Blurb for Shadow of a Life by Tifani Clark
Jamie Peters plans to spend
the summer before her junior year with her nose stuck in a book—not saving lost
souls. Usually the girl that blends into the crowd, Jamie’s world is turned
upside down when a mysterious ghost begins to follow her.
But Sophia isn’t just any
ghost.
A hundred years earlier,
Sophia’s disappearance sparked a national mystery that remained unsolved. Jamie
knows the legends surrounding Sophia’s disappearance, but she never dreamed she
would find out what really happened . . . or that her family might have had
something to do with Sophia’s disappearance.
Determined to set Sophia
free, Jamie blows the dust off her family’s past and unearths clues to discover
what she must do to save Sophia’s soul. She enlists the help of childhood
friend—and secret crush—Peter Ashby as she sets off on a dangerous quest to
find a missing map. Spending the night in a graveyard, crawling through a
dilapidated barn, and staring down the barrel of a gun aren’t enough to deter
Jamie from helping Sophia. But can she find the answers she needs before
another ghost gets revenge on her and Sophia?
Interview Between Me and Tifani Clark:
Me: Where did you get the idea for your book?
Some of the characters (like Jamie and Peter) had been holding
conversations in my head for a couple of years before I actually started
writing Shadow of a Life. I knew Jamie's personality and that she would help a
ghost, but it took me a while to figure out who that ghost would be. One day, I
read an article about the true story of the Mary
Celeste. I knew immediately that my first book had to explain what
"really" happened all those year ago.
Me: Who are your favorite characters in
your book and why?
My favorite character of this book is Sophia. In the book she
is eighteen, but in real life she disappeared at age two. Her picture haunted
me (ghost pun intended) the entire time I wrote the book and I still think
about her all the time.
Me: What themes does your book present?
Sometimes it's okay to believe in things or ideas that
society tells you are ridiculous...like ghosts. Also, Jamie and Sophia and all
the other characters find that persistence is important. It took 140 years, but
they finally solved the mystery surrounding Sophia's death.
Me: How many books do you have in this
series?
Shadow of a Life is the first, the second is completed and
being edited, and I hope to finish the third book by the end of the year. There
isn't an end to this series. Jamie can help as many ghosts as I can find time
to write about.
Me: What authors influence your
writing?
I like authors that write about suspense and danger. (You
know, the kind of books that you read in the dark, but wish you didn't.) As a teenager, I read all of the Caroline
Cooney and Lois Duncan books. These days, I don't necessarily focus on specific
authors. The internet has opened up the chance to read the works of a million
different people and I've been having fun "experimenting" with
different genres and authors.
Me: How many books have you written?
Shadow of a Life is my first book to be published, but I have
completed three other novels. Hopefully they will all see the light of day
soon!
Me: Where do you see the young adult
paranormal book market 10 years from now?
Honestly? I think it will still be just as popular, but it
will have evolved greatly. Over the years, different beings have been all the
rage. Vampires, werewolves, and witches have all found the spotlight. My books
are obviously about ghosts. There are all kinds of creatures and beings that I
believe will each get their turn to shine.
Me: What makes your book different from
other Young Adult paranormal books?
I think my book is different because of the way I imagine the
ghosts. In real life, ghosts are portrayed as hazy (usually scary) beings. In
Shadow of a Life and its sequels, the ghosts are good people who can still be
seen long past their expiration dates.
Excerpt from Shadow of a Life
My eyes popped open and I stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, heart
pounding. Something had pulled me out of a deep sleep. A noise. I’d
definitely heard a noise. I lay motionless, listening for any sign of movement,
but the only sounds I heard were the faint tick-tick-tick of my watch and my
own heart thumping in my ears. The room was dark except for a thin stream of
light extending from the crescent moon outside my open window. What made
that noise? Is someone in my room?
“Come on, Jamie. Don’t
be a baby,” I whispered to myself. My heart raced faster and faster as I forced
myself to turn my head and look into the shadowy corners of my bedroom.
Nothing.
My alarm clock flashed 12:00 a.m. I’d fallen asleep during a spring rain
shower, and the storm must have knocked the power out at some point during the
night. I fumbled for my cell phone on the nightstand and checked the time. 3:48
a.m. I sighed and sat up, turning on my lamp as I did so. The sudden burst of
light blinded me for a few seconds, and I rubbed my eyes to relieve the
blurriness before reaching to reset my clock.
And then I smelled
it. A floral scent—rose, with a hint of lavender—and it was strong. My heart
began to pound again. Something wasn’t right.
Author Bio
Tifani Clark grew up on a farm in southeastern Idaho (yes, that’s where they grow all the potatoes) as the
middle of five children. She had a lot of space to imagine and daydream and
often pictured herself as a character in one of the many books she read. She
was habitually found pretending to be Scarlet O’Hara. Tifani loves mystery and
hates it when one goes unsolved. She is married to the love of her life and is
the mother to four fabulous children. When not writing, she enjoys playing the
violin and piano and traveling to new places. She especially enjoys visits to
national parks and places of historical significance.
Links to Find the Author and Her Book
Author Links--
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tifaniclark
Twitter: @TifaniClark
Website: http://www.tifaniclark.blogspot.com
Book Links--
