Enchanting Interview: Jeannine Garsee

What do you like best about being a writer?



Power. It may sound silly, but being a writer gives me ultimate control over people and situations of which I’m the sole creator. I decide what they do, what they say, what they eat and wear, and, ultimately, I decide their fate. The best thing is that I can change my mind any time.



I also live the solitude of writing. When I’m working on something, I love spending hours of uninterrupted time. It’s a huge contrast to my “real” life.




Why Young Adult?



Because I write the kind of stories I wish were around when I was a teen. It wasn’t until the late seventies or so that the edgier topics began to appear in YA literature. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the books I read in the sixties and early seventies, but I love the raw emotion and absolute reality to find in the YA sections of today. YA for the most part is fast and in-your-face, and without all the (often) unnecessary narrative you often find in adult literature. I’ll read an adult book today and, with few exceptions, I’ll think: Do I seriously care about this? Get on with the story already!




What's your writing process like?



First of all, I don’t outline (though I sometimes regret it)—I first do a rough draft from beginning to end, and then revise and re-revise until I’m satisfied with the results. I don’t do character sketches because I think they’re a waste of time; anything I need to know about the characters, I’ll find it out as I’m writing the story. I think some writers spend so much time on perfect outlines and synopses and multiple, lengthy character sketches that “this” becomes their actual writing; they obsess over it. I prefer to get the story down first and then go back and refine the details. I also have crit partners who will read one of my later drafts (I never allow anyone to see a rough draft) and I’ll send my agent a few pages as well.




I totally loved your book especially with all the recent news on gay marriages. What inspired you to write this story?



It was a story I’d thought about for quite a while. Originally I’d planned to write about a girl with a gay best friend (female) and the problems this posed. Then in 2006, when a lot of attention was first drawn to the gay marriage issue, I was inspired to turned my idea for a new story into something quite different.



How did you come up with the title?

In the second chapter of the book, a younger Shawna, comparing her elegant, beautiful mother to her mother’s less than feminine partner, says with extreme embarrassment, “You don’t look like Fran…so maybe you’re not really, you know, one of THEM.” And Shawna’s mother snaps back, “I’m a lesbian, Shawna. Les-bi-an. Why are you so afraid to say that word?” Shawna struggles with this throughout the story.


Which character gave you the toughest time to write in the book?

Shawna’s dad, one of the nastiest characters I’ve had to write. Nasty in the sense that he is refined and wealthy and highly educated, yet hasn’t a clue how his actions affect other people, especially those he loves. I tend to go overboard with unlikeable characters and it took quite a bit of effort to rein him in.


Hardest scene to write?

There were a LOT in this one: First, there’s a rape scene in the book and I had to remind myself that this IS young-adult. The last scene with Shawna and Arye must’ve been revised a thousand times before I was happy with it. Shawna’s final confrontation with her father broke my heart to write.


Who would your ideal cast be if a movie was made?

I know people will think I’m making this up, but I never think about my books being made into movies. My first novel was optioned for film, so I did fantasize a bit, but the option has since expired. I have such a strong personal picture of what my characters look like, it’s hard to picture them as actors who already exist (though sometimes I surf photo sites looking for similarities!).


Interview by Kim
May 2009

Enchanting Interview: Amy Efaw

Enchanting Interview: Amy Efaw

1. How long have you been writing? Was this something that you always knew you would do?

I starting writing like most kids do, when my English teacher assigned a writing project. And I noticed how easy it was to get an “A” when I wrote something – poetry or short stories or essays or even reports; I was good at all kinds of writing styles. But I really made a decision to try to write for “real” once I had kids.

I started trying to write picture books (three to be exact) and sent them off to publishers. I collected nothing but rejection letters. Then I decided to write a novel based on my experiences at West Point, and I sold that book – BATTLE DRESS – before I had even finished it! That book was published in 2000 with HarperCollins. The second novel I ever tried to write was AFTER. So, I’ve been pretty lucky. Some authors write several books before they ever get one published.


2. What drew you to write for Young Adults?

I think a big part of me is still stuck in “Planet Teenager” (as my husband likes to call it).

