Loading ...Author Merrie Destefano Release Party and Contest
PLEASE NOTE: The contest portion of the Merrie Destefano event is now closed. Winners will be chosen at a later date and emailed.
Afterlife: The Quest for Immortality
When you break it all down, humans have only a handful of basic needs: food, shelter, sex/companionship, survival, nurture/protection of children. Each one of these is crucial for survival—for the individual and for the entire race. If you changed even one of these factors, our days on this planet would be numbered. For example, imagine what would happen if the inhabitants of an entire country, like Canada, lost their natural instinct for shelter. Within a single winter, most of them would be dead. Likewise, if the inhabitants of another country, like France, lost their desire to eat, their entire population could be in danger within a few weeks.
Consequently, these basic needs are often the elements used by writers to create tension in their stories.
In my novel, Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles, I toyed with one of these basic needs—survival. Nobody wants to die. We’ll do almost anything to stave off the inevitable, from diet to exercise to medicine to surgery. In fact, we don’t even want to look like we’re growing old. We’ll employ almost any method from plastic surgery to health food to collagen injections. So, the premise in my book is: what if you didn’t have to die? What if you could resurrect into a brand new, custom-designed clone body at the point of death?
In Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles, people have the option to resurrect up to nine times, giving them a lifespan of nearly 500 years. Would that have an impact on our world? You bet. In my book, it causes world-wide population restrictions, undermines the family unit, alters the judicial system, and affects every major world religion.
And, believe it or not, some people—called One-Timers—choose not to resurrect.
My questions for you are below. You can answer as many or as few you like:
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
Prizes:
To encourage you to read more books (because we all love books, right?), I’m giving away one $100 Amazon gift card. On top of that, I will be giving away five signed copies of Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles.
Note to all: I want to thank all of you for stopping by Bitten by Books today for my book launch party! I really appreciate each and every one of you and I look forward to reading all of your comments. Also, if you’re interested, you can both read sample chapters and purchase a copy of Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles here.
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Learn more about Merrie Destafano here:
Read reviews of the author’s work here.
website: http://www.merriedestefano.com/
blog: http://merrie-destefano.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MerrieDestefano
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1205132688
My HarperCollins micro author site
http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/36854/Merrie_Destefano/index.aspx
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CONTEST INFO: Open to readers WORLDWIDE
Prize: $100 Amazon gift card, plus 5 SIGNED copies of Afterlife
The Contest Entry rules have changed so read them carefully
1. LEAVE YOUR FIRST NAME AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND YOUR COUNTRY in your comment/post so we can give you the proper credit for your entries. Mandatory, if you don’t leave this, none of your entries will count. It is NOT mandatory to make a purchase to be entered into the contest.
2. Answer Merrie’s questions and ask her some questions please make sure they aren’t duplicates. Good for 10 + entries per question. (Max 4 good towards entries)
3. Order copies of Merrie’s new book by using the links below.
To purchase a print copy of Afterlife from Amazon click here
To purchase a print copy of Afterlife from Barnes & Noble click here.
Books in the Resurrection Chronicles in the order they should be read:
Afterlife
Good for 150 + entries per book you purchase by using the links above. Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Not valid on past purchases.
OR you can use the Barnes & Noble link HERE to make your purchase of ANY kind of merchandise during the contest. You can also use the Amazon link HERE to shop as well. Good for 100 + entries to the contest for EACH item you purchase. Not valid on past purchases.
4. Make an actual blog POST on your BLOG and invite your readers about this event and use this live link to link back to this event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31181 and this cover of the book. Come back and tell us where you shared. This REALLY Helps the author spread the word about their new book, so give a hand and help them out by talking about it on your blog!!! + 125 entries
5. Twitter this phrase exactly: PzRT: @MerrieDestefano Release Party/Chat/Contest LIVE NOW: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31181 #BBBAfterlife #Giveaways #books #amazon
10+ Entries per tweet (max 5 DON’T tweet them all at the same time, spread them out throughout the day or they won’t count)
6. Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane event today: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31178 + 25 entries
7. Check out the awesome new Vampire Academy Jewelry Line and pick up your DISCOUNT CODE here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=30605 buy something http://cadsawan.com/collection-buy.shtml Email your receipt to the prize Goddess here bittenbybooks.contests @ gmail.com (no spaces). Not valid on past purchases. Good for + 100 entries
8. Other fun stuff to do while you are here today! +5 entries for each of these you do.
RSVP for the Marie Treanor event and contest happening tomorrow:
http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31171
RSVP for the Jaym Gates event and contest happening tomorrow:
http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31170
Enter the Crescendo contest here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31078
Attend and comment at the Weekly Book Chat
http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=30987
Weekly Poll
http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31010
Screen Bites
http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31004
9. Tally Your own points total 1 + Entries
That’s it!
Also be SURE to check out our amazing line up of other author events this month here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?page_id=4
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The contest ends on 10/1/10 at 11:59 pm Central and the winner will be contacted via email. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME AND COUNTRY as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning. PLEASE ALLOW THIRTY DAYS to receive your prize BEFORE EMAILING US.
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What memories would I keep? That’s not such a hard question any more. The older I get, the less I remember any way so all that I remember now is probably 50%, so I’d say i’d keep 100% of what I can remember.
Could I also keep the wisdom and experience I accumulated over previous lives, or does that count as memory, in which case I’d be in trouble again.
Diana S.,
I LOVE your answer! Great point about how memories fade. I have that problem throughout my day. Where did I put my glasses? Did I give the dog his medicine?
And yes, you can keep wisdom and experience, but it would fall into the category of memories.
Thanks so much for posting your comment and for thinking about the concept!
Teri C from oregon.
With no acne.
1.Would I resurrect? No. It did not seem in the story like those coming back again were truly any better off than they were in their first/second/third life. They were not really getting second chances they were still unhappy making mistakes.
SO nope would not get the implant.
2.I would have to think that if I jumped to a new body, then it might not want to go back home. Although when you are resurrected you are in a whole new body with some/not all the memories so that might be a bit disturbing to walk back home and say, ‘honey I am home’ and look entirely different. Although you have to be pretty special to be able to have actual kids in the books. So in real Life I am not sure I would go back home if I left for personal reasons. But a horrible accidents where the kids did not see me die horribly, maybe. But then I was not in line for resurrection. Hmm.
3. I would custom myself hot and slim with straight hair that never mussed up.
4.I would erase my childhood.
Merrie, when you were writing this great book ( I read an Arc, amazing!) What was your inspiration for this future? Were there any movies that you thought of, or other books? What music were you listening to?
Thank you for participating in this Q&A!
Ohh oops I forgot my mad math skills.. ok here we go
20 questions
125 blog post here: http://snarkymamma.blogspot.com/2010/09/rember- afterlife-q-with-merrie-bitten.html
1 I can add
= 146
Teri,
Thanks for the mad math skills! [My husband teaches what I can Scary Math, stuff like Calculus and Trig.]
I love the fact that reading the book got you to start thinking about the deeper concepts! On one level, the story is just a great story, lots of action, romance, suspense. On another level, it’s one of those books that should cause you to evaluate why we are really designed to have one life. Everything falls out of balance when you change that one dynamic.
FYI, I wouldn’t get the implant chip either. =)
Love the design for your new clone. Can I steal that idea? I want a clone like that too.
Childhood is really tough. For me, it was my teenage years that were rough. I did a lot of things that I wished I hadn’t. I certainly wouldn’t want to have to endure Jr. and Sr. High School again. Yuck!
Music I listened to while writing this: Coldplay, Elbow, Jars of Clay and Moby. But mainly LOTS of Coldplay.
I wasn’t thinking of other books or movies. Although I wanted to write something with a noir, social sci-fi edge to it like Bladerunner. I love Philip. K. Dick.
Inspiration was an article I read years ago about DNA and telomeres. Apparently, if we could find a way (and this is me, not a scientist trying to explain something really scientific) to lengthen our telomeres and keep them from breaking, then we might have discovered the key to immortal life. So I wrote a story around that concept.
Thanks so much for reading and reviewing the book! I loved your review. And thanks for posting a comment here today! *hugs*
Yes we can live long by surviving on blueberries and fish oils right? Oh wait but those really old 115 year old people subsist on butter, oatmeal, and bacon right? I know that is what my great grandma survived on, that and wonder bread and she lived to 96 =)
So what have you in store for us in your next book? Will you be continuing the resurrection tales, or moving onto some new and mysterious?
Teri,
Hi, sweetie! My next book is scheduled to come out in July, 2011, and right now it is a stand-alone urban fantasy. We are still working on the title, but I’ve seen the cover and it’s awesome! This new book has supernatural monsters (a new kind!) and romance and it’s more spooky than AFTERLIFE. It’s set around Halloween, so it has a neat ghostly kind of feel to it.
I do want to write more in the Resurrection Chronicles though. Probably my next book after that.
=)
ohhhh the new book sounds nice
I will keep my eye out for that. I love awesome covers 
That is funny that they can make a cover before the title but that might be a good idea because an awesome cover can be inspiring.
Thanx for info.
Thanks, Teri!
I know! The whole process is a bit strange sometimes. But my editor has a vision for how it will all come together, so she knows exactly what she’s doing. She has the process all figured out and I completely trust her judgement! I’m really blessed to be working with someone as talented as she is.
Thanks again for stopping by!
