#BIR2011 Interview with Beth Revis, Author of Across the Universe

Today I'm so excited to share with you my interview with Beth Revis!  Across the Universe was a book that really grabbed me in 2011 and it just had to be included on my Top 7 of '11!  Across the Universe is a sci-fi dystopian set in the far future that takes on an adventure aboard the Godspeed.  The second book in this series, A Million Suns, will be released on January 10, 2012.  Without further ado, here's my interview with Beth Revis: 

Across the Universe is written in split perspective alternating between Amy and Elder, why choose to show both sides?

I had to for the story; it was very important for me that each character knew something the other character didn't. Amy knew what it was like on Earth, so she was able to see how the things Elder knows about on the ship are different. And Elder has his own secrets...



What do you think is the BEST moment in Across the Universe? And why?

For me, it's the end--the chapter where the real mystery is really solved (I don't want to be too specific and spoil the book, but I think readers who've read it will know what I'm talking about). That was the moment the whole book was building to--in fact, I wrote the book for that one sentence. I tend to have "clincher" scenes in my writing. For A MILLION SUNS, it's one sentence: "silence and stars."


Elder is my favorite character in the book, do you have a favorite or do you love them all equally?

Honestly, I adored Harley. I don't want to spoil what happens to him for readers who've not read the book yet, but Harley was a surprise character for me from the start. I'd not meant to make him a big character--he was supposed to just be in the background--but then he sort of stole the show for me.


Can you share with me a fan moment that really made an impression on you, something that you will always remember?

Well, last weekend, I went to Cassie Clare's signing. It was a little surreal--I was there as a fangirl to get signatures in my books, but the bookstore owner recognized my name when I was ordering books from her, and brought some of my books to sign for stock for the store...which then other people who came to Cassie's signing recognized and bought! So here I was at someone else's signing (early; Cassie wasn't there yet--I would never try to take over someone else's event), and people were asking me to sign my book. And this adorable girl who was obviously very shy came up to me and whispered, "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" I said.

"Are you....are you Cassie Clare?"

I think I broke her heart when I told her who I was!



Do you have a favorite read of 2011?

Oh, dear, there are too many to say! I adored THE NAME OF THE STAR, THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, HOURGLASS, THE NEAR WITCH, SHADE, TEMPEST, WITHER....so many more...



As you gear up for the release of A Million Suns (Across the Universe book 2), are you getting nervous for the release? Excited? Maybe a bit of both?

I'm pretty excited...and deeply nervous! I really want people to like this one. It was weird to write a book *knowing* it was going to be published--that's never happened to me before. I tried to write a book that I would like, and I hope that means other readers will like it, too. There are a lot of expectations, and...*frets*

We also have a great giveaway for you! We'll have one winner of either a copy of Across the Universe or an ARC of A Million Suns by Beth Revis! This giveaway is open to readers with a US mailing address- no PO Boxes. You can enter on the Rafflecopter below. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all the BIR posts today. IF THE RAFFLECOPTER LOOKS WRONG, CLICK THE TITLE OF THIS POST AND IT SHOULD SHOW THE FORM CORRECTLY! Thanks so much!

Amazing Chance to Win all 5 Breathless Books from Beth Revis!!!

Beth Revis (amazing author of Across the Universe) is giving away SIGNED COPIES of all five of the Breathless Reads books on her blog!! You can enter from now until the 21st by clicking on the image above!  I have read The Replacement, Nightshade, Matched and Across the Universe and they were all spectacular.  The Eternal Ones is on my To Read List and I bet it rocks too!! Check out this AMAZING opportunity to win some great signed books!!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe is the Debut novel from author Beth Revis.  I have been not so secretly coveting this book from the first moment I laid eyes on this cover art.  1- I love the colors, the purples and the stars!  2- The title always makes me start singing Beatles songs in my head.  (It must be a nerd thing!)  3- It intrigued me that this was touted as a love story but the girl's eyes are closed and the boy is the one looking at her.  It just looked like an unusual love story.  When I recently won a copy of the book, you bet I did a little happy dance at my desk.  This is one new release for 2011 that I wanted to read- BAD. 

Across the Universe is pretty heavily sci-fi throughout, which was not typical of my favorite books.  My dad is the Trekkie- not me.  But this book felt a bit like Outside In & Inside Out by Maria Snyder.  Both those books and this one have the theme of being on a ship, in space, with no where to run to and the monumental task of keeping the peace with so many people stuffed into one ship with no where else to go.  I'm claustrophobic so just the thought of being in that situation freaks me out.  But then you add in the fact that Amy has been cryogenically frozen in a little box and I am willing to completely forgive any and all temper tantrums she may have over the course of this book. 

I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Amy and Elder develop and change.  I loved seeing each of them try to fit their knowledge of "the way things are/were" against the other's.  Elder believes that Amy is the one who is mistaken and Amy is SURE that Elder is the one who has been given incorrect information.  The way that they work together to find the truth amid the lies is really great.  Their friendship kind of blooms while they support each other through this crazy time.  I also love that Elder falls for Amy first.  She feels something for him from the start but her past, that she is still desperately clinging to, holds her back.  It's funny to see Elder experience falling in love and not see it for what it is because he doesn't know what love is or that emotion is supposed to go before/with the "urges" that he finds himself having.  It's really pretty comical.  The topsy turvy civilization that they find themselves in on the Godspeed is also pretty funny at times.  Their culture is so polar opposite of our own that it causes a real gut reaction.  It was pretty intense.  My only complaint about the whole book is this: the use of Hitler.  Now hear me out.  It is not the use of Hitler in that I would rather not have him brought up but I felt that the use of Hitler to make the point was kinda cheap.  Yes, Hitler is probably the most well know dictator who was famous for genocide.  Yes, to use Hitler can cause a strong reaction in the reader.  BUT there are at least a half dozen other famous dictators who committed genocide.  Beth could have used any of them.  I felt like it was her way of saying "this is the only way that the teenagers reading will get that gut punch at this moment and REALLY get what I am saying here."  I would like to give YA readers a little credit and would it be so wrong if they had to look up another reference?  To Google Stalin and see that he was responsible for nearly twice as many deaths as Hitler and that many were slow, painful deaths?  Which hits you harder?  But I digress.

All in all, I loved this book and can not wait for next year when the second book, A Million Suns, is due to come out.  (According to Goodreads, the plot of A Million Suns is "the plot of this book is currently a secret.")  I am really excited to see how things progress for Amy and Elder.  This book is definitely for older teens as there is a large segment of the book where you see numerous sexual references and even an attempted rape.  Also, the political under current inherent in dystopian works is probably better suited for teens over 16.  This book was epic, so give it a try if you haven't yet!!

Across the Universe earns 5 Fairies for a wonderful read about a boy and a girl lost out in space on a ship of lies.

You can find out more about Beth Revis and her Across the Universe books on Goodreads and her website.  I highly recommend a trip to her website- there is supposedly a "secret page" with a hidden pass code.  I have yet to figure it out myself but I expect it to be epic as that is Ms. Revis' style!

W...W... W... Wednesdays!

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly feature at Should Be Reading. To play along you just have to answer three simple questions:

1. What Are You Currently Reading?
2. What Did You Recently Finish?
3. What Do You Think You'll Read Next?

My answers for this week:

1.What am I currently reading?  Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

2.What did I recently finish?  Across the Universe by Beth Revis

What do I think I'll read next?  Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers are from Across the Universe by Beth Revis:

"I smile weakly at him.  I can't tell if it's nerves or something sloshing around in my stomach."