Saturday, September 28, 2013

In the Spotlight: Cody Kennedy

I am so delighted to have the very talented Cody Kennedy on my blog today. I fell in love with his on-going series, Fairy, and can't wait to get my hands on his debut novel, Omorphi, (which I heard I'd only get from Amazon in November.) *hangs head* Yeah, I ordered the paperback version because a book that thick I will not expect myself to read on my screen. Uh-uh, no way.

Anyway! Sorry for rambling. Shall we carry on to the very sweet interview with Christy (and Michael by his side)? (And I'm sorry, Cody. I have to say this. This interview would not exist if not for Cody himself. Yeah. I specifically asked him to ask his characters some questions as I couldn't imagine me asking Christy anything as I haven't known him yet.) So now here's the interview on my behalf. :)


 


High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy's boyfriend would entail.

Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s team-mates becomes an enemy and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy's combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.

Omorphi now available from:
Harmony Ink Press:
ARe/OmniLit:
Amazon:


A Q&A with Christy Castle:

Iyana: Thank you for joining me today, Christy, and congratulations on your first interview yesterday with best-selling author Wade Kelly.

Christy: Thank you, Mrs. Jenna. Wade is a very nice person.

Iyana: Please call me Iyana and, yes, she is. I understand that you decided to come to the US by yourself. Tell us how you arrived at the decision to come here.

Christy: My father was very popular in Greece and I am not popular. The first time I walked down the street in Athens, the first time I am in the sun for years, people stared at me. Some crossed the street to be away from me. One person hit me with a newspaper like a dog, and then threw it at me. Like this, so, I looked for a country that would not dislike me. Also, I am broken, so I looked for someone to help me. The place where I live has this specialty. I did not know such places existed in the world and I like this. It is amazing to me. And the doctor, Rob, is helping me.

Iyana: That’s wonderful, Christy. I understand that you’ve never attended a school until now. Tell us how you felt on your first day of school?

Christy: *shifts uncomfortably* I was very afraid but I had to do it. I did not understand many things. I did not understand the changing of the classrooms and the organization of the school. I had trouble with reading the map and I went to the wrong places often. Then, I wanted to be like the others and I did not wear the clothes that were acceptable. I wore a suit and this was the wrong thing to wear. Many people stared at me. The first day was... very hard.

Iyana: But you persevered.

Christy: Yes, I did this. It was important to me. If I am to be successful in learning to live again, I must be strong.

Iyana: Awww, we should all take lessons from you. Let’s hear it for Christy!

::thunderous applause from the audience::

Iyana: Tell us about the first time you saw Michael.

Christy: *blushes and glances at Michael*

Michael: *smiles at Christy* Even I want to know the answer to this question, babe.

Christy: *laughs softly* I did not see Michael, I heard Jacob. Jake, Michael’s best friend, said “Get off me, gay boy.” I see Jake push Michael and I think it is not good to be this thing gay. Then Jake and Michael make a hug and Michael kissed the side of Jake’s head and said, “You love that I am queer.” I did not understand these words so I performed the research. I do not understand why Michael is happy and odd. It made no sense to me so I asked Rob about it, and he explained homosexual. I didn’t know you call the way we are gay and queer.

Iyana: *laughs softly* So, what did you think when you saw Michael for the first time?

Christy: I think he is handsome, and a little bit funny. I like this.

Iyana: And?

Christy: I like his hair and eyes. He has the very green eyes. I like this.

Iyana: And?

Christy: He is brave. He has the good laugh. It is very natural. It comes from the heart. I like this. And I like his... body. He is healthy. He is thin, but strong. He has the nice skin. He has the small moles. I like this. I think it is sexy.

Michael: Wow. You thought all that?

Christy: *blushes* I did. Then... Then I try to imagine him as my... as someone who would care for me and I can see it in my mind. *eyes tear, takes a deep breath* I can see for the first time in my life someone who might love me... just a little.

::soft applause from the audience::

Iyana: Awww, that’s so touching, Christy.

Christy: *thinks for a long moment* It is a little embarrassing.

Iyana: No, it isn’t. Then what happened?

