March 30, 2009
I’m very excited to be touring Torched by April Henry. I love the sound of her book and can’t wait to read it.
About the book:
When Ellie’s parents are busted for growing marijuana, the FBI gives her a choice: infiltrate the Mother Earth Defenders (MED), a radical environmental group, or her parents will go to jail. At first Ellie is more than willing to entrap the MEDics, but the more time she spends undercover—particularly with Coyote, the green-eyed MEDic that she can’t stop thinking about—the more she starts to believe in their cause. When talk turns to murder, Coyote backs out, but Ellie is willing to risk everything to save her family—even if it means losing Coyote and putting her own life on the line.
And now for the interview:
What inspired the plot for your book?
Earth Liberation Front has long been active in the Northwest. The FBI considers them domestic terrorists. I was driving to work one morning, listening to the news, and the broadcaster said, “The FBI says they have been unable to infiltrate ELF.” And I thought, what else are they going to say? Yeah, we have someone who is working there undercover? And then I started thinking that most Elves are young, and FBI agents have to be at least 23, and they might need an informant.
Why did you decide to write in this genre?
I like the fast pace of mysteries and thrillers.
What is your writing process like?
I write 2-5 hours a day, often including weekends. I usually start by re-reading and tweaking what I wrote the day before. I’ll try to move on to the next section of the story, but if I get stuck, I “treat” myself by skipping ahead to a different section.
What are you working on now?
The Girl in the Mini Cooper, about a pizza delivery girl who is kidnapped. Everyone thinks she’s dead, her body dumped into the river. Everyone but two of her coworkers, who team up to find her.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I run, slowly, five miles four days a week. I love to cook. I like to talk to my teenager, who can always make me laugh. And of course, I love to read.
Who do you like to read?
Susan Beth Pfeffer. I am a complete fan girl. I’m really looking forward to next book in The Hunger Games series. I also love Scott Turow. I And I just read my first Michael Marshall, called The Intruders, and it was so fun!
About the autho:r
April Henry knows how to kill you in a two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. April had one detour on her path to destruction: when she was 12 she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children’s author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children’s magazine.
By the time she was in her 30s, April had come to terms with her childhood and started writing about hit men, drug dealers, and serial killers. She has published six mysteries and thrillers, with five more under contract. Her books have gotten starred
reviews, been on Booksense (twice!), translated into four languages, short-listed for the Oregon Book Award, and chosen as a Quick Pick by the American Library Association.
April writes for both teens and adults. This month Face of Betrayal will be published. It’s the first in a new series for adult mystery series co-written with FOX legal anaylst Lis Wiehl.
What others are saying:
Kirkus: “Romance and big explosions … the thrills and action will keep readers interested as she navigates her way between terrorists and self-centered Feds.”
Booklist: “The contemporary mix of politics and thrilling action will grab teens, not just environmentalists, as Ellie must decide how to save her parents and save the earth. Romance adds to the conflict as she falls in love with gorgeous MED member Coyote, who is both an activist and an ardent pacifist. Both the MEDs and the FBI have good guys and bad guys, and this suspenseful story will spark discussion about what it means to fight for right “by any means necessary.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books:
“Henry keeps a number of slick tricks up her sleeve, and when the plot takes off with a MED tree sit to stop clear cut logging, a cascade of treachery and betrayal is unleashed that should keep the pages flying. This is a far cry from the more whimsical take on environmentalism of Hiaasen’s Hoot, but readers who cut their teeth on that amiable escapade may want to explore the ethical implications of wielding vandalism and violence to achieve a worthy end.”
School Library Journal:
“Educators and environmentalists will appreciate the similarities between Ellie’s adventures and the exploits of Julia Butterfly Hill, as it will allow them to engage in a discussion about endangered species, corporate responsibility, and logging.”
Teens Read Too:
5 stars
“Torched is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. The book starts with a prologue that puts readers in the thick of the action, and things don’t slow down from there.”
Links:
April’s Website
Posted by Sara Hantz in Interviews @ 7:07 am
