Posts Tagged: angie frazier

Author Interview- Angie Frazier

18 Aug, 2010 by in scholastic 9 comments

This week’s interview is with the amazing Angie Frazier author of Everlasting, copyright 2010 by Scholastic books.

How did the idea for Everlasting come to you?

It came to me in pieces, but originated with the vintage travel posters that were on the ceiling of the caretaker’s cottage I was renting one winter. My fiancé (now husband!) and I were pretty much snowbound a lot that winter and I spent a lot of time inspecting those posters for lack of entertainment! There were a bunch for places in Australia, and I knew I wanted to set the store there. I was looking to write something fiction and adventurous, and it all came to me from there.

What songs do you imagine playing through the book?

I am a huge movie soundtrack and classical kind of gal so most of the
time the music that inspired me was that. The score from The Patriot,
Cider House Rules, Braveheart and Last of the Mohicans to name a few.

Are Oscar and Camille reminiscent of any other literary or real life characters?

No, not really. When I wrote their characters I paid close attention to not modeling them after real life people. I did give Oscar my husband’s awesome, muscular shoulders (waggles eyebrows) but other than that, they are their own creations!

What has been the most rewarding part about being a published author so
far?

There is so much! But I’d have to say the most rewarding part is receiving emails from people who have read the book, loved it, and been inspired
to write their own story. One of these emails came from a girl in Australia,
actually, and to know that someone all the way around the world has been
inspired by my book and characters totally blows me away.

When you are not writing what do you enjoy doing?

I am so restless when I’m not writing. But it’s healthy to take breaks, so I
sometimes take reading breaks where all I do is read. Or I attempt to be a
domestic goddess (for all of one day), or I just sit around and play with my
two little girls. Then I get back to writing!

What research did you do for the book if any?

I did a ton of research. It feels like a literal ton, too. Just about everything on every page had to be researched, and I very much enjoyed it. Especially the ship and ship life aspects. Those were the most challenging!

Favorite scene to write or read?

So many! The best scene to write is one that happens near the end that I can’t talk about since it’s a lot spoilery. But let’s just say I was crying as
I wrote it. The best chapter to read is when Camille, Oscar, and Ira are
traveling through the mountains and stop at a pool of waterfall runoff.
I love when Camille sees Oscar’s scars on his back for the first time.

Is Umandu based on a real legend or any other folklore?

It isn’t based on any specific legend, though I know there are plenty of
stories and mythologies surrounding the restoration of life. We see it everywhere: in books, in movies, in fairytales. I think I chose to weave a new legend because I’ve always been fascinated by life and death, what waits for us beyond, and the loss of control people have over when and how they die.

Where did the sailing influence come from?
I honestly don’t know! I am so not a sailor and knew nothing about it. I think one of the vintage travel posters had a tall ship on it and that’s where I got the idea to make it a high seas adventure. Talk about a challenge…

In your mind’s eye who does Oscar resemble?

He doesn’t really have a face. Isn’t that terrible? I know what his body looks like, I know how he moves, his expressions and how
he holds himself, even his voice. But I can’t clearly picture his face.

Favorite all time-reads?

I could re-read Pride & Prejudice once a year, along with Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. I also loved M.M. Kaye’s Trade Wind. More recent books I love include The Season by Sarah MacLean and The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly.

Thank you so much to Scholastic books and Angie Fraizer for the interview. Comment on this post to enter to win an 8×12 of our Ship’s sail photo (see above) from the LittleredReads Everlasting inspired collection on Etsy. Original photography by Heather Zahn Gardner.

Contest ends September 17, 2010 and is open internationally.

Book Review- Everlasting

17 Aug, 2010 by in book review, scholastic 28 comments

by Angie Frazier
published June 1st 2010 by Scholastic Press
details Hardcover, 336 pages
isbn 054511473

Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.

On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.

The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

Beautifully written and feverishly paced, Everlasting is an unforgettable journey of passion, secrecy, and adventure.

This is one of those timeless books that sets itself apart as a classic. Angie Frazier has a way of slowing time down to match the era and place it is set while the mystery and adventure will keep you captivated. It reminds me a bit of Crocodile Dundee with a dash of Somewhere in Time meets the movie Hook. Angie is a masterful story teller who weaves fantasy and romance.

Camille, the main heroine is a woman of the sea. raised on the decks of her fathers’ ships, taking in the salty air and building a strong friendship with her father’s right hand man, Oscar. She is engaged to be married to another man and about to give it all up to live in society. Camille should be happy, but can’t help questioning where are the sparks? As she embarks on her last voyage a twist of fate unravels family secrets, a letter and a curse. Her history is not what is seems and her heart will be challenged between loyalty or love. Will she respect her father’s wishes or make a way of her own?

Readers will fall for Oscar and become entranced with the tale of a treasure map and stone with the ability to save a life. I absolutely can not wait for the sequel! Four and a half stars to an awesome debut novel! Follow @angie_frazier on twitter and visit her website at http://angiefrazier.com/ Be sure to shcek out our Everlasting swag store on Etsy at LittleRedReads.

To enter to win an author signed bookmark donated by Angie, please leave your name and email address below. Contest ends September 16, 2010 and is open internationally.

In My Mailbox #15

23 Jul, 2010 by in book giveaway, Sea 21 comments

Welcome To Stalk Lake City by Sheralynn Pratt-review copy from author
SEA by Heidi R Kling- book depository order
Everlasting by Angie Frazier- book depository
The Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain- used book purchase
The Guernsey Literature and Potato Pie Society by Shaffer and Barrows used book purchase
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson- purchased for giveaway
Leven Tumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye-used book find
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini- used book find
This is one of the most exciting book stacks I have had in a long time! SCORE. I’ve been wanting to read these books forever and they finally came in the mail yesterday. Dug into them rigth away and am swept away in book land. We are giving away Hattie Big Sky as I have read and have a copy already.
Comment below to win!
Contest ends August 23, 2010