BB: Please give me the elevator pitch for Phase, your debut YA paranormal.
ECN: Okay, it took me about five full minutes to understand what ‘elevator pitch’ meant. I like it, though. I would probably include a short dance along with my pitch because I like to dance in elevators.

Back on topic, Phase is a young adult paranormal novel about the friendship between two girls, Sophie and Jules. Sophie is from a solid family, friendly and open. Jules is a foster child, untrusting and mysterious. She is also not all she seems. But the two struggle to stay friends amid bullies, high school, crushes and surprising secrets. Oh and there’s definitely some cute boys too. 

How was that? Didn’t make you jump off the elevator, did it? :)

BB: I read that you are a hockey fan. I am NOT a sports person. Please explain what is so fun about hockey.
EC: I am not sports person either. Does that surprise you? My love of hockey still surprises me. I guess the simplest way to explain why it is so fun is this: Most of the things I enjoy are based in story (songs, tv shows, movies, books) and even though I might get really involved in the story, there is still an expectation and mild predictability as to how it will all turn out. 

That security does not exist in hockey. There is no comfort in watching players race around, slamming into each other and impressively shooting a little disc with a stick, while skating on ice, past a large, majorly padded goalie. It’s overwhelming and absorbing and completely thrilling. Both on television and during live games, I am on edge; shouting and cheering and booing. I never know what will happen, no matter how much I know about the teams, players and the game. The very nature of it cannot be calm and predictable.

BB: What is the Classics Club List on your website? I read a lot of these in school, but I admit that I haven't read any of them recently. Favorites so far?
ECN: The Classics Club List! I’m so excited about that. It’s this challenge that you can sign up for at this site: http://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com. You make a list of all the classics you want to read (and reread if you choose) and give yourself a goal or finish date (up to five years). As an English nerd and English teacher, there are so many classics I just haven’t gotten around to and sometimes, it’s easier to pick up that light beach read over Dickens. Every time you finish one of the books on your list, you blog about it (and link it back to your list). I’ve only reviewed one so far, but I just finished Sense & Sensibility, so I’ll be reviewing that soon. It gives me motivation to finally get through some of these books. And even the rereads are fun because some I read in high school and just didn’t ‘get’ and in my vast maturity (lol) now, I understand these books so much more. Like I just reread and reviewed The Great Gatsby which I read only a few years ago for the first time. I was ‘meh’ about it then. Now? Holy Cow, Fitzgerald is a master with words.

BB: I've decided that you and I must hang out together after seeing your Song of Moment page. I love Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, and Spoon. Do you listen to these songs while you write or do you just sing and dance to them? What's up with this lovely selection?
ECN: We should hang out! My Song of the Moment list is getting ridiculously long, but I can’t help it. I love music. I wish I could make music but other than some ability on piano, I’m at a loss. I started that when I started my author blog. I know that I am often introduced to new music through people I follow on Twitter and Facebook, etc., and I thought maybe I could return the favor to anyone who reads my blog. I also really enjoy seeing other authors’ soundtracks for their books: music that they listened to when writing or songs that seem to match their work. Song of the Moment is exactly what the title says. It’s what I’ve been listening to most recently and really want to share with my readers. I do often sing and dance to some of the songs on there although some are not really danceable. It’s beyond eclectic and probably doesn’t make a lick of sense to listen to in full, but that sort of encompasses my brain and personality: eclectic and doesn’t make a lick of sense. :D

BB: On to my favorite topic...dogs. Tell me about Margie.
ECN: You’re a dog person! Brilliant. I am too, although I really thought I was going to wait until I had a house of my own to get a dog. But I found Marjorie (Margie) October 2010 when the Humane Society in my hometown set up shop during one of our festivals. She looked a lot like my dog growing up and she was so sweet and docile. So, I got her and brought her home and found out soon enough that she definitely had the energy of a puppy.

Margie (named for a minor literary character Marjorie Phelps in the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers) is so friendly and loves every living thing: people, dogs, cats, you name it. She’s a good dog as well, because I have to leave her in the apartment all day while I teach and she doesn’t destroy my place in the process. I do take her to the dog park every Saturday so she can socialize (and I can too). I notice that I’m slowly becoming one of ‘those’ pet owners. I just love her so much. 

Thanks for letting me take over a post on your blog. This was fun!