Mundie Moms

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Interview with author Ruta Sepetys & Between the Shades of Gray Giveaway!


I'm honored and very excited to have Between The Shades of Gray author, Ruta Sepetys on our blog today. Here's a little bit about her book-

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously-and at great risk-documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart. (quoted from Penguin's site).

Recently I was able to ask Ruta a few questions about her debut book, which will be released TOMORROW!

Your book covers something that is so terrible and yet is something that hasn't been taught enough in history classes. What inspired you to give a voice to a part of history not everyone has learned about?

Well, history holds secrets. But secrets can be painful and secrets can be destructive. So many people in the Baltics had experienced the terror of Stalin but had never spoken of it for fear of the consequences. Stories of the Soviet occupation and Stalin are rarely discussed. And it occurred to me, there are so many heroes that we’ve never had the chance to meet or hear about. We’ve never been able to celebrate their bravery or console their regret. They’re nameless and faceless. So I was inspired to write the book to honor the many people who were deported to Siberia by Stalin.

Between Shades of Gray is riveting, thought provoking book that will stay with readers long after they've read it. How do you handle writing some of the more emotionally challenged scenes?

First, thank you so much for the kind words! In terms of the emotional challenge, it definitely pulled me through the wringer. Every day I was left pondering questions such as, “How can people be so cruel?” and “Who survives this kind of thing?” I cried buckets of tears while writing the book. I thought about the innocent people who actually experienced the events, as well as how we often take freedom for granted.

Lina is a brilliantly written character who I have come to not only admire, but really look up, as she's made an impact on me as a reader and as a person. What inspired you to write this story from a 15 yr old's point of view?

Oh, I’m so happy that you connected with Lina! Many of the survivors I met with were teenagers when they were in Siberia. Their stories were incredibly compelling and they were all so full of fire and bravery. I thought it might add an interesting dimension to the story if it were told from the point of view of a teenage girl. Also, since this is such a little known piece of history, I was hoping that it might be discovered by teachers and librarians. The YA market is well suited for that.

I can't watch the video with out getting choked up over the unfathomable things the people had to deal with. I admire the strength and hope that both the people and survivors had/have (which left me wondering if I could be as strong as they were) and I was most fascinated that they documented their story through art and music and hid it so that one day their voices would be heard. What was the most important part of this story/ part of history that you wanted Lina to reflect?

I wanted Lina to reflect the strength and fortitude that the deportees exhibited on a daily basis. In the lottery that was life or death in Siberia, many Baltic people were displaying kindness amidst the cruelty. They retained their pride and dignity as if saying, “You may have taken our country, but you will not take our spirit.”

There are so many things I have personally taken away from this book. Really, I feel Between Shades of Gray will change people. What is one thing you hope readers take away from this story?

Thank you! It’s difficult to describe the joy I feel in knowing that people may read the book and become aware of the crimes of Stalin. I hope readers feel that through examining these tragic parts of history, and learning from mistakes of the past, we create hope for a more just future. These three small countries have taught us a large lesson about the miracles that are hope and courage and how to speak when your voice has been extinguished.

It's hard to believe that Between Shades of Gray is your first book? Are you working another book at the moment?

Yes, it’s my first book and I hope to write many more! I’m currently working on another historical fiction novel for my publisher, Philomel.

Who are some authors that you admire or have inspired you as an author?

There are so many! I am an enormous fan of Meg Rosoff and I am in awe of writers like Laurie Halse Anderson, Deborah Heiligman, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Richard Peck, Howard Shirley, and Jennifer Donnelly.

Thank you so much Ruta for bringing this story to life! It's so moving and so touching and one that I'm grateful you told.

Thank YOU so much for having me as a guest here at Mundie Moms. I’m so grateful for the invitation! Below are my links for your readers.

