Finding June by Shannen Crane Camp

Welcome Back to Author Shannen Crane Camp!

While perusing a list of books on one of my favorite websites yesterday I saw that Shannen had released a new book last month.  How did this happen without me knowing?  I sent Shannen an email asking if she would like to do an interview so I could feature this book on my blog. So excited to have just downloaded Finding June on to my Kindle!!  


Author Shanne Crane Camp
Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California where she developed a love of reading and writing, completing her first (very) short story in the fifth grade. She continued to write throughout junior high and high school before finally deciding that enough was enough; it was time to be an author. She moved to Provo, Utah, to attend Brigham Young University where she attained a bachelor's degree in Media Arts and a very well received proposal from her fellow California resident Josh Camp. The two are now happily married and living in Provo. 

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Interview

What is one book everyone should read?

I think everyone should read "Lord of the Flies"... it's kind of brutal and I'll admit the only reason I read it was because my high school required it. That being said, it totally squashed any anarchist thought I might have had. :) The moral of that story is a lack of rules leads to complete chaos and crazy children!

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Cheesecake ice cream and strawberry ice cream mixed together with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and sprinkles.

One food you would never eat?

Fish. Any kind of seafood actually. Anything that swims (besides maybe a swimming cow) is OUT!

Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book.

It has all the behind the scenes drama of Hollywood without loosing its charm.

What is your dream cast for your book?

June would be played by Laura Breckenridge... since Lillian Gish isn't alive anymore :)
Joseph would be Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The name was a TOTAL coincidence I swear!
Ryan would be Shawn Ashmore or Seamus Dever. I love them both.
Lukas would have to be Chad Michael Murry :)
Benjamin is Keith Powel
And last but not least, Candice would be played by my friend Candice... since I definitely based her looks on Candice but her personality is ALL my friend Jackie. I accidentally put real people in my books sometimes.

Is there a song you could list as the theme song for your book or any of your characters?

I always thought June and Joseph's theme song was "Dream a Little Dream of Me" since I say in the second book that they always sang it in talent shows growing up. Yeah, they make me smile.

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you'd be embarrassed to admit?

I'm really embarrassed to admit that I watch America's Next Top Model. Yeah... I just have to see the drama!

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I have a terrible phobia of falling through floors. Like really. I can't stand to be in a two story building!

Pets? - childhood or adult 

I have a miniature schnauzer puppy right now. Her name is Hemingway and even though she's teething and it's awful I  love her to little pieces!

Who or what inspired this book?
My love of acting inspired me to write "Finding June". Well... that and the fact that I majored in film and thought I should probably put that degree to good use! I thought it would be fun to give people a sneak peek into what happens on a set when the cameras aren't rolling.

Which of your characters is a portrayal of you?

June is by far the most similar character to me. I think I put so much of myself into her without really meaning to. She loves acting and old fashioned things and she tries to be confident but really she's a little timid and too apologetic for her beliefs. 

What is your favorite scene in the book? Which scene or characters were the most difficult for you to write and why?

My favorite scenes are any scenes with Ryan, Benjamin, and Candice. They were such fun characters to write! I also loved the scenes where you really see just how close June and Joseph are and how well he knows her. The most difficult scenes to write were the ones that hit really close to home for me. Having to stand up for your religion without sounding obnoxious. There's a very fine line between saying, "Actually, I believe in this and so that isn't OK with me." And just sounding preachy and rude. That's something I've struggled with in the past and so I put a lot of that into this story. I wanted June to be strong in her beliefs without forcing it down anyone's throat. It's a tough balance to strike.

How do you come up with the characters names/personalities?

For "Finding June" the names just sort of came to me but with Sugar Coated (my dystopian YA I'll hopefully be releasing soon) I used mostly my friend's last names. I wanted things that sounded futuristic and it ended up being the last names of people I know, like Bennett and Hadlock. It was fun!

What is next on your to read list?

Right now I'm reading "The Dead Girls Detective Agency" and after I'm done with that I'm moving on to "Warm Bodies"... though mostly I'm just trying to pass time until Ally Carter releases "Perfect Scoundrels" :)

Night owl, or early bird?

Night Owl, hands down!

Regular or Diet?
Regular. You hear that every person in my family? REGULAR! (They've all turned to the dark side.)

Coke or Pepsi?
Both :)

Horror or Romance?
Romance

Skittles or M&Ms?
M&Ms

Sweet or Salty?
Salty. Definitely

Summer or Winter?
Spring :)

City or Country?
Fake country. Like the kind that looks like it's the country but it's right by every major store.

Gum or Breath Mints?
Gum

PC or Mac?
PC

Shoes or Sandals?
Shoes.

Cats or Dog?
Dog... especially if it's named Hemingway.

Apples or Oranges?
Apples.


Truth or Dare?
Dare!

Text or Talk?
Text. I'm super awkward on the phone.

Introvert or Extrovert?
Introvert. I am an author after all.

Top Ten Favorite Books
This is in no particular order since I could never pick a favorite... oh and most of these are series instead of individual books. I kind of cheated.

The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter
Devilish by Maureen Johnson
The Heist Society series by Ally Carter
Looking for Alaska by John Green
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Psychic Eye series by Victoria Laurie (who may or may not have inspired June's last name)
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The Matched trilogy by Ally Condie
Pirates by Celia Rees

Finding June

Standing up for what you believe in is hard for any teenager in the battleground known as high school. It's even harder in the world of Hollywood, which is where sixteen-year-old June Laurie dreams of being. Thanks to the constant training from her agent/grandmother and the support of her best friend Joseph, June is positive she's ready. But is an innocent little Mormon girl like June ever really ready to be cast as the love interest for the country's hottest star, Lukas Leighton? When June lands a role in Hollywood's most popular crime drama, Forensic Faculty, she finds herself caught off-guard by the fast-paced world of tabloids and paparazzi, and swept off her feet by her gorgeous co-star. Now June must decide what she's willing to give up to achieve the title of Hollywood starlet—or more importantly, what's too sacred to lose.

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(BTW- Can I tell you how much I love when author's ebooks are reasonably priced! - Just $1.99 - Thanks Shannen).