Thursday, April 5, 2012

Alison Goodman Author Interview


Photo Content from Alison Goodman

Alison Goodman’s most recent novel is The Dark Days Deceit, the third and final book in the Lady Helen trilogy of supernatural Regency adventures. The first book in the series, The Dark Days Club, is a 2017 CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers, a 2017 Bank Street Library Best Book and an NPR Best Book of 2016. The second book, The Dark Days Pact, won the 2016 Aurealis Award for Best YA Novel. Alison is also the author of the award winning and New York Times bestselling duology EON and EONA, Singing the Dogstar Blues and her very adult thriller, A New Kind of Death.

Alison can dance a mean contra-dance, has a wardrobe full of historically accurate Regency clothes and will travel a long way for a good high-tea. She lives in Australia and is currently working on her PhD at the University of Queensland.

        



What was the greatest thing you learned at school?
To read! So by my reckoning, the height of my schooling was done by the time I was six.

What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
My middle name – Merroll – is actually the name of a candy that my mother liked when she was pregnant with me.

How many books have you written?
Four and a quarter.

Do you feel any competitive pressure from YA books? Why and why not?
The real pressure, I think, is for a writer to keep writing what she wants to write and maintaining the highest possible standard that she can. There can sometimes be pressure from publishers and readers to write books very quickly – one or more a year – and that, I feel, can sometimes lead writers to compromise quality. So the pressure that I feel is to maintain my own schedule so that I can write at my very best. If I know that I have published the best book I can at that time, then I don’t feel competitive pressure. 

What was your first introduction to YA literature, the one that made you choose that genre to write?
It is a toss up between The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Tunes for a Small Harmonica by Barbara Wersba.

Why do you feel you had to tell this story?
Essentially, EON and EONA are stories about the desire for power, and the use and abuse of power. Power is something that I find fascinating and I like to explore these themes in very active, exciting stories where my characters come up against big questions about right and wrong. The books are also about male and female power and that is another theme that I find intriguing. In EON, the idea of Eona being disguised as a male is an essential part of the story, but it also allowed me to dramatize my own interest in the similarities and differences between male and female power, and how such power is expressed.

Aside from Eona, which of your characters do you feel has grown the most since book one and how have they changed?
Probably Lady Dela. At the start of the book she is a courtier who is only interested in her own survival but as the books progress she gradually becomes a fearless member of the Resistance. She also loves Ryko – her eunuch guard – and that relationship changes her too.

If you could introduce Eona to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
I think it would be fun to introduce Eona to Joss Aaronson, the main character in my first novel Singing the Dogstar Blues. They are – in a sense – cousins of my imagination and I think they could have some monumental adventures together. Of course, they might end up hating each other too. Neither gal gives up easily, so their stubborn natures could cause a bit of friction, which would be fun to see!

What chapter was the most memorable to write and why?
The chapter in EONA where Lord Ido and Eona save the ship from being torn apart by the cyclone using their dragon power. It is memorable for me for two reasons: first, it is where Eona and Lord Ido act on their dark attraction to each other, amidst a whole lot of exciting dragon action, so it was challenging to write that fast-paced balance of emotion and action. Secondly, the chapter is also where Lady Dela and Ryko act on their love and I wanted that to be a very tender scene to be a kind of mirror opposite to the wild scene between Eona and Ido.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I am SO excited about my new series – it is historical adventure with a touch of fearsome supernatural. The main character is Lady Helen Wrexhall – another strong-willed cousin of Eona and Joss – who is about to make her debut into society, and unbeknownst to her, into a whole world of danger. I am having a ball doing the historical research, and I’m even getting a whole wardrobe of historically accurate clothes made for me (including stays!). I’ll be modelling the clothes on my website when they are finished so keep an eye out for yours truly in my new gowns and hats. All in all, I am having an obscene amount of fun researching and writing this new trilogy.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Keep on reading – anything and everything - especially if you want to write fiction.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
Are you NinjaMinx, superhero extraordinaire whose alter ego is the mild manner author, Alison Goodman?

Naturally, I always lie when asked that question.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Read, walk my dog (or more precisely have my armed pulled out of its socket by my Jack Russell Terrier), travel overseas, catch up with friends, check out Facebook, see movies, shop online and off-line, watch TV, go to the gym. Most of these activities include a very important part of my life – coffee.

What was the first book/story you remember reading?
The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

What do you normally eat for breakfast?
Breakfast is one of my three favourite meals of the day. Lately I have been having muesli with freshly picked strawberries from our own strawberry plants, topped with milk or yoghurt. And many, many cups of black coffee.

Who was your first boyfriend?
Patrick at kindergarten (preschool). He gave me a plastic fried egg on a keyring and won my heart.

What’s the worst job you’ve had?
Pulling apart up to 50 roast chickens in a department store café every day. Ugh.

List 3 of your all time favorite books?
Okay, this list changes all the time, but at the moment:

Cross Stich by Diana Gabaldon (also known as Outlander)
Jhereg by Steven Brust
The Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey


The New York Times bestseller and stunning companion to Eon!

Once she was Eon, a girl disguised as a boy, risking her life for the chance to become a Dragoneye apprentice. Now she is Eona, the Mirror Dragoneye, her country's savior - but she has an even more dangerous secret. She cannot control her power. Each time she tries, it twists into a killing force. And more destruction is on her trail - High Lord Sethon's army. She and her companions must find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power if he is to wrest back his throne. But to help him, she must drive a dark bargain with an old enemy, which could obliterate them all. Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama, unforgettable fight scenes, sizzling tension - and many surprises - brings to a close an epic story.




Wow! There is nothing but good things I have to say about Alison Goodman’s Eona. Now that Eona is no longer disguised as a boy, she can now truly be herself. As a member of the resistance, she must set the kingdom to its rightful place after High Lord Sethon came into control.

The characters are very unique. In Eona, the characters are darker, mainly due to the falling of the Empire. They realize that times have changed as they are being hunted by rebels.

Eona is a beautiful story, thanks to Goodman’s brilliant writing approach. Fight scenes are so vivid that you feel all of the fueled emotions being poured out by the characters. The way she tells the story was so natural and every breathtaking scene, conversations, and adventures came to life right before your eyes. Goodman engages the reader easily that I couldn’t believe I was already half way through in such a short period of time.

This amazingly inventive series is so addictive. With every turn of the page, you feel like a part of the story and you can’t help but to invest more time with Eona to find out what is going to happen next. The book delivers everything you expect after reading Eon and then some. The ending gives satisfaction but Goodman leaves a few things to the imagination. It is a great followup to an already amazing book and I’m sure the next ones will even be better. 


You can purchase EONA at these following Retailers: 
    

And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you ALISON GOODMAN for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive one Signed Copy of EON by Alison Goodman (this can be personalized).
1 Winner will receive one Signed Copy of EONA by Alison Goodman (this can be personalized).
jbnpastinterviews

94 comments:

  1. These look like great books, even if I don't win anything, I will definitely be looking into these! Great Giveaway! If I were deserted on an island, 3 famous people I would want with me are JK Rowling, David Boreanaz and Tom Felton. :)

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  2. Thanks for the giveaway! If I were stranded on an island, I would want Ryan Reynolds, Chelsea Handler, and Anne Rice to hang out with!

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  3. I would pick J.K. Rowling, Katherine Moennig, and Bang Cheolyong (from K-Pop boy band) to be on a deserted island with :D

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  4. Thank you so much for the giveaway! 3 famous people? mmm Josh Hutcherson *__* George Clooney and Emma Stone! ^^

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  5. what 3 people i would take with
    one women if you want to go
    jack Nickolas for the to carry wood and then i need strong guy well let say Edward

    i would love to read and blog on it i collect the goodies and t hen i post on them all overe

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  6. Hm. 3 famous people I would want with me...
    Maybe Johnny Depp, Jared Leto and Josh Hutcherson.
    I'm not greedy. XD

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  7. George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Channing Tatum :))

    catherine0807 at hotmail dot com

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  8. Emma Watson, Liam Hemsworth, Chris Pine. Lol. Thanks for the giveaway!

    me_winy AT yahoo DOT com DOT ph

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  9. Tom Welling; Steve McQueen Jr and Gina Gershon!

