Authors Are Rockstars: Death Interviews Billy

Hello everyone! I'm so excited to be a part of this tour cause I think I have the most awesomeness interview EVER!

My stop is featuring the one and only Jackie Morse Kessler, author of the Riders of the Apocalypse series.

http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com Ms. Kessler is not afraid to write about raw subjects. Her books are pure awesome-sauce!!

Through out this series, there has been once characters that has intrigued me to no end. I always wanted more of him and can't wait to hear his story. But for now, Ms. Kessler has given us the pleasure of Death interviewing Billy.

DEATH:
Hey there, living people. Welcome to Post Mortem, the fake online talk-radio show where fictional characters talk to me about their books, their Authors, and basically anything they want. I’m your host, Death.

Today’s guest is the protagonist of LOSS, book three of the Riders of the Apocalypse, by Jackie Morse Kessler.

[GLANCES AT CUE CARD] School Library Journal says, “Kessler blends fantasy, history, humor, and hard reality into a gripping tale.” Booklist says, “Kessler’s third book in the Riders of the Apocalypse series stays true to the initial premise of exposing a teen affliction—this time bullying—by providing an allegorical analysis of its effects and offering hope to its sufferers.” And New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan calls LOSS “Gritty and raw with powerful truths. An addictive read.”

Living people, give a warm welcome to Billy Ballard!

[APPLAUSE]

Hey, Billy!

BILLY:

Yeah. Um. Hey. [LOOKS AROUND] Where are the others?

DEATH:

Others?

 Death by Artist Ryan Robbins

BILLY:

You know. War. Famine. The other Riders of the Apocalypse.

DEATH:

They’re riding. Sort of in the job description.

BILLY:

[BLINKS] You told me we were getting together for a game of Bridge.

DEATH:

I might have lied.

BILLY:

[SIGHS]

DEATH:

If I’d invited you to be interviewed about being the hero of LOSS, would you have accepted?

BILLY:

Wait, let me think about it. No.

DEATH:

So I lied. And here you are.

BILLY:

Terrific. Anyone ever tell you what a role model you are? No? Wonder why that is…

DEATH:

A dead man once said that the ends justified the means.

BILLY:

[SIGHS, SINKS INTO CHAIR] All right. Let’s do this. You said you’re interviewing me about LOSS? That’s…

DEATH:

Rather meta.

BILLY:
Well. Yeah.

DEATH:

In your own words, what is LOSS about?

BILLY:

I’d been bullied pretty much all my life, but it wasn’t until I became Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse, that I learned how to fight back.

DEATH:

What was worse for you: being bullied, or being Pestilence?

BILLY:

Being bullied.

DEATH:
‘Splain, please.

BILLY:

Before LOSS, I can’t tell you the last time when I could walk down a block or down a hallway at school and not hope to God no one was waiting to trip me, or push me, or worse. I was constantly tense, always expecting the worst, because nine times out of ten, the worst happened. The laughter. The shove from behind. The nasty names. It sucked. I made myself sick from worry.

DEATH:

Literally or figuratively?

BILLY:

Both. My mom made me see doctor after doctor because I was constantly sick. Stomachaches, mostly. And even when I wasn’t sick, I tried to fake it. If I had to go to school, I’d spend hours planning what routes to take, when to run down the hall, how to avoid Joey Glass and his bruiser buddies. I’d dress to be invisible.

DEATH:

Even when you stayed home, you weren’t exactly in a safe haven, were you?

BILLY:

I wish. My grandfather’s suffering from Alzheimer’s, and we can’t afford to have him be in a home where people can take care of him properly all the time. So he lives with us. My dad left us way before Gramps got sick, so it’s just me and Mom. She’s stuck working two jobs just to keep up with the bills, so I have to be Gramps’s caregiver. And that’s a nightmare.

DEATH:

Why?

BILLY:

When he’s lucid, it’s not so bad. Then he’s just like a little kid, you know? I have to feed him and clean up after him and make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. I draw the line at changing his adult diaper, though.

DEATH:
Understandable.

BILLY:

But when Gramps isn’t in his right mind, he’s dangerous. He’s hit me. He’s bitten me. He’s accidentally started fires. He’s walked out of the house, and we’d have no idea where he’d gone. This one time, he almost got hit by a car.

DEATH:
Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

BILLY:
Yeah? Next time, you be the one who saves him from getting run over.

DEATH:
I’m not really in the market to save people from dying. So compared with your normal life, being Pestilence wasn’t so bad.

BILLY:

Whoa, I never said that!

DEATH:
That’s what it sounds like. Normal life meant getting bullied and babysitting your grandfather. And lusting after your best friend Marianne, who you were too nervous to ask out.

BILLY:

Hey! That’s private!

DEATH:
Sorry. Mind-reading thing. Your normal life wasn’t fun.

BILLY:
But being the White Rider was worse.

DEATH:

How so?

BILLY:

You were there. You saw what I did when I had the Bow in my hands that first time. You saw what happened because of it, what I did to… [SHAKES HEAD] No, I’m not going to talk about it.

DEATH:

There is such a thing as a learning curve, you know.

