Author Interview: Sarah Dessen

I was so honored when I was asked to interview Sarah Dessen at her recent event in DC. I’ve met her before, and she is such a sweetheart, so I was very excited to get this one-on-one time. Sarah’s answers are paraphrased, not direct quotes unless it’s within quotes.

Aine: What was the inspiration for your latest novel, The Moon and More?

Sarah: I was at my favorite spot in North Carolina, Emerald Isle. I had finished What Happened to Goodbye and had no idea what to write next. A hot shirtless guy, who was rather chatty, spoke with me. He was from Emerald Isle and told me all about growing up there. A lot of my books are set in Colby, which is based on Emerald Isle, but I had never written about anyone from there. After speaking with him, I thought “There’s my book.”

Aine: If I recall correctly, it was announced under a different title. Why the name change?

Sarah: The Moon and More was my original title. But we were worried that people would think that with the word “moon” in the title, readers would think it was a sequel to Keeping the Moon even though that was published a long time ago. So it was announced under The Best After Ever, but it was a bit confusing as “after” and “ever” were often switched. The next title had the word “summer” in it, and we were worried that it would not stay on bookshelves once summer passed. So, we went back to my original title, The Moon and More.

Aine: I know you have a young daughter. Has she inspired anything in your books?

Sarah: Absolutely. It made me focus more on the mother/daughter relationship. It made me want to flesh out the teen characters’ mothers. I understand the mother’s more. There will likely be more children in the new novels.

Aine: Which character do you have the most in common with? Which would’ve been your BFF in high school.

Sarah: Halley from Someone Like You is the most like you. In high school, I often trailed after my friends, being more of a follower. Remy from This Lullaby and Emaline from The Moon and More would’ve been my best friends. They’re also the two characters I’m the least like.

Aine: What can you tell me about what you’re working on now?

Sarah: I don’t talk about what I’m working on, but there is something I’m writing. It’s secret.

Aine: Do you have any critique partners?

Sarah: No. I’m very secretive about my work. My agent reads it once a very polished draft is done. And then my editor. My husband, family, and friends, don’t even read it until it’s in ARC form.

Aine: What books would you recommend to your fans that are comparable to your work?

Sarah: John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Jenny Hahn’s Summer series, and anything by Sara Zarr.

Aine: What’s on your tbr pile?

Sarah: The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan and The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. I just finished Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight which is like Gone Girl for teens.



Aine: I’ve heard your books referred to as YA light? Is that intentional?

Sarah: I think it’s just the way I write. I don’t write anything too dark or shocking. If I did, it probably wouldn’t feel genuine.

Aine: All of your books are written in first person. Is there a reason for that?

Sarah: It’s easier. I’ve always written in first person. It allows me to explore her in more depth. It gives the readers more insight. I tried writing The Moon and More in present tense, but I had to go back and change that.

Aine: This is your eleventh books. Is putting it out into the world just as exciting and/or nerve-wracking as the first one?

Sarah: It’s more so. There are more readers picking it up. Every release is scarier.

Aine: How do you feel about the new covers? Do you like them more than the old ones?

Sarah: I like all of my covers. I like the change. A fresh look is always good as it might draw in more readers. I think it makes them more timeless.

I asked twitter what questions they would like me to ask. Here is what I got from those.

Aine/Maggie: When your daughter is old enough, which if your books would you give her to read first?

Sarah: That Summer. It’s my first book, and I would want her to read them in the order they were written to see my evolution as an author.

Aine/Sandy: Have you considered writing a male protagonist?

Sarah: I get asked this all the time… not really. I don’t know what guys are thinking. I’d be worried he would be too much like the girls.

Aine/Maggie: How has your writing changed since becoming a mom?

Sarah: I’m more focused. I had to be. I’m also more relaxed and less obsessive about what I’m about to write or have just written. I’ve become more efficient, and I feel so much more sympathy for the mothers in my books.

Thank you so much to Sarah Dessen for the interview and Penguin for this opportunity.

