Meet YA Paranormal Author Jessica Therrien

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Jessica Therrien, a YA author from California.

First, a bit about Jessica:

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book 1 in the series Oppression became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release. Aside from her wildly popular trilogy, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011. Out of over 350 submissions, her story The Soulless won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round. After growing up in the tiny town of Chilcoot, CA, population 108, Jessica currently lives in Irvine, CA, with her husband and two young sons.

Why did you pick to write books for Young Adults?

YA books are fast-paced, engaging, and let us relive a time in our lives when we were young and in love.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love to read YA when I’m writing YA, but, in general, I like books that aren’t too depressing. I love to be transported to a different world.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I’m a mom, so mostly I play with my kids. If I had more free time, I would love to play my guitar, scrapbook, garden, sew, and make jewelry.

Tell us about the Children of the Gods series and how the story came to be.

After the YA genre exploded onto the scene, I read through pretty much everything I could get my hands on. I searched for that next “it” book but couldn’t find anything that grabbed me so I decided I’d write it myself.

Here's a peek at Redemption, Book 3 of Children of the Gods:

Lead Council member, Christoph, is dead by Elyse’s hand, and Descendants have begun to emerge, exposing their secret to the world. Some see this as the prophecy come to fruition, but the prophecy carries a heavy consequence. It was never meant to be as peaceful as most had hoped.



Humans and Descendants struggle to live together in a world that isn’t ready for such a change. America is divided. Those who glorify the supernatural race believe Descendants truly are the gods they claim relation to. Others see them as a threat.



When Elyse gives birth to the next generation oracle, she sees one final vision—war. The destruction of the country’s major cities, and the end of America as we know it.



After her daughter is born, Elyse finds herself without the ability she needs to predict the future. Desperate to save the world from such conflict, she puts her faith in the hope that Descendants are the key to survival. After all, they have the power to supply a broken society with the means to survive.



Only from the ashes can a new world be born.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Of course, Books 1 & 2, Oppression and Uprising, in the Children of the Gods. I’m working on a children’s book and an adult novel as well.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Don’t write to make a living. Write because you love it.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Oppression was the #3 Teen best-selling novel on Barnes & Noble when it came out, right behind The Hunger Games. I hope you give it a shot!

Thanks for the interview!!

Where can readers find you and your books?

Jessica Therrien

My books:

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE 

New Tween Books for E-Readers

Take a look at Muse It Up Publishing's March 2012 Tween releases.

Summer of the Eagles by Ros Gemmell

Cover Designer: Kaytalin Platt

Thirteen year old Stephanie (Stevie) loses her parents in a terrible accident, leaving her lame. Stevie’s dreams of running for Scotland are over. No longer able to cope with Stevie’s moods, Gran sends her to an aunt on a Scottish island.
Although Stevie gradually makes new friends and discovers an interest in the bird sanctuary, she soon falls into danger from two bird poachers intent on harming the eagles.
A strange boy in the hills helps Stevie. Could he have anything to do with the eagles or the painted rocks and legends of the island?

Ros Gemmell is a Scottish freelance writer of published short stories and articles in the UK, U.S., and online. Three of her children’s stories are published in different anthologies and her first historical novel, Dangerous Deceit, was published in May 2011. Summer of the Eagles is her first novel for the tween age group. Stop by Ros's website to learn more.

The Younger Days by Mike Hays

Cover Designer: Kaytalin Platt

Even a decade after the Civil War, the evil deeds carried out in the Border War for "Bloody" Kansas are not forgotten. Hate and revenge still rule the hearts of some, while others wish only to forget and disappear.
In the beginning, Boy Smyth has a dull Missouri farm life and a burning desire to be an outlaw like his hero, Cole Younger.
In the end, Boy Smyth has five dead bodies and two burning buildings at his farm and the most feared man in the United States crying outside his front gate.
And that desire for the outlaw life? It's purged completely from his system.

Mike Hays is a lifelong Kansan and works as a molecular microbiologist. He has been a strength and conditioning coach, a football coach, and a baseball coach. He has published three non-fiction football coaching articles, co-authored several scientific papers and is the co-inventor on two US patents. Stop by Mike's website to learn more.