Hi! I think I would go ahead and resurrect at least once. It’d be too tempting not to with the option available. But I’d have to read the fine print. Is there an out (other than the obvious) or any stipulations? I think I would stay in contact with most of the people I know; I’d rather some people I’ve known just not exist, rather than they just not know who I am. Because I am a bitter, mean old lady. I think my clone would need to look mostly like me, because it would be too weird to look in the mirror and see a stranger. But I would make some serious renovations. Starting with my abs. And wow, the only keeping half of your memories is a great, if difficult concept. I think it’s easy to say that I would erase all the crappy memories, but I think I would need to keep at least a few to learn from my past mistakes to become a better person.
How much input did you have in the cover, and does the model depicted resemble how you imagined her in your head? Do you have any actors in mind to play your characters if it were to be made into a movie/tv? +30
RSVP’d +25
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/bcardoo79/status/25999525437 +10
attended Crane +25
RSVP’d for Treanor and Gates, voted/cmmtd in weekly poll +15
tallying +1 =106
Bethany C. USA
Bethany,
Loved your answers! I really like it when people stop and think about all the implications involved in doing something like this. And, hey, now that you mention it, I want a clone with better abs too!
Great question about the cover! Yes, my editor let me have a lot of input on this cover. From the beginning I wanted one of The Cities of the Dead in New Orleans on the cover in a monocromatic photo. She suggested putting Angelique on the cover. And there again, I always saw Angelique played by Kirsten Dunst, so I sent a photo of her that I had used for reference during writing to the artist. I also sent a photo of a dog that I used for reference too. When I saw the final cover, I cried! I just loved it!
Yes, characters for the movie (in my mind, anyway!):
Angelique: Kirsten Dunst
Chaz: Guy Pearce
Russell: Marton Csokas
Elizabeth: Selma Blair
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! I loved your post!
Reuben H from Illinois, USA.
Q1: If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
A1: No I would not. Life is too long as it is.
Q2: You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
A2: I don’t see the need for this. If you’re getting a new life, get a new life.
Q3: If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
A3: Me, of course. What, you’d expect me to make myself look like Chuck Norris?
Q4: When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
A4: There are tons and tons of memories I would want erased. I really, really don’t want to name them.
—
Now my questions for Merrie:
If you could write a collaboration with any author in the world, which one would you choose?
If you were about to die, would YOU want to be resurrected?
Looking back, how happy are you that your original story evolved all the way into what it is today?
—
Now, I WOULD write something on my blog about it, except the host is down until October 6.
~Reuben H, Illinois.
Reuben,
Great answers and I’m really glad that you stopped by!!
I especially liked the one, “if you’re getting a new life, get a new life!”
And I totally understand why you wouldn’t want to share which memories you would erase. =) I wouldn’t want to share mine either.
I bet you are going to like the answer to your first question:
If I was going to do a collaboration with another writer, who would it be? Tosca Lee. I just love her writing style. She’s the Queen of the Silver Pen in my book.
Would I want to be resurrected in a clone body like in my book? No. I would be a One-Timer like the main character, Chaz. Once in this world is plenty for me!
How happy am I that my story evolved the way it is today? I love the book the way it is today. Writing is just a long, complicated process. For me, I never know a book is done until it’s done. I feel that Afterlife is “done” and I’m very happy with the way it turned out. I had a fantastic team of editors helping me through the final process and I’m truly blessed by all of their hard work.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I really don’t know who I’d want to collaborate with. Ted Dekker seems a little . . . dunno. He’s both awkward and amazing at the same time. Erin Healy is a cool person, so maybe her. Tosca Lee is a great choice. I read Demon and started Havah, and they’re really, really well done. Forbidden is going to be awesome.
You’re welcome for stopping by, and thanks for the answers!
Reuben H.
Reuben,
I think you’re going to love Havah. It’s one of my all-time favorite books!
I wouldn’t choose to resurect. One life is enough.
If I was resurected I’d want to stay in touch with my family.
If I could design my clone I’d be taller.
rsvp’d
attending Carolyn’s event
rsvp’d for Treanor & Gates
commented on the weekly poll
entered the Crescendo contest
commented on the weekly chat
commented on screen bites
total= 111
Sandy G,
You are a woman after my own heart! I’d want to be taller too! Yikes, I hate being short, especially when I’m walking through a crowd.
It sounds like you really thought out the answers and implications to resurrection and I’m glad! One life is plenty for me too. And I think that staying in contact with your family would be the only way to stay sane throughout the process of resurrection in the book. People would end up alone otherwise, and I don’t believe we were created to be alone. I personally believe that the family unit is one of the most important things we have, so I’m glad that you can see the wisdom to that.
Thanks for stopping by!
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? I really don’t think so. One life is quite enough.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? Oh, there definitely are some people I’d rather not keep in touch with.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? Like me, with some slight improvements.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? Plenty of very bad memories about school.
What’s your favorite paranormal tv series or movie?
RSVP’d
Attended in the Carolyn Crane event
RSVP’d for Treanor and Gates
Minna P Finland
Minna,
What is it about school? I feel the same way. I’d love to erase a lot of my memories from that time period. Teenagers can be so cruel to each other. I think that might be one reason why YA books are so popular right now. Just getting through that age is so hard and it’s got to be great to have contemporary literature that deals with the same problems they are going through.
Great answers, by the way, and I agree with them!
Wow. Tough question. My favorite paranormal TV series or movie? I love so many. I’m going with TV series as a topic and I have to say I REALLY love both Vampire Diaries and The Gates. If we include sci fi, I also love Eureka.
Thanks for stopping by and for thinking about some of the deeper themes in AFTERLIFE!
Hi Merrie!!! Congrats on the release. I think Afterlife is such an interesting story…completely different from anything else I’ve seen.
1. I think I would completely choose to resurrect. With all the time we spend working in life, there are so many things we don’t get to do. I think I’d finally get to see all the places in the world i want to visit. Plus, I think I’d be less afraid to go bungee jumping if I knew I’d have a second or third or etc chances.
2. As for my family, I think I would definitely want to stay in contact with them and my closest friends. Do you get a name when you start over or can you keep your old one?
3. My clone would totally look like a supermodel…although I’m sure everyone else’s would too. Ok, maybe not as skinny as a supermodel, because some of them are scary, but on those lines.
4. i would like to erase some of my memories now. We all have some stupid things we would like to forget about.
What about you? Would you take the chance on another lifetime or 2?
Heatwave16,
Thanks so much for the congrats! I’m glad you like the concept for AFTERLIFE. =)
So cool! It sounds like you would love to do all the stuff my husband loves to do. He loves sky diving. In fact, there are a lot of people (can’t remember if I talked about it in the book or not, but it was part of the world-building) that love the thrill of resurrection and the fact that you do risky things without worrying.
Yes, you could definitely keep your own name if you resurrected.
Looking like a supermodel–perfect! That was what I figured most people would want. Who would want to be overweight or short or have bad skin? I have all of that and don’t really enjoy it. =)
Would I take a chance on Life Number Two? Actually, I don’t think so. I’d rather be a One-Timer like the main character in the book, Chaz Domingue. Besides, I never like to do what the rest of the crowd is doing anyway. *grin*
Thanks for stopping by!
I have always wanted to go sky diving. I’ve really given it a lot of thought, and I still think at some point I’m going to do it. I just think I need to bring someone with me to push me out of the plane. First step is the toughest…I’m sure.
Contest stuff:
+25 – RSVPed for event
+40 – Q&A
+10 – twitter – http://twitter.com/Heatwave316/status/26038723293
+25 – attended Carolyn’s event
+5 – rsvped for Marie Treanor
+5 – rsvped for Jaym Gates
+5 – entered Cresendo contest
+5 – for poll
+1 for total
total = 121
Yikes, skydiving! I went up in the plane with my husband once. If you know anyone who has done that, they’ll tell you that is almost as scary as jumping itself.
But my husband LOVED it. He’s jumped more than 200 times.
I hope you get to do it sometime!
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Only if my DH and child were going to do it as well. Why? If they weren’t going to join me, then I wouldn’t want to live longer than I already am…I like their company.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? I love my family, both the one I was born into and the one I married and gave birth to. I’d want to keep in contact, definitely.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? She would be a lot more inclined to get up and exercise and stay healthy. Lose the gut and butt and keep the boobs.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? I’d erase 25% happy and 25% bad ones, I think I’d keep 25% happy memories and 25% of the bad decisions I made so I wouldn’t repeat them.
+40
*****************
I RSVPd +25
Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane event today: + 25 entries
RSVP for the Marie Treanor event and contest happening tomorrow: +5
Enter the Crescendo contest here +5
Attend and comment at the Weekly Book Chat +5
Weekly Poll +5
Screen Bites +5
Tally Your own points total 1 + 115 = 116
Vickie B,
I really like how much you thought through the consequences of resurrection. All of your answers are fantastic, but I especially liked number 4, that you would purposely keep some of your bad memories so you wouldn’t make the same mistakes.
I think that’s one of the reasons bad things happen in the first place. Not all bad things, of course, but many of them are so we’ll learn how to live long, productive lives. If we didn’t make a few mistakes along the way, we could either be a danger to those around us (because of all the risks we were taking) or we would be shallow people (because we hadn’t learned humility and empathy).
Great answers, Vickie! Thanks for contributing to the discussion.
Hello Merrie,
~If the resurrection tech was available today, sign me up for the one timers club. I think I would feel out of date if resurrected.
~I would cut off contact with my family members. Just seems easier.
~I honestly don’t know what my custom clone would look like.
~I would like to keep memories of all the book I read, and the bad dates memory; mine are usually funny. Can I remove all the memories from middle school?
Are there rules to who you can resurrect?
