Can you tell a bit about the Shade series in your own words?
In the world of the SHADE novels, everyone the heroine Aura’s age and younger can see and hear ghosts, but no one else can. They call themselves “post-Shifters,” after the mysterious event known as the Shift that made ghosts visible. Aura wishes she could make the ghosts go away—they can be anything from annoying to downright dangerous
(if they turn into “shades”).
And then her boyfriend dies and becomes a ghost.
How did you get the inspiration for this ghost filled world?
I honestly don’t remember how I came up with the idea for the world, but I thought of it probably two years before I started writing SHADE. I knew that ghosts would be visible to a large portion of the population, so it would be accepted that they existed. I also knew that people could file lawsuits against ghosts or on behalf of them. But as much as I loved the tagline “We sue dead people” the story never took off until the character of Aura appeared to me. Then it all fell into place really fast—the young people being the ones to see ghosts, the dead boyfriend, and even the hot Scottish guy who would help Aura figure out the secrets to the Shift.
How many books do you have planned for the series?
Three. The third book in the trilogy, SHINE, will be out in May 2012.
Are you Team Ghost or Team Kilt?
I am Team Don’t Make Me Choose, or Team Whoever’s Scene I Just Wrote, lol! But seriously, I love the boys equally and for different reasons. That doesn’t mean they’ll both get to end up with Aura, though, but they will both be happy.
I posted a bunch of teaser scenes and snippets on my blog during the YA Crush Tournament this summer, when Zachary went from last seed all the way to the finals, thanks to the amazing work of his advocates, Amy and Jen from Fictitious Delicious (and a few bribes on my part, like SHINE teasers).
As you may know, part of SHINE will take place in Ireland and Scotland, where I visited earlier this year. I loved it so much, I’m dying to go back. And now I have the perfect excuse: I’m also writing “Shattered,” a short story from Zachary’s point-of-view, which will come out next summer, a month or so after SHINE.
You also write an Adult Vampire series. Can you tell us a bit about it and when the last book will be out?
The WVMP RADIO series is about a radio station of vampire DJs and the former con artist who tries to keep them “alive” and well. The vampires get “stuck in time” in the era in which they were turned, so they each speak the slang and wear the fashions of their original “Life
The first three books, WICKED GAME, BAD TO THE BONE, and BRING ON THE NIGHT, are out now, and I’m currently posting a chapter a week of a serial novella, “Let It Bleed,” on my blog. Think of it as WVMP #3.5. The final novel, LUST FOR LIFE, will be released in Fall 2012. There’ll be more short stories to come as well.
I have to ask because I LOVE your Fantasy series, Aspect of Crow, so much! Any chance you will revisit that world and characters? I miss them so much!
Aww, thanks, Larissa! At this point I have no plans to revisit the Aspect of Crow world. I put those poor characters through so much torture to get their happy ending, I’d hate to ruin it by adding another chapter. I’d rather just imagine everything going really well for them forever.
Thanks so much for being here today Jeri! It was a pleasure!
Thanks for having me, Larissa!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeri Smith-Ready has been writing fiction since the night she had her first double espresso. Her nine published books include two series for adults and the SHADE trilogy for teens, about a world of ghosts only the young can see, which concludes May 2012 with SHINE. Like many of her characters, Jeri enjoys music, movies, and staying up very, very late. Visit her at www.jerismithready.com, or on Facebook or Twitter, where she spends way too much time. Logan and Zachary from the SHADE trilogy can be found on Twitter (@keeley_logan and @moore_zachary). The boys love to chat with each other and with their real-life fans.
ABOUT THE BOOK
ENTHRALLED: PARANORMAL DIVERSION, edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong
This collection of original paranormal YA short stories grew out of the 2010 Smart Chicks Kick It Tour, a multiauthor, multicity, author-organized tour of the US and Canada. With it, these 16 authors hoped to bring a little taste of the Smart Chicks experience to readers everywhere.
Contributors to ENTHRAL
Claudia Gray
Carrie Ryan
Margaret Stohl
Kami Garcia
Jackson Pearce
Rachel Vincent
Melissa Marr
Kelley Armstrong
Sarah Rees Brennan
Jeri Smith-Ready
Kimberly Derting
Ally Condie
Jessica Verday
Mary E. Pearson
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Rachel Caine
ABOUT THE STORY “BRIDGE”
In the world of the SHADE novels, everyone seventeen and under can see and hear ghosts, but no one else can. So when Logan Keeley dies and his eighteen-year-old brother Mickey blames himself, they can’t ease each other’s pain or reconcile their rage. Over the course of SHADE and SHIFT, Mickey sinks into a near-suicidal depression over Logan’s death.
“Bridge” is the story, told in free verse, of how two brothers, with the help of a stranger, forge the chasm between them to find a lasting peace.
Find out more about Jeri on her website:
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xoxo,
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