Rachel Vincent is a popular UF novelist, author of the Shifter series. Her first book in her new Young Adult Soul Screamer series has just hit the shelves and Ana reviewed it here. We invited the author to be part of our YA Appreciation Month by writing a piece on her Inspiration to write the series.
Please say hello to Rachel Vincent:
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Hey Book Smugglers! Thanks for having me!
You want to know what inspired my YA debut, My Soul to Take? That’s easy enough. The main character, Kaylee Cavanaugh. Who Kaylee is and what she can do—those are the things that inspired and shaped her story. So what was my inspiration for creating Kaylee herself? That one’s not such a simple answer.
Kaylee was inspired by the girl I was in high school, and by the girl I could never have been, even if I’d had her abilities.
Kaylee is a bit of a dichotomy. On one hand, she’s a normal high school junior. She’s neither beautiful nor ugly. She isn’t popular, but she neither is she a pariah. She’s bright, but not at the top of her class. In short, she doesn’t stand out in the crowd, and that’s fine with her because Kaylee has a very serious problem. She gets panic attacks that make her scream at the top of her lungs, filled with the grim certainty that someone near her is going to die. Very soon. And if she had to choose between standing out as a total freak or blending in with the background, Kaylee would gladly fade into the wallpaper anytime.
But in spite of her perceived normalness, though she doesn’t know it yet at the beginning of the book, Kaylee is a bean sidhe (the proper spelling for banshee). Her panic attacks are really premonitions of death. And that’s only half the story.
What does this mean for Kaylee? That she doesn’t fit in anywhere. She’s more human (thus more defenseless) than most of the other non-human species she’s about to discover, but not quite human enough to truly fit in at school. Especially once classmates start dropping dead and Kaylee is compelled to wail for them.
Obviously, the human half of Kaylee is the bit that was inspired in part by my own experiences blending into the walls of my high school. But the part of herself Kaylee discovers in this first book—aside from the whole being-a-bean-sidhe-thing—that’s the girl I never could have been. Kaylee is determined and compassionate, even on behalf of classmates she truly doesn’t like. She is courageous in the face of true danger. She faces down death repeatedly—and literally. She has guts, and brains, and a mind of her own.
And with any luck, that and a few good friends will be enough to get her through those last two years of high school, no matter what this brave new Netherworld throws at her.
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Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series, about a werecat named Faythe Sanders, who is learning to define her own role in her family and fighting to claim a place in her Pride.
Rachel’s young adult debut, My Soul to Take, will hit the shelves on August 1, 2009. My Soul to Take is the first in the Soul Screamers series, about a teenage bean sidhe (banshee) trying to balance a normal high school experience with the terrifying, hidden world she’s just discovered.
A recent transplant into the deep south, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
Thanks to Rachel for her post and now, for the giveaway! We are giving away ONE copy of My Soul to Take to a lucky reader!
The contest is open to EVERYONE, and will run until Saturday August 15th at 11:59 PM. We’ll announce the winner on Sunday during our weekly stash. In order to enter, simply leave a comment here.
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79 Responses to Soul Screamers Special: Rachel Vincent on Inspiration and a giveaway
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My Soul To Take sounds awesome!
Will the Banshee series be exclusively from Kaylee’s POV?
I can’t wait to read this one! Looks like a good book.
Woohoo! Count me in.
Hard enough getting through high school without being associated with premonitions of death. Eep. Sounds interesting.
Count me in!
I’ve heard good things about this book and would love to add my name to the hat.
I have My Soul to Lose on my kindle, but I haven’t read it yet. After reading Ana’s review this morning, and now Rachel’s take I’m really excited to read it. Count me in!
I love her books and would be delighted to read “My Soul to Catch”. Do count me in
I can’t wait to read this book, and it would be great to win my own copy. Thanks for the contest!
Enter me please. Ana’s review convinced me to try the book. Even if it does take place in a highschool!
Nick sounds interesting. I’m finding I like the idea of hero as caretaker.
Enter me!
Ohh I would love this. Big fan of Rachel Vincent and this isn’t available in New Zealand yet.
I am *super* intrigued by this book and can’t wait to read it. I may have to move it closer to the top of my to-be-read list.
Consider me entered.
I read My Soul to Lose today during my lunch break. I’m hooked! Can’t wait to read My Soul to Take. Thanks!
What great insight into Kaylee. I empathized with and admired her in the prequel and am looking forward to more of her story. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of My Soul To Take.
I would like to be entered!
I loved My Soul to Lose, and I can’t wait to read My Soul to Take!
This books sounds amazing and the cover is beautiful!
I can’t wait to read My soul to take. It sounds like a good read.
Please count me in!
MSTT Sounds amazing!
This sounds really interesting, please count me in!
I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com
Please count me in! I really wanna read that book, i’m a big fan of her Shifters series!
Thank you =)
I love these books!!
thanks sounds great
wadesherry@hotmail dot com
Sounds really good.
xclockworkxangelx@gmail.com
This is an awesome series.
Plus the premise is really awesome too, the heroine has pretty awesome powers but, they’re all severely limiting.
I just love Rachel Vincent books! And I really wanna read her YA novel!
*DROOL!
Please Please count me in.
cindyc725 at gmail dot com
Sounds good! I’ve already read some of her other series. I’m looking forward to this one, count me in!
This looks interesting! Please enter me!
As a YA librarian, no one’s happier than I at having a new romance series for teens. I know a lot of teens get their romance books from the adult books which can be really problematic. Tell Harlequin to get the word out to the YA librarians.
Sounds like a great read – would love to enter!
The book sounds great, hope to win it!
I always love hearing about an author’s inspiration. Thanks for sharing and I hope I win!
Oooh, sounds like an interesting book. Count me in, please!
Shawna Lewis
weloveourdogs@juno.com
I love this cover to this book!! I just love that this a YA reads!!!!!!
Count me in to the winning pile of numbers for the win :o)Have a wonderful weekend ;O) Winks & Smiles, Shawna
Thanks, guys!
And Jane, what can I do to help get the word out to YA librarians?
I would love to play please! Thanks.
I would love to win this book. Thanks for another great giveaway.
I’m very curious to read this, now
Thanks for the preview!
I’d love to win it. I haven’t read YA books in a while…
This series sounds so terrific! I really like supernatural creatures who are NOT all powerful and have to keep their wits about them to survive.
This book sounds great!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
Please count me in!
This book sounds awesome, can’t wait to read it!
juiceb0xx at hotmail dot com
^^
This one is on top of my wish list, it sounds scary, I really can’t wait to read it.
Sounds awesome! Count me in!
My Soul To Take sounds really great and I love Rachel Vincent.
I hope that everyone has a great weekend.
Thanks for the giveaway! Count me in.