Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Shannon Greenland Author Interview


Photo Content from Shannon Greenland

Shannon Greenland, or S. E. Green, is the award-winning and best-selling author of Middle Grade, Young Adult, and adult books. She writes action and adventure spy stories, serial killer thrillers, chilling suspense, and adrenaline-packed twisty novels.

Shannon has served as a guest speaker at festivals and conferences around the country to include but not limited to the LA Times Book Festival, American Library Association, Book Expo of America, Bouchercon, Romance Writers of America, South East Young Adult Book Festival, Southern Festival of Books, and many more.

Shannon grew up in Tennessee where she dreaded all things reading and writing. She didn’t even read her first book for enjoyment until she was twenty-five. After that, she was hooked! When she’s not writing, she works as an adjunct math professor and lives on the coast in Florida with her very grouchy dog. Find her online everywhere @segreenauthor.
        



What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
Most people are very surprised to discover I dreaded reading and writing as a kid.

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?
Funny enough, I had fabulous math teachers in high school. They made me fall in love with numbers.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
Keep writing, even if you’re blocked. Set aside time every day. It’ll be so worth it in the end.

What are some of the common challenges that new and experienced authors face and what advice do you have for over-coming them?
Probably the biggest challenge a new author has is finding representation. As far as experienced authors, it seems maintaining the momentum and readership is the most common challenge. The market is constantly changing and it keeps all of us on our toes.

For those who are unfamiliar with your novel; The Summer My Life Began, how would you introduce it?
Girl goes away for the summer and discovers her life is nothing like she thought it was. Girl falls in love with hot surfer dude, too. Gotta have a hot surfer dude!

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Elizabeth?
Actually all the characters that popped up along the way are what surprised me most. It was the same way with my Specialists novels. Characters popped up everywhere and I was like, “Hello, where did you come from?”

Why do you feel you had to tell this story?
All of us go through a time where we’re trying to figure ourselves out. And some of us never do!

Do you have a favorite quote that you keep visible in your work environment to help inspire you?
Ha! “Sit your butt down and write!”

If you could introduce Cade to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
Hm, I’d introduce Cade to Beaker from the Specialists. I think she could use some of his laid back island vibe.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
I’m definitely working on something but my agent will kill me if I spill the beans!

What’s the best advice you can give writers to help them develop their own unique voice and style?
I write with my eyes closed. I’ve discovered that’s how I delve best into the world I’m creating.

Where is the best place in the world you’ve been?
Oh, I’ve been to tons of great places. But recently I hiked the Na Pali coast in Hawaii. It definitely goes down as most memorable.

What book are you reading now?
I’m on a Susan Elizabeth Phillips binge right now. She makes me laugh out loud.

What do you think is the most useless class in high school?
Lunch. I’m too busy to sit for 30 minutes and eat.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
Wow, crazy question. I tend to fib about all the junk food I inhale.

What's the worst summer job you've ever had?
Haven’t ever had one. I delivered pizza for Dominoe’s. I chipped paint at a paper mill. I waited tables at an Italian bistro. I’ve had some pretty fun jobs.

When was the last time you cried?
Yesterday. I was riding my bike and wrecked. You should see my road rash. I cried like the big baby I am.


A great summer beach read filled with sunshine, cooking, and—of course—romance!

Elizabeth Margaret--better known as Em--has always known what her life would contain: an internship at her father's firm, a degree from Harvard, and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is, it's not what she wants. So when she gets the opportunity to get away and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em learns that her family has some pretty significant secrets. And then there's Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can't resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels that for the first time ever, she is really living life on her own terms.




The contemporary YA novel, The Summer My Life Began, by Shannon Greenland, tells a remarkable story about the significance of family and forgiving. With Elizabeth Margaret’s (Em) future already in placed by her parents, she believes it is the only one available for her. After spending a few weeks with her Aunt Tilly and cousin Frederick, Em uncovers new paths that make her second-guess about the future already set for her.

With clues suggesting that the secrets of Em’s family could be terrible, readers can only hope that Em would be the one to turn it around. Shannon’s character development with Em is amazing. She is very confident without ever feeling arrogant. Her thinking makes her real as it can be and would be a fun friend to be around with.

Shannon’s stress on the importance of family sets this book apart from others like it. Shifting from one scene to the next came naturally. There is plenty of plot development that readers will be guessing what to expect. Coming of age books are a tough bid for me to sit through but I found myself invested with Em’s interesting life. Lead by Shannon’s amazing writing style, throwing myself into their world came easy. It encompasses a sweet story that will reach out and touch hearts. Every minute spent on this book will not disappoint and I am certain Shannon’s next project will be just the same.

You can purchase The Summer My Life Began at the following Retailers:
    


And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you SHANNON GREENLAND for making this giveaway possible.
1 Winner will receive a copy of The Summer My Life Began  by Shannon Greenland.
jbnpastinterviews

47 comments:

  1. I'm grabbing my laptop, my phone would already be with me, I'm serious. Or my purse, because it has everything I need in there. You know?

    And I read this book before, a while ago, it was really swell, but the ending was a little soap opera-ish and cheesy, but regardless a good novel.

    Thanks for the giveaway.
    You rock!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would grab my big container which is full of my deceased mother's belonging, family pictures and stuff I just couldn't get back. I would die If I lost those things.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would grab my laptop and my album!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really don´t know what I would grab. I think that I would grab my family photos or book/s which I just read. But probably I would be in panic, so I hope that I would something importand :D.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would grab my laptop cause there is stuff on here that are so important to me

    ReplyDelete
  6. My NetBook. My precious NetBook. How would I be able to blog otherwise? :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. i would grab my ummmmmm laptop i think. it has all my photos and everything on it so i think thats what i would grab :) thanks for the giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  8. My laptop! I'd love to have amazing strength and be able to carry out one of my bookcases, but alas I don't think that's how it would work!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  9. My laptop!!! And the charger!! Oh, God that'd be so scary!

    ReplyDelete
  10. A quilt my granny made for me.

    ReplyDelete
  11. My laptop! I've tons of work and school papers there!
    (ileana-rafflecopter)

    ReplyDelete
  12. My old family pictures and my cpu as it has memories of my trips with my family...

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would save my laptop, but part of me wishes I could just carry out my entire bookcase! lol

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'd grap a snowball that I bought in London.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Probably my jewellary box as I have some pieces that mean alot! ;)

    Megan McDade

    ReplyDelete
  16. My laptop bag that has my laptop nook and other tech things... (Anything else would take time to dig out & get)
    THANKS :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. My wooden box with some things that I got from people which mean a lot to me :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. That's tough... My laptop, I guess!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I would save as many of my books as I can, because my burse is always ready, but losing my books, clothes, DVDs and everything else might kill me. I guess I will give up and just die with them! I just LOVE my stuff…

    I am really not sure what would actually happen... but when I was younger, our house was actually on fire and all I could think about was my mom. So maybe things aren't as important as we think, maybe memories are much more precious.

    ReplyDelete
  20. That's a hard question: depending on if everyone was out...i guess my ereader since I would not be able to carry all my books :(

    ReplyDelete
  21. the one thing i cannot live without!!!! My kindle!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. the teddy bear my boyfriend gave me :)
    the one thing that is irreplaceable for me :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. My Galaxy Note and/or BlackBerry. I could get a job and make money to build/buy my house again from there. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I don't have a laptop yet, so I'll grab my CPU. It has all my hard work on it. I'd die if I lost it.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Probably my teddy bear. My mother gave it to me :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. I would grab my book full of little notes and sayings and writing stuff. Thats where i put everything i feel and its important to me.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I would grab pictures, everything else can be replaced.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I would grab the box that is by my front door, will all my private papers and photo's of family that I will never see again, Thankyou for a wonderful giveaway x x

    ReplyDelete
  29. My computer! (sobs)

    (Carla C. on the Raffle)

    ReplyDelete
  30. one thing I'm going to save from that blazing inferno is my school certificate

    ReplyDelete
  31. My laptop, as lame as that sounds. I have so much personal stuff on there--schoolwork, writing, pictures, music, etc. that I couldn't bear to lose.

    ReplyDelete