Blog Tour Interview w/ Amanda Ashby

Quick! Describe Fairy Bad Day in 7 words or less! 

Cute boys, tough girls, skittles and swords 

Where did the idea for Fairy Bad Day come from? 

I sent my agent a proposal for a book called Fairy Bad Day about a girl who was a fairy. Anyway, my agent (who is very wise and clever) hated the first chapter but loved the title so we brainstormed a new premise and in the end she suddenly came up with the idea of a fairy slayer who was the laughing stock of her slaying academy. The funny thing was as soon as she said it, I remembered that I’d actually half written another book that had some evil killer fairies in it so from that small start, the whole book suddenly fell into my head! 

Okay, scenario time: You see a fairy. It sees you. It walks (flies?) over to you – what do you do next? 

Well there are two types of fairies. If saw a little one, first I would swear and mutter because seriously, who wants to be a fairy slayer? Then I would grab my slaying kit and search for the hairspray and Skittles so I could lure them over and then I could attempt to kill them.  

However, if I saw the big kind, then I would grab my sword and try and remember everything that Caleb has taught me (Caleb is a real life friend who works at the library with me and as well as having a cool pink mohawk, he is a total sword expert and every week in-between issuing books, he helps explain the best way to kill paranormal creatures! Every writer should know a Caleb!!!)

If you could switch places with any character for one day (book, movie, tv show), who would it be and why? 

It would be Temperance Brennan from Bones not just because she is totally brilliant but because she gets to work opposite David Boreanaz all day long and I love him just a little bit too much for a grown up married woman!!!!! 

What are you working on right now, writing-wise?

I’m actually in-between books right now! I’ve written three middle grade books and one YA book in the last year and a half and now I’m waiting on the edits, which I think are going to come in all at once! I’ve also just sent off a new YA proposal to my agent so once I know if she likes it, I can start work on that! 

Thanks for the fun interview, Amanda! And now, the giveaway information:

This tour is also a scavenger hunt. Be sure to visit each of the stops on the blog tour and collect the bolded letter at the bottom of the post. On June 25 you will have the opportunity to enter the word you created from the mixed up letters on Amanda's blog (http://amandaashby.blogspot.com/) to win a fun prize pack. The pack includes a signed copy of Fairy Bad Day, some candy, and cute cell phone charms. 

The letter for this stop is S

Thanks to Amanda and The {Teen} Book Scene for the interview! :)

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Release: June 9, 2011

Pages: 352 (paperback)

Publisher: Speak (Penguin USA)

Source: Publisher

Summary: 

While most students at Burtonwood Academy get to kill demons and goblins, fifteen-year-old Emma gets to rid the world of little annoying fairies with glittery wings and a hipster fashion sense. She was destined to be a dragon slayer, but cute and charming Curtis stole her spot. Then she sees a giant killer fairy - and it's invisible to everyone but her! If Emma has any chance of stopping this evil fairy, she's going to need help. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Curtis...read more at Goodreads.

Review: Fairy Bad Day is a lighthearted and charming novel that entertains from start to finish!

Written in third person, Emma Jones knows right from the beginning that she's meant to be a dragon slayer, just like her mother was...which is why she's beyond surprised and stunned when she ends up becoming the first fairy slayer ever. But Emma makes the most of it as she hunts down fairies at her local mall, while simultaneously trying to find a way to become a dragon slayer. Until, that is, a giant killer fairy steps into the picture, and she's the only the one who can see it. Well, and Curtis, the boy who took her dragon slayer spot. Now it's up to Emma, Curtis, and her BFF's Loni and Tyler to stop it before something terrible happens.

Ashby delves into this story fully, and makes sure each of her characters and settings are realistic. Especially the slayer info, from the "sight" the teens all have, the skills they need to learn, and as well as where these mystical creatures are coming from. The setting jumps from the school, the mall (where those pesky fairies hang out) and a few other places for a brief periods of time, but each felt well described. The action is exciting, and I especially loved how amusing and creative some of Emma's fairy fighting techniques were. This is definitely a quick book to read through, but it has a lot of heart. If you're looking for a light, banter-filled story with kick-butt slayers, check out Fairy Bad Day!

Highlights: Ashby made this story fun and surprisingly realistic. I love how Emma's BFF Loni is smart and useful, her stepmom isn't really that bad, and et cetera (instead of falling into cliches, Ashby made them realistic and unique from one another). Even better, I adore how her family actually knows about everything Emma's doing at her school, including the slaying. I also really love how simple Emma's "romance" is - it isn't love at first sight, just a crush that takes some time to develop.

Lowlights: Maybe a bit too obvious at times, regarding the "surprise" moments. Emma's attitude was also a bit annoying at first, but I grew to enjoy her character as she developed more. 

Rating: