The time it was about The Killing Jar

Posted January 7, 2016 by Stacee in Giveaways, Interviews | 18 Comments

I’ve always adored Jennifer Bosworth, especially after we went to Disneyland together. So of course when I saw that she had another book coming out, I asked if she would do an interview and she agreed!

Before we get to her answers, let’s check out the new book.

13“I try not to think about it, what I did to that boy.”

Seventeen-year-old Kenna Marsden has a secret.

She’s haunted by a violent tragedy she can’t explain. Kenna’s past has kept people—even her own mother—at a distance for years. Just when she finds a friend who loves her and life begins to improve, she’s plunged into a new nightmare. Her mom and twin sister are attacked, and the dark powers Kenna has struggled to suppress awaken with a vengeance.

On the heels of the assault, Kenna is exiled to a nearby commune, known as Eclipse, to live with a relative she never knew she had. There, she discovers an extraordinary new way of life as she learns who she really is, and the wonders she’s capable of. For the first time, she starts to feel like she belongs somewhere. That her terrible secret makes her beautiful and strong, not dangerous. But the longer she stays at Eclipse, the more she senses there is something malignant lurking underneath it all. And she begins to suspect that her new family has sinister plans for her…

Sounds good, right?

right

1. Give the elevator pitch for The Killing Jar.

How about a recipe instead?

1 C. Dark and brooding protagonista who did a bad, bad thing

1 Tsp. Psycho murderer

2 C. Supernatural hippies

1 C. Idyllic, bohemian commune in Oregon

1 T. Vampire moths

Mix with evil intentions and bake at 600 degrees until you have a black, smoldering ruin. Enjoy!

2. Where did the idea come from?

Kenna Marsden, the main character in THE KILLING JAR, has the power to absorb energy from nature, which has a psychedelic effect on her. I got the idea after watching a video on YouTube of a proper, ladylike 50’s housewife trying LSD under the supervision of researchers. She went from uptight and shy to euphoric as she described the effects of the drug. She said she had never seen such infinite beauty in her life, and that she felt sorry for the scientist interviewing her because he could never understand the beauty she was experiencing.

I was fascinated by the video, and began to imagine a group of people with the power to enter this kind of state through supernatural means. People have written about so many different kinds of supernatural powers (invisibility, flying, super strength, shape-shifting, telepathy, telekenisis), but I couldn’t think of anyone who’d written about the power to enter a psychedelic state of euphoria and beauty. Considering how many people in the world seek out such experiences, it seemed like an untapped realm of supernatural possibilities.

3. Why do you love Kenna and why should we root for her?

I love her because she’s self-aware, and owns the bad things she’s done. She doesn’t try to pretend or convince herself or anyone else that she’s a better person than she is. She’s the ultimate non-narcissist.

4. What was the weirdest thing you had to google while doing research?

I did a lot of reading about Calyptra moths, which are a genus of vampire moth that live on blood and tears. True story!

5. What was your favorite part about writing this book?

The “high” scenes (don’t do drugs, kids), because that’s where I got to play with language and description.

Speed [ish] round:

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

Just one thing: a boat.

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

What’s the longest book ever written? That one.

3. Who are your favorite swoony boys/girls?

How about men and women? Every character Jeff Goldblum has ever played. Every character Cate Blanchet has ever played.

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

They did tell me, I just didn’t listen, and no one ever does. Publishing won’t make you happy or fix all of your problems or validate your needy, desperate ego, or make you feel loved. Publishing makes you more vulnerable than you’ve ever been before.

5. You wake up and discover you are Bella in Twilight. You know how it plays out. What do you do differently? {Huge thanks to Bookish Broads for letting me use this question!}

Nothing. All of Bella’s choices were super sound and rational. She’s a great role model. Wink.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4687048Author and screenwriter, Jennifer Bosworth, grew up in a small town where there was nothing to do but read and get into trouble. She did plenty of both, which led her to a career writing about people who get into trouble.

Jennifer and her husband recently escaped from Los Angeles and are now hiding out in Portland, Oregon with a couple of long-legged dogs. In her spare time she can be found watching horror movies and dreaming of starting her own hippie commune, where there will be many goats.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Huge thanks to Jennifer for taking the time.  Make sure you’re checking out her website, following her on Twitter, liking her Facebook page, and adding all of her books to your Goodreads TBR.

Now. Itching to get a copy in your greedy hands?  I’ve got one up for grabs. Giveaway is international, book will be coming from TBD, and additional giveaway rules are here.

**Good Luck!!**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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18 responses to “The time it was about The Killing Jar

  1. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day! As I’m about to head to sleep I’m already looking forward to breakfast lol….. I love cereal. I’m a simple gal. One time I had Marshmallow French Toast at a diner. That was. Amazing. I highly recommend it.

  2. Rhiannon

    There’s a lot of stuff. Totally depends on my moods. I have periods where I want nothing but cereal, then pancakes, or biscuits, or cinnamon rolls, of course with bacon or sausage. French toast is another thing I love. I just love breakfast foods in general.

  3. I’m pretty much a zombie in the morning, so I mostly stick to bran flakes with apples slices. I save all the really great breakfast foods (pancakes, waffles, french toast, tofu scramble) for dinnertime!

  4. This is the first time I have seen this book. It sounds like a great read. I love the promise of self discovery and what not. Thank you for the proper introduction and lovely interview.

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