Author Interview + Swag Giveaway: Steve Brezenoff (Blog Tour Stop)

Remember that review for that very real, very raw book I posted last week called The Absolute Value of -1? You do? Good. Because here today is the author of said book, Steve Brezenoff. And to make it better, I've got some awesome bookmarks to giveaway to 2 commenter

Which of the three main characters proved the most difficult to develop and write?

Without a doubt, Lily. I wrote Lily’s section last, because I kept putting it off. I hadn’t written much from a girl’s point of view before, and I worried a lot about establishing a believable voice for her. After all, writing for Noah or Simon comes pretty naturally, since I’m, ya know, a guy! So for Lily, it took some practice. I sat down at my laptop one day and just started writing as a girl. I ended up doing a hundred pages of practice before I felt ready to start writing Lily’s section. It’s funny to read those hundred pages now. The narrator starts out as a total tomboy—then gradually over the course of the hundred pages, I thought, started turning into someone who could be Lily. Of course, Lily isn’t exactly a girly-girl, but it took some doing to sort of write the boy out of myself.

If you were in Noah's situation and knew the girl you liked could only see another guy, how would you handle the situation?

I think everyone’s been in that situation, right? Sometimes we just crush on the wrong person at the wrong time. In my own past, I’ve done it myself, for sure, and there are few ways you can go: You can move on and forget the inconvenient crush. You can wait out the other guy, and then be there when the crush is available again. Or you can do everything in your power to break them up or keep them apart for good! I’ve done all three at one time or another. The first way is the hardest, sure, but I have a feeling it’s the best idea when it comes to your own personal sanity and happiness.

If you could pair Noah, Lily, and Simon with any characters from any book, who would you pick for them?

Tough question! I think Lily needs some good clean affection from a guy who will never do anything to hurt her. She’s been crapped on enough, right? So for her, someone who will worship her completely, put her on a pedestal. I think Colin Singleton from An Abundance of Katherines can be counted on to worship her with some degree of enthusiasm.

I think Noah should probably get Katniss from Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. First of all, she’s cool as all hell, but more than that, she’s tough as nails. Noah clearly has a thing for saving girls, so this should turn that little impulse right on its head. Katniss might end up saving him, though.

And for Simon? Some time alone. He’s done enough damage for one school year, and with everything he’s been through and is going through, I think getting to know himself a little better—and taking some time to deal—would probably be a good idea.

What is one illegal thing you've fantasized about doing even though you know you'd never do it?

I was at the Mall of America this morning, so this is on my mind: I’d love to ride my bike all over the mall, not during business hours, of course, or I’d probably end up killing someone. It would be even more fun if I could do BMX tricks. . . .

What kind of cake/confection would you describe yourself as?

My wife sometimes calls me Cakes, first of all, so this question is especially great. And, since my beard is orange, I’ll say carrot cake.

Thank you so much, Steve!

Now for your chance to win some snazzy bookmarks for The Absolute Value of -1, just comment on this post. I'll pick two winners out of the comments there through 10/4. US only.