Review: Diabolical

Book Four of the Tantalize series
By Cynthia Leitich Smith
Available now from Candlewick Press
Read my reviews of ETERNAL and GEEKTASTIC
Read my interview with Cynthia and a write-up of a signing

TANTALIZE introduced Quincie Morris, now the only vampire who has ever resisted killing a human.  ETERNAL introduced Zachary, the angel who slipped when trying to rescue his charge Miranda.  In BLESSED they joined forces to destroy Quincie's maker and rescue the residents of Austin with questionable taste in dessert.  Their actions proved to Zach that neophyte vampires can be saved and he takes that as his mission in order to regain his full heavenly status.  But there are those who don't appreciate what Quincie, Zach, and their allies have accomplished.

DIABOLICAL is told through three points of view.  Kieran, for the first time, gets a voice.  (Well, for the first time in the main series.  There is a graphic novel through his point of view.)  He's separated from Quincie for most of the novel, so those hoping for mushy stuff might be disappointed.  Zach once more takes up narrating duties, as does Miranda, who is now in the Penultimate.  The Penultimate is a sort of purgatory, the dead work through their last ties to the human world before ascending to Heaven.  Miranda is able to observe those left behind on a monitor-com, which both kicks the plot into action and allows her to comment on what is happening outside of Kieran and Zach's purview.

BLESSED brought one story arc to a close.  DIABOLICAL can almost stand alone.  (It does deal with the consequences of ETERNAL.  Miranda killed people.  God forgave her, but that doesn't mean she's forgiven herself.  Zach is grounded and thus separated from her.  And separated love interests must always reunite.) It's a twist on a horror plot, the one where a group of people are brought to one location and must play a game or risk death.  (And, well, still risk death if they play the game.)  It's a trap for our intrepid heroes, one laid by Satan himself, and baited with the souls of innocents.

Unfortunately, there isn't much time to bond with those innocents.  They all seem like fairly interesting people (aside from Andrew), but they were in peril more than our heroes but it was hard to care as much about them.  But Cynthia Leitich Smith has been building her cast throughout the series and people tend to show up again.  Perhaps more time will be spent with the survivors in future books.

And no, the angelic memos with attached Yahoo! maps will never not be funny.

If you enjoyed the first three books in the Tantalize series, then there's no reason to stop now.  If you haven't, DIABOLICAL is still pretty accessible.  It will appeal to fans of supernatural adventure and horror.

Zombies vs. Vampires (vs. Pixies!)

Zombies vs. Vampires with Cynthia Leitich Smith, Daniel Waters, Carrie Jones, and Heather Brewer
First, a technical note: I wanted to use what I'm learning in school, so none of this is flash photography. I'm also in manual settings. I did use autofocus to take faster shots. (Focusing is one of my weak spots due to my eyesight.)

This panel began with a discussion of how to make fantasy characters work in an urban setting and what they wear. To the right, you can see Heather Brewer demonstrating her powers of imagination by choosing to make Vlad dress exactly like her. (Vlad is Vladimir Tod, the most recent release in the series being TENTH GRADE BLEEDS.)



She did dress for the panel, in a "Zombies Need Love Too" tee, since she was undecided about zombies vs. vampires and feeling generous in the morning. As for integrating her characters, she enjoys mentioning standard things from vampire lore that would be tricky and then subverting them. Besides, not being able to cross running water is just silly.

My favorite question of the panel was, "If the zombie apocalypse comes and you and three other authors are the only ones holding out, who would you choose to be holed up with?" Heather went with her panel members, since they were already with her and would thus survive due to her being prepared for this exact possibility. That sounded good to Carrie Jones, who was pretty sure she'd be dead meat when faced with zombies. (I think she could throw her totally cute shoes at them. It worked for Clara against the Rat King.) However, Carrie did when for most terrifying zombified supernatural, as pixie zombies would be unstoppable. (She wrote the pixie-laden NEED, which I reviewed here.)



Vampires couldn't be zombified, of course, since one must die first and vampires remain undead. Heather proposed that vamp blood could cure zombism, although the audience was divided on the issue. Cynthia Leitich Smith did see on satellite radio that salt can be used to restore zombies to their former humanity. Resident zombie expert Daniel Waters wasn't sure about that, but he said it couldn't hurt to add salt to your zombie kit. (Doubt his zombie credentials? Check out KISS OF LIFE, which I reviewed here.)



Speaking of Daniel, he didn't have a true preference for the three authors he'd take with him. He only knew that they needed to be slower and tastier, rather than more skilled. Cynthia, on the other hand, did have a team picked out. Her ringer? Local author April Lurie, who used to be a nurse. Her medical knowledge would be handy, though she would later disavow her use when told of being picked at a later panel.



