Author Interview: Mary Hooper

Mary Hooper is the author of many young adult and adult novels. She's here today talking about her newest title, FALLEN GRACE, which was released on February 1, 2011.

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It's obvious from reading your book that you did quite a bit of research on the time period. What types of things did you do to learn more about Victorian London?


There is a marvellous book by a journalist (Mayhew) written in Victorian times and called LONDON LABOUR AND THE LONDON POOR. He went around interviewing the ordinary, poor working people and writing down their stories. Absolutely heart-wrenching.

I liked the Dickens cameo in FALLEN GRACE. Why did you decide to include him in the story?


I like to put real people in my books, just to remind the reader that this is a TRUE story and not fantasy. So far I've had King Charles II, Charles Duval the highwayman and Nell Gwyn the king's mistress. In the next (see below) I've got Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes books, putting in an appearance. Of course I have to make sure that the person appearing really was in London (or wherever) at the time and acts as they truly would have done.

Grace and Lily encounter many things throughout the story that are absolutely heartbreaking. How typical was their experience for that time period and why was it important to you to tell that story?


Their experiences are true ones (see Mayhew, above). We can read books about kings and queens and the aristocracy of the day because they left diaries and letters and their lives were documented, so I wanted to give the poor a voice. Also, rags to riches makes a great story!

You mention on your website that you left school when you were 15? What caused you to leave early, and do you regret waiting so long to receive formal education?

Up to about 1970, in the UK you were able to leave school at 15. I was keen to get out into the world and I didn't realise I knew absolutely nothing until later. I don't regret this now because I had great fun going (part time) to University when I was 40 and reading all the books I should have read earlier.

You also mention in your bio on your website that once you began writing historical novels you realized how much you love doing them. What about the historical fiction genre draws you to it?


I wish I knew! I just know that when I began working on my first historical: AT THE SIGN OF THE SUGARED PLUM (about the Great Plague) I had discovered what I liked doing best.

If you don't mind telling, are you working on any projects now?


My next book is called VELVET and is about a girl who takes a job working for a medium in Victorian London. Conan Doyle was a keen supporter of Spiritualism...

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Author Bio:

Mary Hooper is a very popular writer for children and young adults. Mary's brilliant historical novels, At the House of the Magician, By Royal Command, At the Sign of the Sugared Plum, Petals in the Ashes and The Extraordinary Life and Times of Eliza Rose have a huge fan base, as do her contemporary novels for teenagers. Mary is very much in demand for her events at literary festivals and schools. She lives in England.

Author Interview: Eilis O'Neal

Eilis O'Neal is the author of False Princess (review), released this year by EgmontUSA. She is answering a few questions about writing and her novel.

Describe your novel in a couple sentences including the following words: extraordinary, fat, raging, pleasant, purple, and love

The False Princess is the story of a girl who goes from extraordinary, very pleasant circumstances to humble, not-so-pleasant ones. Sinda has been raised to think she's the princess of Thorvaldor, but finds out just after her 16th birthday that she isn't. She's just a stand-in for the real princess, and, more than that, she's not needed anymore. After being kicked out of the palace, she also finds that she has magic raging inside her, love complications with her best friend, and a big fat mystery that only she may be able to solve and that has implications for all of Thorvaldor. Also, the cover background is a lovely purple.


Will we see a sequel to The False Princess?  If not, are you working on any other projects?

I'm still interested in the world of Thorvaldor, so maybe someday, though probably with a secondary character as the main character. At the moment, though, I'm working on an unrelated YA fantasy novel.

Sinda goes through some amazing character development as The False Princess progresses. How much of Sinda’s journey can you relate to? What do you hope readers will gain from reading about Sinda’s experiences?

I can relate to a lot of it, actually. In many ways, Sinda is very like me as a teenager. I was shy and felt awkward about some aspects of myself, just like Sinda does. As I got older, though, I became a lot more comfortable with myself, and happy about myself as a person. In that way, Sinda's journey mirrors some of my own experiences--though she's lucky enough to get to that point a little earlier than I did! But that's what I'd like people to take away from the book. That you have to learn how to like yourself, and to be proud of who you are, regardless of what other people think you should be.

Whatever happened to Sinda’s aunt? Does Sinda stay in contact with her? 

Originally, when I was doing my rough outline for TFP, there was a scene in which Sinda went back to Treb and Varil had to help her at a key moment.  As I actually wrote the book, though, that part didn't fit, and so it fell away. It fell away partially for plot reasons, but also because I didn't think Sinda was ready to go back and try to have a relationship with her aunt. It takes until the tail-end of the book for Sinda to really accept who she is, and before that, I don't think she could interact with Varil in a way that would be meaningful. In my mind, though, she probably does try to get to know Varil better after the end of the book, though that may be a year or more down the line.

