The time it was about Pasadena Loves YA!

When I was contacted to be a part of the blog tour to promote Pasadena Loves YA! {formerly Pasadena Teen Book Fest}, I immediately agreed.  I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to go because the day before is Disneyland’s 60th anniversary, it’s open for 24 hours and I’m totally going. If I do show up, there’s a good possibility I’ll be Disney drunk. Regardless, the people who are involved in putting it together are pretty awesome, so of course I wanted to participate in any way I could.

And I do have a very special guest… However, before we get to her, check out all of the info on the event!

Pasadena Loves YA
Cost: FREE!
When: Date: May 23, 2015 | Time: 12 noon – 4 pm
Where: Pasadena Public Library, Central Branch, 285 East Walnut Street, Pasadena, CA 91101
What:  20 YA authors | Panels & Book Signings | Giveaways and Refreshments | Free tote bags for the first 150 guests!

Authors attending: Keynote speaker Mary McCoy (author of Dead to Me) with Katie Alender, Victoria Aveyard, Alexis Bass, Julie Berry, Livia Blackburne, Virginia Boecker, Jessica Brody, Stephen Chbosky, Brandy Colbert, Ava Dellaira, Kody Keplinger, Liz Maccie, Morgan Matson, Lauren Miller, Alexandra Monir, Jennifer Niven, Romina Russell, Sarah Tomp, & Kiersten White

Amazing line up, right?

Today, I have the spotlight on the lovely Kiersten White! Obviously, I’ve seen Kiersten many times, but I’m seriously in love with Illusions of Fate, so I was really excited to get her on the blog.  Before we get to her answers, let’s check out the book.

Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”

Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.

And now, Kiersten!

1. Where did the idea for Illusions of Fate come from?

My kids were watching Howl’s Moving Castle, the brilliant Hayao Miyazaki film adaptation of an equally brilliant novel by Diana Wynne Jones. It reminded me of how much I loved Pride and Prejudice, and also Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell, and how much I had wished the latter book included more women in important roles. And, let’s face it, way more kissing. With those ideas firmly in place, I decided to write a fantasy novel that turned the tropes I was used to on their heads. My main character would be the opposite of the chosen one–she would be the powerless one whom the world looked at and expected nothing from, and who looked right back and said “Forget you, I’m awesome.”

2. Why do you love Jessamin and why should we root for her?

Oh man, I do love Jessamin so much. A lot of my characters have arcs in which they discover they are awesome and they should embrace their awesomeness. Jessamin stepped onto the page fully aware of her own awesomeness, in spite of a world that told her she was worthless. I love her strength and her confidence, her intelligence, and her eagerness to learn. And I love that when someone tells her you can’t go through this door, she finds a window and slips out that way.

3. Describe Illusions of Fate in 3 words.

Magical Jane Austen.

4. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

I refuse to answer this question based on the Geneva Conventions against torture.

5. You wake up and discover you are Bella in Twilight. You know how it plays out. What do you do differently? {Huge thanks to Bookish Broads for letting me use this question}

Team Jacob all the way. Eternal life sounds sooooo boring. Plus, let’s be honest: movie Renesmee was super creepy. Give me a litter of werewolf pups over computer animated demon child any day.

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Hi! I’m the New York Times best-selling author of Paranormalcy and Supernaturally. I also give the most awkward hugs in the world. You should probably opt for one of my books over one of my hugs, but then again, maybe you like awkward hugs.

As for me, I like writing flirting scenes, and fighting scenes, and sometimes I write scenes that fall somewhere in between the two, but only if I can’t avoid it.

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Huge thanks to Alethea from Read Now, Sleep Later for the invite and to Kiersten for taking the time to answer my questions! Make sure you’re checking out her website, following her on Twitter and adding all of her books to your Goodreads TBR shelf.

For more information about Pasadena Loves YA, check out the website!

Book sales by Vroman’s Bookstore will begin at 11 am. Co-sponsored by Bridge to Books. No registration required, but we would appreciate it if you would post, share, tweet, and tell everyone you know about the upcoming event! Please use the hashtag #PLYA2015.

Now, there’s a pretty good giveaway going on: winner gets 3 of the books from the 2015 Pasadena Loves YA authors. Giveaway is US only.

**Good Luck!!**

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