Then, when questioned about what they could write about if they couldn't use zombies or vampires, the authors got creative. Cynthia noted that her series, containing TANTALIZE and ETERNAL, had a werearmadillo among many other creatures. Carrie noted that she'd started in contemporary YA . . . and then threatened to write about curtains (among other things). Sitting beside her, skeptical Heather was skeptical. Daniel was less so, but this is the man who admitted he would kiss Tinkerbell (but not a male vampire, whether he be Vlad or Edward).

It was a very fun panel, and Ms. Anderson of BookPeople did a great job moderating. (She also did her own write-up of the panel, which contains many things mine doesn't.) There's a reason everyone was laughing!

Cynthia Leitich Smith and Kathi Appelt

I go to a lot of book signings and such, and often end up wondering afterward if I should write something up for the blog. So this is a testing of the waters. Please tell me whether you enjoy it or not.

You can read Cynthia's write-up here. I'm in one of her shots and I hate to think I actually looked that bad.

First: I arrived super early because I took the bus, which runs every forty minutes or so and takes me fifteen minutes to walk to the stop. I didn't have many choices of which to take. I grabbed a book off the shelf I've been wanting to read (must buy my own copy so I can enjoy it again) and went up to wait.



Cynthia and her husband Greg were setting things up with the workers, which surprised me. At BookPeople the authors usually wait somewhere else and you don't get pre-event interaction. Anyway, Cynthia quickly figured out that she "knew" me and thanked me for coming to the event. It was very nice, and I enjoyed watching her greet others as they trickled in. Cynthia's blog and efforts with SCWBI have really made her a presence in the young adult/children's lit world and it seemed like she knew every one of the 100+ people who attended.

Then it was time for the event to actually begin! Cynthia and Kathi introduced each other, which was very sweet and a good way to get brags in. (I can tell you, this event sold me on THE UNDERNEATH. I'm buying it as soon as it comes out in paperback.)



Next came readings: Cynthia's from Zach's POV in ETERNAL and Kathi's . . . a song!




It turns out Kathi once wanted to be a songwriter, so almost every character in THE UNDERNEATH had a song. But her editor chopped them out one by one, until only one was left: a blues number for the dog, who was based on Kathi's childhood dog.



She looked really cute while singing so I did her the disservice of managing to take the pic while her eyes were closed. (See her foot tapping?) Of course, my cell was almost dead so I only took four photos . . . should've accounted for mistakes like this.

There was also a showing of the trailers:



. . . with a little technical difficulty for the ETERNAL trailer.

Eternal Trailer


Anyway, there was a very cool Q&A and fanmail reading section. My favorites: a sixth-grader telling Kathi how to improve her writing and a librarian telling Cynthia she wanted Zach and Miranda (the main characters of ETERNAL) to have sex.



The questions they asked each other mostly involved the appropriate approach to sex and violence in books for young adults and children. Their answers were very sensible and unfortunately, the crowd was probably their choir. I did like an audience member's follow-up question, about whether those aspects were differently received in other countries. (The violence is apparently more common in America.) Both had interesting issues with France editions - they can't decide whether to market Kathi's as children's or adult and for Cynthia, there is no French translation of "tantalize." Hard to believe as much as the country likes food.

Then came signing, which made me sad I managed to leave my copies of Cynthia's books at home after Spring Break. I'd forget my head if it weren't glued on, seriously. But I did take the opportunity to finish the book I'd snagged at the beginning!

Interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the author of TANTALIZE and ETERNAL, as well as the upcoming BLESSED. Other books of hers include JINGLE DANCER, RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME, and INDIAN SHOES. She's published a variety of short stories. She's maintained Cynsations (also available on el jay and MySpace) for more than ten years, providing all sorts of information about YA and children's books.

She's very intelligent and easy to talk to, so I loved being able to interview her again. She's written fantasy and realism and does both well.

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1. Your YA gothic fantasy series follows an interesting structure. The casts of TANTALIZE and ETERNAL are separate (and the events in ETERNAL come first), then the two casts unite in the third book. Why did you decide on this structure? When you started ETERNAL did you realize it would occur chronologically before TANTALIZE?

The overarching story that unites the three books is a "big" one--large in scope and large in terms of impact on the fictional world. This structure allowed me to show the relatively everyday folks in TANTALIZE and then those at the center of the power structures in ETERNAL before the final showdown. It also underscores that they'll have to cross lines and forge new alliances when it becomes clear that a larger threat looms over them all. Beyond that, I've always had an affection for non-linear storytelling. I come from a Native writing tradition, where it's more common. With this particular story, it's important for reader identification and character arc reasons as well.

2. I enjoyed the nonlinearity and hope to see it in more series. I know I love it in Darren Shan's Demonata series because it's fun to figure out how the pieces will fit together. Since you have experience in the Native writing tradition, are there any books/stories you would recommend?

Everyone should read Chickasaw writer Linda Hogan and Muscogee (Creek) poet Joy Harjo.

3. What do you think are the biggest differences between writing realistic fiction and writing fantasy?

In fantasy, you have to succeed at everything you would in realistic fiction, plus make the fantasy elements hold together logically and earn their place in terms of character, plot, and theme. Beyond that, you can in some ways go more dramatic with your theme because the metaphor dilutes the risks of it being too on the nose.

4. Do you ever worry about the metaphor becoming too obvious? (Of course, this is contingent on how obvious you want it to be.)

You know, I used to. But I've found that too many readers don't go beyond the surface plot and struggle to deal with more sophisticated elements like, say, an unreliable narrator. It worries me, actually. I don't think we pay enough attention to the development of critical-thinking skills. I suspect this may be augmented by the emphasis on standardized testing and memorization-based curriculum. But in any case, it has tremendous real-world implications from personal relationships to political choices.


5. You've been published for nearly a decade and you recently celebrated the ten year anniversary of Cynsations. What is one of the best things to happen to you due to your involvement in young adult and children's literature?

I'm part of a whole new world. When I was a little girl, I read all of the Newbery books. Now many of my best friends write Newbery books. If someone had told me when I was a kid or teenager, that growing up would be this fun... Wow. Let's just say, getting bullied by the queen bee or dumped for another girl would've seemed...okay, still lousy. But through it all, I would've had stars in my eyes.

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Cynthia is giving away a copy of her new release, ETERNAL. Rules are available here. She'll be signing books at BookPeople on April 11th, so if you're in the area stop by. You just might meet me as well as her.

Any responses to the interview? Do ya'll have any differently structured stories to recommend?

Review: Eternal

Remember that mini-interview I did? Read mine with My Favorite Author and Sophie of Mrs. Magoo Reads.



By Cynthia Leitich Smith

Zachary's pretty new to the guardian angel gig, but he's doing well enough. Sure, he's fallen in love with his current charge, but what's the worst that could happen? He could save her from a broken neck only to usher her into the arms of a fate worse than death. Not that Miranda sees it that way - she's now beautiful, powerful, and respected. All she has to do is deal with her periodically abusive "father."

I remember TANTALIZE coming out because users on a forum I frequent (Sheroes Central) kept talking about it. As the forum is filled with nothing but sharp cookies, I paid attention and finally got my chance to read and love the book. I wondered how ETERNAL would compare, but I quickly fell into the story. I knew it I would absolutely love it by page 63 of the ARC, wherein the archangel Michael directs an underling to Yahoo! Maps.

Those little touches of humor keep ETERNAL from getting too dark. Cynthia Leitich Smith does not shy away from making her vampires monstrous. (Or, as Father calls them, eternals.) Miranda's maker is the current Dracula, complete with a basement full of caged food. Miranda possesses a large appetite after her change and cuts a swath through certain sectors of society. Tongues are cut out. Miranda must exchange her Cowboys jersey for a lesser team.

Like TANTALIZE, bits of media are inserted between the chapters and offer glimpses outside of the characters' POV. There's a girl who misses her friend as well as angelic beauracracy. There's also an ad, this time for a personal assisstant - the perfect chance for Zachary to reenter Miranda's life and try to redeem both of them.

I enjoyed getting inside the head of both of these characters. In Miranda's, I wondered how Smith could redeem her giving her initial embrace of the vampire lifestyle. With Zachary, I admired his devotion and his desire to do right by everyone in the mansion - workers, prisoners, and Miranda. I enjoyed the blossoming of their relationship and the fact Smith didn't offer them an easy way out. Both of them learn, forcefully, that their actions have consequences even if they aren't always the ones to pay them.

I loved how ETERNAL expanded on the world of TANTALIZE. Quincey was an outsider to vampire culture, but Miranda is in the center of things. ETERNAL isn't just one person's struggle with temptation. Miranda can affect the entire vampire society. We get to see how their hierarchy works and who the major players are. Media darlings Sabine and Philippe are especially intriguing. I cannot wait to see how the two casts come together.

ETERNAL came out on the tenth. TANTALIZE is available now in both paperback and hardcover. You can read my review or listen to my interview with Cynthia. And guess what? She'll be here in March and you won't want to miss what she has to say. You can find out more at her blog, MySpace, el jay, or website.