BILLY:

Not when people get sick and maybe die if I mess up!

DEATH:

Consider it incentive not to mess up.

BILLY:
[GRUMBLES] I really hate your point of view.

DEATH:

It comes from being around for thousands and thousands of years. Did anything good come out of what happens to you in LOSS?

BILLY:

Well…yeah. Lots of things. [SMILES] Amazing things. I learned something important about myself, something that made me stop feeling like a victim. And then there’s the last chapter.

DEATH:

What about it?

BILLY:

[GRINS] It’s my favorite chapter. Wow, this is really meta, isn’t it?

DEATH:

Told you so. Speaking of which, were there any parts of LOSS where you were like, Jackie Morse Kessler, what on earth are you making me do? Or were you and your Author in sync the entire time?

BILLY:

I don’t like violence. But if I ever meet Jackie, I’m going to get seriously violent with her.

DEATH:

[CHUCKLES] You sound more like War than Pestilence.

BILLY:

Seriously, Jackie is vicious. She hurts her characters. A lot.

DEATH:
I think that makes her a sadist. Or, you know, an Author. If you could change any part of LOSS, what would it be?

BILLY:

Everything. [TICS OFF POINTS ON FINGERS] I wouldn’t have been bullied from the time I was a little kid, my grandfather wouldn’t have gotten Alzheimer’s, I would have had the courage to tell my best friend Marianne that I liked her more than just as a friend…

DEATH:
For the record, this time you’re the one bringing up Marianne.

BILLY:

[CONTINUING]…and I never would have gone with you when you came knocking at my door!

DEATH:

You didn’t have to help me, you know.

BILLY:

You sort of didn’t give me a choice.

DEATH:

It’s not like I held a scythe to your throat…

BILLY:

Dude. You’re Death. Capital D. I wasn’t about to talk back to you, or slam the door in your face.

DEATH:

[LAUGHS] Yeah, that was in War’s book, not yours.

BILLY:

What? War slammed the door in your face?

DEATH:

Sort of.

BILLY:

[GRINS] Awesome.

DEATH:

If you say so. If LOSS were to go the way of Hollywood, who would play you?

BILLY:

Someone who looks like me, not too tall, not too short, not too anything. You know, someone who looks real, not like a celebrity. I don’t really have an actor in mind.

DEATH:

What about me?

BILLY:

You’re a dead ringer for Kurt Cobain. So someone who looks like Kurt Cobain.

DEATH:
If there’s one piece of advice you can give to your fans, what would it be?

BILLY:

You’re stronger than you know. Believe it.

DEATH:

Words to live by. Finally, who’s your favorite Rider of the Apocalypse?

BILLY:

What, you mean between you, War, and Famine? You.

DEATH:

[SMILES] I sense flattery…

BILLY:

Dude. You could kill me with a thought. Until that changes, you’re my favorite Rider. Period.

DEATH:

Heh. Got to love self-preservation.

Living people, give another warm round of applause to the protagonist of Jackie Morse Kessler’s novel LOSS…Billy Ballard!

[APPLAUSE]

You can buy LOSS at the Book Depository, your favorite local indie, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Thanks for tuning in to Post Mortem. Until next time, go thee out unto the world. Rock on!

OMG! Loved this interview. Thank you so much Ms. Kessler. Giveaway:

Giveaway:

• 1 Copy of Loss
• Ends August 10, 2012

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Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Review: Loss

Title: Loss
series: Riders of the Apocalypse # 3
Genre: Young Adult- Urban Fantasy
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publisher: Graphia
Release Date: March 20, 2012
Book: ARC sent by publisher

"Fifteen-year-old Billy Ballard is the kid that everyone picks on, from the school bullies to the teachers. But things change drastically when Death tells Billy he must stand in as Pestilence, the White Rider of the Apocalypse. Now armed with a Bow that allows him to strike with disease from a distance, Billy lashes out at his tormentors...and accidentally causes an outbreak of meningitis. Horrified by his actions, Billy begs Death to take back the Bow. For that to happen, says Death, Billy must track down the real White Rider—who is lost in his memories.

In his search, Billy travels through White Rider’s life: from ancient Phrygia, where the man called King Mita agrees to wear the White Rider’s Crown, to Sherwood Forest, where Pestilence figures out how to cheat Death; from the docks of Alexandria, where cartons of infested grain are being packed onto a ship that will carry the plague, to the Children’s Crusade in France—all the way to what may be the end of the world. When Billy finally finds the White Rider, the teen convinces the man to return to the real world.

But now the insane White Rider plans to unleash something awful on humanity—something that could make the Black Death look like a summer cold. Billy has a choice: he can live his life and pretend he doesn’t know what’s coming, or he can challenge the White Rider for his Crown. Does one bullied teenager have the strength to stand his ground—and the courage to save the world?"

  Riders of the Acpocalyse series is one of my fave series that is real. Each book goes in detail a situations that everyday teen faces. The first book Hunger dealt with eating disorders. The Second book Rage dealt with cutting and now this one deals with bullying. I can not express how much I love Jackie Morse Kessler. Her books are bold and loud yet exquisitely capturing every feeling of sadness, loss, rage, and humiliation a person goes through when facing a tough situation.

