Learning More About Matthew

It wasn't a surprise that when I went to interview Claire, Matthew was close by. Being the main character and all, we know a lot more about Claire so my questions for Matthew (who by the way is a total sweetheart!)were a little more deep. Again, not to worry these are spoiler-free!


What was it about Claire that made you fall head over heels for her?

She’s so *herself.* I was so tired of dating girls that spend all their time playing games, trying to be whatever they thought I wanted them to be. And Claire was so smart and funny and quiet without being shy. I just never thought she’d be interested in dating someone like me - that she’d think I was just another jock. She’s so strong and amazing, and not just because she’s a werewolf. It’s just *her.*

Will your scientist Dad would ever understand if you told him about you and Claire?

My dad is really...focused. He’s spent practically his whole life trying to perfect his cure for lycanthropy. I don’t think he would be able to get over that - to see Claire for the amazing person that she is. I wish he could see past her werewolf side. That he could think of her as something other than a dangerous test subject. But I just don’t think he’d be able to do that. And I’d never, ever want to risk Claire’s life by trying to find out for sure!

Do you think more people could be like you and accept werewolves for who they are as humans and not just see them as animals?

I wouldn’t be surprised - I think if people knew that these nice, normal women that they see everyday are werewolves, maybe they could get past all the stereotypes. I know that everyone’s scared of attacks, but humans kill each other, too, and we’re not terrified of every person we pass on the street. It’s not fair that people like Claire and Marie and Beatrice have to spend their whole lives hiding. Maybe someday, they’ll be able to live in the open. I hope so.

Doesn't the thought of your girlfriend turning into a wolf kinda freak you out?

Yes and no. I mean, the wolf world is really intense and there’s not a lot of room for humans - especially human guys - there. So that’s a little hard sometimes. But Claire’s wolf side is half of who she is - with out that, she wouldn’t be *her.* And I love the person that she is - strong, smart, wild and contained at the same time. So, no, the thought of her transforming doesn’t make me want to run away and hide or anything, but figuring out the wolf part of her world has been kind of hard at times. Worth it though. Hard, but totally worth it.


This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughtful comment :)

Chatting it up with Claire

At 16, the main character in Claire de Lune finds out that she's...well a little bit different! I had a chance to ask her a few questions, don't worry it's spolier-free :)

Did you ever think, growing up, that your family was a little odd?

Not really. I mean, I knew my family was different than, say, Emily’s family, but it just seemed NORMAL to me. Plus, once Lisbeth came, it actually seemed easier than having my mom around all the time, breathing down my neck about stuff. I was so happy that she wasn’t prying into my secrets that I didn’t really think she might have one of her own!

How long had Matthew been on your radar?

Um, since the first day I walked into school? No, seriously. He was a sophomore when I was a freshman, but we’d gone to different middle schools, so I’d never seen him before. His locker was sort of near mine that year, and he was so gorgeous, I couldn’t NOT notice him. But I never thought he’d actually pay any attention to me...

What is your favorite part of being a were?

I love the hunt. Really. I mean, I love so many parts of it - the heightened senses (even though that took awhile to adjust to!) and the running and the way we can communicate with one another without talking. But hunting rolls all that up together and adds the excitement of chasing something. Of course, at the end of the hunt, there’s always the killing part, which took some time to get used to, but it’s no different than eating a steak you buy in the grocery - and it’s a lot fairer to catch it yourself!

What do you think your BFF Emily would do if she knew the truth?

It’s so hard - I know that she would really, really *want* to keep it a secret, but she’s pretty much the worst secret keeper I know. I mean, it’s like the words just leap out of her mouth. I really want to tell her, but it’s just too big a risk, for everyone. When I can’t stand it anymore, I always remind myself that I can tell her tomorrow. That makes it sort of bearable, knowing that I always *could* tell her. Just not today.

(awww, love this answer!)