But, seriously, I might get into trouble for saying this, but I’m going to do it anyway – I think in many ways you have to be a better writer to hold a teen’s attention than an adult’s. We young adult authors have a lot of competition – video games and movies and MySpace and TV and iPods and text messaging, etc. If we don’t grab our audience right away, our book will be tossed, collecting dust under some bed and never to be cracked again. Adults tend to be more patient when they read; they’ll give books more time to draw them in.
Also, I believe that teens tend to be more open to new ideas than adults. Not that I write with an agenda in mind, but as an author, I think it’s an awesome thing to possibly affect the way people look at a particular issue or expose them to a new concept.


3. If your life and/or writing career were a book, what would the title be?

I know I’m totally ripping from Sharon Creech’s novel, but it would be ABSOLUTELY NORMAL CHAOS. Definitely. At least during this particular time of my life!



4. Our readers always like to know, what is your writing process like?

I write very slowly and meticulously. I write chapter by chapter, chronologically, for the story. Every once in a while, I’ll be suddenly inspired and will write a scene ahead of time, but that’s very rare.

On any given writing day, I’ll start by reading over what I wrote during the previous writing session. That gets me in the “mood” for what I’ll be working on next. I edit as I read through it, so I’m always revising. This method can be a bad thing because it takes a long time for me to write anything. But it’s a good thing, too. It makes for relatively polished first drafts.

I DO NOT use outlines, at least not the written out kind. But I do a lot of thinking before I ever start writing, so when I finally do sit down and get to work, I’m ready to roll.


5. Do you have any specific writing rituals, both in general and with AFTER?

I wouldn’t call this a “ritual” exactly, but my best time of day for writing is late at night – between 10 PM and, like, 2 AM generally. It’s the only time that I can just relax, not care about the stuff that I have to do during the day, and concentrate.

BTW, I just looked at my watch; it says 1:32 AM right now! So there you have it!


6. Response to AFTER has been rolling in for a while. How are fans responding?

The feedback I’ve received, particularly from book bloggers like you, has been great! It seems like almost everyone who’s read AFTER has “gotten it.” I haven’t heard from anybody who’s said that they think the story is bogus. This is important because the idea that a girl could deny the fact that she was pregnant would seem pretty far-fetched to most people. And that’s probably where most readers are when they step into this book. If I’ve gotten readers to understand, believe the phenomenon exists, and maybe even feel some compassion for the main character (even if they hate what she’s done) by the time they’ve finished the book, then I think I’ve done a good job.

A few readers have expressed some disappointment in the ending. It’s very interesting because, at the same time, they also say that they don’t know how the story could have ended otherwise. They don’t know how to – or can’t – articulate where exactly their dissatisfaction lies.

Some didn’t like the fact that all the relationships in the story didn’t come to full completion, that everything wasn’t tied up neatly at the end. All I can say to that is . . . that’s just not real life. And this is my own preference of course, but I personally roll my eyes when I read books where everything conveniently pulls together perfectly at the end. It kinda bugs me! I think it sort of cheats the reader because that’s just not how the world works. And especially books as tough as AFTER, in my opinion, need very realistic endings. AFTER doesn’t deal with a pretty subject; a pretty ending would not have worked. Pretty endings are for a different type of book. But that’s just my view!


7. I read that you did quite a bit of research before writing AFTER. How did this impact your story? Did it change the story from your original idea?

Not really. Since my story is more character-driven, I started with the character, Devon. And I didn’t write anything until I was able to figure out who she would be. The very first thing I did was pull hundreds of “Dumpster baby” newspaper accounts off the Internet and read them. By doing this, I discovered that most “Dumpster baby” stories share some definite common characteristics. Out of those common characteristics, I was able to compile a profile of the type of teen girl who might conceal her pregnancy and then throw her baby into the trash. That profiled character became Devon.

Then before I started writing about the scenes inside the juvenile detention center, I spent hours and hours observing girls inside one. And so on. Whenever I came to a place while writing AFTER where I needed to figure something out, I’d stop and do the research before moving on. That way, I wasn’t guessing, and I wasn’t wasting time writing scenes that were unrealistic and would eventually be cut or need extensive revision.

