Interview and Giveaway! Bree Despain

So when I was reading my ARC of THE SAVAGE GRACE I knew I had to do an interview with Bree for all of you. I was just loving this book so much and wanted to ask her some questions about her whole experience with it. So, here's the interview, and at the end a FABULOUS giveaway!

1) How was it writing the end of Grace and Daniel's story? How was it different from writing the other books?

I was surprised at how hard it was to write the end of the story. In fact, I kept turning in the manuscript without the last two chapters--because I couldn't bring myself to write "the end." I have to admit that I teared up a bit when I did, but it also feels really good to have brought the story full circle. Third books in a trilogy are challenging to write because there is SO MUCH going on that needs to finally be pulled together in a satisfactory way. I didn't want to drop the ball on the third book and leave a bad taste in readers mouths about the series as a whole. That's pressure!


2) The end of the book is complete, but of course the characters will go on with their lives. Are there any plans for another book or short story in the future?

I heard a famous author say once that the end of the book should feel like "just the beginning" for your readers to imagine in their own heads what happens to the characters after that. I really wanted to capture that feeling with the ending of this series. Right now, I have no plans for more books in the TDD world--but I'm not going to say "never." I do see myself possibly doing a couple of short stories just for fun.


3) The Savage Grace is my favorite book in the series. Do you have a favorite?

I love all the books for different reasons, but I think the first one, THE DARK DIVINE, will always have a very special place in my heart. It's the one that I wrote for myself and poured so much my heart into--without knowing if it would ever be published or if anyone other than my family would ever read it. However, I think TSG is probably the most fun for me to read--it really pushed my plotting and action-writing skills to the limit.


4) Is there anything about your writing process that is an absolute must for you? A quiet location? A certain snack?

Chocolate! I always have a little bowl of dark chocolate chips at my side while I write. Over the summer, I went on a really strict diet that didn't allow me any sugar (or chocolate!) for about a month. I was surprised that my writing productivity went way up during that month. But when I got my revisions back from my editor, I ended up having to rewrite almost every single sentence I'd written during my choclate-free-month. It may not be a very scientific conclusion, but that was enough for me to never try writing without chocolate again!


5) What is your favorite read lately?

My three favorite reads as of late: WHITE CAT by Holly Back, EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton, and UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi.


6) What are you working on now?

I'm working on a new book that is slated for publication in Fall 2013. I don't know what I'm allowed to say about it yet, but I can tell you that it's a story I started before THE DARK DIVINE was published, and I am so excited to be working on it again!

and for my own knowledge... 7) How do you pronounce Sirhan?

I pronounce it Sir-han. Like "Sir" (as in, "Yes, Sir!") and "Han" (as in, "Han Solo" or "rhymes with "on"). But really, any way you want to pronounce it is fine by me.

Totally random tidbit about how I came up with that name: I found an old Life Magazine from 1969 in my Grandmother's house. The cover story was about a man named "Sirhan Sirhan" who had just been convicted for assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy. The article said that "Sirhan" means "wolf" and I decided to use it for the name of the formidable leader of the largest werewolf pack. The character's full name "Sirhan Etlu" means "Wolf Warrior."


Thanks so much Bree! It was a blast as always! NOW it's giveaway time! I am so ridiculously excited about this! The publisher has offered to give not just ONE but TWO of you the ENTIRE Dark Divine Trilogy!!!!!!

Just comment about Bree's interview, and fill out the form below! It's that easy!

Contest will be open just until Wed, March 21, 11:59 pm EST. So get on it!

Oh and P.S. Happy St. Patrick's day!

**The contest is USA mailing addresses only. Sorry for the inconvenience. I should have specified earlier.