Monday, October 1, 2012

Something Wicked Comes: Interview + Giveaway with Kirsty Eagar


Today kicks off a month-long extravaganza of downright wicked fun wherein a myriad of blogs will be celebrating all things scary and creepy with interviews, book features, and giveaways galore. Rainy Day Ramblings and Babbling About Books are hosting this event o'awesomeness, so be sure and check the full schedule here so you can follow along!

To start a spooktacular October off right, I've invited author Kirsty Eagar to the blog to talk a little bit about her newest YA release, Night Beach. This was a very dark, eerie, and truly haunting read, rich with the type of brilliant characterization I've come to love and expect from Kirsty's work (you can read my review here), and I hope you guys add it (and Raw Blue, an all-time favorite of mine) to your lists!

I’m a bit of a wuss. Well, more than a bit really. I scare incredibly easy, and there was many a moment in Night Beach that had me longing to place my fingers over my eyes and peek through them as I read. What’s the last book you read that completely and utterly unnerved you?

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. It’s about a young man who spends the Norwegian winter in an old trapper’s camp. Alone – or so he thinks. It scared me to the point where I could only read it during daylight hours. I would have stopped altogether, but the writing is so good that I had to know what happened.

We never know for sure exactly what happened to Kane and his friends that night on the beach, making it the type of story that could easily become a myth or urban legend passed from mouth to mouth until no one knows for sure if there was ever any truth to it. Did any particular story you’ve heard spark the idea for what Kane experienced?

Yes. I was researching a surf trip to the Maldives and I came across an account of what happened to a group of guys after they’d spent the night on a deserted island there. It was all about the aftermath, but it got me thinking about what could have happened on that island. The annoying thing is, I’ve never been able to find that post again. One of the mysteries of the internet ...

Do you consider yourself a superstitious person?

The only thing I’m ridiculously superstitious about is the number twenty-seven. I’d love to know if there’s a word for that.

But in terms of the more everyday superstitions, yes and no. I try to avoid walking under ladders, but I don’t think viewing the new moon through glass is bad luck –I always feel lucky when I see the moon, no matter what the circumstances.

I love a lot of the old sea-going superstitions (like the one used in Night Beach – about shipwrecks occurring if the rim of a glass rings). But I’m possibly more into symbolism than superstition. That’s why things like mirrors, black dogs, doorways, and shadows feature heavily in the story.  

If you heard a building or home near you was haunted, are you the type to go immediately to see if you experience anything supernatural or are you the type to stay far, far away?

When I was growing up, my friends and I seemed to take delicious pleasure from scaring ourselves stupid. We always checked the local “haunted” places out. As an adult, I think I’d be more hesitant. That said, the house in Night Beach is based on a place where we lived for a while. There was a locked door down in the storeroom (complete with ventilation holes, like in the book). And from time to time, the chandeliers would start swaying for no apparent reason (say, in winter, when all the doors and windows were closed, and there was no discernible breeze around at all!). We should have been freaked out, but that house didn’t feel bad. Things like that were just more of a curiosity.

Kane is a darkly fascinating character; a young man who slowly removes the rose-tinted glasses from Abbie’s face as the story progresses to reveal to her a reality slightly different from her longtime fantasy. If the Abbie at the end of Night Beach could tell the Abbie at the beginning one small thing she learned about Kane, what might she tell herself?

That is such a good question. I’ve spent ages thinking about it. I don’t think she’d warn her off; Abbie’s definitely someone who values experience, even when it results in mistakes or failure, over not learning at all. How about: He’s more afraid than you think, and you’re braver than you know. 

Abbie is a talented painter. If she had to paint the emotional journey she takes in Night Beach using only three colors, what three colors would she choose?

Ultramarine blue (for the beyond), black (for the shadows), white (for the light).

Is there any one line in Night Beach that gave you chills the minute you wrote it?

“The other place. Pinty said you’re going to the other place.”

Thanks for having me, Jenny, and thank you for such brilliant questions! Now I have to go and turn the lights on.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Kirsty! You can find more information on Kirsty and order her books here:

Website
Blog
Fishpond Buy Link

GIVEAWAY
I have one paperback copy of Night Beach to give away on the blog today! To enter, please just leave a comment on this blog post sharing the creepiest book you've ever read, and be sure to include an email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run through midnight on Friday, October 5th after which time a winner will be chosen and emailed. Good luck everyone!


NIGHT BEACH
Imagine there is someone you like so much that just thinking about them leaves you desperate and reckless. You crave them in a way that's not rational, not right, and you're becoming somebody you don't recognise, and certainly don't respect, but you don't even care.

And this person you like is unattainable. Except for one thing...

He lives downstairs.


Abbie has three obsessions. Art. The ocean. And Kane.

But since Kane's been back, he's changed. There's a darkness shadowing him that only Abbie can see. And it wants her in its world.


47 comments:

  1. Creepiest book I've ever read would probably have to be It by Stephen King. However, I had nightmares for years about killing someone after reading Crime and Punishment. It's a toss up!

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  2. Excellent, I'm getting into the Halloween spirit so I look forward to this event and hopefully finding some scary books to read! Night Beach sounds suitably freaky for an October read. I'm curious now, why the number 27?

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  3. I'm actually starting this book today with Keertana! I had heard it was a dark and creepy book, after this post with Kirsty I can't wait to get started! Thanks for sharing such an awesome post with us Jenny and Kirsty! :)

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  4. (Not Entering) but I would say Patient Zero was the creepiest book I have read. J.M. made it seem so possible that we could create zombie like weapons of mass destruction.

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  5. ooh excellent guest post. The scariest book to date that I finished was The Passage by Justin Cronin, I am currently reading book two The Twelve..eep! Night Beach looks like a great read.

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  6. I get scared easily but it's not the bloodfest as seen in the B-rated horror movies now a days, but the quiet ones that sink into your skin that does it to me every time. Poe's Tell Tale Heart scared me senseless. I heard the audiobook (which was awesome) in class and I swear I could still hear that heartbeating everytime it got quiet. The worse was at night! *Shudders*

    Thanks for the giveaway, Jenny! rummanaha at hotmail dot com.

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  7. I am such a light weight when it comes to scary things. I don't usually read "scary" but Sheltered by Deborah Chapoton creeped me out a little. I don't watch scary movies, and when I read it's like a movie playing in my head. Thanks so much!!
    hschrock24112 at yahoo dotcom

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  8. Oh I am a scared one too! I get silly evil nightmares

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  9. OMG! I want to read this book soooo bad! I loved Raw Blue and now I am hooked!

    Hmmm, the creepiest and most mess up book I read is I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga. Seriously that book is like Hannibal Lector but for teens. It creep me out and mind ****** me for days. No joke.

    bwithbite at gmail dot com

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  10. I am sooooo easily scared you have no idea.. It's worse with movie than with books but *shivers* Night Beach sounds like the perfect October read!

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  11. LOL. Number 27 haha :D I'm superstitious. Like I know that if I wear one night gown, my week socially will be GREAT. Fantastic even, but at work and Uni, it will probably be just meh. Is that weir? I think it is.

    Jenny, you're an awesome interviewer! I wish I knew how to come up with these kind of questions. Thanks for this interview!

    Siiri

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  12. I read Richard Bachman's The Regulators and that was just creepy and most recently I read Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie, it's about ghosts and just gave you a creeped out feeling lol
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

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  13. Thank you so much for particpating in Something Wicked! What a fantastic post! Loved it! I must check out this book now, it sounds very creepy. I liked the thought of you trying to peek through your fingers as you read. Why the number 27? Oh and that just makes the story more creepy knowing that it was based on a story that mysteriously vanished off the Internet! As far as scariest books I have read, I would say Dracula, Stephen King's
    Bag of Bones... and The Exorcist.

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  14. First, I know there is a word for your phobia. I also know I couldn't pronounce it to save my life... :) Oh... a phobia for THAT? LOL

    Second... you can make black out of other colors... black can make mud (yea, I know... who cares... LOL). That way you can make the shadows with more depth... OooooooOOoooo ;)

    And creepiest. Oh that is hard. Eyes to See by Joseph Nassise? Or many of the zombie books I've read. Ooo! So much out there! :)
    books (dot) things (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  15. I just started this book today for a read-along with Jasprit and I'm already feeling that creepy vibe! I have a feeling I'll be reading this one in broad daylight to assuage any nightmares I might get, so thanks for the warning, Jenny! I'm glad you enjoyed this one though, so I can't wait to continue with it. Wonderful review, dear! :)

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  16. It. Stephen King. Clowns. *shudder*

    I like when books are creepy and atmospheric. From the cover, it feels like this could be just that kind of book. Interesting that the number 27 creeps you out--I'm sure there's a name for it, too.

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  17. I don't believe in haunted places so I'd probably go check out the house too. In daylight first, of course. You know to make sure it's not falling apart and safe for me to wander through during the night with a buddy :) If I start hearing noises - my own house sometimes scares me - I'm out of there!

