+ AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH YVONNE VENTRESCA!
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Pandemic
by Yvonne Ventresca
Even under the most normal circumstances, high school can be a painful and confusing time. Unfortunately, Lilianna's circumstances are anything but normal. Only a few people know what caused her sudden change from model student to the withdrawn pessimist she has become, but her situation isn't about to get any better. When people begin coming down with a quick-spreading illness that doctors are unable to treat, Lil's worst fears are realized. With her parents called away on business before the contagious outbreak-her father in Delaware covering the early stages of the disease and her mother in Hong Kong and unable to get a flight back to New Jersey-Lil's town is hit by what soon becomes a widespread illness and fatal disaster. Now, she's more alone than she's been since the "incident" at her school months ago.
With friends and neighbors dying all around her, Lil does everything she can just to survive. But as the disease rages on, so does an unexpected tension as Lil is torn between an old ex and a new romantic interest. Just when it all seems too much, the cause of her original trauma shows up at her door. In this thrilling debut from author Yvonne Ventresca, Lil must find a way to survive not only the outbreak and its real-life consequences, but also her own personal demons.
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★ Age Group/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Apocalyptic
★ Publisher: Sky Pony Press
★ Add the book on Goodreads!
★ Purchase: Amazon • B&N • Kobo • IndieBound
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with Yvonne Ventresca
LM: What inspired/compelled you to write Pandemic?
Yvonne: The idea of a global, deadly disease has always seemed particularly frightening to me. When the Swine Flu pandemic occurred in 2009, it wasn’t particularly lethal, but it did make me wonder. What if a virus was extremely contagious and caused a high death rate? And what if a teen girl had to survive on her own in contemporary times? I began developing Lilianna’s character, and I liked the idea that her life was already difficult before the pandemic hits. She has a problem trusting people, but that trust will be essential to her very survival.
LM: Why did you choose to write a book with an apocalyptic theme?
Yvonne: I think dire circumstances can bring out the best and the worst in people, and it was interesting to explore that angle in this story. Pandemic is more about the experience during the disaster than the aftermath. I have journalistic-style quotes at the beginning of each chapter and they help to reflect how various people might think and act during widespread devastation.
LM: Was there anything particularly challenging about writing Pandemic?
Yvonne: One funny challenge was naming the characters. I usually like to throw in the first names of family and friends for minor characters, but Pandemic involves a high death toll. In the story, there is a blog to help communicate who has died, and I had to be careful not to accidentally kill off anyone I was related to.
LM: Give us three words that best describe Lilianna!
Yvonne: Resilient, planner, naïve. Lilianna is resilient and emotionally stronger than she gives herself credit for at first. She’s a planner, but she’s also a bit naïve, because having a plan gives her the illusion of being in control.
LM: Can readers expect a bit of romance from Pandemic?
Yvonne: Yes. Even though it might be seem odd to consider romance during a deadly outbreak, I think Lil’s developing relationship is an important part of her healing process. Learning to trust again is an emotional milestone for her, so it became an integral part of the story. Plus it was fun to write some of the romantic scenes in the midst of the more serious ones.
LM: Give us a little glimpse into Pandemic—share with us one of your favorite quotes or scenes from the book!
Yvonne: Hmm. Some of my favorite scenes will give away the plot. But since you asked about the romance, here’s an excerpt that involves Lil’s romantic complications:
He took a step closer, put his hands on my arms.
“I thought that if we kissed one last time, maybe it would help you see how special this is. If you don’t feel anything, anything at all, I’d be willing to move on.”
“I’m not—”
Ethan was already leaning toward me, his face tilted at an angle that used to fit perfectly with mine.
I shut my eyes, resigned to the kiss that followed. I wanted to feel something, to prove to myself that I was normal again. His lips felt familiar, but wrong somehow. I did feel longing, but not for Ethan. What I felt was a longing for my life before. Before Mr. B. Before the flu.
We were kissing when the door swung open.
LM: Tell us what you enjoy doing when you aren't writing!
Yvonne: I started learning Isshinryu karate over eight years ago and it’s something I love. When I’m in class, it’s a treat to focus entirely on karate and put aside writing and marketing and everything else. The people in my dojo have also been incredibly supportive of Pandemic and my creative efforts.
LM: Thank you so much for answering my questions today! Is there anything you would like to add; anything you want to say to your readers?
Yvonne: I love learning behind-the-scenes stories about other people’s books, so here’s one for your blog readers:
After attending an SCBWI conference and presenting a draft of Pandemic’s first page for critique, I returned home from the weekend with a horrible case of the flu. (The irony!) I took notes (afterward, when I was feeling better) and used parts of my delirium in later chapters of Pandemic.
Thank you for the interview!
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Before becoming a children’s writer, Yvonne Ventresca wrote computer programs and taught others how to use technology. Now she happily spends her days writing stories instead of code, and passing on technology tips to writers. Yvonne’s the author of the young adult novel Pandemic, available in May 2014 from Sky Pony Press. In Pandemic, a teen struggles to survive not only a deadly outbreak and its real-life consequences, but also her own personal demons. Yvonne’s other writing credits include two nonfiction books for kids, Avril Lavigne (a biography of the singer) and Publishing (about careers in the field) along with various articles for teens and adults.
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HUGE thanks to Yvonne Ventresca for answering my questions so thoughtfully! ^-^
Readers, please continue on for the giveaway! ~
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Thanks so much for stopping by! ♥ Happy Reading!
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