If you haven’t heard, Julie Kagawa has started a new series called The Blood Of Eden. The First book, The Immortal Rules, comes out April 24th. I have never been a huge fan of vampire books, but this story is amazing! Here’s a little bit about it:
Julie sat down for a little Q and A with Harlequin about writing a new series and why she chose vampires:
After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?
It was…very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world — a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn’t just make something work “because of faery magic,” lol.
Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?
Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan’s upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn’t afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to “take charge and kick butt,” Allison’s first impulse is stab first, talk later.
As for female role models, the first that comes to mind–when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway — is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. 😉
You mention in your acknowledgments in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?
Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn’t have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn’t intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.
Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?
Me personally? No. I’m like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.
Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?
Probably Kanin, Allie’s sire. He’s a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.
How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?
At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.
Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?
Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.
When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?
I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.
And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?
Any of the Harry Potter books.
Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?
My “favorites” change daily. Right now its “Awake and Alive” by Skillet.
Worst job?
Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.
Best vacation spot?
Walt Disney World
Sweets or salty?
Sweet.
One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!
I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.
The wonderful people at Harlequin Teen are letting me give away one finished copy of The Immortal Rules! This book was amazing from beginning to end, so don’t miss out! You can read my review here.
You must be 13+ to enter. This is open to residents of the US and Canada only. This giveaway ends on Friday, April 20th – good luck!
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Find Julie Kagawa online:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Great interview Kate! I love Julie Kagawa. She is a very talented storyteller.
I can’t wait to read this book! I really enjoyed Kagawa’s Iron Fey series and I can’t wait to read her take on vampires! Great interview:)
Thanks for the interview. I had read that Julie used to be a dog trainer before. That’s pretty cool in my opinion, it’s a hard job done by really talented people.
Thanks!
I can’t wait to read this! I love her books
I really want to read this!! I love the cover! Thank you for the Giveaway!!
I can’t wait to read Kagawa’s take on vampires! It sounds so creepy and fun! 😀
I love Julie Kagawa’s book and I really want to read this
I would love to have this. Thanks for opportunity.
I can’t wait to read this. Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
I am looking forward to this novel. Thanks for the opportunity to win it!
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This book has been stored away in my mental TBR pile ever since I heard about it a few weeks ago. I am very excited that you are giving this book away.
Thanks so much!
🙂
Thank you for the giveaway! I can’t wait to read The Immortal Rules, it looks like it will be a fantastic book and I have really enjoyed Julie Kagawa’s books, The Iron Fey series.
Darlene @ Leather Bound and Lovely
thanks for the giveaway! Really looking forward to this book.
Oh man, one of my friends worked in a mall kiosk and she said it was THE WORST THING EVER. haha. At least that’s over now!
Thanks for the giveaway! And YAY for being a WDW fan ^_^
thanks for the giveaway!!
Awesome interview!!! Thanks for sharing!
This is a fantastic interview, I love that she said she wouldn’t write a vampire novel! I’ve got an eARC of it but have yet to read it, and this makes me even more eager to get to it.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I loved The Iron Fey and I can’t wait for The Immortal Rules!
Your review just made me even more exicted.
Thanks for the giveaway!
*excited
Thanks for tweeting this – I love finding new reviewers/bloggers to follow!
Excellent Interview! Great Giveaway as well!
Amanda @ Sisters Unedited
Can’t wait to read it! – Tammy
Thanks for the giveaway! I’ve been wanting to read this for a long time now!
me_winy AT yahoo DOT com DOT ph
This looks great, and I love her interview answers!
I really liked getting into her head a bit. Julie’s a cool chick!
Can’t wait until this book comes out! Thanks for the giveaway 😀