This content was originally posted on www.thebooksweread.com as part of the Stitch Blog Tour in 2012.
Samantha Durante: Hi everyone! This is Samantha Durante, author of Stitch, and I’m here today with the star of the Stitch trilogy, Alessa, to kick off the tour! This is our very first blog tour and we’re SUPER excited to get to know everyone on tour schedule. Alessa, do you want to give everyone a rundown of our plans?
Alessa Khole: Sure thing. We’ve got a stop (or two) planned every day between now and October 31st, and along the way we’ll be doing author and character interviews, blogger reviews, and guest posts about everything from the writing and publishing process to what to expect in the next book.
Samantha: And don’t forget about the giveaways! There will be lots and lots of giveaways!
Alessa: Yes, and the giveaways. Oh, should we tell them about the break?
Samantha: Oh, yeah, good call. So the last two weeks in September, we’ll be going on what I’m calling a “honeymoon hiatus.” You see, I’m getting married on September 15th (T-30 days!!!) –
Alessa: (Rolling eyes playfully) If I hear one more word about farm tables or flower arrangements or favors, I’m seriously going to vom.
Samantha: (Apologetic smile) We’re kind of in wedding overdrive right now, sorry. But basically, expect a lot of excitement towards the middle of September, and then I’m ducking out for a couple weeks so that I don’t miss any of the action while I’m away on my honeymoon!
Alessa: And I’m going to take a well-deserved vacation as well.
Samantha: (Sympathetic grimace) You’ve had a rough year – sorry about that.
Alessa: No kidding.
Samantha: Do you want to talk about it?
Alessa: Not really. (sighs) But I guess we should probably give everyone an overview of what to expect in the book.
Samantha: Want me to do it?
Alessa: No, that’s okay, I will. (deep breath) So, basically, as the book starts, I’m a college student, a freshman actually, and things aren’t going so well for me… I lost my parents suddenly only a few months before the semester started, I’m having trouble adjusting to my new school, and on top of it, there’s a ghost haunting my sorority house.
Samantha: And don’t forget about the nightmares.
Alessa: Ugh, how could I? And I’m having these horrible recurring nightmares about being locked up in a tiny jail cell while I wait to be subjected to some kind of awful torture. So things aren’t going great.
Samantha: Tell them about how the ghost makes you feel.
Alessa: (exhales) It’s almost indescribable, really. It’s like, I’m really scared – heart pounding, head throbbing, goosebumps all over, you name it – but at the same time, there’s this crazy magnetic pull that I can’t seem to shake. And those eyes…
Samantha: (sighs) Those eyes…
Alessa: (gazes wistfully for a moment) So anyway, the ghost is a guy about my age, and he just has these incredible blue eyes and I can’t stop thinking about him even though seeing him makes me terrified and sad and hopeless and just generally a wreck.
Samantha: And then what happens?
Alessa: Umm… I’m not supposed to give away any spoilers, right?
Samantha: No.
Alessa: Okay… Well, then I guess all I can say is that eventually I realize that nothing that I think I’m seeing is actually what I’m seeing. I’m not a student, he’s not a ghost, and both of us are in a LOT more danger than either of us could ever have possibly imagined. I know that’s cryptic, but what else can I say?
Samantha: You can’t really say much more.
Alessa: (mischievous grin) I guess you guys will just have to read it to find out! (wink wink)
Samantha: (laughing) Alright, well I think that’s all the time we have for today. We invite you guys to follow us through the rest of the tour – you can find the full schedule here.
Alessa: If you want to get notifications about the events each day, just hit the Like button on Samantha’s Facebook page or the Stitch Facebook page.
Samantha: And don’t forget to enter today’s giveaway! We’ve got 3 e-book copies of Stitch up for grabs!
Alessa: Yup, and a BIG thanks to Clarissa and Cindi for hosting us and helping us kickoff the tour.
Samantha: See you guys at our next stop tomorrow!