Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: Tomorrow (C.K. Kelly Martin)

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Release date: October 10th 2013
Publisher: Random House

The sci-fi adventure that began with Yesterday continues with a thriller that can also be read as a standalone.

2063, United North America: climate change has rendered great swathes of the country uninhabitable, the rise of robot workers has created mass unemployment, eco-terrorism is a constant threat and a 2059 nuclear exchange between Pakistan and India has torn large holes in the world's ozone layer and pushed humanity's existence towards a cliff. 
Garren and Freya have managed to escape that nightmare world and lose themselves in 1986 Vancouver. But the future's reach is long, and they're no longer safe there. No one is. Shadowy forces are intent on influencing the past's path. And when Freya is taken, it's up to Garren to save both her, and the future.

C.K. Kelly Martin always thought she'd get around to writing in earnest eventually and began writing her first novel in a flat in Dublin, finishing it in a Toronto suburb. By then she'd discovered that young adult fiction felt the freshest and most exciting to her. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once!
Martin currently resides near Toronto with her Dub husband. She became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continues to visit Dublin often (although not as often as she'd like!) while working on teen novels.

www.ckkellymartin.com | twitter.com/ckkellymartin

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

Every day there are news reports about great scientific and technological advances we’re either making or on the cusp of making, but also about the enormous damage humanity is doing to the environment. For example, the other day I read an article about Austrian Stem cell scientists who’d grown miniature brains in the hope of helping to find treatments for neurological and mental diseases. Meanwhile a couple of months ago there was a report stating that a quarter of New York could be a flood zone by 2050. These things make me wonder what the future will be like. Such a strange mixture of marvels and disasters! That was the chief inspiration for this book, and the belief that we have to do whatever we can to minimize climate change, but that we’ve already passed the point when we can completely prevent it. All of that made me wonder what could be possible if we had a second chance and become more aware of what we’re doing to the planet earlier. Of course, the only way we could do that would be to travel backwards in time…which is what happens in Yesterday and Tomorrow.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

When I was writing Yesterday my favourite character was Freya but now that I’ve spent so much time in Garren’s head with Tomorrow, I’m really fond of him too. They’re so good together that it’s hard to choose between them. But I guess I have to go with Freya because she’s so strong and determined. I also love the advantage her second sight gives her. It’s like a super power, but one that some people actually possess. 

Which came first, the title or the novel?

I had the title first – as a follow-up from Yesterday. I knew I wanted to show more of the future in this book so the title seemed like a natural fit. 

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

Good question. Generally, I really like writing slice of life type stuff but one of the most fun things about this particular book was writing the action scenes precisely because they’re so different from what I usually write. I don’t want to give too much away but in the middle of the book there’s a scene where Garren’s being held against his will and has to do whatever he can to get away from the people who’ve taken him. I just had so much fun with it, it was like riding a rollercoaster.

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

I feel like I’m constantly learning and stretching myself as a writer. When I started writing my very first book (an unpublished one!) in 1999 I had no idea how strong a writer’s material had to be to get published. My early efforts were so skeletal. Just scratching the surface of my characters and their situations. Awful! Another thing I’ve learned is how you have to be willing to evolve. For example, self-publishing has exploded in the past couple of years. When my first book, I Know It’s Over, was published in 2008 I never would’ve dreamt of self-publishing. But with all the changes in the industry, now I think it would be a shame not to take charge of my career by publishing material that couldn’t find a home with a traditional publisher, like this book. 

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

Because I got to design this cover myself (I love having the chance to do that!) I quite like it overall, but my favourite aspect is probably the swirl that suggests the time chute that’s sent Garren and Freya back into the past. I’ve always been a sucker for time travel stories! The first one I remember seeing was the original Planet of the Apes back when I was in grade two and it bent my brain in the best possible way.

What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2013?

By the time this goes up the book will already be out, but I’m really excited about the conclusion of Margaret Atwood’s speculative fiction series – MaddAddam. I loved the two previous books in the series – Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood so I’m excited to see what happens next. Also, because I got an early chance to read Gina Linko’s new book Indigo, I can’t wait for other people to discover it – such a cool book. I mentioned superpowers earlier and Indigo’s main character, Corrine has a special ability too. So does Rennick (who I really fell for while reading Indigo). I’m also dying to read Ilsa J Bick’s final Ashes book, Monsters. 

What was your favorite book in 2012?

Picking just one is too hard! But here are some from 2012 that I was crazy about: The Age of Miracles (Karen Thompson Walker), Love and other Perishable Items (Laura Buzo), This is Not a Test (Courtney Summers), Under the Moon (Deborah Kerbel).

What’s up next for you?

I have a contemporary YA book sitting with an editor right now, so please keep your fingers crossed for it! It’s the kind of book that totally wears its heart on its sleeve. Love story all the way, but a realistic one. I’m also planning to start work on a middle grade book later this fall.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

The ever-quotable Winston Churchill has a small role in this book and I’d like to share a Churchill quote that is especially pertinent to this book. “If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future.” Thanks for having me on Curling Up With A Good Book! 

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