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  18. As always an excellent interview! I really enjoyed that one! The creepiest book I ever read was The Stand by Stephen King. I actually couldn't finish it. I only read it during the day, but I still had nightmares.

    Heather
    You've got my address.

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  19. The creepiest book I ever read was Stephen King's It. It was a really good book. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me. Tore923@aol.com

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  20. Thanks for a great post and giveaway! I'd have to also say that one of the creepiest books I've read was the Passage. Can't wait for the sequel :)

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  21. Night Beach WAS a creepy read! And that's crazy she lived in a house with the strange room. But that's good it wasn't actually scary feeling. Must have been a good ghost. ;)
    Not entering but to answer the question I'm not a horror reader at all but I did read Possess by Gretchen McNeil and it definitely had creepy bits!

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  22. I'd say a Stephen King book.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  23. Anything by Stephen King. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

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  24. I dont read to many creepy books, but the Shining was pretty creepy. Thx for the giveaway.

    blinkysthebest at aol dot com

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  25. I haven't read my Creepy books but I watched the Shining. That has haunted me forever. I couldn't read them until recently. Sounds great!!

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    Replies
    1. Ugh! forgot my email delivery.RN at gmail dot com

      Delete
  26. Creepiest book as of late is Bloodletter by Angel Haze.
    Night Beach sounds great! noraweston.nw@gmail.com

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  27. This book looks awesome! I'd have to say the creepiest book I've read so far is the one I finished last night, The Woman In Black. I saw the movie a while back and it was so creepy I had to read the book and I was not disappointed! Thanks for the fabulous giveaway!!

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  28. One book that gave me the chills was Double Date by RL Stine. It's in his fear street series.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, forgot my email is cassinz10 at gmail dot com

      Delete
  29. What an awesome interview! I feel like I know the author better and I loved hearing about a book that scared her. Night Beach sounds fabulous- so thanks for the chance to win it.

    I would say anything by Stephen King- I have read just about all of his books and they scared me in different ways. Also- Kiss the Girls (Patterson)had some scenes in it that wee very hard for me to handle.

    ~Jess
    haightjess@gmail.com

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  30. The creepiest book I've ever read was a book about serial killers. Pretty creepy book but I love serial killers.

    mcrlover32@yahoo.com

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  31. Honestly the creepiest book I have ever read aren't books per se, but compilations by Stephen King. Everything's Eventual and Nightmares and Dreamscapes. I've never had the courage to read any of the novels, but I have seen all of the movies and mini-series made inspired by them! =)

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    Replies
    1. Sorry, forgot to include my email:
      pixiesprinkles@hotmail.com =)

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  32. It or Bag of Bones by Stephen King. I love me a good creepy book!
    videoclimber(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  33. Hmmm...I can't think of something really scary.. Anna Dressed in Blood was kind of creepy. I've never read Stephen King. I like scary books but they don't usually scare me. But I really want to read Night Beach. I've heard so many good things about Kirsty.

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  34. I'm glad I still had this page open in my browser, cause I was SURE I'd left a comment but apparently not! This book sounds great. I especially loved Kirsty's answer to what now-Abbie would say to then-Abbie - "you're braver than you think." Love it. We should all tell ourselves that - over and over!

    I agree with others' comments about scary books including The Stand and It by Stephen King (clowns?! enough said!!), and also The Passage by Justin Cronin (one of my favorite books of all time; can't wait for #2!!!!). And I have read a lot of horror/thriller/suspense in my time, including tons of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, but I would say HANDS DOWN the scariest book I have EVER read is THE DESCENT by Jeff Long [http://www.amazon.com/The-Descent-Jeff-Long/dp/051513175X]. I have never in my entire life been THAT scared before!! It was so unique and stunning and unlike anything I'd ever read before (or since). If you like scary books, you should check it out!! (It's definitely not a YA book, just FYI.)

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    Replies
    1. Sorry...forgot my email :)

      hmbryan(at)alumni(dot)duke(dot)edu

      Delete
  35. Stephen King's It.

    rbd1022@hotmail.com

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  36. I'd say Choker by Elizabeth Woods! So twisted and creepy! Or maybe I'm a bit naive and easy to scare ^^ either way I thought it was great!

    Thanks for the opportunity :)
    JudeHnd@Gmail.com

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  37. I think the Nevermore books by Kelly Creagh. Had some dark and eerie things going on. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

    naruto_and_hinata(at)hotmail(dot)com

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