Read More

Meeting Authors: Once Upon a Slightly Different Time

Every year I got to the Baltimore Book Festival on Friday. The festival lasts all weekend, but Friday night at the Children’s Book Store stage is the greatest panel of the festival. Every. Time. This year: “Five authors and editor Ellen Datlow offer their thoughts on the recreation and retelling of fairy tales for a modern audience. Panelists include: Adam Gidwitz, Jessica Day George, Shannon Hale, Sarah Beth Durst, Ellen Datlow, and Michael Buckley.”

Oh. My. Goddess! I practically jumped out of my seat and shouted in delight when I read this. It’s like they planned this panel just for me.

And because it was requested, here’s some of what was discussed. If it’s in quotes, it’s a direct quote. If it’s not, I’m paraphrasing what they said. Authors, if you see this, and I got something wrong, sorry. I was taking notes as best as I could.

Moderator: What was your introduction to fairy tales?

Ellen Datlow: I don’t remember which story, but Oscar Wilde.

Sarah Beth Durst: I don’t remember. Fairy tales were introduced very early, so I don’t remember a time before they were around me.

Shannon Hale: I had a large two-volume set of fairy tales that was beautifully illustrated. One of them was “The Goose Girl.”

Jessica Day George: I remember watching Jim Henson’s Storyteller. At 16 I found PJ Lynch’s version of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.”

Adam Gidwitz: I had a book of Grimm's tales all my life, but I only opened it five years ago. I agreed to be substitute librarian and thought hey, fairy tales are for kids.

Michael Buckley: I grew up with Disney. And I started real tales midway through the first draft of the first Sisters Grimm. The first fairy tale I read was Pinocchio.

Moderator: How did you come to start to writing fairy tales?

Ellen Datlow: Terri and I edited Best Fantasy and Horror. It was suggested to us to edit a fairy tale anthology. Snow White, Blood Red became the first of several, and it’s still one of the most popular.

Sarah Beth Durst: Into the Wild and Out of the Wild was wish fulfillment. I always wanted something magical to happen, so I made fairy tale characters invade my hometown. With Ice it was the same PJ Lynch version of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” that Jessica read. I wanted a fairy tale where the girl wasn't asleep or dead for most, and I wanted to save her beast

Shannon Hale: I didn’t pick my favorite. I picked the fairy tale that bugged me the most. “Rapunzel is dumbest.” A guy climbs up her hair and agrees to braid her a ladder out of silk. Why don’t they just chop off her hair and use that. And she mysteriously becomes pregnant. “It’s useless.” My husband loves super hero comics so Rapunzel’s Revenge was born. But don’t worry… there are no mysterious pregnancies here.

Jessica Day George: I fixed the “Twelve Dancing Princesses. I have an edition in German and so does my husband. There were some inconsistencies so I wrote in details from both. Mette Ivie Harrison said she wrote Mira Mirror because she thought Snow White was useless.

Michael Buckley: I wanted to know what would happen if many characters from different fairy tales were stuck in one place and couldn’t die. I pitched a show idea about celebrities who faded from the spotlight because they were recruited to join a secret organization. I changed it into Grimm characters for this series.

Question for Michael: Did you plan out the entire series?

Michael Buckley: I knew ending and most major moments. I knew Sabrina's direction. But there were a lot of surprises.

Do you intend to keep working with faery tales?

Ellen Datlow: Terri and I want to do a new anthology at some point.

Michael Buckley: Sister’s Grimm is done. (lots of sad faces here) I’m working on young adult books with a mermaid. It’s like District 9 meets The Little Mermaid. And I have an idea for a middle grade Steampunk.

Adam Gidwitz: I have another Grimm book planned, and then I want something new. I’ve been reading up on medieval saints lives.

Jessica Day George: I have nothing planned but that doesn't mean I won't in future.

Sarah Beth Durst: I move around in fantasy genre, but I have nothing with faery tales planned. Though they often come into play.

Shannon Hale: The thing I’m working on now I not a retelling. But it’s influenced by Cinderella.

What stories would you like to fix or see fixed?

