so much larger. You start meeting everyone, start seeing all the characters little-by-little. We introduce them all to you, then throw them into the chaos of a world gone mad. This isn’t going to be the usual romance spin-off story, where we take a minor character and give them their own book, leaving your old favorites to molder. This is a character-driven story; you’ll see everyone again. Nobody’s moment is over when their book is done.
BBB: How many more books will there be in the Lost Angeles series?
LM: We’ve drafted the first three, and will probably keep going after that until Amanda flies out here to strangle me and bury me in a shallow grave.
AP: She severely underestimates my hole-diggin’ skills.
BBB: What sets the Lost Angeles series apart from other books in the same genre?
LM: It’s a new take on the vampire origin story, pretty sure. And it has a charmingly high level of pop-culture and snark.
AP: The humor. It definitely takes itself seriously, but not too seriously. There are parts where the book makes fun of itself, its genre, its characters. It’s a vampire book, and it knows it.
BBB: What types of characters / creatures can readers expect in your world?
LM: The roster to date includes humans, vampires, archangels, sin-eaters, and reapers. We hint at a few other things, but SPOILERS.
AP: Then there’s PFC, where the dudes are dudely and the testosterone is monstrous. Also, kittens.
BBB: What does your protagonist think about you? Would he or she want to hang out with you, the author, their creators.
LM: *eyes Xaine* Well, I’m not certain how he feels about nerdy writer girls, but he seems to like nerdy musical girls well enough.
AP: I suppose that Lore and I would just kinda sit awkwardly across from one another, shuffling our feet and looking around while we waited for anyone else to show up and save us. I think we’d both think the other was just fine, though, if a little awkward.
BBB: What are the 5 books your hero or heroine loves best!
LM: All Xaine’s favorite books are in Italian. I’m going to need a translator.
AP: Anything with music notes in, on, or around it.
BBB: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve Googled?
LM: How much of a specific explosive I would need to blow up a hospital. I am pretty sure I am on every watch list ever.
AP: I was looking up fetishes last week, because there was a discussion that came up about… certain fetishes… and their followings. I will not go into detail, but I’m pretty sure I am also on every watchlist ever.
BBB: What’s coming up for you for the rest of 2015?
LM: My picture book STRICTLY NO ELEPHANTS comes out in October, immediately followed by a young adult collaboration, SUGAR SKULL. Plus…
AP: The second LOST ANGELES book is due out in November. It’s titled LOOSE CANON, and will be followed at the top of 2016 with LOVERS NAUGHT.
Buy a print copy of Lost Angeles from Amazon by clicking here.
Buy a Kindle copy of Lost Angeles from Amazon by clicking here. – ONLY $3.99!
About Lisa Mantchev
Author Bio:
Lisa Mantchev is a temporally-displaced Capricorn who casts her spells from an ancient tree in the Pacific Northwest. When not scribbling, she is by turns an earth elemental, English professor, actress, artist, and domestic goddess. She shares her abode with her husband, two children, and three hairy miscreant dogs.
About A.L. Purol
Author Bio:
Amanda Purol resides in a tiny mouse house in Baltimore with a lion named Aslan, who disguises himself as a tuxedo cat. When not composing immortals smut, she enjoys rescuing plants from near death and actually baking the things she pins on Pinterest. LOST ANGELES is her first novel, though she has been writing since she was old enough to sound out swear words.
11 Quick Things About Lisa and A.P.
Favorite Food?
LM: BREAD
AP: Fro-yo.
Favorite Color?
LM: Green
AP: Purple
Favorite Movie or TV Show of all Time?
LM : How To Train Your Dragon
AP: Eurotrip (super classy)
Favorite Drink?
LM : Anything with coffee or vodka.
AP: Tea. Earl of the Grey.
Favorite Current Book?
LM : The Chicago Manual of Style
AP: Vamped by David Sosnowski
Favorite Season?
LM : Autumn
AP: Fall, but definitely not Autumn.
Favorite Online Hangout?
LM : Pinterest
AP: The KDP sales dashboard.
Favorite Animal?
LM : Red pandas
AP : Kittens.
Favorite Band or Musician?
LM : Ellie Goulding
AP : 30STM
Favorite Mode of Travel? (Trains, Planes or Automobiles)
LM: Planes
AP: Bed.
Favorite Vacation Destination?
LM : Disneyland
AP: Also bed.
Connect with Lisa
| Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Books by Lisa Mantchev |
Connect with A.L.
| Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Books by A.L. Purol |
CONTEST INFO: Open to readers worldwide.
Prize: $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
Be SURE to TWEET and FACEBOOK this link using the SHARING is CARING buttons below so your friends can enter too.
Which are some of your favourite books?
I like ‘em funny… so Terry Pratchett is a longtime favorite. Also Sharon Shinn, Tanith Lee, and L.M. Montgomery. I also read a lot of Young Adult (Flora Segunda was a standout for me.)
That’s a hard one, mostly because I’ve read so many. When I was younger, I remember rereading Lady of The Glen, Lady of the Forest, and Lady of Sherwood again and again and again. Jennifer Roberson is the author, and they’re both historicals. One’s a take on Robin Hood from Marian’s PoV. I loved them.
If you could change one thing about your novel, what would it be and why?
There’s a typo in there somewhere. Pretty sure.
We’ll get bacl to you on that one, though.
That was the one! THE one. I hope.
I would like to tour the Battleship USS Iowa
I would not let a vampire turn me
I think my guardian angel just is not there at all; off duty or something.
It’s probably Jax. He’s likely off somewhere in a diner, arguing about pancakes with Tamsyn. Don’t worry, he’ll check his watch in about fifteen minutes and realize he’s late for his appointment.
He’ll turn up eventually with balloons and a candy bouquet, pretty sure.
But probably not on the USS Iowa, alas.
LOL
Which do you prefer writing - the YA stories, adult, children’s books?
The writing is writing is writing. The picture books are the easiest to finish and the fastest to edit, but the hardest to start and get right. The YA/adult books are a longer commitment, but there’s more room to breathe, to take chances (and to make mistakes!)
Hi!
a) so if you are temporally displaced, where should you actually be and
b) the stuff that you make from pinterest… has it looked like the pictures on pinterest?
Lois
I’ve had pretty good success with my Pinterest stuff, yes.
Although that crockpot, overnight apple oatmeal… just don’t. Like, ever.
Some time period involving corsets and bustle skirts. Preferably heavily beaded and embroidered. #costuming
and your questions -
- The Space Shuttle Endeavour.
- um…. hmmm… want to say yes, but arguably know that’s probably a bad idea…
- gotta do something to keep from getting bored…
“Gotta do something to keep from getting bored.” Exaaaactly.
Hello! What writers have influenced you?
A lot of the favorites I mentioned above, especially Terry Pratchett. Also Christopher Moore (especially in my earlier days of writing spec fiction.) Diana Gabaldon gave really great advice back on the CompuServe forums about threading physical action through narrative scenes. Stephen King’s ON WRITING. And all the textbooks I have from college playwriting courses…
I’d like to say that I have a very high-brow literary background, but such is simply not the case. When I was in my early teens, the five-for-a-dollar used book rack at my local library was my main source of cheap entertainment. That said, those books were comprised mainly of smutty, smut smut… with the occasional educational gem.
Mostly I grew up on old bodice rippers from the 80′s, and high fantasy they couldn’t sell anywhere else.
Just a fan girl comment. I’m a HUGE fan of the Theatre Illuminata series so I cannot wait to read this!!
Hey there, Lorelei, and thank you for the fangirling! (It’s the ultimate writer-fuel, better than coffee!)
Full disclosure, the LOST ANGELES books are definitely in a different vein than the theater novels, but I LOVE writing them, so I hope you’ll enjoy reading them as well.
1. Trolley system
2. Hell. Yes
3. Hell.yes
My heaven you two are funny. So which one of you is the one who finally cracks the whip ;)?
1. I think I may be the only person who has NEVER wanted to go to CA, so I have no idea what to see in LA.
2. No, I would not want to be turned. I’d miss my loved ones.
3. No, my guardian angel is always on top of things, never under the influence. If he/she were, would have been dead more times than I can count.
We’re fairly well-balanced. When I start dinking off and procrastinating, Lisa’s the one who pulls me back.
When she starts having random freak-outs about stuff… I’m the one to fish-slap her off the edge.
I think there’s an even amount of whip-cracking and rolling around on the floor, making whale noises at each other. I tend to write short, Amanda tends to write long. I do a lot of the line-level editorial clean-up and Amanda is aces at the long-term plotting. We work together really well, and when we get snippy with each other, it’s usually synced PMS.
The PMS… THE RED HORROR.
Otherwise known as “I cant even deal with your face right now, I am going to go eat all the cheese.”
And bread.
And bread with cheese.
How many books that you own have you not read? Does thinking about that number give you crippling anxiety, like it does for me?
My TBR pile is going to topple over and kill me, one of these days. And I feel guilty about it, yup. But some days the only words I can get to are my own. MORE HOURS IN THE DAY, PLEASE.
I usually don’t buy a book unless I fully intend to read it. I’ve gone full digital, and the only paper books I have left are my old old old favorites.
Kindle makes it easy to cherry pick, and to download what I want when I want it. I’m also an anal-retentive clutter-phobe, so if I’m not using it, I don’t keep it.
TL:DR… not many, and no it doesn’t. \o/
Congrats on the publication of Lost Angeles! Why did you decide on Los Angeles for the setting of your book? Have you visited LA or any other place in California? If so, what is your favorite CA vacation destination?
I lived in Southern California for ten years (graduated from UC Irvine, then my husband went through USC Dental.) I taught English in both Monrovia and Los Feliz, and my in-laws live in Sherman Oaks. We visit every year to take the kids to Disneyland… There’s something about LA that just yells “IMMORTALS LIVE HERE.” Like the hellmouth in Buffy.
Author questions
I would love to take the VIP tour of Universal Studios.
If a sexy vampire could make me young and beautiful, I would let him turn me. Plus it would give me more time to catch up on my reading!
My guardian angel never drinks and is always in control.
Love it. “I am going to spend eternity reading ALL THE BOOKS.” <3
So….. if you could meet any ONE person - historical or fictional character - who would it be?
a) I’d love to go driving up into the Hollywood Hills, to see some of those McMansions
b) mmmmmm…would totally depend on the vamp rules. I like sunlight.
c) My guardian angel has been working overtime and shaking her head/wringing her hands for AGES. I think she deserves to be under the influence at this point!
I would like to meet Terry Pratchett AGAIN (I met him once, at ConJose) and tell him thank you for teaching me it was ok to go for the laugh. <3
And we did the McMansion drive the last time we were in LA, up on Mulholland!
Death. Every Death from Gaiman’s to Kripke’s… and all the Deaths in between.
Oh, YES.
Have you ever not finished a book and put it up because you didn’t want the author to kill off a character?
No, there have been a few books that I just didn’t finish… for whatever reason: pacing, characterizations… I hated it with a fiery passion…
… but I’m one of those people who actually applauds an author for killing off characters. It’s hard to let them go, but I’m okay with having my guts ripped out and strewn across the floor, really.
I…. still haven’t read Deathly Hallows.
Would you please share 3 unique things about yourself — thanks
I am a snowflake, just like everyone else. :p
1) I live in the guts of Baltimore City in a 100 year old townhouse, approximately five blocks from the house where my great-great-great grandfather lived when the family first immigrated to this country a couple centuries back. My mother could point you to the exact house, and will… every. single. time.
2) I’ve recently launched a cartoon hijinks-type rescue mission to save a tiny, three-legged kitten from the concrete cell block that is my next door neighbor’s backyard. In this, I feel much like a very large coyote… chasing a miniscule three-legged roadrunner. No success yet.
3) My cat is eating my ice cream right out from under me… right now.
1) I can hold a grudge FOREEEEEEVER.
2) Coffee grinds skeeve me out like whoa.
3) I have two kids, three dogs, two cats, two rats, a mini lionhead bunny, and a thankful of fish.
A thankful of fish. They eat that on thanksgiving instead of Thurkey.
-runs off before Lisa can hit me-
I WAS DOING THE BEST I COULD.
