DEBUT AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Kim Curran “Shift” (YA Sci-Fi) + Giveaway (Ends 08/09/12)
‘Debut Author Spotlight’ is a new feature here at Book Chick City. We will be showcasing a debut author each week from the genres of horror, urban fantasy and paranormal romance. We will give you all the relevant book information as well as an insight into the author.
THE AUTHOR
Kim was born in Dublin and moved to London when she was seven. She got her first typewriter when she was eight, had a poem she wrote about a snail published in a magazine when she was nine, and that was it – Kim was hooked on writing. Because she never thought she’d actually be able to make a living as a writer, she decided she needed a trade to fall back on. So, naturally, she went to Sussex University to study philosophy. While Kim’s plan of being paid big bucks to think deep thoughts never quite worked out, she did land a job as a junior copywriter with an ad agency a week after graduating. She’s worked in advertising ever since, specialising in writing for videogames.
THE BOOK
RELEASE DATE: 4th Sept 2012 | PUBLISHER: Strange Chemistry | GENRE: Sci-Fi, Young Adult
When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he’s not so average after all. He’s a ‘Shifter’. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.
THE INTERVIEW
Hi Kim, welcome to Book Chick City. So, what’s SHIFT about?
Shift is about a 16-year old boy called Scott Tyler who discovers he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. And he’s not the only one. There are other kids out there that have the same power as him. Shifters. After learning he has this power he joins a covert government organisation set up to regulate and train Shifters and he finally feels like he’s found his place in life. Only then… well, you’ll have to read it to find out. 
Tell us a bit more about the hero/heroine.
Scott is shy, self-depreciating and quite funny. Although often without meaning to be. In many ways, he’s your average 16-year old boy. Or at least he thinks he is. As well as learning he has this weird quantum power, he also leans he has hidden strength he didn’t know about. I also like to think he’s quite cute, although he doesn’t realise it. Which is just how it should be!
How did you research SHIFT?
I did a fair bit of research into the quantum physics that inspired the story, in particular the Double Slit Experiment. Luckily, I love all that stuff, so reading about it was great fun. I also checked the premise with a friend of mine who is a professor of physics. So that helped. Other than that, all the locations are adaptations of places I know, so there wasn’t much research needed there.
Is SHIFT the first in a series or a stand alone novel?
It’s the first in a series. I have written the first draft of the second one, and have a third planned.
When is your favourite time to write?
I work best in the morning. I wake up filled with ideas and lock myself away to write.
Where is your favourite place to write?
It’s a toss up between my study and the top of a bus. The former, because I have all my things around me how I like (although I share it with my husband and he tends to move things!). The latter as I find the distractions of being on a bus strangely soothing and liberating.
What was the last book you read and enjoyed?
I’ve just finished E C Myer’s Fair Coin and thought it was brilliant. It deals with a similar premise to Shift (what if you could change your decisions?) but handles it in a very different way.
Which authors do you admire?
Lauren Buekes, Patrick Ness, Neil Gaiman, William Gibson, Nick Harkaway.
Describe yourself in five words
Optimistic. Annoyingly chatty. Loyal. Driven.
What’s next?
After the sequel to Shift, I’ll be returning to a book I wrote in the space between finishing Shift and being picked up by Strange Chemistry. It’s currently called The Network. So I’ll get it completed and hope an editor out there is interested!
THE GIVEAWAY!
Kim is kindly giving away two copies of Shift to two lucky winners! This giveaway is open internationally and ends 8th September 2012
To enter please answer the following question: If you could undo one decision in your life, what would you change? Please leave your comment on this post and then fill out the form below.
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KIM CURRAN ONLINE
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35 Comments
WOW this book sounds fabulous!
Physics! Double Slit experiment! I’m currently studying that at school so this kind of relates to me. That’s a tough question…but I would have to say that I would have done more co-curricular activities at school, such as sport and music. (:
Thank you SO MUCH for the giveaway!
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What an amazing idea for a book. You have NO idea how often I’ve thought about what I would change if I could or if I could ‘go back!’
Trouble is when you REALLY think about it – some of the horrible stuff, if you un-did it… well I wouldn’t have the people I love the most in my life or at least they wouldn’t be the people they are now! And would I appreciate the people I have now as much if not for the horrible stuff…
So I reckon, my main and biggest regret, would have been to go on to art college rather than dropping out of school at 15 because of bullies.
The really bad stuff that happened after… I guess I’d lose to much if it hadn’t happened. Ooer – how deep!
Thanks for the chance to win
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Love the sound of this book, if I could change 1 thing, I would have studied harder and gone on to university.
