Who's RAD? Christine Norris! (and a contest!)

Please welcome Christine Norris, author of the Library of Athena series, including The Crown of Zeus, which I have read and enjoyed, and the newly released The Ankh of Isis. Don't forget to read through the end and to enter for a special prize from Christine!

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Random Q&A:

If MUNCHER was an acronym, what do you think it would (or should) stand for?
Mad Unicorns N' Centaurs Hate Early Rabbits

What's the most embarrassing outfit you've ever been caught in? Or, if you are so fashion forward, what outfit would you not want to be caught dead in?
Oh, honey, I lived through the '70's - take your pick. Polyester pants with big loud flowers, bellbottoms (though remarkably comfortable). I was just a kid, so I didn't have much choice, but we all thought we were fabulous. Then I hit my teens during the '80's, and we all know how fashionable THEY were. One word -shoulderpads.

Describe yourself in three words.
Silly, Fun, (a) Dreamer

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the guest blog:

When I volunteered for this guest blog, I was all excited. I'm promoting my newest release, The Ankh of Isis, available as an e-book from Samhain Publishing, and I do all kinds of promo-y stuff for new releases. Then the panic set in - what was I going to write? I need to be witty, personable, deep, AND have new material. Oh, the pressure!

I thought about doing a bit on e-books, since that's the current format for the two new series books (at least until The Crown of Zeus appears as a paperback in late December), but that would be rather dry. If you haven't tried one, I suggest it - it's grown on me, and being able to get books practically instantly without leaving my living room is a totally cool thing. If you're going green, you can't do worse than an e-book.

Then I thought about answering a question. I've done bunches of interviews, and they all have the same basic questions. BORING. One I've never had in an interview, but that people have asked me at signings is "Who are your books for?"

Wow. What a great question, because the answer is pretty thought provoking. I could just say - "Oh, these are for girls ages 9-12 who like fantasy and that live on the East Coast and love to knit", but that's a rather limiting and superficial answer (and untrue - I know there are people living on the West Coast who've read my books). I would love to say that my books are for everyone, but that's just a terrible lie. No book suits everyone, and it's ridiculous to think there is one that will. I still know people who have no desire to read Harry Potter. Poor fools.

My books are always, first and foremost, for me. I know that sounds selfish, and really...it is. Terribly self-centered, absolutely. But I can't write something that I won't enjoy reading later. Reading over the first two Library of Athena books, pre-release, I still love them. I see little jokes or something cool that happened and I say 'that's awesome'. Pretty narcissistic, but if I can still love it after countless re-readings, I think it's a good indicator that it won't cause people to gouge their eyes out only reading it once or twice. Not only that, but I think the act of getting the words onto the page and have them make any kind of sense, AND be entertaining is a combination of sheer will and a little bit of magic. There is some supernatural force at work that turns strings of words into a story, and I feel truly blessed to be able to tap into it. And it still amazes me, the things that come from my fingers. I'll just be typing and some totally bizarre and completely appropriate words appear on the screen, and though I didn't plan it that way, that's the way it wants to go, so I let it.

I don't write to follow a trend. Or else I'd be busy penning novels about vampires who ride dragons to attend a school for wizardry. I don't write to please publishers, except to write as well as I know how and do something I think is captivating and original without being gimmicky. I don't REALLY write FOR readers but rather TO readers. I HOPE that I'm pleasing the readers, but I don't write specifically for any set of readers, because I want to appeal to many types of readers. (That was five incidents of the word 'readers'. I think that bit was about them, but I can't be certain.)

I write to please my inner editor - and sometimes my external editor too, but she's very easy to get along with and usually right.

My books are fantasy, aimed at ages 9-12, though people of all ages can enjoy them, and for some reason I always have a female protagonist, so perhaps girls might like them better than boys, but I've had plenty of boys read my books and tell me they liked them. The Library of Athena books contain quite a bit of mythology, so if you are into that, then perhaps you'll like them too. And there's a bit of mystery, and girl-bonding, and adventure...you get the idea.

Who are my books for? If you like them, then they're for you. That's the best I can do.

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Thanks Christine! Just so you know, I'm a 15 year old girl on the West Coast who enjoys mythology, and consequently, your first Library of Athena novel. So your writing was definitely for me! Thanks so much for an awesome guest blog!

You can contact Christine at her:

• website: http://www.christine-norris.com/
• MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/christinenorris
• email: christinenorris02@gmail.com

And now for the contest part. Anyone who comments here will be eligible to win e-books of both the Library of Athena novels, The Crown of Zeus and The Ankh of Isis. To enter, just leave a comment with your name and email address. Contest ends 7/17/08, midnight PST. contest ended