Interview with Kimberly Derting & The Body Finder Giveaway!

The Body Finder is one of my favourite books of 2010. I love it (and Jay!) so much that I want everybody to read it, and so I'm giving away a copy! The Body Finder is released in the UK in paperback on November 11th 2010.  Read on for more!

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.

The Body Finder is an amazing debut and one of absolute favourites of 2010.  Can you describe the book in just one sentence for my readers?

A girl who can find dead bodies and the boy who would do anything to protect her.

In The Body Finder you write chapters from the killer’s point of view which adds a real sinister element to the book. I loved that.  What made you decide to let readers see inside the mind of the killer?

Actually, it was probably more about letting readers into the dark and twisted mind of the author! :)  Actually, my first draft only had a few sections from the serial killer’s perspective, mostly because I thought it might be a little too dark and twisted for Young Adult. Let’s just say that when my editor came back and asked for more, I was thrilled!  I know that makes me sound all kinds of sick, doesn’t it???

Since reading The Body Finder Jay has become my number one literary crush. Do you have a hot book crush that you can’t get enough of? Tell me who it is!

Okay my dorky confession is that for a period of time after reading Twilight, I was seriously obsessed with a certain sparkly vampire whose name may or may not rhyme with Schmedward.  Yes, I was a Twigeek!  *raises hand guiltily* 

But I’ve since moved on, and currently have a minor (okay, not really minor at all!) crush on Patch from HUSH, HUSH. 

While I’m reading I love to play casting director for my favourite characters.  I’ve already cast my perfect Jay, but who would you pick to play Jay and Violet in a movie version of The Body Finder?

I’m terrible at this game.  Terrible!  I like Emma Roberts for Violet, she’s sort of the girl-next-door with a dash of vixen thrown in.  But a fan also suggested Elizabeth Gilles and she’s pretty dang adorable too.  For Jay, that same reader liked Dustin Milligan, and I have to agree…he is awfully cute!  Also, maybe Alex Pettyfer.  Okay, I’ll just say it…he’s hawt!

I read that you’re a big fan of all things creepy.  What’s the all-time creepiest book you’ve read?

That’s easy, THE SHINING by Stephen King.  Not only is King a master storyteller, but in The Shining, we read about the main character’s slow descent into madness, all while trying to decipher what’s real and what isn’t.  Freaky!

My second choice is THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS by Thomas Harris.  I read it in one afternoon. Could not put it down!

I was very excited when I heard there was a sequel to The Body Finder. Can you tell me a little about Desires of the Dead?

Desires picks up a couple of months after The Body Finder leaves off.  And while Violet and Jay are still figuring out their new relationship, Violet unwittingly attracts the attention of someone from the FBI.  She has to decide whether to help them, or to continue to guard her secret.  Oh, and there may be some trouble in store for Vi and Jay too! And, of course, some dead bodies as well.  :) 

What are you working on next? Do we get more from Body Finder series, or are do you have something completely new in store for your readers?

I do have a few things in the works, but, for now, nothing I can talk about.  (A girl’s gotta have her secrets, right?)  But, seriously, as soon as I get the go-ahead, I’ll be making some BIG announcements!!!

Read my review of The Body Finder  

Kimberly Derting's   Website  |   Twitter     

Thanks so much to Kimberly for answering my questions and to Headline for providing me with the interview opportunity. I can't wait to hear those BIG announcements and I am simply dying to read Desires of the Dead!

 COMPETITION CLOSED!
WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON!