Author Interview: Jess C Scott + Giveaway

Hello everyone! Please welcome Jess C Scott, author of the book The Intern, the first one in the Sins07 series. If you haven't read my review, please check it out!

Thank you so much for being here today Jess!. Can you please tell us in a few words about the Sins07 series?

No problem--thanks for the interview! Sins07 is a contemporary YA “seven deadly sins” series, that looks at universal issues from contemporary life. The series will feature lighthearted tales that explore each of the seven sins in order, beginning with lust. There's enough pain, misery, and suffering in the world -- so I thought I'd inject a dose of fun + humor, throughout this series.

How did you came up with the idea of sins?

A friend and I were watching an episode of The History Channel's "Seven Deadly Sins" program. "Hey," she said (during an ad break), "you should write a seven deadly sins series." I don't know why it never hit me, but I said "okay," and started to jot down some ideas right away.

Was it hard to write about lust in a YA book?

I got a lot of things (related to sex/uality) "out of my system" via my first two books (one is a blog novel @ www.eyeleash.wordpress.com), so I was able to write about lust in a non-explicit way this time. I think I had slightly more trouble making sure the pace and plot of the book "kept on going" (instead of getting dreary or hum-drum halfway) -- I did my best to stick to the outline I had for the plot.

Who is your favorite character from The Intern?

Possibly Jo.Zee (the dance instructor/"object of desire"). I drew a lot of inspiration from all over the place, with regards to his passion for dance. It was very fun and enjoyable to research on YouTube (for official music videos, clips of dance competitions/contests, as well as tutorials uploaded by non-professional dance enthusiasts).

What can we expect from the next Sins07 book?

After Lust, the next deadly sin is Greed -- I think I'll be featuring an heiress or a model, as the protagonist. There's likely to be an element of travel and adventure (as with the first book), though everything else is probably going to be quite different (I generally don't do the same thing twice -- I like challenging myself to keep things fresh and interesting).

P.S. The third book may feature a lead male character. I'm usually thinking of "the next two projects," once I've completed one.

Since The Intern is all about music and dancing, can you give us a couple of music recommendations?

It depends on the genre of music one likes, but I'll list some personal favorites -- Kylie Minogue (dance), New Order (electronica), Michael Jackson (pop/funk), Queen and Guns n' Roses (classic rock), Se7en (Korean pop). A vlog post has more info (http://sins07.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/hip-hop-dance-book/).

Anything you’d like to add before we finish?

Thank you for having me here today :) I think I'll end with a line from Jo.Zee (from a magazine article in the book):

"Remember to move everyday. A fit, healthy body—that is the best fashion statement."

Website: www.jesscscott.com

Sins07: www.sins07.wordpress.com

GIVEAWAY

Jess is giving away an ebook of The Intern (yay!). For a chance to win, just leave a comment (with you email address) in this post answering her question: "What's your favorite type of music?". International, ends Sept. 15, 2010.

Extra entries:

+1 Comment on my review of The Intern by Jess C Scott.

Review: The Intern (Sins07 #1) by Jess C Scott

Title: The Intern

Author: Jess C Scott

Series: Sins07 #1

Release Date: August 17th 2010

Publisher: CreateSpace

Pages: 252

ISBN: 145368493X (isbn13: 9781453684931)

Age: Young Adult

Summary from jesscscott.com: A 17-year-old intern must choose between trusting an irresistibly suave dance instructor—or her instincts.

Good girl, bad boy, dancing...and lust.

When I first read about this book I was hooked with the hole idea of sins. The Intern is the first book in the new series called Sins07, and it's about Lust.

It has been a while since I couldn't relate to a character, but Suzie made that possible. She is a 17 years old girl, very much like me. The good girl. Intelligent, student of one of the best schools, always does the right thing. But inside, she likes other stuff...like dancing. So when she goes to another city for a internship with her partner, the boring and always safe Chester, she instantly grabs this as an opportunity to have an adventure.

Who haven't wished for an adventure? For good girls...a little adventure could change their life. She finally has the freedom to do what she likes, and that includes taking dancing lessons with the super hot and famous Jo.Zee.

Of course, a good girl in a unknown big city isn't always safe.

Suzie could be any girl. She may be very intelligent, but when she sees a hot guy, she can't think straight. Nothing is more important than having him on her hands. Hormones also join in, and it's a party. And when you're growing up and trying to figure out who you're, it can be a very confusing ride. Specially if your thoughts aren't so innocent but in real life, you have no experience.

At first I wasn't sure it was the usual good boy versus bad boy, because Josh Zee wasn't the topical bad guy. But of course then I started to see all of his flaws, and I wanted to kick him!. Chester is always the good one, and he was such a sweet guy, I wanted to hug him. I can understand why Suzie didn't saw him in a romantic way...but his feelings were so obvious. I wished the author would have focus more on him and the past between them to understand him better.

The writing style was good. Maybe at the beginning it was a little bit slow but after reading the first couple of chapters it gets more interesting and fast-paced, and in a playful way the author manages to make you feel the music and the dancing. Even when I'm not a fan of that kind of music (hip hop), I really wished to start dancing right away! Music can be so....liberating.

So...Lust. For some people, Lust may be one of the most dangerous sins....but who doesn't like a little danger in life? For other, it may be a synonymous for fun. But, is it going to last? Is it enough? Are you willing to pay the price? (I'm a little intense over here!) Definitely the author make you understand the way Suzie lusts for this boy, but don't worry, she may not be very naive in her head, but she's very shy. There aren't sex scenes or something like that, but Suzie is definitely dreaming with them, so maybe it isn't your book if you don't feel comfortable with teens thinking about sex.

Overall, it's a great book, and I enjoyed it a lot. It has this chick-lit feeling, and the end wasn't at all what I was expecting! (which is always good, because I like plot twists). Definitely going to be attentive for the next book in this series.

Rating:

More about this book at www.jesscscott.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

If you liked this review then be sure to come back this week for a chance to win the book and read an interview with the author.