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This book sounds awesome times ten! If I could undo one decision… I would have not trusted a certain friend with my secrets. Thanks for the giveaway!!
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I would go to college. Thanks for the giveaway.
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If I could undo something, as in going back, I’d pay more attention to what people I love say because I lost too many loved ones in the last few years and it hurts not being able to remember what they last told me..
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The only thing that I’d like to undo would be stop myself from stroking the dog that bit me when I was 9, because due to that one bite, I’ve spent half a year in a hospital and have scars that I’d like to get rid of.
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I would have started college right after high school.
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Sounds like a great book! That question.. Particularly, I don’t want to change anything because I’m pretty happy with my life. But If I have to choose, is to have never traveled so far with an unpleasent company.. I should have said no.
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If I do anything over in my life, I thing I would have fought more with my mother over her letting my Jr. H.S. tell her I wasn’t being allowed to attend Stuyvesant H.S. in Manhattan. I had place very high on the entry exams but because they said I talked to much in class they would give my seat to a known bully and junior criminal because he was from a “broken home”. Hell I was from a broken home also. Mommy dearest had only remarried the year before and I was annoyed. Her response to the Asst Principal and the Guidance Counselor still rankles to this day.
“You are professionals and must know what you are doing”…. this from the bitch who had me tested to see just how high my IQ was the year before and complained about the cost. So I would stand up to her in front of them and threaten to move back to grams house because she’d kick their butts over that b.s.
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Not care as much what other people think
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Great give away and a great question I guess l would have not decided that writing is what other people did for a living and not people like me. I would have worked harder at the subjects that could have helped me become a better writer and acturally believed that I could fulfill that dream By now I would be a best selling novelist and it would be my books in a give away just like this one.
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Would I change anything if I had Scott’s ability…probably not.
Don’t get me wrong, my life has been anything but perfect, but everything I’ve seen and done has made me who I am today, and I feel stronger for surviving.
Though it would be great to be able to eat chocolate and enjoy eating it…then make it so it never happened, but you would still have the memory, without the calories haha.
Cool concept and thanks for the giveaway!
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Thanks for this! If I could undo one decision…it would be to break up with my boyfriend in 2010. We got back together after 6 months…but it changed him, you know? It hurts me to think I broke him. My decision to split with him was not entirely because I didn’t love him anymore, there were other not-emotionally-related factors and I regret that.
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If I can undo one decision, I would not have ignored my best friend when I was 18 years old without giving her a reason. If I had talked things through with her, I might be a more sociable person. I would have a friend who speaks honestly to me. I really regret this mistake I made. And to think that I made the same mistake again 3 years later. I think I am hopeless.
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Stop focussing so much on what other people might have been thinking about me and stopping myself from enjoying myself.
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If I could undo one decision it would be to stay on at school and take my GCE’s. I left school to go out to work with very few qualifications and had to go back to college when I was in my 20′s and 30′s to sit them. Wish I’d have had the sense then to work harder and maybe I could have gone to university and had a good career.
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I WOULD NEVER HAVE MOVED TO THIS HOUSE THE NEIGHBOURS JUST DO WHAT THEY PLEASE
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I would have taken my a levels seriously
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tried harder at school which would have changed the rest of my life…..listened more..my daughters off to uni soon and its an opportunity I missed but at least I will see her sucess in life
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Interesting question.
I don’t think I would change anything though – being happy with your life the way it is now, and coming to peace with the decisions you have made, is the way to go I think!
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Only thing I might possibly change would be to have continued into further education, but then I wouldn’t be who I am today!
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The thing I would change is going to college ……. In fact I am now making that change and begin college on Monday! yay!
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Remortgaging the house for the sake of my wife’s daughter!
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I would have ended my past relationship much sooner!
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I would of not dropped out of college at 17
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What would I change………….I would have never looked back once I split up with my first love.
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I wouldn’t have waited so long to try and apologise to a friend after a silly arguement that ended up lasting years!
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I would have stood up for myself more, and not allowed certain people to hurt me. I would also have taken up regular exercise earlier instead of trying silly diets! And would have figured out what I wanted to study earlier. There’s also a certain hairdresser who I wouldnt let anywhere near me as she wrecked my hair! Although changing all that would have made me a different person today, so maybe that wouldn’t be a good idea, although I think if there was a way of trying it and then changing my mind I would definitely go for it!
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If I could undo something in my life I would undo a relationship with my previous partner
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I would not have taken a job at a bank, worst three years of my life!
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Starting smoking and drinking
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I would of had my kids younger
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My career choice
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Getting married the first time!
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