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  10. Hmmm... Jared Leto, Garret Hedlund, Cam Gigandet and can I have them all fighting for me... lol

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  11. Emma Stone, Josh Hutcherson, and Cam Gigandet

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  12. Christina Kit. in the rafflecopter

    Einstein to get us out of there, Rachel Vincent to keep us entertained, and Josh Hutcherson because,well, he's cute so it won't be too bad if I'm stuck there forever:)

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  13. Hmmm... Someone resourceful would be great. Let's see... Jennifer Lawrence, Tom Felton (because he's hilarious) and Ricky Kim, a Korean celebrity (because he's good at survival stuff. xD)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  14. I would want to be on a desert island with: John Green( because I love his books and his videos), Lana Del Rey (to sign to me) and the third person would be some famous chef (to cook for me):)
    xoxo

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  15. Alyxandra Harvey (So she can tell me stories about the Drake brothers *-*), Katerine Heigl (because she's hilarious) aaaand... Eoin Colfer. Yes another author.

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  16. I would have Jim Butcher, Rob Thurman and Patricia Briggs so that I wont miss the next book of my favourite series. :)

    Cherry Mischievous

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  17. If I was on a deserted island, the 3 famous people I would want with me would be Johnny Depp, Gerard Butler, and Alex Pettyfer.

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  18. Jackie Chan, Don Cheadle and Goldie Hawn.

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  19. Hmmm... Kristen Cashore so she can keep me entertained with amazing stories, Emma Stone to make me laugh, and some hot guy ;)

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  20. OMG this is an awesome giveaway love and thanks to you and the Author for it!
    ok 3 famous ppl...dang thats hard... The Salvator Brothers and Sam from Supernatural!! hahahahaah

    I think I need one more I need a girl to hang with I say Emma Stone:)

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  21. I would want Liam Neeson, Ally Condie, and Elana Johnson.

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  22. Deserted island.... Tom Hanks (he does have experience in surviving), Wentworth Miller just because I love him, and George RR Martin, he likes to tell nice loooong stories!

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  23. If I were deserted on a desert island I would want Alan Rickman so he could do Snape impesonations, Ted Dekker so he could tell me the stories that come into his head, and Jean so she can tell me all the books I need to read when I get back to civilization ;)

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  24. Well first I want Richard Dean Anderson. Macgyver!! I'd want Bear Grylls for his survival instincts. Finally, Ozzy Lusthe from Survivor. I think we'll be okay!

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  25. Haha, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins~~

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  26. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Amandla Stenberg! :D

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  27. thanks for the giveaway. hmmmm i would choose kit harrington, just cus hes hot, ummm jk rowling and george martin, just cus they tell wicked stories :)

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  28. Les Stroud, Cody Lundin and Dave Canterbury. Ahahaha I'm thinking survival. With this 3 I will never get hungry and will find my way to civilization. :)

    thanks for the giveaway

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  29. Hmm Ian Somerhalder, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins :) They can keep me company. The only problem?? I'll never want to leave ^^
    Thanks for this amazing giveaway

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  30. jennifer lawrence, lauren conrad, josh hutcherson.. :)

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  31. Hum... I'm thinking in Jensen Ackles, Ian Somerhalder and Misha Collins. By the way... I don't want to get out of there! :D

    Kisses,

    Fátima Menezes - @fatimamd
    http://recantodecaliope.blogspot.com.br

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  32. Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles and Richard Madden.
    Thank god you're not asking what i'd do to them as well ^^'

    Thank you so much for the giveaway!

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  33. Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone and Mila Kunis. They all seem like really funny and great people!

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  34. I would want Brad Pitt , Ally Condie, and Elana Johnson.
    Thanks for giveaway!!

