Untouched Blog Tour: Q&A with Jus Accardo plus Giveaway

We are super excited to have the lovely Jus Accardo today on the blog. She’s the author of Touch (a Denazen Series Novel), an absolutely fabulous book that Patricia read last year. Untouched which is a novella from Kale’s POV, will be out on March 27^th  in e-book format. So we’ve asked Jus to answer a few questions and she has kindly agreed to do so. So without further delay here we go…

Jus: Thanks for having me J !

Two Chicks: For those out there who’ve not read Touch, can you tell us what it’s about?

Jus: Short and sweet version: A seventeen year old adrenalin junkie goes on the run with her father’s best assassin, igniting a war between the company that owns him, and a rogue group trying to bring them down.

Two Chicks: How did you decide that you wanted to write a book in the paranormal genre?

Jus: I’ve always loved the paranormal, and I’ve always loved to write. It was a no-brainer. Other than several horse and dog themes stories I wrote as a child (horrible, horrible stories that will forever stay locked away in a box that’s hidden in a lose floor board of a secret room), everything I’ve ever written has been infused with some kind of paranormal. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Two Chicks: What made you want to write Untouched as a novella for this series?

Jus: I really had never given any thought to writing a novella. My editor and agent suggested I do one, and the rest is history!

Two Chicks: And we are so happy that you did! How did you come up with the titles for the Denazen series (Touch, Untouched and Toxic so far)?

Jus: TOUCH was born with the help of my crit partner, Heather. It was originally titled REAPER (those of you who have read it will understand why ;) ) But with so many books floating around at the time it was being queried about reapers, she thought it gave agents the wrong idea—which she was totally right about.

UNTOUCHED was born from the genius of my editor, Liz. She’d asked me for title suggestions and I had nothing. Like, echo in a large stadium kind of nothing. Crickets, dead air, yadda yadda—you get the picture. She suggested UNTOUCHED and it was like, BAM. There it is.

And TOXIC… *huge grin* Toxic just kind of named itself. And it is perfect. Its literal, it’s symbolic… I can’t wait to hear what readers think!

(Two Chicks: We can’t wait to read it!!)

Two Chicks: Who was your favorite character to write and why? Who was your least favorite or gave you the most trouble?

Jus: Dez was my fave to write hands down. She’s everything I wish I’d been at her age. Confident, self reliant, and brave. Writing her was the most fun I’ve had with a character in a long time.

If I had to pick a hardest, I’d have to say writing UNTOUCHED from Kale’s POV gave me the most trouble. And it’s not so much that it was hard… Dez and Kale are so different—which is one of the things I love about them as a couple. But going from Dez to Kale was a bit of a shock to my system. Kale isn’t snarky and views things in a totally different—almost pure—way. It definitely took me a pass or two until I was happy with it.

Two Chicks: Do you ever get writer’s block and if so how do you deal with that?

Jus: It happens—though thankfully not a lot. When I do find my brain all stopped up, I either listen to music or go for a run. Sometimes I bake, but I try to avoid that. It usually involves chocolate cupcakes and I’m the only one who eats chocolate in this house… Do the math… Yeah.

Two Chicks: What are you working on now?

Jus: I’ve just wrapped up the first book in a new series, and now I’m working on the second novella in the Denazen series—which has been SO much fun. It’s about a character who isn’t Dez or Kale. Anyone wanna guess?

Two Chicks: What do you do when you’re not writing?

Jus: I love to cook, and I get out with the dogs and go hiking behind the house whenever the weather allows it. I’m also a huge gamer geek. I’ve been playing World of Warcraft since like right after it came out. :D

We want to know you better questions:

Two Chicks: Do you believe love can last forever?

Jus: I really think it can—if the right two people find each other! I was very lucky, I found my forever person when I was only eighteen.

Two Chicks: If you could learn any language, which would you choose and why?

Jus: I’d learn Italian. I know a few choice words—none of them useable in polite company—and would love to learn more. I have tons of family in Naples and I’d love to go there one day and be able to chit chat :D

Two Chicks: If you could have dinner with any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Jus: Hmm. I’m gonna go with Poe. I love the dark stuff and he made such a strong impression on me when I was a kid. I’d love to buy him a sandwich and a beer and pick his brain a bit.

Two Chicks: Who is your favorite cartoon character?

Jus: Stitch!

Two Chicks: What is the last book you read?

Jus: I finished Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones a few weeks ago and I’m currently reading Doubletake by Rob Thurman. (both awesome and you should check them out if you haven’t already!!!)

Two Chicks: Chocolate or vanilla?

Jus: Both—smushed together! Come on, admit it. Everyone loves ice cream soup!

Two Chicks: Breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Jus: Well, I’m allergic to eggs so that limits breakfast, and I’m not usually hungry till after four so definitely dinner.

Two Chicks: Sunrise or sunset?

Jus: You can’t beat facing an awesome sunrise as the day stretches out before you.

Two Chicks: Cats or dogs?

 Jus: Dogs. I’m pro shelter dogs all the way. I have three large, lazy ones of my own and I couldn’t see my life without them! (go out and adopt a dog!)

Untouched 

(A Denazen Novella 1.5)

Author: Jus Accardo

Release Date:  March 27th, 2012

ePub ISBN: 978‐1‐62061‐116‐6

Publisher:  Entangled Publishing

Until he met Dez, Kale’s days were filled with violence and death. He was used as a weapon of destruction by the power hungry men of Denazen. He’s a Six. A person with an abnormal ability. Some people call them gifts, but not Kale. Kale’s touch means instant death.
But now there’s Dez, the girl he can touch, and they’re hunting down Sixes and warning them about Denazen. Kale is learning about the world outside captivity and trying to put his dark past behind him. But they underestimated how badly Denazen wanted him back.
When Dez sacrifices herself to save the new Six they’d rescued from falling into the corp’s hands, Kale is lost. Denazen has brought out its best to get the job done. Samsen, a nightmare from Kale’s past—the only person he’s ever truly feared—has come for them, and it soon becomes obvious he has his own twisted agenda.
Kale will need all his training to get Dez back and ensure they make it out, free—and alive. But will it be enough?

Add Untouched to your TBR pile on Goodreads Touch, the first novel in the Denazen series, is set to re-release in mass market on June 12^{th (}Complete with additional scenes from Kale’s POV!). You can pre-order your copy here.

Toxic (Denazen 2) hits shelves on September 11^th 2012

Give Jus a yell on Twitter, or visit her on Facebook, and her website. 

If you like to win an e-book of Untouched be sure to enter below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway