Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Interview with Aimée Carter & The Goddess Test Giveaway!!

If you haven't read the The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter yet, I highly recommend you pick up copy and do so! It's such a great story. You can see my review here, where I gushed about it and gave it a very deserving 5-cupcake rating! :D

So today on Stories & Sweeties, I'm lucky enough to have a fun Q & A with debut author, Aimée Carter! Thanks for stopping by, Aimée!!



~Describe The Goddess Test in your own words?
The Goddess Test is a sort of sequel to the myth of Hades and Persephone, taking place eons after the original myth occurred. In one sentence: what happens when Hades must replace Persephone, and someone is killing off the candidates.

~Which character in The Goddess Test was your favorite to write?
Three way tie between Henry, James, and Ava. They were all so much fun to write for completely different reasons, and their voices were the strongest of the supporting characters.

~Can you let us in on any future projects you have in the works?
I'm currently working on the third Goddess Test book, and I also have a dystopian series coming from Harlequin Teen sometime in the next few years. The first book is entitled Masked, and I am insanely excited to get the chance to share it with you all.


~Can you tell a little about how you got interested in writing?
I started by writing fan fiction, and the feedback I got from reviewers helped me learn what worked and what didn't in both crafting a story and writing it down. I wrote my first original story when I was fifteen, and it sort of went from there. I have over two dozen finished manuscripts, some decent, most not. But each one was a learning experience.

~Tell us about your ideal writing space.
I would love to have an office someday where I can deny myself an internet connection and really focus on writing, but for now I write in bookstores. I bounce between a few of them, and I usually find a comfortable chair, get something to drink, and resist connecting to the internet until closing time. I listen to a song on repeat as well to drown out conversation and other noises going on around me.

~Who are your favorite authors? What are you reading right now?
JK Rowling, Orson Scott Card, Suzanne Collins, Anne Bishop (who doesn't write YA), David and Leigh Eddings (also not YA), Meg Cabot, Rick Riordan, etc. I'll give anything a chance though. Right now I'm finishing up Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed, and I'm loving it.


~What kind of books did you love to read as a child/teenager?
I think I read every single Babysitter's Club and Thoroughbred novel at least twice. I loved Roald Dahl as well. Mostly I went for chapter books even from a young age - the thinner ones were always over too quickly.

Fun questions:
~Favorite snack while writing?
Hot chocolate

~Favorite movie?
I have two: The Lion King and Closer.

~Favorite color?
I don't have one, but I prefer bright, deep, vibrant colors as opposed to darker ones or pastels.

~Favorite band and song?
I don't have a favorite band, but my favorite songs are Shawn Mullins' Shimmer and Damien Rice's The Blower's Daughter.

~Favorite teacher from your school years?
All of my writing and English teachers. I couldn't possibly pick a favorite.

~And everyone who visits me here at Stories & Sweeties answers this one: Do you like cupcakes? More frosting or more cake? :)
I LOVE cupcakes. I am a cupcake fiend. I usually prefer the cake, but I'm addicted to the sweet kind of frosting you can buy jars of and eat from a spoon. And I often do.

Thanks so much for having me!!

You're most welcome, Aimée!! I have a weakness for the store-bought jars of frosting, too. ;)

(photo credit to onyonet.)

GIVEAWAY TIME!
SO...want a chance to win a copy of The Goddess Test? I'm going to give a copy away to one lucky reader! :D

The rules:
~Contest will run until May 15th, 2011, 11:59 PM PST.
~Must be 13 or older to enter.
~This contest is open internationally!
~To enter, you must be a follower (all contests that are funded solely by me require this.)
~Earn one extra entry by tweeting about this contest!
~Earn one extra point by commenting below with something you have in common with Aimée Carter! :D

To Enter: FILL OUT THE FORM HERE!

79 comments :

  1. Great questions there, I'm more of a darker tones gal :)

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  2. I absolutely LOVE cupcakes as well. They're so much fun to bake. There's so many recipes that I adore. One of my favorite has been Snickerdoodle cupcakes. Delish!!

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  3. Ummmmmm, hot chocolate :) I could really use one now! LOL

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  4. Oooo I so want to read this book! Love the Hades & Peresphone myth - and love David & Leigh Eddings! My first intro into reading fantasy :)
    Damsel in a Dirty Dress

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  5. Great interview. I loved babysitters club as well when I was younger, loved the movie as well :)

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  6. I really want to read this book! I love hot chocolate!

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  7. Fun interview and thanks for the great giveaway, I have been dying to read The Goddess Test! I don't drink hot chocolate when I'm writing but I do drink a lot of it late at night while I'm reading! :)

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  8. Haha I just ate a cupcake. <3

    I read the Babysitters Club books by the armload when I was a kid.

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  9. Thanks for the interview and giveaway!!

    Like Aimée, I don't really have a favorite color. I like multiple bright, vibrant colors, which is often reflected in my photography.

    GFC follower - Marg K.

