FIRST SHIFT is a companion short story for Antithesis. Get it FREE on the INKSPELL PUBLISHING website. (Along with 14 other short stories. You can’t beat FREE!)
The morning Liam’s existence changed, he had a father, a girlfriend, and the universe at his disposal. By nightfall, all that remained was confusion, and a burning desire for revenge.
I am so excited to reveal MY cover for ANTITHESIS. This has been a long, LONG journey, and it’s still not over, but I feel so blessed to be here at all. While I have your attention, I want to thank some people that were so instrumental in the creation of ANTITHESIS. Missy – though technically you don’t “exist” anymore, I still know who you are, and I am so grateful for everything you’ve done for me. You’ve been a friend, mentor, and sounding board, and we’ve had a whole lot of fun along the way. Amanda – my sister, for reading my crap when it was still crap, and for answering when I called to tell you my book was accepted. Thanks. RLL – for your ten page emails and your adorable audios. (I know you hate that I just said adorable, but your accent really is pretty cute.) Thanks for being a curmudgeon. The ladies from my writing group, The Flint Area Writers – thank you, thank you, thank you. I have come SO far since I met you, and you guys, above all else, have taken me from there to here, from just “okay” to sometimes “fantastic”. Mart and Kelly – for everything. The Sunday dinners, the impromptu writing sessions, for letting me complain. You guys rock. The awesome team at Inkspell – Thank you. Shilpa, Melissa, all the writers, you guys are amazing. Especially Melissa, for encouraging me to submit in the first place and holding my hand when I needed it. And Jon – my husband. You are a brave, strong man for putting up with me. It has to be tough living with a writer. I give you props and love and more love. Thanks for believing in me, especially those times when I don’t believe in myself.
Now for the reveal!
ANTITHESIS by Kacey Vanderkarr
Available July 21, 2013 from Inkspell Publishing
My name is Gavyn.
Liam doesn’t care that I only have one arm. He actually likes my red hair and freckles. I might forgive him for kidnapping me.
My name is Gavyn.
I lost my Liam. I’ve lost them all. And now it’s my job to make sure they don’t show up again.
My name is Gavyn.
I had a life with Liam, but he couldn’t give me what I need. Then I killed his father. I don’t expect he’ll forgive me for that.
My name is Gavyn.
About the author:
Kacey Vanderkarr is a young adult author. She dabbles in fantasy, romance, and sci-fi, complete with faeries, alternate realities, and the occasional plasma gun. She’s known to be annoyingly optimistic and listen to music at the highest decibel. When she’s not writing, she coaches winterguard and works as a sonographer. Kacey lives in Michigan, with her husband, son, crazy cats, and two bearded dragons.
Twitter: @kacimari
Blog: www.kaceyvanderkarr.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kacey-Vanderkarr-Young-Adult-Author/128956043852072
In honor of the upcoming May 20th cover release of Antithesis (published by INKSPELL), I’m interviewing my main characters, Gavyn and Liam. This week we have Gavyn, heroine of Antithesis. We caught up with Gavyn just before she met Liam and was swept away by his charm and, uh, well-tailored pants.
What is your most treasured possession? My car. It’s ugly and has a Metallica sticker on the bumper (so NOT my sticker), but the car is mine and it’s not a stick shift. Thanks, Mom.
What is your most marked characteristic? Probably my soullessness. If you make it past that, then my one-armedness.
What is it that you most dislike? Being underestimated. I have one arm. That’s not a disability.
Where would you like to live? Somewhere warm and sunny where it never snows. I mean, who actually likes snow? It’s cold and wet and causes car accidents. Plus, me trying to shovel snow is a JOKE.
What is your favorite memory? Probably the day I met Lena. It was on the first day of kindergarten and we were on the playground. She pointed to my arm and said, “Where’d your arm go?” I shrugged and she shrugged. Then she said, “Watch me do this flip!” We’ve been inseparable ever since.
Which talent would you most like to have? Okay, so it’s not so much a talent as a necessity, but I’d really love to be able to put my hair into a ponytail. It’s kind of this obnoxious, frizzy disaster, and it’s impossible to tame one-handed.
What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty. People are people, we make mistakes, and not everyone is going to like everyone all the time. But my friends are amazing. No matter how many times I embarrass them in public, they keep coming back for more.
Who are your heroes in real life? My mom. She works her ass off (can I say ass on here?). When she’s not taking care of me, she’s a nurse. She works more than anyone I know and never complains about it. Ever.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Patience. I mean, seriously, there is no other virtue that’s so ridiculous. Good things come to those who wait? I call bullshit. Good things come to those who act, not wait around like idiots. It’s like all those princesses waiting for the prince to come save them. Pure idiocy, people. They need to take karate or something, beat their way out of the palaces, and make a name for themselves.
How would you like to die? How would I like to die? Is this a trick question? Nobody wants to die. I guess if I got to choose, it’d have to be for something worthwhile, like saving the world.
What is your motto? Get rich or die trying. Haha, just kidding. Probably make the most out of every day and never give up.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Gah. Seriously.
On what occasions do you lie? I’m pretty much an open book, unless you ask about my stump. I might be a bit more cavalier about it than I actually am. I mean, I’m missing an arm, nobody’s going to see that as an advantage, no matter how many times I try to convince you it’s awesome.
Where are you on Saturday nights? With Lena and Drake, watching them play Call of Duty. Sometimes they try to make me play, but I can’t control the joystick, so I just stand around and they use me as a human shield, so I get shot a lot.
What do you find sexy? Intelligence. Bad boys. Guys who wear clothes that actually fit. It’s a unique, hard to come by combination.
Do you have a boyfriend? Ha! You’re kidding, right?
Describe yourself in three words. Ohh. This is a hard one. Let me think. Energetic. Compassionate. Hopeful.
Where do you see yourself in five years? College, definitely. I really want to be a child psychologist. There are so many kids out there that have been tormented by their parents and peers. I’d like to help them.
What is your favorite movie? Titanic. I can’t help it. I’m a sucker for a tragic love story and Leonardo DiCaprio is HOT.
Look for the interview with Liam next Monday! Do you have more questions for Gavyn? Leave them below and she’ll try to answer them.
Want more info on Antithesis? CLICK HERE!
Antithesis will be available from Inkspell Publishing, July 21, 2013.
All the best,
Kacey
Kacey Vanderkarr 