Lisa Loves Literature: Blog Tour with Author Interview and Giveaway: Dickensen Academy by Christine Grabowski

Book info:

Title: Dickensen Academy
Author: Christine Grabowski
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: September 12th, 2018
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Synopsis:

This school may be her dream come true…or her worst nightmare.

Dickensen Academy isn’t a typical boarding school. The faculty is hiding an unbelievable secret within their fine arts program. When Autumn Mattison receives an invitation to attend the high school, she yearns to escape her overbearing father yet remains reluctant to leave her mother and brother. Her doubts fade away when a vivid dream convinces her she belongs there.

Away from home, Autumn discovers a unique school environment that awakens her creative potential, and her new friends become like a second family. However, as she uncovers more about the dark side of the school and struggles with its curriculum, she questions whether Dickensen Academy is truly where she belongs.

When tragedy strikes, Autumn must learn to believe in her own power and stand up to her greatest fear or risk having her memories destroyed to protect the school’s secrets. Caught between secrets and dreams, can she find her true self?

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Book Trailer:

Author Interview:

Tell us bit about yourself.

Aside from reading and writing, I’m a very active person and love to run, work out at the YMCA, and hike with our wheaten terriers. I also love to hang out with my family (husband, fourteen-year-old daughter and twelve year-old son). A little family time, a lot of coffee, and a book to read make me happy.

Tell us about your debut novel.

Although Dickensen Academy is labeled as a fantasy or a paranormal, at its heart it is a coming of age story set in a unique environment. Autumn must separate from her father’s controlling influence, learn to believe in her abilities, and begin to stand up for herself.

What draws you to this genre?

I write young adult for a couple of reasons. First, most of my favorite books are YA. Second, I have a passion for creating readers. I believe if people are exposed to books they enjoy when they are young, they will have love to read for the rest of their lives. I want to be a part of that process.

What part of writing do you like most?

Editing—once I have developed my characters and know what the scene needs to accomplish, I love to wordsmith it without the fear of the blank page.

Are you part of a critique group?

Yes—two. I have to give a lot of the credit for Dickensen Academy to my online critique group, kidcrit, based out of Canada. I had been editing the novel for a year when I joined, and they helped me improve my writing tremendously as I continued to tear of earlier drafts of the book. More recently I joined a local group I can meet with face to face. They are my cheerleaders who keep my spirits up as I divide my time between launching one book and editing a second.

Have you always known you wanted to write?

Actually I was more of a math kid. I didn’t even know how to go about writing a decent essay until my junior year in high school. Then in my twenties my marketing manager taught me so much as she guided me on writing a monthly newsletter.

What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

I had just finished reading a YA novel and I thought, if I could just come up with a unique premise, I could write a book. This had happened several other times before, but this time the stars lined up. I happened to have joined my husband while he was at a conference in Las Vegas, so I had several days of free time to explore the idea. He told me, “If anyone can write a book, it’s you—you read so much.” When I came home, I discovered a local author was teaching an introductory class at the library down the street in preparation for NaNoWrMo (national novel writing month), so I felt it was meant to be.

You are active on social media. What do you like best about it?

I like being able to connect with people who I would never have an opportunity to speak to in real life. When I first became active on Twitter about three years ago, I about had a heart attack when an author thanked me personally when I tweeted about how much I liked her book. I still get a thrill when I hear back from an admired person.

What do you like to read?

I often have three books going at once. I’m always reading a book for one of my two book clubs. We read a variety of genres with an emphasis on historical fiction and memoir. Then I usually have a craft book going, to help me improve my writing. Finally, I read as much YA as I can squeeze in. For me, it’s the dessert.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or print?

I am very split on this issue. But honestly, I’d have to say I prefer reading a printed book, but there are so many pros of eBooks, that I buy more of them. They are so convenient, especially when you are on a vacation or you want to read the book now. I find the instant dictionary a bonus with some genres. And finally, my bookshelf has been overflowing since I was a kid, so buying new means getting rid of something old… at least in theory. I’d also have to say I discovered audiobooks earlier this year. With so much on my plate, taking advantage of my driving time is the only way I can keep up with my reading.
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About the Author:

Dickensen Academy is Christine’s debut YA novel. After graduating from the University of Washington, she earned her MBA at the University at Albany. She honed her technical writing skills in marketing and consulting but attributes the creative part of the process to her passion for reading.

When she isn’t reading or writing, Christine can often be found running, skiing, or hiking. She lives in Newcastle, Washington, with her supportive husband, two avid teen readers, and their energetic wheaten terriers.

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