Interview with Jessica Therrien, author of UPRISING & Review

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Title: Uprising (Children of the Gods #2)

Publisher: ZOVA Books

Release Date: May 28, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 384

Synopsis:

Jessica Therrien follows up her bestselling novel OPPRESSION with UPRISING, the second book in the Children of the Gods series.

OPPRESSION, translated and sold around the world, was one of the best selling YA novels of 2012. UPRISING continues the story of Elyse, William and the Descendants.

Elyse has been in hiding for most of her life. Only now she’s hiding with William, and she knows who she’s hiding from. The Council wants a child Elyse and William have yet to conceive, a child who will be the next oracle, and who will provide the final piece to a plan Christoph has been organizing for years. Charged with leading the rebellion against Christoph and his Council, Elyse feels well out of her depth. But she has good friends and strong allies who are willing to fight with her to the end, regardless of how far they have to go, and how many lives will be lost in the process. They have one goal: to live freely and openly with the rest of humanity, out from under The Council’s oppressive rule. The stakes could not be higher for Elyse and the Descendants longing for freedom. They'll have to learn to fight if they want to stand up against The Council, and to find allies in a world ruled by their enemies. The hardest part of waging a war is knowing who to trust. Elyse knows their uprising will change the world. She doesn’t realize it will change her, too.

Links to Oppression (Children of the Gods #1):

Amazon | B&N | GoodReads | Facebook

Links to Uprising (Children of the Gods #2):

Amazon | B&N | GoodReads | Facebook

My review originally posted here.

The first book in this series, Oppression, is reviewed here. 

I flat out adored the first book in this series so I was very happy to be able to review the second before its release! (Thanks, Jessica!) Anyhow, this book is rocking from the very start, with hardly a moment of down-time for the whole book. The war that has been brewing boils over and everyone is touched. I loved the breakneck pace and new characters we get to meet and old characters we get to understand a little better. The truth of all that is being perpetrated by The Council, as much as is revealed, had me reeling, and I think it becomes increasingly clear to Elyse and everyone that there is no choice in what they have to do. I'm having a hard time saying anything else without giving away spoilers, so I'll sum this up by stating that if you enjoyed the first book you'll love Uprising!

AND FOR A SPECIAL TREAT, I HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR!

(Q) I think it’s pretty safe to say that most writers love reading. What are some of the books that influenced you the most? Anything you’d like to recommend?

Like most YA authors, I love Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Divergent (all those great YA books). Lately, Shatter Me has been very inspirational. I’d say Uprising is mostly inspired by The Host by Stephenie Meyer and Blood Red Road. If you haven’t read Blood Red Road or Shatter Me, they are MUST READS.

(Q) What is your favorite part of the writing process? What about it makes you love it?

For me, writing doesn’t always come easily. However, there are moments where scenes or dialogue seem to come from somewhere in the universe. They spill out of me like they’ve already been written. I love those moments. Writers, you know what I mean.

(Q) What’s your biggest pet-peeve when it comes to the writing world? Does anything get under your skin and itch?

Mean reviews *Scowl Face* I believe that everyone has a right to their opinion, and if a book is not for you, that is fine. It is your right to say so. However, I don’t understand why people have to be nasty. As authors, we can’t please everyone. What someone hates, another loves. Being overly critical in a nasty way is hard for me to stand. I try to keep my mouth closed when I read those kinds of reviews (even of other’s work) but it BUGS me, haha!

(Q) If you could meet any writer, living or dead, and pick their brain over coffee/tea/hot-chocolate, who would it be? What would be your first question?

Shakespeare. I know that sounds cliché, but if you’ve read Oppression, you can tell how much I love Romeo & Juliet. My mom is an English & Drama teacher, so I was raised to love his plays. My first question would be, did you really write all of those brilliant plays and sonnets or were there many “Shakespeares” writing under that penname? Next it would be, What inspired you to write?

Thanks for a great interview, Meradeth!!

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book 

Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011. Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Saved, is also available as part of the anthology.

Jessica currently lives in Chula Vista with her husband and is working on book three in her Children of the Gods series.

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads