Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Interview: Ingrid Paulson + Valkyrie Rising


I am beyond thrilled today to welcome author Ingrid Paulson to the blog to answer a few questions about her paranormal young adult novel Valkyrie Rising. I fell madly in love with this book, and it only had a little to do with the funny and charming Tuck. Okay, I just lied. Tuck had A LOT to do with the warm fuzzies this book gave me, I wanted to reach in and hug him and then engage him in a battle of snark. I'm pretty sure he would have beaten me, but that's okay because surely he would have fallen in love with me during the course of our battle, and I would have had his undying devotion as a consolation prize ;-) If you haven't had a chance to pick this book up yet, I highly recommend it!

What’s one aspect of valkyrie mythology that surprised you or fascinated you most as you were researching?

I was a little shocked at how grisly some of Norse mythology stories were. Some of the “pranks” between Odin and Loki were not funny at all, in my opinion. And I didn’t know that much about the first gods and giants who preceded Odin, Thor, and the Norse mythology figures that most people have heard about. Oh, and in several of the books they mention how the Valkyries would serve the heroes mead and basically wait on them. I chose to omit that part because my Valkyries were in charge of the soldiers, not beholden to them.

You and Ellie have swapped places and you’ve just learned you descend from a long line of mythological warriors. What’s the first thing that pops into your head?

I wonder if I can do a front flip. I’ve always wished I could do those cool gymnastics moves but I couldn’t even do a cart wheel.

If you could be a mythological figure of any kind–Norse, Greek or otherwise–what would you be?

Well, after crafting Valkyries into exactly what I think they should be, it’s hard not to answer Astrid (even though she’s not really a character out of Norse mythology). 

But my favorite mythological character growing up was always Athena—the Greek goddess of wisdom and courage who kicks some serious butt in battle. In my mind, she’s an honorary Valkyrie. 

The witty banter between Tuck and Ellie is a highlight of this story (at least for me). What might Tuck say is his favorite line that Ellie has delivered during one of their verbal sparring sessions?

One of the things Tuck loves most about Ellie is she’s the only one who puts him in his place. And she says things that surprise him—he tends to think he’s got a read on everyone. Ellie gets a crazy rush every time she makes Tuck laugh out loud since that’s not particularly easy to do. Tuck is more likely to smile and tease back because most jokes don’t catch him off guard enough to actually make him laugh. This little excerpt from the first chapter represents that dynamic for me:

“Don’t let that jerk chase you away,” Tuck said, following me through the crowd. “I’ll get rid of him.”
 

“Isn’t that what you just did?” I stopped and turned to face him.
 

“I mean for good.” The alcohol on his breath was surprisingly sweet, as was the look in his gray eyes. But I wasn’t going to be tricked a second time.
 

“I don’t want murder on my conscience, if that’s what you mean.”
 

“It’s not,” Tuck said. “Even I have my limits.”
 

“Good to know,” I said. Tucker Halloway’s limit is just shy of manslaughter,” I said.  “Maybe we tie him up and stash him in the pantry instead.”
 

Tuck laughed.

If you had to confess to either Ellie or Tuck one thing about the creation of their characters that they might be surprised to learn, what would you reveal to them?

Even though Ellie is the narrator, it took me a lot longer to figure her character out. I think in part because at the beginning she’s a little unsure of who she is as well and learns a lot about herself over the course of the story. Tuck, however, sprang into the story fully-formed and ready to roll. I never had trouble with his lines or figuring out how he’d behave in a given situation. He had a mind of his own.

Let’s say Tuck is going to accompany you on a multiple-city promotional tour for Valkyrie Rising. What are you looking forward to most and least about touring with him?

Tucker always makes me laugh and I’d look forward to his one-liners and the fact that he keeps everyone on their toes. But with that comes the inevitable scrapes he gets into, so I imagine eventually it would turn into a mess I had to clean up or talk our way out of.

Do you have any reading quirks or habits (dog-earing pages, highlighting memorable quotes, reading the last page first, etc.)?

So, in my house, writing in books or dog-earing pages was tantamount to sacrilege. Since most of the books I read belonged to my dad, and were always in pristine condition, I was very careful with them. To this day, I have trouble writing in books. And actually, when I signed the first few copies of Valkyrie Rising, I had pangs of “I’m ruining this book—I’m gonna get in so much trouble!” Yes, totally silly.

Lately I’ve been reading more ebooks than paper books simply because it’s easier to transport so I do highlight and tab pages that way.

Give us one word that describes whatever project you have in store for us next.

Dark. I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky person and I love being silly, so I’m stretching myself with this one.

Thank you so much for having me, Jenny. I also wanted to share a Valkyrie Rising playlist that I completely adore and that I listen to while running. It was put together by my critique partner, Whitney Miller, whose debut novel is coming Winter 2014 from Flux. It’s fitting Whitney made a playlist since she knows tons about music and even has a scene in her book that takes place in an underground Tokyo’s punk club!  Here’s a few words about Whitney’s book—tentatively titled THE TERROR.  It’s got horror, humor, and hot guys. What more can you ask for?

Harlow Wintergreen is keeping a dark secret.
 

She is the daughter of the charismatic leader of VisionCrest, a corporate religion that's been plagued by a rash of mysterious kidnappings. All eyes are on Harlow, and she is expected to be perfect. 

Unbeknownst to everyone, a sinister voice whispers to Harlow, showing her visions of a dizzying, blood-soaked alternate reality. Traveling on a PR junket to Asia with the families of the VisionCrest elite, Harlow is hoping to reconnect with her childhood friend and secret crush, Adam. Adam was the victim of a kidnapping and has miraculously returned, but his demeanor has changed. Harlow suspects she isn’t the only one keeping dangerous secrets.
 

Harlow desperately struggles to keep her mind under control, but the more she resists, the more completely she is overwhelmed by the terrifying voice. It whispers to her. Shows her the deadly possibilities. Harlow’s mental state deteriorates and her visions bleed over into reality. When people begin to turn up dead, Harlow must expose her secret to the boy she loves and face the monster within, or else be consumed by it. Will it be too late?

Best Coast - "The Only Place"
Bananarama - "Cruel Summer"
Paramore - "Born for this"
Ellie Goulding - "Guns & Horses"
Britney Spears - "Till the World Ends"
Florence + the Machine - "Leave my Body"
Metric - "Help I'm Alive"
Silversun Pickups - "Gun Shy Sunshine"

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing the playlist Ingrid! More information on Ingrid (AND TUCK!) and her books can be found here:

Website
Blog
Facebook
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Goodreads
Amazon Buy Link

VALKYRIE RISING

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

42 comments:

  1. Ok yes I got it, I need to meet Tuck!! I loved that little scene you pointed out and it's exactly these kind of character interactions I love!

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    1. YOU DO DANNY! He's adorable:) As much as I love a bad boy, it was nice to have a break from that and get a taste of a witty, sweet boy instead:)

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  2. I'd like to read it for the sole reason that I seldom read books set around my part of the world, well at least not after going over to reading only English

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    1. I loved that this book was set in Norway, it added so much to the story!

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  3. Oh this is an awesome post Jenny and Ingrid, I was holding back from buying a copy of this until Christmas, but I think I may have to just buy one now! How adorable does Tuck sound? Also I'm always super conscious about giving my books out too, I hate it when I get it back with a cracked spine. I always tell people that they better take care of my books or else! :)

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    1. I LOVE TUCK! Sorry, that just slipped right out:) I've had to buy second copies of books I've let people borrow because they return them with food stains on the pages or the cover's bent and I just can't deal with it. I like my books to be pristine:)

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  4. MYTHOLOGY. That's enough to make me want to read this book already! Oh, and Tuck of course too :) I have a feeling I'll fall in love with him too!<3 Awesome interview!!<3

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    1. I loved the valkyrie mythology, it was so fun and different. And I think you will love Tuck Shirley, he's a hard guy not to like:)

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  5. This sounds so good... plus norse mythology? WIN! I have been wanting to read this and I SO need to know Tuck better. Yep, it's a moral imperative!! :) Jenny, your interviews just rock!

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    1. You DO need to know Tuck better. He and Ellie are too funny together, and I just blew right through this one waiting for them to acknowledge their attraction. So cute:)

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  6. I'm in the middle of this one and really enjoying it! And I agree about dog-eared pages. I used to do it all the time (and still do with some of my paperbacks that I'm not overly concerned about) but now, bookmarks are the way to go. Plus, with the trade paperbacks, breaking the spine is a big no-no. I like 'em to look pretty on the shelf!

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    1. YAY! I'm glad you're enjoying it:) Many of my favorite books have cracked spines just because I've read them so often it couldn't be helped, those definitely stand out on the shelf against all the perfect ones I've only read once!

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  7. Norse Mythology is some of my favorite (history buff galore here) but it is BRUTAL! I have read some things that have made my toes curl. It truly is fascinating though and I am surprised more people don't use it :)

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    1. I think I need to read up on some Norse Mythology, I only really know about it from watching the movie Thor. And then I was paying more attention to Chris Hemsworth than anything else:)

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  8. This looks like an awesome book and I might have to pick it up! I'm finishing up a pretty great book now called "Three Fugitives" by Nat Howler, it's part of the Six Stones Trilogy. You can check out him and the book on the website http://nathowler.com/. Thanks for the review and suggestion!

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  9. Thanks for sharing this interview! I need to get my hands on a copy of Valkyrie Rising. It sounds like something I'd enjoy, especially the witty banter. I am a sucker for that!

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    1. I am too. The witty boys and the bad boys get me every time:)

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  10. I need more Tuck NOW.

    Please?