Michael Buckley: Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey

Ellen Datlow: The Goose Girl. Without giving away spoilers, the part with the beheading.

Michael Buckley: The Wizard of Oz

Adam Gidwitz: I accidentally fixed “Brother and Sister.”

Ellen Datlow: Rumplestiltskin

Michael Buckley: Hansel and Gretel. The witch has a point. They could've used stones instead of food to mark their path. Then they wouldn't have to eat the house.

Do any of you watch Once Upon a Time?

Michael Buckley: No but my lawyer does. Every week.

Jessica Day George: I love it. I never miss it. However, the best Hansel and Gretel is The Simpsons.

What do you think about staying within the lines of archetype and tradition?

Sarah Beth Durst: I don’t stay within the lines, but I’m aware of them. The reason for that is because readers often know the story.

Ellen Datlow: I don't follow to closely. It’s boring.

Shannon Hale: The importance is to change the story. These stories come from an oral tradition. Transform it into something new.

Moderator: Andrew Lang takes out a lot of specifics so you can really see how similar they are.

Adam Gidwitz: Most names used were common. Archetypes help retain an elastic emotional state.

Did you study faery tales?

Jessica Day George: I read a lot and took classes.

Sarah Beth Durst: I read a lot, too, and did lots of research.

How did you come up with the personalities for the Sisters Grimm?

Michael Buckley: I had a girlfriend who was like Daphne in personality and who had a relationship with her sister like Sabrina. My grandma was named Relda. Puck is like my brother.

How do you afford to be an author?

Shannon Hale: “I’m a kept woman.”

Michael Buckley: “I’m a kept man.”

Adam Gidwitz: “I keep Michael.”

Michael Buckley: Touring. Putting out two books a year. Having a good publisher.

Adam Gidwitz: Getting out and meeting readers. I’m like a traveling salesman.

Michael Buckley: I wanted to be a writer so I wouldn't need to be a salesman. Indie stores are best for selling.

Adam Gidwitz: Teachers and librarians.

Considering how gruesome faery tales are, what do you consider a kids story?

Adam Gidwitz: It’s the technicality. The way it's told. As faery tales move into YA, they become more brutal.

Emma (moderator): Kids love justice. The bad guy gets his.

Michael Buckley: A good book for your child is what's good for them. It depends on who they are.

Shannon Hale: Very young readers can't escape visual brutality in a movie. And they can't visualize a lot of gruesome faery tale stories because they haven't been in that kind of situation. It's beyond what they can imagine.

Adam Gidwitz: Kids know what they're ready for. And it’s easier to put a book down. Movies rush at you.

Emma: Kids get what they can get and everything else goes over their head.

Ellen: It’s great to read to kids to help them understand.

Shannon Hale: I’m a fan of talents that can't be tested for show off.

What do you do when writers block?

Michael Buckley: I never get it. I’m full of ideas. If you do, it might be because you don’t know enough about what you're writing about.

Jessica Day George: If it’s not working I take a few days off and read familiar book.

Sarah Beth Durst: I shut my brain off. Music. Chocolate. And then I write more.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Michael Buckley: Four months for a draft. Four months revising.

Sarah Beth Durst: Six months. Two years originally, but then I learned more about the writing process. I need to outline.

Shannon Hale: A year to four years

Jessica Day George: Six weeks for the last one.

Adam Gidwitz: A year to two years

Do you commission stories for anthologies?

Ellen Datlow: We assign a story. We have to herd them as time goes on. Keep on them. Always get 1/3 more authors than you need. You can only read a story the first time once, so I try not to read any while they’re being written.

*

This was introduced to me at another panel, but I wanted to share it with you. If you like faery tales, check out Sur La Lune.

Read More

Meeting Authors: Kristin Cashore

I got the opportunity to meet Kristin Cashore (again) last week when Bitterblue released. I had met her a few years ago when Fire came out, and I had had such a great time, I had to go back to Politics and Prose to meet her again.

