Turning the Pages: Win a $100 Amazon gift card with the Kings & Queens Book Blast!

I am thrilled to be part of the Book Blast for Kings & Queens hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer! Last month, I had the opportunity to interview Courtney Vail about her debut novel Kings & Queens. Now Courtney and I Am a Reader, Not a Writer are giving you the chance to win $100 Amazon gift card!! Of course you have to keep reading all the way to the end of the post to enter, but Kings & Queens is definitely worth a look :)

"Courtney Vail thrills and shocks in her debut YA suspense, Kings & Queens. I really enjoyed reading this mystery because it reminded me of one of my favorite detective TV shows, Veronica Mars. The authentic high school drama and conspiracies were warped and utterly original."

~Candace @ Lovey Dovey Books

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Majesty Alistair wants police to look further into her father’s fatal car wreck, hopes the baseball team she manages can reclaim the state crown, aches for Derek…or, no…maybe Alec…maybe. And she mostly wishes to retract the hateful words she said to her dad right before slamming the door in his face, only to never see him again.

All her desires get sidelined, though, when she overhears two fellow students planning a church massacre. She doubts cops will follow up on her tip since they’re sick of her coming around with notions of possible crimes-in-the-works. And it’s not like she cries wolf. Not really. They’d be freaked too, but they’re not the ones suffering from bloody dreams that hint at disaster like some crazy, street guy forecasting the Apocalypse.

So, she does what any habitual winner with zero cred would do…try to I.D. the nutjobs before they act. But, when their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and even friends start looking suspect, the truth and her actions threaten to haunt her forever, especially since she’s left with blood on her hands, the blood of someone she loves.

"WOW. The description for this book on GoodReads.com does not do this book justice. This was an AWESOME, twisted, capturing tale. Like Gossip Girl with deadly consequences."

~Teresa Rice from The Duchess Mommy Reads

About Author Courtney Vail:

COURTNEY VAIL writes totally twisted YA and adult suspense. She enjoys braiding mystery, suspense & romance with some kind of weirdness. Her addictions to crazy coffee concoctions, Funny Bones, Ben & Jerry's, and bacon keep her running and writing. She currently lives in New England with a comedian stud and a wild gang of kidlets.

Tell us a bit about Kings & Queens.

My novel is about a tomboy who overhears two fellow students planning a church massacre. When cops don’t believe her, she aims to ID the nut jobs herself before they act, but they have an agenda far bigger than she ever assumed, and she gets sucked into a ruthless game that casts even her closest friends under suspicion.

How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

So lame, but I got the idea from a dream. I had a loose love triangle in mind with Majesty and her two best friends, who play on the baseball team she manages, but I had no plot for it. One night, I dreamt the massacre thing, overhearing the massacre plot while on a run, yes, in my sleep, and as soon as I woke up, I knew I’d found my plot. I just didn’t know when I started it that it would become such a rollercoaster ride with twisty turns, dark tunnels and heart wrenching descents, but, I’m sure glad it ended up that way. I love rollercoasters.

If you got the chance to spend a day with any character from your books, who would it be and why?

Probably Warren Niles, a gothic outcast. I’m sure he could teach me a thing or two.

Is Kings & Queens part of a series? If so, when can we expect more of Majesty?

Yes, the sequel to Kings & Queens, Sapphire Reign, will be coming out this summer through Little Prince Publishing. It opens 10 years later.