Sunday, July 11, 2010

Interview with Cyn Balog!

There's another fantastic book birthday going on this Tuesday, and that is Cyn Balog's Sleepless!! This was a wonderful, sweet story that I'm sure everyone is going to love! You can see my full review here. Thanks, Cyn, for stopping by to answer a few questions!! :)


Describe Sleepless in your own words?
SLEEPLESS is about a Sandman who falls in love with a mortal girl whose sleep he controls. Actually, my agent came up with that. I tried to come up with a blurb and it was long and winding and made no sense, so I just go with what he says.

Can you tell alittle about how you got interested in writing?
When I was five I started writing "books" as soon as I learned to read and write. It just came really naturally to me. So I've always been interested.

Tell us about your ideal writing space.
My ideal space would be in a cottage with a big picture window overlooking the ocean, with sea breezes wafting in, the sound of waves crashing, and a glass of icy lemonade nearby. Do I have anything close to it? Right now I am writing on the dining room table and the sun is right in my eyes, and someone upstairs is screaming, so no!

What was your inspiration for Sleepless and the characters in it.
When the idea of writing about a sandman first presented itself, I jumped on it because it sounded like something that hadn't been attempted much. One of the characters, Eron, is based on my grandfather. There others I just threw a bunch of characteristics together...

How would you describe your writing style?
My main focus is really trying to get an authentic voice down. In first-person, it's really important, and I don't want to be the same character in every book I write. In FAIRY TALE, the main character was a little obnoxious and self-obsessed, because she is a psychic, and I thought that in my high school, any person who was a psychic wouldn't be ostracized... she'd be the most popular girl in school because everyone would want to know his or her fortune! In SLEEPLESS, Julia is scarred by a past incident and so she feels very unsure of herself. I think the main character in STARSTRUCK, though, the book I just finished, is most like me. Always finding a way to crack a self-deprecating joke.

Who are your favorite authors? What are you reading right now?
I love the Hunger Games trilogy more than anything. I also never read Harry Potter when the rest of the world did (I am generally 10 years behind all the trends), and so I'm doing it now and loving it. I have a lot of favorite authors... Agatha Christie, Stephen King... generally I love really dark stuff, especially dystopian, which is nothing like what I write.

What kind of books did you love to read as a child/teenager?
I read everything I could get my hands on. The children's section of my library had maybe 10 books in it, so I read a lot of adult stuff.

Which of the characters that you've written is your favorite?
Eron is so adorable and clueless. He gets transplanted on earth after 100 years so he's chivalrous and unsure of today's world, and writing scenes where he dealt with that was so fun.

Did you have any trouble sleeping while writing Sleepless? :)
Well, yes, considering the first draft was terrible. It was really terrible because I was having horrible morning sickness while writing it and all I could think of was doom and despair. And consequently the draft was the most hopeless, depressing piece of garbage you could imagine! So I decided to rewrite it, which I did in 3 weeks. All that rewriting, combined with being in my last trimester and huge as a house... massive case of insomnia.

Fun questions:

Favorite snack while writing?
Twix bars. Mmmmm. But I have been known to eat an entire box in one sitting so I don't keep them around.

Favorite movie?
It's a toss-up between The Goonies and Swing Time with Fred Astaire. I know, they're sooo alike.

Favorite flower?
Gardenias

Favorite band and song?
I really don't listen to much music these days! I prefer complete silence!

Favorite teacher from your school years?
Mrs. K. She taught my composition class Senior year. She read one of my books and gave me an A+++++++ on it.

Like cupcakes? More frosting or more cake?
Oh yes, bring on the frosting! The more the better!


Check out more about Cyn and her books on her website: http://cynbalog.com/
and her blog: http://cyn2write.livejournal.com/

Grab a copy of Sleepless this Tuesday, July 13th!

Be sure to check in here tomorrow for a chance to win Sleepless, along with three other fantastic books that come out this week!

36 comments :

  1. I love twix bars and candy! Looks like we both have a sweet tooth. :)

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  2. First of all, I've to say - She.Is.So.Beautiful!