Sincerely,
Ruta

Ruta Sepetys
www.rutasepetys.com
www.betweenshadesofgray.com
www.facebook.com/rutasepetys

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You can watch a video of Ruta talking about Between The Shades of Gray here-



Thank you to Penguin, we have 1 copy of Between the Shades of Gray to giveaway! Please fill out this forum below to enter-

Book Review & Giveaway- CHIME

Published by Dial/Penguin
To Be Released on March 17th, 2011
Source- ARC from publisher for review
4 stars- It's a fascinating read

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know (quoted from Goodreads).

CHIME is a very unique, original, YA historical, paranormal story, and unlike anything I've read before. There's not another book I can even compare it to. It's turn of the century setting in England, it's cast of characters ranging from mortals to the "old ones" like witches, the Chime Child, a Brownie, the Bogey Man and Muckey Face, and the prose in which Franny wrote it in make this a most fascinating read.

Briony is a broken, yet strong character. She's someone who's grown up being taught to hate herself and has come to believe she's a witch, thanks to her late step mother. She feels responsible for every bad thing that has happened to her family and those around her. She also has a gift, the second site and can see the various creatures/characters that live in the swamp surrounding her town called Swampsea. If anyone finds out she's a witch, she'll be hung. My heart broke for Briony. She's a hard character to relate to, as she's not one that opens up at all. I understand why she's so guarded. She has many secrets to keep, she has a fierce devotion to her twin sister Rose, and she has been made to feel she's evil, and unlovable. All that changes when Eldric enters her life and makes her see herself in a different light.

My favorite characters are Eldric and Rose. Eldric is a true turn of the century gentleman and the way he treats Briony and Rose will have readers swept off their feet. He is charming, has a slight bad boy streak, but what I loved most about him his is ability to make the characters feel at ease and open up to him. He is also the only one who really sees Briony and Rose for who they really are. Rose is a character you'd deem as mentally challenged, and slow, but she sees so much more than what people give her credit for. There's so much more to Rose than meets the eye that I loved knowing. While CHIME has a sweet, turn of the century romance, the story is truly about Briony. She's been robbed of so much, and with Eldric she slowly but surely learns she is capable of being loved and loving others. It's so heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time.

CHIME has a brilliantly written twisted plot. There's a lot that Franny throws into the plot via her characters. There's some characters I enjoyed getting to know and others I loathed. The setting is captivating, as Swampsea is both eerie and suspenseful, and is a character in it's own right. It's so vividly described that it wasn't hard to picture it. The writing, the prose in which Briony talks gave CHIME an older feel which will be appealing to both YA fans and adult readers. The authentic writing style adds character to the story, even though in the beginning it was a little frustrating for me. CHIME wasn't a story I was able to get right into, but it's one that slowly grew on me. It's the second half of the story that I completely fell in love with.

CHIME has a lot of elements in it. The story itself will offer something different to YA readers, and it's the fact that I'm still thinking about it that has made me give it 4 stars. With it's complex storyline, interesting lore, and the way in which it's underlying message is told, make this an unforgettable, unique story. I recommend picking up CHIME tomorrow when it's out on bookstore shelves.



Thank you to Penguin, we have 1 copy of CHIME to giveaway!

Waiting On Wednesday- Wither

Published Simon & Schuster
To Be Released on March 22nd, 2011

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left (quoted from Goodreads).

I have heard nothing but great things about this book and I can not wait for my pre-ordered copy to arrive as I WANT TO READ THIS BOOK like now. I am so excited it's being released next week, which means when my copy arrives I'll get little sleep from being up all night reading. Wither is also the 1st book in The Chemical Garden Trilogy. YAY for new series!!



Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, and allows us to spotlight a book that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Guest Post by The Lens & the Looker author Lory Kaufman

I’ve been asked to write about where the idea for the History Camps in my new novel, The Lens and the Looker, came from. It’s been extremely gratifying to have people tell me that they really like the concept. Here’s what’s called the story’s elevator pitch. That’s a really short description of the whole book, like if you met a big book publisher on an elevator and you only had the length of the ride to get his interest.

“It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences, or A.I.s, have finally invented the perfect society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full-sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan.

The Lens and the Looker is about three spoiled teens from the 24th century who are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy and abandoned. Now they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die.”