1. go window shopping on Rodeo Drive
2. no
3. LOL — no, I got a good one
Hey! Jax would consider himself a VERY good, not-quite-sober, mostly… well, no… nevermind. He sucks at angel-ing, pretty much.
He sucks, but endearingly.
I AM TYPING ON MY PHONE FROM PLAY PRACTICE.
I LOVE YOU ANYWAY.
Get in the car, loser, we’re going blogging.
How did you come up with the idea to work together?
It happened completely by chance. We were in an Internet chat room, a gathering place for like-minded dorklings, if you will… a place where nerds from all walks could come together and… -GASP-… Role play.
But not the sexy kind. Well, okay, it was mostly the sexy kind, but ANYWAY… Lisa and I met there, started a role play game about vampires, then thought… “We should do this thing.”
The rest is, as they say… History.
… I also lured her on with a sexy picture of Jared Lego.
*kills my autocorrect* LETO. JARED LETO.
JARED LEGO.
-GUFFAW-
You obviously talk about Legos WAY too much. <3
hi Lisa,
If you could visit Los Angeles for a day, what would you want to sight see? I did get to go for a few days but the day we went to the ocean it was cold, so Id like to go back when its warmer to feel the water and the TMZ tour
Given the chance, would you let a vampire turn you? nope, dont want to live forever
Do you ever get the feeling that your guardian angel drinks? no, lol
where is the place that you want to see the most?
Anytime from May to October, the water should be warmer!
Who is your favorite Muppet and why?
Oscar the Grouch. Really, he was the first person to embrace the Tiny House movement.
The bunny that Scrooge punted into the snowdrift in A Muppet Christmas Carol.
Hello and Congratulations! You two are a riot! @ Amanda~I’ve adopted many plants over the years, too. They just look too forlorn to leave on the clearance shelves! My question is for both of you, one of you or neither if you don’t wanna… Who’s your favorite book character?
My answers:
1. The Getty Center~looks awesome!
2. Nah, I don’t think I’d look good with that pallor…
3. I think my guardian angel is a teetotaler and alert at all times!
I am a rescuer of all things. I would have a house full of plants and kittens if I weren’t such an utter minimalist. Lisa makes fun of me for taking in little Charlie Brown Christmas Tree EVERYTHINGS, but tiny, sad pathetic things hit me in the squishies. I cannot leave them behind.
As for favorite book characters, hmm… I really enjoy Min and Cal in Jennifer Crusie’s book Bet Me. I don’t read a whole lot of contemporary romance/chick lit/whatever you want to call it, but those two have the snark and tension down. I also love Minerva and Colin in Tess Dare’s A Week to be Wicked… same reasons.
I love a book that makes me laugh.
Thank you, Amanda!
I’ve been trying really hard to curb my adoption of sad plants! I just don’t have room~too many adoptees! It’s okay in the summer when I can put them on the porches but then they must come inside…
I love books that make me laugh, too!
Favorite someone else’s book character? Probably Granny Weatherwax from Pratchett’s Discworld series. Or Death. Or Death of Rats.
Thank you, Lisa but it could be one of your characters, too! How can you not love a character with the name, Granny Weatherwax?
I’d like to see the museums and record stores!
I wouldn’t want to under most circumstances, but if I really loved him…
I’m still here, so I won’t piss him/her off by answering!
I have yet to meet a man that I’d want to spend ETERNITY with. I feel like, after a while, you’d just reach this point of…
“Why don’t we take a break.”
“Hundred years sound good to you?”
“Better make it two…”
Is there a genre that you’d like to try writing in, but haven’t yet for whatever reason?
I would love to try my hand at YA sci-fi/cyberpunk and/or YA horror/paranormal. That might happen someday, but right now (and I know this is one of those #tenthingsnottosaytoawriter) I just don’t have the time. The LA books could go on for a while yet, which I have NO problem with, but that, combined with a 70~hr a week job… just doesn’t allow for much else besides working, writing, editing, eating, and sleeping.
Someday, but I’m content to do Adult ParaRom for now.
