{Interview & Giveaway} Elizabeth Richards, author of Black City

Zipidee Do Dah! Zipidee Aye! My oh my would you look at what I have for you today!!

I am so thrilled to have Mrs. Richards on the blog today!

Her book is one I am anticipating to read SO bad!!! 

Without further a due...Welcome Elizabeth Richards!

The Author:

Find her at....~Website~Twitter~Facebook.~Goodreads

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist who spent her early career reviewing video games for a living before making the bold (or crazy) move to become a travel writer and editor, specializing in cruise holidays, despite suffering from terrible sea sickness.

In her spare time Elizabeth ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls, where she got to interview many of her favorite bands, go to gigs and basically bag loads of free swag all in the name of "research".

More recently she worked as a website editor before deciding to pursue her dream of becoming an author. She now dedicates her time to writing fantasy books aimed at young adults. BLACK CITY is her debut novel.

The Interview:

1. What exactly are the Darklings? 

I’ve heard Darklings be described as vampires, fey, and in one case, dragon-like creatures (I loved that one! I can see it – one Darkling species has wings, another has claws, and they all have these vivid, unusual eyes). Darklings drink blood and have fangs, so because of that, I would say they’re most like vampires, but to be honest, they are to vampires what wolves are to domesticated dogs. Similar, but not the same. They’re a unique species in their own right.   

2. As a kid did you ever think to become an author, or did you have other careers in mind?

As a little girl, I thought I’d be an artist when I grew up. I loved to paint and draw, and was reading art history books when most girls my age were swooning over NKOTB photos in Smash Hits magazine (Gosh, showing my age there a bit!). But by the time I reached my mid-to-late teens, my passion for writing really developed. Whenever I got a spare moment at school, be it during registration, recess, study periods, and sometimes even during class, I’d be working on a story. I wasn't entirely sure what direction I wanted to take my writing career at that time, so I opted for screenwriting, as the course sounded amazing. I’m so glad I did, as I met my future husband on my first day at uni! After leaving uni, I worked my way up the ranks on several video games and travel magazines, before moving into web editing, then finally taking the plunge and becoming an author! So it’s been a bit of a twisty path to get here, but I think all that experience has really helped prepare me for this career.

3. We, as readers, take our characters very seriously. We fall in love with them, we hate them, we wish to be them. They are real to us in some sorts. What makes Ash and Natalie real to you?

Their imperfections. Ash can be a total jerk at times. Natalie can be thoughtless and spoil  They’re not these picture perfect people. They make mistakes, but what makes them real to me is they have the capacity to forgive, learn from their mistakes, and develop as people.  

4. If you could read any book for the first time again, what would it be? Why?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I was SO excited when that book came out!  I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, and I’d been fantasizing about how the series would end for years. I went to a midnight launch, so I could get my hands on the book the minute it came out, then stayed up all night reading it. Those last few chapters blew me away. They were simply thrilling, and a great end to a terrific series. But I was so depressed when it was all over, I had to immediately start re-reading the entire series, just to try and get my Harry Potter fix! 

5. Ah, the forbidden love. The story of lovers never meant to love has entranced readers since the beginning of time. Why do you think that is?

I think people are captivated by the idea that there could be someone out there who loves them so much, they’re willing to risk everything—even their life—to be with them. It’s so romantic and passionate. Plus, there’s a lot of dramatic potential in forbidden romances—the stakes are high, so readers really fear for the couple. They feel invested in the couple’s relationship, and just hope and pray their love survives against all odds, because it gives people hope that they’ll find a love that is just as strong and enduring in real life. 

6. Your book covers are gorgeous! Are they what you had in mind when you saw your books?

Black City’s current cover is actually the second cover Penguin did for me. The first cover was very much what I was expecting, mainly because they asked me to fill out a questionnaire for the art department, so I had a fair idea of what I’d be getting. It was a lovely cover, and I was pleased with it. However, sales and marketing stepped in just before the Fall catalogue was due to go to press, and (as it turns out, very wisely) said the cover needed a revamp, and I have to stay I was blown-away by my new cover. It wasn't what I was expecting at all, but I simply love it. The shattering rose is just amazing—so striking, vivid and evocative of the themes in the book. I’m thrilled with it. Penguin’s art team are awesome! 

7.  What book, if any, played a key root in influence for Black City?

There wasn’t a particular book that played a key influence in Black City. However, there are some aspects about Black City, which can be compared to other books. For instance, the United Sentry States is ruled by a tyrannical government headed by Purian Rose, which monitors your every move, sort of like Big Brother and the Party in Nineteen Eighty-Four. There’s a forbidden romance between a supernatural boy and a human, like Twilight. Plus, there’s a dystopian vibe, like Hunger Games. So it can be compared to other titles, but there wasn’t a specific influence. 

The Book(s):

Black City

Series: Black City #1

Release Date: November 13, 2012

by, Putnam Son's BYR

Buy at: ~~~~

Pages: 384

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.
In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.
When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.{Goodreads}

Coming Soon in the Black City Series....

The Giveaway:

 Another awesome giveaway for you all!

I am SO excited to read these books you guys! And they just came out!!

So what better way to excite you of this beauty than giving away some....

The Prize:

Signed!!! Black City bookmarks!

The Rules:

You must be 13 years or older.

Please refrain from leaving any personal information in the comments section

There will be 1 winner(chosen by Rafflecopter).

The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email/tweet. If not, a new winner will be chosen

This is an International giveaway!

Giveaway ends December 8, 2012.

Have fun!!! <3

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck you guys!

Thanks for stopping by!! :D

Have a great day/week! 

And a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! *gobble gobble* ;)

~Jaiden