YA Horror/Thriller Spooktacular Day 20 - The Devil You Know + Giveaway

The interview I have laid out for you today is with an author I consider a good friend of mine so when I planned this whole feature out I knew that I had to include her new book, which is a huge jump from her previous novels.  Today, here to talk about her upcoming novel, is Trish Doller!

Peace, Love, Teen Fiction:  First things first, describe The Devil You Know in 10 words or less.

Trish Doller:  One girl, two boys, Florida wilderness, murder.

PLTF:  Your novel has a body count in the sense that people are dying over the course of the novel instead of just before it starts, what was it like writing those scenes?

TD:  I was pretty uncomfortable because I’m the kind of person who will catch bugs and lizards so I can release them outside, rather than see them die. So even harming fictional people was hard for me, but for this story it was necessary for keeping the tension ratcheting up.

PLTF:  Was there any real-life inspiration for the events in the book?

TD:  Not really. The story evolved from a road trip story I was kicking around with some leftover boys from abandoned projects as the main characters. Instead, Arcadia popped into my head and started telling me her story and it just worked out well that these boys could play a sinister part.

PLTF:  How did you go about building the suspense in the scenes that required it?

TD:  With a lot of luck, I think. Writing suspense was much harder than writing straight contemporary, so I relied a lot on my critique partners and editor to tell me when I needed more tension. It was a very slow process for me, and definitely a learning experience.

PLTF:  What’s next?

TD:  My next project is an adult novel about a young woman whose grief over losing her boyfriend to suicide sends her to sea in the boat he always wanted to sail. Writing this one is definitely more in my comfort zone than THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, but now I have an unknown audience.

Lightning round

1.  On a scale of 1 to 10 how scary is your book?

I’d say…6 maybe? I don’t think it’s super scary, although I’ve been told it is.

2.  If you were a character in your own book would you survive?

I’d like to think so.

3.  Favorite scary movie?

I am a big chicken when it comes to scary movies. Can I say Shaun of the Dead?!

4.  Favorite Halloween candy?

Kit Kat bars

5.  What were you last year for Halloween or what do you plan on being this year?

Last year I was Rosie the Riveter, not sure about this year.

This or That

1.  Road trip or stay at home?

Road trip

2.  Go out and party or stay in and read?

Stay in and read

3.  Thrillers or straight contemporary?

Straight contemporary

4.  Killing scenes or kissing scenes?

Kissing

5.  Tricks or treats?

Treats

Arcadia “Cadie” Wells has one primary goal in life –– to escape the sleepy Florida town where she was born and raised. Since her mother's death, she's sacrificed her boyfriend, her spot on the soccer team, and even her plans for the future to raise her little brother and help her still-grieving father. On a rare night out at a party at the local state park, Cadie meets a couple of good-looking tourists and impulsively agrees to join them on their road trip from one end of Florida to the other. But when their adventure goes tragically wrong, Cadie’s new goal is to make it home alive.

OUT JUNE 2, 2014

Find The Devil You Know on

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Trish Doller is the critically-acclaimed author of Something Like Normal. Something Like Normalwas chosen for the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list in 2013, as well named as an NPR Top 100 Teen Books finalist and 2o12 Goodreads Choice nominee. 

Trish's second novel, Where the Stars Still Shine, was longlisted for the 2014 Australian Silver Inky Awards and was a Winter 2013-14 Indie Next List pick. Printz Award-winning author Melina Marchetta calls Where the Stars Still Shine"heartbreaking and powerful".

Her third novel, The Devil You Know, will be released June 2, 2015 and she is currently writing her first adult novel.

Trish lives in Florida with her two dogs, two mostly-grown children, and a pirate.

Find Trish on

Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Her Website

Trish has generously donated an ARC of The Devil You Know for one lucky person to win 6 months early!  The giveaway will be open to the US and Canada and will run for two weeks!  All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway