We here at Ed and Em's Reviews are happy to help pimp out Tellulah Darling's new release, My Ex From Hell. In fact, I, Emily, even harrassed her convinced her to join me for an interview!
E: Helllllllllllo, Tellulah. Welcome to our blog! Tell us about yourself in 10 words or less.
T: My God, you just start with the tough questions, don'tcha?
Cynical, sensitive, smartly smart-ass of sensuous shape.
heh heh
E: I just slowed clapped at your excellent use of alliteration. Brava! Now describe My Ex From Hell in ten words or less USING NONE OF THOSE WORDS.
T: Thank you. Thank you. I don't get enough slow claps in my life.
Braces self - I can see these are going to get progressively harder. Okay here's my answer.
A kiss
rocks world
now goddess
sexy ex
save humanity
I want bonus points for its poetic-like (esque?) form.
E: So many bonus points. If you play your cards right, I might even slow clap for you again before the interview is up.
So how does it feel to be releasing your sophomore novel? Is it much diffferent than when your first book, Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls, came out?
T: It's a wonderful feeling to be releasing Ex. Not only is there an incredible sense of accomplishment but with every book, new readers find me. And that means I get to connect with very cool people from all over the world. I find myself stopping in amazement and giddy wonder at times when I get a tweet or message with someone I've become friends with - where the only reason we got to know each other was because they read my story. But also, Sam Cruz was a stand alone novel and Ex is the first in a trilogy so both these books involved bringing new characters to life. I think what will be interesting is launching the second book in this trilogy. I think the launch for that book, My Date From Hell, in which I'm continuing with these familiar characters will feel different, I'll have to prove myself in different ways, if that makes sense.
E: So true. I mean... Without your books, I probably wouldn't have been able to stalk... Err... Find you and introduce you to my amazingly awesome, schmexy self.
So why do you write New Adult? Of all the age groups, what made you write for maturing teens? Do you plan to expand your horizons and dip your pen into books for any other age group?
T: Very true!
When I wrote Sam Cruz, I wasn't thinking of it as New Adult. I wanted to tell a story about two best friends who needed something huge to wake them up to the fact that they are perfect for each other. Sam and Ally love each other but should be in love with each other. And it was sex that upset their platonic friendship. Dealt with in a funny and hopefully genuine way but yes, sex. I later realized I was writing more NA on that one than YA. And I've come to love NA. Sex is a natural part of the coming of age process. I'm not advocating that everyone should have it. But I do think it's an important aspect of being human and making connections and I believe most teens think about it and whether or not it's right for them. To cut out that aspect of Sam and Ally in this particular story because of an age group - remember they are 17 - would have been doing my novel and their journey a disservice. I'm adamantly against the sexualization of children (Karen Marie Moning, I'm looking at Dani in ICED here) - but it was right for Sam and Ally. That said, My Ex From Hell - very middle of the road YA. There is no sex, just kissing and longing. Again, true to the adolescent experience for Sophie. I want to do right by my characters. Had I put sex into this book, I would have been pandering and just going for shock value. That's stupid. My next series, well, it might be even more NA than Sam was. After that? Who knows? I might write an adult sci fi. I go where the story takes me.
E: Since you brought it up, what other books are you working on or planning to write?
T: Since I enjoy writing kick ass snarky girls and broody boys, I figure why stop? So let's get all NA smexy and throw the romantic comedy into magic misadventures. I want to feature one self-contained romance per book with an overarching battle. Probably 5 books in the series.
E: Ooh, you should write one about me and my wonderful love affair with Garrett Hedlund. I mean, I can magically make his pants disappear. That counts, right? (But really... Remember those names as you are writing... Emily and Garrett, nicknamed Rhett.) Sounds über magical, for sure.
What kinds of books do you read?
T: I do like Rhett. But I don't like the name Garrett. Do I still get to live?
I read everything except Westerns. I love authors as diverse as Salinger, Gaiman, Douglas Adams, Armistead Maupin, Jane Austen, David Levithan, Jennifer Crusie, Haruki Murakami and Salmon Rushdie. Good storytelling is good storytelling. I do read a ton of romance and YA though. I've probably read thousands of romance novels and am always a sucker for a good one. Especially a witty, steamy HR.
E: *LE GASP* My feelings toward you have diminished. I can't believe I slow clapped for you... But when I said Rhett, were you thinking of Gone With the Wind?
Hmph, you have good taste in books for someone who doesn't like my future husband's name.
Final (typical) question: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
T: At first but then I took it in the spirit of nicknamed couples that it was offered. And it works well. Vertitably trips off the tongue.
Look at it this way - by not coveting your future husband or his name, it means we will never have a friendship ending disagreement over a guy.
I know it sounds so cliché but keep writing. Finish those stories or poems or novels. You'll never get your work to where you want it to be if you don't finish it. :) Also read and then read some more.
E: Well thank you for joining us and allowing me to pick your brain. Oh and offering some lucky folks your books. You're pretty chill, homie. Now say something memorable and deep as an end to this interview.
T: To quote the brilliantly witty Ms. Dorothy Parker “Authors and actors and artists and such - Never know nothing, and never know much.”
My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling
The blurb as seen on
Goodreads:
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Te Da Media
272 Pages
Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:
a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.
Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.
Literally.
This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.
Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.
Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …
… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.
My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.
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What did you think of the interview? Isn't Tellulah lovely? We definitely recommend picking up her books!
