I have the lovely Julie Grasso stopping today to talk about her book Escape from the Forbidden Planet and for a fab giveaway!
Caramel Cinnamon thought the worst day of her life was the day her grandparent’s the King and Queen of the Elves of Cardamom went missing. She was wrong!
The day she spills sticky toffee syrup onto her father’s computer, that's when her worst nightmare begins. Suddenly she finds herself marooned on a forbidden planet by an evil clone, with a very sticky secret.
Caramel is desperate to find a way to escape and rescue her grandparents. If she doesn't she will lose her dreams of returning to Cardamom to become a healer like her mum.
Luckily, she has a secret of her own and the lives of her family and friends depend on it!
WS: What three words best describe ESCAPE FROM THE FORBIDDEN PLANET?
JG- Deliciously Quirky Elves
WS: Give us a one sentence pitch that tells readers why they must read your book.
JG- If you like the idea of telepathic elves who are obsessed with sticky date and chocolate cake with caramel sauce, that swing through the rainforest on vines, can train trees into the intricate dwellings in the canopy as well as do battle with evil clones that aim to take over the universe, then this book may interest you.
WS: What inspired ESCAPE FROM THE FORBIDDEN PLANET? Where did the idea come from?
JG- With a background in pediatric burns nursing, I spent many years literally wrapping children in cotton wool and every day I witnessed great courage and resilience from the tiny people I cared for, which inspired me to write stories about a little girl elf just like them. Add in some very funky technology, my love of science fiction and my desire to impart great values through my little girl elf named Caramel and there you have it, Escape From The Forbidden Planet was the result.
WS: Who was your favorite character to write and explore? What do you love about them?
JG- Well, I of course love my main character Caramel, because although she discovers she has these incredible abilities, the injury that she sustained as a little elf undermines her confidence. Throughout the story we watch her slowly regain her confidence as she realises she must believe in herself and overcome her disability in order to rescue her family and friends from the clutches of the evil Alexander clones.
WS: Grab a copy of ESCAPE FROM THE FORBIDDEN PLANET and answer the following:
Favorite chapter?
Chapter 11:To Tree Tend Or Not That Is The Question. In this chapter we watch Caramel as she faces the dilemma of possibly having to chose between her amazing abilities. Will she pursue her dream of becoming a Healer like her Mum or will she get taken in by the sweet whispers of the trees in the rainforest canopy, calling her to become a Tree Tender. You will have to read it to find out.
Favorite page?
Page 33: On this page we find out a bit more about the mysterious Elves of Cardamom (Caramel’s home planet) and where their wonderful abilities come from.
Favorite character name?
Why of course my little girl elf named Caramel Cinnamon, but I also love my villains name, Alexander222 of Ishqwartz, doesn’t he sound deliciously evil.
Flip to a random page, choose a random sentence and give us a little teaser:
‘Thanks…Oh, thank-you,’ Caramel stammered and her courage seemed to collapse around her ankles like an old pair of elastic undies and she dropped to the vine floor.
WS: If you could jump inside any book for just one day, what book would it be and what would you do in that world?
JG- Oh I can’t resist, it would of course be one of the Harry Potters. I want to explore Hogwarts, have a butter beer in Hogsmeade and sample all the sweets in Honeydukes.
WS: Who are some of your favorite YA or MG heroes and heroines?
JG- I love Thursday Next in Jasper Fforde because she is so strong and quirky, Hermione Granger because she is so smart and funny, May Bird in May Bird and The Ever After because she is just a little girl who has to find her courage to defeat her enemies or she will be stuck in the ever after forever.
WS: What's the one book you think everyone should read at least once in their life?
JG- The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey, I love that book. It was one of the first science fiction books I read and I realised I loved science fiction, as it takes you to another world of possibilities and gives you hope to dream big.
WS: Fill in the blanks:
I'm really awesome at making baked cheesecake and eating it.
I'm embarrassed to admit I once burnt down my grandmothers kitchen, quite accidental.
I wish I could heal the sick with just the power of thought. That would be awesome and why I wrote a book about Elves with special abilities to heal.
I could eat sushi everyday.
WS: If you were to create/bake a ESCAPE FROM THE FORBIDDEN PLANET inspired cupcake, what would it look and taste like and what would you call it?
JG- Oh that one is simple, it would be a Sticky Date and Chocolate cupcake with Caramel Cardamom syrup, because that is Caramel’s favourite cake and also how she got her nickname. You will have to read to find out why.
Thank you so much Julie for answering my questions and for the generous giveaway below!!
With a background in paediatric nursing, Julie Anne Grasso spent many years literally wrapping children in cotton wool. Every day she witnessed great courage and resilience from the tiny people she cared for, which inspired her to write stories about a little girl elf just like them.
She has a degree in Nursing from Queensland University of Technology and has been published in her nerdy nursing specialty in medical journals, but her true love is writing about elf worlds that preferably involve some kind of dessert obsession.
She has an awesome husband who loves to do battle in the computer trenches every day and a little 15 month old elf called Giselle.
She has a degree in Nursing from Queensland University of Technology and has been published in her nerdy nursing specialty in medical journals, but her true love is writing about elf worlds that preferably involve some kind of dessert obsession.
She has an awesome husband who loves to do battle in the computer trenches every day and a little 15 month old elf called Giselle.
Purchase Escape from the Forbidden Planet: Amazon
Win 1 of 3 paperback or Kindle copies of Escape from the Forbidden Planet!
Julie has generously offered 3 copies (winners' choice of paperback or Kindle ebook) to give away.
DEATILS
-Open INT
-3 winners will win their choice of a paperback or Kindle ebook copy
-Will run from 10/19 - 10/26
-Must be 13+, One main entry per person
-Winners will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
-Prizes are coming directly from author
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4 comments:
Sounds really good and I love the cover :)
I do like the idea of telepathic elves & given the chance I'd have gone to school at Hogwarts.
This sounds like fun to read!!!
Sounds like a fun read and the cover is fun too! Thanks for doing the giveaway.
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