Friday, July 16, 2010

A Visit From Katie Williams, Author Of The Space Between Trees + A Giveaway!!


Dear readers,

You’ve already noticed, haven’t you? My voice sounds different.

That’s because you’re not hearing from Carrie today, but instead from Katie Williams. Your lovely librarian Carrie has been generous enough to lend me her blog to help get the word out about my new novel, The Space Between Trees.

The Space Between Trees opens with the body of a teenage girl found murdered in the woods behind the affluent neighborhood where she lives. Two of the dead girl’s friends, observant Evie and fierce Hadley, team up in an investigation to find the killer…an investigation that goes very wrong, making these girl detectives question not just the facts of the case, but their own capacity for violence.

I was excited to write the story of The Space Between Trees because I’ve always been fascinated by the figure of the girl detective. She’s young and female, so she’s a typical victim. When she’s faced with a crime, one might expect a certain amount of gasping and heaving and running in high-heeled shoes. But the girl detective subverts our silly stereotypes and our all-too-real crime statistics. Instead of being emotional, she’s rational. Instead of running away, she runs toward. Instead of needing saving, she saves the day. In a world that would control her, that would relegate her to victim or (a touch luckier) damsel-in-distress, she exerts control. She uses her intelligence and reason to order the world around her, to keep herself and others safe.

Lest you think I like wooden supergirls, you should know that my favorite girl detectives are not the pert, perfect reason-machines, like Nancy Drew, but rather the fallible gum-shoes, like Veronica Mars, who sometimes get their own needs and life mixed up with their investigation. See, girl detectives are always solving two mysteries at the same time: The mystery at hand, say the murder or robbery, and the mystery of adolescence. That is to say, girl detectives are at a point in their lives where they’re figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and what they can expect from the world around them. The hint of this messier, personal mystery beneath the obvious case-to-be-solved creates the opportunity for the detective to be changed by her investigation, and the reader to be changed along with her.

Thanks for reading my thoughts about girl detectives! You can read more about The Space Between Trees, including the first chapter, at my website katiewilliamsbooks.com.

And now, how about you? Who is one of your favorite girl detectives? And why is she great? Add her to the comment section below.


Hmm....my favorite girl detective? I always loved Nancy Drew growing up, but I have to agree with Katie and her thoughts on Veronica Mars. I think that show pushed Veronica up to the top of my girl detective list. Please share your thoughts below and one lucky winner will receive an autographed copy of The Space Between Trees!! How awesome it that?!

Visit Katie's next stop over at Bookalicious Blog!
Contest ends July 23 and is open to US residents only.

Thanks to Katie for stopping by and sharing your girl detective love with us!!

29 comments:

  1. Hooray for female detectives! Thanks for sharing with us Katie:)

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  2. Please Enter :)
    Great post! I think murder draws anyone into a book - I know I want to read this for sure!!

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  3. I'd love to read this book! It sounds awesome!

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

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  4. I love strong girl detectives! Veronica Mars is awesome, but if you could call Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer a detective, she's really my fave :)

    meredithmoore5@gmail.com

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  5. I love all detectives and females are the best. Right now my favorite has to be Brenda on the Closer. She acts so southern belle sweet, but when it comes to getting a confession, she is like a venus fly trap Chomp Chomp!

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  6. Favorite female detective...Jessica Fletcher! She is great because here she is, a somewhat elderly writer, and she is solving crimes left and right.

    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

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  7. Veronica and Buffy. Yep, they're the top for me.

    Very fun post! And thanks for the great giveaway. I just have to say your book has the most gorgeous cover. I love it. :)

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  8. I love Veronica Mars too!

    I definitely plan on following this book tour and picking up the book.

    Thanks!

    jenvald09 at yahoo dot com

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  9. I really enjoyed Veronica Mars too! If you can count her as a detective. I think she sort of is. I also liked Sydney Bristow from Alias.

    Thanks for the giveaway!!
    chickenherder@hotmail.com

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  10. I always liked Harriet the Spy...she's not REALLY a detective, but close! If not her, then Nancy Drew. I have to admit I never really watched or read much with female detectives...this book sounds great though!

    -Lauren
    lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

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  11. Thanks for sharing these detectives--daring, clever, brave women, all! Keep 'em coming!

    @Meredith: I totally think Buffy could be considered a detective. Her gang is nicknamed "The Scoobies," after all.

    @Angiegirl: Wait until you see the book in person. It's jacketless, and those tree branches are cut out of the book board. All hail Chronicle book designers!

    Cheers,
    Katie
    katiewilliamsbooks AT gmail DOT com

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  12. Veronica Mars is really fantastic but Kinsey Milhone of Sue Grafton's alphabet series is my favorite female detective. i just love her
    sportsDOTerikalynnATgmailDOTcom

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  13. I found your review to be intriguing and one that I would take pleasure in reading. A girl detective sounds like some other books I have read and have really liked.

    Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway.

    steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. Mmmmmm let me think. I loved Trixie Beldon growing up. She was smart and determined and that was something I really looked up to :)

    foltzsfantasticbooks at gmail.com

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  15. Hey, gang.

    A little correction to the blog tour. Instead of heading to Bookilicio.us today, it'll be picking up at WORD for Teens on Monday, 7/19. Sorry about the change!

    Cheers,
    Katie

    katiewilliamsbooks AT gmail DOT com

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  16. Please include me in your giveaway.
    Thanks
    Debbie D
    debdesk9(at)verizon.net

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  17. I would have to say my favorite is Cameryn Mahoney from Alane Ferguson's Forensic Mystery series. She is a teen who wants to be a forensic pathologist and isn't afraid to stand up to the adults who think she is too young.
    I would love an opportunity to win this book.
    Thanks, Sandra
    skstiles612[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  18. This sounds great! Count me in on your givaway
    veltara@yahoo.com

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  19. Hmm...I'm going to have to say Nancy Drew. She's just great. :)

    Thanks for the er...voice changeover (?) and giveaway! This is one of the greatest book covers ever! <3

    cc932005[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  21. Veronica Mars definately wins hands down. Because she was an amazing detective as well as being able to deal with all the drama in her life. And she dated hot guys. :) She got the best of both. Great wit, and cute to boot.

    Great book cover! Thanks for the giveaway and the book sounds really good! :D
    hilarystlaurent at gmail dot com.

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  22. I actually have not read any girl detective books. The Space between Trees has caught my eye several times and I think I will give it a try. I hope I don't have nightmares, but then again, its not a good book unless it gets in your head.

    kjovus@gmail.com

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  23. Nancy Drew.

    mollypmormon@gmail.com

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  24. I liked veronica mars. I haven't read many girl detective books so this would be a great change from the usual genre I read.

    neniebugs@gmail.com

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  25. I have never read any detective books - I will have to check this one out.

    kennifernjennyatgmaildotcom

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  26. Count me in

    vidishamun@gmail.com

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  27. I never really read about girl detective books. But for an older female I'd have to say Temperence Brennen. She's so awesome! Or else Hermione from the HP series. She is definitely rational.

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Sarah L
    two_of_hearts_101 at yahoo dot com

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  28. Uhhh sounds very interesting this book!! I like it!

    Thanks for the contest, my email: astrid_triatlon@hotmail.com.

    xoxo!

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  29. The book cover is soooo awesome.

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