Best Of 2012 Blog Hop

Authors Are Rockstars Tour Stop

Welcome to Jenuine Cupcakes! 

*hands you a Batman cupcake* 

I am so excited to be a part of the Authors Are Rockstars Tour hosted by Fiktshun & Two Chicks on Books. Thank you ladies for the opportunity to do this tour and to host...

Dan Krokos, Author of False Memory

When I found out that I would be hosting Dan this happened...

And then this...

Why, you ask?

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(excuse me while I fangirl)

 

Dan is one of my FAVORITE debut authors of 2012 and it's not just because he was in The Avengers yes, THAT Avengers (lab guy #2--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI40m0L7JRw&feature=youtu.be) but his book False Memory, blew me away and inspired me to write a poem.

ROSES are red
a warning to you
False Memory; a sci-fi adrenaline rush
and Dan Krokos, I *hearts* YOU!
(in a purely, "you wrote an awesome book" kind of way)

I had the opportunity to read False Memory back in April and was sucked in immediately. Miranda is the MC and Dan tells the story from her POV so well, it was hard to remember that it was written by a guy.  He's created complex characters who you want to BE when you grow up (seriously, I need a Miranda costume!) all within a story that's equal parts action, adventure and just plain awesomeness. I was literally on the edge of my seat at midnight because I was so anxious to see how it all ended!  Dan also writes the romantic tension like.a.Rockstar... *fans face*    

But here's the thing, Dan isn't just working on the False Memory books, he's also working on the forthcoming, Planet Thieves. Count 'em...two books - major Rockstar Author material right there.

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Haven't *met* him yet?  Well, here you go...

 

~ Dan Krokos 

After pumping gas for nine years to put himself through college, Dan Krokos, now twenty-six, dropped out to write full-time. He enjoys watching TV, playing MMORPGs, and drinking coffee. 

Currently, he’s hard at work on the next book in Miranda’s journey.

Wanna know more? You can find Dan here:

Website  Twitter  Facebook  Goodreads  Tumblr 

False Memory Official Fan Page: Rosesdoitbeta

Tumblr

You can order False Memory at:

Amazon  Barnes&Noble  TheBookDepository

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What is False Memory all about? Check it out...

"Remember Who You Are"

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn't at all surprised by Miranda's shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn't easy--especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn't seem to matter...when there may not be a future.

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If I had to sum up False Memory in one sentence, it would be this...

"False Memory is a Sci-Fi adrenaline rush that I could NOT put down!"

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Interview

Hi Dan!  I really appreciate your taking some time to chat with me today.  It's no secret that False Memory is one of my FAVORITE books of 2012, and I just want to say, "Thanks" for writing it. :)

So, where did the idea for False Memory come from?

False Memory came from several different places. It's the only time I've ever written a book by combining several different ideas. I knew I wanted to write a YA, and I had a character named Miranda North, who was 17 and had lost her memories. That's all I knew.

Fear is something that has intrigued me since I was a kid. Why are we afraid? What does it mean to be afraid? I'd written a manuscript where people were able to control fear in others through magic. It was an okay book, but it wasn't good enough to do anything with. When I decided to write a YA, I combined that idea with Miranda. She fit right in. 

Why did you decide to write from a female's POV?  (As I said in my review, you totally nailed this.)

To challenge myself. Every book I'd written up till then was a male POV. Some of them were first person, so I was really stuck in that masculine voice. I was worried I'd never be able to do anything different, so I decided to step outside my comfort zone. It was really hard at first. And so frustrating I've blocked out most of the memories of writing it.

Luckily I had several girls who were able to read and give feedback on her voice. I know Miranda now, but in the beginning, I was discovering her as she discovered herself.

Of the four, who are you most like, Miranda, Noah, Peter or Olive?

This is a great question, and one I didn't even begin to think about until a year after I wrote the novel. I think I'm most like Noah. But, as you know, there are two guys in the book. Peter is the man I want to be. I wish I could be as good as him. Noah is definitely closer to the person I am (or at least, who I was when I was writing the book). He has my sense of humor, and his mouth gets him into trouble. 

That said, I don't really like Noah. He makes some unforgivable mistakes in my opinion. But I love seeing that some readers still like him. 

What do you hope readers will take away from your book? (Besides the fact that it's *potty mouth word*  AWESOME and inspires poems?)

I never focus on theme or messages in my books, because if I think about it, I'll mess it up. It'll seem clunky. But now that I'm very familiar with the book, I see that there is a message in there that is very close to me. Without getting into spoilery detail, I can say that I hope readers take away this: we aren't defined by our past, we are defined by the choices we make in the present. We are whoever we want to be. 

Is there one song that captures the essence of Miranda or False Memory?
I'm not sure. Possibly "Everyone is the Same" by Innerpartysystem. Actually wait--"The Great Below" by Nine Inch Nails really resonates with me whenever I am thinking about Miranda and her stories. I mostly listen to movie soundtracks, though.

(Just for fun) If you could be any superhero, who would you be and why?

Batman. There is no question. My obsession with Batman is unhealthy. I can admit that. I love Batman simply because he believes in justice. He is the righter of wrongs. The suit and car and cave are all icing on the cake. When you get down to it, Batman sees the world we live in, and he's decided to do something about it.

In a way, I think he's inspired my books more than anything.

Thanks again Dan!
No, thank you!

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Giveaway time! 

What's up for grabs? 1 finished copy of False Memory (You want this. Trust me.)

Here's how it works:

*You must be 13 years or older to enter
* U.S. Only (sorry)

*1 Entry per household

*Contest ends on August 24th at 11:59p.m. Eastern Time

*1 winner will be chosen by Random.org through Rafflecopter and announced here. 

*Winner will have 48 hours after being contacted to respond with all relevant information. If the winner fails to respond, another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway