Interview & Giveaway: Touch by Jus Accardo

1. Can you tell us how you would describe Touch in your own words (In tweet length! Only 140 characters)? 

A teenage adrenalin junkie teams up with her father's most deadly assassin to take down the cooperation that's been using his as a weapon Hah! With 3 characters to spare, even! :D 

2. Tell us 3 words you would use to describe both characters, Deznee and Kale? 

Hmm. Well, for Dez, I'd have to go with attitude. Let's face it, Dez has attitude in spades. She's opinionated, doesn't put up with crap from anyone, and makes no apologies. She is who she is and you're either going to love her--or hate her. She's okay with either. Another is word loyal. She'll do anything for the people she cares about. If you've got Dez in your corner, you've got someone that will stop at nothing to help you out of a tight spot. And the last one is independent. Dez isn't the kind of girl that's going to wait around. If something needs to get done, she's going to step up and do it. She's not the one being rescued--she's the one doing the rescuing. 

Kale is easy. Innocent. He's pure. Untarnished by all the things weighing down society. He doesn't understand things like greed or discrimination. He's also deadly. At one point Dez refers to Kale as being able to kill you with a spatula. He's got the upper hand in most situations. Anyone trying to take a piece of him is hampered by the effect his skin has. Add that to his insane, lifelong combat training and you've got someone even the biggest, baddest guy would thin twice about approaching. He's also good. It's such a simple word, but it fits him perfectly. After all the things he went thorough--an entire life of pain and suffering--he's a good guy. He doesn't see it, of course. At one point he tells Dez that he doesn't know the difference between right and wrong, but he proves over and over again that he does. His true nature--his good nature--was something Denazen couldn't destroy. 

3. If you had to pick people to star in the movie version of Touch, who would you choose? 

For Dez, it's always been Avril Lavigne. She's got the look and the attitude. For Kale..I see him as a younger Ben Barnes. As for Alex, well, I'm at a loss. When I started the book, I found an image of Alex Pettyfer. But as I went, the more I learned about Alex, the less right that felt. I do think Betty White would make an awesome Ginger, though! I'm really interested to hear people's thoughts on this once the book releases. 

4. Can you tell us a little background of the Denazen Corporation and what we can expect from this series? 

This is a hard one to do without spoilers, but I'll try. One of the characters, Ginger, has this whole set of life rules that she follows--no matter what. These rules are the result of something her ancestor did. Something that ultimately caused the creation of Denazen. As the series progresses, we're going to find out that not everything Ginger knows about the past is what she thinks. The modern day version of Denazen is nothing at all like the original... There's a tiny hint at the end of book one if you pay close enough attention. 

As for the series itself... Dez and Kale are going to have a rough time. The universe is going to keep throwing things between them. One thing after another. In TOUCH, they kinda have it easy considering what's in store. They're going to go through some major changes--all the Sixes are, really. There will be loss, and new love will bloom. Secrets will be uncovered... It's gonna be a fun ride! 

5. Could you share some of your favorite lines or an excerpt from Touch? 

One of my fave lines comes from the beginning of the book. Dez brings Kale back to her house and he's checking things out. He picks up a DVD box and asks her if it's a picture of her family. This is what she says : “You’re asking me if”—I stood on my tiptoes and looked at the box in his hands. Uma Thurman glared at me from the cover, wearing her iconic yellow motorcycle suit—“Uma Thurman is a relative?” Maybe he wasn’t loony. Maybe he had been at the party. I’d missed the Jell-O shots, but obviously he hadn’t. I don't know what it is about that scene. I giggle every time I think about it. 

Touch by Jus Accardo
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (November 1st, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 251 pages
Series: Denazen, book #1

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her.

It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there's more to this boy, and her father's "law firm," than she realized. Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation -- an organization devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons -- his entire life.

And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills.

The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

Prize: 

• 1 winner will receive a copy of Touch.

Rules:

• You must be at least 13 to enter. 
• Name and email must be provided.
• Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
• Contest is US Only and ends December 9th.
• Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
• The form must be filled out to enter. 

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