Amber's Bio

Like the character of Auntie in MERIDIAN, I love to quilt. Here are a few of my most recent.

I'm proud to make and send quilts to the Freedom Quilt Project which pairs quilts with families whose loved one has been killed in action.

 

I have wonderful animals in my life. The character of Custos was inspired by my beautiful Boo. Her death and that of her brother Chewy, were very hard for me.

Boo                                                    Chewy

But the beat goes on and right now we have a dog, three cats, a rooster and five hens...

Here's Goldie and her daughter, Tuck (black hen) and Hunk the rooster

Lacey is a rescued Lab who is bestest friends with Sugar and Gracie aka Pookie...

However, George wants to be Lacey's friend and we're pretty sure she'd like a restraining order instead...

I adore baking and making complicated cakes on request. Playing with fondant is a true joy.

I read a ton--usually 20-25 books concurrently. Everything but computer programming and math theory--which are alien languages to me!  If you'd like to know what I'm reading and what my recommendations are find me on Goodreads or Facebook!

I listen to music while I work--okay I listen to music all the time! For MERIDIAN I listened to a lot of GREAT BIG SEA, THE HIGH KINGS, CELTIC WOMAN, ENYA, PAUL SIMON, THE CORRS, LISA KELLY, MARIE DIGBY, LENKA, SECRET GARDEN, PEATBOG FAIRIES, THE WAIFS, YAEL NAIM, U2...and others...

Have a question? email me Amber@AmberKizer.com

I love hearing from readers and bibliophiles. I respond to mail, but it may take a while so please be patient!

Hello readers! Among the questions and answers below you may find exactly what you’re looking for. Please check here if you have a question—I read all my email, but you may wait months for a response (I get to them in order they come in!) so this is the fastest way to find out! I tried to put this in the order of most asked about so it’s easier and quicker for you! Thanks for reading! Amber

 

When is your next book coming out?

 

            7 KIND OF ORDINARY CATASTROPHES is #2 in the Gert Garibaldi series and will be out April 2011. [The first is ONE BUTT CHEEK AT A TIME.]

 

            WILDCAT FIREFLIES is #2 Fenestra book and will be out fall 2011. [The first is MERIDIAN.]

 

            ECHOES OF 1492 is a novel about a deadly pandemic and will be out Spring 2012.

 

 

What languages can I find MERIDIAN in?

           

            The German translation came out in October 2009 from PAN.

ISBN: 978-3-426-28301-1

            A Spanish publisher is translating a version for fall of 2010.

            A Turkish publisher is publishing an edition sometime in 2010.

An Australian edition was released May 5, 2010 from Random House Australia. ISBN: 978-1-86471-878-2

 

Bloggers:

How do I get a copy of your book to review? Will you give me books to giveaway on my site? Will you do an interview for my blog?

 

            I’m happy to pass requests for review copies along to my publisher. I know there are wonderful bloggers out there who take their blogs very seriously and who do an outstanding job. But, unfortunately there are also many bloggers out there who think it’s just a way to get free books to sell, or for their own collections, and exploit the term blog for their own personal gain. In an effort to be fair, please email me and include the following information:

 

            Name and URL of your blog/website.

            Date of first post, frequency of posts?

            How many followers do you have?

            Your mailing address.

 

I am happy to answer interview questions but please check the FAQs first—I’m happy to give you permission to reprint some of those QAs on your own site if I’ve already answered them.

 

            Requests for contests and giveaways are considered on a case by case basis and only if you’ve provided the information above in your request.

Is there a sequel in the works? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

 

Yes, there’s more to come in the Fenestra series. Unfortunately for readers, I won’t say much. I’m superstitious while I’m working. I don’t talk to anyone about the story until it’s down on paper (okay, my agent and editor are the only exceptions). I can say that Meridian and Tens continue their love story and there is a new Fenestra in the mix.

What is your writing process. Do you need to be in a certain room? Do you prefer silence or background music?

