Frost, by Kate Avery Ellison, is one of those cool stories where you can't tell if the genre is fantasy, dystopian, or both. Lia and her siblings live in this super cold place where it's dangerous to be outside, especially after dark. There are monsters that lurk in the forest, but that's not the only threat. There are also the "farthers" - people who live in a society that's far away. Their civilization is more advanced than Lia's is; they have technology. But according to the town elders, they can't be trusted. However, Lia soon learns that everything she thought she knew about her world needs to be questioned, and when she saves and falls in love with a farther, she no longer knows whom to trust.
If the plot sounds complicated, don't worry about it. This is a really good book, but it's hard to describe. Once I got into it (like, from the second page on...) it was hard to put down. There's romance and suspense, and plot twists that I didn't see coming. There were some similarities to Hunger Games, in that the main character needs to be strong and take care of her family, and she's growing up in a place where adults can't be trusted. But I thought the similarities were a good thing. Avery-Ellison has written in a genre that's admittedly very popular, but she brings something new and unique. For $2.99 you can't go wrong. This is a really good book.
So when I contacted Kate Avery Ellison, she graciously agreed to answer my interview questions. Keep reading!
LO- I like to do ten-word posts on my blog. Can you describe the story
of your book in exactly ten words
KAE - Oh, I had to do one of these before and I forgot what I wrote. Hmmmm....let's see. "Orphaned girl risks everything for love in a dangerous world."
LO - What is the theme or the message of your novel, and how did you
incorporate it into your writing?
KAE - I think the theme is a mixture of things--the importance of love, the dangers of prejudiced thinking and how it's easier to hate and fear things and people that you don't understand or know personally, and the way people can become insular and fearful in a way that ends up warping them.
LO - What did you enjoy most about writing this particular book?
KAE - I always enjoy seeing where the story takes me, because the characters tend to surprise me and do things I don't expect. And I loved exploring the setting for this story. It's all murky blue light and icy landscapes and stone with little bits of steampunk and sci fi. I love it.
LO - If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would you
cast as the main characters?
KAE - Tough question. (Interesting fact about me--I never picture faces when I'm writing because I have a hard time visualizing facial features in my mind for some reason, so I don't really have much of a "look" in mind for any one character beyond their hair color and general complexion). But I answered a question like this in a interview I did on the launch day, and I suggested these actors for several of the characters:
Lia: Hannah Marks http://www.hannahmarks.com/admin/images/ImagesGallery/IMG_2949-ISGO.jpg
Gabe: Jeremy Sumpter http://www.poptower.com/jeremy-sumpter-picture-22144.htm
Ann: Sarah Gadon http://sharetv.org/person/sarah_gadon
But again, it's hard for me to pick actors sometimes.
LO - What inspired you to become a writer? Are there any favorite
authors or books you can name?
KAE - I've wanted to write since I was about six years old--I loved reading, my mother explained that authors were people who wrote books, so I decided I wanted to do that someday too (when you're six, people are always asking you what you want to be when you grow up). And I think my mom really inspired me because she always believed that I'd do it. She always said things like "Someday when you're an author..." when I was a little girl. There never seemed to be any doubt in her mind, and that confidence meant a lot to me.
My favorite/most influential authors are Robin Mckinley, Megan Whalen Turner, John Green, Maureen Johnson, Sharon Shinn, Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, and Flannery O'Connor (quite a diverse group of genres and styles, I know).
Thanks so much for having me, Laurel!
~Kate
of your book in exactly ten words
KAE - Oh, I had to do one of these before and I forgot what I wrote. Hmmmm....let's see. "Orphaned girl risks everything for love in a dangerous world."
LO - What is the theme or the message of your novel, and how did you
incorporate it into your writing?
KAE - I think the theme is a mixture of things--the importance of love, the dangers of prejudiced thinking and how it's easier to hate and fear things and people that you don't understand or know personally, and the way people can become insular and fearful in a way that ends up warping them.
LO - What did you enjoy most about writing this particular book?
KAE - I always enjoy seeing where the story takes me, because the characters tend to surprise me and do things I don't expect. And I loved exploring the setting for this story. It's all murky blue light and icy landscapes and stone with little bits of steampunk and sci fi. I love it.
LO - If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would you
cast as the main characters?
KAE - Tough question. (Interesting fact about me--I never picture faces when I'm writing because I have a hard time visualizing facial features in my mind for some reason, so I don't really have much of a "look" in mind for any one character beyond their hair color and general complexion). But I answered a question like this in a interview I did on the launch day, and I suggested these actors for several of the characters:
Lia: Hannah Marks http://www.hannahmarks.com/admin/images/ImagesGallery/IMG_2949-ISGO.jpg
Gabe: Jeremy Sumpter http://www.poptower.com/jeremy-sumpter-picture-22144.htm
Ann: Sarah Gadon http://sharetv.org/person/sarah_gadon
But again, it's hard for me to pick actors sometimes.
LO - What inspired you to become a writer? Are there any favorite
authors or books you can name?
KAE - I've wanted to write since I was about six years old--I loved reading, my mother explained that authors were people who wrote books, so I decided I wanted to do that someday too (when you're six, people are always asking you what you want to be when you grow up). And I think my mom really inspired me because she always believed that I'd do it. She always said things like "Someday when you're an author..." when I was a little girl. There never seemed to be any doubt in her mind, and that confidence meant a lot to me.
My favorite/most influential authors are Robin Mckinley, Megan Whalen Turner, John Green, Maureen Johnson, Sharon Shinn, Daphne du Maurier, Agatha Christie, and Flannery O'Connor (quite a diverse group of genres and styles, I know).
Thanks so much for having me, Laurel!
~Kate
Great interview! Might have to check out this one. :D
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