Friday, October 11, 2013

Interview: Sarah Fine + Fractured


I'm extremely excited today to welcome young adult author Sarah Fine to the blog to answer a few questions about her Guards of the Shadowlands series. I first heard about Sanctum from fellow bloggers who all had outstanding things to say, but I didn't have the opportunity to pick it up until I went on vacation recently and I kind of want to punch myself in the face as a result. It was amazing. Fractured, book two, is even better (full review coming soon), and I'm one-hundred percent in love with Lela and Malachi. As you may have guessed, I can't recommend this series enough and having Sarah on the blog completely makes my day. I hope you all enjoy the interview!

The human Guards of the dark city, given they died in different time periods, all bring varied skills and knowledge with them when they begin training. If you found yourself in Guard training with Malachi, what skills or information would you bring to the table that might be useful to them?

I’m told that I have a disapproving stare that sends chills down the spine, though I doubt that would deter a Mazikin. Apart from that, I have a sick imagination and the ability to assess and diagnose mental disorders. Again, probably not that useful, unless we want to have a Mazikin admitted to the hospital on a 72-hour involuntary hold.

Lela’s story is a brutal and highly emotional one. What’s the last book you read that tied you up in emotional knots?

SECRET by Brigid Kemmerer (it comes out in January 2014). Brigid has a talent for creating tense, emotionally charged family dynamics and romantic relationships, but in Secret, she outdoes herself. Her main character, Nick, is so anguished. His need to understand and accept himself, his intense desire to connect with the guy he’s falling for, his fear of losing control, as well as his anxiety about revealing his true self to his family was palpable and raw. It’s a phenomenal book.

What is one quality Lela possesses that you wish you did? One quality you have that Lela would benefit from?

Lela is incredibly resilient and fierce, and I’m not sure I could endure what she has and still be as functional as she is. As for a quality I have … I’m much less prone to shooting off my mouth. Most of the time.

As a reward for all their hard work, the Judge (in a magnanimous mood) grants Lela and Malachi a single day in the world of another piece of YA fiction. In what worlds might each of them choose to spend their time?

This is such an interesting question because I tend to read such dark YA fiction with bleak, scary worlds, and really, all Lela and Malachi want is rest (and each other). I think both would choose a contemporary, less urban setting, like Mercy Falls from Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver/Linger/Forever, where they’re likely to have a bit more peace and quiet.

If Malachi were to ask you to rewrite one small thing about his character, what do you think he would want to change?

I think he might ask to be as brutal and emotionless as he sometimes tries to act. Malachi, in his soul, craves peace and gentleness. He doesn’t seek or want greatness; he never asked to be part of this epic story. But since he has to be, I think he’d want to be a little tougher internally, because he also has a deep sense of duty and doesn’t avoid doing what he thinks is right, even if it causes him great pain.

What aspect/element of the dark city was the first to take shape in your mind when crafting the Shadowlands?

The fact that people could have whatever they wanted, that they could grow whatever they desired, but that it just wouldn’t be that great or satisfying. That was inspired by one of C.S. Lewis’s books, and I built the whole city around it.

You’re in a group interview setting with all the characters from Sanctum and Fractured. Who is the first to speak and what question do they ask?

Wait—are they interviewing me? If so, Michael would dominate the rest through the sheer volume of his voice and demand to know why he doesn’t have more page time. Then he’d probably curse at me in Farsi.

• • • • • • • • • • 

SARAH FINE


I’m the author of the Guards of the Shadowlands urban fantasy series (Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Publishing), including Sanctum (October 2012) and Fractured (October 2013). My gothic young adult novel Of Metal and Wishes will be published by McElderry/Simon & Schuster in August 2014. In May 2014, Putnam/Penguin will publish Scan, the first of two thrillers I co-authored with Walter Jury under the name S. E. Fine. When I’m not writing, I’m psychologizing. Sometimes I do both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.


• • • • • • • • • • •

FRACTURED
(releases October 29th)


In the week since Lela returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living.

Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.

As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?



*Fractured (or Sanctum if you've yet to read it) is one of the books I'm giving away as part of the Something Wicked Returns Giveaway Hop, so be sure and enter HERE if you haven't yet!

24 comments:

  1. Fractured sounds really interesting and the cover is beautiful. I'm going to add this to my tbr list on good reads. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. I absolutely adored it Andrea, I hope you get a chance to read both books!

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  2. Thank you Jenny sooo much for making me read this book!!!!! I LOVED Sanctum and I loved Lela and of course and especially Malachai I have the next one pre-ordereed and I cannot wait to read it!

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    1. YOU ARE WELCOME DANNY! I knew you'd love it:) I can't wait to talk about Fractured, I have lots of feels.

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  3. This is such a great post Jenny! I have Fractured coming up pretty soon, so this post has definitely made me more excited to dive right in! Malachi and Lena left the biggest impression on me in Sanctum, so I can't wait to see what they have in store for us next! I also wish that I was as fierce as Lena, I'm one to say things without thinking them through too!

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    1. Oh yes, I have a problem with my mouth running before my mind knows what's happening as well. I've become intimately acquainted with the taste of my foot ;-) Can't wait to see what you think of Fractured!

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  4. This sounds like a seriously harsh, dark world in which these poor kids live. I kind of want to hug them, even though I've never met them. And add their books to my TBR! I want to find out about this Judge and the Guards and all that!

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    1. It definitely is and it's SO GOOD MARY! Please read it, it's awesome.

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  5. This series sounds awesome and I keep hearing great things. I've added both books to my tbr and I hope to read them soon. And score for Secret. I can't wait to read Nick's book!

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    1. YAY! I'm on a mission to get people to read this book even though I'm totally late to the party. It was just so great:)

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  6. Dark and emotional scares me a bit

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  7. Love this interview! OMG seeing Lela and Malachi in Mercy Falls would be so awesome. I already can't wait to read this, but now I'm also excited to read Secret. It sounds wonderful! I love your intro about wanting to punch yourself in the face. The same thing happened to me when I finally read this. And Angelfall. It's like, why did it take me SO long to do it?! Well anyway, glad I did. :-)

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  8. I love this series and just finished Fractured and LOVED it!!

    I love this interview, I think Malachi would be surprised to know that that gentleness he has, does come out, even over the ferociousness we see from him as a guard.

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  9. You always ask that most awesomess questions! Love this. And the book cover is very nice.

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  10. Oh I love, love, love this! I absolutely am in love with these books so I'm glad that you took the time to read them. As always, you asked the BEST questions for this interview, fantastic job!

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  11. Great interview! I'm reading this one now and it is such a great sequel.

    (Also, I am totally jealous that Sarah has already read SECRET.)

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  12. I have heard so many amazing things about this author and this series too and now after reading your interview I have no doubts in this book at all. I cannot wait to see your review for Fractured Jenny, but once again you did amazing job with this interview! Amazing post! :)

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  13. I'd loooove to be in Stiefvater's Shiver world too! Aahh, such a good choice! I really enjoyed this interview, so thanks for sharing!(:

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  14. Oh you have such great questions!! Love the idea of a mash-up with the Mercy Falls wolves. Hm... now I'm thinking of all kinds of mash-ups. :D

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  15. I picked up Sanctum and cannot wait to dive into this world. What a wonderful interview and you both have me excited to read these :)

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  16. I loved Sanctum and after hearing you loved Fractured even more,I can't wait to pick it up! Yet another amazing interview, Jenny!

    Sarah, don't underestimate the power of a death stare! You can frighten someone into submission before anything has to get physical, lol!

    Thanks for the amazing post ladies! :)

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  17. A fabulous interview! I am such a huge fan of this series & they have the best covers! :-) Sanctum was amazing and Fractured just as good.

    I'm so pleased to read Secret was phenomenal, I'm so excited for Nick's book!

    Thanks for sharing :-)

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  18. I know Sam loves this series a lot too so I really should read it. Plus Malachi sounds like someone I'd swoon over. I'll see if I can give the first book a try during the winter holidays and just relax with it, you know?

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  19. AAAHHHHHH I need to read the first two books in this series, Jenny! I feel embarrassed that I haven't discovered these two yet, especially because I have heard from numerous people how fantastic they are - and this story is.You ask really great questions! I wish I knew these characters already. I love that she took some setting ideas from CS Lewis that definitely intrigues me. I wish I had more hours in the day to read!!

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