Welcome to The Cover Contessa's stop on the Scarlett Undercover blog tour!
Title: SCARLETT
UNDERCOVER
Author: Jennifer Latham
Pub. Date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes
& Noble,
iBooks
Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic fifteen-year-old, ready to
take on crime in her hometown. When Scarlett agrees to investigate a local
boy's suicide, she figures she's in for an easy case and a quick buck. But it
doesn't take long for suicide to start looking a lot like murder.
As Scarlett finds herself deep in a world of cults, curses,
and the seemingly supernatural, she discovers that her own family secrets may
have more to do with the situation than she thinks...and that cracking the case
could lead to solving her father's murder.
Jennifer Latham delivers a compelling story and a character
to remember in this one-of-a-kind debut novel.
Did you always know you
wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else?
I definitely always wanted to write, but I
took a little detour on the way and trained to be a psychologist first.
How long does it take you
to write a book from start to finish
Hmm…the first draft of Scarlett was finished in about four
months, but it took three years worth of revisions before a publisher actually decided
to buy the manuscript. On the other hand, the first draft of my newest book is looking like it will take about ten months but is
set to be published in 2017. So I’m getting slower, but hopefully that will
mean fewer changes!
How do you come up with
themes for your stories?
Usually the characters come to me
first. After that, their stories kind of fall into place based the trouble they
decide to get into.
Do you have a schedule of
when you write?
When I’m writing new stuff, I get
up really early -- well before dawn. That way I can get something done before
my kids start getting ready for school. Writing first thing also primes my
brain to stay focused on the story for the rest of the day.
How are you able to balance
other aspects of your life with your writing?.
I’m still trying to figure that
one out! But basically I’m a writer in the morning and a mom/chauffeur/chef/dog
walker in the afternoon and evening.
What elements do you think
make a great story line?
When I’m reading a book, I really want to
care about the characters. That’s what lets me feel fully immersed in their world
and makes the story come alive. I also like being surprised. Even if it’s a
familiar plot (like, say, girl meets boy), I love it when their route to
romance takes unexpected twists and turns. And if the final destination is
different from the norm, so much the better.
What was the hardest thing about writing a book?
Plots are something I spend a lot
of time working on, especially since I don’t really outline ahead of time. But
overall, I haven’t struggled too
much. Every day I get to write is a good day.
How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite?
Three. The second one was kind of a
dud, but I loved the first (which never sold) and I love Scarlett.
Do you have a favorite character?
Definitely Scarlett. Writing in her
voice is a blast!
Where do you write?
In our old house I either worked in an old blue
armchair in the family room or in bed. But we moved not too long ago, and
there’s an old converted garage behind our house that I’ve turned into my own
little writer’s cottage.
When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you
took?
The thought of self-publishing was
terrifying, mostly because I didn’t have the slightest clue how to promote my
writing and find readers on my own. So I went the old-fashioned route and
worked with an agent until I found just the right traditional publisher. It was
the best choice for me.
Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they
think?
My husband and kids read Scarlett Undercover and said nice
things. Then again, I could have made their lives pretty miserable if they
didn’t…
What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?
I love skydiving and alligator
wrestling.
Oh wait – no I don’t. I’m actually
really boring. I walk a lot, which our dogs appreciate. I also swim and cook
and read and watch soccer and run a reading club for kids. Most of the weird
and exciting stuff in my life happens in my head. Which, now that I think about
it, is probably a good thing!
What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start
writing?
Do it. Write, then write some more.
And when you’re done, start writing all over again!
What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that
inspired/inspires you to write?
I have too many favorites to list.
But the one book that made me want to be a novelist was Jacob Have I Loved, by Katherine Paterson. I love how the main
character, Sara Louise, is complex and imperfect and makes bad decisions
dealing with an unfair situation that she had no part in creating. Despite all
that, she comes out strong and wise in the end. Her story really resonated with
me as a kid.
Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with
your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such?
I’m kind of a lone wolf – usually
my agent or my editor is the first person to read what I’ve written.
Are you working on anything now?
Definitely! Dreamland Burning is scheduled to come out in early 2017. It’s part
historical fiction, part contemporary mystery, and has both a boy narrator in
the 1920s and a present-day girl narrator. The mystery centers around a
fictional murder that took place in the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921. Unfortunately,
the riot was very real.
Thanks so much for the great
questions!
Best,
jen
I write because it’s
the only job I’ve been able to stick to for more than two years.
Seriously.
I’ve lived lots of
different places. Here’s the list: New York City; San Francisco;
Augusta, GA; Buffalo, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Madrid; Providence, RI; and
now…Tulsa, OK.
I’ve had some really
weird and really normal jobs. The weirdest was helping out with
autopsies. The one I’d go back to if I couldn’t write is being a school
psychologist. The one I still do sometimes is teach yoga.
I live with my two
daughters, two dogs, a cat, three turtles, three hermit crabs, a bunch of fish,
and a husband (mine, of course).
I love watching
people.
And I love writing
about the people who live inside my head, even when they don’t play nice.
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Tour Schedule
Week One:
5/11/2015- The Cover Contessa- Interview
5/12/2015- Sweet Southern Home- Review
5/13/2015- Such a Novel Idea- Guest Post
5/14/2015- The Phantom Paragrapher- Review
5/15/2015- The Reading Nook Reviews- Interview
Week Two:
5/18/2015- Please feed the bookworm- Guest Post
5/19/2015- Ticket to Anywhere- Review
5/20/2015- Fictitious Delicious- Interview
5/21/2015- Moonlight Gleam Reviews- Review
5/22/2015- Bookhounds
ya- Guest Post
Scarlett sounds like a really interesting character. I'm looking forward to meeting her. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteI love the feel of this book. Sounds super unique!
ReplyDeleteDef want this for summer reading!
ReplyDeleteMary Loki