A Stiff Kiss Book Blurb:
Who knew kissing a corpse would change everything?
Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves.
But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia's arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up?
With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has new meaning. But what Xylia doesn't realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she's thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia's this time.
A Stiff Kiss Novel Excerpt:
No way should I be in the morgue. If I'm caught, I'll lose my job. My dad will probably get fired, too. He's been warned to keep me out of here.
The walls are lined with thick, square doors, clearly marked with numbers. I stop in front of the one I want. In the middle of that wall, at waist height, is number twelve. Beyond the door, lying on a sliding metal table, is the body of Landon Phoenix.
I've always had a crush on Landon, ever since freshman year when his family moved to Silver Springs. I've watched him grow into his looks, no longer a gangly boy with braces. And I've longed to hear my name roll off his tongue in that deep voice of his. To press my lips against his as he holds me in a tight embrace. To share the same air as him.
Though now, all those things are impossible. Except one. I can pull open the door, slide the table out, and at least for a moment I can share the same air, even if his lungs can no longer pull in that air.
I hesitate, my hand on the handle. Besides my mother, this will be the only other person who's died that I've really known. The others have just been people, random ones at that. The guy from the grocery store who jumped off Whibley Bridge into the icy waters below, the occasional patient of mine who'd succumbed to old age, and many, many others. But this is personal. This is someone I'd known. Or at least, someone I'd held secretly in my heart.
But I need to say goodbye.
Copyright © 2012 Avery Olive
All rights reserved — a Crescent Moon Press publication
Author Interview:
What inspired the idea for A Stiff Kiss?
Nothing in particular. I know, not your typical answer, but honestly it was a few ideas, a few stories I'd heard and a few dreams all mashed into one!
How long did it take for you to write A Stiff Kiss?
It took about three months to write A Stiff Kiss and another 3 months to polish it before I felt confident enough to send it out into the world of publishers. I got lucky, and the story was such an easy one to write. I just wish all my projects would treat me as good as A Stiff Kiss did!
A Stiff Kiss had a great close and wrapped up wonderfully but can we expect to read more about Xylia and Landon in the future?
It's really too soon to tell. For now, I feel like their story is neatly tied up in a pretty bow, however, I've been kicking around a few idea's. I don't want to create another story without being sure there is enough to fill a novel and give it a wonderful ending as A Stiff Kiss has.
That's not to say we might never see any characters from A Stiff Kiss again *wink* Even if Landon and Xylia don't get to share more of their story, there are a few characters that definitly have more to say. If you've read the novel, you might be able to guess who I'm talking about. There is a balance between life and death, and those who play a part in that might have a few more tricks up their sleeves.
Xylia has some interesting and morbid habits, did you experience any of these habits for research purposes? How did you research for this novel?
You know, I wrote A Stiff Kiss during the winter and here in Alberta, Canada that means frigid temperatures and tons of snow. Sadly, I was unable to spend any time in a cemetery beyond attending the occasional funeral for people I’ve known. Or in the morgue for that matter.
There wasn’t actually much research beyond Google, the help of my Critique Partners, Beta’s and my Editor.
Though, I think in the future I will have to see if I can experience what I write, or what I intend to write for real. I think there is a level of authenticity that you just cannot make up if you don’t get to see, feel, hear or even taste something for real.
Since Xylia and Landon take a road-trip in the novel, I have to ask if you were to take a road-trip where would you go and why?
You know that’s a good question. I’ve pretty much seen everything around here, and the neighboring Provinces. Even seen a lot of the USA... so could I pretend I can drive across the Ocean? Cause I’d love to take a road trip to the United Kingdom.
No? I can’t drive across the Ocean? That’s really too bad. In that case, I’d love to drive to Disney World, in Florida. It’s a quite far away, probably taking a few days, but hey, that’s part of the joys of road-tripping. And I think my son would love to see the “Magic Kingdom”
If today was your last day to live how would you spend it?
Wow, two tough questions in a row. I would spend it with my family, Mr. Olive, our son, our parents, of course. And I have a long list of friends that I could not possibly leave this earth without saying goodbye to. It’s funny, when you accomplish something as awesome as becoming a published Author, like accomplishing anything monumental you learn real quick who are your supporters and who are not.
If you could travel back in time for a day, where would you go?
Okay, that’s three tough questions! You sure are throwing the hardballs at me, aren’t you?
There are definitely things that I wish I could go back and change. There are of course “what if” moments that I often look back on and wonder what might have been had I done things differently. But I have to believe that everything happens for a reason. So if I was to go back into the future, perhaps unknowingly changing something I might not end up in the same place as I am today. And that’s just unacceptable because I love how my life as evolved and I love the person I am today, even if the road here was rocky a times.
That being said, if there was a place I could go, and watch as merely a by-stander and not tampering with the paths of myself or other’s I think I’d like to experience, if only for a moment what it would have been like to live in the Elizabethan Era.
If A Stiff Kiss were to have a theme song or a song that best describes the book or a character, what would it be?
Picking songs is always super hard lol I just did an interview not too long ago, where all the questions centered around songs for various actions in the book—it was crazy hard but gave me a chance to pick them and be prepared if ever the question arose again.
Because there is a theme in the novel, that’s knotted together into the main plot for both Xylia and even for Landon the theme song has to be I Forgive You by Kelly Clarkson.
For Blog Tour Dates- CLICK HERE!
Author Info:
Avery Olive's Bio- CLICK HERE!
Avery Olive’s Blog- CLICK HERE!
Facebook- CLICK HERE!
Twitter- CLICK HERE!
Additional Novel Info:
A Stiff Kiss Facebook Fan Page- CLICK HERE!
Goodreads- CLICK HERE!
Crescent Moon Press- CLICK HERE!
All rights reserved — a Crescent Moon Press publication
Author Interview:
What inspired the idea for A Stiff Kiss?
Nothing in particular. I know, not your typical answer, but honestly it was a few ideas, a few stories I'd heard and a few dreams all mashed into one!
How long did it take for you to write A Stiff Kiss?
It took about three months to write A Stiff Kiss and another 3 months to polish it before I felt confident enough to send it out into the world of publishers. I got lucky, and the story was such an easy one to write. I just wish all my projects would treat me as good as A Stiff Kiss did!
A Stiff Kiss had a great close and wrapped up wonderfully but can we expect to read more about Xylia and Landon in the future?
It's really too soon to tell. For now, I feel like their story is neatly tied up in a pretty bow, however, I've been kicking around a few idea's. I don't want to create another story without being sure there is enough to fill a novel and give it a wonderful ending as A Stiff Kiss has.
That's not to say we might never see any characters from A Stiff Kiss again *wink* Even if Landon and Xylia don't get to share more of their story, there are a few characters that definitly have more to say. If you've read the novel, you might be able to guess who I'm talking about. There is a balance between life and death, and those who play a part in that might have a few more tricks up their sleeves.
Xylia has some interesting and morbid habits, did you experience any of these habits for research purposes? How did you research for this novel?
You know, I wrote A Stiff Kiss during the winter and here in Alberta, Canada that means frigid temperatures and tons of snow. Sadly, I was unable to spend any time in a cemetery beyond attending the occasional funeral for people I’ve known. Or in the morgue for that matter.
There wasn’t actually much research beyond Google, the help of my Critique Partners, Beta’s and my Editor.
Though, I think in the future I will have to see if I can experience what I write, or what I intend to write for real. I think there is a level of authenticity that you just cannot make up if you don’t get to see, feel, hear or even taste something for real.
Since Xylia and Landon take a road-trip in the novel, I have to ask if you were to take a road-trip where would you go and why?
You know that’s a good question. I’ve pretty much seen everything around here, and the neighboring Provinces. Even seen a lot of the USA... so could I pretend I can drive across the Ocean? Cause I’d love to take a road trip to the United Kingdom.
No? I can’t drive across the Ocean? That’s really too bad. In that case, I’d love to drive to Disney World, in Florida. It’s a quite far away, probably taking a few days, but hey, that’s part of the joys of road-tripping. And I think my son would love to see the “Magic Kingdom”
If today was your last day to live how would you spend it?
Wow, two tough questions in a row. I would spend it with my family, Mr. Olive, our son, our parents, of course. And I have a long list of friends that I could not possibly leave this earth without saying goodbye to. It’s funny, when you accomplish something as awesome as becoming a published Author, like accomplishing anything monumental you learn real quick who are your supporters and who are not.
If you could travel back in time for a day, where would you go?
Okay, that’s three tough questions! You sure are throwing the hardballs at me, aren’t you?
There are definitely things that I wish I could go back and change. There are of course “what if” moments that I often look back on and wonder what might have been had I done things differently. But I have to believe that everything happens for a reason. So if I was to go back into the future, perhaps unknowingly changing something I might not end up in the same place as I am today. And that’s just unacceptable because I love how my life as evolved and I love the person I am today, even if the road here was rocky a times.
That being said, if there was a place I could go, and watch as merely a by-stander and not tampering with the paths of myself or other’s I think I’d like to experience, if only for a moment what it would have been like to live in the Elizabethan Era.
If A Stiff Kiss were to have a theme song or a song that best describes the book or a character, what would it be?
Picking songs is always super hard lol I just did an interview not too long ago, where all the questions centered around songs for various actions in the book—it was crazy hard but gave me a chance to pick them and be prepared if ever the question arose again.
Because there is a theme in the novel, that’s knotted together into the main plot for both Xylia and even for Landon the theme song has to be I Forgive You by Kelly Clarkson.
For Blog Tour Dates- CLICK HERE!
Author Info:Avery Olive's Bio- CLICK HERE!
Avery Olive’s Blog- CLICK HERE!
Facebook- CLICK HERE!
Twitter- CLICK HERE!
Additional Novel Info:
A Stiff Kiss Facebook Fan Page- CLICK HERE!
Goodreads- CLICK HERE!
Crescent Moon Press- CLICK HERE!
You can purchase A Stiff Kiss at the following links:
Barnes and Noble- CLICK HERE!
Amazon- CLICK HERE!
A STIFF KISS GIVEAWAY!!!
The Coffee Mug Prize Pack includes:
- A Stiff Kiss Coffee Mug
- A Stiff Kiss Coaster
- A Stiff Kiss Bookmark (Signed)
- A Stiff Kiss Collecters Card
This contest is open internationally but other then that it does follow all other My Hidden Bookshelf giveaway policies. You
Don't forget to also enter Avery's giveaway for A Stiff Kiss Ultimate Prize Package! You can CLICK HERE to enter!
- A Stiff Kiss Coffee Mug
- A Stiff Kiss Coaster
- A Stiff Kiss Bookmark (Signed)
- A Stiff Kiss Collecters Card
This contest is open internationally but other then that it does follow all other My Hidden Bookshelf giveaway policies. You
Don't forget to also enter Avery's giveaway for A Stiff Kiss Ultimate Prize Package! You can CLICK HERE to enter!
