{Interview & Giveaway} Jessica Brody, Author of Unremembered

I'm so excited to announce that Jessica Brody is on the blog today!

She is such a blast and I thoroughly enjoyed our interview!

So, stick around for one awesome Q&A and an equally awesome giveaway!!! :D

~The Author:

Jessica Brody is the author of 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, My Life Undecided, The Karma Club, and the recently released, Unremembered, the first in a sci-fi/suspense/romance trilogy. Her books have been translated and published in over 15 countries and several have been optioned for film and TV. Sometimes she wishes her memories could be erased so she could reread all her favorite books for the first time. She splits her time between California and Colorado.

Find her at: ~Website~Twitter~Tumblr~Instagram: @Jessica Bordy~Amazon~Goodreads~

~The Interview:

1. Unremembered is your latest book. What sets it apart from your other books? 

Well, for starters, UNREMEMBERED is my first sci-fi novel. And my first series. The rest of my books are all standalone contemporary comedies. But I wanted to try something new and really flex my creative muscles. I enjoyed seeing how far I could take a character outside of “normal teen life” and still create a compelling emotional journey. In the end, all my books (regardless of genre) tell stories about discovering who you are and dealing with what life brings you (because that’s universal.) In UNREMEMBERED, all I did was insert this struggle into a science-fiction setting where I could exaggerate the “who am I?” question. As a writer it’s fun to be able to create an extraordinary world, drop a character in, and see what she does.

2. What's the story behind Unremembered? (What inspired the story)  

UNREMEMBERED is the story of a sixteen year old girl who wakes up among the wreckage of a devastating plane crash with no memories of her life before that moment. She has to piece together her forgotten past with only one clue to her identity: a mysterious boy who claims he helped her escape from a top-secret science experiment. 

I got the idea for the book a few years ago when I read a newspaper article about a teen girl who was the sole survivor of a plane crash. I was instantly fascinated by the story. Namely because they had no idea why she survived when no else did. I started brainstorming reasons as to why she was so lucky. One particular reason (a rather intricate, science-fiction-inspired one) stuck in my mind and refused to leave. It continued to grow and blossom until I had an idea for an entire trilogy. A trilogy that starts with a mysterious plane crash and a single survivor. 

3. How would you handle waking up with absolutely no memories? 

Not very well! I can tell you that much. I get really frustrated when I can’t remember where I put my phone, I can’t imagine what a wreck I’d be if I forgot where I put my entire life. 

4. To be or not to be? What makes Zen and Sera to be? 

Sera and Zen have a very special connection that is able to conquer a lot of obstacles. No matter how many times Sera’s memories are erased, she falls in love with him over and over again. Not many loves are that unforgettable.

5. What was your favorite part in writing Unremembered? The most difficult? 

There’s a scene in UNREMEMBERED that was my absolute favorite to write. It happens at the end of part 2 in the book, in the Kindergarten classroom. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know which scene I’m talking about. It was a tender scene between Sera and Zen that I didn’t really expect. One of those scenes that just kinda wrote itself and when it was done, I was crying. Those kind of scenes are so rare, they really stick with you.

The most difficult part of writing this book was having to put myself in the shoes of someone with absolutely no memory. Sera doesn’t even know what the internet is when the book opens. She’s a total blank slate. This was really tough. I tried to imagine myself as an alien who’s landed on earth and who sees our world with completely fresh eyes. It was a fun challenge for sure!

6. How many trials and errors do authors go through in writing the story until scenes finally fit into place? 

SO MANY! LOL! For me at least, a lot of scenes get cut and moved around countless times. I usually have a separate folder on my computer called “Cut Scenes” and whenever I cut something, I will move it into a document and save it there. About 30% of those scenes get put back somewhere else in the book, but most of them are never missed, despite how difficult it might have been to cut it in the first place.

7. What makes being an author great? 

Haha! If I can figure that out, my life would be a lot easier! For me, the best writers are the ones who have such a unique and special voice that you would be able to read their books without a cover page and still be able to identify who wrote it.

Lover Commentary:

-Seraphina:

Three words to describe Zen? Loyal. Intense. Fearless.

Zen's best feature? His smile.

What makes a person "strong" (not in the body-builder way)?:

“How many times did I forget you?” My voice is hoarse and barely audible. 

He sighs. “Too many to count.”

Strength is the ability to never give up on someone, no matter how long it takes. 

-Zen: 

Three words to describe Seraphina? Passionate. Beautiful. Extraordinary. 

Seraphina's best feature? Her purple eyes. 

In the end when you have hit rock bottom, what makes people keep going even though they know they may not come out victorious? When you can’t keep going for yourself, you keep going for someone else. You keep going for her.

~The Book(s):

Unremembered

Series: Unremembered #1

Author: Jessica Brody

Release Date: March 5, 2013

by: Farrar, Stratus, & Giroux (BYR)

~BUY~

You can get the first 5 chapters free here!!!

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author Jessica Brody comes a compelling and suspenseful new sci-fi series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten. {Goodreads}

More by Jessica Brody:

.....And more!!!

(click pics for their Goodreads page) 

~The Giveaway:

The Prize:

1 SIGNED copy of Unremembered by Jessica Brody

The Details:

US only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Have a great day!! :D
~Jaiden