 

            I have a period of time where I ruminate on a story before I start writing it—I call this stewing. Stewing usually goes on in the background while I’m writing something else entirely. Then, when I start writing I do both fluid work and very structured plotting. I have a wall I post photos, art, anything visual that reminds me of an emotion, character, setting—something in the story that I look at from my desk. The rest of the walls of my office are white boards which get color coded notes. However, I don’t have to be in my office to write—I can work anywhere. Often I’ll put my legs up on the couch and work by the fire (in the winter) or go sit outside (in the summer). Sometimes, I’ll go to a local coffee shop and feed off the energy of people and conversation around me while I write.

            There are a couple of things that I’ve found get me in the zone faster—a playlist that reflects the story going in the background—most of the time I end up not even noticing it’s there. And a scented candle that speaks to my nose for the story—different books need different scents. But I can certainly work in silence without the scent! For ONE BUTT CHEEK AT A TIME which is funny realistic teen fiction, Gert (the lead character) preferred coffee scented candles and candy pop music. MERIDIAN was pine scents and Celtic folk and rock. WILDCAT FIREFLIES used a combination of scents: pineapple cilantro and Yankee Candle’s Early Sunrise.

            Then, when I’m in the revision process I do an incredible amount of reading out loud—much to the pets’ chagrin. And that I do tend to prefer silence for—it takes a different part of my brain and concentration.

 

What authors do you like to read?

I read everything but computer programming and math theory. Those are foreign languages and give me a headache! Gabriel Garcia Marquez, William Faulkner, Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, Jude Deveraux, James Whitcomb Riley, Eudora Welty —are favorites. If you’d like to know on a month by month basis which books I’m most excited about, please join my e-news list—I always include the must read books of all types that I love in the moment!

 

 

Is there real life inspiration for the character of Tens?

 

No, I just wanted a leading man who felt real! Sorry, there isn’t is real Tens!

 

Do you have any animals in your life that are as loyal as Custos was to Tens and Meridian?

 

I do have wonderfully loyal animals in my life. I have a cat named Sugar that is pretty much my shadow. She attaches herself to my neck whenever possible and follows me around all day and everyday.

 

Currently, I have a rescued black lab named Lacey, two adult cats Sugar and Pookie, two Siamese kittens named George and Martha (who were a total surprise addition) and chickens—a rooster named Hunk is in charge of them. The animals around here are always changing—we’ll probably have chicks this spring and maybe foster puppies for a rescue organization. I love animals—they’re a big part of my life.  Photos can be found in the bio sections on MeridianSozu.com or AmberKizer.com

The dogs on my site in the upper section are Chewy and Boo. They were Leonbergers and a huge part of my life as I began this writing journey. They both died in 2006/7. Boo is really the inspiration behind Custos (though Boo didn’t have any Supernatural connections that I know of!) and her place in the book.

 

You mention in the back of the book that you like to quilt.  How many quilts have you made?

 

I’m posting photos of quilts I’ve made on www.MeridianSozu.com. I don’t honestly know how many quilts I’ve made, but I love to work with the colors and the fabrics, it’s part of my writing process. The quilts I’m proudest of are the ones I make and send to the Freedom Quilt Project which is a non-profit organization that matches families of fallen military up with a quilt as a piece of gratitude and shared sorrow.

           

Are Aternocti and Fenestra associated with any religion?

No, like death itself they transcend religion, region, culture and ethnicity. There are Fenestras all over the world—they may have other names but they are there.

Tens (Meridian's protector and love interest) has a very unusual name. Where did it come from?

 

All the characters in this book have names that “mean” something to me as the writer and might resonate with readers who like to dissect deeper levels in a story.

Tens, the male lead, is a Protector and as such knows things about Meridian that he doesn’t really know how he knows. His full name is Tenskawtawa and comes from a Shawnee religious and political leader from the 18^th century. He was Tecumseh’s brother and he was also known as “The Prophet”. With our Tens’ back-story, and gifts, I knew it was the perfect choice and it felt right.

Are the Fenestra (half angel, half human) always female?

            No, they don’t have to be female. While it’s a trait that’s passed down along the maternal line it has more to do with when that child is born than what gender it is.

