DJ: I would say the first author who really inspired me was Jane Hamilton. I remember the first book (A Map of the World) where I sat and just stared at sentences for hours on end. It was like the moment I fell in love with the English language.
KBB: Why did you decide to write a book for young adults?
DJ: The first novel I ever wrote was officially aimed at the adult market. Looking back now, I can see that almost all my writing naturally has a young adult flavor. It’s just something I fell into.
KBB: What do you consider the best part of being a writer?
DJ: I feel like I figure out a lot about the world by being a writer. That, and connecting with others, is my favorite part.
KBB: Do you have any must-haves while you are writing?
DJ: A cup of green tea and my online thesaurus.
KBB: Do you have a favorite character from your book?
DJ: I love all of my characters, but Tessa Lockbaum, a rebellious girl who befriends my main character, is definitely a favorite of mine. She says and does all the things I wish I could say and do. She very much has a mind of her own, and seemed to show up when she wanted to throughout the writing of the novel.
KBB: Are any of the characters in your book based on people you know?
DJ: None of my characters are based on real-life people, but I would say Tessa was inspired by someone I knew in high school.
KBB: Do you have a favorite young adult book that you would recommend? It can be an upcoming release, new release, or even a pretty old one.
DJ: Oh, I have lots that I can recommend! Wintergirls, Speak, and Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. As for more recent reads, I really loved Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and Crash Into Me by Albert Borris
KBB: Can you tell us anything about what you are currently working on? Any more YA novels in the plans?
DJ: I’m working on another YA novel called Appetite For Beauty. It’s about a cheeky and forthright girl who discovers a dangerous, self-destructive side in her sister, and has to decide between helping her sister and a powerful and unfamiliar desire to become appealing to a mysterious boy.
KBB: Just for fun: What is your most embarrassing moment? It can be writing related but it doesn’t have to be.
DJ: This is supposed to be “fun”? haha. I’ve had plenty of embarrassing moments, but how about this one… I’ve lost a grass skirt on stage before (I’m a Polynesian dancer) in front of a crowd full of my parents’ friends.
KBB: Okay so embarrassing moments may not be fun when they happen but they are fun for readers. =]
Thanks so much for the interview, Denise!
Readers if you want to know more about Denise, check her out on the web.
Twitter: @DeniseJaden
Website: http://www.denisejaden.com/
Also, check out her blog for all the release party giveaways: http://www.denisejaden.com/Blog.html
Love that embarrassing moment. It doesn’t top mine though. Let’s just leave it at this: A trip to the bathroom, and the long trailing friend I left with, unbeknownst to me until I’d gone through the entire store, talked with a clerk, and went to my car.
Yeah.
Love the tour, Denise!
Writing connects you with lots of people. And I think it does the same with the characters in the story.
Oh, I enjoyed reading Hush,Hush too. Patch. 🙂 *sighs*
Another novel? YAY!! This one sound promising as well. 🙂
That must have been one of the most embarrasing moments ever. And it happened in front of the people you know. *hides*
Thank you for doing the interview Katie, and thank you Denise for sharing more things with us. 🙂
I’m so intrigued by Appetite For Beauty! Glad to see it involves sisters again also.
Eeek at your embarrassing moment!
Thanks for the interview!
Ooh, a new project? Exciting!
(Also, the embarrassing moment does sound cringe-worthy!)
Thanks for the interview! haha I’ve had a similar experience to the skirt thing… Appetite for Beauty sounds really good too!
First we hear about Perfect Aim and now another book. Yay! Appetite for Beauty sounds quite intriguing. Thanks for the interview 😀
Aw, thanks for all the comments on Appetite For Beauty, everybody! I hope that will be my next one out!
And thanks again, Katie, for hosting me! This was so much fun 🙂
Too funny! I can’t imagine what I would do if that had happened to me. Did you keep dancing or make a run for it?
Haha! I love these interviews! 😀
And those books Denise Jaden recommended are REALLY good. 🙂
Good taste. 😉
Can’t wait to read Losing Faith.
-Wolfie
Nice interview, Denise’s next book sounds pretty good too.
I love that you just fell into YA, maybe because I was the same! The first novel I ever wrote was for NaNo 2005. I had no idea about voice or target audience or who my characters would be, and it totally came out YA. Yup — extreme pantsing revealed my destiny, lol.
Enjoyed reading the interview — thanks Denise and Katie!
Great interview. The more I read the more I want to read the book.
Love green tea!
I can’t wait to read ‘Losing Faith’
Hehe, embarrassing moments only fun for the readers, so true! Fantastic interview, Katie. Denise sounds super cool and I can’t wait to read Losing Faith. =)