Interview and Giveaway-Denise Jaden

I'm happy to welcome Denise Jaden, author of Losing Faith, to my blog.

You can learn more about Denise, here. And, of course, check out and follow her blog!

Losing Faith (from Good Reads)  A terrible secret. A terrible fate. When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but. As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.


The Book Trailer :



I've read the book. Twice. The promise delivered, in the synopsis and book trailer, of an emotion and suspense filled book is met.  And then some. Denise's writing is vivid and pulls you into Brie's world from the beginning. You feel what she feels and what to know what happened to her sister. What _really_ happened, not what people say.

Thanks for being here, Denise! The book we're giving away is LOSING FAITH, it was your debut novel for 2010. Your next book is coming out in 2012. Can you tell us a little bit about that one?

My 2012 book is called APPETITE FOR BEAUTY and it's another YA contemporary
that I imagine will be geared at ages 14 and up. It's another sister story,
and it's still in the process of some major revisions, so I don't have much
else to share on that one just yet.

Do you have any advice for a first time author going in to do a school or
library visit or do you have a great 2010 debut moment you would like to
share with us? (or--both?)

I've done one library visit (before my book came out) and have not yet
ventured into schools (though I'm hoping that will happen soon). So I don't
have much in the way of advice for other authors, except I'd say to be
yourself and try to enjoy yourself.  I take any opportunity to talk about my
books and writing with people who are interested as a real blessing.

As for a 2010 debut moment...I did a number of book signings following my
book's release. Many of them were visited by folks of all ages, and there
were a number of people who saw me sitting there and ended up buying my book
because I was a local author. There were even older men, in their fifties or
sixties buying my book! But I still remember the first teen girl who came to
a book signing specifically to meet me and pick up my book. That was a
really great moment for me.

In my book club I have some keen readers (of course!), but also some keen
writers. They range in age from 8 to 13. When did you start writing and do
you have any advice for my book clubbers?

I started writing later in life, actually well into my thirties. But one
thing I wish is that I started earlier. Writing stories is life-giving for
me. As for advice, I'd say figure out what you really connect with in books
and why you think you connect with that. It will be helpful to know as a
writer, but also as a reader it can help you weed through the multitude of
new books out each year and find some favourites.

Speaking of my book club kids. Anything you'd like to recommend they read or
we get for our library? Something that is a recent read, or a book you loved
when you were a kid?

For ages 8-13, I would recommend LEAVING GEE'S BEND by Irene Latham. Irene
is another 2010 debut author, and she writes in such a unique and compelling
voice. You'll love it! (EDIT FROM DEB : I'll order it today, Thanks Denise)

And finally...

What is your favourite part of living where you do? Do you have another part
of Canada that you love to visit or that you've always wanted to but haven't
yet?

Well, part of me thinks I should have been born in Tahiti...but other than
that, I truly love where I live. The weather is fairly mild, but still
varied. We can ski in the winter and suntan in the summer. Vancouver is a
beautiful city, and only an hour away.

As for other places in Canada...I love all the places in B.C. I've had an
opportunity to travel to. I dance with a Polynesian dance troupe, and we
usually venture to Alberta every couple of years as well. When I was about
five my family drove across Canada together, and I'd love to do that trip
again, now that I'm older and will remember it better. I'm especially drawn
to the Maritime provinces.

Actually, one more question. Anything I didn't ask that you were hoping I would ask?


I think you had a great set of questions, Deb! I can't think of anything!!

Thanks again Denise, for helping me kick off a year of interviews and giveaways for Oh (MG & YA) Canada!

And now...on to the Giveaway. You can win a copy of Denise’s book, Losing Faith. This is open to Canada and the U.S. and you have until midnight (MST), February 7 th to enter. What do you need to do? Just leave and comment on this post and you are in.


Reminder : There is still time to enter to win a copy of Sheree Fitch's Pluto's Ghost!

And---if you just can't wait on the giveaway of Denise's book (and really, if you end up with two there is always...donate to your local school or public library!) :

Amazon
Book Depository
Chapters/Indigo
Independent Booksellers Association