This makes for slow writing, but I think it makes for a better, stronger, and tighter story.


8. What scene was the hardest for you to write in AFTER?

Probably the courtroom scenes. I had a lot to accomplish in those scenes, but I didn’t want them to read like a transcript from a trial. I wanted them to be accurate of what it’s like to be in court, but they had to move the story along and not be so full of detail that they dragged down the narrative.


9. What was your favorite scene in AFTER?

That’s a hard question to answer! But I think one of my favorite scenes was when Devon and Connor are walking along Point Defiance, when their romance is just starting. There’s so little “light” in this book, that this scene just sort of lifts the darkness for a needed, brief moment.


10. Did you ever experience any difficulties or roadblocks while writing AFTER?

Yeah, a big one. I had originally signed a contract for AFTER with another publishing company, and I did this based on a synopsis and about twenty-five pages (similar to what I did with my first young adult novel, BATTLE DRESS). And then the editor who had acquired AFTER left publishing altogether, so my novel was handed over to another editor there. However, it took me so long to finish AFTER that my “new” editor (and publisher) lost patience and decided to terminate the contract. By that time, I had finished a solid draft of the novel, but, alas, too late.

Four anxious months crawled by. I worried AFTER would never become a real book. But my very capable agent, Amy Berkower, put it in Viking’s hands, and they snapped it up!

And, really, I’m so glad that this happened! I love Viking and especially my amazing editor, Joy Peskin. AFTER wouldn’t have been the same book without her.


11. What's next for you?


Another book! Finger’s crossed . . .

Interview by Cinnamon
August 2009

Enchanting Interview: Melissa Walker

1. What inspired LOVESTRUCK SUMMER?
A trip to Austin one summer made me want to write a book set there. A romance seemed like the perfect thing, and the city just breathes music, so I had to add that aspect too.

2. Can you describe LOVESTRUCK SUMMER in three words?
Hot Austin Romance.

3. Which character surprised you the most over the course of writing the book?
When it suddenly came to me that Penny's little dog, Miss Tiara, was a male dog who liked to wear girly accessories, I was surprised. But I had to go with it! I loved that dog.

4. What was your favorite scene to write?
All the scenes with Quinn and Russ were fun because they had chemistry. Writing two characters with chemistry is just pure bliss.

5. What do you like most about Quinn? What do you like least about her?
I like that she's willing to expand her mind... eventually. I don't like her quick-to-judge tendencies.

6. If Quinn was going to make you a mix tape, what songs would have to be on there?
Well, after this summer in Austin, I think she'd include "Portland, Oregon" by Jack White & Loretta Lynn, "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis, "Speeding Motorcycle" by Daniel Johnston and, of course, "Africa" by Toto.

7. Do you have a favorite line of dialogue in the book?
Ooh, hard question! I don't think I really do. Is that lame?

8. If you could cast yourself into the book for a scene, which one would you choose?
I'd love to be an extra on the river float scene where Russ and Quinn are getting to know each other as they ease down the Guadalupe River in inner tubes.

9. What's next for you?

I'm working on a new book, but it's all secret for now. Stay tuned!

Interview by Lisa

June 2009

Visit Melissa online @:

melissacwalker.com
twitter.com/melissacwalker
iheartdaily.com
readergirlz.com

Enchanting Interview: Susan McBride

Interview with SUSAN McBRIDE, author of LOVE, LIES AND TEXAS DIPS

1. What do you like best about writing a series?

Probably being so familiar with the characters and getting to know them better with each book. It's like meeting friends and spending time with them, finding out more quirks and secrets. I also like building on the relationships and developing the drama and tension. Seems like you can never have enough drama these days!

2. Can you describe 'Love, Lies and Texas Dips' in three words?

Juicy, complicated, unexpected.

3. Who is your favorite character to write?

I love writing about all of them, because each girl is unique with her own quirks and issues. I love that Ginger is embracing her artistic side and is so passionate about the environment. She's from a long line of matriarchal Southern women, but she isn't about to tow anyone's party line. Mac has a soft spot in my heart because she lost her mother during high school, probably one of the times a girl needs her mom most. She tries to be so independent and strong, but she's going to have to learn to reach out and let others help her. Jo Lynn is another story entirely! There's something about developing a character who's outwardly so evil and trying to explore what makes her tick. She's more complex than she seems. Laura is a lot of fun, too. She's so uninhibited and willing to go for it (in terms of emotions and relationships). I think it takes a lot of guts to be so unguarded and risk making so many mistakes. I'm a lot more cautious in my life, so I actually admire that about her.

4. How much fun is it to write a character like Jo-Lynn?

It's a blast. Although it's kind of hard making her come off as three-dimensional when she's so intent on destroying Laura. Her perfectly ordered world definitely takes a hit in GLOVES OFF, the third in the series. In fact, a lot of secrets will unfold in that book.

5. Did any of the characters surprise you while you were writing 'Love, Lies and Texas Dips'?

Probably the boys more than the girls. I started out picturing Dillon, the quarterback and Jo Lynn's boyfriend, as this golden boy who has an easy life. Then I realized that's not who he is at all. He's got so many things inside him that don't fit the mold, and he's having a hard time pretending to be perfect when he's not. He's kind of a quietly ticking time bomb. Also, Avery has more to him than it appears. Believe it or not, he truly cares for Laura, but he's connected to Jo Lynn in a way that no one understands. It's a tricky issue for him, because he feels guilty and indebted to Jo and she uses that. I actually thought maybe someday I'd write a book from the guys' point of view, but I'm not sure that's ever going to happen!

6. What was your favorite scene in the book?

The scene with Mac and Alex in his childhood tree-house when she realizes that their friendship has changed, and it's never going to be the same again. I truly felt her pain!

7. You start off each chapter with a quote, one from a celebrity and one from one of the characters. How do pick which quotes to use?

I have loads of books with great quotes, like WOMEN'S WICKED WIT, WITTY WORDS FROM WISE WOMEN, and SECRET LIVES OF GREAT AUTHORS. I try to hunt down real quotes that relate somehow to what's in that particular chapter. Then I kind of loosely interpret that quote from the mind-set of whichever character's narrating the chapter. For the first chapter of LOVE, LIES, AND TEXAS DIPS, I have a Mae West quote: "Don't let a man put anything over you but an umbrella." Right after that is Jo Lynn's version: "No one jerks me around and gets away with it." It's very fun working those out! Sometimes I change them as I go along until I feel like they really fit.
8. What would readers be surprised to know about you?

Hmm, that I love vegetables now but hated them for most of my life; that I married a computer software engineer who doesn't read much fiction except for my books; and that I'm a big-time animal lover and envision someday having a house with a barn that Ed and I can convert to a comfy spot for keeping lots of rescued fur-kids!
9. What can we look forward to in the next book?

I'm just about to correct the page proofs of GLOVES OFF now, which will really refresh my brain about that one. It's kind of weird to be writing a completely different kind of novel (THE COUGAR CLUB) between LOVE, LIES, AND TEXAS DIPS coming out and going through all kinds of drafts of GLOVES OFF. Let's see, Mac tries to forget Alex and see other guys, Ginger falls harder for Kent only to find out a deeper and darker secret from his past, Laura might very well have found the key to toppling Jo Lynn, and, well, Jo Lynn realizes she can't control everyone forever. Fun, fun, fun! ;-)

Interview By Lisa
June 2009

Enchanting Interview: Alyson Noel

Best part of writing Y.A.

The readers, no doubt! I didn’t intentionally start writing YA, I just had a burning story I wanted to tell that ultimately became my debut novel, FAKING 19. I didn’t even think about genre until my then agent was preparing it for sale! But I absolutely love writing for and about teens—the correspondence they send me never fails to make my day!