    Fantastic interview - I, too, loved the banter between Ellie and Tuck. It just made their connection all the more realistic.

    I went through a phase where I underlined my favorite parts of books. I thought it was cool and hip and fun ... and now I'm like: "WHAT WAS I THINKING?!"

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    1. We should just make shirts that say MORE TUCK PLEASE and wear them around BEA together:)

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  11. I'm new to Norse mythology so my knowledge of the Valkyries is next to nil which is fine because I think I'll enjoy this book more than worrying about how "accurate" it is. Looking forward to this fun read!

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    1. I hope you like this one Rummanah, I just loved it:)

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  12. I love this book so much! Nice interview! I'm hoping for the second book already! I just know that I am going to love it. Wait, there will be a second book right? RIGHT? I NEED it!

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    1. I've got my fingers crossed we'll get more of Ellie and Tuck, but I have no idea if that's actually in the works!

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  13. "I wonder if I can do a front flip." This one made me laugh so hard! I couldn't do a front flip to save my life.
    I finished this book just a week or so ago and really, really liked it, so I second Jenny's recommendation.
    I had a lot of fun reading this interview. Thanks so much, ladies!

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    1. Yay! So glad you liked it too:) It was just such a fun story I thought - not all fluff but not too dark either. And such a cute romance:)

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  14. I just love the dynamic between Ellie and Tuck. They are SO CUTE! And I have to say, if I switched places with Ellie, I would TOTALLY do those gymnastics moves because I've always wanted to just like Ingrid. ;)

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    1. I KNOW! I love them together. I love the romance between a girl and her best friend or her brother's best friend, it's such a fun setup:)

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  15. Oooohhhh!! I love me some Ellie Goulding!! She's freaking incredible and to include one of her songs as a soundtrack one - yessss! I need to read this book asap. God, why do I have so many books on my shelf waiting for me? Pfff.. All this competition between those books is driving me insane, I want to devour them all, LOL. Oh, and I used to have a habit of reading the last sentence of a book before purchasing or borrowing it from a library. Kind of laughable, but I always thought that if I read the last sentence and it intrigued me then I'd probably want to know how it all came down to that point. I don't do that anymore since I learned my lesson with a spoilery cliffhanger which disappointed me in a huge way.. -.- so yeah, better not to read those last sentences :D

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    1. Confession: I till read the last page of a book first. I can't help it! Usually I only do it with books that make me nervous - ones were I think a character might die or there will be some rip-my-heart out twist - I need to know those kinds of things upfront so I can prepare myself. I do NOT take those kinds of surprises well!

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  16. Maybe I should just give in and meet this Tuck character everyone seems to love? ;) I have to say, I'm pretty convinced with the mention of banter! Nothing like a good bit of banter in books will cheer me up. :)

    Brilliant interview, ladies! If it makes Ingrid feel any better, I can't do back-flips or cart wheels either. I'm not even sure if I remember how to do a forward roll. ;) #old

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    1. Ummmm yes. Yes you should meet him. I'm pretty sure I'm currently incapable of doing a somersault without injuring something. #oldalso

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  17. I really enjoyed the Ellie and Tuck banter as well. A front flip? That was a surprise answer, if I all of sudden learned I had Valkyire power I would want to kick some butt! This was a fun little book and I am looking forward to the next one!

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    1. I'd want some sort of skill with a weapon. Maybe a bow and arrow? I could be a badass Katniss valkyrie:)

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  18. What exactly is a valkyrie? I know the term but not much more. For some reason it makes me think of horses.

    Love the playlist. Especially Metric and Silversun Pickups.

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    1. This is what Wikipedia says:

      In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse valkyrja "chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who decide which soldiers die in battle and which live.

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  19. Snarky, witty banter is always SO fun! I actually have been reading a ton of books with mythology lately. I read two MG ones to my daughter while at the same time I was reading an adult one and a YA one. Its really become popular!

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    1. I love me some witty banter:) And Ellie and Tuck are quite amazing at it, I adore them!

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  20. I really enjoyed reading the interview, Jenny! You asked the funnest questions! ;)
    It's kind of hard not to adore Tuck and Ellie's banter. They were so adorable together! I hate dog-ears too. They make me so mad! -_- I'm excited to see what Ingrid's new project is! Dark should be good, right?
    Great interview, Jenny! :)

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  21. I just don't know why I would bother to ask interview questions. Once again, you've knocked it out of the park! So awesome. I have got to try to think like you!
    Much easier said than done. You're an evil genius sometimes! Do you know if this was a standalone?

    Heather

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  22. I love the setting for this book and love mythology. What a wonderful interview and I am excited to read this novel.

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  23. Ok, this is seriously one of my favorite interviews out there! :) Excellent questions, excellent answers! I can't even wait to read this book now...I might just have to buy it very very soon, because you have me convinced! :0

    Love this!

    Sierra @ Yearning to Read

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  24. Set in Norway? I can definitely go for that!

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