Friday, October 10, 2014

Talking with author Sophie Bonaste and Enter her tour giveaway

Welcome author Sophie Bonaste to the Reading Nook Blog....Remember to enter the contest at the end of the post to be in the running for one of 2 copies of ‘Death Gets a Boyfriend’


Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Of course. My name is Sophie Bonaste and I am the author of Death Gets a Boyfriend. This is my fourth published work. My first novel, The Sacrifices We Make, was published by Harmony Ink Press last year. I have also released two short stories as part of DSP’s Grand Adventures Anthology and Less Than Three Press’s Project Fierce Anthology. Outside of writing I am a twenty-six year old woman living in Pennsylvania. I am a total nerd with a love of Star Wars, Harry Potter and all sorts of other geeky fandoms. I also have a jock side spending many hours watching my Green Bay Packers and the other professional (American) football teams. Other than that, I love spending time with my friends and family and dream of leaving my evil day job to be a full-time writer.

How long did it take you to get your rough draft finished on your latest release?

This draft only took me about a month to finish. Not too many changes, outside of normal fixing of typos, were made once that draft was finished easier. I normally don’t write that fast, but this story just had to be written.

Is there anything you will never write about?

I don’t like to say never, but I highly doubt I will ever write heterosexual romance. I don’t have anything against the people who write it (or read it), but for some reason I have never been interested that. Strange considering I am a straight woman, but for some reason, I just can’t get into it.

Are any of your characters like you?

Most of my characters have traits like me, but there is only one character that is based off of my own personality: Death. I know that may sound a little strange, but this whole novella is based on the idea that Death doesn’t have to be some scary being. He can just be a lovable nerd. Like me.

What genres do you write in?

I write M/M romance. At the moment, I have written Young Adult, Sci-Fi and Contemporary, but I am open to trying so many more subgenres.

Do you have a favorite quote from your book(s)?

I think right now my favorite is from Death Gets a Boyfriend. “You expect me to believe that Death wears jeans and a T-shirt with Yoda on it?” Makes me laugh every time.

If zombies attacked what kind of supplies would you want?

I would want food, water, an impenetrable fortress and an unlimited supply of guns and ammo so I don’t have to try and kill the zombies in hand-to-hand combat. Because if I had to fight in close combat to survive I would become a zombie in a heartbeat.

Do you keep a notebook near your for when new ideas pop into your head?

I keep notebooks and post-it notes all over my place so I can write down ideas when I think of them. Unfortunately, I always think of things when I am in the shower or right when I am about to fall asleep so it’s not much of a help.

When writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?

I don’t keep too many notes about my current WIPs, since I am a panster. But I do have a notebook that I use to keep basic outlines of all my stories as well as record changes I want to make in later drafts. As for ideas, I have a cube of post-it notes that I use to write ideas down. I tend to stick them to the cover of my notebook, my laptop or any flat surface I can find. (I have a lot of post-it notes scattered around my place.)

For readers who haven't tried your books yet, how do you think your editor or loyal readers would describe your books?

I would like to think they describe my work as unique. I try to create worlds and characters that are different from everything else out there. There is a propensity in a genre like ours to follow the same formula and write the same type of story. I strive to break that formula and do something special.




 Death Gets a Boyfriend by Sophie Bonaste
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christy Caughie

Death is in a lonely business. Since the beginning of time he’s been reaping souls then returning home to his little condo in the sky. It’s not a bad job. There are perks. But Death would kill to meet his soul mate, no pun intended.

Tommy Neilson is the next human slated for death. But when he can see Death, Tommy turns his whole world upside down. Curious, Death seeks Tommy out. The chemistry between the two is immediate and soon an unlikely romance starts to form. While Death may not be lonely anymore, he isn’t allowed to interact with humans. Consequently, he must make a choice: billions of souls or the one that makes being immortal worth it. 

Available at Publisher

Excerpt:
I am Death.
   Well, that’s one of my names anyway. I’m also known as the Grim Reaper, the Angel of Death, Azreal, and the list goes on. Some people have even called me Satan, but I would like to say right now, that’s a lie. I am not Satan. I know Satan. He’s not as bad of a guy as you would think. Sure he can get a little violent if you get out of hand, but as long as you stay on his good side, you’ll be fine.
    And there I go getting off track again. You’ll have to forgive me. I’m not very good at staying focused. I guess that comes from the fact that I can jump around the world at an alarmingly fast rate. Thankfully that’s not very hard. Well, at least not for me. I guess, in the human population, that’s a skill many people want for some reason. I don’t know why, though, considering how scattered it makes your brain. It really does. That’s why I try to avoid using that skill. Causes headaches.
    Anyway, this is a story about me. Don’t worry, though. It’s not too gruesome or anything like that. This is a story about how I fell in love. Yes, I know that’s kind of hard to believe. Death falling in love. Believe me, it shocked the hell out of me too. (No pun intended.) But it’s true. After thousands of years in existence, I finally found someone whom I wanted to spend my time with.


Tour Dates/Stops:
9/17: Love Bytes
10/1: SA McAuley




About the Author



Sophie Bonaste is a novelist who never set out to be a novelist. As a child, she wanted to a Broadway actress and spent her childhood in numerous productions. But when adulthood set in and reality took over, Sophie chose to give up the theatre for a steady paycheck and instead turned to writing as a creative outlet. She stumbled into the M/M genre through fanfiction and never looked back. Sophie is quite happy with her change in artistic expression and doesn’t plan to stop writing for a long time.


A self-proclaimed nerd, Sophie is an avid fan of all things Star Wars and Harry Potter. (Sophie is a member of the Slytherin house, for those who were wondering.) Sophie also spends many hours watching and re-watching nerdy television shows. When she is not obsessing over the latest and greatest in nerdy entertainment, Sophie can be found screaming at her television during American football games. (Go Pack Go!) Sophie currently lives in Pennsylvania, about twenty minutes from her childhood town of The Middle of Nowhere. 

Author Contact:
Sophie loves to hear from readers! You can reach her by e-mail at sophiebonaste@gmail.com, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SophieBonaste or on Facebook as Sophie Bonaste. You can also check out updates on Sophie’s writing and other musings on her website at sophiebonaste.blogspot.com.
  






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1 comment:

Flossie Benton Rogers said...

A very cool take on things! Best of luck with your book. I will be interested to read death's perspective.

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