HEATHER BREWER - Author Interview and GIVEAWAY!

Heather Brewer

Are you one of Auntie Heather's Minions?  If not, you should be.  Auntie Heather (or Heather Brewer to those that haven't yet realized their calling) is one of the most amazing YA fantasy authors you will find.  She is the author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, The Slayer Chronicles and the new Legacy of Tril series.  Here books are perfect for the Urban Fantasy lovers out there.  

One of the things that drew the three of us to Auntie Heather is how very passionate she is in speaking out against bullying.  She is working hard to make this world a better place by educating and helping children and teens.  Hearing her speak out against bullying is both moving and inspirational and we hope that everyone has the opportunity to either hear or read her words at least once in their lives.

Read on to learn what projects Auntie Heather is currently working on in regards to both books and anti-bullying campaigns.  And then fill out the form below to win a SIGNED copy Auntie Heather's latest release, Soulbound (Legacy of Tril, #1).

INTERVIEW WITH HEATHER BREWER

Q. Do you have any plans for a new series?

A. This is tricky to answer, because generally, I gravitate toward writing series rather than stand-alones, but at the moment, nothing new is quite on the horizon. Stay tuned!

Q. What is your current Work in Progress?

A. I'm hard at work on something new, something horror....but I can't really talk about it just yet. Stephen King once said to write the first draft with the door closed...and I'm taking that wisdom to heart.

Q. We love hearing about your beautiful kittehs.  Can you tell us the inspiration for their names – Smudge and Fang?

A. Thank you! They are my babies, and make every day a joy. Fang is named for the black fang shape on his nose - it stands out against his white fur. the funny thing is that if you look at him and tilt your head, it kinda looks like a bat....much to my pleasure. As for Smudge: he's so tiny and gray, he just looks like a little smudge! His fur is that kind of gray where it looks like he was a white cat, until someone cleaned out the fireplace and then picked him up. They, along with my other kitteh, Amenti, put the awe in awesome! 

Ahhh!  So much precious!

Q. Because we love books, boys and pie, this question is almost a requirement in a Bibliojunkie interview.  What is your favorite dessert?

A.  That's such a hard question to answer! I'm a sucker for a traditional New York cheesecake (cherries on top, please), but I practically live for pumpkin pie come Thanksgiving time. Mmmm....now I want pie...

Q. Can you share your secret to awesome domination over the coolest minions to ever inhabit the universe? 

A. The key to becoming the Supreme Ruler of the Minion Horde would be to knock me off somehow. Which I am NOT a fan of! *gives you THE LOOK*

Really, if you want to further your efforts of world domination, as well as have cool, loyal Minions at your disposal, I recommend reading "How to be a Villain" by Neil Zawacki  

As for how to keep Minions loyal...I've found that cookies certainly help.

Q. We are looking forward to attending the Less Than Three conference in October.  Can you tell us about the conference and why it is so important to you?

A. I was terribly bullied growing up. We're talking kindergarten through senior year and scarred by it into my late 20s (I'm 39 now). It's one of the reason I focus on outcasts in my books. Because of that, I have, for the past five years or so, been searching for a YA Lit/anti-bullying conference to go to, to speak at...only...there are none. So I kept asking myself, "Why is no one doing this? Why is no one holding a conference that focuses on my deepest passion?" It was about two years ago that I read an article on this study that said that less than three-quarters of schools improve their school environment against bullying, as it was costly and difficult to do. I got mad. I got very mad. Because of price and laziness we're allowing our kids to suffer the same fate as I suffered growing up?? Then it hit me. Why wasn't I doing it? Why wasn't I holding a conference on bullying and how to deal with it? Why wasn't I doing everything I could to get a dialogue going? That study stuck with me, as did that fact. It's a happy coincidence that <3 is also the symbol of a heart online, where so many teens are (and are being bullied as well).

Less Than Three is a YA Lit/Anti-Bullying conference that will bring about teens, tweens, booksellers, teachers, administrators, parents, librarians, authors and more to rally against bullying. It will feature panels of several popular YA authors which focus on the various effects of bullying and positive approaches to tackling the issue. Less Than Three will bring people together, and get a dialogue going about bullying and how it affects everyone. It's about survival. It's about...well...us.

Q. In regards to bullying, what is the best piece of advice you can give to an incoming middle schooler?

A. There are so many pressures on a middle schooler. Peer pressure is the worst. Friends sometimes say you should dress this way or that, like these things or those. It can seem virtually impossible to remain true to the inner vision you have of yourself. But I urge you...BE YOURSELF OUT LOUD. You are, despite what anyone else says or you might think, the coolest person you can be. Don't be shy about it. Don't listen to those who would taunt you. they're wrong. You rock. And I love you.

Q. In the same vein, what is the best piece of advice you can give to parents of children entering middle school?

A. Pay attention. Kids likely won't tell you when they're being mistreated. They'll answer your questions about how everything is with their friends/school/etc. with "Fine", when it really might not be fine. I recommend getting involved at their school - volunteer to help with play/sport practice, go as a chaperone on field trips. Be present. And be there for them, no matter what. It helps to share your own experiences and how those things made you feel. More than anything...hug them. Even if they act like they don't want you to. Hugs help.

Q. On a lighter note, any chance we can monopolize your and David Levithan’s time for dinner after the conference?  We can think of few things better than spending “alone” time with our two favorite YA authors ;-) 

A. I'm game! So long as I'm still conscious. ;)

Thank you, Auntie Heather, for sharing your secrets and heart with our followers. We love you and will be seeing you at the Less Than Three conference in October!


a Rafflecopter giveaway