She started out by talking about the writing process for Bitterblue. All three books she wrote by hand and transcribed once fifty or so pages have been completed. (She kept the notebooks in a waterproof/fireproof box.) The first draft of Bitterblue took two and a half years, and came out to be 777 pages. After she turned it in, her agent requested a re-write. So Kristin re-wrote the entire book by hand-writing between the printed lines of her original manuscript. She said that she outlines, starting with a basic outline, and then adding as she goes. She said the Bitterblue outline ended up becoming 94 pages long, but she never even referenced it.

After talking about writing Bitterblue, she fielded questions from the audience. There were a questions about names and being published in other languages. Kristin said she named her characters to sound interesting, and to fit each character. For example, Leck is a horrid character, and his name doesn't sound nice when spoken aloud. All of the Leinids have a name with a color in it. Po and Katsa both had to be changed, once each, when the book was translated. Po became Bo in the German edition because Po is similar to the German word for "butt" and Katsa became Katya in the Italian edition because Katsa is similar to the Italian word for "penis".

So... now that Bitterblue is out, what is Kristin doing now? She said she's working on a contemporary novel. And that it may or may not be published. Kristin said she hopes for it to be, but one never knows if things will work out. But she has an idea for another fantasy novel after that, and she would kind of like to write another book set in Fire's world. Stemming from that question, she was asked why she had decided to write a fantasy first. Kristin says that her characters is where the story starts. They come to her fully formed. So when you have characters come to you with powers... a fantasy setting is natural. Trying to put special powers into a contemporary simply wouldn't work, as it doesn't fit the definition of contemporary. Also, she said that Katsa, Po, and Raffin came to her first. They were arguing, and she needed to figure out what the fight was all about.

Kristin said that she feels lucky to be able to work from home. She said she has special work pajamas. Whether that's true or a joke, I'm not sure. But I think it sounds like a great plan. Everything I've read about working from home says you should dress differently to get your mind in gear for work. She also said that she feels lucky to be able to travel to research her books and to promote them.

One of the more interesting questions that was asked was about the feminist drive in her books. Interesting because of the way it was worded. The woman in the audience basically said "There are very strong feminist themes in this book, and it surprises me to find that in a book for teens. Can you talk about that?" And my mouth almost dropped open. The woman who asked this question looked to be in her early to mid-thirties, and I'd wager that she doesn't read much YA. Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Vincent, and Jeri Smith-Ready (to name a few) all have very strong, smart female protagonists. It kind of concerned me that having strong female leads in books targeted at young women was a shock. We want our girls to grow up knowing that they are strong and smart, that they don't need to and shouldn't take a back seat to the other sex. Having strong female characters in books is not only relatable to me, but I think it sends an important message to teens today.

And... getting back on target. Kristin said a big reason these themes show up as a driving point is possibly twelve years of Catholic school. She said a lot of it made her angry, especially thinking back to what it would be like to be a woman in certain times/civilizations/situations... And I completely get what she meant by that. Women have every right to be as empowered as any man. But she said her religious school background showed up in other ways. The word "grace" means a gift from god, and "grace" is also the name of the powers. When asked who some of her writing inspirations were, she named Tamora Pierce, Robin McKinley, and Jane Austen. Growing up, some of her favorite books were Nancy Drew and Anne of Green Gables.

A few little odds and ends... Bitterblue was harder to write than Fire, and Fire was harder to write than Graceling. She also said that she felt Bitterblue related to her most because she didn't have powers. Bitterblue was more like a daughter because Katsa and Fire were too awesome to be her daughters. She made note that she does not have a daughter. Haha! And the final question was "Why did you do that horrible thing to that character that I love? It made me cry." And Kristin's response was... "Because that's the story." As most writer's I've met, Kristin contributes the characters for writing the story, and she just wrote it down.