I am working in all age ranges right now, except for Middle Grade. That might be the next thing to tackle…
Amanda-I’m thinking of doing an overnight trip to Baltimore soon-where should I go? Well, besides the aquarium.
Yay! Baltimore is a lovely town, despite what the news will tell you.
The aquarium is nice, but generally rather expensive. It’s definitely something you SHOULD DO once in your life… especially if you have an interest in fish. Their open-air fish tank is AMAZING.
BUT, my recommendation to you would be to go to the Harborplace- which is the main tourist area right downtown- and buy an all-day water taxi pass. From there you can reach Fell’s Point (the hipster/foodie district), Canton/O’Donnell Square (the DRINKY district!), and Fort McHenry (the historic district), and it’ll drop you right back downtown when you’re done.
If you can, do the Sea Dog cruise (http://www.seadogcruises.com/baltimore?src=google&ad=brand&gclid=Cj0KEQjw8-GtBRCMl7m54PzgjNQBEiQAIZckv7pbqs9e0l1bQZevPENKxcmRL3u5KkZbAwWwq0lL3W8aAu768P8HAQ) during the day, and the drunken booze cruise at night (http://www.urbanpirates.com/). Both of those often have Groupons!
Other than that, just walk around the harborplace, or hit up the AVAM (http://www.avam.org/), which is ALWAYS interesting, and on the ‘cool’ Federal Hill side of the harbor past the Science Center.
Have fun!
How do you decide if a book is going to be a stand alone or part of a series?
I can’t speak for Lisa on this one, but I’m sure she’ll answer for herself once she’s officially back on the PC at home.
As for the Lost Angeles series… it pretty much wrote itself. She and I started with Xaine and Lore and then suddenly there was an idea, then another, then another, and before we realized it, we had plans for three books, two novellas, and a chicken-scratch idea for books 4-??. It just depends on the characters, I guess, and whether they feel like carrying you through one book or ten.
The decision to series usually happens at the wrap of the first book. Most stand-alones COULD have a sequel. And some books will develop a larger plot arc that will require more books to complete.
What do you like to do for hobbies?
Well, before adulthood ATE MY SOUL… I liked to read and draw and bake and garden.
Homebody, you know.
When not writing (or parenting the two kidlets) I like to bake, craft, do community theater. I’m stage managing a show right now, actually, which is what kept me off the computer for a chunk of this afternoon!
what’s your favorite cocktail?
Chris Hemsworth.
I mean, uh…
There’s a local place that makes a seasonal hot apple cider thing filled with BUTTER and LIQUOR. I have no idea what they were calling it last year, but it was pretty delicious. #AnnabelleLee
(laughing like crazy at the “Chris Hemsworth” thing) I like vodka drinks and amaretto sours.
Are there any other genres you would have an interest in writing?
I’ve done magical realism, fantasy, steampunk, near future science fiction, and now the paranormal romance/urban fiction thing. I’m pretty much down with anything that has scope for the imagination and great costuming!
From any of your books, what has been one of your favorite scenes, or types of scenes, to write?
I love the bantery scenes in LA; the ones where the characters are trading snappy dialogue and humor. But I’m also the longest long-conner ever. I enjoy dropping the teensiest clues and Easter eggs into the books, things that people probably won’t notice in a first read.
Makes me uber proud when someone catches those things, by the way…
But my favorite thing, is laying out the track for things that’ll happen a few books down. Trust me when I say that every strange character quirk has a purpose.
I like the humorous scene, and the schmoopy-feels ones (although the later is more on the reread.)
And one of these days, we’ll release a set of screenshots from when Amanda pulled of one of those aforementioned long cons on me. There was a lot of incoherent blargling going on!
If you could only give ONE piece of advice to newbie authors and writers, what advice do you think is the most important one to give?
That… didn’t thread for some reason. SEE ANSWER BELOW!
Treat it like a job, because that’s what it’s going to become as soon as you have that contract in your hand anyway. Which means logging the hours, learning the craft (how to draft, revise, edit, proofread,) along with behaving professionally online and in person at conferences.
If you could visit Los Angeles for a day, what would you want to sight see?
— I have no idea or clue, honestly. Los Angeles is not on my list of cities to visit, have real desire too. Plus, if it is anything like Chicago, it is too fast pace for me.
