Skip to main content

28 Days of Winter Escapes: A Q&A with Rachel Hawthorne

Today I'm pleased to be the official book blog partner for Harper Teen's 28 Days of Winter Escapes Tour. I'll be spotlighting young adult paranormal author Rachel Hawthorne's latest Dark Guardian novel Shadow of the Moon with an exclusive Q&A with the author herself as well as a chance to win a signed copy of the book and an iPod Touch. Please welcome Rachel Hawthorne!
Dark Guardian
Rachel Hawthorne
1. Your characters in this series are destined to be together—how do they know they’ve found the one?
They feel an immediate attraction. They can’t stop thinking about each other. But there is also an element of danger because the feelings are so intense. Sometimes they can cause one of the characters to pull back from the relationship. What the characters feel is scary, exciting, thrilling, comforting—it encompasses all emotions and makes them all seem much bigger than anything else they’ve ever experienced.
2. Transformation and love are big themes in this series—what’s your opinion about how these two things impact one another?
I believe love can transform us. It can cause us to view ourselves more positively, can give us confidence, can give us a sense of completion and feeling special. When we’re loved, it can make us strive to be more than we ever thought we could be. When we love someone, we seldom want to disappoint that person. Giving and receiving love are so intermingled that it’s difficult to separate which affects us the most, but basically love makes everything about life seem so much richer.
3. Do you believe in soul mates?
I do believe in soul mates. I don’t believe that soul mates are limited to the person with whom we’re romantically involved. I think a soul mate can be a best friend or a family member. It’s someone with whom we connect deeply and profoundly. 
4. What about love at first sight?
I think it’s rare, but I do believe it happens. Sometimes there is just a connection that can’t be explained. My parents were an example—they went to a dance without dates, looked across the room, spotted each other, and just knew the potential was there for something special to develop between them.
5. Would you rather date a werewolf, vampire, or zombie?
I would have to go with a werewolf. The animal magnetism that’s always hovering beneath the surface appeals to me. They’re warm, alive, and they have the ability to shift into a creature that will fight to defend its territory. And I think they would be terrific cuddlers.
* * *
Thank you so much, Rachel! Make sure to stop by the official 28 Days of Winter Escapes website today for a chance to win a copy of Shadow of the Moon by answering the official poll.
You can also follow the Book-A-Day giveaway tour on Twitter (using the #28daygiveaway hashtag). There are still eight more days and giveaways throughout the rest of February, so be sure to stop in for a chance to win one of the remaining books including, among others, Jellicoe Road, The Heart is Not a Size, and The Reckoning!

Comments

You Might Also Like

Interview with Diana Peterfreund + Rampant Giveaway!

Ever since I fell in love with Diana Peterfreund 's Secret Society Girl series last year, I've been hoping I'd get the chance to interview her here. Tomorrow marks the release of her new novel, Rampant , and let me tell you that you have not read a book like this before. You can read my review here , but all you really need to know is that it's a story about killer unicorns and the young women who hunt them. You want to read it now, don't you? Oh, yeah, and it's YA and the first in a series! To celebrate the release, Diana graciously answered a few of my most burning questions. As she is always a delight, I know you'll enjoy them as much as I did. First things first: When did the idea for Rampant first hit you and what (if anything) did you know right off the bat? In early 2005, just after selling Secret Society Girl , I had this dream of being chased by a very dangerous unicorn. I woke up and went to go look it up to see if I could figure out the meanin...

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, Review + Giveaway!

It seems a long time ago now that I first read Shiver -- the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. But looking back I started it on the plane ride to BEA and finished it there in the conference center, fingers gripping the cover tightly, while sitting on the floor in one of the many autograph lines. And now it's May again and BEA is right around the corner and I emerge from my recent and nasty reading slump stupor to find a copy of Linger sitting in my mailbox like a glove thrown down in the dirt. "I will be the one to pull you out," it whispers to me slyly. "Just open me up and take a sip. I promise--one sip is all it will take." And I look at it with fear and longing written all over my face. "You promise?" I ask  intently. "Because it's been a long walk in the cold and I'm not sure I can take another disappointment." "Just open me up," it says, confidence written all over its cover. And so I do. And everythin...

Triple Prize Pack Giveaway!

Not long ago I discovered a few of you tweeting to get me to the 300 follower mark. As little things I read on Twitter often do, that one sort of made my day. You're all really too sweet for words and I joked that perhaps it was time for a giveaway. The truth is I've been in the mood to have one for awhile now and this is as good a time as any. So here's the deal. This will be a triple prize pack giveaway , meaning there are three packs and you can indicate which one you'd like to be entered to win in the comments. I will choose three random winners and contact them. This giveaway is open to anywhere The Book Depository ships! Here's the list of countries , FYI. Since I tend to read a lot of urban fantasy, straight fantasy, and young adult, I've chosen a set of each including all books currently in print in that series. The Urban Fantasy Pack The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews (My reviews here , here , & here )   The Fantasy Pack The Queen's Th...