@StrangeChem Author Slambook: Rachel Neumeier + Giveaway

Author Bio
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Rachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student; her only previous publications appeared in journals such as The American Journal of Botany. Rachel now lives in rural Missouri, where she enjoys planting unusual trees, cooking Indian food, showing Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and reading other peoples' books, especially when she should be revising her own.

Favorites

1. What is your favorite color? blue. Or sometimes purple-and-yellow, the colors of the best-of-breed ribbon at a dog show.

2. Favorite food? the Moroccan chicken I just made with preserved lemon and cracked green olives was pretty amazing.

3. Favorite movie of all time? The Hunt for Red October -- or maybe The Shawshank Redemption -- or possibly The Fugitive

4. Favorite song? At the moment, maybe "The Great Beyond" by REM

5. Favorite book of all time? Now, that's *really* impossible to answer! But The Riddlemaster Trilogy by Patricia McKillip is certainly in my personal top ten.

All about Writing

1. How did your interest in writing originate?

Because I was avoiding writing my thesis in grad school and also annoyed by the book I was reading and thought I could do better. Or maybe before that, as I *always* made up stories in my head when I was bored in class.

2. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I usually work most on late mornings during weekends and late evenings on weekdays --times when the dogs are all napping and I can be uninterrupted.

3. Do you work with an outline or just write?

When I start a new book, I almost always just write. I start to outline when the book is about half done, then continually revise both the outline and the ms till I get to the end.

4. What was the hardest part in writing your book? The easiest?

To me, all books seem easy in retrospect! I have to really think about it to remember what was hard about any of them. While writing, the hardest part is usually getting through the middle, when I am faced with needing to actually work out the whole plot.

5. What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read, of course! Also, hiking with the dogs.

Finish the sentence

1. The difference between fiction and reality is, well, in MY fiction, the good guys always win!

2. Research is what I'm doing when I'm writing a genius character who knows a lot more physics than I do. Or a Mexican character who knows a lot more Spanish than I do. Or a contemporary setting that I have to actually more or less get right.

3. I can write better when I turn the ringers off on the phones and shut out the world.

4. Sleep is an excellent way to work out the next bit of a story while drifting off.

5. A room without a book is unimaginable.

Books

Title: Black Dog
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy
Released Date: February 6, 2014
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Synopsis:

Natividad is Pure, one of the rare girls born able to wield magic. Pure magic can protect humans against the supernatural evils they only half-acknowledge – the blood kin or the black dogs. In rare cases – like for Natividad’s father and older brother – Pure magic can help black dogs find the strength to control their dark powers.

But before Natividad’s mother can finish teaching her magic their enemies find them. Their entire village in the remote hills of Mexico is slaughtered by black dogs. Their parents die protecting them. Natividad and her brothers must flee across a strange country to the only possible shelter: the infamous black dogs of Dimilioc, who have sworn to protect the Pure.

In the snowy forests of Vermont they are discovered by Ezekiel Korte, despite his youth the strongest black dog at Dimilioc and the appointed pack executioner. Intrigued by Natividad he takes them to Dimilioc instead of killing them.

Now they must pass the tests of the Dimilioc Master. Alejandro must prove he can learn loyalty and control even without his sister’s Pure magic. Natividad’s twin Miguel must prove that an ordinary human can be more than a burden to be protected. And even at Dimilioc a Pure girl like Natividad cannot remain unclaimed to cause fighting and distraction. If she is to stay she must choose a black dog mate.

But, first, they must all survive the looming battle.

Giveaway !!!

The Rules:

• Open Internationally 
• Must be 13+ to enter
• Winners will be notified via email
• A new winner will be chosen if a response is not received within 48 hours
• Use the Rafflecopter to enter. I'm going to check the entries so please follow the directions correctly.
• Contest ends February 6, 2014 (Released Date)

a Rafflecopter giveaway