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Author Interview & Giveaway: Victoria Foyt


Hello there! As part of a virtual book tour I'm participating in (check below for more stops and giveaways)...

....please welcome Victoria Foyt!

About the story:

Synopsis:
Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl. If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation—her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her. But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm—and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land. Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.
-goodreads.com (click cover to add to your TBR list)


What inspired you to write this story?
The post-apocalyptic scenario in Revealing Eden (Save The Pearls Part One) grew from my deep concern about the loss of our natural environment. I wondered what would happen if global warming turned today’s prevailing beauty standards upside down. Since Caucasians have less melanin in their skin to protect them from the sun’s burning rays, the majority of their race is wiped out in the Great Meltdown. The survivors are branded as inferior Pearls. Dark-skinned people, or Coals, who have more resistance to the Heat, now rule society. Eden Newman, a lithe blue-eyed blonde, who would be considered gorgeous in our day, has to beg for a mate or suffer an early death. The direction in which my wonderings took me greatly surprised me, as it often does.
As a Pearl, Eden’s sees herself as ugly and inferior to others. Here, I tapped into my feelings about race and beauty, which began with an incident in elementary school. One day, as I stood at the front of the school waiting for my mother, a boy leaned out of the window of a departing bus and hurled a racial slur at me. It wasn’t even about my race! But it stung all the same. Perhaps because of that moment, I never felt beautiful. I focused on developing my mind and told myself I didn’t care about looks. Years later, when I starred in several indie films, I was flabbergasted by reviews that praised my beauty. To this day, I never have understood why appearance often matters more than character or intelligence.
Of course, Revealing Eden is also a great romance. I wanted to explore how I feel about love at this point in my life. When Eden unwittingly compromises her father’s secret biological experiment, she is cast out into the last patch of rainforest and into the arms of a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction to him. To survive, Eden must change, but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love. In writing her story, luckily, I also found a way to open my heart and find love.

I am very curious to know how beauty and race play a part in your story (as it does in real life - you are so beautiful by the by!). 
I absolutely love the last line of your response. 

What would you do if you were in Pearl's situation?
That’s a very good question! However, it’s almost impossible to answer. Until we suffer prejudice, perhaps we don’t really know how it would affect us. I greatly admire civil rights leaders who have withstood extreme situations and threats, and those who have had the courage to stand with them. I like to think that I would be brave if I was a Pearl, but I don’t know. Eden Newman begins as an insecure, oppressed girl, who is literally afraid of her own skin, until she is forced to change in order to survive.  Finally, she learns to embrace her unique beauty, and in the process, accepts love. In the sequels, Eden must rise to even greater challenges and becomes one hell of a she-cat! Fortunately, I get to experience her ride vicariously. But then, that’s one of the great pleasures of reading: by identifying with the protagonist, we can test our characters without leaving the comfort of our surroundings.

How very true. I wonder what I would do in her situation...

What's the best thing a reader said about your book or something you wish a reader said/felt when reading your book?
Honestly, the enthusiasm with which readers have received Revealing Eden (Save The Pearls Part One) floors me! The Examiner.com said that the “story will haunt readers, rendering them to ponder over the concept hours after they finish the novel.” I really hope it does, and maybe, if only a little, change how we think about others and the environment. A small confession: It tickles me whenever readers comment on how hot Bramford is because I had so much fun conjuring him.

I truly enjoy books that change my way of thinking. I'm now quite curious about Bramford haha

Are there any T.V shows or songs that remind you of your book (this is partially a T.V addict site after all)?
Gilligan’s Island? Or Survivor? When Eden unwittingly compromises her father’s secret biological experiment, perhaps mankind’s only hope, she is cast out—into the last patch of rainforest and also the arms of a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction to him. Kind of, sort of, huh?

Gilligan's Island and Survivor? Oooh interesting. And yes, kind of haha 



About the author:

What kind of person do you consider yourself to be?
I straddle two extremes in a very logical, levelheaded, but romantic way: I’m both deeply analytical and also, highly creative. Fortunately, I’m also a homebody, because a writer’s isn’t very social. Mostly, I think I’m a grateful person. That sounds like a pushover, but I simply mean that I don’t take things in my life for granted. Life has broken my habit of expectation! But perhaps the most salient characteristic I have is my deep abiding addiction to dark chocolate. 

Dark chocolate is the best and healthier than other chocolates. Being grateful is certainly something precious. 

Are you working on anything else right now (a book, restoring a car, etc.)?
I’m really enjoying writing the sequel, Adapting Eden (Save The Pearls Part Two). It’s a trip getting inside Eden’s beastly head. I’m also learning Italian—what a beautiful language. That, and about a million other things! Really, sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with my life. 

Wonderful! I read a few reviews with readers wanting to know more about Eden. 
I'm actually learning Japanese, which is a bit easier to learn after being fluent in Spanish. 
Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
I’m blown away by videos of Eden Newman on www.SaveThePearls.com, and the videos that people have uploaded to this amazing site. It’s very different from anything I’ve seen. And I love to hear from readers! Please visit me at VictoriaFoyt.com or at Facebook.com/VictoriaFoyt.

Thank you for the interview!!


GIVEAWAY

1 Physical copy of:
Revealing Eden: Save the Pearls Part One (Save the Pearls #1) by Victoria Foyt

Details: 
US only.
Fill out form.
Extra entries + 2 (in the comments): have you ever experienced prejudice or seen it happen?
Deadline: February 11, 2012


Extras:
~~T.V and Book Addict~~
Posted by T.V and Book Addict Time: 9:00 AM
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Satan'sLoveChild said...

great interview!

January 30, 2012 5:24 PM

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