Interview: Shannon Dittemore, author of Angel Eyes (@ShanDitty)


Today is the official release for Shannon Dittemore‘s debut novel, Angel Eyes! It’s a beautiful and exciting tale of tragedy and romance, angels and demons. Isn’t it pretty? I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of Angel Eyes, and you can read my review here.

In celebration of the release of Angel Eyes, I am privileged to be able to treat you to an interview with Shannon, who has been super-kind and friendly. In it, I ask some questions about Angel Eyes, writing, and just some random trivia about Shannon, because trivia is fun.

 

Where did you come up with the idea for Angel Eyes?

I’ve always loved biblical accounts of angels. There’s so much we don’t know and the topic is fodder for imagination. As a teenager, I was part of our church’s performing arts team. We traveled, did puppetry and mime. We danced and did skits. I’ve played Satan in nearly every medium I can name. Angels and demons have always been a part of my storytelling experience, so it was a very natural choice. The heartbeat of the story, though, arrived when I began contemplating the halo.

Brielle is a dancer and a photographer. Are you either of those?

I’m not. I dabbled in photography during high school, so the dark room at Stratus High resembles the dark room I learned in, but I didn’t pursue it after that. And the only dancing I did back in high school was to Carman songs with my church group, or in a cheerleading uniform at sporting events.

How did you come up with the names for your angelic and demonic characters?

I’m kind of instinctual here. Names either work for me or they don’t. One of my angels did get a name change after I read two different books with characters sharing his name, but the other angelic characters have remained the same since I drafted the story.

I never thought I’d read an origin story for the angelic halo! How much of the Celestial realm was Biblical research, and how much was pure imagination?

It’s mostly imagination, but my imagination was informed by scripture. As a theology student, one of the problems I’ve always had reading angel books is that I’m pulled out of the story constantly because I run into theological issues that don’t gel. Angel Eyes is absolutely fiction, but I did try not to blatantly contradict scripture.

Who do you view as your target audience for Angel Eyes? Christian teens, non-Christian teens, readers of all ages…?

I’m thinking Angel Eyes is a good fit for an older young adult audience. There are some intense themes presented, so if younger readers are interested, I’d recommend a parent reading first. And, while I’ve gotten great feedback from readers across the spectrum, I’m thinking the story will be best received by readers with a Christian background.

Without getting all spoiler-y, what can you tell us about the sequel to Angel Eyes?  Will we learn more about the history between Canaan and Damien?

Well! You will learn a lot more about many of my characters. How about that? At the end of Angel Eyes there are characters scattered across two realms. Some of them will return and some of them will not, but, yes, history will be revealed.

The Afterword is from Jake’s POV. Will we be hearing more from Jake’s POV in the sequels?

Yes!

How long have you been writing?

Always, I suppose. As a kid, I wrote poetry and plays. I journalled. I didn’t get serious about novelling until late 2008. My daughter was a couple months old and a horrible sleeper. Angel Eyes was conceptualized as I walked the floor with her one night.

How long did it take to write Angel Eyes?

My first draft was done in four or five months, but it was rough. I wasn’t in a hurry and had two small children at home, so it took me another year of editing and getting feedback before the manuscript was ready for representation.

What are you most looking forward to after your book is released?

You know, I’m kind of in the trenches right now. I have several deadlines looming: line edits for Broken Wings, which is the name of book two, by the way, and I’m drafting book three. Release date or not, I don’t know that I’ll really breathe until after the first of the year. So, that, I suppose. Breathing. Resting.

What is one piece of advice you’d give an aspiring writer?

Settle in for the long haul. I wish I could say I came up with that on my own, but I didn’t. I read it somewhere and it’s never left me. It’s so very true. The waiting never stops. Even after you’ve acquired an agent and a publisher has acquired you, you’ll still be waiting for something. Learn to be okay with it.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I walk. We live in a court and I literally walk in circles until I’ve thought through a problem. My kids sit on the steps and watch, the neighbors wave, but I have to keep moving. Have to keep thinking.

What was your reaction when you got your book deal?

It was surreal. We knew a deal was possible, so for days I answered the phone all giddy and shrill. When it wasn’t Holly—my agent—I got downright moody. After nearly offending my husband, I decided I had to get my shrill under control. So, when Holly did call with the deal, I was very zen. I was in the kitchen, staring out the window at my humming bird feeder and I just kept thinking, “Holy heck. My dream publisher wants my book.” It took several days for it to set in.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage?

That’s tough. I’m a huge fan of the book of Daniel. I also love Esther. LOVE Esther. Not surprisingly, I’m drawn to the books that read like stories, and one of my favorite verses comes from the Gospel of Matthew. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.—Matthew 6:33

What’s your perfect vacation spot?

It’s a tie. Disneyland and Hawaii. I’m rather excited about the Disney resort they’re putting on Oahu. Best of both worlds!

