Swati Avasthi Takeover & Giveaway!

Goodreads Synopsis:



Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret.

At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split—how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.

Read Lizz's Review Here

Interview with author Swati Avasthi:

L@DD: When did you know you wanted to become a writer?
SA: When I was five and read Little House in the Big Woods. I thought I was very like Laura (though of course now when I read it to my kids I laugh at myself given all the differences). And I figured if I was like her and she was a writer, then I wanted to be a writer, too. That's not to say that I thought I'd be writer my whole life. I took a 10 year detour in theater and the law before I was able to return to writing.

L@DD: Can you tell me in your own words what the book is about?
SA: 16 year old Jace Witherspoon has taken one beating too many from his dad and he finally hits back. When his dad throws him out of the house, he drives 1300 miles from Chicago to Albuquerque to find his brother, Christian, who he hasn't seen or heard from in 5 years. He knocks on the door with nothing more than a couple of bucks in his pocket, bruises on his face, and a secret. SPLIT is about finding recovery -- from bruises, wounds (old and new alike) and guilt.

L@DD: Can you tell me about your journey throughout the writing of this book?
SA: While there were some struggles, for the most part, the journey of writing this book was very pleasant. I had a lot of help via The Loft Literary Center, Hamline University, and University of Minnesota. I also had a coupe of writer's groups who improved the manuscripts tremendously through their good notes. I wrote the first draft in a year and made 6 full revisions in about 12 months. This book was very easy really.

L@DD: Are any characters influenced by any people in your life? As in personality, looks, etc.
SA: Jace's sense of humor mimics my husband's and some of the minor characters -- Caitlyn and Lowell -- were based on a couple of kids in high school I didn't really like, but that's about it.

L@DD: Were there any parts of the book that you struggled with writing?
SA: Sure. I did struggle with chapter 2. It was hard to reveal the right information and not reveal the secret. I remember being really surprised at the climax of the book when I discovered who Jace was really angry with. My critique group got a kick out of that since I had made it pretty clear on the page already. Sometimes we talk about the writer behind the curtain, the one who writes about our deeper struggles without us really knowing what they are. I'd say this was a pretty clear case of not knowing what was obvious to others.

L@DD: Who inspires you?
SA: A lot of people do. My large community of supportive writers, my students, but most of all my husband and my children.

L@DD: What do you think are your strongest and weakest points at writing?
SA: I think if I answer what I'm good at I'll jinx myself, (I'm a seriously superstitious writer) so I guess the safest thing to answer is that I'm good a working hard. At least *that* I can control. It's must easier to talk about my weaknesses and for me that is both speed and stress. I have a hard time getting the editor off my shoulder when I write. I have a hard time writing the shitty first draft. But I think that that will change, book by book.

L@DD: What is the funniest or weirdest thing a reader has ever asked you?
SA: What startles me most is when people ask me why I didn't write about race. It's kind of like taking to someone when their underwear is showing... because I did write about race. I did choose white character and I did so for a reason. The underlying assumption in that question -- the part of their underwear that is showing -- is that they assume "white" is not a race, that "white" is normal.

L@DD: What is the most embarrassing song in your music library?
SA: I suspect, depending on how you look at it, a lot of my music library is embarrassing. I love Pat Benatar.

L@DD: What made you want to write about this subject?
SA: I coordinated a domestic violence clinic for a few years and I was inspired by the women around me who had the courage to leave their abusers and equally inspired by those who didn't. I once had a woman come in with her two children and was horrified to learn that they had witnessed the abuse (that was really quite brutal). She never returned for her longer order of protection, so I don't know if she went back to her abuser of not.

L@DD: What do you hope readers get from this book?
SA: I don't really write with an agenda, but I think there are a couple of things I know more clearly after writing it: 1) That abuse is a societal problem -- not a woman's problem, but a problem that men need to take an active role in solving and 2) that asking "why does she stay" is putting the blame in the wrong place. We need to be talking to boys and men about this.

L@DD: Are you working on anything new?
SA: I'm just about finished with my second novel, CHASING SHADOWS, due out from Knopf in 2012 or 2013. It's about three best friends -- Savitri, Holly, and Corey. Free runners, Comic book readers, fearless. But when Corey is killed, Holly and Savitri search to find a way to stay close, to survive, and to catch Corey's killer.

L@DD: Do you have any special "rituals" you do during the writing process? Such as a certain drink you like to sip on, day/night, music?
SA: I do. I listen to a playlist that is designed for the book and sip from Starbucks' white chocolate mochas. Last week, one of my students said that all these rituals were keeping him from writing as often as he could so he has determined to write wherever he is. And I think I might try that.

L@DD: What are you currently reading?
SA: The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aims by Kelly Easton. I'm re-reading Hunger Games and Story of a Girl to prep for a class I'm teaching,

Giveaway!

For this giveaway the author Swati Avasthi is giving away a personalized signed copy of Split for the winner! 

Rules:

1. You must be following our blog.
2. Tweet a link to this on Twitter for an extra entry
3. Follow Swati on Twitter @swatiavasthi for another entry
4. Post a comment with your email that we can contact you at & a link to your Twitter post.
5. Let us know how many entries you have!
Contest will end Monday Feb 6th at 11:59pm

Good luck!