I’m so excited to have CARRIE RYAN here. Her book, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH was released in March and is quite prominent on the book shelves.
About The Forest of Hands and Teeth
The Forest of Hands and Teeth is about a young girl named Mary growing up generations after an apocalypse in a village surrounded by fences protecting them from the Unconsecrated, zombie-like creatures inhabiting the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Cut off from the rest of the world and told they are the last survivors of the Return, every part of her life is controlled by the religious order called the Sisterhood. As Mary starts to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t, she learns the extent of the Sisterhood’s power and starts to discover more of their darkest secrets. When the security of the fences is threatened and her world is thrown into chaos, Mary must decide what she’s willing to risk to find out if there’s life beyond the Forest.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carrie was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Carrie Ryan is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University School of Law. A former litigator, she now writes full time. She lives with her writer/lawyer fiancé, two fat cats and one large puppy in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are not at all prepared for the zombie apocalypse.
Hi Carrie. I’ve been blogging about the opening lines of books for the past few days. I know authors take a lot of time crafting those lines, so I hope you don’t mind my sharing the way your book begins. It did all of the things a good opening should: It made me curiosity about the character, it introduce the setting, and gave the story resonance. Here’s how The Forest of Hands and Teeth starts.
“My mother used to tell me about the ocean. She said there was a place where there was nothing but water as far as you could see and that it was always moving, rushing toward you and then away.”
So immediately I need to know who this person is that doesn’t know what an ocean looks like and what kind of world she lives in. Great start.
Readers like to know about writers, so here are some questions that might give your readers a peek at the person who created this world of dark secrets.
Of all your favorite books, which one do you wish you had written?
I wish I’d written a Dr. Seuss book. I was reading a few to my nephew recently and had forgotten just how fun and clever his language is! Those books are just pure fun!
He was a master at making language fun.
What fictional character do you wish you could be?
I’d probably want to be someone like Batman — he has so many cool gadgets! Having the fate of humanity resting on my shoulders wouldn’t be fun though…
I thought you were going to tell me The Cat in the Hat. Now that’s one cat that has nothing resting on his shoulders.
I know writers have some times when they just can’t put those words down–at least not the way they want. So, after chocolate what do you eat to make the writer-block pain go away?
Pumpkin seeds and diet coke. Most random food ever, I know, but it’s what I practically lived on while I was revising the sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth!
Random or not, it worked. The Dead Tossed Sea is on its way. Congratulations.
Thanks for the visit, Carrie. I’ll be looking for your next book.
Be sure to visit Carrie at her website. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is available at Amazon and at your local Indie.
Carrie’s making the rounds of a lot of blogs. Catch her next interview with Sarah Ockler tomorrow.
Olugbemisola (Mrs. Pilkington) says
love getting these interesting tidbits about great authors — thanks for the interview! and Carrie, I think that a Batman and Dr. Seuss buddy book is in order.
Tabitha says
Great interview!! Glad to see you on so many blogs, Carrie!