Going back though... someone asked Kristin about fanmail. She spoke a bit about the backlash of fans unhappy with the Graceling ending. And I had read a bit about that shortly before reading Bitterblue. Katsa and Po end up together, but... they don't marry. She said she received an email from a woman who said she loved Graceling until the end because Katsa and Po not getting married was like finding cockroaches in her ice cream. First... ew. Nothing can be that bad. Second... wtf? This is a YA. Katsa and Po are teens. And despite this being a medieval-esque world, they are very progressive. Sex before marriage is okay. Being gay or bi is okay. People falling in love, being together, and not getting married is okay, too. And this is where my post turns into a bit of a rant. I apologize in advance.

I wanted to end this post on the marriage, or rather the lack of marriage, in the books because I actually feel very strongly about this. So often in books - mostly adult books, not YA - characters meet, fall in love, and get married. Well, guess what... not every woman's dream is to marry and give her husband babies. I'm 29. I have no desire to get married. I've never wanted to get married. While my friends in school used to dream of the day they got married, all I wanted was independence. Living on my own. Having my personal space and not have to share it. Going where I want and not having to check in about it. And I'm pleased to say that that is what I have right now. So I'm not sure why there are so many fans who have an issue with this. It really boggles my mind. I'm sure there's more than one, but the only YA book I've read in which the teens in the book got married was Breaking Dawn. Not to bash Breaking Dawn, but no one should strive to write a book like it. Two characters who meet and fall in love and get married and have the most unhealthy relationship ever.

It makes me sad that people are complaining about these two characters not getting married. Personally, I think it's ridiculous. And I would like to commend Kristin Cashore for writing these books the way she felt they needed to be written, and to not change things to fit what fans would like to see happen. Because myself and plenty of my friends are exactly like Katsa in that respect... having a healthy relationship filled with love, but not afraid to spend time apart, and just being happy with the way things are. A relationship doesn't need marriage to succeed. *end rant*

If you ever get the chance to go meet Kristin Cashore, do it! She is intelligent and funny and she always has an interesting event. And don't forget to read Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue. I'm generally not a fan of high fantasy, but I LOVE these books!

Read More

Meeting Authors: Cassandra Clare, Michelle Hodkin, and a surprise

I went down to Bethesda Maryland last night to meet Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkin at an event at the library. When I got there, the room was packed, and I got in line to buy my books. Then this conversation happened. 

Me: I'd like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.
Bookstore Lady: There are no more. 
Me: What do you mean there are no more? 
BL: We didn't think many people would want this one. 
Me: Every time I come to a signing here with a stack of books you all are unhappy that I'm not buying books from you. Then I come here to buy from you, to support your indie store, and you run out. Next time I'll make sure I buy my books in advance. 

So then I walked out. It was a bit more dramatic then intended. And I was aware people were watching the conversation. I don't do dramatic, but I was annoyed. Because these people always lecture on supporting the indie, which I'm happy to do. And I had Cassie's signature in a couple of books already, so I was mostly there for Michelle Hodkin. Anyway, we're a few blocks from a B&N, so I was going to call and see if they had a copy. Then run over and get it. The bookstore lady followed me out to the doors of the library and said there was one copy they had pulled for the raffle, but they'd sell it to me instead. I was happy to get the book, but felt a bit guilty until I found out they had only brought 20 copies. And that this had been an issue before. 

Sending a well-known, successful author with a debut author is a marketing strategy. People will go for the author they know and love and hopefully pick up the other book. This isn't a trick. It's actually a good strategy. Though I was interested in Mara Dyer before this event. According to another event attendee, this same indie did something similar at another event. They stocked about 20 of the lesser known author's newest book, which was second in a series, and had ZERO of book one. That's not good business sense nor does it support the author and make attendees happy.  Now, while I'm all for supporting the indie book stores, I'm definitely going to be more careful. I'll be calling ahead to make sure they have the book(s) I want, and if I'm concerned about them having it, I'll be bringing a copy I've previously purchased. And if you're reading this, and you are an indie store, set polls or rsvps on your site to get an idea of how many books to order. I wouldn't be opposed to ordering ahead of time and pre-paying to ensure I get my copy. 

Now... enough of my ranting and on to the good stuff!