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/ClockworkRevery/status/62963866753179649

    gosia727(at)gmail(dot)com

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  10. Can't wait to read this one!

    And I may or may not also eat frosting out of the jar with a spoon... ;) haha

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  11. I'm a follower on GFC.
    Rebecca Smith, rebeccajlsk@gmail.com

    Like Aimee, I also think I have read every Babysitters Club book that ever made it to print

    xo

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  12. Thank you for the interview! :D
    I have the same favorite authors and I LOVE hot chocolate. :Q__
    Thank you for making the giveaway international! :)

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  13. +JMJ+

    What Aimee and I have in common is a love for The Baby-sitters Club! =D

    I didn't read them when I was young, but I've decided to catch up now and am making a real project of it. One of my rules is to buy them only from used bookstores because the idea of updating "retro" reads goes against my principles!

    Thanks for the giveaway, Becky. =)

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  14. Thank you for this interview and giveaway. I like books from J.K. Rowling and Meg Cabot too. And totally LOVE The Lion King!

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/Syki/status/62968229240389633

    Syki
    sykorova.p@gmail.com

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  15. follower!

    americangirlie1991 AT yahoo DOT com

    i love to drink hot chocolate while writing too!

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  16. I loved Roald Dahl when I was younger, too! And I also completely and utterly love The Lion King! I think I must have seen it more than 10 times to date!

    Thanks for the chance Becky! :)

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  17. This interview is very interesting :) I love it! :) At end, I love this giveaway, too :)

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  18. I LOVE The Lion King, and JK Rowling (GO Harry !!) and Meg Cabot, and Suzanne Collins, and cupcakes, and hot chocolatee (the two last ones together = heaven ! lol).... so ... hum... Yes, Aimee and I have few things in common... ^^

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  19. Great interview! What Aimee and I have in common is that we both loved our English teachers. :)

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  20. Great interview! I love hot chocolate too!

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  21. I am also a cupcake fiend, though I much prefer to eat them than to make them! :D

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  22. I use to read the Baby Sitter's Club books when I was little!
    Thanks for the great interview. :)

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  23. I love that song by Damien Rice, as well as 9 Crimes and prefer cupcakes to cake. They're so much cuter :-)

    Great interview!

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  24. You totally have great taste in authors, those are some of my absolute favorites.

    I have only ever read one of the Baby Sitter's Little Sister's books...I think it was a gift. But my older sister was really in to them for a bit. ^_^

    NIce interview.

    Orchid
    The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

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  25. wow! great interview and i am absolutely excited about the goddess test! i'm a follower! and one think in common with aimee carter would be that i also read the babysitters club when i was growing up! thanks for this awesome giveaway! :D

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  26. Thanks for the giveaway! I absolutely love to bake like Aimee!! I enjoy baking cupcakes especially!

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  27. Awesome interview, I loved the babysitter's club books too!!

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  28. Who doesn't love the Lion King? I think I've watched that movie more than 30 times. :D Thanks for the giveaway and sharing this interview!

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  29. Great interview !!!
    I really want to read The Goddess Test.
    My favorite authors are JK Rowling dan Suzanne Collins.

    tweet : http://twitter.com/#!/dien_da/status/63089570333474816

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  30. I love the Hades/Persephone myth! Just finished Abandon by Meg Cabot and it was a pretty good retelling of that myth, but I'm excited to read The Goddess Test! :D

    Nora, The Bookery

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  32. I cannot wait to read this one heard some awesome reviews on it.
    yum we have cupcakes in common

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  33. Great interview with Aimee! I think the one thing I have in common w/ her is that we both started with fan fiction (well, I still am). I'm still writing and the last time I checked, I have around 30 manuscripts, some half finished, others finished, which I am terrified to show to anyone. :D

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  34. this is the first time I found book about Hades and Persephone.. so many thanks to you!! I love myth, and hopefully can find another book like this..
    thanks to both of you for the interview and Giveaway

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  35. Hot chocolate, gotta love it <3 :))

    claudine_princess@yahoo.com.ph

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  36. I am a big fan of Suzanne Collins as well. So much so that I am actually getting a mockingjay tattoo, tomorrow! Thanks!

    thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com

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  37. obviously, I love cupcakes too!

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  38. I seen alot of Greek mythology hanging around lately with new releases like Abandon by Meg Cabot and Starcrossed by Joesphine Angelini, i'be got to say The Goddess Test sound more appealing than the others ;)

    callmeghostgirl@yahoo.com.au

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  39. I love reading books by Meg Cabot too! :D

    sliverblue@hotmail.com

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  40. @Badass Bookie

    Oh! and I love Suzanne Collins as well!!!!

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  41. Great interview!

    Like Aimée I wrote my first original manuscript when I was 15 and I drink hot chocolate while writing^^

    Nickey @ The Book Shop Assistant

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  42. I am a fan of Anne Bishop's also.

    LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

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  43. I really like vibrant colors too~ gives you a positive attitude always but dark colors are good too though vibrant colors are just good in the eyes ;)

    thanks for the giveaway! been really wanting to have this one.

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  44. Becky,
    I accidentally sent the form before I was done with it, so could you please delete my first entry?

    We both have similar favorite authors: JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins,Meg Cabot, & Rick Riordan. Also, I think I read every Babysitter's Club book.

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  45. Thank you so much for the giveaway!!!
    GFC follower as Diana
    My favorite somg is The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice too.

    artgiote at gmail dot com

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  46. I think what I have in common with Aimee is our work space. I like to get a comfy chair & something to drink and the same song to listen on repeat. lol
    Plus, we also love the same authors!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    vicky216n at hotmail dot com

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  47. Great interview, and giveaway!
    I'm a follower - GFC name Krystal
    I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/krystal_osmond/status/63266560063717376 (+1)
    We both love JK Rowling, and we both read the Babysitters Club books growing up! How freaking awesome were they?! (+1)

    Thanks!

    stellarbookblog[at]gmail[dot]com

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  48. ooooh excited.

    I grew up reading Roald Dahl too!

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  49. I also love The Lion King, such an awesome classic!

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  50. I also like Anne Bishop and Meg Cabot. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  51. When I'm writing on my blog, I love to drink hot chocolate as well.
    Thank you for the giveaway!

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  52. I LOVE everything by Roald Dahl and Meg Cabot!

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  53. I prefer vibrant colors as well. Bright red, green, purple or turquoise are among my favorites :)

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  54. I too grew up reading Roald Dahl. Also all my favourite teachers are those who taught English related subjects!

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  55. Thanks for the chance!
    I also love to drink hot chocolate! And I read the Babysitters Club as a kid - I even had the Claudia doll, lol.

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  56. Thank you for the interview and for the giveaway! I LOVE IT!
    I have in common with Aimee these favorite authors: Meg Cabot, Suzanne Collins and J.K.Rowling. I love them. They are my most favorite! :) Just missing there Emily Rodda, her DELTORA is amazing!

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  57. I am excited about this book. I used to eat cake frosting from the can when I was a kid. *sighs* Fun times.

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  58. I also have just read Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed. Aimee is right, I loved the book!

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  59. I used to read tons of fanfiction (wrote 1 or 2 as well). Also CUPCAKES are so YUMMY. must buy some soon.

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  60. The Lion King is one of my favorite movies too and I loved The Blower´s Daughter ^^
    Awesome post, I cant wait to read the book :)

    -Mariana S
    http://smartgirls-read.blogspot.com/

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  61. I love writing teachers too. They rock!

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  62. Awesome interview!
    Like the author, I love Closer, hot chocolate and JK Rowling :)

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  63. I'm dying to read The Goddess Test! And I also love JK Rowling! :)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  64. Something I have in common w/Aimee is I also love cupcakes. And the more icing the better!

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  65. Just like Aimee, I love Hot Chocolate and Cupcakes! The icing from the containers was a fav too.

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  66. I also love JK Rowling, Suzanne Collins and Meg Cabot, just like Aimee!
    Hot chocolate is never a bad thing too. :)

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  67. I've heard lots of good things about this book and would love to win it. I've never seen a picture of the author before ;) very pretty! A thing that I have in common with her is I read a lot of The Babysitter's Club books too.
    I follow as Tanyaw1224
    twittered at http://twitter.com/Tanya1224/status/67689231841107968
    Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  68. I also love Hot Chocolate, JK Rowling and The Lion King!

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  69. Great interview! I'm a cupcake fiend, too. We happen to have three cupcake shops withing 5 miles of my house, and I am known to frequent all three.


    Thanks for the opportunity! :)

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  70. I am a huge fan of David Eddings. My fav series of his being the Belgaraid. What a rascal hey? LOL. I am not reading any fantasy books at the mo, but hopefully will get back into them again soon. :)

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  71. Awesome interview! I am excited about this book!

    confuzzleddesigns@gmail.com

    Things I have in common love hot chocolate and I write story as well and have written fan fiction.

    Thanks!

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  72. we have in common our taste in reading, I love J.K. Rowling because she is a genious.
    P.S thank you thank you for making it international, I hope I win this time.

    luarroyave(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  73. The Lion King is hands down the best animated movie ever!!! And I def loved English in high school and my writing class in college was off the chain!!!

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  74. I so wanna read this book, I love books about gods ;)

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  75. I think I also read all the Babysitter's Club books as well and my mother used to complain because they were over way too quickly..

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  76. Thanks for the contest, I am a GFC follower and I love the cake more than the icing too.

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  77. I love hot chocolate too! Especially in winter, it's awesome to have with you when its cold and you are hard at work.

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  78. I love the questions! Very original. I also like the idea of writing in a bookstore it should give off a lot of motivation and inspiration :)
    Aimee and I appear to both really like our English classes and teachers!
    Thanks

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