Given the chance, would you let a vampire turn you?
— Nope. For starters, I would NOT want an extended life. My life is already riddled with bad luck. Why would I want to go through all that longer? Another reason, I cannot give up my Dr. Pepper, cheesecake, and other foods. A Blood diet is just unappealing…
Do you ever get the feeling that your guardian angel drinks?
— Sometimes I feel my guardian angel is either on hiatus or nonexistent, which is alright. As long as my sons’ guardian angels keep with them I am fine.
Heck yes to the giving-up-food thing. (And I too am a Dr. Pepper addict! AND cheesecake!)
Woohoo! Another addict to Dr. Pepper and Cheesecake!!
What type of creature (one you haven’t already written about) would you most like to write.
I actually have an answer to that, but it’s a major spoiler, and Amanda would smother me with a pillow.
Yes, because it’s the longest long-con of all.
Ma-ha-hahahahahaha!
-hack, cough- ahem.
Yes, pillows.
What things inspired you to write books ?
It started out as an online RPG, and probably the most inspiring thing was the pictures we were using as avatars. All the guys in the game were someone famous (so when Hollywood comes knocking, WE HAVE YOUR DREAMCASTING READY.) Amanda would spend houuuuuuurs tweaking hers in Photoshop. A lot of them are on the Lost Angeles Pinterest board. And because the novels are so character-driven, the pictures were pretty much the only inspiration we needed at the time!
(We both miss having the pictures up when we’re writing, too.)
1) I’d want to see everything… I love going to new places and I’ve never been to L.A.
2) absolutely
3) all the time…
Hooray, another vampire for our collection!
Name your top 3 favorite things (other than writing) to do and why
1) Baking, although my husband is both better at it and more fearless about tackling new recipes!
2) Crafting… anything I can make with a glue gun (I once made an entire Ren Faire costume!)
3) Community theater. I just got back into it, via the kids, and realized how much I missed going to rehearsals and seeing a show take shape.
Photoshopping. I love it. Could spend hours futzing.
Gardening. I live in the city, so I have to container garden, but it’s still fun.
Sleeeeeeping. I could sleep anywhere, anytime.
What is your favorite color?
Nevermind, that question has already been answered above.
I can answer it MORE, though… because when I comes to clothes, I will go for black and grey every time. (Like Lego Batman!) For the house, I’ve painted interior walls in creams, dark red, varying browns and greens, and a blue-gray. But when I think of colors in the abstract, I go for green. Probably because I’m surrounded by A LOT of trees.
who is your favorite author?
PRAAAAAAATCHETT.
What one food will you never eat, or eat again?
Fois gras. BLEEEEEEEEEEECH.
So many great questions have already been asked so I’ll stick with one I am also curious on because I personally am addicted to both. Print or E-reader?
I do both. Love the Kindle for long trips, so I can pack as many books as I want, but I only do print when I read in the bathtub.
If you could visit Los Angeles for a day, what would you want to sight see?
My husband did there a mural long ago so I really want to see it
Given the chance, would you let a vampire turn you?
nope, I can’t stand blood
Do you ever get the feeling that your guardian angel drinks?
no, lol
How awesome that he painted a mural there.
for both of you
If you could go anywhere in the World on a Vacation where would you go?
I would love to go back to Paris (I spent a month there on exchange as a teenager.) A Mediterranean cruise. Japan, if I could conquer my language barrier fear.
Costa Rica, Morocco, Australia.
1. I have no idea what to do in LA.
2. Only if all of my family has already passed on or if they were turned with me.
3. Absolutely!
Lots of stuff to do in LA. (I head straight to Disneyland, myself. I was an Orange County girl first!)
I just realized that I hit the Show the love entry instead of the Buy anything from Amazon entry above. hope I didn’t mess you up!
I think it should be all right? *not a moderator, though!*
Have your job experiences ever found a way into your books? What was the worst job you ever had?
None of my characters have had any of the jobs I’ve had in real life (which include working retail at a country-western store, serving breakfast at a fancy resort/spa, being a “would you like to take a survey?” girl, distributing samples at Costco, and then, after college, teaching English and theater. The worst job was probably the survey job. I am cut out to be pushy, but not THAT pushy.
