Welcome to Shannon Delany's Start Your Day with Serial Tour! Shannon's debut novel (and first in her YA paranormal series) 13 to Life started as a winning cell phone novel written in serial segments. During the tour you can read bits of the book in order. Miss a day? Hop to Shannon's blog http://13toLife.us/blog and check the link to the blog tour calendar in her sidebar.

There will also be a contest that will close at the end of the tour. Winners get a bunch of stuff.
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I am happy to have had the opportunity to ask Shannon a few questions and honored that she graciously took the time to answer them.

Welcome to Escape Between The Pages! I'm glad to have you here.
Thanks, Lori! Glad to be here!

Why don't you start us off by telling us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a wife and mother. I live on a farm where we raise heritage livestock and tap our maple trees for sap and syrup. We’re aiming at self-sufficiency but it’s not an easy thing to get to. Before the farm I was an artist and a teacher. Before that I worked as the educational director at a zoo. I’ve worked all sorts of jobs, from factories to sandwich shops. Although my jobs have changed often one of the most consistent things in my life has been my love of writing.

For those reading that don't already know, what is 13 to Life about?
Teenage love, loss and—oh, yeah—werewolves. It’s a paranormal YA novel (first in a series) that looks at friendship and sacrifice and what it really means to be a man or a monster.

Why did you decide to write for young adults?
I’ve always related well to that age group (except when I was technically a member of the age group). The main reason 13 to Life is YA is because that was the voice the characters came through with. I very much let the characters lead things.

What inspired you to write a series about werewolves?
It started because of a contest. I wanted to try something outside of what I’ve been developing for a long time—things I feel very invested in—and noticed vampires were everywhere. But werewolves were hard to come by (that was in late 2008). I’ve always loved wolves and the theme of transformation seems wonderfully suitable for a story involving adolescents.

You've been interested in writing since you were a child, did you ever think you would become a published author?
I was first recognized and published when I was in eighth grade so I knew being published was a possibility. And I was published several other times (following college) in some wonderful children’s magazines and a variety of places online. So, although this is my debut novel (and debut series) I never thought publication was beyond my reach.

What has been your favorite part of the process?
My favorite part is always the learning. I’ve learned so much during this process—about my craft and about the business.

Are there any parts of your life that have or had a significant impact on your writing?
Yes. The recent death of my mother.

Are any of the characters inspired by real people in your life?
Yes. All authors create characters based on who and what we know. Our job is to Frankenstein the pieces and influences together so we create new people.

What type of research did you do for 13 to Life?
Quite a bit. I delved back into parapsychology and Cold War research, werewolf lore and legend and the primitive psychological fears humanity still harbors when faced with something different and wolfish. And science. Good heavens, there was some heavy science. Much of this shows up more distinctly in book two of the series, though, since I didn’t want to drown readers in detail—it doesn’t fit with the narrator’s personality.

When you're not writing, what do you do for fun? What kind of books do you like to read?
Mythology and history (American Civil War and earlier, generally) are favorite things of mine to read about.

It is my understanding that this is the first in a trilogy. What can we look forward to in the next book?
The second book heats up a bit. Things are never simple when you run with werewolves and Jess is struggling to find her balance and maintain her sanity. The things the characters learn at the end of 13 to Life throw everyone into a bit of a race and readers will understand why. Book two is filled with more danger, more drama and more detail as Jess starts to see more than the tip of this particular paranormal iceberg.

Thank you Shannon, it has been a pleasure. I wish you well on your tour and look forward to reading your book.
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If you would like to read the previous snippet, visit Paranormal Summer Fest at Tynga’s Reviews!

3 to Life: Chapter 3, part E (used with the author’s permission)

I slid my tray to the end of the line where Madge waited at the cash register, hairnet pulled tight around her shocking red hair and squeezing her meaty ears, giving her head the appearance of a ham. She tallied my tray's contents and announced what I owed.

“See you at the Home today?” I asked as I paid up.

“Yep, job number two. I’ll be bringing a new little helper,” she grinned.

For the following snippet, make sure you stop by In Which a Girl Reads with Choco tomorrow!

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Shannon's hosting several contests during the Start Your Day with Serial Tour. The big contest will award one lucky winner with a royal amber pendant, pietersite jeweled bookmark, stuffed wolf, 13 to Life mousepad, pen, tote, signed poster, personalized copy of 13 to Life and both of the 13 to Life pins. All you need to do is comment at 13 of the blogs hosting Shannon during her 30 day tour. Everyone who does so will be entered into a random drawing. Winner may be international.