The time it was about Renegade

I’ve loved Debra Driza since I met her. Her books are awesome and she’s pretty kick-ass herself.  And she lives in San Diego, like me, so extra points for that.

I was able to get my greedy hands on an arc of Mila 2.0: Renegade and after I was done flailing about it, I emailed her about an interview.  And she said yes!!  But before we get to her answers, let’s look at the book, shall we?

There is no one left for Mila to trust. Except for a boy she barely knows.

But Hunter has no idea who—and what—Mila really is. She can’t bear to reveal her secret, even though he’s unwittingly joined her search for Richard Grady, a man who may know more details of Mila’s complicated past.

Yet the road to the truth is more dangerous than ever. With General Holland and the Vita Obscura scouring the earth for her whereabouts, Mila must rely on her newfound android abilities to protect herself and Hunter from imminent harm. Still, embracing her identity as a machine leads her to question the state of her humanity—as well as Hunter’s real motives.

Perfect for fans of I Am Number Four and Divergent, this action-packed and heart-wrenching second installment of MILA 2.0 will leave readers breathlessly awaiting the series conclusion.

Sounds good, right?

1. I know why I love Mila and Hunter. Why do you love them and why should we root for them?

Well, I’m a sucker for tragic romances, and Mila and Hunter sure have the makings of one, don’t they?  We should root for them because it’s so crucial for Mila to feel that connection with someone, especially in light of her life-threatening challenges. But I also like to make it little hard for the reader to root for them, too, because of her extreme secrecy and Hunter’s questionable motives.

2. What was the weirdest thing you googled while doing research? 

Oh, I google LOTS of weird things <insert evil cackle>  Probably some of the weirdest involved androids and bodily functions. Hey! It’s all in the name of research, right?

3. Was there a scene that had to be cut that you wish could have stayed?

Yes! I wrote an action scene that I really liked, which came in around Chapter Two, I think. Mila’s out for a walk wrestling with her conscience, and stumbles across a couple of would-be muggers, mid-act. Since she’s having a few anger control issues, she makes short work of them, despite anxiety that she might be drawing attention to herself. We had to cut it though because the scene really didn’t serve any additional purpose.  I won’t mention the speed-boat chase scene that got cut later in the book….  :)

4. Describe Renegade in 5 words. 

Out. For. A. Walk….’Bot.  Wait, no. Wrong story.  I fail at these kinds of things, but here goes:  Robot Girl on a Truth Mission (see how I skirted the rules there?)

Speed [ish] round:

1. You get the call/email/letter that says you’re being published for the first time. What happens next?

Ear-piercing screaming and probably some incredibly bad dance moves.  Because every occasion calls for dancing.

2. What three things would you take to a desert island?

Water purification system, solar-charging Kindle…and a helicopter.  :)

3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

Oh, wow, I never knew you were so mean!  Lol.  This is almost impossible to answer. Perhaps Dune or Kushiel’s Dart, since they are both really long.

4. Who are your favorite swoony boys?

I’m a huge Peeta fan (*hides from Gale lovers*) and I think St. Clair in Anna and the French Kiss is charming. I also find Joscelin from Kushiel’s Dart to be super swoony.

5. What is the one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?

So. Many. Things. But probably two of the main ones:  don’t play the comparison game, and, get ready for the emo-coaster (except, Cindy Pon actually did tell me that last one, so never mind!)

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I’m Debra Driza, and I’m a physical-therapist-turned-Young-Adult-author and a stay-at-home mom. Not to be confused with a stay-at-home mistress—those are the ones who eat bon-bons and watch soap operas all day long. The soap operas sort of fall by the wayside when you have a seven-year old, a three-year-old, three dogs (one of them seriously defective), one extremely messy husband, and deadlines to meet.

Seriously, though–my family is great. I wouldn’t change one second of our crazy, messy, unorganized lives. What this house lacks in a paper or dog-free spot on the couch, it makes up for in laughter and hugs.

I’m represented by Taylor Martindale of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.  The first book in my YA sci-fi thriller series debuts in Fall 2012 from Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins.

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Huge thanks to Debra for taking the time!!  Make sure you check out her blog, follow her on Twitter, like her Facebook page and add all of her books to your Goodreads shelf.

Now.  Haven’t had a chance to start Debra’s series? Well, I’ve got  paperback copy of Mila 2.0 up for grabs.  There is a chance that I’ll be able to get a signed copy when I go to Mysterious Galaxy on Wednesday…If not, then the book will be coming from The Book Depository.  Either way, the giveaway is international.  Additional giveaway rules are here.

**Good Luck!!**

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