Ruth T. USA
+40 #2
+10 #5 http://twitter.com/#!/zoombievampire/status/26002733085
+25 #6
+30 #8 Marie+Jaym+Crescendo+Chat+Poll+screen
+25 RSVP
+1 #9
=131pts
Ruth T,
Loved your answers! And I really enjoy your sense of humor! Bad dates are kinda funny, huh.
Love the fact that you would want to keep memories of books you’ve read!
Can you remove memories from middle school? Wasn’t middle school the pits? I think you would be advised to keep the memories from your lessons, but to go ahead and erase everything else.
Are there rules to who can resurrect? Yes, people who commit Capital crimes can’t resurrect. Neither can known terrorists or kidnappers or rapists. There’s a fee involved in resurrection and some people can’t afford it. So there is also a black market for resurrection, but it has a number of problems. You might not get what you bargained for there.
Thanks for asking such a thought-provoking question and for stopping by today!
maybe spoilers here…..
I’ve read about 25% of Afterlife and loving it. I would want to jump once if I could be with my family again. My problem is with the fact that children aren’t born anymore (limited) to keep the population steady. It isn’t fair that I get to live 9 lives and someone else doesn’t get any. If that makes sense .
I can’t ask a question about the next book, cause I haven’t finished this one yet so I will ask if you have gotten any sleep since the release?
Sharon S
NC, USA
46 points for me!
(rsvp, ask question, poll, crescendo contest, add points)
Sharon S.,
Hi! I’m so glad you got a copy of AFTERLIFE and that you are liking it!
And yes, the whole part about the population restrictions are sad. There’s always a price to pay for big changes like that. Is the price worth it? I think it comes down to an individual decision and that’s what the characters have to deal with in the book.
LOL. Have I gotten any sleep since the release? Not much! So far, I’ve been really surprised by the awesome response I’ve been getting from readers and reviewers. I didn’t expect everyone to like the book this much, but I’m really glad!
Thanks SO much for stopping by and commenting today, sweetie! I really appreciate it.
Welcome to BBB!
I’m going to have to say yes to the resurrection, especially with a custom-made body. I would want to look like me, only with larger endowments. : ) I’m pretty happy with what I look like, so there wouldn’t need to be many changes, LOL.
There just isn’t enough time in this life to experience everything I want to experience. I work and work and take care of my son and work and work. Not a lot of time to travel and site-see. : )
Since I wrote the review, I don’t think I qualify for the contest, so don’t enter me. Just wanted to stop by and say hi and to tell everyone to BUY THIS BOOK!!!!! Loved it.
Jackie U,
Hey, sweetie! I like that comment: larger endowments. I think I want those too! And having more time to travel and see things would be awesome, wouldn’t it?
Thank you SO much for that awesome review. I’m really glad you enjoyed the book and that you shared your opinions about the book in a review. You made an extra effort to tell people about AFTERLIFE and I really appreciate it.
I just have to say that I’m am so incredibly blessed by how supportive the blogging community has been. All of you, from book reviewers to ARC readers to blog owners, really put a lot of work into what you do and I’m am so grateful. All of you deserve big gold stars and angel wings! And big hugs!
Thanks for stopping by to say hi. It means a lot to me.
Hi Merrie -
. As for memories – I’d loose my teen yrs I think. They were the most traumatic.
I don’t think I’d resurrect. I’m fine with how my life has progressed. If I did come back I’d keep half of my family. My clone would look just as I am except I would never get that awful sunburn when I was 22 so the skin under my eyes would look better
What about you? Would you come back and be an author? Would you choose to remember your past life so you could incorporate it into your writings?
Viki S. USA I rsvp’d.
Forgot to post tweet: https://twitter.com/Jovial_1/status/26004895859
Viki,
I love your answers! Ouch, that sunburn sounds awful! And I wonder what it is about the teen years that they’re so darned hard. I wish I could come up with a solution.
Great questions. If I did decide to come back, then yes, it would be because I felt that I had unfinished work to tend to. You raised a good point. It would be very tempting to come back as an author. Imagine what it would be like, if you were a famous actor or singer, to come back again. Your fame and your talent could grow with each lifetime. That could be almost scary. Famous people could be become almost like demi-gods. Wow, you got me thinking about that one!
Would I remember my past lives? Well, to be completely honest, I would probably be a One-Timer, but if I did resurrect, I really liked what Vickie B said earlier. I think keeping some bad memories could help me to prevent making mistakes. And I think some of the bad things are what keep us human. They can give us sympathy and empathy toward others when they make mistakes.
Thanks for the great questions! And I’m glad you stopped by!
=)
Hello and nice to meet another new author to me. Your questions are interesting.
1.Yes I would choose to come back. Why well why not? I love life and really don’t want to die.
2.Yes of course I want to stay in touch with my family and friends. If I don’t care for some of the people so what! I will continue on and enjoy my self and family.
3.Hum, probably just like me but a little thinner and alot younger!
4.What memories would I erase? Probably I would erase the trival garbage that I carry around that makes me crazy. The silly fights, the stupid self flogging that does no good and things like that. That was a tough question.
I blogged at http://www.myspace.com/blackstarcat_ok/blog?blD=539558248
I RSVPed for this event and Treanor and Gates events
Attended and participated in the Carolyn Crane event today
I checked out the vampire jewerly and discount but did not buy
Entered the Crescendo contest
I chatted in book chat, voted in poll and commented on Screen Bites
Lisa D. USA
Total points = 246
Thanks for the great interview and making me really think about things.
Lisa D.,
Thank you so much for all the work you did you promote this event! Wow. Gold star, girl!
Great answers and I’m glad that Q4 got you thinking. Some of things we want to forget are actually good to think about. I think we can grow from our mistakes and our embarrassments and our failures. My goodness, I’ve failed often enough in my own life! I have to believe that we can learn from all of that stuff.
=)
I’m really glad that you stopped by and commented. And I’m super glad that this post and your comments got you thinking. *hugs*
Hi,
This sounds like a very interesting concept for a book
Ok and if no one beat me to it, how did you come up with this whole idea?
1.Ugh, dunno, then again it would mean I had more time to read books, but to work for centuries, no way
2. I’d stay in touch
3. Green eyes, dark hair, and pretty, oh I am so vain
4. The good ones
Finland Blodeuedd A
Blodeuedd A,
Hi! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, if you scroll up to Tori C., we discussed the answer to that question. Great question though!
I love your answer to number 1: you want more time read books! That’s so awesome!
I’m really glad that you like the concept and I hope that you get a chance to read the book!
Hi Merrie
* I Would Choose to Resurrect if there is Family that still needs me .If I Was the last of my Family then Know. +10
* If I could Custom-Design my Clone I Would Have it look like my 20 Year old Seft. +10
* I Would not Mind most of my Child hood and lots of my Teen Years to be Eraced +10
* I spread the news on my myspace and facebook and here is the links
http://www.myspace.com/sasluvbooks & facebook.com/sasluvbooks +125&+125
* I RSVPed to be here today with Merrie +25
* I Will be Doing Carolyn Cranes Event Next +25
* I RSVPed for Marie Treanor +5
* I RSVPed for Jayn Gates +5
* I Entered the Crescendo giveaway +5
* I Did the Weekly Polls +5
* I Talled the Points +1=356
* Stacey S USA
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com
Stacey,
Hi and thanks for all the work you did to earn points today!
Great answers. I think we are seeing a recurring theme here today, and that is that childhood and the teenage years are pretty rough. I think we would all like to forget some of the stuff that took place back then.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for answering my questions today. I really appreciate it!
What?! The party started without me? Hahaha kidding!
+10 1.) So I want to say this Afterlife looks like a blast but I’m not sure if I would want to resurrect! I mean really there’s only so much of me people can take and I feel as if they would need a break. Maybe if I could choose to resurrect like 500 years later then maybe I would do it…absence makes the heart grow fonder and that sort of thing.
+10 2.)I would definitely stay in touch with my family but there’s some people who you just don’t want knowing what happened to you like…your dentist.
+10 3.)My clone would look like me because I’m awesome except my clone would have to have Lasik surgery or something because it would be nice not to have to wear glasses/contacts all the time!
+10 4.)Memories to erase? Hahaha definitely high school!
+10 I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/steelergirl83/status/26010259840
+5 I completed the poll
+25 I RSVP’d yesterday
+1 I tallied my points correctly (hopefully)
*********************************************
81 TOTAL POINTS!!!!!!
XOXO~ Renee C.
United States
p.s. Merrie, what’s the puppy’s name on the cover?
Renee C.,
Loved your answers, Steeler Girl! [Yay, Steeler fans, unite!]
LOL. Your answers cracked me up. Yeah, who wants their dentist tracking them down anytime in the next 200 years. Talk about scary!
Okay, let’s all just hit that delete button on high school. Gone.
Awwww, the puppy on the cover. That’s Omega and he was probably my favorite character to write. And yes, believe it or not, he has a point of view in this book. Omega was based on my real-life dog, Joshua. If you ever see the actual book, my author photo in the back was taken with Joshua sitting beside me. He was a rescue dog, so he seemed more like Omega than my other GSD.
Renee, thank you SO much for stopping by today! It was fun to chat with you here instead of on Twitter!
*hugs*
Glad I could make someone else besides myself laugh! LOL!
I did check out your book preview on Amazon and saw your doggie, he’s gorgeous. I love those big dogs! I have a collie and I think she qualifies as ‘big,’ she’s 83 pounds. I’m sure she’s not as big as Joshua though! I can’t wait to read Afterlife even more now especially since Omega plays an important part!
XOXO~ Renee C.
GO STEELERS!
Renee,
GO STEELERS!