As to where the ideas for these flights of imagination came from, I’ve had to give it a lot of thought. It’s like my mother always said about me, “He’s got a good memory, but sometimes he forgets.” Then again, I guess I can be forgiven, for several reasons.

One is that – I’m really old! It’s taken me to the age of 60 to have this first book published, but I wrote down the first ideas for History Camps away back in 1989. I mean, I have a hard time remembering what happened yesterday. But, seriously, an idea is usually the culmination of many experiences in a person’s life, some going back to childhood. Having to think about where this History Camp idea came from is actually a fascinating exercise in navel gazing. So, let’s take a look at all the pieces of lint stuck in my “innie” and see what we’ve got.

Let’s start by me remembering where my love of dystopian literature came from. In high school, back in the 1960s, there were certain books we all had to read. I’m sure they’re still on most school's curriculum. There was George Orwell’s 1984, John Wyndam’s The Crysalids, Aldous Huxley’s, and my favorite, the one that made me want to be a writer, William Golding, The Lord of the Flies.

That was over forty years ago. Whew!

Then I went through my Star Trek stage, where it was implied that, by the 24th century, the world would be a place of peace. There would also be no hunger, disease and every individual could improve themselves to their greatest potential, if they chose to.

I believe another important influence that fed the History Camp idea was my deep involvement, as an adult, with the Green political party all across North America. On the intellectual side, I studied deep ecology, world population, political movements and many other themes. On the practical side, with my business background, I started a company that catered to Green Party candidates and provided them with election supplies easily. In Canada, my work put Green Party election signs in every political riding across the country. This helped the Greens go from getting just over 50,000 votes, country wide in 1997, to over 1,000,000 votes in 2008. In the USA, I have the infamous distinction of having sold 3,200 Ralph Nader election signs into Florida in 2000, which probably gave Mr. Nader and extra 25,000 votes. This was enough to give the political right the opportunity, some say, to steal the election. That was a lesson to me (and it shows in my writing) that one person really can make a difference, but sometimes it turns around and kicks who’s ever around in the butt!

And then there’s one last thing, a last piece of the puzzle, a phrase that floated around in my mush melon for years. It’s a quote by Edmund Burke that goes; “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.”

So, just before I starting the first History Camp scribbles, I vaguely remember thinking, “What if there was a benevolent world body whose job it was to teach the next generation what our ancestors went through for thousands of years? How could they impart that knowledge? In what form would these lessons take place? I waited for my brain to answer. Nothing! Nada. There was silence from within. But I’ve always found the best way to come up with a solution to a problem is to tell my brain what I wanted it to accomplish and then get on with other things. The solution would be worked on by all the gremlins rummaging around in my subconscious.

It was a warm summer’s day in my hometown of Kingston, Ontario. I was taking some out-of-town visitors to the premier local tourist attractions, Old Fort Henry. It’s a huge, limestone fort built on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Cataraqui Rivers, built some forty years after the war of 1812, to discourage the Americans from invading British North America again. I was walking around, watching all the summer students in their 19th century costumes. They were talking to the visitors about how things were away back when.

And then it struck me. That creative bump, no a bang. It was that brain rush that all writer’s wait for, like a drug addict getting their hit. My subconscious had put it all together and it came to me with clarity. Instead of a “touristy historical theme park”, where people played at being someone from the past, how about if, in the future, society would built whole cities, identical to those from different eras, and young people would go there, not for a fun outing, but to live there to gain a true appreciation of the benefits of modernity? I liked it. But then I thought, books have to be an exciting story, with conflict. In a perfected world, can there be conflict? I smiled as that answer came to me immediately. My subconscious had done a good job. What was the inspiration that came to me, you ask? Sorry. You’ll have to read the book to find out.

***

If you liked the older titles I’ve mentioned, you should like The Lens and the Looker. As for recent comparables, there’s The Hunger Game series, Unwind, The Giver, Feed, Uglies and The Adoration of Jeanna Fox. You can find out more about The Lens and the Looker and the History Camp series by visiting the History Camp site. You can also “like” the History Camp Facebook page.

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