An Author In Progress: Monster Mash Book Blitz Day 8

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Monster Mash Book Blitz Day 8

Aisi Turay is losing it. Literally.

A couple of months ago, she could see ghosts and help them move on, or vanquish demons in her way with a few choice insults. Now? Not so much, and she’s pretty sure her least favorite demon is behind it.

Malus is back. He’s stronger than the last time she faced him, wielding power she never imagined a demon could have. Aisi realizes that he’s just a henchman for something much worse…something that wants everyone she loves gone.

As Malus brings the worst he’s got and then some, Aisi wages a fight for her life, and maybe her soul.

Purchase your copy Here: http://www.amazon.com/Freaked-Psyched-Book-Juli-Caldwell-ebook/dp/B014PZ76KW/ref

Juli Caldwell has a degree in English from Weber State University. She is the author of Psyched and Freaked, YA paranormal suspense novels; sweet romances Arms Wide Open and Beyond Perfection: a latter-day romance; and Secrets of the Mine, an adventure fantasy tale for tweens and teens. She also freelances as an editor for kicks. She lives near the shores of the Great Salt Lake with her husband, two bookworm daughters, and a dog who sheds too much.

Q and A with the Author

1. When did you know you wanted to write books? I don’t think it ever occurred to me that I wouldn’t write. I’m the kid who lived in a book and I always have characters and their dialogue streaming through my brain. There are two kinds of writers: people who think, “hey, I have a great idea...I think I’ll write a book!” and people who have no choice but to let the stories out of their heads. I think I’m the latter.

2. What does your writing process look like? My writing process is a hot mess. I’m the least organized person I know, so I guess it’s a good thing my characters tell their stories for me. J.K. Rowling once said that stories sometimes tell themselves. Mine do. I just hope I do my characters a little justice.

Connect with the Author:
https://twitter.com/ImJuliCaldwell
https://www.facebook.com/authorjulicaldwell
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/234294.Juli_Caldwell
https://plus.google.com/116654487528907442159/posts

10 fun Freaked (and Juli) facts:

· Freaked is the sequel to Psyched.

Aisi is biracial—half white and half African- American. Her dad is from Sierra Leone (or he claims to be...) and her mom is a freckled redhead from deep in the heart of American Appalachia.
Aisi’s name is a Mende word that means sunshine. It’s her dad’s nickname for her.
When I started writing Psyched, I didn’t want to have a specific setting in mind. And then I remembered driving through western Pennsylvania on a cross-country road trip, and I knew those gray riverside cliffs were perfect for the climax scene at the end. These cliffs appear in the opening scene of Freaked as well.
I use a lot of African mythology in Freaked. It’s such a great source for inspiration—we don’t study it in school so the stories feel fresh and different.
The demon’s name, Malus Indolus, means Evil Genius in Latin. Don’t worry—Aisi mocks him for this.
The actual translation would be Malus Indoles, but readers kept calling him “malus in-dolls” so as I edited Psyched, I changed the spelling to something where ‘In-dole-us’ would be obvious. I forgot this as I wrote Freaked and had to change everything all over. Oh well...
Aisi’s best friend Zinnia is based on my high school self—a little wired and crazy but overall harmless. Except I never would have dared to do that kissing challenge thing...(read Psyched if you’re not sure what that’s all about!)
Aisi appeared in my head fully formed and all kinds of sassy during one of my college classes. I wrote down the rough outline for Psyched and laid the foundation for Freaked instead of taking notes that night. I guess my mind wanders during night classes.
Aisi is the kind of girl I always wanted to be—strong, loyal, fierce, a warrior.