Ahem, I meant, Hi! Joshua weighs about 85 pounds. So he’s not really really big. But since he’s mainly black and has such a big chest, everybody runs away when we go out for a walk. =) But he loves little kids, so they will come up and pet him even though the adults are sometimes still afraid. He’s such a sweetheart. I love rescue animals.
I hope you get to read it and you’ll have to let me know what you think of Omega! He’s my hero.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
–I definitely would keep in contact with my family, though we always fight and argue when a crisis arises…we are there for one another no matter what.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
–I would probably perfer to keep my appearance as is. The only thing I would change is my hair color and height. I have naturally black hair but have been dying it red every month for the past 6 years! Also my height since i’m 4’11 (short i know!!), would like to be a couple inches taller haha.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
–I would replace all the memories that made me sad/or depressed.
Can’t wait to read Afterlife, sounds great!
Van P. , USA
+25 I rsvped for this event
+30 answered 3 question
+5 Entered the Crescendo contest
+5 voted in this week’s poll
Total+1 : 66
Van P.,
Thanks for answering all of my questions! Great answers. I really liked the way you described your family. I think that’s the true definition of family: being there for one another during a crisis, no matter what your personal differences are. Actually, that’s a great definition of unconditional love. I think you have an awesome family. =)
As a fellow short person, I’d opt to be taller too. I was 5-feet most of my life. Somewhere along the way I grew an inch. So now I’m a towering 5’1″.
I’m really glad that you want to read AFTERLIFE! Thank for stopping by today!
Jessica S. from the USA
I’m not sure if I would want to resurrect. I mean it would really have to depend on a lot of circumstances, which I really don’t want to list all of them. But some would be, would I have to relive a lot of life’s “horrors” again? There are a few things I don’t want to have to relive and not all were just my own experiences.
I would likely want to be in contact with some of my immediate family members, if they were still alive after I’m brought back. I am very close to my immediate family–mom and sister and niece–so they would be ones I would want to contact as well as my grandfather and one of my aunts. And there are even some close friends I would want to be in touch with as well.
If possible I would have my clone look like myself with a few altercations. You know just a few extras, fixing things that I don’t quite like about myself but really I wouldn’t change much. My face would likely stay the same despite my not always liking it since I get mistaken for someone a lot younger than I am. Something I will appreciate in another 10 years or so, but not at 22, almost 23!
I would likely erase all memories of a certain person in my life who helped contribute to my life. He wasn’t really apart of my life to begin with so the memories aren’t much. There are also a few other people who I had thought were my friends, but really weren’t that I would love to forget. And as much as I loathed high school, there are a few memories that I wouldn’t want to part with and the mundane stuff isn’t really a biggie–all this was on the social side of course!
Merrie, I have a question for you, what was your road to publication like? I am an aspiring writer and want as much advice as possible. My novel is with some readers right now awaiting their critiques and I want as much advice as I can get, especially from the professionals!
Questions +40
RSVPed +25
Blogged about it +125 http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com/2010/09/merrie-destefano-at-bitten-by-books.html
Entered Crescendo Contest +5
Commented at Book Chat +5
Commented at Screen Bites +5
Commented at Weekly Poll +5
Total +1
211 points
jessbess2505[at]yahoo[dot]com
Jessica,
Thanks so much for writing such interesting answers to my questions!
My twisty road to publication. Where to start. I’ve been writing for a long time, but I actually started my career as a graphic artist and designer. So I worked in publishing–magazines, newspapers, book publishers–for more than 20 years. I developed carpal tunnel, the reason why it’s taking me a long time to answer all these questions today, and had to quit that career. I eventually ended back in publishing, working as a publisher for a book publishing company, then moving on to be the editor of Victorian Homes magazine. But for many years, I really wanted to be a novelist. So I wrote. At least 4 nights a week, for years, I spent about 2-4 hours writing. I joined writer’s groups, attended writer’s conferences, studied the craft of writing, and read lots of great novels.
I wrote many unpublished novels in this time period. Then, when I finally wrote AFTERLIFE, I started to get a much different response from people who read it. Everyone loved it. I did research on what agents I would like to work with and submitted my book. I found my agent, Kimberley Cameron, after a few months. We did another round of edits on the book. Then she submitted the book. The book sold in what seemed like a short time to me, I think in a couple of months, to my editor at Eos/HarperCollins. The book sold in August, 2009, and it is now published in September, 2010.
Hopefully that answered your question. I wish you the absolute best on your novel! And anytime that you are sending your book out for submissions, remember to keep writing. Writing is the key. And never give up!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Hey Merrie!
I have Afterlife waiting on me (its the next on my TBR list for the group I review for), but your post gave me a better understanding of the world, or the politics behind it
I admit the thought of being able to resurrect myself 9 times before I’m gone definitely appeals to me. I hate being out of the loop and my very last thought before I expire is going to be ‘Oh hot damn now I’ll never know if so-and-so does that or not!’
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
–YES! Um for the reasons above, but also because I’d like a second chance at things, try my hand at something more. I think I’d be more likely to try new things and keep at them until I master them if I knew I could come back the next time around and try something else, instead of trying to cram all my new experiences into this one lifetime.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
–Oh yeah. I mean I’d have the trouble that if I stay in contact with one family member they will ALL know (its just that kind of family), but there are some others I’d be happy to never know I am back around. Especially when I wreck revenge of them
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
–I am pretty happy with my looks (I look like my grandma when she was young, I wouldn’t change that), but I’d want to be at least four inches taller. I’m barely five foot tall, I’m the shortest in my family (even my 11 year cousin is taller than me. By four inches. My nine year old cousin is really close…). And less frizzy hair. Smaller chest too. Skin that doesn’t burn under a bright lamp. That’s pretty much it.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
–I have a question for this–do you mean that it erases all the personal memories and you keep say the information you learned (like say I wanted to erase a bad day in school, would I forget everything I learned that day?) or is it just, I wanted all of senior year gone so now I don’t know Chemistry or Calculus as well as all the personal stuff?
For the BBB Ladies:
–RSVP’ed (25)
–Attending Carolyn Crane’s event (25)
–Answered/Asked Questions (40)
–Blog Post (125): http://lastexilewords.blogspot.com/2010/09/carolyn-crane-and-merrie-destefano.html
–RSVP’ed for Marie Treanor’s Event (5)
–Entered Crescendo contest (5)
–Attended Weekly Book Chat (5)
–Answered Weekly Poll (5)
–Chatted in Screen Bites (5)
–Talled my Own Points (1)
total = 241 points
Lexie C. (USA)
Lexie.Cenni(@)gmail.com
Lexie C.,
All of your answers were awesome! I can tell you put a lot of thought into each of them.
LOL. Yes, you could keep the “book knowledge” from school but cut out the other memories.
I love that concept. =)
I mean, do we really want to have to take Chemistry or Calculus again?
I’m so glad you have AFTERLIFE on your TBR pile! I hope you enjoy the book! Thank you so much for stopping by today!
1. USA
2. I am a follower and email subscriber
3. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? I would choose not to resurrect. If it was that person’s time to go then you must let them go. You can’t hold onto someone forever no matter how much you love them.
4. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? That would be nice to be able to still talk to them in the next life. I would choose to do that.
5. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? I wouldn’t make a clone of myself because I believe cloning is wrong.
6. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?I would erase all the bad memories.
Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com
Victoria,
I like your perspective on question one. When it’s a person’s time to go, you must let them go. It’s a poetic way to look at the whole process, even though this form of resurrection is fictional. I would be a One-Timer, too.
Thank you for dropping by today! I hope you do get to read AFTERLIFE!
Hi Merrie!!
I would chose to resurrect I think. I’d love to see what the future world turns out to be.
What do you want your readers to know about you, something that is not well known?
I RSVPed
Answer: 10 entries
Question: 10 entries
RSVP: 25 entries
I entered Crescendo contest: 5 entries
I attended and participated in the Carolyn Crane’s event today: 25 entries
Tally: 1 entries
Total: 76 entries
sorry I’m Shelley D. from Canada
Shelley D.,
Hi! It would be cool to see how the future world turns out, huh!
Your question: What do you want your readers to know about you, something that is not well known?
My answer: My favorite color is red. JK. I mean, is red, but a better answer would be that it took me a long time to get to this point in my writing career and I am absolutely THRILLED to be a published author. I’m so excited to be here chatting with each and every one of you and I’m really glad that so many of you are interested in the book that I wrote. That is a dream come true for me.
Thanks for helping to make my dream come true!
Congratulations of a fabulous book Merrie, and oh the deep conversations and debates it stirs is just delicious.
As for your million dollar question? Well, I can’t quite decide. On the one hand I’m a have-it-all girl; if I can’t choose between the blue one or the green one I get both. So when life throws me two options, I spend sleepless nights thinking ‘what if’. Having a chance to take both metaphorical roads would be nice.
But then again, the aforementioned arduous high school years and bad mistakes and horrible stomach-turning moments we recall when we think of the things we would take back? They are all the things that viciously shape us into who we are today. I can’t help but think that’s an awful lot of hard work getting me to be the well-adjusted, patient, flexible and wise person I am today *wink*. So no, I wouldn’t resurrect, I’d take this one life with all it’s ugly.crazy.beautiful moments. After all, no guts no glory, right?
Jickie T-M,
JICKIE! HI! Long time no see, girl! I love it. No guts, no glory. And I love your whole metaphorical musing. Just like having a real conversation with you.
Thanks so much for the congrats! And you know me, I love to stir up a good debate. =)
I’m with you, sister. I’m taking this life “with all it’s ugly, crazy, beautiful moments.” They are what shape us, no?
