INTERVIEW: Tera Lynn Childs

Today I have a special treat for everyone! I have author Tera Lynn Childs on the blog! She is the author of many young adult books that includes the newly released book, Forgive My Fins! Let's get started!

To start off, welcome and can you tell the readers a little about yourself?

I'm a lifelong nomad, the product of theatre parents, a recovering theatre major, an Ivy Leaguer, a reality TV junkie, and owner of the bestest dog ever. I've lived in two countries and ten states. I'm about to move to my eleventh. I'm still seventeen ... on the inside. I've been a vegan since April. Also, I write books.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming or latest release?

My most recent release (my third book) is Forgive My Fins. It tells the story of a half-mermaid princess who's been living on land for a few years and crushing on the most perfect boy she's ever met. Things get complicated when she accidentally bestows her magical first kiss on the wrong boy. Up next is the sequel, Fins Are Forever, out in June of 2011.

How did you come up with the idea for Forgive My Fins?

I've always loved mermaids, always wanted to be a mermaid, ever since I was a little girl. While I was in Florida for the summer, spending lots of time on the beach and still wishing mermaids were real, I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool if a mermaid could bestow the magical powers of her people with a kiss?" And then, because I'm a writer and I like conflict, "What if she kissed the wrong boy?"

If you had to pick just one, which one of your own books that you have written is your favorite and why?

Always the next one. The one that's still in the idea stage and hasn't been battered by the process of actually writing words on a page. If I have to pick one that already written, I'd have to say the first Medusa girls book (a new untitled trilogy starting in Fall of 2011). I really love the three main characters, the action, the cute boys, and the mythology, all mixed into one.

I am a fly on your wall.  What would I report back to my master about the daily grind of Tera?

Sadly, a lot of procrastinating. A lot of web surfing, Tweeting, Facebooking, shopping, buying books (but not reading as many as I should). Occasionally sewing or painting or cooking or baking. When I'm feeling productive, I'll do a burst of emailing and responding to interviews. My most productive writing days come when my deadline nears. Then I'll spend up to six hours pounding out pages in the nearest coffee shop.

When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors, that are must reads?

I read mostly YA and occasionally historical romance (especially Julia Quinn and Shana Galen). My favorite YA author is Jaclyn Moriarty. I think she's just absolutely brilliant. And my must read books are The Hunger Games (duh) by Suzanne Collins, Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, and Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart. Recently,I really enjoyed The Duff by Kody Keplinger. And Firelight by Sophie Jordan is going to be huge.

What are 3 things that are "must haves" for you when you sit down to write a new book?

A coffee shop (I can't write at home and I need the comfy chairs and the caffeinated beverages). My Alphasmart (the best writing investment I ever made). Character collages for the main and some secondary characters (as a very visual person, they really give me a fuller sense of who the character is). I might never look at the collages again after I make them, but they definitely help my process.

Do you have a blog or website that your readers can keep up with you and your books?  Twitter?

website -- http://teralynnchilds.com

blog -- http://teralynnchilds.blogspot.com

group blog -- http://booksboysbuzz.com

facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/authortlc

twitter -- http://twitter.com/teralynnchilds

Now for some fun stuff:

1. Vampire or Werewolf? Werewolf, just because
2. Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt? Brad Pitt (we went to the same high school, twelve years apart, plus he's not noticeably insane)
3. If you choke a Smurf, what color do they turn? Trick question! You can't, because their necks are so tiny. (Also, it would be very, very mean.)
4. Quince or Brody? Quince, hands down my dream guy

Favorite perfume: Stella by Stella McCartney
Favorite TV show: Psych and Leverage (it's a tie)
Favorite Movie: The Usual Suspects
Favorite Drink: Pineapple Fanta
Favorite Dessert: Vegan cupcakes

Thanks for joining us on My Overstuffed Bookshelf!!

GODDESS BOOT CAMP by Tera Lynn Childs

GODDESS BOOT CAMP

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Source: Library Loan

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (June 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525421343
• ISBN-13: 978-0525421344

SYNOPSIS:

Phoebe, who recently discovered she's a descendant of Nike (the goddess, not the shoe), is finding that supernatural powers come with a crazy learning curve. Her stepfather, headmaster of the Academy for descendants of the Greek gods, has enrolled her at Dynamotheos Development Camp—aka Goddess Boot Camp—with a bunch of ten-year-olds for the summer. Embarrassing as that is, hopefully it'll help her gain control over her powers in time to pass the test of the gods, continue training hard enough to qualify for the Pythian Games, and enjoy her godly boyfriend, Griffin, all while avoiding the ultimate mistake of accidentally misusing powers.

MY THOUGHTS:

After reading Oh.My.Gods I quickly started reading Goddess Boot Camp.  It is the second book in the series and is written by one of my favorite authors for young adult books.  I loved the first book in the series! The second book though just wasn't as great as the first. 

I still loved this book, so don't get me wrong.  I just felt it needed just a little bit more to it.  I loved the witty dialogue that the author never fails to bring to the story. I loved each of the characters in the story as well.  The only thing I didn't like was I wanted to read about the trial of Phoebe's Dad.  It was a major part of the book, yet we never get to see it.  It left me frustrated and hoping that this series will continue with another book that will go into that part of the story in more detail.  There were plenty of laugh out loud moments and teen romance that is sweet.  The book moved at a normal pace and included a lot of my favorite characters from the previous book.  

While this is not my favorite book by this author, it still is a great book with great imagination.  I do hope that the author will continue the story of Phoebe and let us see more glimpse's of her relationship with her Father.

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

Oh.My.Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs

Oh.My.Gods

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Source: Library Loan

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525479422
• ISBN-13: 978-0525479420

SYNOPSIS:

When cross-country-running California girl Phoebe Castro finds out her mom is marrying a virtual stranger and moving them halfway around the world to Greece right before her senior year, she thinks her worst problem will be missing out on fun times with her two best friends. But when they arrive on Serfopoula, her new stepdad tells her that all the students at the Academy—the ultra-elite private school which happens to be the same one founded by Plato more than two thousand years ago—are all super-powerful descendants of the gods. Missing her friends is the least of her problems.

MY THOUGHTS:

Oh.My.God! This book was another great read by the fabulous author, Tera Lynn Childs.  After reading Forgive My Fins, I desperately wanted to read more of this authors work. She has the creativity to come up with the most wonderful creations in her writing.  The character of Phoebe was a typical teenage girl with dreams of getting a scholarship to college due to her long distance running.  She has worked hard to get to where she is and then her mom pulls the rug out from under her. Her Mom reveals that she is getting married to Damien, who happens to be a descendant of a Greek God.  Suddenly Phoebe is thrown off track with her future plans and is forced to move to Greece.  She is told about that the myth about the Greek Gods is true.  She struggles to find her place as a human among all the descendants of the Greek Gods.  Along with trying to fit in, she finds two great friends Troy and Nicole.  She also falls in love with Griffin who is one of the jocks at the school.  

The author floors me with her creativeness and the way she can keep you hooked on a book.  I loved the witty writing that you would expect from teenage characters.  It flowed nicely and was well paced.  A book that will quickly suck you in and leave you wanting to finish the book at a world record pace!  I have found victory with finding this author!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

(ARC Review) FORGIVE MY FINS by Tera Lynn Childs

FORGIVE MY FINS

Author: Tera Lynn Childs

Source: Donated to the blog

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061914657
• ISBN-13: 978-0061914652

SYNOPSIS:

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid—she's a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems—like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher—but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type—the instant they "bond," it's for life.

When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

MY THOUGHTS:

I desperately wanted to read this book after reading fabulous reviews about it and because author Alyson Noel told me I needed to read it ASAP.  When I was offered the book through another blogger, I jumped on the chance! I LOVED this book.

It was so refreshing to read a young adult book that was paranormal, but wasn't dark.  It was a fun read and light with characters with witty dialogue.  I loved Lily, even though she could be so shallow at times when deciding on a life mate based on looks.  Quince was a riot.  I loved his comical remarks and the way he handled everything.  I absolutely think Quince was the best character in the whole story! He made the book fun and pushed Lily's buttons all the time.  I loved the bathroom scene and the fun the writer can make out of anything on a page.  The book is the typical young romance with the Disney theme-like feel to it.  You could feel the bubbly personality of each character flowing smoothly on the pages.

I look forward to the next book in this series from the author and basically anything else the author can come up with.  She was a new to me author and have already ordered her other books she has written. A definite must have for your next young adult read!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS