FORBIDDEN - Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee - Free Book

When I first heard about Ted and Tosca teaming up, I knew I had to feature the books on my blog. I've met Ted, but I know Tosca better than I do him. I love the way each of them write separately. Together, they have to be dynamite. Welcome, Ted and Tosca. I know that this is a collaboration. How did this story come about?

Ted: I first came across Tosca’s work when I read Demon. Before I’d finished the book I knew we had to create something together that combined her incredible gift of prose with my style of storytelling.

Tosca: We’re really interested in the same kinds of questions, thematically, but bring different strengths to the table. And Ted’s being modest—it isn’t just his style of storytelling that he brought into this collaboration, but his brilliance at it. A book and a half later, I still don’t know how he does it.

Did you find it easy to work together on it?

Ted: Writing a novel is never easy. All of those analogies of rowing a bathtub across the ocean or trudging up a mountain toward the unseen summit only scratch the surface of what it’s like to tell a story in that form. It’s brutal sometimes; other times it’s fun. I wouldn’t say it’s been easy, but every moment has been special.

Tosca: It’s been very cool to be able to discuss story, and the kinds of thematic questions we’re exploring. That is the big payoff, I think, for both of us. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a lot of work—more, really, when you’re writing with someone else.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

Ted: Writing is a form of journaling for me. It’s my way of exploring a very dangerous world in a safe way. This novel about what it means to be fully alive is my story, really. And yours, too. Co-creating it with Tosca breathed life into it in a way that neither of us could’ve done alone. The impact and pleasure of being part of that still inspires me.

Tosca: Every time I write, I learn something—about the subject, and always about myself. This time I’ve had the opportunity to learn new things from an author I really respect.

What is the hardest thing about writing as a team?

Ted: Everything takes longer. Everything. It’s not any better or worse that way; it’s simply the way it is.

Tosca: Yes, much longer.

What are you reading right now?

Ted: [Laughs] Each other’s drafts of Mortal. We recently announced that all three Books of Mortals novels will be released between now and October 2012. Three novels in one year is a lot, so whenever we’re not sleeping or eating we’re writing.

How did you choose your characters’ names?

Ted: They just kind of happen. We scour books and the Internet for names that sound right and eventually land on the rights ones. In some ways I think the names choose the characters.

Tosca: And sometimes a name just blurps out your fingertips and it sticks and there it is.

Would you want to work on another book together?

Ted: We already are.

Tosca: We’re hard at work right now on Mortal, Book Two of the Books of Mortals.

What do you want to tell us about the book?

Ted: It’s an exploration of what it means to be fully human spun in a way readers have never experienced before. Early reviewers and readers are saying this is the “second coming” of The Circle Series. I hate to make that comparison because they’re different stories, but I do believe this is the best story I’ve been a part of creating.

Tosca: It’s really exciting. For me, this is a look at the handwork of God, but it’s also a look at what it means to fear, and what it means to love. At how much of what we do is motivated by fear… vs. love. We live so much of our lives in fear. “Perfect love casts out fear” has taken on a whole new meaning to me.

Where can our readers find you on the Internet?

Ted:

http://www.teddekker.com

http://www.facebook.com/teddekker

http://www.twitter.com/teddekker

http://www.TheBookOfMortals.com

Tosca:

http://www.toscalee.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tosca-Lee/176692373117

http://www.twitter.com/toscalee

Ted: Also, there’s a large promotion our publisher, Hachette, is running for the book release. It’s www.TheBookOfMortals.com. Readers can download a novella that Tosca and I wrote specifically for the lead up to Forbidden. They can also sign up to win a trip to Rome, which is where Forbidden takes place. 

Thank you, Tosca and Ted, I've really enjoyed this. And I know all my readers will rush to the site and download the novella and sign up for the trip to Rome. We'll have to do an interview for the next books in the series, too.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.

Forbidden (The Books of Mortals)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com