Nope.
I think the LA jobs are fantasy world stuff… where being a restaurant manager doesn’t exist.
1) Being from Europe, I don’t know about LA very much. If there are places related to movies, then I’d like to visit those.
2) No, I’ll pass. I’d like to live long, but not forever.
3) He probably does:) He’s got a boring job:)
LOTS of places related to movie-making in LA, yup.
wheres your favorite place to write?
There’s a place in town called “Toast” that mostly serves organic coffee/tea and local breads and cheese. It has a water view and is connected to a massage parlor. If I’m there, it means the kids are not.
Is there a scene in this book that you considered scrapping, but are now glad that you kept?
More the opposite… we scrapped huge swathes of it and think the book is better for the revision. Maybe Amanda will remember something that worked the opposite direction, though…
Ummmm… No, I don’t think so.
Although the most scrapping probably won’t happen until B3, and I know at least a few scenes that I’ll have to wrest from Lisa’s fingers as she ugly cries and tries to hold on.
You girl’s are a hoot!
Would you like to see Lost Angeles made into a movie or tv show? If so, who would be your dream casting to play Lourdes and Xaine?
I WOULD LOVE for it to be turned into a movie or a series… preferably by HBO or Showtime. Dreamcasting Xaine is easy… he’s Jared Leto. Amanda’s most recent pick for Lore is Natalie Dormer.
(If you want more dreamcasting pics, you can check out the LOST ANGELES Pinterest board! https://www.pinterest.com/lisamantchev/lost-angeles/ )
Good choices!
To answer your questions:
1). I’ve never been to LA unfortunately. So much to fit in one day! I’d start with Disneyland, shopping (or more accurately browsing) on rodeo drive and visiting the Hollywood sign.
2). Definitely not! I do not want to live forever, that would be awful. And drinking blood is just yuck!
3). Ha ha, no! But they have a warped sense of humour!
*high fives for a fellow Disney fan!*
Do you have any writing or reading rituals?
I try to get the kids set up with projects before sitting down at the computer. Once I’m here, I need coffee AND water nearby. No music playing (usually) because it’s a distraction, but sometimes I play a relevant song to get me in the right frame of mind for a character.
As for reading, it’s usually in bed or on the couch (again with coffee) although I DEARLY love reading in bubble baths. <3
1. If you could visit Los Angeles for a day, what would you want to sight see?
I would prolly want to go shopping and maybe Disneyland
2. Given the chance, would you let a vampire turn you?
Right now yes since I think I look the best right now lol and I’ve heard that once your turned you stay that weight and age forever so yeah I would totally be ok with it
3. Do you ever get the feeling that your guardian angel drinks?
Haha Oh they must with me lol hopefully not too much that they can’t fly though lol
Hooray for Disney. (gathers everyone up to go to the park) And another vampire for our collection!
I’ve already had enough of the heat and humidity this summer and am looking forward to autumn - but not winter. I guess I’d have to say my favorite season is a toss-up between spring and autumn. What season do you like the best - and why?
I ~adore~ the fall. I am a huge fan of back-to-school supplies and Halloween… right after I got out of college, I started teaching English, so September always feels like the start of a brand new year, to heck with what the calendar says.
If you could have three folks to dinner living, dead, real, or imaginary who would they be and why?
Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynn Jones, and Hayao Miyazaki, all for creative brainstorming reasons…
Answers
1. not sure what I’d do in LA but by the time I got there I’d have it planned down to the last detail because if I only had one day I’d make the most of it.
2. yep I probably would
3. daily and lots
“Daily and Lots” sounds like an album name. I like it!
Is there any music that helped inspire you when you were writing?
There is, actually. A lot of 30 Seconds To Mars. Ellie Goulding. Florence + The Machine. My Spotify Playlist is here: https://open.spotify.com/user/1262076534/playlist/5CJtZCzchQGrp5qOer9r0q and Amanda’s is here: https://open.spotify.com/user/1273466392/playlist/1W8nsAJTiwJFQoxshin8YR