Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Finalist #3

Our third finalist is C.A. Marshall


Tell us about your book:
A teen girl movie stunt double meets Indiana Jones in a steampunk island of Atlantis. Plus kissing.

Why do you want to attend Backspace?
My nearest bookstore is over an hour away. Getting to meet my twitter friends would be amazing. I'd love to find an agent match too!

Are you afraid to eat lunch with a Shark?
[Insert cliche 'depends if I'm on the menu or not,' but] generally, no. And I'd totally dispute page number placement in a manuscript.

West Side Story: Jets or Sharks?
I've not seen the movie (I haven't seen Star Wars/Star Trek/Die Hard either) but can I be on team swishy dresses?

If you could save the life of any one fictional character who would it be and why?
Sirius Black, hands down.

Is there a book that makes you think, "If I could write one thing like that, I’d die happy."
Something with the heart of Austen, fandom of Rowling, and prolificness (and humor!) of Pratchett. But I'd die happy with just one of those.

What's the most terrifying thing you've lived through? 
I was eleven when my mom died and I didn't know if other family would take me in. Being young and unwanted is the worst.

When you're published, what will you do to Pay It Forward? 

I'd sponsor author/reader couch-to-5k programs and puppy adoptions. :)

37 comments:

Sarah W said...

This is the first time I've commented on a finalist, but I have to now.

I not only want to read this book, I want to hang out with its writer. Austen, Pratchett, Sirius Black, and couch-to-5k writing program?

Do you have a blog?

Laura Hughes, MittensMorgul said...

I love these answers! Your book sounds fantastic, and I'd like to join you on Team Swishy Dresses. Where do I sign up?

M.V.Freeman said...

Congrats!!
And I totally agree about Sirius Black...
:)

Brandon said...

Yay!

You're saving Sirius, I'm saving Lupin. Sounds good to me!

DeadlyAccurate said...

That sounds like a really awesome book that I'd enjoy.

Ann Landsberger said...

Swishy dresses, steampunk, and puppies, oh my! Congrats! Love your voice!

Jessa Russo said...

Yay!! Congratulations!!! I've been waiting patiently (read: very IMpatiently) for a name I'm familiar with so I can say that one of my blogging/Twitter buddies made it to the finals!!! I'm so happy for you!! And I too love your answers.

Ps I really thought I was the only one who hadn't seen the movie. I suggest keeping it that way. Lol *ducks head*

Keylocke said...

Couch to 5k program for writers/readers is brilliant. Get on that, will ya?

Congrats to you. I agree--great voice and fun answers.

Brandi M. Lynch said...

Okay, everyone pick a HP character to save! There's plenty to go around!

Alantis and steampunk...let's go!

Congrats on making it to the finals and good luck!

Colin Smith said...

Congrats, C.A.! And great answers. I think I would have picked Snape too.

Question for Janet: Can we be sure that the committee has managed to select a winner? ;)

Dana said...

Congratulations, C.A.!

I think you must be an extraordinary human being to have survived the death of your mother and the uncertainty of having a home, especially at such a young age - I commend you for bravery and resilience, and I've no doubt those qualities will take you far in life.

Best wishes and best of luck.

ProfeJMarie (Janet Rundquist) said...

Yay C.A! I really love your description of your novel - plus totally with you on Sirius.

Angelica R. Jackson said...

Congratulations, C.A.! And Pratchett and Rowling are a great pair to aspire to.

sbjames said...

Sirius would have been my answer too. Congrats- your book sounds awesome. Now, really,you ought to watch Star Wars someday- start with the latest three and work back- there's some cheesy acting but concentrate on Obi Wan- I always thought he could've been a great, heroic, literary character.

Cindy C said...

Congratulations, C.A.! Another book I'd love to read.

Lanette said...

You haven't seen Star Wars? I might have to take a minute to get over my personal devestation.

Okay, I think I'm fine now, but if you haven't seen "The Holy Grail", I'm breaking up with you.

Lisa Gomley said...

Congratulations C.A.! I love your answers...especially puppy adoptions and that you did not see Star Wars. I think we are a small minority.

And another book that sounds interesting. It looks like I am going to be busy adding to my TBR stack. I will probably have to get bookshelves like Liz Norris has for hers.

Barbara said...

C. A., will you marry me in a totally platonic way?

Now go watch West Side Story.

Hooray couch to 5K - my salvation!

Shelley Watters said...

Congrats on being a finalist Cass! Having read (part) of this book, I can completely understand why it made finalist. It is freaking awesome. (Which, by the way, I want to read the rest! Send send send already!)

Sarah said...

Congrats! I would totally save Sirius too, but I'd try to save Lupin while I was at it.

I read part of this over at Cupid's Agent Invasion. You're sure to get an agent soon! Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Congrats! I love your voice! It even comes through in your answers. If that carries through in your MS, I'm sure it's awesome.

Best of luck on the road to publication!

P.S. Why has no one said Dumbledore? I heart Dumbledore --he was the only character I cried over. Seriously --tears on the page.

Brent Stratford said...

Congratulations. I just started reading my first steampunk novel and am really enjoying it.

Best of luck

The Writer Librarian said...

I'm with Sarah W.--you had me at Terry Pratchett.

West Side Story is worth a watch, especially for Natalie Wood's speech at the end.

elizabeth norris said...

EEE! Congrats and yay Kissing! Austen! and puppy adoptions!

Also, I sobbed at what happened to Sirius Black. For a while I even kept saying I wasn't going to read the rest of the books, but I had to.

Charley said...

No, no, save Lord Voldemort! Drama demands superb supervillains and authors keep killing them off. Protect this endangered species!

(I'll crawl back under my rock now.)

(And "medusi" is one of my robot words. Good timing for Rowling references.)

Janet Reid said...

ohhh Colin, now something of that level of evil had not really occurred to me before!

thank you for giving me the idea!

*adds note to book on How To Torture Writers for Gleeful Self-Amusement, Not To Mention Fun and Profit*

Lanette said...

*Thumps Colin in the head.*

Julie said...

Congrats, C.A.! Also, I love team swishy dresses

The Busy Author said...

I don't understand how you can compare your plot to Indiana Jones yet you have not seen Star Wars.

I'm just speechless.

Editor Cassandra said...

Thank you sooo sooo sooo much, guys! Your comments have brought me to tears several times today. I hope that one day you all will get to read THE STARS FELL SIDEWAYS!

*You like my book! You really like my book! SQUEEEEE!*

HUGE thanks to Janet and Liz and everyone behind the scenes for this opportunity!

*Holy effin' coconuts! A finalist!*

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Insert cliche'
"You had me at your answers."

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

I just read C A's web page. She's adorable AND smart. What a combo.

LN said...

Congratulations! I loved your answer about author/ reader couch-to-5k programs :)

Rick Anderson said...

Great job on making it to the finals!

Jennifer said...

Congratulations on being a finalist!
My 12-year-old daughter and I are both looking forward to reading your book.

Your comments and log line put me in mind of something the Cat in the Hat said, "We can have fun that is funny!"

Gypmar said...

I'm just going to go ahead and say ditto to the entirety of the first comment on this thread from Sarah W.

Editor Cassandra said...

Thank you all so so so much!

Gypmar & Sarah W, my blog can be found at camarshall.com

I'm getting more and more nervous as the other finalists are announced. There are some seriously fab writers so far!

Every day I wake up and do a little dance when I realize that this contest is still real. I hope all of you guys, even the blue and grey bands, get to feel this one day!