Friday, August 2, 2013

Authors Are Rockstars Tour: KIM HARRINGTON Interview + Giveaway!

Today I am super excited to be participating in the second annual Authors Are Rockstars tour!  Not only that, but I get to feature one of my favorite authors, Kim Harrington!!

Kim is a ROCKSTAR

Kim Harrington, now on her fourth book for Young Adults, is one of those writers that I truly admire.  Her stories and characters draw you in, take them with you on an enthralling, sometimes creepy journey, and stick with you long after you turn the last page.  But what makes her books stand out to me is something that is surprisingly hard to come by in the YA world these days. Her books speak to all ages, the whole range of the young adult genre, and are even fun to read for adults like me!  Her stories are still sophisticated and are generous with the spine-tingling  moments, but you never have to worry as a parent or a teacher or a librarian about handing over one of her books to even the youngest YA readers of 11 or 12.  It’s a challenge these days, I’d say that more than half of the YA out there is only appropriate for 15 and up.  Kim Harrington is a master at giving us fun stories that everyone can enjoy. For me, that is definitely a big part of what makes her a rockstar.

Q & A with Kim Harrington:


Which of the characters that you've written is your favorite?
I tend to adore whichever main character I’m working with at the time. And I can’t wait for you guys to meet Morgan from FORGET ME (coming Summer 2014). But I have to admit that no matter how much time passes and how many other books I write, there will always be a special place in my heart reserved for Clarity Fern. I miss her.

What are you usually doing when a story idea strikes you?
Story ideas never hit when I’m trying to think of one. They usually spring up when I’m doing something automatic that doesn’t require too much focus—exercising, showering, cleaning. My mind wanders and then BAM! An idea is born.


Do you know how a story is going to end before you sit down to write it?
I have to know. I found this out the hard way with starts and stops and incomplete manuscripts years ago. Before I start writing, I have to know the beginning and the end. The middle can grow organically. And the end can change, of course, but I have to have some idea of it before I can begin.

What kind of books did you love to read as a teenager?
I was a teen in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s—horror’s heyday. It seemed like every publisher had a mass market paperback horror line, and I spent all my 
part-time job money on those books. I loved them.

 What is the best writing advice you’ve ever been given?
To write, first and foremost, for yourself. I write books I would want to read. I write to entertain 
myself.

Favorite snack while writing?
Sour Patch Kids, especially Sour Patch Fruit Salad

Favorite movie?
Poltergeist (weird, I know)

Favorite color?
Purple. I’m kind of obsessed with purple.

Favorite band and song right now?
Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

Favorite teacher from your school years?
My eighth grade science teacher. That was a pretty miserable year for me, but he made science exciting and fun, and introduced me to astronomy, which I still find fascinating.

And everyone who visits Stories & Sweeties answers this one:  Do you like cupcakes? Frosting or cake better?
YES! I looooove cupcakes. Especially yellow cupcakes with a lot of sugary frosting. What I like to do is break off part of the bottom cake part, then put it on top and squish it down so the frosting is in the middle, like a sandwich. That way I get frosting in every bite.

Thanks for having me!


Find Kim Harrington online:
WEBSITE  •  TWITTER  •  FACEBOOK  •  GOODREADS

Stories & Sweeties reviews:

GIVEAWAY!!
I'm giving away one winner's choice of any of Kim's books!
 Open internationally  •  Ends 8/16/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

41 comments :

  1. I'd most like to read The Dead and Buried!

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  2. I miss Clarity too - bring her back Kim!! I love Poltergeist - I don't think it's a weird favourite movie. :)

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  3. I'd love to read The Dead and Buried!!
    Thanks for the giveaway!!

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  4. i would love to start with clarity, i remember your review made me want to discover it

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  5. I love perception and clarity! Both terrific books with a great heroine!

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  6. There"s actually a couple things we have in common! I'm loving Radioactive by Imagine Dragons and astronomy is quite fascinating. I waited to take my lab science in college until I was able to get astronomy. Great interview and thanks for the giveaway!