Bullying. It's one subject that has be hushed and is now coming out. People don't understand how mean and hurtful bullying is. Some think it just all fun and games but it's not. I really loved getting into the shoes of Billy. To feel his anger built up little by little, to see him holding it in just waiting to burst. As the reader, I was able to feel  empathy towards Billy. The way that he stood there and just took the taunting made my heart break. It also made me angry that I wanted to slap those boys faces off. Ms. Kessler really knows how to capture every emotion of the character so that you feel it yourself.

The plot line of the book is the same as the others. Billy rides his horse of Pestilence (disease) to try and save the world. I like that the plot took some unexpected twist and turns. The plot is filled with excitement, adventure and redemption. I loved that at the end, Billy is a whole new person.

Loss is an powerful story that all kids can relate to. It may not be pretty, but it's life! Loss exposes the true torture of what bullying does to others. Loss is beautifully executed story that will bring you down to your knees. Bullying is real. Thus, everyone should read it.

I give it 5 BITES!

Happy Reading!

Review: Rage

Title: Rage
Series: Riders of the Apocalypse # 3
Genre: Young Adult-Supernatural
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Court
Release Date: April 4, 2011
Book: Netgalley/ ARC sent by publisher

"Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world."

My goodness, if Hunger didn't capture you, Rage will. Rage is what it is. Filled with lots of anger, jealously, and betrayal. Rage is a great book you will not put down. Missy is a cutter, fueled by the pain that she feels she cuts. After cutting too much, Missie had to make a choice. And she chose to become War.


Ms. Morse has such a way of writing her books that you not only can you connect and understand the characters, but you feel all the emotions as well. Rage is a great book that is filled with real pain and anger. Missie is a typical teenager with a problem. I like how the reader gets a good insight on Missie and her pain that she feels. As a reader, we get into the mind of Missie and see as to why she cuts. The cutting is gruesome, but it allows the reader to connect and understand Missie. Once Missie explain why she did what she did, I felt for her. I like how Ms. Morse is able to bring the character to a realization of what they are doing through becoming a horsemen. It's like a way to see themselves through their own eyes.


I love the horseman Death. In this book we get to see and learn more about him. Also we some more clues as to who he looks like. And let me says ladies, he is sooo cute!!!

Rage is beautiful, haunting book about pain that once you feel it you can not let go. It has a  great plot that leaves you wanting more. Ms. Morse has once again, captured me by the heart. It not only let me see and feel cutting, but it gave me a better understanding of it.

 I give it 5 BITES!

Happy Reading!

Just Release It Already! (16)

This is a meme on a book I  just can't wait to read!

Rage (Horseman of the Apocalypse #2)

By Jackie Morse Kessler

Release Date: April 2011

"Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a different kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power, and refuses to be defeated by the world."

I loved the first book and I can't wait to read the second. The synopsis sounds great and the cover looks good. I have high hopes for this series and Ms. Kessler. Her debut novel was a great hit. I can't wait to see what her future works brings!

So seriously???....Just Release It Already!!

Happy Reading! 



Review: Hunger

Title: Hunger
Series: Riders of the Apocalypse # 1
Genre: Young Adult- Paranormal/Fantasy
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: October 18, 2010
Book: Netgalley

"Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she's been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

A wildly original approach to the issue of eating disorders, Hunger is about the struggle to find balance in a world of extremes, and uses fantastic tropes to explore a difficult topic that touches the lives of many teens."

"Thou art famine, yo." With a line like that who could not like this book? This book was awesome. Had me hooked from the very beginning. The only things that disappointed me was the fact the it was short. I wished the story had a little bit more for me to bite on. But bit me it did!

Lisa is a teenage girl suffering from anorexia. She struggles with a voice in her head all the time telling her she is fat, weak and ugly. Lisa is on the verge of death if she does not stop what she is doing. One day feeling depressed Lisa begin taking pills and has a strange dream. A man in a robe came to her and told her she was famine. She thought it was a dream until the scales of famine appeared in front of her.

Lisa meets Death. A wildly handsome boy who tells her that she is indeed famine and she needs to "go thee out unto the world" doing her duty as famine. Famine meets War and war it is. Famine and War do not get along. War nicknames her mouse for being something to so weak and bony. Finally in the end, Lisa finds her strength as Famine and fights with War.

Jackie did an magnificent job writing this book. The plot was something out of this world. Her writing... the way she wrote those hard scenes was amazing. She did a great job giving the reader a great insight to the world of famine, hunger, disease. I love how she was able to bring paranormal with something real together and create something exciting. Her story is a amazing read. This is a story that I can read over and over again and that I would recommend you read. When I was reading this, I was so excited and enticed that I could not put this down. I felt for Lisa in every struggle that she had.

You need to read this book. When you read this, it will submerged you into the world of anorexia in a way you never saw. You will see the hardships, the lies, the pain, the voices, that the person goes through. Even though this book is paranormal, it was very informative in anorexia.

I give it 5 BITES!

Happy Reading!