Thursday, October 29, 2009

Nina Lacour Interview + Contest

[CONTEST CLOSED]
Hey guys,
Hopefully you all stopped by yesterday at Borders in San Francisco or at the Point of View website for the exciting author chat with Nina Lacour. If you couldn't make it however, here's a little mini interview with her...

How was your release day? What did you do?

My release day was incredibly fun. I took the day off and spent it with a group of people who I love, traveling around the Bay Area to different bookstores, going out for coffee and lunch, and then celebrating at my apartment. Seeing Hold Still on the shelves of so many stores was really exciting. I had been waiting so long for that day to come.

What is the most influential book for you? What book hit you the hardest when you read it?

My favorite novel is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. Each time I read it I am completely blown away. I find it profoundly sad. But it also captures the beauty and wonder of life in a way that I have not encountered in any other novel.
How was it being inside Caitlin's head?

I'm a lot like Caitlin in many ways, so at times it felt pretty natural. But sometimes I felt trapped in this place of grieving, which was difficult. I wanted her to snap out of it, but at the same time, I had to fully immerse myself in her sadness in order to really feel what I was writing. Later, when I got to write the scenes in which she starts to open up to the world again, being in her head was exhilarating.

Why did you pick the topic of suicide for your first novel?

I didn't intend to write a book about suicide; the story just came to me. When I started high school two people I knew committed suicide--one of my classmates and one of my former teachers--so I guess I still had all these questions and leftover feelings from that time that I felt compelled to explore. But, at least for me, Hold Still is more about grief and recovery than it is about suicide. It's about the life continues in the wake of something terrible, and about how beautiful things can come out of sadness.

What do you think about the cover of your book, honestly?


I feel like I'm taking a lie detector test! Well, at first I was reluctant to have a photograph of a girl on the cover. I never like it when I see a representation of a character because the photograph never matches the image I've created in my head. And, in this case, I have such a clear image of Caitlin because I created her, so no matter how lovely the model is, she doesn't look like Caitlin to me. But I do really like the cover. My friend Mia Nolting drew the leaves and wrote my name and the title and I love the work she did. I also love the spine, which is really important because that's what will face out on people's bookshelves. I find the spine very pretty and delicate. Overall, I think the book turned out beautifully and I'm very grateful to Mia and all of the people at Penguin for all of the care they put into the design. Oh! And there is a hidden embellishment under the dust jacket that you all should check out.

What are you working on now?

I am working on a second YA novel for Dutton. It's very different from Hold Still. I didn't want to write about another tragic event--I needed a break from death for a while--but I tend to write about sad things and this new book is no exception. The narrator is an 18-year-old guy named Colby, and the novel follows him over a one-week road trip he's taking with four girls. Colby has just discovered that his post-high school plans are not going to unfold in the way he had expected them to, and now he has to figure out what he's going to do. The novel involves lots of driving, cheap motels, bad and good music, a mysterious tattoo, unrequited love, and heartbreak.

What is your favorite food?

Figs. Or tomatoes. And coffee, if coffee is a food.

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did it just happen?

I had always hoped to be a writer. I would write regardless of whether or not I got published, and now I just feel incredibly fortunate that I get to write as one of my jobs.

What do you want to tell the world?

To write someone a letter.

Big thanks
to Nina for taking the time to answer my questions, you can check her out at her blog here.

Okay so I'm really excited guys, because I get to have a contest for you to win a finished copy of Hold, Still by NINA LACOUR (obviously). So to enter just comment with your e-mail address and something you liked about the interview, or if you have read the book, something you liked about that.

This contest is only open to U.S. and Canada... sorry :(

EXTRA ENTRIES
+2 for becoming a follower
+3 if you already are a follower
+2 for each time you link to this post (please leave a link if it's not on your blog)
+2 for every comment you leave or any post after this one before the contest ends.

This contest ends on November 15th. Good Luck!

18 comments:

  1. I've never heard of someone's favorite food being TOMATOES! I love it, so different. lol

    +3 Already a follower

    bacarleton(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd love to be entered!

    I am so excited to hear that Nina is already working on her next novel. It sounds really good, very different from Hold Still, but good nonetheless. I especially liked the bit about unrequited love! :)

    +3 already follow
    +2 linked to sidebar
    +2 linked in tweet (@thehidingspot)

    Thanks!
    grochowskis@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love what she sad about the cover, and omg tamatoes? really they are so gross unless fried in spices.

    Teggiey_boo_19 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'd love to be entered!

    +3 if you already are a follower
    +2 Sidebar: http://crystalreviews.blogspot.com/

    crystalreviews[at]gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great interview! I love the way she spent her release day. The new book she's working on sounds really great as well.

    Also, I'd love a chance to win Hold, Still. It sounds amazing.

    +3 Already a follower

    michelle_thebookjunkie@hotmail.com

    =D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ooh, the novel she's working on is capturing my interest. I love reading about road trips :) And I'd also love to enter in this contest!

    +3 already a follower
    +2 linked on the sidebar here

    justeena_25(at)yahoo(dot)ca

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ohh, thanks for the great interview! I've had my eye on this one for a while, and I loved the trailer Nina made for her book. I find it interesting and tragic that she had to go through two suicides in high school. But I guess inspiration stems from unexpected places. :)

    +3 already a follower
    +2 sidebar: http://booksatmidnight.blogspot.com

    Thanks!

    booksatmidnight(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  8. +2 I am now a follower
    This one looks really interesting

    Dey@mts.net

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great interview. I love what she did on her release day. I would've done the same. And I loved what she said about pictures on the cover. I kinda feel that way about actors in book trailers.

    +3 old follower
    +2 tweeted http://twitter.com/justkeepreading/statuses/5274366605

    foltzsfantasticbooks at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. +3 i'm already a follower

    Great interview! I haven't read the book yet, but I've heard a lot of great things! I'm glad she's working on another.

    infinitemusic19 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Please enter me!
    I love hearing about authors' favorite books. This makes me want to read Mrs. Dalloway now.
    +3 old follower
    +2 twitter: http://twitter.com/reader_meg/status/5279725179
    Thanks!
    mdondero@sprynet.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice interview. I really want to read this book so hope I can win a copy.

    +3 Old follower
    +2 tweeted: http://twitter.com/Jullysay/status/5293429961

    jen4777[at]hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great interview! I love tomatoes too :)

    +3 old follower

    Raelena
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Could you please add +2 for me? I added it to my sidebar. http://meghansbookblog.blogspot.com/
    Thanks,
    mdondero@sprynet.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. This one looks like it will be a good read - count me in. I'm a follower

    mmillet at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds Good.
    tirachii@yahoo.com
    +3 if you already are a follower
    +2 left comment on another post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great interview :) the book looks really interesting.

    +2 follwer
    +2 tweeted http://twitter.com/pinkcreamsoda/status/5502307822

    -audrey
    mangoes_7@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Awesome interview! I'm glad to hear that she's writing another book-I can't wait to read it!

    +2 new follower
    +2 sidebar: http://hookedonyabooks.blogspot.com/
    +2 tweeted: http://twitter.com/naggy8/status/5755200307
    +2 post: http://violeteyesroaming.blogspot.com/2009/11/contests2.html

    lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete

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