You have published several short stories, with The False Princess being your first novel.   What prompted you to make the jump into writing a novel?

I've actually been writing novels--or at least trying to--since I was 12. I tried to write my first then, though I only got about 20 pages into it. I finished a novel for the first time at 15--a very Mary Jane-ish summer romance about a girl and a guy with a motorcycle. And there were two finished fantasy novels between that and TFP. While all those were good practice, none of them was good enough to be published. TFP was the first novel I wrote that really gelled. So I've wanted to publish a novel for a long time--it just took a while to get good enough to make it happen.

In The False Princess, Sinda discovers that she not, in fact, the princess, and is forced to live a common life after 16 years of being royalty.  How would you react in a similar situation? What about if you found out that you were the lost/hidden princess? 

I'm not sure I would react as well as Sinda did, especially at the age of 16. I had a hard time breaking rules then, and I might have been more timid about forging my own path. I think I would have done better if I'd found out that I really was a princess. I've always been good at taking on more responsibility, and there would be a lot of that. Honestly, though, either would be a bit tough on me, even now. I have a hard time with change--I even got nervous picking out new paint for the bathroom recently!

Thanks for stopping by Eilis!

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Author Bio:
I’m a writer of fantasy and the Managing Editor of the literary magazine Nimrod International Journal. I started writing at the age of three (though the story was only four sentences long). My short fantasy has been published in various print and online journals, and you can find links to some of my stories here. I was born, raised in, and currently live in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Interview with Cinda Williams Chima

Photo by Augusten Burroughs

Cinda Williams Chima

Author of:
The Warrior Heir
The Wizard Heir
Dragon Heir

The Demon King
The Exiled Queen

Author Website 

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The world-building in the Seven Realms series is very intricate. When you were writing the story, did you have a map drawn? (This is a sneaky way of asking if we'll ever get to see a map of your world).

The Seven Realms is a world I created for an adult high fantasy series that I never finished. While shopping The Warrior Heir, I wrote the first two volumes of a planned trilogy called The Star-Marked Warder, set in the Seven Realms. I drew a map at that time, and kept redrawing it and adding places and features as the story progressed. Maps help writers stay oriented in fictional worlds (in the real world, too--I often referred to a map of Ohio when writing the Heir Chronicles.)

I put The Star-Marked Warder aside after The Warrior Heir sold, and began writing The Dragon Heir and revising The Wizard Heir. After finishing the first three books in the Heir series, I wanted to write more books for teens, but try something different. I loved my Seven Realms world and the characters in it, so I decided to go back to that. I took two characters (Han and Raisa) back to when they were teenagers, back to when they met. And that's how the Seven Realms series came about. When the series sold to Hyperion, they hired a cartographer to redraw my lame map, and it appears on the flyleaf of the hardcover. It is also posted on my website at http://cindachima.com/Demon_King/Places.htm. You can print out a pdf of it there for reference, if your book doesn't include it (it was not included in the first printing of the paperback Demon King or most of the foreign editions.)

My ARC of The Exiled Queen didn't include a map. Neither did my finished copy of The Demon King. I'm SO happy that there is a map to reference all the places that we hear about in the book.

Which perspective was easiest for you to write, Han or Raisa? Which did you enjoy the most?

It's probably easier to write Han's perspective, because I'm used to writing from a boy's POV. I felt a certain amount of pressure with Raisa because I wanted to accomplish so much with her character. I wanted her to be strong, yet flawed enough to be realistic. Probably the most difficult task was showing the growth of Han and Raisa through the four books of the series. It's difficult enough to make sure that characters are consistent through a long series. But to  achieve a believable arc of character and maturity takes the kind of planning I don't usually do.

Can you explain your writing process? Do you outline? Free-write? 

I don't outline ahead of time. I wish I did. I actually blogged about plunging vs. plotting here. http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/02/plotters-vs-plungers.html  I generally have a loose framework to begin with, and I generally know how my story ends. I begin with characters, their desires, and the obstacles in the way. Then, as I write, I layer in more conflicts, more complications, connections and relationships. This kind of writing requires a lot of revision.

What do you wish more people knew about publishing? 

I often hear from young and unpublished writers who have questions about publishing. That's one reason I have lots of blog posts about publishing, including this one. http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/12/so-you-want-to-find-publisher.html  The biggest mistake I see writers make is neglecting craft in their rush to publish. Writing is like any other skill--it takes study and practice. Finding a publisher is as competitive as winning a major golf tournament. You wouldn't expect to play a game or two and then get into the Master's.

Without giving too much away, what can we expect in the next book in the Seven Realms series?

HUGE reveals, ruthless politics, scheming wizards, ramped up romance--the usual.

Any tactics for writer's block?

I got links for that, too, of course. One key to overcoming writer's block is to turn off that editor in your head--the one that says that everything you write is terrible, it will never work, this project is a failure like all your others. You have to be willing to write badly in order to finish a first draft. Once you have the bones down, you can always revise, but you can't revise a blank page. Often writers have difficulty getting started because they think they need to have everything figured out before they begin. You don't. Just begin. Here are two posts about Writer's Block: http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2008/02/writers-block.html and http://cindachima.blogspot.com/2010/01/young-writer-writes-i-recently-started.html.

Since you've built such a complex world, do you think that you'll ever write a spin-off series from another character's point of view? 

I love living in the Seven Realms, so there's a chance I might. I would also like to do something with The Star Marked Warder, which is a kind of sequel to the Seven Realms series. It would require some revision, but my beta readers really really seem to want me to finish it.

Thank you so much to Cinda for dropping by. Her blog and website have a wealth of knowledge about writing, and I highly recommend them.

Interview with Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I loved Beautiful Creatures, and was so excited when I heard that Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl were coming to The King's English (aka the best independent bookseller in the Salt Lake Valley). for a signing. And I was even more elated when Kami and Margie agreed to do an interview with me before their presentation.  My friend Julie and I took our Literati group up and asked Kami and Margie a few questions.

Want to know what types of books Margie and Kami read? Will they ever write separately? Why was it important that Beautiful Creatures was written from Ethan's point of view?

Watch and find out!

Interview with Ally Carter and Giveaway

Ally Carter is the author of the best-selling Gallagher Girls series and Heist Society. She loved school so much she kept going...and going...and going...until finally she had to graduate. Now she has degrees from Oklahoma State University and Cornell University and a house and a job and other very grown-up things.

Her life is either very ordinary or the best deep-cover legend ever. She'd tell you more, but...well...you know...

Website
Twitter

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I absolutely loved the Gallagher Girls series, and was beyond excited to do an interview with Ally Carter.  Welcome to the Reading Room Ally!
 

Is there a spy academy for college-age girls? If so, how do I apply?

Not to my knowledge, no.  Drats!

What has been your biggest challenge in dealing with two series at once?

Time.  Always time.  People frequently ask where authors get their ideas or their character names or their inspiration.  What people forget (or simply don’t know) is that one of the most important ingredients is time.  And when you double the number of books you’ve got to keep up with that just cuts your time in half.  Without a doubt, that’s the hardest thing.

Cammie and the Gallagher Girls series is very clean and innocent. Was it a deliberate decision to make the series this why? If so, why do you feel that it was important to write it that way?

It just came out that way.  I don’t know if I could write “edgier” or “darker” if I tried.  But while it wasn’t a conscious decision, I’m very grateful that it worked out the way it did because there is a subset of the reading public that wants a clean read.  I think a lot of people assume it’s the “gatekeepers” that are really looking for that, but I’ve found that a lot of teens do as well.  It’s a misnomer to think that all teens want to push all barriers at all times.  Are there 12-yr-olds out there looking for gritty, edgy stuff?  Sure.  But there are also 17-yr-olds who enjoy a book with no cussing or adult content.  In publishing we need to have something for everyone.  I’m very happy that my books fit within a very valuable and in-demand niche.

Have you ever thought that maybe a career in writing wasn’t worth it? What do you do when you get discouraged during the publishing process?

Every single day.  This is a hard business—it really is.  The pressure from fans to write faster, the pressure from publishers to deliver, and, most importantly, the pressure from ourselves to make each book better than the one before.  It’s a lot to process some days.  And on the days when the characters and plot just aren’t cooperating it’s very tempting to dream about the day when the series is over and done and you can go back to accounting or whatever it was that paid the bills before starting on this crazy adventure.

What is one thing that you wish people knew about publishing or writing?

It’s a job.  It’s work.  It can sometimes be a very exciting job and very fun work, but it’s an occupation nonetheless, and like most jobs it’s not very glamorous most of the time.  Also, I can’t get anyone a role in any movie.

Name one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to learn.     

I have terrible, awful—I mean truly hideous—handwriting.

Thanks to Ally for joining us today. And, now I have a fantastic giveaway that is going to rock your socks off.  Included in this prize pack is:

Gallagher Girls Tote

Gallagher Girls Hair Pin 

Signed Gallagher Girls 4

Signed Heist Society

Heist Society sunglasses

Holla! All you have to do to enter is fill out the form.  Giveaway ends October 27 at 12:01 am. US Residents 13 and older only.

Firelight Character Interview: Jacinda

Interview with Jacinda

From FIRELIGHT

By: Sophie Jordan

About Jacinda: With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the draki—the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda’s rebelliousness leads her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her draki spirit fades. The one thing that revives it is Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can’t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she’s risking not only her life but the draki’s most closely guarded secret.

If you had your mother and sister here and could tell them exactly what you feel right now, what would you say?

I guess I would start with: I’m sorry. You see, things don’t happen the way I planned. I really wanted things to work out in a way that we could all be happy. I know they both love me … but sometimes … well. I could only do what feels right in my heart. I’m just sorry following my instincts (and dreams) means I have to crush theirs.

Sorry for being so cryptic, but that’s all I can say or Sophie Jordan’s going get really mad at me…

 

Your sister Tamra never manifested. However, if she had, what type of Draki do you think she would be?

It’s almost painful to consider because for a long time we all waited... hoping, expecting Tamra to manifest. It was such a disappointment she never did. When it turned out I was a fire-breather, everyone pretty much expected she would be, too. We’re twins, after all. But I guess, it would have been more likely that she would have been an onyx or earth draki. They’re the most common draki. At least the majority of the pride is either one of these.

Do you ever eat in your draki form? If so, what do you eat?

I can eat the things I eat when a human, but I’m just usually in human form when eating, just for convenience sake. When am I draki, I’m usually enjoying myself flying.

What are the top three things you would like people to know about Draki (no hunters listening, promise!)

Well, number one, assuming I can let people know we exist (a HUGE no-no!) would be letting them know we do exist. We aren’t myth. We’re real and we aren’t dragons either … like hunters think we are. We’re draki. That’s different. We’re different. We’re what dragons have involved into over the millennia.

Number two: I guess is that we’re not animals. We have thoughts, and hearts, and ambitions just like humans do.

Number three: I would want them to know what the hunters are doing to us … I would want to expose the enkros, too, so we could put a stop to them.

In your new high school life you encounter some pretty mean-spirited girls and cliques. Do situations like that occur in the Draki world? How are they handled?

Mean people exist everywhere. Nasty girls aren’t a new thing, but most everyone in my pride is nice to me. Too nice. When they look at me they see the fire-breather, and that makes them treat me almost like a rock star in their midst. Except for Miram. Cassian’s sister has always had issues with me, and I know it has to do with how much her father and brother focus their attention on me. And maybe I can understand her resentment. I just wish she wasn’t such a brat to me.

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Thank you for joining us Jacinda!

Read more about Jacinda by purchasing FIRELIGHT on September 7

More Gail Carson Levine

I posted an interview with Gail Carson Levine last week. I also recorded some of her reading and question and answer session after my interview. As you can tell, she is very engaging and had a lot of advice for aspiring authors.  One of my favorite questions was one of the first asked, "Why was Ella Enchanted the movie so different from the book?" Enjoy!

Part 1
 


Part 2

Interview with Gail Carson Levine (Video)

Gail Carson Levine was gracious enough to do an interview with Julie and me before her signing at The King's English in Salt Lake City. We had a wonderful time at the signing and were so happy that we were able to make it up to Salt Lake for this. I'm especially grateful to the King's English Bookshop for facilitating the interview. Especially since I called them on my way up to tell them it was happening.






I hope you'll watch the interview. She has a lot to say about her books and the craft of writing. Let me know what you think in the comments. Also, if you want to be a writer, you really need to read her book Writing Magic and also check out her blog. It's fantastic.

As I was getting ready to leave after having my copies of Ella Enchanted and Fairest signed, Gail Carson Levine said that she appreciated that I didn't post reviews of books that I felt deserved less than three stars. I was so happy that she mentioned that since I got a little heat about that policy. One more thing on that subject. I will not give a book a 3-star review if I feel it deserves something less than that. It just will not be published on my blog. I believe in being honest, but above all, I don't want to hurt feelings. And I'm so glad that Gail Carson Levine noticed and appreciated that.

Next week I'm going to post two videos from her signing. She reads from her new book Fairies and the Quest for Neverland and answers a few questions, including the one burning in all our minds: Why was the movie Ella Enchanted so different from the book?

I've got about 75 books from publishers to read, but guess what? I'm going to re-read Ella Enchanted again.