Big hugs and thanks ever so for stopping by!
April V. USA
RSVP’d +25
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? That’s a tough question, it seems (I haven’t read the book yet) as if once you resurrect you still have your memories of your old life, which can be good or bad. I might want to try it once in order to see if I could make better decisions and get a better life through that, though I doubt I’d want to do it over and over. +10
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? I don’t think I’d want to stay in contact – I’d maybe look in on them to see how they are doing but I’m pretty insular, I don’t need lots of people (family and friends) around me. Solitude is one of my favorite things (and a good thing as reading books helps me with this!). +10
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? It might be interesting to view life from a different perspective so I’d switch race and or gender to see how others view things and how others are viewed. Not too chuffed about beauty or looks so that wouldn’t really matter. I’d want a healthy one though – who wants to come back to a life full of doctor’s visits? Bleah. +10
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? Everything relating to the mindless hours of work I’ve done sitting in a cube farm. All the books and fun childhood memories I’d like to keep and perhaps the schooling bits too. +10
Subtotal=65
+1 for totalling
Total=66 points
April,
Hi! Great answers! I love that you put so much thought into all of it. Especially the part about who you would stay in contact with.
I wonder if all of us readers tend to be somewhat solitary? I crave time to myself and love to lose myself in a good book. I’ve noticed that many of the comments here today were that people would want to remember the books they have read. As a writer, that is such an awesome thing to hear. But honestly, now that I think about it, I would want the same thing. Books are almost like best friends. I hate to get rid of one, especially if I really loved it.
Thanks for participating and for sharing your thoughts!
Lisa R smalltown, USA
+25 RSVPed#15
+10 Would you choose to resurrect? I think I would. It would be great to come back and have the educational knowledge that you had before to build on.
+10 I think as much as I love my family, it wouldn’t be right to stay in touch with them so I’d say no here.
+10 I think I’d like a clean slate except for education.
+10 As far a custom designing my clone, I’ve been pretty satisfied up to now (although I’d like to remember that yes even the skinny, skinnies CAN gain weight-so be careful what you wish for)
+125 http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/2010/09/author-merrie-destefano-release-party.html
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/26018354758
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/26020802802
+25 Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane-#21
+5 RSVP for the Marie Treanor event #34
+5 RSVP for the Jaym Gates event #20
+5 Enter the Crescendo contest here:#13
+5 Check out the awesome new Vampire Academy Jewelry Line #4
+5 Attend and comment at the Weekly Book Chat #14
+5 Weekly Poll #19
+5 Screen Bites #13
+1 total–271
Lisa R.,
Hi and thanks for racking up all those points! Gold star!
I loved your answers. My fave was the fact that even skinny people can gain weight. I was probably a bit skinny when I was younger, but I never thought I was. Now that I’ve gotten older and gained some weight, I wish that I would have appreciated my weight and appearance when I was younger.
Thanks for being here for my launch party! It was fun to meet you!
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/26082122717
+1 total–282
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/26103378544
+1 total–
+10 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/26106725488
+1 total=304
Hi there. I was wondering about the whole resurrect thing, when you get chance number 2 do you get to also pick the age you come back as? Do you get to live a “lifetime” in body 2 as that exact same age from beginning to end, or do you age normally from when you inhabit the body? I would choose to resurrect at least once, there’s too much I want to do to get it all done in one lifetime. And I would stay in touch with family, good and bad. And I would like to look like me, only a 21 year old me, but slimmer, and that’s about all I’d change. And choosing only 50% of memories is hard. I believe everything I went thru as made me the person I am today, and without those experiences I’d be a different person. I like me right now. (except for being fat) Anyway, the book sounds great, I put it in my amazon wish list, will def be checking it out. I was wondering, do you listen to audiobooks at all? Thanks for being here, and congrats!!
Joani S from USA
rsvp’d
attend the Crane event
rsvp for Treaner
rsvp for Gates
did the chat did the poll
did screen bites
entered Crescendo contest
tally my points for a total of 121
Joani S.,
Hi! Wonderful questions! In the book, you do get to choose your age, but almost everyone chooses to be 21 (and gorgeous). After you resurrect, you will live approximately 50 – 55 years in your clone body, so most people die around 75-76. Their bodies do age during this time period.
I’m glad you like the concept of the book and thanks for putting it on your Amazon wish list!
)
Victoria,
I like your perspective on question one. When it’s a person’s time to go, you must let them go. It’s a poetic way to look at the whole process, even though this form of resurrection is fictional. I would be a One-Timer, too.
Thank you for dropping by today! I hope you do get to read AFTERLIFE!
Christine H USA chirth7@yahoo.com
+10 1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? It would depend on my age but I’d do it no matter what at least once. But it would be tempting to use them all, gosh I love these kinds of questions!!!
+10 2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? I would definitely stay in contact with my family, they are not perfect but when all else fails they never leave you.
+10 3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? Me at 25 with a bigger chest. LOL seriously!!
+10 4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? Well the past ten have not been enjoyable since I had a bad back injury so those can go and then 5 off the beginning of my life. I think I have a heck of a lot of Good memories left still.
+40 1. If no ones asked you yet I’d like to know how you’d answer your 4 great questions? They were great, I love those types of questions things you wish for that will never happen kind of things I wish like that a lot! lol
+350 purchased Afterlife for +150 ands two others for +200 & emailing in receipt
+25 RSVP’d yesterday
+50 5 tweets
+5 RSVP for the Marie Treanor event
+5 RSVP for the Jaym Gates event
+5 Weekly Poll
+1
Total 521
Christine H.,
Hi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the questions! And no, nobody asked me these questions so, here are my answers:
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
I wouldn’t resurrect. I am a lot like the main character in the book. I want to live one life the best I can and then die and go to heaven. =)
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
I do love my family and I would want them to be my family again. But there is a trick to this question. In the book, it has to go both ways. So if one person in my family didn’t want me to know where they were, then I wouldn’t be able to find them.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
Oooh. She’d be about 5’6″ with black wavy hair and pale blue eyes and dark skin, like a really dark tan.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
I’d erase some of the wild stuff I did as a teenager because I get really embarrassed when I remember it. And I’d erase all the boring parts of jr. and sr. high school. Depending on how long I live, I’d erase some of the last years if I was sick or had dementia.
Thanks for asking to hear my answers! And thanks for buying copies of AFTERLIFE! I hope you enjoy it!
Oh I’m so Happy do one asked you those questions!!!
I totally agree with wanting to go to heaven, I was assuming you still go just a lot later. I always wish I could start over and go back to certain ages like 13 my life changed when I first fell in love, I’d change that because it changed the course of my life. Or go back before my back injury when everything was prefect or close to it. You must have one amazing life to be happy with just one. lol
Also I so agree with you, I would definitely make myself shorter but still skinny, I’ve always been jealous of those women who can wear all the fancy high heels, I’d love top wear 4 inch heels, Never going to happen so I guess I want to be 5’4″, I’m 5’9″ now and I’ve always hated being so tall in school and beyond. Also agree with having a dark tan, I tan easily but if I could have that color permanently I’d so do it!! lol And I want to change my eye color from green to sky blue like my dads were. I’d also erase the wild stuff I did as a teenager, I just want to know would everyone else else still remember? lol Thanks so much for being here today. It was so much fun having you! I ordered your book and look forward to it!
Thanks, Hugs, Christine
hi merrie! i’m glad you came to bbb today because i saw mention of your book online, and i’d been wanting to know more about it! definitely peaked my interest!
1. i would resurrect only if my honey would too…i wouldn’t want to come back without him. i would love to see technology improve and live history!
2. while there are a few people (my ex-husband comes to mind off the top of my head) i wouldn’t have the desire to see again, for the most part, i would want the people in my life now to still be in my life later.
3. my clone would have a better metabolism than me, maybe smaller in the chest, but otherwise, i think i would look the same. besides, if i look too drastically different, i would completely freak my honey out!
4. What memories would i erase? that’s a toughie….can you go through them all and decide what to keep and what to get rid of? plus, even the bad memories made me what i am today….i don’t know if i would be so hasty to lose them….
+25 Attended and participated in the Carolyn Crane event
+25 rsvped for this event
+30 answered questions
+5 RSVPed for the Marie Treanor event and contest
+5 RSVPed for the Jaym Gates event and contest
+5 Attended and commented at the Weekly Book Chat
+5 voted and commented at the Weekly Poll
freebie 1 + 100 =
101 entries!
kisah j.
usa
k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com
Kisah J.,
That’s so sweet that you would only want to resurrect if your sweetie did it too! That would be neat to see the advancements in technology. It would be like a real science fiction movie or like traveling into the future.
Hey, I want a clone with a metabolism too!
Thanks so much for stopping by! I really appreciate it!
What great questions!
1. No, I would not choose to resurrect. One life, good or bad, is what I would choose. Any more and my soul couldn’t handle it. (+10)
2. New life, if chosen, means new life…….. no deliberate contact with previous locations, people or lives (although having all that high school math preloaded would be a plus!). (+10)
3. My clone would have perfect vision (I have had enough of extreme myopia) and an average but fit body, and a great smile! (+10)
4. Labor pains, pulling all-nighters in college before exams, and every time I was ill….. gone! (+10)
Question for Merrie… do you believe that you have lived before, and have in some way been reincarnated? Would you trust any findings from being under hypnosis to verify this? (+10)
RSVP’d this chat (+25)
participated in Carolyn’s event (+25)
RSVP’d for Marie (+5)
RSVP’d for Jaym (+5)
Entered Crescendo contest (+5)
Did Weekly Poll (+5)
Did Screen Bites (+5)
Tally (+1)= 126 total points!