Christy: *blushes again* I decide I must research Michael, so I follow him and I learn that he is the runner on the hurdles. I watch this and I am amazed. Michael says he feels as if he can fly when he runs. I wish to do this one day.

Michael: *surprised* Seriously?

Christy: This would be wonderful for me.

Michael: *in awe* Well, I guess we’ll just have to teach you how to do it.

Christy: You would do this?

Michael: *pause* Of course, I would, babe.

Christy: Truly?

Michael: Definitely.

Christy: *looks at Michael as if he’s kidding*

Michael: I would.

Christy: *smiles for the first time in interview and points at Michael* Michael will teach me to make the hurdles.

Iyana: Something tells me that you have already cleared a number of hurdles, Christy. Hurdles that none of us could have ever cleared.

::soft applause from the audience::

Iyana: So, what happened next?

Christy: I follow Michael and then I make the mistake of following too close. This was a bad calculation because when Michael turned I was in the way and we...*glances at Michael* What is the word?

Michael: I bumped into you.

Christy: Yes, this is what happened. Then Michael liked my eyes.

Iyana: *laughs softly* Then what happened?

Christy: I watch Michael practice running on the hurdles.

Michael: *chuckles*

Iyana: And then?

Christy: *blushes” The story is in the book with the name of Omorphi. It is very easy to purchase and read.

Iyana: *laughs* You heard it from Christy! The story of Christy and Michael is in the book Omorphi! An excellent read. I highly recommend it. Thank you for being with us here today and for chatting with me, Christy.

Christy: Thank you, Iyana. It was a nice time. 

::thunderous applause from the audience::

Michael: *kisses Christy’s cheek* Do you really want to learn to run hurdles?

Christy: I wish to do this.

Michael: *sidelong glance at Christy* Okay.

Christy: This is the good idea for me.

Michael: Okay.

Christy: I wish to go now.

Michael: Okay.

(Iyana: Umm, I don't mind getting one of them kisses on the cheek. Oh, sorry.)

~*~

Continue following Omorphi’s blog tour for one more chance to win an ebook copy of Omorphi!
September 29th - Author Zoe Lynn - The Notes Behind Omorphi’s Play List
October 4th - Sid Love's Blog - Why the title Omorphi?
October 5th - Author Madison Parker - What makes Omorphi unique?
October 6th - Author John Ames - Q&A with Michael Sattler
October 11th - Boys on the Brink - Omorphi: Writing Sex and Violence in Young Adult works
October 12th - Author Jamie Fessenden - Cody shares Omorphi Trivia with Jamie
October 15th - Granny Irene - A week in the Life of Christy Castle before Michael
October 18th - Author Sara Alva - A week in the life of Michael Sattler before Christy
October 19th - Author Sam Kadence - Cody Talks About Writing Action and the Suspension of Disbelief
October 20th - Cody’s Blog - Omorphi's One Month Anniversary Trivia Contest and a SECOND chance to win an ebook copy of Omorphi - In order to enter this contest you must:
1) have visited and commented on each stop on Omorphi’s Blog Tour - please be sure to leave your name and email address in your blog comment. “Anonymous” comments won’t qualify; and 
            2) you must correctly answer the trivia questions posted on Cody’s Blog by placing your answers in the comments section beneath the questions; and 
3) along with your answers to the trivia questions, you must leave a comment about Omorphi’s Blog Tour. 
The winner will be selected by Kismet, Cody’s greenwing macaw.
To make things even more exciting, a new contest will begin on October 21st on The Novel Approach Reviews Blog to win an ebook copy of Cody's novella, Safe, due out October 24th from Harmony Ink Press!

Get ready to read and win!

About Cody:

Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Cody Kennedy doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic awkward and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Cody contemplates such weighty questions as: If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, Cody can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary.

Find Cody:
Twitter @CodyKAuthor

3 comments:

  1. Great interview, Iyanna! Thanks for having Chrisy on your blog!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for coming by my blog, Cody, Christy, and Michael! :D

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  2. Well done. I enjoyed the interview. Seems I learn more with each step in the blog tour.

    ReplyDelete