 

 

How do you deal with annoying deadlines and busy schedules?

First of all I don’t see deadlines as annoying—they mean I’m getting paid to work on a story. They’re part of any job really—tasks that need to get finished by a certain date. I’m not a procrastinator so I know how to budget time—there’s stress with it sure, but it wouldn’t matter if the deadline was next week or five years from now—it’s the same stress. I’m careful with my time and commitments—I’ve learned to say no and say it often!

 

 

What are your favorite books?

 

This is so hard to narrow down, but I’ll give it my best shot.

What are your favorite books?

I read somewhere around twenty books concurrently so there are never enough bookshelves—never.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez—anything at all, but his short story collection called STRANGE PILGRIMS is my top fave. Margaret Atwood—not all, but most of her work resonates with me. Maya Angelou—her poetry, but her strength and resilience in her autobiographies give me hope. James Whitcomb Riley is an Indiana Poet who I adore—he tells stories with his poems that leap off the page. Stephen King’s THE STAND. Jude Deveraux’s KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR was my first adult romance, at the age of 13 or so, and I fell in love with happy endings. Her historicals from the 90s are among some of the best stories out there.  William Faulkner’s stream of consciousness is like a tuning fork for my soul. I just feel it.  John Wooden’s THEY CALL ME COACH is a must read for anyone who even thinks they like basketball.  Colette Peters’ CAKES TO DREAM ON is a beautiful feast for the eyes and artist.  Nora Roberts—especially her books from the 90s—she masters the unpretentious craft of developing a fantastic story with real characters who matter. My monthly favorites—anything new that I’m head over heels for I review in my newsletter—and I post my favorite YA titles as they find their way to me on my websites or on FB.

 

 

What health issue do you have and how does that effect your work?

I never thought about being a writer. I’m not one of those authors who will pull out picture books they did when they were four and point to them and say—“see, I always knew I had this talent.”  I was on a fast track for law—I was thinking prosecution, maybe working for a non-profit, (justice issues are very very core to who I am), but headed for a bench—preferably the Supreme Court or politics. (In retrospect, I’d make a crappy politician—I don’t play games well and it takes that to get anywhere).

I played serious basketball all of my life and hoped to play in college. But my junior year of HS, I was injured in such a way that my dreams of playing ball competitively dissipated and it started my body on the road to being primed for more problems. It wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I was diagnosed with something called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (it actually has many names these days). The RSD took over my right leg and then my left so I have symptoms from my toes to my mid-thigh. RSD is the body’s “fight or flight” system kicked into overdrive. If you think about grabbing a hot handle on a stove—the part of your nervous system that says “drop it,” “mother of donuts!!! ouch” and then swears when the pain really hits your brain—that’s all messed up in my legs. So I’m constantly getting pain signals—a breeze, a sock, a light touch on my leg is actually painful. And my circulation, muscle tone, skin—everything is messed up and in a sort of loop of not working.  So they always hurt, are pretty much always cold to the touch, though most people can’t tell by looking that there’s anything wrong. They don’t always work at all or right—there’s a definite recovery time from any outings or events I do. I work very hard so how I feel on the inside isn’t visible on the outside.

But about three years into being a lab rat and being focused on finding a cure for myself, I made the decision I wanted to shift perspective and actually have a life. I could see my future being of forty and looking back and having been in doctor’s offices or hospitals, stared at a bunch of bad art prints, and subjected myself to god knows what without having anything positive to show for it. So I switched my focus to managing my symptoms and doing the best I can—and trying to figure out a career I could do with bad legs, at three AM, or from the couch, or even on meds (which doesn’t mean I write anything useful on those days!!!).  I’m very lucky that I have an incredible mother who is caregiver, driver, cheerleader.

I took a writing workshop given by a friend who was teaching teachers how to teach writing better—we had six pages of a story by the time we were done and I wanted to know what happened. So I kept at it. And when I finished, I had a full book and the realization that if I worked hard enough I could do this—I could write novels for a living. I began studying the craft (I think there are more books on writing out there than actual books about anything else!). I started working on adult romances (I wrote four before ONE BUTT CHEEK sold) and a teenager in my head started editorializing what I was writing. I decided to open a new document and let Gert go—have at it and run out of steam so I could get back to what I was trying to perfect. She didn’t stop after a few pages!

