Interview with Stacey Jay!

Today apart of my annivarsay week we have Stacey Jay here with us for an interview about her new book YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME. You can visit her at http://www.staceyjay.com/

I know this is your first book published, so could you explain you're feelings when you first heard that your book was getting published?

• There was a lot of screaming involved, lol. My four year old remembers the day I sold because of all the screaming. The only time he's seen me so freaked out was when a tree fell on the back of our house while we were having dinner and almost crushed the entire family.

Your novel, YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME, is about a girl who can put zombie's to rest, can you tell us where you came up with this storyline?

• I was listening to Radio Disney with my kids and that song "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" came on, and I started thinking "what if this chick had something REALLY dramatic to deal with". Like zombies. Who showed up on her doorstep. Rotten and stinky, with major issues she had to solve. Thus, Megan the Zombie Settler was born.

Can you tell us about your upcoming books?

• Yep. I've got the sequel to YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME coming out in 2010. It's titled UNDEAD MUCH? (though that might change) and is even scarier and romancier than the first book. I'm really proud of it and can't wait to see what readers who have enjoyed the first book think of Megan and Ethan's continuing story. Then, also in early 2010, I've got a presently untitled book coming out with Flux featuring a zombie as the heroine. She goes to zombie school and has to eat brains and solve a murder. I'm in edits with that right now and having so much fun with it. It's a little sillier than the Megan books, but still scary and romantic.

I'm always curious, how do you name your characters?

• Sometimes, I figure out when they would have been born and Google to find the most popular names that year and choose something I like from the top 100. Other times, the name has a special meaning. It varies. Megan was a top 100 name.

If YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME became a movie, do you have any idea who would player your characters?

• Ooo....that's a great question. Hmm...I would love the girl from Juno, Ellen Page, to play Megan. Even though Megan isn't as confident as the character of Juno, or quite as smartassy, I think Ellen would do a fabulous job. As far as Ethan goes, I have no idea, but I'd love to hear who readers think would be good for his role.

How has the first draft of your novel different from your finished draft?

• With this book, VERY different. I had a 60% rewrite during my first edits and then a little more tweaking during second edits. With my second book, UNDEAD MUCH?, the edits have been much more modest. Probably about a 20% rewrite. Of course, the second time around I had the chance to brainstorm the direction of the story with my editor before I started writing which made a big difference.

What do you do in your leisure time?

• What is this leisure time you speak of? Um...I think I vaguely remember something like that occuring in 2001, before I had two stepdaughters, two young songs, and three pen names. Lol. But really, in what little spare time I have, I love to play Wii with my kids, work out, and go on trips with my hubby. We love to travel and I hope to have more time for that next year.

What are your favorite YA authors and books? Have you read any YA book that really blew you away recently?

• There are waaaayyyyyy too many to name, but I have read a new YA that blew me away just a few weeks ago. "Strange Angels" by Lili Saintcrow, which will also release from Razorbill in 2009. It's a LOT darker and moodier than YOU ARE SO UNDEAD TO ME, but I loved it. The main character is so rich and well thought out and I love the world Lili is creating. I'd highly recommend snagging an ARC if you can get one.

How much of yourself is put into Megan Berry?

• More than any other character I've ever written. Megan is different from me in many ways, but the neurotic, over-thinking of EVERYTHING is totally me. I'm bad about that now, but I was even worse in high school.

Can you give any advice for aspiring authors?

• Keep writing. Write every day, and when you're not writing, read. Read everything you can get your hands on. With every story you read, you'll learn something.

Thanks so much Stacey!