Author Interview -- Renita Pizzitola AND an Excerpt from Gossamer! #youngadult #paranormal #romance

Title: GOSSAMER

Author: Renita Pizzitola

Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc.

Series: Gossamer

Release date: October 8, 2012

Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal/Romance

Pages:facebook/blog/goodreads

Website: www.renitapizzitola.com

Twitter: @renitapizzitola
Buy Links: Amazon/Barnes and Noble/ iBooks/Lyrical Press

Karen: Welcome, Renita! It’s great to have you here today! *virtual handshake*

Renita: Hi Karen! It’s great to be here!

Karen: Let the fun begin! Can you tell my readers what’s the weirdest thing you like to eat?

Renita: I don’t really think I eat anything that unusual. I do like to put salt on watermelon which my husband thinks is weird, but he doesn’t even eat watermelon so I think he’s weird.

Karen: Tell us about your novel, GOSSAMER, what’s it about?

Renita: Gossamer is based on Irish legends in a modern day setting and ends with a classic fairy tale twist. Half of the story takes place in our ‘human world’ and the other half takes place in the magical faery realm known as Tír na nÓg. The story focuses on Kyla, who goes by Kylie. She’s never really considered herself to be anything special—just a normal girl coasting in the middle, but when she meets Grant things begin to change. She soon discovers she’s part of an elaborate plot to save two children, and now she’s in danger. With her life in Grant’s hands, she flees to a world she never even knew existed, but as more secrets are revealed she discovers her new life comes with a price—her freedom. 

Karen: How did you come up with the title?

Renita: I wanted something that made readers not only think of faeries but somehow pertained to the book. Gossamer makes me think of something that is thin and delicate, like faerie wings or a veil, which I think is fitting for Kylie’s life. Her true identity was thinly veiled and as secrets are exposed the delicate thread holding her life together unravels. 

Karen: What was your favorite part/scene to write in GOSSAMER?

Renita: My favorite scene is near the end so I can’t say much...but, I can say it has to do with a little ambrosia wine mishap. I love this part because we get to see a different side of Kylie and there is an interesting exchanges between her and one of her love interests.

Karen: Tell me about the cover! Did you have a say in the process for choosing it?

Renita: The cover is gorgeous! I did have some say in it, but I know Lyrical creates amazing covers so I put my trust in them. I basically wanted Kylie on the cover in a long dress and that’s exactly what I got! :)

Karen: How long did it take for GOSSAMER to be published (from offer to release date)? Tell us a little about the process.

Renita: I signed with Lyrical in early January 2012, so the process took right around ten months. I love my editor, Abby, and she and I went through Gossamer several times to get it just right. She always knew where to ask more of me and I have to say those are now some of my favorite scenes. Although, eventually, she just had to tell me to back away from the keyboard. Do authors ever think their work is really done?

Karen: What was the first thing you thought/did when you received the offer?

Renita: I reread the email. Like three times. Maybe four. I didn’t believe it because I had submitted to Lyrical only a few days prior to receiving the offer. Initially, I assumed it was another rejection. After a while I guess you just anticipate them, but when my brain processed what I’d just read I was shocked...then I emailed my critique partners...then I freaked out some more...and then my brain slowly started functioning again.

Karen: Will there be a sequel to GOSSAMER?

Renita: Yes! GILDED is book two and its expected date of publication is June 2013 from Lyrical Press. I love this book because Kylie learns more about herself and really develops as an individual. She’s more determined, takes more risks, and discovers how powerful she can be.

Karen: (Random question alert!!) Be honest, what’s the longest you’ve gone without washing your hair?

Renita: Hmm, I’m sure there was some point when my kids were newborns and a shower that lasted over five minutes was unheard of, but I think sleep deprivation erased them from my mind. Although, more likely, my brain might have just repressed those memories.

Karen: Back to the hard-hitting questions…What new projects are you working on?

Renita: Well, edits are under way for DREAM ON which is an adult paranormal romance to be released in the spring and I’ve been working on GRANTED, the final book in the Gossamer series. I’m also trying to squeeze in a new project that has yet to be named. It’s something pretty different for me so we’ll see how that goes. :)

Karen: Is there an author that you’d like to stalk, uh, meet?

Renita: Of course! There are several, but I’d have to say my favorite author is Richelle Mead. She has excellent worldbuilding, her heroines are always strong and likeable, and she really knows how to create some major chemistry between characters. I also admire her ability to write both YA and Adult.

Karen: What were some of the biggest challenges to getting published?

Renita: Umm, everything? :) I think the hardest part was the fact YA is an over-saturated market. It’s very hard to get noticed. Dealing with rejection is also hard. I think you get used to it and can’t really take it personally but at times it can be discouraging. I think perseverance is a key. You have to just keep submitting and, above all else, writing.

Karen: What was the first thought that crossed your mind when you started editing rounds with your editor?

Renita: Several expletives. Kidding...sort of. I remember thinking, holy crap, I don’t know anything about writing! It was nothing against my editor, she’s amazing, but I had so many ‘unnecessary words’ to omit I felt like I was a step away from writing in haiku.