Most people don’t know about my legs and while I’m totally open about it, I don’t start introductions with that! And most people assume that writers always wanted to be writers—I didn’t, but I love it now.  

 

What is MERIDIAN about?

 

Meridian Sozu is a Fenestra—a Window to the Afterlife. She lives between life and death and must shepherd dying souls across. Of course it’s not easy and her own life hangs in the balance as she learns how to do this. Here’s what’s on the jacket:

Meridian has always been an outcast. It seems that wherever she goes, death and grief follow. On her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family’s home—and though she’s untouched, Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and is hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. There she learns the secret her parents have been hiding for her entire life: Meridian is a Fenesstra, the half-angel-half-human link between the living and the dead.

It’s crucial that Meridian learn how to transition human souls to the afterlife—how to help people died. Only then can she help p[reserve the balance between good and eil on earth. But, before she can do that, Meridian must come to terms with her ability, outsmart the charismatic preacher who’s taken over Revelation, and maybe—it she can accept her sworn protector, Tens, for who he is—fall in love. Meridian and Tens face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos. But together, they have the power to outsmart evil.

Readers can find the first three chapters of MERIDIAN on www.MeridianSozu.com

What books are you currently reading?

 

            I read 20-25 books concurrently—like other people change channels on the remote. Readers who are interested can keep up with me on Goodreads, Facebook or by joining my email list at www.MeridianSozu.com, I recommend my faves for the month in my newsletter.

 

Do you have certain things that motivate you (i.e. photo, quote, item)?

      I have two main quotes in my office. One attributed to Picasso says “Inspiration exists but it has to find you working.” And the other is from a terrible reality show from like five years ago called Boot Camp and one of the drill sergeants said, “Save the drama for your mama and push!” and I love that one. J

I look at a wall that I always have up in regards to whatever book I’m working on—it has photographs and quotes, people and parts of nature and scenery—anything that speaks to me—I have files and files and files of things that speak to me waiting for a story!

What tips would you give to aspiring writers?

 Becoming a published writer is like becoming a doctor or an Olympic athlete—it requires study, patience, perseverance, practice and dedication. You must write to write, but study the craft to write better. No excuses!

According to your official website, we know that Meridian will arrive in Spain in 2010. Could you tell us which publisher it will be released and approximately when?

It’s being released by Versatil in the fall of 2010—this publisher has released BEASTLY by Alex Flinn, The Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine and others. I believe they are using the same cover art as the US version.

I don’t speak English well. Will you be mad at me?

I don’t expect the rest of the world to learn English to speak to me—I try to speak the native language if I’m visiting a country or hosting visitors—I think it’s most respectful to at least try to speak other people’s language—even if I’m not good at it, I will try my best. So absolutely not!!! I love hearing from readers and if I need to find a friend to translate for me, then I will.

Is MERIDIAN going to be a movie?

I can tell you that there has been ongoing and increasing interest in a movie version of MERIDIAN. I would love to see it adapted for the big screen!


One Butt Cheek at a Time, follows the (mis)adventures of a high school girl named Gert. Were any of the scenes or characters inspired by people you knew?

Gert and I have lots in common about how we view surviving HS—I hated most of my high school years, with the exception of the year I lived abroad and went to an International School in Stavanger, Norway. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what it would take to have the mythic fantastic HS experience and I pretty much decided it came down to being someone I wasn’t and trying out for cheerleading or I had to get the hell out of town. I chose moving to Norway over cheerleading. Now looking back I always feel sorry for the people who think their HS years were the best of their life—that’s just sad. I was just ready to get past HS and get on with the rest of my life. But Gert is fiction, not autobiographical.

What’s one thing you’re really proud of?

Besides getting published and staying a working author? J I send mail to our troops and have since we engaged in the middle east in 2001. I also make and send quilts to the Freedom Quilt Project which matches quilts with families who have a family member killed in action. Those are two things I’m very proud of being a part of.

How did you come up with the name Meridian for the main character?

Meridian can mean a midpoint like midday. It can also be the center of an object. It’s used when talking about the longitude of Earth. In Chinese medicine Meridians are the energy pathways used in acupuncture. So it can have many connotations—what the reader should take from that is that our Meridian is caught—she lives—in the middle of life and death.

 

Actually all the characters in this book have names that “mean” something to me as the writer and might resonate with readers who like to dissect deeper levels in a story.

Tens, the male lead, is a Protector and as such knows things about Meridian that he doesn’t really know how he knows. His full name is Tenskawtawa and comes from a Shawnee religious and political leader from the 18^th century. He was Tecumseh’s brother and he was also known as “The Prophet”. With our Tens’s backstory, and gifts, I knew it was the perfect choice and it felt right.

 

Also to find Fenestra and Aternocti, I played with all sorts of different languages and took inspiration from Latin primarily. I wanted names that could be pronounced even without knowing the meaning but here’s my definition of both:

 

Fenestra is a human with Angel DNA that is triggered if they are born at midnight on December 21^st. Fenestras are “Windows to the Afterlife”—they literally become windows for dying souls to get to the good place (call it Heaven or Enlightenment or Nirvana).

 

Aternocti are “Dark Nights,” also human with Angel DNA of a different nature. As they are corrupted they lose their humanness, but Aternocti thrive on disaster, fear, destruction, and cruelty. They shepherd souls to a bad place (call it Hell or ignorance or the Underworld).

 

 

Did you always want to be an author?

            No, I didn’t. My freshman year of college I developed a rare nerve disorder in my legs. You can’t tell by looking, but I deal with a ton of whacky and weird symptoms including really tough pain on a daily basis. So I had to change my plans and figure out how to have a career that was flexible and didn’t rely heavily on my legs cooperating on a schedule.

            I took a friend’s writing workshop and by the end had a story idea I wanted to keep working on, the first manuscript was born! Then it’s about studying the craft and practicing it like an Olympic athlete or a concert Pianist. It’s not easy, it takes discipline and determination to be a published author. It takes writing when you can’t even remember how to spell “Muse.”

 

What are your favorite YA books?

Here are my must read books for readers of any age—they all just happen to be in the YA section! J

LIPS TOUCH THREE TIMES Laini Taylor

Daniel Waters Generation Dead

Elizabeth Scott LIVING DEAD GIRL

Jay Asher Thirteen Reasons Why

Barry Lyga Boy Toy

Marcus Zusak The Book Thief, I am the Messenger

Scott Westerfeld Peeps, The Midnighters,  The Uglies Series

The Willoughbys, Lois Lowry

The Grounding of Group Six

Cynthia Voight Izzy Willy Nilly, Jackaroo

Libba Bray A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels

Laura Resau What the Moon Saw, Red Glass

Jenny Dohnam Before I die

Wicked Lovely Melissa Marr

Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging (Georgia Nicholson series) Louise Rennison

Sherman Alexie The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Adoration of Jenna Fox Mary Pearson

The Invention of Hugo Cabret  Brian Selznick

Holly Black Valiant, Tithe

Life as we knew it, The Dead and the Gone  Susan Pheffer

Milkweed Jerry Spinelli

No Longer Sings the Brown Thrush Mary Blair Immel

Impossible Nancy Werlin (National Book Award Finalist)

Black Juice Margo Lanagan (short stories)

 

 

Where do you get your ideas from?

            Everywhere and anything! I love to eavesdrop at the mall or standing in line. You’d be shocked at the things people talk about in public! Magazines, music, art exhibits, trashy TV, history—it’s all fair game and really how it comes out onto the page sometimes has very little to do with how it went into my brain. Music plays a large part for me—I always have a playlist for a project that helps me get into the zone that much faster. And scented candles—I have different scents for different books and if I’m burning the wrong one—it totally messes with my mojo!

