Author Interview with Marta Acosta

If you've been looking around the blog lately, you may remember how much I enjoyed Dark Companion.  Being a huge fan of Charlotte Bronte's classic, Jane Eyre, Dark Companion hit all the right notes while bringing something new to the table.  The the opportunity to interview Marta Acosta came up, I just couldn't say no.  I hope you all will enjoy this interview as much as I did.

Marla: Hello, Marta, and thanks for visiting Starting the Next Chapter! As I told you on Twitter, I really enjoyed Dark Companion and am thrilled to have the chance to interview you. My first question is: What one thing would you most want your readers to know about you?

Marta: Hi, Marla! Thanks for inviting me. I actually brought this up yesterday in a conversation with my dog, Betty von Snoggles. Because I have a snarky self-deprecating sense of humor I think that people don’t realize that I take my writing very seriously. I have been writing all my life, studied literature, and creative writing, and really work hard to create characters with substance. For example, I did a lot of research into the psychological makeup of abused foster kids, so my character’s actions in Dark Companion, which are extremely foolish at times, have a basis in reality.

Marla: Dark Companion has a great Gothic tone. What inspired you to write this book?

Marta: I’ve always been drawn to Gothic stories. In high school, my English teacher gave us a definition of a Gothic novel and I thought, “That’s it – those are the books I like!” I’d already read Jane Eyre and other suspense and mystery stories that could be defined as Gothics. I loved the theme of a poor, lonely girl going to a creepy isolated house inhabited by people with dark secrets.

Marla: Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time. Would you say that it was a big influence while you were writing Dark Companion?

Marta: Absolutely. I’ve read Jane Eyre many times since I first came upon it when I was in grammar school. My Jane Williams was inspired by Jane Eyre. “Eyre” was a fairly common name when the book was written, so I named my character the very common Williams. My story echoes elements of Charlotte Brontë’s plot, including favorite scenes with Jane and Mr. Rochester, and I tried to give my Jane the rage that propels Brontë’s Jane.

Marla: What are your top 3 favorite books?

Marta: Among my very favorite books are Jane Eyre, Persuasion by Jane Austen, and Middlemarch by George Eliot.

Marla: What was your favorite aspect of Dark Companion to write about?

Marta: I loved diving into classic Gothics to find just the right quote for my chapter headings. Each one is a hint about the story, such as the quote about the privilege of exceptional beauty from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray for the chapter that introduces spoiled Lucian Radcliffe.

Marla: Mary Violet was hilarious and definitely one of my favorite characters. Was she inspired by anyone in particular?

Marta: One of my friends occasionally mentions his sister, Mary Violet, whom I’ve never met. I have no idea what she’s like, but I fell in love with the name. I attached the name to sort of an anti-mean-girl and Mary Violet stepped forth, complete and fabulous. Every time I rewrote the book, her role got bigger.

Marla: Do you think you'll ever write another Gothic-inspired novel?

Marta: I’m working on two right now. One is a Gothic ghost story about two young women who haunt each other across time. It’s set in the Gold Rush and modern time. The second is a Gothic mystery starring...Mary Violet! It’s tentatively titled Mary Violet and the Mystery of the Silent Songbird. There is romance, suspense, and poetry!

Marla: I've got one more question for you, just for fun. What would you do if you were to find yourself trapped in one of the sinister castles in Ann Radcliffe's stories?

Marta: I would immediately try to find out if the castle’s sinister reputation had lowered its property value and then I would try to get a good deal in a sale. Can you imagine living in a castle? Well, it would probably be very cold, but there would be lots of room for a home office and a library and my dogs would love running through the woods.

Marla: Thanks for stopping by, Marta!

Marta: Marla, thanks so much for inviting me to talk about Dark Companion and my writing!

About Marta

Marta Acosta lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was a feral reader, roaming the stacks of the public library.

She received a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Stanford University and has written for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Contra Costa Times, and Spaces Magazine.

Marta lives with her husband, spawn, and their crazy dogs. An avid gardener, she likes independent films, funny novels, loud music and lively conversations.

She’s always happy to hear from readers, even the ones who point out typos.

Visit Marta online at: http://www.martaacosta.com/
Follow Marta on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MartaAcosta
Like Marta on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartaAcostaAuthor
Become a fan on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18880.Marta_Acosta

About the Book

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Check Out My Review of Dark Companion HERE!

Add Dark Companion on Goodreads!

Review - Dark Companion

by Marta Acosta
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: July 3, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 368
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.
They are.

The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there….

It's obvious from looking around my blog that I enjoy YA literature. However, my first literary loves both contain the name “Jane.” If you get me started about Jane Austen's books or Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, you will find that I can't shut up about them. Jane Eyre is a particular favorite, so when I learned that Dark Companion contained parallels with one of my favorite works of literature, I took notice. When I heard that it had a Gothic tone, I knew that I absolutely, without any shadow of doubt, had to read this book. I am happy to say that Marta Acosta met my expectations and then proceeded to surpass them. I warn you now: this review is about to become one of the longest I have ever written. I have so many thoughts to share that writing a shorter review just won't cut it.

Jane is a more contemporary version of her counterpart, Jane Eyre, in every way. As a street-wise, intelligent, hard-working orphan, Jane seeks to change her fate and propel herself toward a better education and a life free of abusive foster parents. She is such a complicated character that, just when you think you have her figured out, she throws you for a loop. I didn't always agree with her choices, but in this case, the story just wouldn't have been the same had she not made the decisions she did. That does not mean that Jane is without a little humor in her life. Jane's best friend at Birch Grove Academy, Mary Violet, very nearly stole the show at times. Her bubbly personality and all around hilarity did a great job at providing a bit of a break from the intensity of Dark Companion's plot. I adored her as a character and thought she was a great foil for Jane. Jane's friends aren't the only interesting secondary characters, however. The sons of Birch Grove's headmistress, Lucian and Jack, were so completely different from each other. Lucian, the suave, handsome brother, is a temptation for Jane. Her interactions with him are thought-provoking and make you think about the greater picture and the workings of the plot not yet at the forefront. Jack, however, does a fantastic job at poking at Jane with jibes and jokes until she begins to emerge from her shell. He's a fantastic modern version of Mr. Rochester. Overall, the characters were very engaging and intriguing.

While Birch Grove Academy is no Lowood Institute, there is something inherently mysterious about it. It's more like the woodland and creek-side areas that surround Lowood that you will find in Jane Eyre. The setting for Dark Companion was absolutely perfect. If you take Stepford and combine it with one of Ann Radcliff's imposing chateaus, you will get an idea as to what I'm talking about. It made for the perfect backdrop for the events that take place. As Gothic literature places great emphasis on setting, I payed particular attention too all of the places Jane visits. The thing I liked most that, while Birch Grove isn't the hulking, dark castles you often find in Gothic fiction, it does have a certain sinister undertone that becomes more and more apparent. I found Jane's evenings in her little cottage downright spooky to read about, at times. I could not get enough of the settings and moods that are found within this novel.

I'll admit that I am an enthusiastic fan of books and usually find the ones that I know I will enjoy the most. Dark Companion, however, goes beyond everything that I usually experience while reading a book I enjoy. Though I was taken by surprise by some of the occurrences, I was able to adjust my thinking and understood the hows and whys of them.  With its fantastic cast of characters and, at times, menacing undertones, it was a great, spooky read that would make for a great read on a foggy autumn evening. You name it, this book has it: atmosphere; vibrant characters; humor; romance; suspense; and chills galore. Dark Companion is definitely this Jane Eyre fan's cup of tea. I hope it will be yours, as well.

Buy Dark Companion at the Following Locations:

Amazon /  IndieBound  /  B&N  /  The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This finished copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher.  No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.

Waiting on Wednesday #42

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

It's time to add another 3 books to the list of those I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on!  I am beyond excited for all of this week's picks.

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta (coming July 3, 2012 from Tor Teen)

When foster teen Jane Williams is invited to attend elite Birch Grove Academy for Girls and escape her violent urban neighborhood, she thinks the offer is too good to be true. She's even offered her own living quarters, the groundskeeper's cottage in the center of the birch grove.

Something's not quite right about the school -- or is it Jane? She thinks she sees things in the birch grove at night. She's also beginning to suspect that the elegant headmistress and her sons are hiding secrets. Lucky is the gorgeous, golden son who is especially attentive to Jane, and Jack is the sardonic puzzling brother.

The school with its talented teachers and bright students is a dream for a science and math geek like Jane. She also loves her new friends, including hilarious poetry-spouting rich girl, Mary Violet. But the longer Jane stays at Birch Grove, the more questions she has about the disappearance of another scholarship girl and a missing faculty member.

Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?

Why I'm Waiting: Dark Companion sounds like just the right combination of mystery and supernatural.  I'm really looking forward to reading it!

 

 Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff (coming September 18, 2012 from Thomas Dunne Books)

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium is verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of the imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Why I'm Waiting: Steampunk!  Japan!  Great plot description!  Gorgeous cover!  Need I say more?

 

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron (coming September 1, 2012 from Scholastic)

A spine-tingling tale of steampunk and spies, intrigue and heart-racing romance!

When Katharine Tulman's inheritance is called into question by the rumor that her eccentric uncle is squandering away the family fortune, she is sent to his estate to have him committed to an asylum. But instead of a lunatic, Katharine discovers a genius inventor with his own set of rules, who employs a village of nine hundred people rescued from the workhouses of London.

Katharine is now torn between protecting her own inheritance and preserving the peculiar community she grows to care for deeply. And her choices are made even more complicated by a handsome apprentice, a secretive student, and fears for her own sanity.

As the mysteries of the estate begin to unravel, it is clear that not only is her uncle's world at stake, but also the state of England as Katharine knows it. With twists and turns at every corner, this heart-racing adventure will captivate readers with its intrigue, thrills, and romance.

Why I'm Waiting: Sharon Cameron is an author from the state I call home, which is always exciting in and of itself.  When you take into account that she has written what promises to be a story full of mystery, romance, and steampunk goodness... well, I'm a goner!