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  35. Urgh, that is so hard! I think I'd like JK Rowling, Benedict Cumberbatch and Chuck Norris, cause, you know, we all need to survive ! ;D

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  36. I'd want JK Rowling so she could carry on writing me stories. Adele, the singer because I need my music and someone who has the survival skills to make sure I survive on the island?

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  37. Taylor Lautner, Cillian Murphy, and Ben Barnes. If I'm going to be stuck somewhere might as well be with some eye candy!

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  38. Only three? That's kinda hard. JK Rowling, Ian Sommerhalder, and Jennifer Lawrence.

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  39. Stephen King, Ellen Degeneres and Brad Pitt. Someone who can tell a great story, someone who can make me laugh and something nice to look at :)

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  40. Mhm.. I'd want Suzanne Collins, Lauren Oliver and Josh Hutcherson :D

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  41. Tom Hanks, Ellen Degeneres, and Jensen Ackles!

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  42. If I were deserted on an island I would have to say Haley Williams, Channing Tatum, and Kirsten Stewart...

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  43. Tom Hanks as he does have island living down to an art, Dakota Cassidy as she would keep me laughing, and Chloe the wonder dog.

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  44. I would have Darren Criss as I love him and would need some eye candy lol! Christina Perri as she could sing to keep me entertained love her music. And of course my mum cause she is famous to me he he

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  45. Lets keep it totally book related.
    Jana Oliver so she can tell me everything about the Demon Trappers and answer all my questions and she is a lovely lady she recently did a guest post for me.
    Gale out of the Hunger Games books as he is a hunter and could bring me food.
    Avry from Maria V Snyder's Touch Of Power as she is a healer!

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  46. I'd want Darren Criss (eye candy and entertaining), Les Stroud(survival badass), and Norman Reedus (Cause he's just plain awesome)

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  47. Derek Hough, Lance Gross, and Tyrese all very nice fellas

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  48. Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, and Jensen Ackles! :D

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  49. Anne Hathaway, Ian Somerhalder and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.

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  50. Bear Grylls (for the sake of survival, but I don't know if he would turn cannibalistic), Sophie Kinsella and Jon Stewart (I am sure they will keep my laughing)

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  51. Stephenie Meyer so she could entertain me with great stories.
    My husband David because I couldn't live without him.
    Ray Mears from that wilderness survival show so we all could eat.

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  52. Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, and Joseph Morgan.

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  53. Hugh Jackman, Dido and Robin Williams (the actor, not the singer)

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  54. HA! Tim Tebow, Blake Griffin, and Ryan Gosling.

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  55. Hmmm 3 people?? I would have to pick Cassandra Clare so she can tell us great stories, Josh Hutcherson and Ryan Gosling cuz they are yummy to look at!

    Thanks for the awesome giveaway and interview!!

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  56. Taylor lautner channing tattum and Kristen Stewart because to much testosterone would drive me crazy lol

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  57. hmmmmm.... i would have to pick Booboo Stewart, Andy Biersack, and Sarah Dessen

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  58. Ahhh this is hard. Lets see I would pick Robert Pattinson, Channing Tatum and Taylor Kitsch. ;) Thanks for giveaway!
    -Maritza R

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  59. This would probably sound funny but I would have to say Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson. Love my English accents :)

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  60. bear grylls, survivor man and billy the exterminator

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  61. Bear Grylls, He'll probably get me off the island so now I can be selfish.
    um, um, um... I have no idea... umm... Benedict Cummberbatch (I'm currently obsessed with Sherlock at the moment) and one more... I suppose Maria V Snyder... cause she's awesome :P

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  62. Definitely Bear Grylls for survival, then maybe Ryan Gosling and Robert Downy Jr for the hotness. Thanks!

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  63. Johnny Depp, Oprah and Ian Somerhalder =)

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  64. i would wanna be with cassandra clare! im having an infernal devices obsession :D

    thanks for the giveaway

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  65. Jensen Ackles.... Then I am not sure sorry he makes me loose thoughts of all other things!!

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  66. Tamora Pierce, Jane Austen, and George R. R. Martin-all three would be highly entertaining!