 

I’ve written a book. Will you read it and write a blurb for me to use on the cover or in promotions?

            I’m always happy to help another author so please email me with the specifics about your book, your publisher, a synopsis, and when you’d need the blurb by. Please make sure that the book would either appeal to readers of my Gert series or Meridian. I make no guarantees, as I will only blurb books I feel passionately about, but feel free to ask.

Where can readers find you online?

www.AmberKizer.com (for me!)

www.MeridianSozu.com (for MERIDIAN and Fenestra book info)

www.OneButtCheek.com (for Gert Garbaldi’s Rants and Raves series)

I have a e-newsletter that readers can sign up for (sent no more than once a month!)—this is the fastest way to learn about what’s going on with the books, get sneak previews and exclusive contests. They can sign up for it on any of the websites.

Of course you can friend me on Facebook and Goodreads too!

 

What does the code 1-4-3 in MERIDIAN mean?

[From the Teenreads.com Guest Blog Post from Amber Kizer]

 

As a reader I’m always intrigued to learn of an author’s experiences influencing the writing of a book—the autobiographical or “real life” bits and pieces. Everything in our lives as authors is fair game—it all goes into the creative well, though what we pull out might not appear that way to readers. Not all ideas translate directly from life to a story, but for me this particular one worked exactly as it’s been in my family for generations. THE special code.

 

Meridian is a girl who shepherds souls to the afterlife and the story reflects a battle of good versus evil. I have lots of connections to parts of this book—I quilt like Auntie. I’ve sat vigil like Meridian. It’s a story about death, but maybe more importantly it’s about hope for the after. But it’s also a love story and that’s what I’d like to talk about today!

 

Meridian is a Fenestra—a race of angel/human beings who act as windows to the Afterlife. Tens is a Protector—guardians for Fenestras. When possible Fenestras and Protectors are soul mates. There’s a special code in this story that I took directly from my family’s history and tradition. 1-4-3. Think about it. Know the hidden meaning? I love you. I (1) love (4) you (3).  Now, here’s where it came from.

 

My grandparents met while attending Texas Christian University in the 1940s. They lived in dorms directly across a large open space, so each could look out their window and see the other dorm and room windows. I’ve never seen these buildings or photographs of them, but in my mind’s eye they’re tall, boxy, brick apartment-like buildings. And the open space between them is about a football field of grassy space with paths cutting through it. Who knows what reality really is? As my grandparents became more serious in their dating, each night before going to bed they’d use a flashlight and blink it toward the other’s window. 1-4-3. Whoever was waiting would do it in return. An “I love you” before sleep. Usually my grandfather started and my grandmother responded in the same manner.

 

They thought they were pretty sneaky and didn’t tell anyone they were doing it. But one night my grandfather blinked his 1-4-3 across the quad and my grandmother’s entire dorm blinked back. Every girl, in every window, had a flashlight! Imagine it—the whole dorm flashing 1-4-3 right back to my grandfather! I can almost hear the girls giggling then dissolving into full out laughter from here.

 

I can see my grandfather walking to class the next morning and girls smiling or giggling when they saw him. Or his dorm mates ribbing him about it because they’d seen it or heard about it or were dating a girl who’d done it. I can hear my grandmother saying “Oh, Joe, don’t be so embarrassed.”

 

Even fifty years later when my grandfather told the story, he’d turn red and sputter. My grandmother always insisted that she had nothing to do with it, but she was such a rabble rouser it wouldn’t surprise me if she’d helped the idea along. She did so love to make my grandfather blush with embarrassment. 

 

They married in 1944 and were still together when my grandfather died in 2006. What they started continued with their children, and then to my generation. Cards and letters may be signed with 1-4-3. 

 

In MERIDIAN, it’s a code that Charles and Auntie pass on to Meridian and Tens. Today, I’m passing it on to you. Make it your own!

 

If I email you, will you write back?

 

Yes, I will. But it may very well be months. I respond to reader emails as they arrive and only when the writing is all caught up. So be patient with me. Know that I read them all and appreciate you taking the time to let me know how you feel about the books!