    Vyki @ On The Shelf

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  7. I must be around the same age as Kim because horror books were my thing too in the mid 80's. Loved VC Andrews :)

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  8. I loved Clarity! Very much looking forward to meeting Morgan though. And purple is my favourite colour too! Great interview, thanks :).

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  9. Still haven't read anything by Kim yet. I have Clarity and I keep meaning to pick it up but just haven't yet. I'm sure it's awesome if you Becky are a fan. ;-)

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  10. I haven't read anything by Kim yet but Clarity and Perception is on my TBR list and on my books to read on GRs. The only thing I have to do is buy the book

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  11. I would love to read Dead and Buried! I love the book cover and the story sounds amazing!

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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  12. Love Kim's books! Thanks so much for being a tour host Becky <3333

    Hugs,
    Jaime

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  13. I would love to read The Dead and Buried. Thank you for the giveaway :)

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  14. Ahhhh, we both love purple! <3 I'm kind of obsessed too.

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  15. Oh well Purple is Magic!!!! Thank you for sharing with us today. I would love to read this series and as I have not yet would start with book one Clarity :)

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  16. Ooh, I love this post. Kim is such an amazing author and I loved her books. Clarity, is one of my favorites. But, I pretty much love EVERYTHING that she writes. :)

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  17. Congrats to Kim on the newest release! Thanks for the fun interview! I"m gonna have to try her cupcake method ;)

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  18. My favorite color is also purple and my favorite song currently is also Radioactive! I loved Kim Harrington's Perception series so much. She is a brilliant writer. Thanks for hosting her.

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  19. I read and loved Clarity and would love to win The Dead and Buried.

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  20. I would like to read Clarity the most! But all the books sound amazing!

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  21. This is such a fabulous post! I always get ideas in the most randomest of times as well, which I found out is actually very common (thank you LA research paper!). They never quite come at the time where I need them, haha. Also, it's really cool how Kim eats cupcakes- I think I'm going to try that out!

    Lovely post, and thanks for sharing Becky! <3

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  22. I'd like to read dead and buried.

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  23. I'm dying! really dying to read Clarity!!!

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  24. Horror books are always so much fun to read...and love the song Radioactive by Imagine Dragons! Fantastic interview :)

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  25. We both love purple. I haven't read any of her books but I really love their stories.

    Thank you for the giveaway!
    Raffe name: Artemis

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  26. I really enjoyed The Dead and Buried and would love to check out her Clarity series.

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  27. I read Clarity and loved it! So I definitely want to check out the sequel, as well as The Dead and Buried!

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  28. My favorite was The Dead and the Buried. I would probably want Perception if I were to win.

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  29. I think Clarity looks really good! I can't believe i've never heard of it before #shock

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  30. I LOVED the Clarity books and her Sleuth or Dare series! I'm dying to read The Dead and Buried which I haven't had a chance to check out yet.

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  31. I will start with Clarity because it sounds interesting and it has nice reviews :)

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  32. I read Clarity back when it came out, but I think I'd really like to re-read it and then read the sequel finally.

    Thanks for the great post! =)

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  33. We booooth love cupcakes. Hahaha. Thanks for the awesome giveaway! :D

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  34. We both love cupcakes and our favorite color is purple. My favorite movie may not be Poltergeist, but I liked it a lot!

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  35. I love cupcakes!!!and purple is such a beautiful color.
    Clarity is also a book I heard many great things about!

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  36. I have yet to read any of her books at this time, I look forward to starting with Clarity.

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  37. I am entering your giveaway.
    In response to your questions of
    What is one thing you have in common with Kim?
    OR Which book was your favorite?
    OR Which book would you most like to read?
    The only thing kim and i have in common
    is i also like Sour Patch Kids and cupcakes.
    I haven't read any of her books so i don't have a favorite but i would like to win a copy of
    The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington.
    Thank you for making this an international giveaway!!!

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  38. I would love to read The Dead and the Buried.
    Thanks for the chance to win!

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  39. I totally eat my cupcakes that way too!!! Did I mention that Kim Harrington is a genius!!

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