Fangtastic Books: Interview and Kindle Fire Giveaway with Bisi Leyton Author of Wisteria

I’m Bisi and I started writing when I was eight, but started novels when I was twelve. I was inspired by the Sweet Valley High series and even though I didn’t live in the states at the time, I wrote some really fantastic fan fiction (I won’t show it to you ever, but trust me it’s wonderful).

I write Romance now and I’m currently working on a Young Adult Paranormal Romance series called Wisteria. My inspiration came from watching a wide range of zombie and post- apocalyptic films and shows such as 28 days later, Jericho and Logan’s run (yes Logan’s run the series).

What inspired you to write this book?

For Wisteria, I wanted to write a story about a normal girl with no special abilities who is able to do extraordinary things in a really messed up a world.

I also wanted to include parents who are central to the problem she’s trying to overcome opposed clueless bystanders.

Please tell us more about your latest release.

My latest novel (and first novel) is called Wisteria and it is the first book in a series for four. It tells the story of a sixteen year old Wisteria Kuti. A girl trying to survive with her family in post-apocalyptic England overrun with zombies. However, it seems a lot of people around them know more about what really caused the zombie outbreak then they are saying.

She soon meets a teenager Bach who knows her even though neither of them have met before. Bach, who is immune to the virus, is able to control the zombies, but also has another agenda.

Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?

I try to be consistent with naming characters in a book. For Wisteria I used a lot of Andorran names for the Family, so there was some logic to it. I also to make sure the names are easy to pronounce. Wisteria, her mother and brother are Yoruba, so I was careful to pick simple Yoruba names like Kuti (although Wisteria’s middle name is a bit tricky).

Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?

I found Bach a particularly hard character to write because he really is a jerk sometimes. I had completely to rewrite him at one point because I wanted to kill him.

Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?

I love writing about anyone in the Family (except Bach). The Family are a race who seem to observing the destruction of the earth with twisted pleasure. They were fun to write because they were so different in their thinking as well as their view of right and wrong.

With the book being part of a series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be read as stand alones?

There are two major archs that run through the series and are central to the story, so it might be hard to read the books out of order.

Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?

I normally get writer’s block when I’m starting a book. I find the only think that works is to continue writing. If I can I’ll change location and that helps too.

Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?

I have never , ever, ever, written in the bathroom

Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?

I love reading in bed late at night with all the lights off (It helps that I have an e-reader with alight).

What can readers expect next from you?

I am getting the second book in the Wisteria Series ready for release and am writing Wisteria book 3.

Where can readers find you on the web?

https://www.facebook.com/Wisteriabooks

http://bisileyton.wordpress.com/wisteria/

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?

Wrapping her arms around herself, she moved away from him. Once again, humiliated and feeling foolish. “Goodnight, Bach!” She strode angrily to the side of the roof in order to climb down.

He grabbed her and held her back

The guy came here just to tease her, yet again! Didn’t he know he was hurting her? Didn’t he care? “I’m tired of all this nonsense. I’m actually tired and need some sleep. I’m done with this. All of this!” She should’ve left the roof when she saw him appear. “Let go, so I can go.”

“Wisteria, it is not that.” Exhaling heavily, he released her. “My people could kill you if they knew I wanted you.”

This wasn’t at all what she’d expected him to say. “What?”

“I am in love with you. I do not know why, but I am. And it is selfish, because I just want you for myself.” Sadness filled his eyes as he spoke.

“Why would they do that to me?”

“Because you are human and because we see humans as Terran, or dirt people.”

“And you believe that too? So why are you here, living among us, if we’re so disgusting?”

“You are not disgusting. You are beautiful.” Rubbing his temples, he seemed troubled and bewildered. “But I chose Earth, because I came here as a child. Your people treated me so badly in the past. When I learned about the Nero disease, I wanted to see your world die.” He paused. “You were right when you said there was something wrong with me.

Wisteria

Wisteria Series Book 1

By Bisi Leyton

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

ASIN: B008XRI3BA

Number of pages: 275

Word Count: 90,000

Cover Artist: Olivia Smith

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/t_TWuWK_bbY http://youtu.be/fvC9iJckrs4

Purchase Links: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008XRI3BA

Blurb/Book Description:

Sixteen year old Wisteria Kuti has two options—track the infected around the Isle of Smythe or leave the only known safe haven and face a world infested with flesh eating biters. But even with well-armed trackers, things go wrong and Wisteria ends up alone facing certain death, until she is rescued by the mysterious Bach. Uninfected, Bach is able to survive among the hordes of living dead.

Eighteen year old Bach, from a race known as The Family, has no interest in human affairs. He was sent here to complete his Great Walk and return home as a man—as a Sen Son. The Family regard humans as Dirt People, but Bach is drawn to this Terran girl, whom he has never seen before, but somehow knows.

Hunted by flesh eaters, cannibals, and the mysterious blood thirsty group called Red Phoenix, Wisteria and Bach make their way back to the Isle of Smythe, a community built on secrets and lies.

Author Bio:

Bisi Leyton was born in East London in 1978. She grew up in London, Nigeria and the States, listening to the stories life and love from aunts, cousins and big sisters.

She lives in London, but has worked around Europe including France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium and the Czech Republic. She has a fondness for reading graphic novels.

https://www.facebook.com/Wisteriabooks

http://bisileyton.wordpress.com/

@bisileyton

http://www.goodreads.com/Bisileyton