    While I never really read the other books by her, Sleepless totally caught my interest because it features "Sandman", something I truly haven't read before. Perhaps it is about time I give her book a try!

    thanks Becky for this interview =)

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  3. It's strange to find someone today that haven't read Harry P. :)
    thanks for the interview :))

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  4. I've been intrigued by SLEEPLESS since I first read the descriptions, so it was fun to learn a bit about the inpirations behind the story!

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  5. I LOVED her ideal writing space. Sounds so peaceful. I'd love it too :) I really want to read this book! Great interview.

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  6. Her ideal writing space sounds so surreal and peaceful. Lots of books are coming out on July 13, I've noticed. Thanks for the interview because the Sandman idea for Sleepless sounds interesting.

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  7. Hahaha more Frosting XD I love frosting especially on cake or cupcakes XD

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  8. This is awesome! I love twix bars AND cupcakes :)

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  9. Great interview! I haven't had the chance to read any of her books yet, but they sound really interesting! Oh I wished I had a writing space like that too! Maybe then, I would actually write! ;)

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  10. I love knowing when characters are based on someone real, like how Eron is based on your grandfather! so interesting :)

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  11. Loved loved loved Sleepless and the culture of the sandmen. Interesting to see how Eron is based on Cyn's grandfather.

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  12. fun interview! Sleepless sounds so good! So far i havent read any books about sandman love? Pretty excited to read this one. thanks!

    angela z

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  13. Awesome interview ! I really wanna read Sleepless ! And Cyn Balgo is cool cause she is one of few authors that represents Jersey!

    ~Alison

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  14. I really like your 'fun question' sections. It brings them away from being 'just an author' in my head to 'actual human being who has an opinion on frosting on cupcakes' lol.

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  15. love the idea of sleepless. and i love the answer for ideal writing space. oh this is one cute interview!

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  16. Sandman is utterly a very interesting idea!

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  17. I've had my eye on Sleepless since the beginning of the year!

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  18. Sounds like such an original story! I love the author answers - so fun and friendly. Can't wait to read the book!

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  19. the goodies is my fave too! I am looking forward to this book.

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  20. This was an amazing book! I was lucky enough that I got an ARC from Becky and a Finished copy from Cyn Balog...which was very cool!

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  21. I love Fred Astaire :) Sounds like a great story.

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  22. What an interesting concept! I'd never heard of this book or author until visiting your site. I'd love to read this.

    I also love Twix bars (Although I rarely let myself have any-- trigger food!) and gardenias. My mother game me a rooting from her plant in North Carolina, and now it's growing in a little pot with me here in Florida. Looking forward to some aromatic days!

    Laura Hartness
    The Calico Critic

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  23. I love the idea for this story, it is original. How cool that she started writing when she was 5- and isn't she adorable.

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  24. Ahh twix! MMMM <3
    great interview. I think it's really cool that Sleepless deals with a sand man. Its original.

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  25. The concept behind Sleepless is so original. It sounds great!

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  26. Im Hunger Game addict too :) Also HP, you are missing a lot!

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  27. First, you sound like we could be best friends! And second, eat as many twix as you want, you're gorgeous! I'm also a Hunger Games fanatic and love good icing!!!!

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  28. Hahaha, she sounds like a very fun person! Plus, she loves Harry Potter and The Hunger Games :D

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  29. Sounds like a great book! I love both Swing Time, and the Goonies!

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  30. Such an original idea! Must read.

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  31. I am sure her book will be a fabulous read! :)

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  32. Oh. My. God. I totally love her ideal writing space! I’m pretty sure I’d kill to have that kind of ideal writing space! I also love her choice in a favorite snack. <3 I’m kind of surprised to her response to music. A common theme with authors nowadays is writing to “playlists”. I have to admit, I’m the same as her – I prefer silence!

    Great interview!

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  33. HI Cyn! I would like to ask if you are of Hungarian heritage, because as far as I know Balog is a typical Hungarian name, my surname is Balogh too ;-)

    Thanks for the great interview :-)

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  34. I want to read it. Easly. I want to read it now!. I loved the interview! :B

    jaz.parks

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  35. I can't wait to read Sleepless. The sandman idea really appeals to me. How original!

    www.TruthBeToldBlog.com

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