Mary M., USA
Mary M.,
Hi! How did forget about labor pains? I would definitely erase that memory!
I would be a One-Timer too. Once is plenty for me.
Good question! When I was younger, I was really into New Age things and believed in reincarnation. I can’t remember if I ever tried hypnosis or not, but I went to psychics who could supposedly tell you all that stuff. Now I don’t believe in reincarnation any more. I believe that we have one go-round on this wheel of life and I am much happier with that belief.
Thanks for asking such a deep question and for participating in my launch party!
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
I really thought about this. I’m always saying that I’d love to have more time to do so much that I’d never get the chance to. But there’s a difference between living a long time and being reserrected in a new body. I think I’d like to try it once and hope I wouldn’t become one of the fanatics who couldn’t let go. I’d like to think I could let go.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
I wouldn’t want to completely alter myself. I think it would be too jarring to still be myself but look completely different. So maybe a more enhanced version of myself. I’d like to know what the world looks like beyond the height of 5’3″. It would also be nice to have one of the bodies with a high metabolism so I could eat pretty much whatever I want. I know vain. But I really like pizza and chocolate. And sometimes I really hate my stepstool.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
People always say that having gone through hard times in life adds to the character of who they are or made them the person they are today. That’s crap. I feel like I could go through life without ALL the crap and still be okay. So frankly those memories can go!
What TV shows are you addicted to, if there are any?
Is there any author or person that you would turn into a fangirl over?
I was wondering if the cover was modeled after your dog?
Thanks!
Rae M., USA
RSVP’d for this event +25
Particiapted in Carolyn Crane +25
Entered Crescendo Contest +5
RSVP’d for Marie Treanor +5
RSVP’d for Jaym Gates +5
Voted in Poll +5
Commented on Screen Bites +5
Asked & answered questions +40
Tally Points +1
Total = 116
Rae M.,
I really liked your answer to Q1, that you would like to be able to let go. That’s a great attitude.
And I hate my step stool too! I’ve noticed a number of us here today would really like to be taller. That’s probably why they invented high heels (which I loathe!)
What TV shows am I addicted to? Oh, there are so many: Vampire Diaries, The Gates, Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, Castle, Rookie Blue, Eureka, Masterpiece Mystery and House.
An author I would turn into a fangirl over: Melissa Marr, Holly Black, Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Diana Abu-Jaber, Robert Jackson Bennett. I would just act stupid if I met any of them. Not intelligent at all.
Actors I would turn into a fangirl over: Oh, yeah. That happened when I was at Comic Con last year. My editor and I were at dinner and right outside our window was a red carpet event. Neither one of us could focus on dinner. The ones that made me nutty were: Ian Somerhalder (yes, he was there, SQUEEE!), Nathon Fillion and Patrick Warburton. And James Callis.
I had my dog in mind when I wrote the book. And I had found a picture a little bit like him that I used for a reference during the writing process. I sent that photo (not my dog’s) to the artist for a reference. I didn’t use my dog because my dog is black and tan. The dog in the book is pure black. (Love my doggies!)
Thanks for asking such fun questions! And thanks for stopping by today. I really appreciate it!
Congratulations on the release! Wow this sounds like an exciting novel! A new concept I am eager to read more about and I have been hearing wonderful things about your book on many different sites.
1. I would choose to resurrect because I want to do as much, achieve as much, and love as much as possible for as long as possible.
2. I would choose to stay in touch with my family
3. Looks aren’t we all so vain…I would be thinner, my eyesight would be perfect, and I would never know another zit.
4. This is the most difficult question, my memories make me who I am and I like who I am so I don’t want to change too much. I would definitely erase when I had gallbladder surgery, and they guy and stomped my heart into little bitty pieces when I was 17.
Miranda G U.S.
Questions 40
Twitter 10 twitter.com/Randa781
Carolyn Crane up next 25
Cresendo 5
Weekly chat 5
Weekly poll 5
RSVP’d 25
115+1
Total Points 116
Miranda G.,
Great answers! Thank you for the congrats! And I’m so glad that you’ve heard some good things about my book from other sites. The blogging/Twitter/Facebook community have been incredibly supportive throughout my book launch and I am so grateful to each and every one of them!
I really liked your answer to Q1. You sound like a really neat person and I think your reasons for resurrecting are great!
I’m so glad you stopped by today!
Leni K., USA
I think I would try to resurrect just for the fact that I always choose not to mess with nature and I’d like to change my mind this time.
I wouldn’t want contact with family because I don’t think that they would choose the option of resurrecting so that wouldn’t be an issue.
I’d choose to look like whatever the “normal look” of that time was.
I’d erase any negative memories and start out from there.
RSVP’ed +25
Answered four of Merrie’s questions +40
Attended Carolyn Crane’s event +25
RSVP’ed for Marie Trenor event +5
RSVP’ed for Jaym Gates event +5
+1 Tally= 101
Leni K.,
Hi! Thanks for stopping by!
What an interesting answer for Q1. I love that! I think you would fit right in with the future! I also like that you would want to look like whatever normal for the time is. I can see that you really thought about all of this.
Thank you so much for answering my questions and being here for my release!
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
Tough question. I would have to say “Maybe”, though it would be nice to know that you would be able to start anew, a clean slate, so to speak, do things differently in the next life that you learned the valuable lessons from the previous.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
Pfft, there are only a rare few that I would want to remain in contact with. The rest of my family on both mom and dad’s side hardly know I exist.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
Harm, if I were to custom-design a clone for my next life the first thing I would alter would be adding some heighth to me. Hehe, I have 5′ and it is so not fun to be short! Black or red hair (hubby complains because I always dye my dirty blonde hair black or red), little less in the boobage department. Other than that…
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
Most of my high school memories
+10
Rachel Flesher/Raonaid Luckwell, US
RSVP +5
http://twitter.com/RaonaidLuckwell +10
Attending Crane’s event +25
RSVPed for Marie Treanor +5
RSVPed for Jaym Gates +5
Entered the Cresendo contest +5
Poll +5
http://visionarydruid.blogspot.com/2010/09/merrie-destefano-at-bitten-by-books.html +125
Tallying +1
201
Rachel/Raonaid,
Thanks for stopping by! You and I are both pretty short. I would definitely add some height, if I got to design my own clone, too! As for erasing memories, I would erase most of high school and junior high too.
Great answers! I really appreciate you coming to my launch party!
Hi Merrie I’m back
I was wondering what is at the top of your TBR pile and is there any book that you can’t wait for its release?
Hi, Miranda G.,
My TBR pile keeps growing, but right at the top is a book I started and haven’t had time to finish. It’s called BACK ON MURDER and it’s a fabulous debut novel by J. Mark Bertrand. I just love what I’ve read so far.
Is there a book that I’m waiting for it’s release? Wow. There are so many.
Here’s my list:
The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Death’s Sweet Embrace by Tracey O’Hara
Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
Blood of the Wicked by Karina Cooper
The Resurrection by Mike Duran
Thanks for asking such fun questions!
Great concept, Merrie! I look forward to reading your book.
Answers to Merrie’s questions:
1. Depends. Is anyone else I love also resurrecting??? Then maybe.
2. Definitely some people I’d prefer to never have contact with again, lol. However, I’d always want to be in touch with my family.
3. Same as I am now, only with better teeth and perfect eyesight.
4. Hmm. The boring, dull, pointless ones? The ones of standing in line at the DMV or at a store two days before Christmas? Yeah, get rid of those.
Questions for Merrie:
1) How long does it usually take you to complete a first draft?
2) What is your typical daily writing schedule?
3) Hardest thing about writing for you?
+25 RSVPed for this event
+40 questions
+25 Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane event today
+5 RSVP for the Marie Treanor event and contest happening tomorrow
+5 RSVP for the Jaym Gates event and contest happening tomorrow
+5 Enter the Crescendo contest
+5 Weekly Poll
+1 Tally Your own points total 1 + Entries
total points 111
Julie T., USA
editworks at hotmail dot com
Julie T.,
Hi and thanks for dropping by! Great answers. I love the one about forgetting about all that boring stuff. I completely forgot about all that icky boring stuff!
Let’s see, your questions:
1) How long does it usually take you to complete a first draft?
AFTERLIFE took me a year and a half, but my first draft was really clean. I edited it within a week. (shocking, I know!) I would say a normal first draft can take me anywhere from 6 months to a year, depending on what else is on my plate at the same time. I do freelance art books too, so I usually squeeze a couple of those into a year as well. This year I co-wrote and edited HOW TO DRAW ZOMBIES and HOW TO DRAW VAMPIRES, on top of my other work. I’m currently working on two more similar how to draw books.
2) What is your typical daily writing schedule?
Lately I have no routine at all. LOL. I was surprised that I got to write very little during my first year as a full-time novelist. I spent a long time editing AFTERLIFE (after the contract). At that point, my second book was almost finished. So as soon as I was done with AFTERLIFE, I hopped right on editing my second novel (unnamed, but scheduled to release in July, 2011). I did get to write over the summer, though, and I was writing pretty fast because it was so much fun. I got a third of a YA novel done and the beginning of a new series. A typical daily routine for me includes some social networking, some e-mails, and then hopefully anywhere from 4-6 hours of writing. I love writing. It’s my therapy. It’s where I go to escape from this world. That’s one reason why I love fantasy so much–I get to go to a completely different world every day, someplace totally different from where I live.
3) Hardest thing about writing for you?
