Welcome to the Under Zenith Blog Tour. I am very interested in reading Shannen Camp’s work. Under Zenith sounds so dark but hopeful. To learn more about the book and the author behind it, check out the author interview below. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway below.
Title: Under Zenith
Author: Shannen Crane Camp
Release Date: 2.11.14
Publisher: Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing (also known as CHBB)
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal
Find It: Goodreads | Amazon
It was the most important day of her life, and for 21-year-old Isla Edison, graduating from college with a useless degree in vocal performance was all part of her master plan. Dying in a car accident only hours later wasn’t part of that plan. Yet there she was, standing over her own lifeless body and panicking about ruining the truck her parents had bought as a graduation present. Talk about a bad way to repay them.
If coming to terms with the hereafter wasn’t enough to deal with, Isla suddenly finds herself stuck with Hayden, a gorgeous Brit with a bad attitude and a penchant for throwing her off cliffs to keep her in line. Worst of all, Hayden is her Guide, and until she completes six impossible and totally random tasks to reach her mysterious Destination, she’s stuck with him. Isla’s major problem, though, is that she doesn’t know what reaching her Destination actually entails, and soon the mystery surrounding her new afterlife seems more ominous than any purgatory she could possibly imagine. Now Isla must decide if she’ll trust her dark and brooding Guide despite his “bad boy” act, or if she’ll risk failing her tasks and facing the unknown alone.
Shannen: I wrote this book with a very visual idea in mind. I’m really hoping the dreamscape aspect of it translates well and people come away with a sense that they’ve visited these very surreal landscapes with very odd things happening in them. I want it to be kind of a weird ride so that by the end, you’re a bit surprised where the story went.
Shannen: My main boy character, Hayden, is a very gruff guy. I wanted to write him as very sarcastic and a little mean at times, but I didn’t want the reader to hate him. I wanted them to try to see past that aspect of his personality, so to do that, I had to give Isla a personality that was just as strong. Not necessarily strong in the same way, but strong in the sense that she could hold her own against someone like Hayden and you would feel like their relationship was balanced and not like he was dominating her.
Shannen: I’ve been dabbling in a few different genres lately (but never really straying far from Young Adult and New Adult). I really enjoyed writing dystopian but kind of missed the contemporary aspect so I thought I’d try writing a story that didn’t really have any restraints on what I could do with it. I wanted it to start out normal, and get really weird really fast so that I could literally make anything happen in this book and the reader wouldn’t think it was out of place because Isla and Hayden are in this space where anything can happen. I also loved the idea of exploring a kind of “afterlife” setting. Trying to figure out how someone would come to terms with their own death was an interesting challenge, plus I’d already had these two characters in my mind for a while, it was just a matter of putting them together in a story. With their clashing personalities I knew it would be fun.
Shannen: “Heaven” by The Milk Carton Kids because if Isla really is in Heaven, it’s not at all what she was expecting and she feels a bit jipped.
Shannen: I write and read like 15 books at a time because I have a really hard time focusing on one thing.
I was born exactly at midnight so my mom got to pick my birthday (which means I’m a Midnighter! Like from Scott Westerfeld’s books!).
Shannen: Silence. I really wish I was one of those people who can go to Starbucks and whip out a book, but most of the time I wear earplugs when I write. Like I said. I’m easily distracted!
Shannen: Young adult fiction and murder mysteries are by far my favorite genres! Favorite books are really hard to pick, but “Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld is probably in the lead with “A Series of Unfortunate Events” in close second.
Shannen: Thank YOU for being part of this blog tour! I hope everyone enjoys the book and falls in love with Hayden the psychopath like I did! Don’t feel ashamed. Just love him.
Author BioShannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah… they still can’t decide.
Melanie
Hmm, I think I’ve seen this one around before! I do enjoy weird and surprising books so thanks for putting this on my radar!
Lovely interview, ladies! <33
Jennifer Bielman
Happy to help!
sherry fundin
Nice post. I like a surprising book also. And interviews. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Shannen. I especially liked your surprising facts. ^_^
Jennifer Bielman
Happy you enjoyed the interview!
Braine TS
I love a smart mouthed hero as much as I love a snarky heroine… I can’t write with a lot of noise either and I have Uglies so I think I will seriously take the time to read book 1 at least.
Jennifer Bielman
I just got Uglies to so it was like PERFECT!
Lily B
I love that just from reading the interview this book sounds very visually appealing! Hope the wording is just as good.
Jennifer Bielman
hehe, so true.
Giselle
I really like the sounds of this especially the MC! I love the bad boy facade but good boy at heart, you know, but I’m sure it’s always a challenge to get the balance just right! And WOOT I loved the Uglies series I wish I could read it again for the first time!
Jennifer Bielman
OMG, I am so excited to start Uglies. I just bought it.
kimbacaffeinate
This appeals to me, from the protagonists to the dark tones. Cannot wait to see what you think Jennifer!
Jennifer Bielman
I know, this is so up my alley.
Christy @ Love of Books
I’ve read a couple of books where we follow the MC after she dies, but they were duds. THIS gives me hope though! I’m actually really wanting to read this. Great interview, ladies!
Jennifer Bielman
I know what you mean. I hope this one is great though.
Jaclyn Canada
Clashing personalities…sarcastic brit? This is book candy for me 😉 The whole beginning with her dying and going into the afterlife, well it definitely has potential. Especially if the world is as unique and artistic as it could be. I’d heard about this one before, but I really like the added info! Jaclyn @ JC’s Book Haven.
Jennifer Bielman
So much candy!! Happy you want to read this one too.
Mia Searles
Wow, now this book sounds interesting. I’ve read a couple of these “types” before, where the girl dies and the boy Is sort of the “grim reaper”. But I’ve never read one where the guy is a guide and they actually go into an afterlife/dreamscape in order to complete specific tasks. Hmm, definitely has a unique feel to it! Let me know when you get around to reviewing it. I’d like to see what you think.
Very informative interview, btw. 🙂
Mia @ The Muses Circle
Jennifer Bielman
I agree, it is pretty unique. Afterlife books always interest me.