Karen: Now let’s delve a little deeper. Shall we? *winks* When did the desire to write consume you?

Renita: I remember in second grade putting together a ‘book’ as a class project and absolutely loving it.

Karen: How did you know this is what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Renita: I loved writing short stories for class assignments and my teachers and family always encouraged my writing, but it wasn’t until high school that I really dreamed of writing professionally.

Karen: Do you have a day job? Or do you write full-time?

Renita: I’m a part time preschool teacher and a full time mom. :) My kids have always kept me pretty busy, but I do most of my writing at night, so it seems to fit into my schedule nicely.

Karen: Who controls your characters? You or them?

Renita: I’d like to think I do, but they often have minds of their own. I think letting the characters control it makes for a better story in the end.

Karen: If them, when are they the most persistent?

Renita: I think scenes where emotions are running high. Their exchanges are definitely driven by how they feel and many times go in a different direction than I had planned.

Karen: Where do you write? (office, coffee shop, train, meadow, etc.)

Renita: I write mostly at home but I do take my netbook with me when I’m doing stuff with my kids and always try to squeeze in some writing time.

Karen: How long does it take you to write a book?

Renita: First drafts don’t take me too long when I’m really focused. Sometimes I start a project and have trouble working on it. I typically shelve those and will maybe return to them, but with some projects all I want to do is write and every moment I’m not I’m thinking about it.

Karen: How do you get into the writing zone? And does chocolate help with this?

Renita: A better question would be: What doesn’t chocolate help with? I prefer to write at night and I like to have a block of uninterrupted time. Sometimes I listen to music but not always.

Karen: What do you do in your down-time…if there is such a thing?

Renita: When I’m not spending time with my family, I love hanging out with my friends. They help me maintain my sanity. We’ve known each other since we were kids and they really are awesome friends...which is why I’ve kept them around so long ;)

Karen: If you could have telepathy (that could be turned on/off) or invisibility, which would you choose? And why?

Renita: Ooh, that’s a tough one. It would be pretty cool to communicate with people through telepathy, but I can think of several occasions—both good and bad—where it would have been really nice to just disappear...so I’m going with invisibility.

Karen: Before we go, you must face the rapid fire round. Dun, dun, dun…

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Chocolate: dark or milk? Dark

Flats or heels? Both

Yes or no? Yes

Star Wars or Star Trek? (don’t hate me!) Neither

Ice: crushed or cubed? Crushed

Italian or French (food, not men)? Italian

Panster or plotter? Both, mostly pantser

Paper or plastic? Paper

Vampires or werewolves? Vampires

Pencil or pen? Pen

Firemen or cops? Firemen!!!

Karen: Thank you so much for stopping by, Renita! Feel free to visit any time!

Renita: Thanks for having me, Karen! I enjoyed answering all your questions and it was great visiting with you!

***** 

Bonus material -- Mini Excerpt from Gossamer! Love it! Bought my copy! Get yours today!! :D

***** 

I took several careful steps forward even as my body was reluctant to move. Every instinct told me to turn around, but I had to know what summoned me. I felt a bit unsettled but couldn’t resist.
I approached a large tree, but instead of my usual oak it was an ash. I felt pretty confident this was where the call came from, so I placed my hand on the tree and slowly peeked around it.

I found a small clearing. The air was still thick, and even though I knew it was daytime, the sun did not shine through the canopy overhead. Next to my large oak tree on the other side of the clearing stood a woman with her back toward me. Had she been on the other side of the oak tree in my last dream?

She had extremely long, blonde hair, almost silvery. The pale strands lay like silken threads down her back in stark contrast to her black attire. She wore a dress with sleeves that puffed at the shoulder then ran tight down to her wrists. The gown tucked in at the waist and billowed out into a full skirt which touched the forest floor. The thick, heavy fabric seemed as if it would weigh down her slender silhouette. Her petite frame looked delicate, and I could tell she was young. She moved her head a little to the side, her hair forming a shimmering veil obscuring any real view of her face. She sensed my arrival and spoke. Her soft, delicate voice drew me in. I took another step forward to hear her better.

Her sweet voice spoke again, “They have found you. They have found you, Kyla.”

How did she know my name? And what did she mean they found me? Did she mean Grant and Conor? They had been looking for me, or maybe she meant Matt. He had found me for The Rite. Either way this wasn’t new information. Yet, I suspected I needed to know something more. Her soothing voice beckoned, and I stepped closer and closer.

Somewhere behind me, I heard a shout. It was a woman’s voice but this one was firm. “Kyla, stop!” I froze at the command. “Turn around!” The voice demanded.

The lady by the tree yanked her head up at a speed no human could match. With her neck craned, she turned her head side to side with quick, sharp, birdlike movements as if trying to place where the other voice had come from.

An uneasy feeling grew within me. Something wasn’t right. I took a careful step backward and a twig snapped beneath my weight. She whipped her head around at the sound. Her white, blonde hair fanned out around her with the rapid motion, finally settling down and exposing her face.

I screamed.