Friday 19 March 2010

Blog Tour: Angela Morrison (plus a contest)

Angela Morrison stops here at Serenehours for her blog tour today ^^ *greets and applauds*. As you know, her second book has just been released this March and if you've not read it yet, I suggest you snatch a copy somewhere soon. It's beautiful and heartbreaking just like the title indicates.


Anyway, I have a change to ask Angela some questions about the book as well as her upcoming project today. Check out the interview : )


1. Hi Angela. Welcome to Serenhours, again. Hope you have a nice chat with us. First of all, can you tell us about your inspiration to write Sing Me To Sleep?

My daughter sang with a competitive girls' choir when we lived in London, Ontario, Canada. When we traveled to international festivals, the choirs of older teen age girls would attack us as soon as they saw, "Amabile," on the back of our jackets.

"Are the guys here? Where are the guys? Can we meet the guys?"

The Amabile Young Men's Ensemble is one of the few all male youth choirs. The sound is to die for. Makes you totally weak in the knees. And all those thousands of choirs full of teen girls all over the world love them. Great concept for a novel. But I didn't have a story, so I put the idea on the back burner and worked on other things. But when I need a brand new concept for Razorbill, something had happened to one of my daughter's best friends in that choir that showed the love and grace and heart of the entire Amabile choir family. It gave me a story that took hold of me and wouldn't let go.

2. Uhm...interesing. So both of your books were based on real life experience. Is there any difference between Taken By Storm & Sing Me To Sleep?

Huge differences--especially in the writing process. I wrote TAKEN BY STORM as my creative thesis for my MFA at Vermont College (if you want to write for children or young adults, VC is the best program in the world). I revised and marketed, got rejected TONS, and revised and marketed and revised it until I came up with the collage format--Leesie's poems, Michael's dive logs, and their online chat logs. I met my editor, Lexa Hillyer, then at Razorbill, and she loved it, but I still had a lot of work to do to get the manuscript in shape for their target audience.

I wrote SING ME TO SLEEP under contract. Lexa and I batted a summary back and forth until we liked it, and then she got it approved. I wrote the first draft in a month. It is entirely in Beth's voice. She spilled out of my black gel pen, and I tried not to get in her way. After that marathon month, I researched, revised, got critiques, revised some more, and then sent it off to Lexa. She loved it. We made very few changes. I know SING ME TO SLEEP was a gift. I had a lot of help from unseen hands.

How are they alike? Both Michael and Derek are really good kissers. So be prepared for romantic kissing scenes. Both novels are about love and how it changes you. They are both about young people facing the ultimate in life's challenges.

3. I agree. Both Michael and Derek are real romantics. So what's your favorite character from the book?

I am closest to Beth. She pulled me through the story and didn't hold anything back. She is honest, up front, and so confused.

4. I'm curious. What's your most/least favorite part to write in the book?

The ending was the most emotionally difficult thing I've ever attempted. I was a total wreck while I worked on it. I kept having to stop and dry off my keyboard. But the process of writing those chapters was an amazing experience. I wasn't alone. You'll sense the same thing when you read them.

The toughest part for me was the lyrics. I had to teach myself how to do it. Some are better than others. "Beth's Song" is the best. I'm so excited that Amabile's recording of it will be available soon on iTunes. I'll let you know when it comes out!!

5. Woohoo~ I'll be sure to check it out. Anyway, anything you can let us know about your next book?

My poor next project. I'm kind of in shock over that these days, but it's going to work out. Last fall I wrote the sequel to TAKEN BY STORM. It's called UNBROKEN CONNECTION, and I love how it turned out. So does my agent. Unfortunately, my editor left Razorbill just recently, and they decided not to publish UNBROKEN CONNECTION, so I'm taking stock and conferencing with my agent, and we'll try to figure out a way to bring it to readers as soon as possible. I've got a lot of great support from bloggers--that helps believe me. There's a Facebook page up and another blogger is working on an "Don't break the CONNECTION" icon in support of Michael and Leesie. I'll send out an update as soon as I know anything definite. And then I'll get on with writing book three in their saga, CAYMAN SUMMER.


Aww what a pity. I hope the readers will show great support and somehow we'll get to miss Lessie and Michael again soon in the future. In the meantime, good luck with Sing Me To Sleep and Cayman Summer.



So guys, here's the most important part of today: GIVEAWAY~~~Angela has offered a copy of Sing Me To Sleep. If you want to be entered, just leave a comment telling us why you want to read this book.

Extra entries:

+5 for any type of spreading the word.

Contest open to everyone. Ends on March 31st.


Good luck~!!! And if you're a fan of Leesie and Michael, don't forget to show some love to Unbreakable Connection.

17 comments:

Diana Dang said...

Great interview! I would love to read this novel because I need something with a more toned-down and realistic voice (been reading too many fantasy and quick comedy).

I have retweeted here: http://twitter.com/serenehours/status/10724068814

Angela said...

Hi Thao and friends. So great to be here today. Good luck on the contest everybody.

