Hi everyone! Whee, do I have a special treat for you! 
I managed to score an interview with Quincy Amarante! The main character in young adult author, L.S. Murphy’s novel, REAPER!
But first, please allow me to take a moment to introduce you to the lovely mind behind the novel, L.S. Murphy…
L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads
every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above,
she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets. “A Reason to
Stay”, a contemporary romance novella, is available as of November 2, 2012. Reaper is her
debut young adult novel and will be released on January 7th, 2013.
She is a co-rep for the Southern Illinois region of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.
You can find her here:
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Publisher
Now, for a brief introduction to Miss Quincy Amarante, I’d like to share with you the blurb for REAPER!
There’s no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim
reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.
She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says
she has no choice but to fulfill.
It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially
since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.
Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben
Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.
Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.
Maybe … just maybe … that’s okay.
It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much
needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.
* * *
Ooo! *tries to sit still and not reveal any spoilers!* hehe! However, I will share a taste of what’s behind the cover…
A spitball stops in mid-air less than an inch from my nose.
It hangs there. I assume everyone else notices the wet wad of paper too, but when I turn to my bestie Jordan, her mouth is stuck open with her eyes half closed.
She was just laughing. Now she’s … frozen?
The sudden silence is louder than a room full of gossiping teenagers.
Mini-quakes creep up my spine like a centipede hurrying toward my hair.
I’m not entirely sure my heart is beating. I wave my shaking hand in front of Jordan, hoping this will break her free of whatever happened.
No reaction.
Why am I moving?
So many times, I wished Jordan would stop talking. Now is the one time I need her high-pitched voice to pierce my ears.
Quin, relax. It’s okay. No way this is real. I pinch my arm hard, but it doesn’t change anything.
A loud pop makes me spin around in my seat. A man stands in front of the chalkboard in a bluish-white robe staring at me through blizzard white eyes. He holds a staff in front of him that looks like melting glass.
“Hello, Quincy,” he says in a deep velvet voice. “How would you like to see your future?”
I stand and stumble toward the back of the room. “Who are you supposed to be?
“Gandalf?” I’m unable to keep the tremor out of my voice.
“One person dresses up like me in a movie, and that’s all I hear.” He leans back on Mr. Spragg’s desk. “I’m far more attractive than him and so much more fun.” He winks and lifts his robe, revealing a pair of yellow and red striped Bermuda shorts and orange flip-flops.
My eyes pop wider at the mismatched mess, but I keep my thoughts about his sense of fashion to myself. “Who are you?”
His sigh echoes off the walls. “I’m Destiny.”
“Who?”
Rolling his eyes, he raises the staff high to his left. Like a swordsman, he stabs and swooshes it down in an arch. The air ripples as a dark slit opens. A man in a deep brown pinstripe suit steps through. His cheap sneakers don’t match the formality of the tan fedora and horn-rimmed glasses.
A pony-sized white German shepherd saunters in behind him, and I take an automatic step back. The dog turns his head, black orbs where its eyes should be.
Pinstripe man glances my way before turning toward the person who calls himself Destiny. His features contort and a maroon tint creeps over his face.
“What the f—”
Destiny flips his finger and the new guy shuts up. After a moment, he does another finger move.
“We said when she was eighteen, Des.”
“I’m aware of that, Forsyth.”
“She’s not eighteen.”
“Really? I never would have guessed.” Sarcasm fills each word as Destiny raises his eyebrows like a flag on the Fourth of July.
Forsyth glares. “Then why am I here?”
“I let you pick the date, but I never agreed to honor it.” Destiny pats the dog on the head with a sneer and wipes his hands on his robe.
“Now is the time. Teach her.”
* * *
You guys, you can click HERE to add REAPER to your to-read shelf!
And now! I’m so excited to introduce to you, the main character from LS Murphy’s, REAPER, Miss Quincy Amarante!
Hi Quincy, thank you for joining me and my friendly followers, how are you today?
Considering everything, I’m doing just great.
I like your outfit today, a compliment for your stellar fashion sense, but also a thank you for not wearing your reaper robes while meeting with me, hehe!
Well, Stella McCartney is a great designer. I don’t normally wear gowns, but I love this iridescent blue. Really brings out my eyes, don’t you think?
Absolutely stunning! *swoons with jealousy!*
Do you mind talking to us a bit about Forsyth, who is he to you and how do you feel about him?
You can’t be serious? How would you feel about him? *crosses arms*
Heh, yeah, I getcha. 
Now, Ben, wow, I wasn’t sure what to think of him at first, but now, whew! I’ve had a change of heart.Without revealing any spoilers, can you talk a little bit about him, your friendship then and now?
Ben’s… well, Ben. He keeps me on my toes. I never really know what to expect from him. He’s totes different than any other boy I’ve known.
So, a lot of things have changed for you over the course of your story, tell us, at the beginning of your tale, what was your favorite way to spend the day?
Shopping with Jor. Listening to Fridates on my iPod while reorganizing my closet and disinfecting the house. You know, the usual.
hehe, sure, the usual! And since you’ve accepted your new reaping responsibility, what’s your favorite way to spend the day now?
Not doing my job.
What’s your favorite part of your story?
When I find out why I’m famous. 
Yeah! 
Looking back over your story, is there anything you wish you could do differently, regrets?
As Frank Sinatra said, I did it my way.
Awesome. What’s next for you Quincy?
Same old, same old.
Thank you so much Quincy! I appreciate you stopping by to chat with us on unofficial business, and please, take no offense Ms. Reaper, but my hope of hopes is that I don’t see you again for a long, long, long time, hehe!
*Listens* Well, not anytime soon anyway. Thanks for having me.
It was my pleasure, Quincy!
REAPER is available NOW, my friendlies! Through BN and amazon.
Thank you all for stopping by. <3
4 Comments | In: J.Taylor Publishing, READING | tags: J.Taylor Publishing, READING. | #
Normal people don’t believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either.
With a passion for the supernatural and all things magical, Laney developed a voracious appetite for reading fantasy at a young age. A vivid imagination helped set the stage for creating her own worlds and placed her onto the writing path.
If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.
Lydia Sharp is a novelist and short fiction author who grew up on the shores of Lake Erie. Then she got tired of finding sand in her clothes so she moved further inland, but she’ll always call Ohio home. Laughing is her favorite pastime. Kissing is a close second.
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