[NOTE FROM LAUREN: It’s official. I need to go to Hawaii.]

What song is stuck in your head right now?

I can show you the world. Shining, shimmering, splendid…. I’ve got a three year old.

[NOTE FROM LAUREN: I have this stuck in my head right now too. I also have a 3-year-old. Freaky.]

What’s the most recent movie you’ve seen in theaters?

The Avengers! Just the other night with my mom and sisters. Captain America was my favorite Avenger until Iron Man started talking. What is it about snarky bad boys?

[NOTE FROM LAUREN: This was the correct answer. And will continue to be the correct answer until Batman is released.]

What are you reading right now?

I’m actually reading several things, which is not common for me. I’m reading A Wrinkle in Time because the other day I realized I couldn’t remember half the story. I’m also reading a couple WIPs by two aspiring writer friends.

What’s your caffeinated beverage of choice?

Coffee or Pepsi. Or coffee.

Favorite snack food?

Funyuns (don’t worry, I carry gum)

Name 5 authors that have inspired you.

JUST FIVE?!

[NOTE FROM LAUREN: Yes, only five, because I am really, really mean.]

Okay, without thinking too hard, here are five fabulous writers who are so good they make me cry:

Suzanne Collins

JK Rowling

Ted Dekker

Stephen R. Lawhead

Tasha Alexander

 

Thanks so much for being willing to answer my questions, Shannon! I wish you great success with Angel Eyes, and look forward to reading more about the adventures of Brielle and Jake!

If you’d like to support Shannon, you can buy Angel Eyesfollow her on Twitter, and Like her page on Facebook. I also encourage you to visit her website for more information about Angel Eyes and her other projects.

Review: Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore

I received an ARC of Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore as a fun surprise from her agent, Holly Root. When I talked to Holly about getting my hands on a copy of Defiance, she mentioned she may throw a couple other goodies into the envelope. This was one of them.

I hadn’t heard anything about this book before I found myself holding it in my hands. But I trust Holly’s taste, since she represents some amazing authors. Plus she has met me and read my blog, so I was pretty sure she wouldn’t send me something unless she thought I would like it.

The Plot

Two years ago, Brielle Matthews left her small-town home of Stratus, Oregon for a prestigious boarding school in the big city, ready to make it big as a dancer and model. But now she is returning home, a fragile shell of her former self, after the brutal murder of her best friend, Ali.

As Brielle struggles to assimilate back into her life in Stratus, she can’t help but notice the handsome new boy who seems to have arrived in town at the same time as her. And the boy, Jake, seems absolutely determined to be a part of her life.

But soon into Brielle’s cautious new friendship with Jake, she realizes that there is more to him than meets the eye. He possesses miraculous powers that shouldn’t be possible. And he knows way too much about her.

Brielle’s eyes are opened — literally — when Jake reveals his secret. His mysterious guardian, Canaan, is an angel. He has given Jake certain powers from the Celestial realm. And somehow, although neither Jake nor Canaan fully understand why, Jake and Brielle’s paths were destined to cross.

There’s not a lot of time to process all this information, though. Because Ali’s killer is still on the loose. The stakes are higher than anyone imagined. And he’s coming for Brielle and Jake.

My Thoughts

I have to admit, I get a little dubious when I pick up something labeled “Christian Fiction.” It’s not that I don’t admire what the authors are trying to do; I do. And I’m firmly planted in their target audience — I’m a Christian, I read a lot, and I like stories where fantastical events take place. But so often, these books come across as cheesy and kind of lame. The writing is sub-par. The dialogue is hokey. The characters are unrealistic. The plots are forced. The reader feels completely steamrolled by the “moral of the story.” And I wind up disappointed.

However, I was pleasantly surprised with Angel Eyes. I liked Brielle and Jake. Brielle asked some hard questions. Jake didn’t always have all the answers. There was a wee bit of insta-love lurking around their relationship, but it’s mostly understandable considering the scenario they are in. I liked that Brielle wasn’t able to just bounce back from her friend’s murder, and that she didn’t just blindly accept everything that Jake told her. She struggled throughout the book, and I appreciated that.

The way Ms. Dittemore writes about her angels and demons, you can tell she put a lot of thought into their realm and how it functions. It was interesting and exciting and mysterious. I definitely kept in mind that this is a work of fiction, so I didn’t really mind if not everything matched up perfectly with what I believe to be true. She’s allowed some artistic license in how she chooses to portray her world, and the spiritual warfare portrayed in Angel Eyes was very compelling.

I did have a few minor complaints with the book. I wasn’t a fan of the perspective changes between Brielle, Canaan, and Damien (one of the demons). Brielle’s perspective was easy to read, natural, and engaging. The other two felt a little forced. I understand that it would have been impossible to completely portray everything that was going on in the Celestial realm without switching from Brielle’s POV, but it just didn’t feel right to me. I’m not sure how it could have been done better; I just know I wasn’t totally satisfied with the way it was. Probably part of the problem was that I just didn’t really connect with any of the Celestial characters. I loved all the human characters, but the supernatural ones fell a little flat to me.

There was a tiny bit of cheese. Just a bit, and not enough to overwhelm the book or take me out of the story. But occasionally, cheese reared its ugly head.

And there was a bit of a Touched By an Angel moment. If you already believe in God, it probably wouldn’t bother you. It didn’t bother me. But if you don’t, you may find it a bit much. But then again, if you don’t believe in God, you’re already taking a bit of a gamble in reading Christian Fiction. Only you can know your own tolerance level for that sort of thing.

I’d categorize Angel Eyes as kind of a cross between the books of Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker, but for the YA audience. It has likable characters, an intriguing story, beautiful descriptions, and a powerful spiritual message. Ms. Dittemore sets up the ending for a sequel, although the story from this book is wrapped up nicely, and I’ll be very interested to see what happens to Brielle and Jake.

Content Guide: Contains violence, spiritual warfare, and mentions of human trafficking. 

Coming soon: My interview with the author, Shannon Dittemore!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 21)

Welcome to another week of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Book Journey: the part of the week where I set ridiculously lofty goals for myself that I nearly always fail to achieve. But that doesn’t stop me from setting the bar high, because it would seem I am bad at learning my lesson. Speaking of which…

Guys, I have a confession to make.

I failed miserably last week. Failed. With a capital F-A-I-L.

I set out to read at least four books. I read one. ONE. Uno. The Book Thief was just a much heavier read than I was anticipating, and it swallowed my week. Plus, of course, life kept getting in the way. I went to an author event. I saw The Avengers. There were even more birthday parties (seriously, were all the children in my kids’ classes born in April and May?)

But instead of moving all of last week’s reads to this week, I’m changing it up. I’ve been asked to do a guest post on my friend Kelly’s blog in a couple weeks about dystopian books. And to prepare, I need to read some more dystopians. I’ve read some, but I need to read more. I know there’s no way I can read all the dystopians in two weeks, but I can at least put a bigger dent in them.

First off, I have to finish Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore. That will probably happen today, and I’m excited to announce that Shannon (who is ridiculously nice, FYI) has also agreed to an author interview sometime in the very near future when I can get my act together. So be on the lookout for that!

Then, TWO WEEKS OF DYSTOPIAN FUN. I may need a reality check when this is all over, people. On the docket for this week:

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. I’m so pumped. I’ve been itching to read this one for months.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. I honestly have no idea what I’m getting into with this one, but I’ve heard great things.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Again, heard great things. Again, so pumped.

The Glimpse by Claire Merle. There aren’t an abundance of reviews out yet for this one, as it’s a June 2012 release, and what I’ve read so far have been severely mixed. Some love it, some vehemently hate it. So this one could be interesting. We’ll see.

I am banking on the fact that YA dystopians tend to go pretty fast. Plus, I do not have ALL THE ACTIVITIES planned for this week. Although my children do finish school tomorrow, which means the second half of my week is going to be kid-filled and chaotic. I’m hoping I can somehow squeeze in some reading around….that.

I need to get through these this week though, because I have some more potentially awesome dystopians planned for next week!

And yes, I know I’m setting myself up for some minor frustration by reading only book 1 of a bunch of trilogies. But a girl can only fit so much into two weeks. Books 2 and 3 can wait. I hope.

Off I go to mess with my sense of reality.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 14)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey. It’s a great way to plan your reading week (because some of us are nerds and like to plan our reading week) and also get ideas for other great books!

Last week, as per usual, I got a little bit off my scheduled order of events. Instead of “squeezing in” Defiance when it arrived on Saturday, I just completely replaced The Danger Box. I only had enough time for one more, and Defiance was calling my name. And it. Was. Amazing. I’ll gush more about it later.

So I will attempt to do The Danger Box this week, but it may get shoved off again, because I got some books out of the library that I’m itching to start. Those include:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I’ve heard some great things about this book, and it will be an interesting change of pace from all the fantasy/dystopian I’ve been reading lately.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. This book about a teenage girl surviving in a post-apocalyptic world (after a meteor pushes the moon off its axis, resulting in global catastrophe) has been met with mixed reviews, but I’ve been intrigued by it for a while. Time to plunge in and see where I stand.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. I’ve heard this is a fun and magical read, and I think it will balance the other two books this week nicely. 
I may also try to squeeze in (if I have time):
Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore. This was a surprise bonus in the envelope with Defiance. It isn’t that long, and sounds interesting. If I don’t get around to this one this week, it’ll be on next week’s list for sure.
That’s my reading week! What’s yours look like?