What Would Your Echo Be?

In THE BODY FINDER and its sequel, DESIRES OF THE DEAD, 16-year-old Violet Ambrose is drawn to the dead by sensory imprints that attach to them when they are killed. Yes, they must come to an untimely death to be left with one of these “echoes.” And the thing about the echoes is that they’re completely and totally random. They have nothing to do with how the person lived…or even how they died.

It can be a sound (bells, music, the sound of glass breaking)

A taste (garlic, briny salt water, caramel)

A physical sensation (brain freeze, the sensation of feathers brushing over her skin)

Or a visual echo (a glow or a burst of colors)

I was asked at the launch party for DESIRES OF THE DEAD this past weekend, if I had an echo, what would it be?

Even knowing the rules (that it has nothing to do with the individual themselves), I was still convinced that my echo would be something chocolate related. I mean, honestly, how could it not be?

So I’m asking you, if you could choose your echo, what would it be???

Be creative and let’s have some fun with this one! Leave your responses here, and tomorrow I’ll choose one random winner to receive a signed copy of my new book, DESIRES OF THE DEAD.

I’m excited! Are you excited???

EDITED TO ADD THAT THE WINNER IS: cheesecake.thief59

CONGRATS!!!!

DESTINATION: Fiction

How many people get to lie for a living? Criminals, probably. Writers, most definitely. (I love that about my job!) But what you may not know is that there are little bits of truth sprinkled throughout the pages of THE BODY FINDER and DESIRES OF THE DEAD.

No, that does not mean I can find dead bodies. And as far as I know Jay Heaton is a fictional character (sorry, ladies!).

But what I didn't make up are some of the places Violet and Jay visit, so I thought I would give you a tour of the REAL PLACES OF THE BODY FINDER…

Enjoy!

White River High School:



This all-too-real high school in Buckley, Washington is renowned for its award-winning architecture and is set against a lush wooded backdrop (the perfect place for creepy, serial killer types to watch from the woods).

The part I made up: The real White River High School doesn’t have lockers. I know, right? That award-winning design I mentioned…no lockers! But I really wanted Violet’s school to have them, so when I asked my editor if I could “make them up” she answered: “It’s fiction, you can do whatever you want.”

So, my White River totally has lockers!


Mount Rainier:



This gorgeous, dormant volcano is the highest point in Washington State.

Fun Fact: This mountain isn’t always “out”.

In the Northwest, we use the phrase: “the mountain is out” when clouds aren’t obscuring it from view. But when I used that phrase in the manuscript for THE BODY FINDER, my editor (who lives in New York City) had no idea what I was talking about. I was asked to “clarify.”


Lake Tapps:



There’s no better place to be on a lazy summer day…

And no, the lake is not, in fact, a dumping site for serial killers. (At least to the best of my knowledge.)


What are some of your favorite fiction destinations???

NICE GUYS versus BAD BOYS

CONGRATS to the winner splendidbird!!! Email me at kim(at)kimberlyderting(dot)com, so we can work out the details.

And I just have to say I loved reading all of your Good Guys v. Bad Boys comments, you guys gave GREAT answers!

I’m piggy-backing on Merrie’s post about Good Guys vs. Bad Guys, only I’m playing it a little differently. Today I’m talking about the Nice Guys vs. the Bad Boys (you know what I’m talkin’ about, ladies)!

In my YA novel, THE BODY FINDER, my main character Violet is in love with her best friend Jay…a very Nice Guy. But is he too nice? Of course not (says the author!), but I do see of a lot of debate over the Bad Boy vs. Nice Guy topic, especially in reviews. With Bad Boys, the concern is that we’re teaching girls that it’s okay to let someone treat them badly, to walk all over them. With Nice Guys, the problem is they don’t always make our hearts race or our pulse pound.

So which is better, the Bad Boy with his tough guy charm and bad-ass attitude? Or the Nice Guy who opens doors and brings his girl flowers?

As a writer, I have an opinion, a fairly strong one. We need them both. At least on paper. Because here’s the deal: how boring would it be if all the guys we read about were cut from the same cloth? How predictable would books be if all the men were just a cookie cutter mold of the last? Blech!

(Really, do they come any nicer than Lloyd Dobler in Say Anything?)

And let me just clarify, in real life I love my nice guy husband who carries in my groceries and makes sure my car has gas before I leave. I also like that he doesn’t let me walk all over him. Because, let's face it, there’s a HUGE difference between the Nice Guy and the Simpering Wimp.

But when I’m reading, I want to be surprised; I want the Bad Boys gone good, the Nice Guys turned bad, and everything in between. I don’t always want to know which is which.


And here’s my answer to the argument that we’re teaching girls to let a man control her by reading about the Bad Boys: It’s fiction, people. Fiction! Make-believe is fun, as long as you make sure they understand the distinction.

So you tell me, which do you prefer? The sweet, endearing Nice Guy or the down-and-dirty Bad Boy?


To get you guys chatting, I’m giving away a signed copy of THE BODY FINDER, along with a swag pack, including a TBF totebag, bracelets, stickers, and signed bookmarks.

To enter, please leave a comment about your favorite Nice Guy or Bad Boy character.

Here are ALL the ways you can earn points:

+1 Posting in the comments section (even if you can't come up with NG v. BB)
+1 Linking to this post on Twitter
+1 Linking to this post on Facebook
+1 Linking to the Supernatural Underground blog on your own blog/website

Be sure to total the number of points you’ve earned in your comment (I don't want to do the math!). The winner will be announced in this post tomorrow.

Contest ends tonight at midnight!