Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Interview and Giveaway - Shifted Perspective by J Bridger


Shifted Perspective (Tails of Change, #1)Shifted Perspective
by J Bridger
ebook, 231 pages
Published August 28th 2012 by J Bridger

Premise:

Caleb Byrne is a bright high school senior who has enough to deal with between college choices, taking care of his single dad, and dealing with his headstrong girlfriend Joanna and an eccentric set of cousins in California. He was managing to get by until the day he woke up a Cocker Spaniel. Even if it only happens monthly and is more embarrassing than painful, the so-called ability is something that he's anxious to be rid of. 

He didn't realize his transformations would drag him into a hidden society of canine and lupine shape shifters as well as a family legacy he hates. To make matters worse, after moving to Los Angeles to learn more about his heritage from his Aunt Moira and his cousin Kalista, Caleb now struggles through life-and-death matters. He keeps angering the werewolves in charge of the shifter world, especially Kalista's boyfriend Peter, the Southern California alpha's son, who also happens to be grade-A sociopath. Worse, Caleb's floundering to keep his secret from Joanna. 

While his family offers him some support, they may not be enough as Caleb realizes that the rules in shifter society---number one is supposed to be don't kill humans---are not so ironclad. Some werewolf out there is leaving a blood-soaked trail across the Midwest and it might just be with the alpha's blessing...

When Margaret initially contacted me, I kindly, generously offered to share her book near it's release date. And by "near" I must have meant three months later. 

What caught my attention about this fun-lookin' book is how dry the author is while presenting a cute cocker spaniel. It's so... contradictory. Obviously, we're dealing with a unique sense of humor or... um... perspective, here. Please welcome J Bridger...

Interview:


1)         What inspired you to write Shifted Perspective?

            I have always really loved werewolves. I think I’ve been obsessed with them since I was two and saw the Michael J. Fox Teen Wolf for the first time. Ever since, I’d been watching and reading anything I could get my hands on about shape shifters and lycanthropes. For this particular incarnation, since Caleb’s a were-Cocker Spaniel, I was inspired a lot by the idea of “What if you got a super power/ability that seems to have no actual benefits or bragging rights?” How would you handle being “gifted” but still perfectly average?

"Average" and "Gifted" don't seem to go together, do they? Fun.

2)         Do you have a favorite scene?

            It’s hard to decide, but I think one scene that works very well was written late in the revisions process at the suggestion of an editor. In the canon of Shifted Perspective, Caleb develops the ability to speak dog (Barkanese, as he calls it), and so it adds a lot of dimension to his relationship with his bloodhound, Sampson. The crotchety old dog becomes very much a second father. So there’s a part where Caleb’s getting ready for prom and both his dad and Sampson are giving him advice and curfew rules. It’s just that there’s this chemistry between Caleb, his dad, and Sampson that’s very genuine and familial. You really want to root for them, odd as they are.

They do sound odd, honestly.

3)         Please share something personal about you! What do you do in your free time?

            I don’t know how interesting I am. I spend a lot of time reading and writing, obviously. I also spend a lot of my free time speaking Spanish and volunteering at various health clinics as I’m preparing to be a medical interpreter. I guess the big thing about me is I’m always learning!


Spanish is awesome. Personally, I like to laugh in Spanish while typing. It's totally liberating - seriously, try it!!!  Jajajajajajaja  No, I'm not kidding, try it!!  What... you don't feel like laughing now?!

Sorry.

Volunteering at health clinics sounds so great. Great learning put to great use!!

About the Author:


[authorimage.JPG]Hi! My name is J. Bridger. I have been many things in my life---a veterinary office intern, a tour guide at a lemur research center, a psychology intern giving patient evaluations in a La Paz, Bolivia mental hospital. Currently, I'm learning to be a medical Spanish interpreter in my day job.
By night, I write stories that are about the paranormal, sometimes themed for the young adult audience, and sometimes they are for grown-ups and bleed into being flat out horror. Currently, I've just published my first book, "Shifted Perspective" and am working on its sequel, coming this winter.
Basically, if it goes bump in the night (and does NOT sparkle), I love it!

Find & Follow:


Giveaway:

Available to WIN - one eCopy of Shifted Perspective. Must be 13 to enter, able to download winnings (logically). This is an international giveaway. See all my rules under the About tab, if ya wanna.

a Rafflecopter giveaway