Interview and Giveaway- TITAN MAGIC by Jodi Lamm

I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing Jodi Lamm's novel TITAN MAGIC- you can read my 4 cupcake review HERE- and I'm so grateful that she took the time to answer a few of my questions! Also, you can enter to win a paperback copy of her book below the interview.

Bio from Jodi Lamm's website.                             Pic from Goodreads.                                                         If you care to know the usual, I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. I currently live in the Sonoran Desert with The Other Lamm, three furry creatures (only one of which is an honorary dragon), and a variety of musical instruments. I write for the love of storytelling. I’m addicted to fantasy, ghost stories, and anything with just the right amount of eerie romance.

Q.   Describe TITAN MAGIC in three words.

Let's see… Maybe intricate, bitter-sweet, and mysterious.

Q.What inspired TITAN MAGIC? Where did the idea come from?

I began writing the story of a mute girl who was lost in the woods as a kind of character-building exercise, but I couldn't stop telling her story—especially after I discovered she was bound to serve a very strange master. Her identity was more something I learned while writing the story than an original intention. When I had to write a research paper on the Prague golem for a class, the idea just screamed at me, like it had always been true, only I hadn't seen it yet. The more I learned about this legendary monster, the more I loved it. And the idea of an artificial, humanoid slave isn't limited to Jewish tradition either, so I had a lot of choice in how I presented mine. I ended up suspended somewhere between Jewish and Gnostic lore.

Q. In TITAN MAGIC, you explore stories and myths surrounding golems. Have you always been a fan of folklore and myths? Do you have a personal favorite?

Absolutely. When I was a girl, I stumbled onto my mother's tattered book of classic fairy tales, and I just inhaled them. They were so different than the cartoons I'd been raised on, so dark and beautiful. I couldn't get enough. Then I discovered Greek mythology, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, Japanese, and Native American. It was like a delicious, candied playground, and it fed into my writing enormously. My personal favorite is also Madeleine's favorite: The Juniper Tree. We have that in common, I guess. The Juniper Tree is an absolutely gruesome story, but it's childish and sweet, as well. I love contrast like that.

Q.  Any plans to continue where TITAN MAGIC left off in future books?

Yes. I am currently working on a sequel, and a third book is in the plotting stages. I just couldn't let it go. I wanted so badly to get to know characters like Marcus and Kaspar a little better.

Q. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I've been writing since I could pick up a pen. It was always a bad, bad habit of mine. Recently, I found one of my earliest attempts buried in some old report cards (let's not even go into those). I thought it had been lost forever. I scanned it and put it in the "About the Author" section of my website, so I won't lose it again. It's quite unintentionally funny, if you want to brave the waters and see it.

Q. If you could magically bring one fictional character-from any book, movie, or tv show- to life and spend the day with them, who would it be? Why?

There are so many. But if I could spend the day with him in his own lair, I would love to meet Erik, from Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. I'm not talking about Webber's anti-hero; I'm talking about the mad genius with a skull's head on his shoulders, who thinks it's a perfectly good idea to win a girl's heart with ventriloquism and card tricks, or if that doesn't work, by torturing her boyfriend and threatening a massacre. I would follow him around with a notepad and write down every word he said… from a safe distance, of course. Fascinating, fascinating character.

Q. What made up or fictional world would you love to visit? What would you do there?

Is it bad if I say Hogwarts? I bet everyone says Hogwarts. But I did recently read Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev, and I have to say, the idea of living in an enchanted theatre where all the characters from every play ever written are alive and bored and looking for trouble… Well, it had me at hello.

Q. Who is your favorite literary villain...who do you love to hate or hate to love?

I don't even have to think about this one. My answer has to be Claude Frollo, from Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Toss out the Disney version of the man for a second, and have a closer look at him. He, all on his own, completely drives the story. He's a villain who wants so badly to be good, he ends up being far worse than even he could imagine. And I have always thought his first confession of love was the most heartbreaking, lyrical, and maddening confession ever written. It's so painful to read because you know it's sincere, but you also know it's going nowhere fast and will more than likely end very, very badly.

Q. What’s the one book you wish you had written?

If I had to pick one, it would be Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Her characters are so enchanting, I couldn't stop thinking about them weeks after I'd closed the book. And it's so easy to get lost in her stories. Every detail is vital. Her world is like a completely new fairy tale. I love it.

Q. What’s the one book you think everybody should read at least once in their life?

Can I pick two? I'm going to pick two. First, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, because it's the most beautiful piece of storytelling I've ever read. It's poetic, exciting, romantic, tragic, sweet, and mysterious, too. I have never read its equal. Second, I would say the complete works of William Shakespeare, and this I think everyone should read as a child. When we're kids, we're not afraid of failure. We're not afraid of our own ignorance, of not understanding words and stories. We just soak up what we can, gloss over what we don't know, and enjoy the inflow of information. It's like learning a second language through total immersion. I honestly believe if we had all fallen in love with Shakespeare when we were children, he would not be intimidating to so many adults.

I want to thank Jodi for this wonderful interview and for the following giveaway :)

Jodi has generously offered one (1) paperback copy of TITAN MAGIC for one of you lucky readers!

This giveaway is open Internationally.

Will run from 12/9 - 12/16 at 11:59 pm

To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below 

(if form does not appear refresh page or click on post title and enter through actual post)

• Must be 13 or older
• One main entry per person
• Winner will be notified by email and must claim prize within 48 hours or new winners will be picked
• Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost or damaged prizes