    Thank you for such a neat interview (and giveaway!) I'm a big Alison Goodman fan ever since I picked up Eon last summer! (I'm hoping to win a bookplate to put in one of my copies :P)

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  67. Oh wow, awesome question!
    Selena Gomez; I have just been obsessed with her for the longest time; Nina Dobrev, and then my celeb crush Zac Efron ;) hehe
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  68. I would want Oprah (she will always keep me up lifiting), Maksim Chmerkovskiy (I must have some eye candy), and Les Stroud (hopefully he will keep me alive and he can make fire)

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  69. Probably, it would be one of the boys of ONE DIRECTION<3(could it be all of them?), Stephenie Meyer/Rick Riordan/Cassandra Clare/L.J Smith (they are popular!!) and of course GOD! He's famous, we all know. :)- Flord Naezel

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  70. Books look great! If I was stranded on a desert island, I would want Bear Grylls with me! He is unbelievable!

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  71. Gordon Ramsay (a girl has got to eat)
    Bear Grylls (a girl has got to survive)
    Sherrilyn Kenyon (Got to know what happens to Nick)

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  72. Bear Grylls (survival skills), Nelson Mandela (I recently read his memoir and he was held at a prison on Robben Island for so many years, so I would want to hear his stories of the past and maybe he can impart some survival skills) and Zac Efron/Channing Tatum (either or both- if I get to have a bonus and a possible love triangle *wink*).

    Sarah Bibi Setar (Rafflecopter name)

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  73. Ah geez, this is so difficult. Maybe J.K. Rowling, Tom Hiddleston and Johnny Depp haha I dunno...

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  74. Channing Tatum, Oprah and Gordon Ramsay! :D

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  75. Johnny depp Taylor launther robbert patterson

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  76. 3 famous people to be stranded with..... Robert Pattinson, Keith Urban, Angelina Jolie

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  77. I would pick Ellen DeGeneres (to keep me entertained), Ben Gibbard (to sing to me and have long thoughtful discussions), and chef Roberto Martin (to cook for me)

    the imagine tree at aol dot com

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  78. I would want Jennifer Lawrence, Garrett Hedlund and Josh Hutcherson to keep me company on the deserted island.

    I just love them all so much! :) :)

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  79. I don't know - hummmm. Perhaps Paula Dean, Laurel K. Hamilton, and Charlain Harris. Paula could help us find fun food and Laurel and Charlain could referee dueling Sookie and Anita LOL Thanks for the fun!

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  80. J.K Rowling, Taylor Swift and Benjamin Stone.

    =)))

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  81. JK Rowling, Richard Madden and Jennifer Lawrence.

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  82. Daniel Boone (for survivalist skills), Albert Einstein (for conversation) & David Beckham (for everything else!)

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  83. Desert island and only three people? I'd choose 1) Jesus (because He'd have the power to get us off the island!) 2) David Suzuki to help build some shelter as a home base and give us an ecological tour and 3)Ricky Gervais to make me laugh!

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  84. Oh my gosh, no one, lol. Jesus, Steven King... can they also be dead? Cause I would go with Einstein for my third.

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  85. Chris Hemsworth, Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day and my best friend!

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  86. I'd want Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Gerard Butler, and Morris Chestnut stranded with me. I'm not thinking long term lol. I'll have one glorious night before I trip and fall of a cliff, or go crazy and begin talking to my pet coconut. (Nikki Marie on rafflecopter)

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  87. too hard!
    But I think I'd like Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosman, Taylor Lautner!
    hehehehe I mean...seriously*-* this was too hard a question! lol

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  88. Robert Pattinson, Johnny Depp & Nora Roberts (Author) I'd be set lol.

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  89. I think I would want Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep on an island with me.

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  90. Awesome guest post!

    I would bring George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Johnny Depp!

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  91. Thak you for the giveaway!! Love your blog!!

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  92. Chuck Norris (for protection), Johnny Depp (For eye-candy) and James Patterson (For entertaining stories) ^_^

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  93. Patrick Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, and Patrick Dempsey. Eye candy!
    Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

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