Item: Aftermath
Author: Meg

Welcome to Swoony Boys Podcast! This is our stop on the Aftermath Tour hosted by The Irish Banana . We have a character interview and giveaway to share with you today and we can’t wait for you to get to know more about this book, its characters and author, Clara Kensie! Before we get to that, let’s learn a little more about the book first…

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Aftermath by Clara Kensie
Published by Merit Press on November 1st, 2016
Genres: Contemporary
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Charlotte survived four long years as a prisoner in the attic of her kidnapper, sustained only by dreams of her loving family. The chance to escape suddenly arrives, and Charlotte fights her way to freedom. But an answered prayer turns into heartbreak. Losing her has torn her family apart. Her parents have divorced: Dad's a glutton for fame, Mom drinks too much, and Charlotte's twin is a zoned-out druggie. Her father wants Charlotte write a book and go on a lecture tour, and her mom wants to keep her safe, a virtual prisoner in her own home. But Charlotte is obsessed with the other girl who was kidnapped, who never got a second chance at life--the girl who nobody but Charlotte believes really existed. Until she can get justice for that girl, even if she has to do it on her own, whatever the danger, Charlotte will never be free.

Character Interview

Today we’re sitting down with Charlotte from Aftermath. Hi there! Welcome to Swoony Boys Podcast! We are excited to have you here and we can’t wait for our readers to get to know you both a little better. Ready to get started? Here we go…

It’s safe to say that you’ve been through something that very few others have. How has it changed you for both the better and for the worse?

For the better: I know that I’m a survivor. I’m stronger than I thought I could be. I’ll sacrifice everything and anything to keep my loved ones safe. I’m not going to let what happened to me define who I am, and I’m not going to let it determine the course of the rest of my life.

For the worse: I’m not as trusting as I used to be. Not as naïve. The world is not as safe as I once thought it was.

While they may not share the exact same story as you, there are many teens like you who are dealing with struggles of their own. If you had the chance, what advice would you give them?

Whatever you’re struggling with, you’re not alone. Speak up. Tell someone. Tell anyone. If that person can’t help you, they’ll find you someone who can.

Asking for help is not a weakness; it’s a sign of strength.

Don’t let shame keep you silent. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.

Alan Shaw never used your name and never told you his own. Obviously stripping you of your identity was part of his plan, how did it affect you? If you had ever had the chance to talk to him after you were rescued, what would you have wanted to say?

By not using my name and only calling me girl, it objectified me. To him, I wasn’t a person. I was a thing that he owned. And, after a while, I believed it too, that I was a thing that belonged to him. I know now that’s what I had to do to survive. But another part of me refused to give in to that belief. That’s the part of me that remembered my family, and those memories sustained me throughout the ordeal.

If I’d ever had the opportunity to talk to him after I was rescued, I’d tell him—I’d show him—that I am not a thing. I’m not something that can be owned. I’m a person, with thoughts and feelings and a name, and he can never, ever own me. I’d show him that I’m living an amazing life, and I’m going to have an amazing future. He may have hurt me, but he did not break me.

Your relationship with Alexa has obviously changed from how it was before you were kidnapped. But in some ways you are even closer now. How would you describe your twin in three words? How would she describe you?

My three words for Alexa: Vulnerable. Angry. Healing.
Alexa’s three words for me: Strong. Survivor. Healing.

You’ve been such a good sport about answering our questions, let’s end it on a lighter note. Music is so important to us, and healing too. If you had to pick a theme song for your life right now, what would it be and why?

Tomorrow Will Be Kinder by The Secret Sisters. The lyrics sum up my experience in AFTERMATH perfectly. Plus, they are sisters. Here are the lyrics:

Black clouds are behind me, I now can see ahead
Often I wonder why I try hoping for an end
Sorrow weighs my shoulders down
And trouble haunts my mind
But I know the present will not last
And tomorrow will be kinder

Tomorrow will be kinder
It’s true, I’ve seen it before
A brighter day is coming my way
Yes, tomorrow will be kinder

Today I’ve cried a many tear
And pain is in my heart
Around me lies a somber scene
I don’t know where to start
But I feel warmth on my skin
The stars have all aligned
The wind has blown, but now I know
That tomorrow will be kinder

Tomorrow will be kinder
I know, I’ve seen it before
A brighter day is coming my way
Yes, tomorrow will be kinder

A brighter day is coming my way
Yes, tomorrow will be kinder

That wasn’t so bad, right? Thanks again for stopping by!

♥♥♥

Meet Clara Kensie

Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.

Today Clara is a RITA© Award-winning author of dark fiction for young adults. Her super-romantic psychic thriller series, Run To You, was named an RT Magazine Editors Pick for Best Books of 2014, and Run to You Book One: Deception So Deadly, is the winner of the prestigious 2015 RITA© Award for Best First Book.

Clara’s latest release is Aftermath, a dark, ripped-from-the-headlines YA contemporary in the tradition of Room and The Lovely Bones. Aftermath is on Goodreads’ list of Most Popular Books Published in November 2016, and Young Adult Books Central declared it a Top Ten Book of 2016.

Clara’s favorite foods are guacamole and cookie dough. But not together. That would be gross.

Find Clara Here: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

1: A “Do It Double” Aftermath tote bag from Blu Bear Bazaar (photos attached). Inspired by Aftermath’s message to “Do it double, because some can’t do it at all,” Blu Bear Bazaar designed beautiful artwork for it and printed it on tote bags and throw pillows. Blu Bear Bazaar is generously donating a portion of all Aftermath product proceeds to RAINN and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Click here for more information.

2: Choice of TWO books from Clara’s collection of YA novels. Clara will give the winner a list of the YA novels in her collection, and the winner can pick two. Some of the books are signed by the author.

*US/CAN for the above prizes. If the winner is international, the prize will be substituted by a book from Book Depository up to $18.00, winner’s choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy swooning!

Check out the other stops on the tour by below: