Interview with Bethany Wiggins, author of Stung

Bethany Wiggins has always been an avid reader, but not an avid writer. She failed ninth grade English because she read novels instead of doing her homework. In high school, she sat alone at lunch and read massive hardback fantasy novels (Tad Williams and Robert Jordan anyone?). It wasn’t until the end of her senior year that the other students realized she was reading fiction–not the Bible.

Once upon a time, Bethany’s sister dared her to start writing an hour a day until she completed a novel. Bethany wrote a seven-hundred page fantasy novel that she wisely let no one read–but it taught her how to write. She is the author of SHIFTING, STUNG (April 2013), and CURED (2014).

As a reader, we don’t know what’s going on up front. What made you decide to fill in the reader as events took place instead of filling us in at the beginning?
I didn’t want to do a huge info dump in the book (especially at the beginning), and I wanted there to be a lot of questions that kept the reader guessing and, more importantly, turning the pages. That is why I only gave the information piece by piece!

I think that the cover for the book is awesome considering how it ties together with the story. What made you come up with the idea of the bee flu?
I started writing this book at the time the swine flu scare was running rampant through the USA. I watched these crazy people on the news who were swarming the health departments, frantic to the point of violent to get the swine flu vaccine for their kids, and it made me wonder, “What if the government told us there is this huge flu to scare us into taking a vaccine that is really going to harm us?” And that is how the flu in the plot was born!

What would you say was the hardest part of writing Stung?
Making all of it fit together! I had a lot of good ideas floating around, but I couldn’t quite figure out how they all connected. The very last chapter I wrote is actually a chapter in the middle of the book, that sort of connects all the dots (the chapter in the alley, with the raiders and the governor). As soon as I had that chapter figured out, it all made sense.

With that little tidbit at the end of the story I have to ask, is there another book in the works?
Yes!!! There is a part two, and it comes out next winter!

You are stopping by Book Sniffers Anonymous after all so I must ask… are you a book sniffer?
I am every once in a while! When I have a few minutes to spare, and am looking for a good book, I will scroll through the Book Sniffers Anonymous blog and see what books they’ve given good ratings.

We always end our reviews with our favorite quote/part from the book and I know with Stung being your baby, it will be hard to choose but what is your favorite part or quote?
SO hard to choose. There are a lot of favorite parts, but this one sums up the book in a few short lines:

My feet slow as I walk toward a telephone pole. The wires lie spaghetti-twisted on the ground below it, and tacked to the front is a piece of paper at odds with this trashed, forgotten neighborhood. The paper is daffodil-yellow—not sun bleached, or water warped, or wind frayed. I take a closer look.




REWARD

1-4 marks ~ 1 oz. honey.

5-7 marks ~ 2 oz. honey

8-9 marks ~ 3 oz. honey

10 marks ~ 8 oz. honey



To claim reward, marked one must be alive.

Payments made Sundays @ Southgate or Northgate.

No payment for dead body.

Sincerely, Governor Jacoby Soneschen
 

 

 

about the book

Stung
By: Bethany Wiggins
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Genre: Distopian YA

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

 

4 Thoughts on “Interview with Bethany Wiggins, author of Stung

  1. Glad I’m not the only one who sniffs books, lol.

    I love that excerpt =D

  2. Anonymous on 10 April, 2013 at 11:31 pm said:

    GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW BOOK AND THANKS FOR THE GIVWAWAY! SHELLEY S. calicolady60@hotmail.com

  3. Haven’t read this yet but I certainly would like to. That cover alone makes me want to read this book!
    mestith at gmail dot com

  4. I love the cover of STUNG as well! It goes nicely with the synopsis.

    Karielle Stephanie @ Books à la Mode

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