This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughtful comment :)

An Interview with Christine Johnson

I recently had a chance to talk to Christine Johnson about her debut, Claire de Lune. Please give a warm welcome to Christine. This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughful comment (see her answer to my last question today!)

In your own words, tell us about the book

This is a much harder thing to do than it seems like, but here goes: CLAIRE DE LUNE is about a girl who discovers, on her sixteenth birthday, that she’s the latest in a long line of female werewolves. With a rogue wolf on the loose, her boyfriend’s dad leading the werewolf hunt, and her new identity to adjust to, Claire has to overcome huge challenges if she’s going to save her new-found pack . . . and herself.

In Claire de Lune, you have created an interesting take on the werewolf. What was your inspiration?

I thought it would be really interesting to write a book about a girl who was a werewolf, and it really all grew pretty organically from there. I thought it would be *more* interesting if all the werewolves were women - if there *couldn’t* be a male of the species. I spent a long time reading everything I could find about traditional werewolf mythology and then I turned a lot of it on its head, which was really fun. So much of the traditional lore is very male-centric - I wanted to come at it from a different (female) perspective.

My favorite scene to read was when Claire is in the forest, checking out her new skills. What was your favorite to write?

It’s REEEEAaally hard to talk about my favorite scene without being spoiler-y. But there’s a part near the end, when Claire has a big fight with someone who has been very important to her, and that fight has HUGE ramifications for Claire. It was a hard scene to write, because so much hinged on it, but when it finally came together, it was the *most* satisfying.

Did you ever have a boyfriend but kept him a secret from your family/friends?

Not that I can remember . . . but in high school, my serious boyfriends were always older guys who either didn’t go to my school or were in college. Honestly, they were all great guys (not that there was a huge roster of them or anything,) but I remember being sort of jealous of the girls who could slip notes to their boyfriends in between classes, or sit together in the caf at lunch. So I do know that feeling of having a boyfriend who’s sort of absent from one part of your life, even if none of mine were ever a secret.

What are you working on now?

I juuuuust handed in the first draft of the sequel for Claire de Lune, which will be out sometime next summer. It’s untitled . . . I’m working on that. I hate titles. I think they’re HARD. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them!

To learn more about Christine & Claire de Lune, visit www.christinejohnsonbooks.com

Claire de Lune week (and giveaway!)

I am excited to share with you a week of Christine Johnson's debut, Claire de Lune. Throughout the week you will find an interview with Christine, the main character Claire and Matthew. I hope you enjoy!

About the book:
Torn between two destinies…

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and her crush keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she’s the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: She’s a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she finds her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart. Burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, she will be forced to make a choice that will change her life forever...

Praise:

“Johnson spins out an engaging and provocative riff on the werewolf tradition….Smooth writing and engaging main characters make for an easy read, while a feminist focus offers just a bit more for thoughtful readers….A good summer read for the romantically concerned or and monster-obsessed midteen girl.” - Booklist

"Johnson weaves a page-turning tale of forbidden love, loyalty, friendship, and deception that will leave readers eager for more. Strong characters and major plot twists coupled with a new twist on werewolf mythology make this a fun and entertaining read." - School Library Journal

“Johnson’s debut . . . glimmers with mystery and a budding romance amid Romeo and Juliet-like complications . . . her struggle to adjust and integrate the two sides of her life rounds out a satisfying story.” - Publisher’s Weekly

Book Trailer:


About the author:
I grew up in, moved away from, and finally came home to Indianapolis, Indiana. Now I live in an old house in an old neighborhood with my husband and kids. I have too many books and a weakness for anything sweet. I love yoga and cooking, but I'm not much of a movie person. I like watching soccer, and always look forward to the first sweater-worthy days in the fall. But mostly, I like making things up and writing them down and having people read them. So that's what I do, and I'm very, very lucky to be doing it!

www.christinejohnsonbooks.com


...and a big thanks to Christine for the great giveaways! This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form below. For each thoughtful comment you leave during the week, I will also add an extra entry.