What's your writing schedule like:

I write every day, spending the first part of the day sipping green tea, answering e-mails, blog hoping and basically procrastinating until I finally get to it. Usually re-reading whatever I wrote the day before and doing a little light editing before delving into the new stuff and going from there. Then sometime around seven or eight, I answer more e-mails before joining my husband for dinner and TV. This is pretty much my schedule 7 days a week. I don’t get out much!

What's your writing process like?

I start with the premise, build the cast, determine the character arc, craft a generalized outline, make a playlist (this can take all day if you know how to procrastinate!), then I finally get to it, researching and editing as I go.

Do you have any writing rituals?

When I’m writing at home, I always light a vanilla scented candle before I begin and then blow it out once I’m finished. It feels kind of ceremonial!

I love your story! How did you come up with the premise?

Well, the premise was actually born out of grief. A few years ago I’d lost three people I loved in five months, and shortly after that I nearly lost my husband to leukemia (he’s in full remission now!), and it felt like my entire world was crashing down. Experiencing that sort of intense grief and fear got me thinking a lot about life and death, mortality and immortality, what separates us, if anything, from those who are gone, and how our youth loving culture sort of seeks physical immortality by trying to remain youthful looking for as long as we can—and yet, what would happen if we really could live forever? What would it mean for us, our loved ones, society in general? And since I’ve been interested in all things paranormal since I was a kid, Ever and Damen’s story seemed like the perfect vehicle to explore all those themes.

Which character is most like you or most unlike you?

I can really identify with Ever’s feeling of not belonging because that’s exactly how I felt as a teen—like I never quite fit. Though a lot of Riley’s jokiness also comes from me!

Which character gave you the toughest time to write in the book?

Sabine, because she’s a responsible adult!

Do you have any sequels planned?

Yes! There will be five books in the series, the second, BLUE MOON, will be in stores on July 7th, and I’m currently finishing up the third, SHADOWLAND, which will be out early 2010.

Who would your ideal cast be if a movie was made?

Well, the dramatic rights were recently sold to Spring Creek Productions and Warner Horizon who want to make it into a TV series . . . but speaking purely hypothetical here—Ben Barnes would make one very dreamy Damen!!

What's next for you?

Books four and five in the IMMORTALS series! After that, we’ll see . . .

Interview by Kim

March 2009

Enchanting Review: Tim Byrd

Interview with Tim Byrd



1. What made you want to be a writer?



I realized I wanted to write sometime before I can even remember. I learned to read when I was three or four, and was reading novels by five. That was when I wrote my first story, “The Blue Stallion,” which I also illustrated in crayon. It was an exciting tale in which our hero, the stallion, fought and vanquished a mountain lion.



I always intended to write, but didn’t realize it was to be my absolute calling until I read Ray Bradbury’s story “The Fog Horn” when I was about nine or ten. I found it so moving, and was so overcome with the fact that the written word could have such power, I consciously decided that writing would be my main job, whatever else I might get around to doing.



2. How long have you been writing?



As long as I’ve been reading, I think.



3. Why action/adventure?



I love adventure stories. Always have.



I was recently thinking about this very question, about why this is the sort of thing that my mind comes up with (as opposed to, say, suburban divorce stories), and it occurred to me that most adventure tales are tales of optimism. The heroes face difficulties, and almost always manage to overcome them. Adventure stories are usually considered escapism, a retreat from our daily reality, but I think instead they actually motivate us subconsciously to engage reality. They give us models of perseverance and hope.



4. Describe your writing style.



The goal is for it to be vivid. I want people to get as close to actually feeling what my characters are feeling as I can bring them. I want emotion on the page, and sensation, and passion. I also want my writing to actively engage the mind, to be smart.



Whether I achieve those things is up to each reader.



5. What's the best part of being a writer?



Oh, being read. I write to be read, and the more people who read my stuff, the happier I am, especially if I get to hear their impressions. It’s all about sharing the stuff bubbling up in my head.



6. Describe DOC WILDE AND THE FROGS OF DOOM in 3 words.



Smart rollicking adventure.


7. Why frogs? :)



It just felt right, even inevitable. As soon as I knew I was going to write about Doc Wilde and his kids, I immediately knew their first challenge would be the Frogs of Doom. Frogs are primeval and weird, but also goggle-eyed and goofy, so there was potential for the Wildes to face creatures that were alien and dangerous but at the same time somewhat ridiculous, which adds to the fun.



8. What sparked the idea for DOC WILDE?



I've always loved pulp adventure fiction, which grew as a form during the Depression in the 1930s. I grew up reading reprints and scavenged copies of pulp era science fiction, fantasy, and mystery, and a big favorite of mine was Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze. His adventures were full of exotic locales, twisted villains, brilliant gadgetry, and constant action.

When I became a father, I looked for stories to share with my son that had that old pulp spirit, and didn't have much luck. Doc Savage and The Shadow were out of print. There were some contemporary movies available (the Indiana Jones flicks, the first two Mummy movies with Brendan Fraser, The Shadow with Alec Baldwin), and there were some good modern pulp books for adults by writers like James Rollins and Matthew Reilly, but not much for kids.

So I decided to write some pulp for him. Doc Wilde and The Frogs of Doom is the result, a modern-day homage to the pulp greats, full of cliffhangers and gadgets and world-threatening villains being vanquished by a stalwart family of adventurers.



9. What do you like best about Doc Wilde and his family?



It’s all about love. They’re all overflowing with love of knowledge, love of experience, and most of all love of each other. It was very important to me that the reader would feel all that love along with the Wildes.



10. What was your favorite scene to write?



It’s a toss-up between Brian’s adventure on the Empire State Building, with its incredibly over-the-top resolution, and Wren’s solo encounter with a Lovecraftian monster late in the book. Both were classic examples of the writer writing himself into a corner, with no more idea of how the characters will survive than the reader will have. Figuring out how they did was exciting and fun.



11. What do you have in common with Doc Wilde?



He's more tanned, more fit, and way more accomplished than I am, but he shares my hunger for knowledge and experience. Most importantly he's a dad before he's anything else, putting his kids ahead of everything else in the world.



Again, it’s all about the love.



12. What would readers be surprised to know about you?



Among the many pets I’ve had in my life were a hedgehog, a little brown bat, and a very affectionate raccoon named Hamlet.



13. What's next for you?



The second Doc Wilde book, of course. It's called Doc Wilde and The Daughter of Darkness. In it, something terrible happens to Doc, and Brian and Wren go looking for help from an old friend of the family, a shadowy avenger with a sinister laugh. He's not home, but his teen daughter is, and she joins them against a diabolical Manchurian warlord who's been around a very long time.


Interivew by Lisa

May 2009

Enchanting Interview: Beth Fantaskey

1. What made you want to become a writer?

To me, writing seems like the ultimate way to make a living. When I work as a journalist, every day is interesting and different. And when I write fiction, I get to be completely free inside my mind. On top of that, writing fiction is like hanging out with good friends every day. I wake up in the morning eager to spend time with the characters. I love that!

2. Why young adult?

When I came up with the idea for Jessica’s Guide, I didn’t even know there was a sharp division between adult and YA fiction. It just happened that my heroine was a teenage girl. The story dictated the genre. However, I’m really glad I ended up where I did, because YA audiences are great. I think - maybe because they’re so communications savvy – they’re really comfortable contacting me to discuss the book, or writing, or whatever’s on their minds. I love that I really get a chance to know the readers.

3. What's your writing schedule like?

I usually work Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends – days when my nutty professor husband doesn’t teach, so he can watch our kids. On those days, I go into the office in the morning, sit down and pretty much put in a full day. If I can’t fit in at least four or five solid hours, it’s almost a waste for me. I kind of need to get into the characters and the story each time I sit down, so I’m not really productive in small spurts.

4. What inspired Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side?

There are tons of little inspirations – the scene with the Fiat Panda was inspired by a near disaster on a hill in Italy – but the big one lies with my children. Both are both adopted, and we often wonder what their biological parents were like. Daydreaming over that led to questions like, “What if they are really different, somehow?” I took that to the extreme with Jessica.

