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Thursday, May 31, 2012

PR Special Edition: Jennifer Estep Interview

Poisoned Rationality Special  Edition

Welcome to another Poisoned Rationality Special Edition! Today we have Jennifer Estep, author of Dark Frost, the third book in her YA urban fantasy series Mythos Academy!

**Warning: spoilers in the synopsis for book 1 Touch of Frost and book 2 Kiss of Frost**

Synopsis: I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?

It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.


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Jennifer thank you so much for being here at Poisoned Rationality!

JE: Thanks for hosting me on the blog today. I appreciate it.
You've written about superheroes, a (mostly)retired assassin and mythology over the course
of your three series--is there any story element you haven't been able to incorporate into your
books? Any kind of world you want to explore you haven't as of yet?
I think it would be fun to write an urban fantasy series, but with more fairy tale-type
characters and magic. I’d also like to write more of an epic fantasy one day, along with a
western, a heist book, and a romantic suspense. I have more ideas that I could ever have time to write, but I definitely want to write in other genres someday.
Ideally how long would you like to tell Gwen's story? Would you ever consider writing about
her world but for non-YA once you've reached the conclusion of Gwen's story?
JE: Right now, I’m under contract for six books in the series. I’m not sure if I’ll finish out the main story arc with Gwen fighting Loki in those six books, or if I’ll write a few more in the series after that.

I think it would be interesting to see Gwen and the other folks at Mythos Academy as adults. I don’t have any plans to write an adult Mythos book right now, but that may be something that I explore in the future. We’ll see what happens.
Right now you have both the Elemental Assassin series running and the Mythos Academy
series running, do you find it hard to write in both worlds at once? Have you ever caught
yourself accidentally writing either Gin or Gwen with actions the other would employ?
I don’t have too much trouble switching back and forth between the series. Both the series
have a lot of the same elements in common – a strong, sassy heroine, magic, and lots of fight scenes – so that helps.

I like being able to write something dark and gritty in my Elemental Assassin series, then write something that’s a little lighter and a little more of a coming-of-age story with the Mythos Academy books.
As part of your newsletter you always include a recipe at the end of each--what sort of recipes
would your characters choose to include?
Well, since Gwen and Grandma Frost both have sweet tooths, they would include some
yummy dessert recipes for cookies, a cake, or maybe a pie. I can see Logan sharing a hearty,
meat-and-potatoes-type recipe – something warm and filling that would help him keep going through a long day of weapons training. Vic would also probably share a meat recipe, since he’s Gwen’s bloodthirsty, talking sword.
While doing research for Mythos come across any weird mythological tidbits?
I haven’t come across anything too weird. I just like looking up various gods, goddesses,
warriors, creatures, and more; seeing what their powers, histories, and stories were; and things like that, and then trying to put my own spin on things.
Just for fun--I saw that Gwen referenced wanting a Triple Chocolate milk shake from the Pork
Pit in DARK FROST, any chance Gin and Gwen have met before?
I have references to my Elemental Assassin and my Bigtime series in the Mythos Academy
books, and I have Mythos Academy references in my other books too. I just think they are
fun Easter eggs, and I’ve heard from several readers who say that they enjoy looking for the
references in the books. I like to think that all my characters live in the same world and that they could someday meet, if the circumstances were right.
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Jennifer thank you again and I look forward to seeing what mayhem ensues!

JE: Thanks! I appreciate that. Happy reading, everyone!

Wanna know more?  Check out Jennifer's Mythos Academy Page with articles about her inspiration, frequently asked questions and a who's who at the academy!  For Jennifer's next blog stop check YA Reads!

Dark Frost is available now and trust me when I say you don't want to miss what happens to Gwen this time around.


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