Rockstar Book Tours Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: Donna of The Dead (Alison Kemper)

Title: DONNA OF THE DEAD
Author: Alison Kemper
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pub. Date: March 4, 2014

Donna Pierce might hear voices, but that doesn’t mean she’s crazy. Probably.The voices do serve their purpose, though—whenever Donna hears them, she knows she’s in danger. So when they start yelling at the top of their proverbial lungs, it’s no surprise she and her best friend, Deke, end up narrowly escaping a zombie horde. Alone without their families, they take refuge at their high school with the super-helpful nerds, the bossy head cheerleader, and—best of all?—Lance, hottie extraordinaire and Donna’s long-time crush. When Lance is around, it’s easy to forget about the moaning zombies, her dad’s plight to reach them, and how weird Deke is suddenly acting toward her.
But as the teens’ numbers dwindle and their escape plans fall apart, Donna has to listen to the secrets those voices in her head have been hiding. It seems not all the zombies are shuffling idiots, and the half-undead aren’t really down with kids like Donna…

Find it:

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes& Noble

Alison Kemper grew up in South Florida, the only girl on a street with eleven boys. She spent most of her childhood paddling a canoe through neighborhood canals and looking for adventure. She usually found it. Sometimes the police were involved. And large dogs. And one time, a very territorial snake. She now lives in North Carolina and writes books. The books often include girls having adventures. With boys. Cute boys. And cute dogs too. But no cute snakes. Never cute snakes.

Her debut novel, Donna of the Dead, will be published by Entangled Teen in 2014 and followed by two companion novels. She loves to meet new people and talk books, so send her a friend request or connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Instagram

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I’ve always had scary dreams. In one, I was holed up in a bank building surrounding by zombies, and my dad refused to give me a gun because I was “too young.” There was also a hot guy hiding in the bank. Something happened with this hot guy. (This something ends up in the book, so I can’t tell you ‘cause, you know *spoilers*.) When I woke up that morning, I HAD to write down this dream. I’d never done any creative writing in my life, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. I swapped the bank setting for a high school and gave the dad a more minor role. I had no idea I was writing a novel that would be published—I just knew I was having a great time.   

Who is your favorite character in the book?

Deke. I think he’s everyone’s favorite character. I considered writing the novel from his POV, because he’s such a likable guy, but I worried if he was hearing voices and saving the world, he might be too much of a Marty Stu.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

Definitely the title. Shaun of the Dead is one of my all-time favorite movies. And the title just screams, funny zombies. I wanted something similar, but with a girl’s name.  

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

There’s a scene near the end, when readers finally discover what causes the voices in Donna’s head. My marvelous agent Kristin Miller-Vincent made me write/revise/rewrite this aspect of the book over and over. Seriously, it took a month of swapping emails before I finally got it right. There were tons of little details, scattered throughout the novel that had to be changed. I was so frustrated at that point I almost wanted to feed Donna to the zombies. But Kristin was right, and I’ve already gotten compliments from readers about how much they like this part of the book. It was a struggle, but it was worth it.

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

Enjoy yourself. Not too many people get rich or famous in this biz. At the end of the day, it’s just you, the laptop and the stories in your head. Make sure you’re having a good time.

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

I LOVE Donna’s hair. So pretty. And the boy. I won’t tell you which boy it is, but damn, he looks just like he does in my head. The zombies make me laugh because they’re all so quirky. I want to write stories about each one of them. For example, why is one holding sneakers?

What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2014?

I am a HUGE fan of Mike Mullin’s Ashfall trilogy. I’m dying to get my hands on Sunrise and find out how it all ends.

What was your favorite book in 2013?

I started Maggie Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle last year. I adored The Raven Boys (Gansey!) and was sure The Dream Thieves would be a letdown. It was not. Amazing plot.  And also, Ronan! Sheesh, that Maggie Stiefvater sure can write fantastic boy characters.

What’s up next for you?

Two companion novels for Donna of the Dead. Same virus, same time frame, different characters. The next one is tentatively titled Dwight of the Living Dead. I’m going to try my hand at writing from a boy’s POV. Wish me luck. 

Is there anything that you would like to add?

Thanks for having me on your blog and for all the fun interview questions! And thanks to all the Donna of the Dead readers. You guys have made my writing dreams come true!

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/10/2014- Watcha Reading- Review

3/10/2014- Parajunkee's View- Interview

3/11/2014- Creating Serenity- Review

3/11/2014- Fantasy Book Addict- Guest Post

3/12/2014- Clever Girls Read- Review

3/12/2014- Step Into Fiction- Interview

3/13/2014- Taking It One Book at a Time- Review

3/13/2014- Library of the Seen- Excerpt

3/14/2014- Racing To Read- Review

3/14/2014- Pivot Book Reviews- Guest Post

Week Two:

3/17/2014- The Reading Diaries- Review

3/17/2014- Addicted Readers- Interview

3/18/2014- Sabrina's Paranormal Palace - Review

3/18/2014- Happy Booker- Excerpt

3/19/2014- vvb32 reads - Review

3/19/2014- Curling Up With A Good Book- Interview

3/20/2014- The Phantom Paragrapher- Review

3/20/2014- Imagine a World- Excerpt

3/21/2014- Mom With A Kindle- Review

3/21/2014- Comfort Books- Guest Post