{"id":605,"date":"2012-05-23T16:50:38","date_gmt":"2012-05-23T16:50:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swoontini.com\/?p=605"},"modified":"2012-05-23T16:50:38","modified_gmt":"2012-05-23T16:50:38","slug":"swoontini-interview-gretchen-mcneil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christinalaurenbooks.com\/Clo2\/2012\/05\/swoontini-interview-gretchen-mcneil\/","title":{"rendered":"Swoontini Interview: GRETCHEN McNEIL"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey Swoonies!! Welcome back! We are so excited to see you, and you all look ADORABLE. Wednesday suits you quite nicely. AND HEY, we have Gretchen McNeil here today *WILD SCREAMS* and ALSO? We’re giving away an ARC of TEN! WOOT WOOT! So all you need to do is hop on those comments below, leave your name and some love for Gretchen, and you’re entered to win! EASY.
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Hi Gretchen! So excited to have you at Swoontini! We both got ARC\u2019s of TEN<\/a> at WonderCon because we are lucky hoors. And I (Lo) have to admit that there were a few sections where I literally had to close the book and put it down for awhile it scared me so bad. What are some of your favorite scary books & movies?<\/strong>
\nGM: So I’m a notorious wimp with scary movies.\u00a0 Traditional horror scares the CRAP out of me!\u00a0 I prefer things more on the suspense scale.\u00a0\u00a0 Hitchcock was a master \u2013Birds<\/a>, Strangers on a Train<\/a>, North By Northwest<\/a><\/em> \u2013 absolute edge-of-your seat film making.\u00a0 I also love old Victorian ghost stories.\u00a0 There’s nothing creepier than drafty old manor houses and ghosts on the Moor.\u00a0 Sheridan Le Fanu<\/a>, Algernon Blackwood<\/a>, Wilkie Collins<\/a>, Emily Bronte<\/a>.\u00a0 Deliciously gothic!
\n(Christina totally agrees. Rear Window<\/a> is one of her all-time faves)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The movie Burnt Offerings<\/a> scared my sister so much growing up that I bet she still remembers every detail. Aaanyway. Your background is so fun to hear about because it is so DIFFERENT than ours. I mean, OPERA HELLO. Plus, you have some of the funniest stories about those days. What is one of your favorite stories from working in Opera?
\n<\/strong>GM: Opera is a crazy business.\u00a0 And ridiculously hard work.\u00a0 I think my best stories are all costume-related: like the time my zipper broke on a dress during a quick change and the costumer accidentally safety pinned the dress TO MY BACK.\u00a0 I had to go on stage and sing while bleeding through the gown.\u00a0 Yeah, it was not awesome.<\/p>\n

ACK ACK! That made my skin crawl. You\u2019re a founding vlogger for the YARebels<\/a>, featured as \u201cMonday.\u201d OH THE PRESSSSSURE. What do you do when you\u2019re not sure what to talk about? Or do you always have some awesome anecdote or info to share?
\n<\/strong>GM: So I usually plot out my vlogs while I’m blow drying my hair.\u00a0 (Vain much?) [Christina says: She has the best hair, seriously]<\/em> Most of the time I have an idea what I’m going to talk about but sometimes I just go brain dead and end up rambling for six minutes.\u00a0 Those vlogs usually end with an apology.\u00a0 HAHAHAHA.<\/p>\n

Tell us about Teenage Gretchen. What current books would she be devouring? What characters would have her swooning and cheering?<\/strong>
\nGM: I essentially had two kinds of books I read in high school \u2013 Agatha Christie<\/a>, and pre-20th<\/sup> century British and Irish authors.\u00a0 Victorian, Georgian, even early Edwardian fiction was like all I read.\u00a0 You should see my book collection at home.\u00a0 The complete works of William Ainsworth<\/a>?\u00a0 Own it!\u00a0 Fanny Burney<\/a>?\u00a0 The whole set!\u00a0 Obscure early 19th<\/sup> century Irish women authors?\u00a0 You know it, baby.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only one rule of exorcism: the spirits lie\u201d IT STILL GIVES US GOOSEBUMPS!! What made you decide to write about exorcism, and honestly, did you have to watch a ton of exorcism movies and read actual ACCOUNTS? Because if so, you are a far stronger woman than either of us. ::heebie jeebies::
\n<\/strong>GM: Basically, I wanted to write a scary novel.\u00a0 I feel like a lot of the things that scared me as a kid \u2013 vampires, werewolves, ghosts \u2013 have been romanticized.\u00a0 Which is totally fine, but I miss scary stories!<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>I didn’t watch any exorcisms other than the classic: The Exorcist<\/a><\/em>, aka the scariest movie ever made.\u00a0 But I read dozens of first hand accounts of exorcisms and demonologists.\u00a0 Some of it was impactful, some of it ridiculous.\u00a0 And mostly I just screwed myself out of hours of sleep by reading them before bed.<\/p>\n

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anyone remember this???? he's totally watching you all, btw.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yes, The Exorcist is the scariest movie ever. One of Lo’s best friends can’t even hear the title without starting to panic, NO LIE. Anyway, we are so excited for 3:59 we are almost bouncing. SCI-FI HORROR ARE YOU KIDDING US? So, just for the Swoontini readers, here is a link to the teaser you posted<\/a>.\u00a0 Yep,\u00a0 not a question, just\u2026excited.<\/strong>
\nGM: Thank you!!!!\u00a0 I’m excited too.\u00a0 Now if I can just FINISH IT!<\/p>\n

It was SO SO FUN to meet you at WonderCon<\/a> this year. What authors would you LOVE to see on a panel in-person?
\n<\/strong>GM: First off, that WonderCon panel was awesome.\u00a0 I was humbled to be among such fantastic writers.\u00a0 As for writers I’d totally fangirl?\u00a0 Holly Black<\/a> is near the top of that list, and I just found <\/strong>out I’ll be doing a signing WITH HER at Books of Wonder in New York on June 6th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Holy crap, I’m going to babble like a moron in front of her!!!!
\nAHHHH!!! SO FUN!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quickfires:<\/em>
\n<\/strong>Favorite mode of transportation: <\/strong>Car (I’m an LA girl)<\/p>\n

Your favorite board game:<\/strong> Clue<\/p>\n

A movie you\u2019ve watched over and over:<\/strong> Clue (ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL TIME!!!!!)<\/p>\n

Popcorn Jelly Bellys are delicious or disgusting?<\/strong> Heinous (christina is totally fistpumping right now)<\/p>\n

You\u2019d rather (a) wear sneakers (b) wear a turtleneck (trust us, The Girls are awesome): <\/strong>Turtleneck, for sure. [Lo says: idk why but I was cracking up like a maniac writing this question. Something was in the water.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Thanks so much for joining us!! We love you, but YOU ALREADY KNEW THIS.<\/strong>
\nGM: *blows kisses*<\/p>\n

Have you read Possess?<\/a> Pre-ordered Ten??<\/a> \u00a0Interested in winning a signed ARC?? Leave the lovely Gretchen some love and it’s yours!<\/p>\n

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because you can never have enough creepy doll .gifs. AMIRITE?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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