Chloe Jacobs is a writer of YA fiction and she graciously agreed to an interview with me today, letting us know about her upcoming book Greta and the Goblin King, a “cross between Alice in Wonderland, Labyrinth and Hansel and Gretel”. Sounds exciting!
Chrys: Hi dear Chloe and welcome to my blog! Why don’t you tell us a few words about yourself first?
Chloe: Hi, and thanks for letting me visit! I’m really excited.
Chrys: What genre(s) do you write and why?
Chloe: I write young adult dark fantasy. Why? You know, I’ve never been asked that. I don’t think I ever really decided I was going to be a fantasy author, but that’s the story that came out of me. I suppose at some point I’ll decide to branch out and try something else as well, but for now I’m perfectly happy with it.
Chrys: What can you tell us about your writing projects and recent releases?
Chloe: I’m currently working on edits for the first book in my series for Entangled Publishing. It’s called GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING and I call it my cross between Alice in Wonderland, Labyrinth and Hansel and Gretel. It’s due to be released in late 2012.
Chrys: Tell us about your latest release (could include blurb, small excerpt like 200 words).
Chloe: While trying to save her brother from the witch’s oven three years ago, seventeen-year-old Greta was thrown into the fire herself, falling through a portal to a dangerous world where humans are the enemy, and every ogre, goblin, and ghoul has a dark side that comes out with the full moon.
To survive, Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, in fact, that she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young Goblin King, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her determination to escape.
But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. The full moon is mere days away, and an ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal. If Greta fails, she and the boys she finds stranded in the woods will die. If she succeeds, Greta will be forced to give up the only thing in this world worth keeping and, worse, no world will be safe from what follows her back…
Goblin King, by Candra
(http://candra.deviantart.com/art/Goblin-King-128498863)
(Not the book cover!)
Chrys: What gave you the idea for this book?
Chloe: You know, I can’t remember exactly what it was that got me started on this book, but I remember very clearly seeing Greta in my head. I knew she was tough, but lonely. Lost, but strong. I knew that the Goblin King wanted her…and that he wasn’t going to be the type of character to play fair.
Chrys: What is special about this book – what sets it apart?
Chloe: This book is special to me because it’s my first foray into writing YA. It’s so much fun and there are so many possibilities in YA. I’m having a really fantastic time!
Chrys: Do you have a favorite scene in the book?
Chloe: One of my favourite scenes is a pretty sad scene. It comes when Greta has just found her pater has been murdered, and she can’t keep the pain inside, even though it kills her to show any weakness in front of Isaac, the Goblin King. And then he surprises her—not by taking advantage of her like she thought he would, but by helping her.
Chrys: What kind of research did you do for this story?
Chloe: The only research I did was to review some fairytale lore. My books can (very loosely) be considered fairy tale re-tellings. Other than that, it all comes from here *taps forehead*
Chrys: Reading fairytales is valid research to me! 🙂 Where can people learn more about you and your writing?
Chloe: I’m online! Visit my website at www.chloejacobs.com and find me on twitter at www.twitter.com/Jacobs_Chloe
Thanks so much for letting me hang with you today!
Chloe Jacobs
Hi, Chloe *waves like a mad-woman* I can’t wait to read this. Woot! You and I research our books in much the same fashion. I take just enough to get the creative spark going. 🙂
I love reading YA, Chloe, and am a sucker for a good fairytale, so this book sounds fantastic!
Looking forward to reading it.
Sounds like a fun read, Chloe! I love the freedom in writing fantasy, and as a reader, the incredible escape it provides from the day to day reality we live in. Good luck with Greta and the Goblin King! Can’t wait to read it. 🙂
Thanks Rachel and Nicola! I am already chomping at the bit for this book to be finished and ready to get it out into the world! I LOVE it and hope everyone else will too!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Dude what an interesting mix for a story! Sounds like a fun and crazy ride . . . can’t wait!
Hi Chloe! Greta sounds awesome but it’s the Goblin King that has me intrigued. Is this a stand-alone book or will it be part of a series?
I am SO looking forward to Greta And The Goblin King, Chloe. I’m halfway in love with the Goblin King already!!
Hi Jessica, you’ve got it exactly right! There’s so much freedom in fantasy. The possibilities astound! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
Hi Rachel, it does sound like some crazy mix, doesn’t it? (And I’m not even sure it was on purpose – well, some of it, obviously LOL) Even so, it was a very organic story and it came out of me like this because it just…worked
Wylie, the Goblin King is all kinds of awesome (at least to me!) But he’s frustrating, and has a few things of his own to learn. I’m hoping to write a separate story just about him – from his point of view as a companion to the series.
Also, yes! This will be a series. Readers will see more of Greta and Isaac in book 2
Kimber, thanks so much! I’m so excited that others share my excitement already! (let’s hope that carries through my edits 🙂
You had me at fairy tales, Labyrinth, and Alice in Wonderland. It’s like a cocktail of my favorite things!
Your writing journey sounds like so much fun, Chloe! And I love fairy tale retellings. So much fodder for great stories there! 🙂
Thanks, Kateeatee and Tracy!
Oh I love Labyrinth!!! Can’t wait to read this one!
Great interview!
Lisa 🙂
Great interview! Can’t wait to read this book. I adored Labyrinth as a kid!!