Cassie Clare talked a bit about her inspiration for her Shadowhunters. She said a tattoo artist friend of hers had a lot of runes in her sample book which made Cassie think about how warriors may decorate themselves with runes. And after a while the Shadowhunters were born. 

Most of the audience's questions were directed at her. Who's her favorite character? Which book is her favorite? Questions that are always hard for authors because it's "like choosing a favorite child." There were also a lot of "OMG! I just love this character!" followed by squeals. When asked which book guy she'd like to date, she responded, with no hesitation, Darcy. Someone asked her why The Infernal Devices was a darker series than The Mortal Instruments. Her reason is because of the time period. Victorian London was a darker place than our world. 

Michelle Hodkin also spoke about her inspiration for her book. She was a lawyer, doing civil anti-terrorism litigation. And while she was in New York, she met a woman whose daughter had survived a building collapse. Several of her friends died in that same accident. Michelle also met her daughter. She took their info to pass along to a lawyer who could help them. A year later, she tried to contact the woman and her daughter. Their number had been disconnected, and when researched, she could find no record of them. That night, she started writing the story. When Michelle was asked which book guy she'd like to date, she said she had no idea. However, she said she did like Simon from The Mortal Instruments. 

There were so many people at the signing, and I was on the far side of the room, I ended up at the back of the line, where I waited for an hour and 45 minutes. But when I got to the front of the line, Michelle recognized me. She said I was the first person she recognized from my Twitter avatar. This has happened once before, and I was really excited. I feel special! Haha! She was very sweet, and I glad to get to meet her.

And there was a surprise author at the event. While I was waiting in line I looked up and recognized Diana Peterfreund. I know she lives in the area, so it wasn't much of a shock to see her there. I'm not very good at recognizing people from their pictures online, but I've met her twice before. I tweeted that I saw her. And she found me in line, holding up her phone and asked me if I had tweeted her. She ended up standing in line with me while we chatted for about thirty minutes. She was very sweet as well.

All-in-all it was a really great event. I wanted to get pictures to post here, but i was seated in a bad place for taking them. I hope everyone else who attended had a great time as well.

Read More

Meeting Authors: Jeff Kinney

I'm sure you all know how much I love going to book signings. I've been lucky enough to meet dozens of authors. And I've met my top five favorite authors on more than one occasion: Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Charles de Lint, Holly Black, and Maggie Stiefvater. So when I found out that Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, was going to be in DC to promote his new book, Cabin Fever, I knew I had to take my boy.

Like me when I was his age, he doesn't much care for reading. It's not that either of us were bad with reading or reading comprehension; the problem lies in poor self confidence. I've gotten past that. But not John. However, John loves the Wimpy Kid books, and he was thrilled when I invited him to go with me to DC.

Book six is entitled Cabin Fever. It involves poor Greg being stuck inside while a blizzard rages outside. So to celebrate that, they created a fake snow storm.

Look... fake snow!

Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of the snow on the ground and the snowball fight. John and I didn't participate. He was too caught up in reading his new book. In fact, by the end of the evening he was on page 181 out of 224. But I did get a few pics toward the end. They had life-size cut-outs of the characters and cartoon scenes from the book. Here is Rodrick. They had him se up as a ring toss game.

Jeff Kinney rolled in on this bus. Lots of kids screamed when he got off and walked in.

We were in group 7 of 9 with 75 people in each group. Yeah... The place was packed. They were expecting 1200 people, and with over 600 books sold, I'd bet there were close to that many. But people were in and out, so it wasn't too bad. (And nothing compared to how packed RT was when I went in 2010.) John was so excited to meet Jeff. The entire way back to the metro, he kept saying "I can't believe I actually got to meet Jeff Kinney." He was so excited I almost teared up.

He was also excited to find out that two kids from the movie were there. I hadn't told him beforehand, so it was a nice surprise for him. Zachary Gordon who plays the main character, Greg, and Robert Capron who plays his best friend, Rowly were both very sweet. John got a poster of the two of them, signed by both.

It was a great event, and I was so glad I got to take John. We both had an amazing time.

Read More