Two Chicks On Books: Blog Tour- NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE by Amy K. Nichols and a Giveaway!

Hey y'all! I have an awesome music post from Amy K. Nichols, author of the awesome NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE and of course I've included my favorite YouTube videos. Oh and stick around for the giveaway!
Haven't heard of NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE Check it out!

Title: NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE

Author: Amy K. Nichols

Pub. Date: December 9, 2014

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Pages: 304

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon /Barnes & Noble /Goodreads

In a parallel universe, the classic bad boy falls for the class science geek.

One minute Danny was running from the cops, and the next, he jolted awake in an unfamiliar body--his own, but different. Somehow, he's crossed into a parallel universe. Now his friends are his enemies, his parents are long dead, and studious Eevee is not the mysterious femme fatale he once kissed back home. Then again, this Eevee--a girl who'd rather land an internship at NASA than a date to the prom--may be his only hope of getting home.

Eevee tells herself she's only helping him in the name of quantum physics, but there's something undeniably fascinating about this boy from another dimension . . . a boy who makes her question who she is, and who she might be in another place and time.

And, coming soon, Duplexity, Part II: While You Were Gone flips this story on its head and tells the tale of the alternate Danny and the alternate Eevee, living in Danny's parallel world.

Praise for Now That You're Here:

"The perfect blend of sci-fi and swoons, Now That You're Here is like no other book I've read. Riveting, romantic and utterly original, it kept me up late!" --Amie Kaufman, author of These Broken Stars

"Dynamic, dizzying, and downright daring, Now That You're Here kept me guessing until the end, and ready for the next." --Shannon Messenger, author of Let the Sky Fall

"Nichols infuses the story with a smattering of science fiction and science fact, while making a welcome departure from the stereotype of the book-smart outcast trying to fit in. These geeks own their intelligence like a badge of honor, using science to help a friend and explore strange new worlds. Riveting in its own right, the story sets the stage for a mirror-image sequel, which will follow the other Danny and Eevee." -- Publishers Weekly, STARRED

"While the world-jumping is fantastical, the personalities and characters (fully individual, without reaching trying-too-hard levels of quirkiness) ring true.... A debut with great characters and huge nerd appeal." -- Kirkus Reviews

Check out the book trailer!

Now on to the post!

The Music that Influenced NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE

Music plays a huge part in my writing process. I always write with my headphones on, listening to a song chosen to fit whatever I’m writing. As I was writing NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE, I built a playlist of songs that fit the tone and feeling of the chapters and scenes. Every time I sat down to write, I’d find the song that fit the part of the story I was writing, and I’d listen to it on repeat until I was finished with that scene or chapter.

That might sound strange, listening to the same song on repeat, but I’ve found after a couple of times through, my conscious mind starts to ignore the music (and words, if there are any), and the song begins to function on a subconscious level. It’s like it disappears into the background, but the feeling of the song informs and influences what I’m writing.

The songs vary from rock to quirky love ballads. And certain songs emerged as sort of “theme songs” for the characters and even the worlds. The theme song for the universe Danny comes from is “The Beginning of the End” by Nine Inch Nails. The song for Eevee’s world, where Danny jumps to, is “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire. The theme song of the their relationship is either “One Headlight” by The Wallflowers or “Satellite” by Guster.

I remember driving in the car one day and I heard “Stay” by Rihanna for the first time. I listened to the words in awe. It was like she’d written Danny’s and Eevee’s story. That’s easily the theme song for the book.

Danny’s theme song is definitely “Starlight” by Muse. He’s a traveler, far from home. Eevee’s character was harder to pin down, and so was her theme song. She’s thoughtful and methodical, and the song “Walking Man” by Zoe Keating fits her well.

As the story progresses and they run into trouble, I chose songs with a greater amount of tension, both musically and lyrically. “We Used to Wait” by Arcade Fire. “Panic Switch” by Silversun Pickups. “Bleeding” by Sixpence None the Richer. That became Eevee’s song when she thinks all is lost. And I fear that you’ve gone away, but you must be somewhere near… Danny’s became “Work” by Jars of Clay. I have no fear of drowning, it’s the breathing that’s taking all this work. Do you know what I mean when I say I don’t want to be alone? Such great lyrics. And that’s totally Danny when he finds himself facing the unknown.

It’s funny: even now when I hear these songs—long after the book has been written—my mind jumps right back to the chapter or scene, and my writing brain gets twitchy.

You can listen to all of the songs mentioned here and more on the Spotify playlist I created for NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, and I hope you have as much fun reading NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE as I did writing it. Thanks for listening and reading!

Spotify link: https://play.spotify.com/user/12165619886/playlist/6ejIudegmcrJXYA2WkGj70

Thanks for sharing Amy!!!

About Amy:

Amy K. Nichols lives on the edge of the Phoenix desert with her husband and children. In the evenings, she enjoys sitting outside, counting bats and naming stars. Sometimes she names the bats. NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE is her first novel. Visit her online at amyknichols.com.

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr/Pinterest/Goodreads/Class of 2K14

Giveaway Details:

10 winners will receive a hardcover of NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE and swag. US and Canada Only.

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Check out the Tour Schedule for more awesome posts!