Breathlessby Cole Gibsen
Paperback, 270 pages
Published march 21st 2012 by Crescent Moon Press
Premise:
Obituary-reading emo girl Edith Small is broken - the end result of forcing herself inside a mold that doesn't fit. All she wants is to conform to her strict sergeant stepfather's rules long enough to make it to graduation day. But a boat accident threatens to unravel the life Edith has worked so hard to keep. After waking up in a hospital with a lacerated shoulder, Edith fakes amnesia. Because admitting she received her injuries from a blue-haired girl who breathes underwater is all the reason Sir needs to send Edith on the first bus to military school. Safe at home, Edith struggles to put the nightmare behind her. But the mysterious creatures that live in the ocean aren't about to let her forget. After meeting Bastin - a strange boy with silver hair and black eyes - on a secluded dock, Edith learns about the war raging undersea to end human existence. A war that Edith, unwittingly, has become the key to winning. In a world where death is an ever-present shadow and motives are as dark as the bottom of the ocean, Edith must decide if her life is worth risking for a love that can't survive past the shore.
Katana
by Cole Gibsen
Paperback, 375 pages
Published March 8th 2012 by Flux
Premise:
Skater girl or supernatural samurai? Rileigh Martin wants to believe that adrenaline gave her the strength to fend off three muggers in the mall parking lot. But adrenaline doesn't explain the voice in her head giving her battle tips and warnings.
While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.
Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her.
Praise: "An action-packed page-turner."--BooklistBack in June of this year, I won some swag from Cole Gibsen on Devon Ashley Write's blog. Being rather shameless, I started emailing the author asking if she'd like to answer interview questions and share the awesome treasures with my readers, too!! Cole, being awesome, agreed. I didn't even have to send her chocolates, although... after this interview, I want to!
What inspired you to write your books? Yea... both of 'em!!!
My childhood through teen years were pretty rough. But no matter how bad things got for me, books were always there to provide me with an escape. There was a brief time in my life when I found myself homeless and had to live out of my car. I firmly believe that the books I checked out from the library that I read parked in truck stops are the reason I survived such difficult times. Books helped me—I’d go so far as to say they saved me—and I wanted to give back and do the same for others.
Um... Cole! I don't know what to say to that! It's the most... sacrificing reason for writing I've ever heard, I think. I'm so sad for you having to live in a car and I want to hug all the libraries.
Katana was inspired by my love of martial arts and—in particular—Bruce Lee. I was sitting on the sidelines holding an icepack after a particularly rough sparring sessions, staring at a poster of Bruce Lee and wishing his ghost could help me kick some booty. It was then the first spark of an idea that eventually became Katana was born.
Breathless was inspired by a trip to the Gulf Coast. I was sitting on a dock watching the waves and thinking how the ocean could very easily conceal an entire world from us. And that was when the first spark of an idea that eventually became Breathless was born.
I can just picture the creativity sparking to life!
I can just picture the creativity sparking to life!
What's your favorite scene(s)?
Oh, geez. That’s a tough one. That’s like asking me which of my dogs is my favorite because they’re all my favorite in their own goofy way. I guess, if I had to pick, I love the opening scene in Katana when the samurai first takes control of Rileigh. I just love flip from “Oh my God I’m going to die” to “Oh my God I just broke that man’s arm.” Makes me smile every time.
You have dogs, too?! Sounds like a fun scene. :-)
Please share something quirky about you!! I see you're managing a 4-yr-old, you must have some stories!!!
Oh boy, probably too many things to list. I’ll start with I love comic books and still read them to this day. I’m a diehard Brony and got to meet the voice of Twilight Sparkle just last week. It was awesome! And I love sewing and crafting. Right now my favorite medium is felt. I’ve become obsessed with making hair bands and clips.
I’m happy to give away three items for a giveaway. I can give away swag (bookmarks, bracelets, and tattoos) for Breathless and Katana. (Unfortunately I can no longer give away e-copies as I’ve had such a hard time with book pirates.) But I can give away any item the winner chooses on my Etsy shop which can be found here:www.SewingSamurai.Etsy.com
Thank you, Cole! I enjoyed checking out all your Sewing Samarai stuff. So creative!! Thanks for being so generous, thanks for writing! And thank you for stopping by Colorimetry.
About the Author:
When Cole Gibsen isn't writing books for young adults, she can be found rocking out with her band, sewing crazy costumes for the fun of it, picking off her nail polish, or drinking milk straight from the jug -- provided no one is looking.
"I love writing, day-old chinese food, and my nail polish is always chipped. You can check out my website at www.colegibsen.com Word to your mother. (But seriously, you should call her. She worries.)"
Find & Follow:
Get Your Copy:
Barnes & Noble
The Book Depository
BAM!
Indigo
IndieBound
Vroman's
Sequel to Katana:
expected March 2013
Giveaway:
This is an international giveaway. Must be 13 or older to enter. Fill out the rafflecopter below. See About for my general giveaway rules. There will be 3 winners...
I’m happy to give away three items for a giveaway. I can give away swag for two winners (bookmarks, bracelets, and tattoos) for Breathless and Katana. (Unfortunately I can no longer give away e-copies as I’ve had such a hard time with book pirates.) But I can give away a grand prize of any item the winner chooses on my Etsy shop which can be found here: www.SewingSamurai.Etsy.coma Rafflecopter giveaway