Oh, and "Beth's Song" is now on iTunes. Here's the link:http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beths-song/id361318915

All the funds from the sale of "Beth's Song" go straight to Amabile!

Test said...

Fantastic interview! I want to read this novel because it looks amazing and from what I've heard from other bloggers it certainly is.

laurenscrammedbookshelf@gmail.com

Kelsey said...

I would love to win this book because it's a retelling of Phantom of the Opera, and I LOVED that movie...both the new one and the black-and-white one. I would love to see how a new author can retell this story in the modern-day world.

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/Door2Wonderland/status/10790789213.

Thanks!
Kelsey
krae991@yahoo.com
www.thedoortowonderland.blogspot.com

Lilixtreme said...

I find books inspired by real life experiences quite interesting. I'd love to read how the story played out in Sing Me to Sleep

+5 tweeted: http://twitter.com/Lilixtreme/statuses/10846336304

chicareader@gmail.com

Dani. said...

I would love to read this because a few months ago I had read the first 3 chapters online and THEY WERE SO GOOD I have been dying to read the rest ever since! :)

+5: Tweet- http://twitter.com/Danidlion/status/10853340893

-Dani.
lightningstreak123[at]comcast[dot]net

Lasha said...

I would love to read this book, becuase this sounds like a touching story, one that i could really get lost in. Im excite about reading this book. Please enter me for the contest!

Lasha
arudd908 at gmail dot com

The Lovely Reader said...

I want to read this book first of all because of all the blogger reviews on it. I haven't read anything bad about this book. I'm also looking for something cute to read, as I've had my nose in classics for a while now because of school. I need a good break :)

Thanks for the contest!
barbrafl737 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Sara said...

I've heard great stuff about this book - so I would love to enter!

+5 I've posted about the contest here: http://yavampirebooks.blogspot.com/2010/03/contests-around-blogosphere-week-12.html

Sara
yavampire(at)hotmail(dot)com

Precious said...

Great interview! I actually have read this. But it was only a borrowed copy. For the past days, I've been wanting to read it again. It was awesome! I loved Derek and Beth. The fact that it is musical and that this book increases awareness on Cystic fibrosis is enough reason for me to want it.

+5 tweeted: http://twitter.com/precious_shusky/status/11188866160

precious_shusky@yahoo.com

Shy said...

Hi there!

First of all, thank you so much for the fantastic review. I think it is always good to know the "back story" of every single book we are reading especially those that depict the real life experience. And also, THANK YOU for the contest!

Why do I want to read this book?
The first time I heard of this book and read its description, I know this is the kind of thing that I'm dying to read. Book that was written from life experience tend to have a tendency to make reader go through an emotional turmoil along with the characters in it. I'd like to feel that and I'm not shame to say that I love reading book that could make me feel "something" to the point that I could weep. I've a strong feeling that Sing Me to Sleep has the capability to do that to me, hence why I seriously in need to read this book and be lost in its story.

I tweeted: http://twitter.com/shy8629/status/11189116492

Shy
shy8629(at)gmail(dot)com

Brodie said...

Great interview! I've heard such good things about both Sing Me To Sleep and Taken By Storm. Which is one of the reason why I want to read, but couple that with such a beautiful cover and wonderful synopsis... I am SOLD! :)

+5 Tweeted - http://twitter.com/peacelovevegan/status/11188222426

Thanks!
hanging.by.a.moment_@hotmail.com

Trollololol said...

I really love that interview! Taken By Storm sounds like it must have been complex to write!

I want to read this book because:
a) The synopsis of it sounds so great
b) I really love books that make me cry, and this sounds like one that will
c) Angela seems like a very nice person
d) The cover is so enchanting online... it must be absolutely beautiful in real life
e) The title is just so sweet

Thanks for the great contest, I found your blog because of it, and I look forward to following you (in a non-creepy way). :)

I tweeted HERE.

amy_is_not_@hotmail.com

bianca_riot said...

Why would i not want to read this book? :)

The cover is so elegant and sweet , the title is so loving, and the whole idea and synopsis of the book is so beautiful and meaningful that i cant help but want to read it, few books will do that, but this one has. so i would love to have an opportunity at reading it :)


+5 Tweet
http://twitter.com/bianca_riot/statuses/11190496526

bianca.riot.08(@)hotmail.com

Lindsay Frost said...

I would LOVE to win this!
Thanks! :D:D:D
I am a old follower
I want to read this book because I REALLY need a really good book to read and this sounds like one. :D

-Lindsay

lindsay15photo@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh! That's so awful about Unbroken Connection :( I hope they figure it out.

Please enter me for Sing Me to Sleep, I'd love to read it!

lcintocable[a]gmail[d]com

+5 sidebar
http://tvandbookaddict.blogspot.com

~The Book Pixie said...

I'm really sorry to hear that about the Unbroken Connection. I hope everything works out. Great interview and great giveaway as well.

I would like to read Sing Me to Sleep because the premise sounds pretty original and like something I would enjoy; also because I've read a lot of positive reviews on both Sing Me To Sleep and Taken By Storm.

+5 Sidebar: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com