Author Interview: Jus Accardo

Title: Touch
Author: Jus Accardo
Series: Denazen #1
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: November 2011
YA: Paranormal Romance

Summary:

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes back home.

Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her. It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realises there's more to this boy - and her father's "law firm" - than she realised.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation - an organisation devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons - his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. Dez and Kale team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

An interview with Jus Accardo:

• What is 'Touch' about? Can you tell us a little about the characters and background to the story?

Dez is a girl trying to get a reaction from her Dad. Any reaction will do. He's cold and distant and her goal in life is to come up with new and amusing ways to set his blood pressure soaring. Enter Kale - a serious hottie she runs into after sneaking home from a party

After she helps him escape some strange men in the woods, she sees only one thing - a way to piss off her Dad. She does - but it doesn't have quite the effect she hoped for.

• What inspired you to come up with the idea of the Denazen Corporation and the 'Sixes'?
  

The Denazen Corportion was actually born in something I wrote years ago - though it's function was slightly different. I'd always loved the overall concept and was thrilled to have the chance to use it.
The Sixes were a result of Kale. I was writing, thinking, hey! What if there were more than just him and they could do different things?

• How long did it take you to write 'Touch'?
  

The first draft took 3 weeks.

• To me, Dez was a strong, determined character who likes to be in control. Is she based on anyone you know?
  

Not really, no. Dez came to me fully formed and had her own mind and personality.

• Did you put any research into writing the book?
  

I did go Bungee jumping. Dez was an adrenalin junkie and I wanted to feel that rush - though I think what I felt was more terror than anything else...

• What is your writing process? Do you plan, plan, plan or just go with the flow?
  

No planning. Not ever. It messes me up. I sat down with a single scene in my head - a girl being chased through the woods, the ground beneath her bare feet withering with each step - and went to town. The story and the characters came out on their own.

• What do you do to relax?
  

I'm a huge World of Warcraft junkie. I also love to cook and watch cartoons.

• Do you have any all time favourite books?
  

A couple of the books I could read over and over are, Nightlife by Rob Thurman and Bitten by Kelley Armstrong.

• What's your favourite comfort food?
  

Well, since coffee technically isn't a food, it's gonna be cheese. Or chicken marsala. It's a tie really, but cheese is easier - and quicker to come by - in a pinch.

• If you could give 'Touch' a song, what song would it be?
  

Horror Show by Powerman 5000.

• Anything you'd like to add?
  

Thank you so much for letting me hand today!

Author Bio:

Jus Accardo is the author of YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy fiction. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald. Her first book, Touch, is due out in November 2011 from Entangled Publishing. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Connect with Jus:
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