Flock Blog tour- review+author interview+ tour-wide giveaway

Hi guys! Today on the blog is an interview with author Wendy Delsol, as part of the FLock blog tour. I was really excited for this because I love her books. And when I met her in BEA, she was so sweet! Also, check out my review HERE :)

  

                              Stork                                     Frost                                    Flock

                     October 12, 2010                  October 11, 2011                  September 25, 2012

Title: Flock
Series: Stork #3
Author: Wendy Delsol
Publisher: Candlewick
Expected Publication: September 25, 2012
Source: publisher (BEA)

Having barely survived an eleventh grade of adventures rivaling any mythological tale, human Stork Katla Leblanc is hoping for an ordinary senior year. But when two Icelandic exchange students turn up at Norse Falls High, an uneventful school year seems out of the question. Although tricked into the initial deal, Katla is constrained by a celestial bargain that puts everyone—including her boyfriend, Jack, and best friend, Penny—at risk. She’ll have to use her wits, her wit, her soul-delivering powers, and a few out-of-this-world colleagues to fend off a disaster of epic proportions.

My REVIEW:

I’m both sad and happy to see the series ending. Sad, because I love the series and I got used to waiting for the next book in the series to come out. Happy, because I can say it’s a successful trilogy. Nevertheless, I’m more of happy with how the story ended. And, just take a look at that cover. I love it to bits! The series has a pattern of having a girl on the cover (among the three, I still like the first one because it was Katla). Here in “Flock”, I guess it’s Penny (red and curly hair). And having those cover hints us on what could probably happen on the book. ( I think I’m pretty confusing in my usage of words,sorry!)

Flock is truly a riveting story. I love how Delsol has the ability to make different stories in each book (of the series) yet they are all still interconnected. In Stork, as I can remember, Katla learns of her “Stork” capabilities/heritage. In Frost, it’s more of the “Winter queen” kidnapping Jack and Katla saving him. In Flock, everything, as in every unfinished business from the last two books are being resolved, and things. just. got. complicated. And what’s more painful is that Katsa is on her own, and not her own choice! With everyone starting to get farther from her, how will she ever sold this endless riddle of a dilemma?

The character development is augmenting-for everyone, especially Katla. As she underwent lots of adjustments, she still remained steadfast and strong. I honestly don’t know if I can do what she did. With her hyperaware skills and confidence, she made it through..barely. Despite the shadowing and growing obstacles in her life, we can learn from her that one cannot really do it alone. Just small blips make the biggest differences. On another note, other characters were well as well engaging and made some improvements. Penny, for example, became more confident and understanding. Jack, is much more mature and super duper understanding! Where can I get a guy like him? lol. I’m just so proud of all the characters in this series, because I’ve seen how they’ve matured, and okay. I’m acting like a total dope and like a mother goose proud of her babies all grown up already. Sigh.

The story follows Katla’s adventures, and how she managed her current situation, with patience and of course endless support from everyone. Sometimes, life is like that. Friends would need us even without them explaining what’s happening. I guess that’s real love. Because that’s what I witnessed in Flock. The ending was super satisfying, and even if it was kinda mystifying, I understood it’s all for the best, and I strongly believe that ending gave Katla and Jack a more substantive future. :)

Author Interview with Wendy Delsol :)

So, what’s the most important and most exciting thing we need to watch out for in Flock?

To those who have followed the series, it’s probably clear that the cover image features Penny, best friend to my narrator, Katla. My reply is, thus, watch out for Penny.

I know this question must have been asked to you a couple of times already, but I’ll ask it again, what inspired you to write the Stork series?

I love all things mystical: stories of angels, ghosts, UFOs, and even Big Foot sightings. When brainstorming for something new in the paranormal genre, I remembered an Unsolved Mysteries TV show. A very young boy claimed a pre-birth memory of choosing his mother. And that became my fresh angle: a clan of white witches who match souls with mothers. It also occurred to me that our cultural symbol for birth, the baby-delivering stork, does not have an explanatory or extended folklore. So I made one up.

How about what inspired you to write from the beginning?

I’ve always loved story. I’m constantly tinkering with the ending or structure of books and movies. To write my own was a long-held and secret fantasy. At age forty, I found myself in a tumor-hunting MRI machine. Luckily, the diagnosis wasn’t a brain tumor (was, rather,“migraine-esque” episodes), but it was the wake-up call I needed. As soon as I felt well enough, I started on my first novel.

I don’t know if it’s only me or the series has similarities with the Snow Queen story?

With the decision to set the books in northern Minnesota, where there are many Scandinavian communities, came the idea of using Norse mythology as a cosmology for my benevolent Storks. Norse lore believes in nine realms, one of which is a land of mist and frost. This made me think immediately of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, which, yes, I retell in book two,Frost.

Okay, who is your favorite character in Flock and why?

Jinky. Probably because she’s so different from Katla. I loved writing a tough chick with attitude. And using her to foil Katla at points. Of course, she’s likable; you just have to get to know her.

I’m really sad to see the series ending, are there any more books related to the series that you’ve been working on?

I do think I’ll leave the people of Norse Falls where they are at the end of Flock. As the author, this is bittersweet, but it was important for the reader to have a definitive conclusion.

How about any upcoming projects?

I’m trying my hand at something in the speculative/dystopian genre. I know, some say the market is saturated with such titles. But I had this idea… And I’m enjoying the characters and the story.

Will we see you writing any fashion-related story or any more YA contemporary novels in the future?

No on the fashion-related. Ironically, I think this area was the most criticized (and, in my opinion, least understood) aspect of the Stork books. Katla’s obsession with designer names and labels changes dramatically (by the end of book one, even). I use it to demonstrate her personalgrowth; she no longer prejudges people on their appearance. Moreover, she wears a second-hand dress to Homecoming. And, trust me, I am not fashion-minded in real life. I’m a bargain shopper.

I also have a manuscript that is a contemporary Pride and Prejudice. It’s about two-thirds complete. I still can’t decide if the character is 17 or 19. And, yes, the age of the protagonist would dictate genre, so I better make up my mind.

Any advice to aspiring authors?

Write what you love to read. So much of this job is the day-to-day pounding of keys or (in my case) scratching of pencil on paper. It’s incredibly important to entertain yourself. And trust that you will entertain others, too, eventually.

Thanks for dropping by on the blog!

Thank you SO MUCH for having me.

Oh, and don’t forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for dropping by guys! Hope you enjoyed reading the interview and my review. I also genuinely hope you’ll read the series! :)