Flicker & Burn Blog Tour - Character Interview + Giveaway!

Today I have the pleasure of being part of the blog tour for Flicker & Burn by T.M. Geoglein. I loved Cold Fury when I read it last year so I'm excited to see where Sara Jane goes in this story. In the meantime, I have Sara Jane here on the blog today to answer a few questions, so be sure to keep reading.

Sara Jane, you recently discovered that your family is deeply involved with the Chicago Mob. What was your initial reaction?

Shock is too small of a word. Flabbergasted, I guess, which became disbelief, than acceptance, and then betrayal. I love my parents, okay? Let’s be perfectly clear about that. But they lied to me for a long, long time and it has caused irreparable harm to them, my brother, and me.

After making that kind of discovery, how you deal with it all? Was there anyone you could talk to about all this information?

I haven’t had time to deal with it, to be honest. Almost from the moment I figured it out, someone – masked freaks, cops, now these red-eyed creatures – have been out to get me. Without my best friend, Doug, to talk to, I’d lose my mind. Ah, who am I kidding? I am losing my mind, piece by piece… 

From what was in the journal you found, you seem to have something in you that makes you different. Have you been able to find out more about what that is?

Cold fury – ghiaccio furioso, as it’s called in Italian – allows me to channel the deepest fear of an adversary and turn it back on himself until he’s so terrified, he’ll do my bidding. But there are other components to it, as well – things I’m just learning about that are much more powerful and dangerous.

You were recently able to see your little brother. Do you have any more information you can share on what happened to your family on that night?

I wish I did. You have no idea how hard I wish I knew more. But trust me – I’ll find out, no matter how many bones I have to break.

Would you have any tips to give to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation?

Channel your inner animal. Fight when you have to, run when you have to, and if you pause to take a breath or fail to watch your back, you’re dead. Not too cheery, but true.

Giveaway!

Here is your chance to win one of three signed copies of Flicker & Burn or special art bookmarks. All you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

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About the author: 

T.M. Goeglein began his career as a writer of print and television ads for a host of advertising and media companies. As a screenwriter, he created both original scripts and worked as a script doctor for several production companies in Los Angeles. He was an original contributor to the Huffington Post "Living" section, and continues to write for both the national edition and Huffington Post Chicago. Read T.M. Goeglein's stories on the Huffington Post.

His debut novel, COLD FURY, will be published by Penguin/Putnam in 2012 and is the first in a trilogy; he's currently working on the second book. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Laura, and two young children.

About the book:

Sara Jane Rispoli is still searching for her missing family, but instead of fighting off a turncoat uncle and crooked cops, this time she finds herself on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and pale white skin chasing her through the streets in ice cream trucks; they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're terrifying and hell bent on killing her, but they're also a link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them. 

While she battles these new pursuers, she's also discovering more about her own cold fury and more about the Chicago Outfit, how the past misdeeds--old murders and vendettas--might just be connected to her present and the disappearance of her family. But connecting the dots is tough and time-consuming and may finally be the undoing of her relationship with the handsome Max--who's now her boyfriend. But for his own safety, Sara Jane may have to end this relationship before it even really starts. 

Her pursuers who've shown her her mother's amputated finger and the head of the Chicago Outfit who's just whistled her in for a sit-down make a romance unthinkable. The only thing that matters is finding her family and keeping everyone she loves alive.

Double Cover Reveal: Cold Fury and Flicker & Burn by T.M. Goeglein + Giveaway

Today I have the pleasure of revealing the cover for two books. One is a redesign, and the other is for the sequel. So without further ado, here are the covers for Cold Fury and Flicker & Burn by T.M. Goeglein.

The thrill ride that began in Cold Fury kicks into high gear in Flicker & Burn, as the threats to Sara Jane Rispoli come at her from all directions. She continues the desperate search for her missing family, but this time she’s on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and ghostly white skin chasing her through the streets of Chicago in black ice cream trucks – they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're skeletal and ferocious, hell-bent on catching or killing her, but also a weird link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them.

