Blogoversary Special: Interview & Giveaway #7 (US)

I’m very excited for this post and you’ll shortly know why.

Today on Reviewing Shelf, we have April Henry, the author of The Night She Disappeared, a book I read and really liked this year. Read my review. In fact, it got a spot on my Top 10 Best New Authors I found in 2012. So that has to say something, right? I invited April to the blog today to interview her.

Welcome April!

Did you always want to be a writer?When I was young, I did.  As I got older, being a writer seemed impossible, like thinking you could fly if you flapped your arms really really hard.  I figured writers were probably rich people who went to private boarding schools and spoke French.  I was from a small logging town in Oregon.

Which book of yours has given you the most satisfaction?

That’s like asking which of your children you like best!  I love the twists and turns of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die.  The research for Girl, Stolen was fascinating, especially the day I spent at the Guide Dog School for the Blind.  And I still think that an old book of mine, Learning to Fly, has an excellent plot.

What are your few favorite books?

I loved Ashes by Ilsa Bick.  Flip by Martyn Bedford.  The Dog Stars by Peter Heller, Jump Off Creek by Molly Gloss, and Wonder by RJ Palacio.

Are you working on a new book?

Yes, I have only a few weeks to finish the first in the Point Last Seen mystery series for teens.  It’s inspired by a real local group, led by teens, that looks for people lost in the woods, and also does crime scene evidence searches.

What are the prerequisites for becoming a writer?

Read a lot, and in all genres.  When you don’t like something, try to figure out why.  What’s harder is figuring out why you do like something, but see if you can.  You also have to learn to write even when you don’t feel like it and to find a way to deal with rejection.

What would you have been if you weren’t a writer?

A doctor.

Best read of the year?

The Dog Stars.

Thank you so much Ms. April for being on Reviewing Shelf!The Girl who was supposed to die

About the book (releasing June 13, 2013)

“Take her out back and finish her off.”

She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her.

And that she must run.

This nail-biting thriller involves murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive.

Reviews

“A thrill-packed story with twists and turns you’ll never see coming. Hop on board for an adrenaline fueled ride!”

– New York Times bestselling author CJ Lyons

“The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die had me from the first page: a psychological mystery wrapped in a thriller with a smart and resourceful heroine. Great read!

– Alexanda Sokoloff, screenwriter and bestselling author of The Harrowing

 

Giveaway (US only)

April Henry is very graciously giving away…

An ARC of June 2013 release, The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die (squeal!)

Now you know what had me jumping up and down?

Enter here.

About April Henry

I write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.

If you’ve read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.

When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children’s magazine.

My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I’m very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 13 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into six languages, been named to state reading lists, and short-listed for the Oregon Book Award.

I also review YA literature and mysteries and thrillers for the Oregonian, and have written articles for both The Writer and Writers Digest.

Find her – Goodreads | Twitter | Website | Blog