CLOSED Interview & Giveaway from Liz DeJesus, author of First Frost

I know Fairy Tale Fortnight is over for the year, but that doesn't mean the fairy tale goodies have to stop, right?

That's what I thought... So today I have some goodies for you from Liz DeJesus, author of the upcoming First Frost, the story of a girl named Bianca who works in a museum filled with fairy tale artifacts. It's coming out on the 22nd from Musa Publishing, but at the end of the interview, a couple of you are going to get a chance to get your hands on it, as well as some other goodies!

Now on to the interview!

---

Welcome to The Book Rat, Liz! And thanks for answering our questions from this year's FTF! Now, down to business:
What do you make of the resurgence in popularity for fairy tales? (Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Mirror Mirror, Snow White and the Huntsmen, all within a very short time)? Do you see it as a trend that will sort of peter out, or is it just getting started?
I think it’s just getting started. But I don’t really consider it a resurgence, because you’ve always had authors that have their own take on fairy tales, for example:


Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue
The Rose and the Beast by Francesca Lia Block
Into the Woods (the Broadway musical)
Fables by Bill Willingham (a comic book series)
Transformations by Anne Sexton (poetry)


Some of these books have been around for a long, long time. With the internet, Twitter, Facebook and the media in general people are finally starting to take notice. And I think every year there will be a different popular princess, this year Snow White seems to be the ‘It’ girl. Last year it was Red Riding Hood, and a few years ago it was all about Alice in Wonderland. So it really varies. But yeah…fairy tales are here to stay. ☺

What impact do you think fairy tales have on society (especially with the same tales popping up in various forms in every society)?
Hopefully I’m answering this question correctly. I think fairy tales will continue to resonate all around the world for years to come. They all share the same quality, believe in magic. Belief. Believe in whimsy. Dreams. True love. That there are things worth fighting for.

I think we all need fairy tales in order to survive the day to day crappiness of our lives. You turn on the news and someone got murdered, children getting kidnapped, the economy sucks, people are losing their jobs, and don’t even get me started on the war in the middle east. Fairy tales offer everyone a safe place to escape…even if it’s for a few minutes.

Book in a Tweet: Your fairy tale in 140 characters or less?
Bianca and her mother run a fairy tale themed museum. Bianca thinks that fairy tales aren’t real. She's about to find out how wrong she is.

Favorite fairy tale: Snow White

Most underrated fairy tale? The Three Heads of the Well. It’s one of my favorite fairy tales, because the princess actually goes and tries to find herself. She doesn’t need her father, or a prince to tell her who she is and/or what she’s capable of. Plus, her natural kindness towards others helps her along the way.

Most overrated fairy tale? Probably… Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

If a genie granted you 3 wishes, what would they be?
1. That my whole family be happy
2. Enough wealth to share with my family.
3. The library from the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. (Oh yeah, don’t say you didn’t drool a little every time you watched that part of the movie. LOL)

Best way to read fairy tales? (ie location, snacks, etc) The perfect place for me to read a fairy tale would be in the park, underneath a tree, on a beautiful sunny day. ☺ It kinda gives me the feeling that something magical could happen.

If one of your books was being turned into a movie and you could cast 1 character, which character would you cast and who would play them?

Definitely Bianca Frost. And she would be played by Sarah Hyland (from Modern Family). She’s how I picture Bianca in my head. Plus, Bianca is a bit of a smart ass and Sarah Hyland has excellent comedic timing.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Liz! And for offering up some goodies for readers of TBR!  And speaking of...

*** GIVEAWAY ***
Liz has offered up two First Frost prize packs! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!
Ends 6/25/12.
International.

Up for grabs:
1 Grand Prize winner will receive:

• a $10 gift certificate to Musa Publishing, 
• a copy of Penumbra magazine 
• a copy of First Frost.

Second Winner will receive:

• a $5 gift certificate to Musa Publishing 
• a free copy of First Frost.

a Rafflecopter giveaway