While Sara Jane battles these new pursuers, she learns painful lessons about the phenomenon that possesses her, cold fury. At the same time, she’s uncovering buried secrets about the misdeeds of her family – old murders and blood vendettas – that might be connected to the disappearance of her mom, dad, and brother. The mysteries, violence, and constant state of chasing or being chased could be the undoing of her relationship with handsome Max Kissberg. Despite the love growing between them, Sara Jane can’t tell him the truth about her life, and fears for his safety.

Not only do the Ice Cream Creatures display the grisly amputated finger of her mom to prove their viciousness, and not only does Lucky, the Outfit Boss of Bosses, whistle in Sara Jane for a sit-down with deadly consequences, but her gorgeous cousin, Heather Richards, enters the scene, as well. All that matters to Sara Jane is saving her family and keeping everyone she loves alive and safe. But the forces she encounters, both external and the ones crackling inside of her, fight her every step of the way.

If you haven't read it already, you can pick up a paperback copy of Cold Fury in June 2013, which will give you plenty of time to read it before the release of the sequel, Flicker & Burn, in August 2013.

And now for the giveaway:

There is ONE ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Flicker & Burn up for grabs. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US only.


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Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein

Title: Cold Fury (Cold Fury #1)

Author: T.M. Goeglein

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Release Date: July 24, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Sara Jane Rispoli has just turned sweet sixteen but so far it's anything but sweet. She'd planned to spend this birthday at the spring dance with the handsome Max Kissberg, not being chased and attacked by a masked assessing, dirty cops and a turncoat uncle. She certainly didn't plan on discovering that her family is deeply embedded int eh Chicago Outfit (aka the Mob) or to come home and find them gone.

Now on the run but determined to find her family, Sara Jane fights back with a flame burning in her gut--a deadly cold fury. Though also armed with a .45 and a briefcase full of cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense. It holds the key to "Ultimate Power." It's why she's being pursued, it's why her family was taken away, and it could be the key to saving her life.

Action-packed with fresh cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure announcing a compelling new voice in YA.

I'm not going to lie, Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein had me at mafia. Who wouldn't want to read a story about the Chicago Mob? The only worry I had about the story was that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. But Cold Fury was action-packed, and definitely lived up to my expectations.

Sara Jane Rispoli thought she came from a family of Italian bakers, but there were always conversations that seemed a little odd to her. Then her parents and her brother mysteriously disappear and Sara Jane has to figure out what her family is involved in so she can get them back. As the mystery unfolds, Sara Jane finds out that her family is deeply involved in the Chicago Mob and now she has to step up to the plate if she wants to have any hope of getting her family back alive. And maybe that weird cold blue flame that keeps appearing in her stomach can help her get through it all. 

Like I've already said, Cold Fury had me when I found out it was a story about the Mob. Just from the description I knew it was going to be a story full of action and that I would be able to get completely wrapped up in the story. And because of that, my expectations were pretty high. But Cold Fury didn't disappoint me in the least. Right from the prologue, I knew the story was going to be great and it didn't take long at all for me to get completely dragged into the story. Cold Fury was as action-packed as the summary had suggested it would be. My favorite part of the story was the Mob aspect of it all. I loved how much back story T.M. Goeglein included about the Mob and how it was all a part of the Rispoli family history. It made for an interesting and layered story.

There were a lot of characters to keep track of in this story, but the story wouldn't have worked as well with a small cast of characters. I really liked Sara Jane, and I liked that she didn't take everything in stride when she found out the truth about her family. But she also didn't completely break down. And I loved just how strong she eventually became. Mostly, I liked that by the end of the book she didn't really let anything stand in her way. Aside from Sara Jane, I feel like I didn't really get to know any of the other characters all that well. I would have loved to find out more about Sara Jane's father outside the Mob stuff. Max had the potential to be a really interesting character, but it felt like every time I was going to learn more about him, he got pushed to the side. But who knows, maybe in the future.

Cold Fury was a fantastic, action-packed read. The Mob back story definitely added something and made the story that much more interesting to read. I'm definitely looking forward to more from T.M. Goeglein in the future.