I am very pleased to welcome Jeri Smith-Ready to BCC today as part of my All Hallows Eve event. Jeri is the author of adult as well as young adult novels: WVMP Radio series (adult) and Shade series (YA). You can read Laura’s review of Shade here.
Jeri lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound.
So please give a warm welcome to Jeri…
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Thanks so much for having me at Book Chick City for your All Hallows Eve event! I’m thrilled to be here.
Halloween season is my favorite time of the year. Yes, I said “Halloween season,” because for me, the fun and anticipation lasts all month. I get cranky when Christmas decorations appear in stores before November 1. Really cranky.
Why? Because Halloween is the time of year when it’s okay to think about the dark side. For someone who writes about that stuff, it’s nice to be normal for a month (more normal than usual, anyway).
The holiday has become a bit controversial here in the States, with some folks saying, “It’s the work of Satan!” Others reply, “No, it’s just harmless fun, a chance to eat candy and play dress-up.”
My opinion, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle.
Halloween is about the darkest parts of our lives: fear and death. More importantly, fear OF death. When the ancient Celts celebrated Halloween’s forerunner, Samhain, they believed that on that night, the barriers between this world and the next were thinnest. The dead might be able to speak to the living, maybe even walk among us.
If that were reality, nothing would freak me out more. But I can handle it in fiction. After all, I write about ghosts. In SHADE, the main character Aura and everyone younger can see and talk to the dead. Some ghosts are friendly, some are dangerous, and most are in between (i.e., annoying).
Near the beginning of SHADE, Aura’s boyfriend Logan dies and becomes a ghost. He definitely falls near the friendly end of the ghost spectrum. Until he gets mad, and then everything is put at risk, including Aura’s life and his very soul.
But even when Logan’s a scary ghost, Aura still loves him. I still love him. Hopefully readers still love him, because they see the grief, regret, and frustration he feels over losing everything.
So I guess you could say I’ve tamed my fear of ghosts by creating one who’s a real human with real problems, not just a spooky spirit slamming doors and giving me a heart attack.
Halloween works the same way—it lets us play with our fear of death and our fear of the dark. By reading (or writing) a book, or by celebrating Halloween, we can turn that monster under the bed into a friend. We can even turn them into us.
That’s what fantasy—whether in a book or real life—is all about. It’s not just an escape from the mundane. It’s also a way to face our fears without getting ourselves killed, maimed, or arrested.
So while it’s neither Satanic nor harmless, sometimes Halloween is just what we need to feel safe and human. I hope you have a wonderful one!
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For the record, Jeri has never been arrested for walking through a cemetery at night, but she and her friends were soundly scolded by a cop, if that counts.
Thanks Jeri!
You can find out more about Jeri and her books here:
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GIVEAWAY!
I have TWO (2) copies of Shade to giveaway away thanks to Simon & Schuster.
All you have to do to enter is the following:
1. Read BCC’s giveaway policy
2. Leave a comment for the author
3. Fill out this form
4. One entry per person please
That’s it! This giveaway is open to UK residents only (publisher’s request) and ends 31st Oct.
GOOD LUCK!
14 Comments
Hi
Thank you to Carolyn for having Jeri here and thanks to Jeri for sharing.
I think there's a story in that graveyard scolding…
All the best,
RKCharron
PS – DO NOT ENTER ME IN CONTEST
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Awesome interview! Now, I am drooling my face off over here to get my hands on this!!! I love love love pararom and Halloween Season always gets me tearing through them in bulk!
BookChick! I LOVE the Halloween theme for your blog
I smile every time I look at it. Too cute.
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I agree that this season is the best time of the year. I love autumn the best of all the seasons, thus Samhain and Halloween are my "holidays". Maybe that is why I am drawn to the genre…..?
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I agree, I love Halloween season. I usually start getting a few new decorations here and there starting in September and break out our decorations from the garage the first week in October. I love watching my kids anticipation all month long
This book sounds really good and is now a must read for me 
Thanks for the chance to win
june111@att.net
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Hello and thanks again for having me to Book Chick City! Hope everyone enjoys their Halloween to the fullest.
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Hi,
Shade sounds really unique and the perfect book for Halloween. I'd love to read it.
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I really would like to know how this book ends!
taffy(dot)lovell@gmail.com
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Great interview!
I'm just wanting to read this book more and more now 
Just in time for Halloween 
Jeri Smith is a new added favorite author of mine, thanks
jessicallwright(at)gamil(dot)com
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great post Jeri! I have Shade on my wishlist!
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Hi Jeri – It was my pleasure – thanks for being a guest!
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Great interview!
I've wanted to read this for aages!
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Thanks for the great interview! I've heard so many amazing things about 'Shade' that I can't wait to read it.
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I've heard great things about this book. I'm always on the lookout for a new series!
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Thanks for the great interview and I agree Halloween is the best time of the year.
Thanks for running this great competition too.
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