Plotting. And the editing process. For me, so much of the writing process is right-brain/intuitive. So when it comes to the left-brain stuff, I sometimes paint myself into a corner and don’t know how to get out. When my editor sends me my editorial letter, it takes me a long time to figure out how to incorporate her requested edits into the existing manuscript. I always feel like I’m standing on top of a cliff, hoping a strong wind doesn’t come along and push me over. In other words, I feel like I could fail at any point in time. As scary as that is, I think it pushes me to try harder and work harder to resolve any problems in my work.
Thanks so much for asking such great questions! Are you a fellow writer? If so, I wish you the best in your pursuit of the written word!
Merrie – just stopping by to say Hello and HAPPY RELEASE. I am so excited for you and as you already know I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!
Hope you have a great month – much love sweetie.
Tracey,
Hi, writer pal! How are you?
Thank you SO much for stopping by and saying hi. You have been such an incredible friend and supporter. I love you!
I’m so glad you loved this book! You are the best! Can’t wait for DEATH’S SWEET EMBRACE to come out.
*big hugs*
Woo-hoo, book party!! Congrats Merrie!
I’m heading over to Amazon to buy a copy of this killer book! Can’t wait to read it.
p.s. Can I resurrect as me but smarter and buffer?
Paul R.,
Hi! LOL. Um, can you be smarter than you already are? I think not.
Thanks for the congrats, writer pal! And Yay, have fun at Amazon! I hope you love AFTERLIFE!
Thanks SO much for dropping by. You rock!
Julie S. of USA
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? I might one time to be able to see my grandkids grow, but only if my husband did also. I wouldn’t want to do it without him by my side. +10
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? Yes I would stay in contact with my family. +10
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? like me when I was 27 +10
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? I would erase from my high school until I meet my husband. That way I could forget my x-husband. I would like to forget my back injury but then I would have to forget some of the time with my present husband and I don’t want to forget a minute of it. +10
What is your opinion on ereaders and ebooks? Do you have an ereader?
Do you think paper books will remain around or will ebooks take over totally? +30
Will there be more books to follow this one? +10
RSVPed for this event +25
Shared on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000594583971
+125
Tweeted – http://twitter.com/jellybelly82158/status/26044361514 +10
Attended and participated in the Carolyn Crane event +25
RSVPed for Marie Treanor event +5
RSVPed for Jaym Gates event +5
Entered the Crescendo contest +5
Attended and commented on weekly book chat +5
Attended and commented on weekly poll +5
Attended and commented on Screen Bites +5
Tally own points +1
Equals – 296
Julie S.,
Hi! Great answers and great questions too.
Here are my answers:
What is your opinion on ereaders and ebooks?
I think they’re great!
Do you have an ereader?
Yes, I have an iPad. But I usually only use it to read sample chapters of a book before I buy the entire book in a paperback.
Do you think paper books will remain around or will ebooks take over totally?
Personally, I don’t think anything will ever replace paper books. I love real books.
Thanks for stopping by!
Will there be more books to follow this one? +10
Congrats on the release! Looking forward to picking it up.
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
-Not unless I could start completly over. I like to have the hope that we really go on to a better happier place when we die.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
-Seriously, can we pick and choose. There are some I would be more than happy to never hear from or about again.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
-No weight issues, perfect hair.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
-The bad ones of course!
What is your least favorite part of being a writer?
What city would you love to set a story in but the right one hasnt come along yet?
Vampires, Shifters, Zombies, Angels – who wins the final ultimate battle?
Thanks!
Contest stuff -
+25 RSVP’d
+125 post – http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/2010/09/merrie-destefano-release-party-and.html
+40 questions/answers above
+10 tweet – http://twitter.com/#!/DonnaS1/statuses/26048801218
+5 RSVP’d for Marie
+5 RSVP’d for Jaym
+5 entered Crescendo Contest
+5 voted in poll
+25 went to and commented at Carolyn’s event
+1 total – 246
Thanks!
Donna S
USA
Donna S.,
Hi! And yes, you can pick and choose which relatives to stay in touch with.
Here are the answers to your questions:
What is your least favorite part of being a writer?
I love world building and I love discovering all the nuances within a character. I really enjoy being creative, each new project is always exciting for me.
What city would you love to set a story in but the right one hasnt come along yet?
Maybe London or Paris. I think both of those cities have great character and history. But it would have to be the right story because I’d have to do an incredible amount of research to make the book believable. And I don’t always have enough time to do a lot of research. Although I did research New Orleans quite a bit for AFTERLIFE. But then in my next book, I chose a city closer to home to make it a bit easier.
Vampires, Shifters, Zombies, Angels – who wins the final ultimate battle?
Well, my final answer is: the monsters in my next book! My next book, still untitled, comes out in July, 2011, and I think the new monsters in that story would win a fight with any of the guys listed here.
Thanks so much for asking such great questions!
Answers to Merrie’s Questions: 1. If this technology was real, I don’t think I would choose to do it. I think one lifetime is more than enough time on this earth. My faith also plays a part in that I would rather be up in heaven than living over and over again. I guess it just doesn’t seem natural to me. 2. If I did choose to come back, I would definitely want to be with my family. There are a few relatives I wouldn’t really want to connect with, but I would have to be with my parents, sister, and dogs for sure.
+20 Questions for Merrie: You mention the different elements that authors can toy with, besides survival, what other element do you think would be fun to toy with in a book? What inspired you to write about resurrection?
+25 I RSVP’d for today’s event.
+125 I posted this event in my blog: http://amyexcelsior.blogspot.com/2010/09/author-merrie-destefano-release-party.html
+10 Tweet: http://twitter.com/Heroesgirl314/status/26049670811
+25 I attended and participated in the Carolyn Crane event.
+5 I RSVP’d for the Marie Treanor event and contest.
+5 Weekly Poll
+1 Tallying points
Total Contest Entries: 216 pts.
~Amy G. USA
Amy G.,
I really love your answer and I appreciate your honesty. I feel the same way. In fact, that is how the main character in AFTERLIFE feels. (His name is Chaz Domingue.)
Your question: You mention the different elements that authors can toy with, besides survival, what other element do you think would be fun to toy with in a book?
I love exploring relationships and I also really enjoy taking existing legends or myths and twisting them. For instance, I’m working on a book right now (it’s not under contract at this point) where there is a character that seems like ghost. But that’s not what she really is.
Your question: What inspired you to write about resurrection?
I discussed that answer up in Teri C.’s question (the second person who commented). I was really intrigued by the idea that mankind could unlock the key to immortal life. What would happen if we did that? How would that affect our society? After thinking about it for a long time, I could see that it had the potential to turn our world inside out. I never realized, until I began working on this book, how crucial death is. I believe we are given a set number of years to get things figured out and if we stretch that time period out, we could easily avoid thinking about the things that are most important–and I think that could ultimately destroy our civilization.
Thank you so much for stopping by and discussing your thoughts with me! I’m glad I got to meet you.
Michelle S- USA
+25- RSVP
1.I may choose to come back if I was sick or died younger, but I don’t know if I died when I was older and felt I had a full enough life.
2.I may let one or two people know just to help my family if needed, but I would not want everyone to know…who would want to be penalized for a past life that you couldn’t even remember all of.
3.Like me but without the known health issues, oh and cuter.
4.I would keep the lessons learned (you know the if I knew then what i know now stuff) because starting out you never believe when people tell you not to do this or that or you’ll regret it. I think if you remember to much personal/emotional stuff it would make day to day existence as another person more complicated.
+10- I have to read your book it sounds very interesting. Question-Why 9 lives? What is to stop someone from going longer and never stopping and being truly immortal…and taking control with their experience.
+10- tweet
+25- Attend Carolyn Crane event
+5- RSVP for the Marie Treanor event
+5- RSVP for the Jaym Gates event
+5- Enter the Crescendo contest
+1- Tally own points
=86 total
Michelle S.,
Hi! I loved all of your answers!
Why nine lives? Two reasons. One I wanted to show that we, as humans, didn’t really have power over life and death. We only had power for awhile. We still couldn’t escape the inevitable. The second reason is based on the second law of thermodynamics which, simply stated, says that everything is breaking down. Nothing lasts forever. So in the book, I have created a problem with the clones and the replicated DNA; it breaks down by the ninth clone. It gets even more complicated than that in the book, but I don’t want to give away too much of the story.
Great question! Thanks for thinking about it and for asking the question!
1.I would definitely choose to resurrect…it is like getting a second chance at life.
2. I would stay in contact with my family. We may not always get along but they are my family and I love them.
3. I would want my clone to look a lot like me, just improved a little bit.
RSVPd
Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane event
RSVP for the Marie Treanor event and contest
RSVP for the Jaym Gates event and contest
Voted in poll
add up
TOTAL: 96
Raelena P.
US
Raelena P.,
Thanks for dropping by! Great answers and I appreciate that you joined in my book launch party!
Hi Merrie,
If I could choose to resurrect today I just might if it meant I could still be me but in a healthy pain free body.
I would choose to stay in contact with my family. Close physical contact with some and hundreds or thousands of miles of seperation for others.
I would like to look just like me. I might do away with some of the scars especially the really visible ones on my face and neck. Also I would add better teeth. I would really like to keep my tats and piercings.
I would give up all the memories of involuntary physical pain. That should be about half.
Koren Cota,
Great answers! I think it’s interesting how many people want to look similar to the way they do today. That’s what I would choose too.
