Blog Tour: Amy Plum Interview

1. In your opinion, what makes revenants stand out among the sea of paranormal creatures being written about today?

I’ve been trying to catch up on my YA paranormal reading lately, because the only thing in the genre that I had read before writing DIE FOR ME was TWILIGHT. So I can’t claim to know the whole gamut of creatures that are out there.

But I think I can safely say that revenants stand out amongst vampires, werewolves and the like because even though their history is as long and colorful as these other beings, revenants have worked hard to prevent humans from finding out about them...and, until DIE FOR ME, they succeeded. (Hmm, I hope there won’t be any revenant reprisals after the book is published!) I’ll let this conversation between Vincent and Kate illustrate what I mean:

“You’ve heard of vampires?” he asked, smiling mysteriously.

I nodded.

“You’ve heard of werewolves?”

“Of course.”

“Had you ever heard of us?”

I shook my head.

“That’s called ‘staying under the radar’, dear Kate. It’s what we’re good at.”


2. What are some of your favorite places to visit in Paris?

I love the Marais, a neighborhood with amazing old buildings, an incredible history dating back to medieval times, and great restaurants and shops. A few scenes in DIE FOR ME are set there.

The Musée Carnavalet is the museum of the history of Paris. It starts out with all of these tiny Roman god and goddess statues that were found in the Seine and goes through the centuries up to modern times. The most incredible objects and sometimes whole rooms or shop fronts are exhibited. It is MAGICAL and could inspire a thousand books.

I love the basement of a department store called BHV (Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville). That’s where their hardware section is located, and you can find everything there from brass doorknobs with ladies heads on them to four different colors of chain mail.

Bertillon is a shop on the Ile Saint Louis that has the best sorbet in Paris. I swear the lime sorbet tastes like you’ve just bitten into a lime. I get two scoops and wander around the island or walk down to the quay to watch the water.

The Musée Jacquemart Andrée is a museum set inside a 19th century private residence. I like to see paintings exhibited in homes, like they would have been when their collector first bought them. This museum’s rooms are chock-full of amazing art and furniture and wandering through them makes me feel like you’re a character in a historical novel. I haven’t yet dared wear a ball gown when visiting, but will get my guts up someday.


3. In what ways do you relate to Kate?

In so many ways it’s almost embarrassing. But since this was my first novel, I decided to write what I knew...and I like to think I know myself! Kate and I both are passionate about art, film and books. We both have a sister who is thirteen months different in age. (Except I’m the elder and Kate’s the younger.) Our favorite clothes are jeans, t-shirts and Converse low-tops. In a scene where Vincent quizzes her, all of her answers to his questions are the same as mine would be. (Shoe size, favorite film, etc.)

On a deeper level, I lost my mom 11 years ago and did not have to dig deep to describe how Kate felt after the death of her parents. The paragraph where she sees her mom in the mortuary is my description of seeing my mother’s body in the hospital.


4. If you weren't a full time writer, what would you do?

Well, I quit my job teaching university English after I got my book deal, but I definitely would not go back to being a professor. I’m not a disciplinarian and take it personally when people don’t pay attention to me when I’m talking. (And the place I was teaching was like a zoo: people making out, playing cards, and carrying on conversations while I taught.)

I love translating, though, and translated a few books and television shows from French to English as a supplement to my teaching. If I couldn’t write, I think I’d want to go back to translating. For me, it’s like getting paid to do crossword puzzles.

5. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

On my “to go to” list are Jordan (I LOVE ruins), the Galapagos Islands and India. I also want to visit Norway and Estonia since my ancestors from my dad’s side are from there.

Thanks so much, Amy for answering my questions! I will be reading and reviewing Die for Me soon and I can't wait! Be sure to check out her website as well!