Thank you for stopping by today. I’m glad you were here!
other contest stuff…
1.Koren C USA
2.answered 4 +40
4.posted with cover and commentary +125
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1116378705&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=1339196135
6.attended Merrie’s event +25
8.rsvp’d for Marie +5
rsvp’d for Jaym +5
entered the Crescendo contest +5
paricipated in book chat +5
commented on and voted in poll +5
commented on Screen Bites +5
9.tally own points +1
I RSVP’d +25
total 246
Koren Cota,
Thanks again!
Hi Merrie,
very interesting plot! I wondered myself a couple of times, what would happen if some or all people could live forever, what that would mean to our world.
1) It would depend on what my life were at the point when I’m about to die. If I had some unfinished business, family to take care of or maybe lots of money to spend yet, then possibly I could choose to resurrect. But if my life were miserable, or all my loved ones were passed away and not resurrected, then not.
2) Can I choose to stay in contact with some people and not- with others? As there’s a couple of people that my life would be easier without, but I’d like to be able to meet my family.
3) Very close to what I look like now, only without scars and wrinkles, also a bit higher and slimmer:) Also I’d do way with some unneeded hair, whiten the teeth, make some other cosmetic changes. Oh, and I’d definitely fix my eyesight!
4) I’d choose school and all other study-time, because it was the most boring, but then I guess I’d loose all the knowledge too…:)
In your book, are the ‘resurrection services’ also offered for pets, or is this for humans only?
What is your favorite childhood book?
Thanks!
Dovile P., Lithuania
___
+25 RSVPed for this event
+40 answered and asked questions
+25 for participating in Carolyn Crane’s event
+10 RSVPed for Marie Treanor and Jaym Gates events
+10 commented on Screen Bites and the poll
+1 tallying
___
Total: 111
4) I’ve just thought what I’d really like to forget- all the best movies and books that I’ve ever watched or read! I could discover them all over again!
I’d only have to make a long list before forgetting:)
Mette J, Denmark
1. I do not think I would choose to be resurrected something like that always comes with a price, maybe you will loose some of yourself you’ll never know.
2. Yes ofcause I would choose to stay in contact with my family:-)
3. I really don’t know how the clone would look I think it would be a little weird if it looked precisely like me.
4. That’s a really difficult question I think everything that happens in your life forms you to the person you become later, so I don’t know what I would erase because it would always be a little part of myself and then I’m not sure I’m myself anymore.
I RSVPd for this event (25 pts)
I answered the questions (40 pts)
I RSVPd and attended Carolyn Crane’s event (25 pts)
RSVP’d for the Marie Treanor event (5 pts)
RSVP’d for the Jaym Gates event (5 pts)
Attended and commented at the Weekly Book Chat (5 pts)
Voted and commented in the Weekly Poll (5 pts)
Commented in Screen Bites (5 pts)
I tweeted (10 pts): http://twitter.com/Forceofstars/status/26089169340
Posted on my multiply blog (125 pts): http://mysteriousrose.multiply.com/journal/item/41/Author_Merrie_Destefano_Release_Party_and_Contest_LIVE
Posted on livejournal (125 pts): http://mysteryredrose.livejournal.com/7776.html
Posted on facebook (125 pts): http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/profile.php?id=100000852732699&v=wall&story_fbid=106932069370238
Posted on my opera blog (125 pts): http://my.opera.com/mysteriousrose/blog/2010/10/01/author-merrie-destefano-release-party-and-contest-live
extra (1 pts)
Total: 626
+10 tweet – http://twitter.com/#!/DonnaS1/status/26106884257
Donna S
USA
Hi Merrie! Thanks for chatting with us today! Your book is now in my to-be-read pile.
To answer your questions:
If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
This is one of those questions that ends up leading me to my own debates on what I think happens after death. Is that just the end? Do our souls move on somehow? And I think it would definitely affect how I ended up choosing…but I don’t think I would want to do that unless I died tragically young and I had people to come back to.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
I would definitely to choose to keep in touch with my sister, who is my best friend. I love my parents, but I’m not sure I would choose them – does that make me horrible?
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
Look like Angelina Jolie, but with Sandra Day O’Connor’s brain.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
Grade school through high school.
**
Mare S, USA
questions + 30
tweet – http://twitter.com/tommygirl/status/26107363888 + 10
RSVPd and attended Carolyn Crane’s event + 25 pts
RSVP’d for the Marie Treanor event +5
RSVP’d for the Jaym Gates event +5
Voted and commented in the Weekly Poll +5
Commented in Screen Bites +5
Tallied points + 1
Total = 86
tweet -https://twitter.com/tommygirl/status/26141085640
Grand Total = 96
I have to apologize! I’ve gotten behind in answering all of your awesome comments. I’ll try to get caught up today! Thank you all for stopping by!!
Merrie
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? I would only resurrect if fr example I was a mother of small children and dies in an accident. Otherwise I believe fate and destiny had their purpose. I would love to still be present and witness my loved ones’ life and sometimes communicate with them
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? Definitely! It would give them peace knowing I am well, and I could also reassure them about the afterlife ;-p
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? The painful, sad ones. Everyone needs their stock of happy memomries for hard times.
+10 Merrie, did you always like the paranormal/fantasy genre, or was there a specific novel/series/movie that got you hooked?
+10 If you could spend a day with any character of any book, who would you like to meet?
+10 have you ever met anyone in real life, that when you saw them you thought “hey! he/she looks exactly like I imagined … to look!(name of your character)”?
+10 Who was the very first person who told you you should become writer or that you will be a writer someday?
+10 tweeted here: http://twitter.com/Stella_ExLibris/status/26117958905
+25 Attended and participated in the Carolyn Crane event
+5 Entered the Crescendo contest
+5 RSVPed for Marie Treanor’s event
+5 RSVPed for Jaym Gates’ event
+5 I Checked out the new Vampire Academy Jewelry Line
+5 voted at the Weekly Poll
+25 I RSVPd
+1 tallying: in total that is: 116 entries
Stella B.
Hungary
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com
Interesting!
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
I would want to resurrect..depending on various circumstances. Did I do good in life? What kind of a world is it now? Full of lies, deception, moral degradation? It depends
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
I would definitely keep in contact with my family.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
Hmmm I would make myself taller, skinnier (lol), and a redhead.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
Hmm…I think it would be easier to say which I DON’T want to erase! Hah. I would keep my everything I learned through education…speech, controlling my muscles. Hmm this is hard. Every memory is interconnected….hmm…
I was wondering what types of creatures would I encounter?
aorihanazari(@)gmail(.)com
Aori H.
USA
1. I rsvped and here I am Pamk from usa +25
2. 1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not? Would depend on when I died but since I lost my mom and dad fairly young. I’d probably go for it.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are? I’d stay in contact with the ones I wanted to.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like? me with a little less weight and perfect eyesight.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase? none I let them delete the minor things but keep all the other stuff good or bad. +40
5. I tweeted https://twitter.com/Pamk258/status/26137986114 +10
6. Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane event today: will done +25
8. RSVP for the Marie Treanor event and contest happening tomorrow: done
RSVP for the Jaym Gates event and contest happening tomorrow: done
Enter the Crescendo contest here: done
Attend and comment at the Weekly Book Chat done
Weekly Poll done
+25
9. tally your own points +1
126 total
I can’t count the total for this should be 136
I tweeted again http://twitter.com/Pamk258/status/26141693831 +10
total 146 now
+10 tweet – http://twitter.com/#!/DonnaS1/statuses/26140454932
Donna S
USA
Hi Merrie. Thanks so much for joining us here at BBB. I can hardly wait to read your book — it sounds fascinating.
If I could erase 50% of my memories, I would choose those where I inadvertently caused loved ones pain or sadness, because then I would not have to feel that guilt anymore.
I would definitely choose to stay in touch with my husband, and our children and their families. As for someone already gone, I wish I could stay in contact with my mother.
However, if we had this technology today, no, I don’t think I would choose to resurrect. However, if it really werepossible, I might have a different reaction.
Merrie, what kinds of things do you enjoy doing for relaxation?
(USA, I did RSVP)
Congrats on the new release. Sounds very intriguing. I’ve added it to my TBB list.
1. If this technology was available today, would you choose to resurrect? Why or why not?
Yes, at least for a time or two. I’ve always wanted to live longer. Think of all the books and travels you could indulge in if you just had more time.
2. You also have the option to stay in contact with your family members in the next life. Would you choose that option or are there some people (you don’t have to name them!) that you would rather not have know where you are?
I would want to stay in touch with my daughter and granddaughter, but my in-laws…no thank you.
3. If you were custom-designing a clone for your next life, what would he/she look like?
I’d like green eyes(instead of brown)and black hair(instead of brown). And I’d like to not have the extra weight.
4. When resurrecting, you can only keep 50 percent of your memories from your previous life. What memories would you erase?
I’d like to keep my memories of family and pets, and all the books I’ve read, but other than that I’m really not sure.
Beth C. in the USA
I RSVP’d(25)
questions(40)
Attend and participate in the Carolyn Crane event(25)
voted and commented in the poll(5)
RSVP for the Marie Treanor event(5)
RSVP for the Jaym Gates event(5)
tally my points(1)
Total=106
Aik Chien, Malaysia.
+25 RSVP
+10 I would choose to resurrect my grandmother. I owe her an apology for being rude when I was little.
+10 If I were custom-designing a clone for my next life, she would look like Kim Tae Hee. (See here for more details: http://aik-friendsnfamily.blogspot.com/2010/09/mirror-mirror-on-wall-whos-fairest-of.html)
+10 I would erase bad memories and keep the good ones.
+10 Tweeted:
http://twitter.com/aikchien/status/26150155938
+5 Entered the Crescendo contest
+5 Weekly Poll
+1 Tally
Total: 76