5. Can you describe the story in three words?

Dark, funny, passionate

6. What's your favorite trait of Jessica's?

Her quiet sense of self worth. She’s not the prettiest girl in school, or the most popular, and while she initially wishes to be like that, she always has a strong sense of self. She doesn’t swoon just because Lucius is the hottest guy she’s ever seen, and he shows interest in her. She takes her time and decides if he’s right for her.

7. What do you like most about Lucius?

Oh, gosh, how to narrow it down… I love Lucius’s strength, passion and willingness to sacrifice his own happiness and even himself for Jess. I like his humor, too, especially when he’s funny in the face of grim circumstances. I think that’s the essence of courage.

8. What was your favorite scene to write?

The scene at the dance, where Lucius and Jess both struggle so hard with their feelings for each other, and Jess really comes into her own.

9. What would readers be surprised to know about you?

Hmmm… Maybe that I spent five years studying Mandarin Chinese for no apparent reason. I just like the language. Unfortunately, I’m a terrible speaker! I've been to China a few times, and nobody ever understands me.

10. What's next for you?

My next book, Jekel Loves Hyde, is scheduled to come out next year, and I’m working on my third novel right now - as in today, right before I did this. I also started a Ph.d. program about five years ago, and my advisor is bugging me to wrap up. I'm the only one in my class who hasn't graduated yet! I guess that should be next, since I pay a whopping tuition bill every semester until it's done!

Interview by Lisa

March 2009

Enchanting Interview: Kelly Parra

Enchanting Interview: Kelly Parra

1. Where did your inspiration for Invisible Touch come from?

I've always been fascinated by the paranormal and afterlife. I would watch talk shows about psychics and wondered if it was really possible to speak to those who have past, or if there were even really people with "gifts". And when I began watching Ghostwhisperer there was one episode where a "sign" or symbol appeared to her, I thought wouldn't that make a cool book about an average girl who sees signs in order to piece together puzzles to help people? And it all spiraled from there.

2. Why did you choose to write a paranormal mystery?

I hadn't written a mystery before, but always enjoyed reading them. It was a big challenge to write, but completely satisfying to have accomplished writing one!

3. What is the best part about being a YA author?

I've often shared how difficult it is for me to write a book. I struggle all the time while building characters and story lines from scratch. Writing a book is an intricate process from rough drafts to editing to final drafts to galleys and arcs and final publication, so that when you have the final product in your hand, all these words that sprouted somewhere from within myself, it is one of the most amazing feelings. Holding the final product has always been my favorite part after all the hard work.

4. Which character was the most difficult for you to write about? Why?

It had to be Kara because her loneliness and grief was so very sad. It's emotionally trying to portray someone like that.

5. I felt you really got to the heart of some difficult familial problems. What was it like to write about these issues?

Growing up, I had a lot of teen issues that were difficult to deal with. Sometimes I wondered if I would ever get through them. I recall these emotions as if they'd happened a year ago instead of like 15. (haha!) That's why

I do my best to make teen and family issues as realistic as I can in my books.

6. Invisible Touch is infused with much about Hispanic culture. How did you research this? Did you know from first-hand experience? Or both?

I live in an agricultural community and Valdez was based on my hometown. Also, being half Mexican, it's very easy to slip in cultural details when it surrounds me at every turn.

7. Why is Kara called the Sign Seer? Why not some other title?

It really was a simple solution to an anonymous blogging name. She sees signs and that was mostly what she would sharing on her Secret Fates blog. I thought it would fit perfectly.

8. What part of writing this novel was the most fun?

I love visualizing characters and details, so the creative part of writing is always the most fun. I often refer to writing as starting off with a blank canvas and adding all those descriptions and details is like painting a picture

for the reader. :)

9. If there was one thing you could change about Invisible Touch, what would it be?

I've been taking in reader feedback about the book, and some were a little bothered by the fact that the problems for Kara's best friend Danielle weren't addressed more. Maybe one day they will be!

10. What’s next for you? We’d love details, however minor, about what you’re writing next!

I'm currently writing out of my comfort zone--again! I'm challenging myself to write an urban sci-fi novel. Which is a whole new animal to tackle when it comes to world building and creativity. It's not under contract so

I'm hoping a publisher will find the idea promising!

Thank you very much for the interview!

Interview by Rachael

February 2009

Enchanting Interview: Lisa Schroeder

1. Why did you choose to write in verse?

When I wrote my first book, I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME, I didn't really choose the verse, the verse chose me. It just came out that way. I think it creates an atmosphere that I can't get with prose. For this book, FAR FROM YOU, again, I wanted to create a certain atmosphere, and I like how I can make the story very emotional by writing in more of a minimalist way.

2. What inspired you to write about difficulty of moving on from death?

This does seem to be a common theme in my books so far. And I think I write about it for a couple of reasons. First of all, every one of us, at some point in our lives, will experience loss of a loved one. We might not be 16 when it happens, but it will happen. And I think I want to show that it's hard and it hurts, but it is possible to move on, and to find happiness again. And I really believe that those who leave us want that for us. They want us to be happy, not sad. And of course we are, because we miss them. But ultimately, we have to move on and let that person go and make the most out of the life we've been given. So, I suppose I like writing about coming through that pain, to the other side, to a place of hope.

The other reason I write about loss is I have this deep belief that every day, we should give thanks for the family and friends in our life. Life is precious. Love is precious. And I hope at the end of my books, a reader will close the book and give thanks for the people who matter in his/her life.

3. What is the significance of incorporating angels into FAR FROM YOU instead of just the death of Alice's mother?

I'm a very organic writer, so I didn't start out knowing angels would be an important element to the book. It first came up when I was imagining a picture that Alice's mother painted for her, as a final gift before she passed away. And I thought of me, and my kids, and how I might want them to think of me if something were to happen to me.

There is something very comforting about an angel. Of thinking that you have an angel watching over you. So that's how it started. And then there were more opportunities to bring angels into the story, and so I went with it. It seemed to work. I hope it works!

4. What was the most difficult part for you to write in FAR FROM YOU?

There's that point where Victoria and Ali need to have it out. When all of the tension that's been building has to come out, so they can move on and hopefully find a way to get along. My editor said the scene needed more, so I had to dig deeper and figure out how to get all of this dialogue out while trying to be somewhat poetic at the same time. It's hard! And I don't really think I was as poetic as I would have liked to be. But it was an important scene and one that needed to happen and for the reader to experience.

5. How do you transfer so much emotion into your writing?

I'm not sure I can really answer that. It's not anything I can easily define. I know my books do elicit emotion, as people tell me that again and again. And I think that's a huge compliment, really. I suppose it's just letting myself write from a very vulnerable place and really trying to be that character in that moment and trying to capture the feelings as best I can.

6. FAR FROM YOU deals with relationships between friends, family, and significant others in an ultimately positive way. What was the experience of developing these relationships like?

Ultimately, when all is said and done, life is about relationships. At the end, that's what we'll look back on with fondness – the relationships we treasured in our lives. But you know, like anything in life, it's not always sunshine and roses. Relationships take work.

There has to be a give and a take because we're different from each other, and it's not always easy to get along. I once read that when writing a book, every relationship has the potential to be a sub-plot.

And it's so true! The fight Ali had with Claire played an important role in the rest of the story, for example. And I think Ali learned some things from that fight. And isn't that what it's like for all of us? When we have problems in life, or make mistakes, we learn from them and become better for them.

7. Music is definitely a huge part of this novel. What songs or music genre would you say fit the mood of your writing?

When I'm writing, I listen to singer/songwriters who write amazing lyrics and whose songs literally speak to my soul. For this particular book, I listened to a lot of Lifehouse and Sara McLachlan. Each book is different. The one I'm writing now, it's been a lot of A Fine Frenzy.

8. Which character in FAR FROM YOU can you relate to the most and why?

Definitely Alice. Not because my mother passed away, but because I was a child with divorced parents who had to deal with step-parents and step-siblings and all of that. It's hard! And some people have said Alice is so bitter at the beginning of the book, but I can tell you, at times, dealing with the new loves in my parents' lives, I was bitter. So to me it seems realistic. Others who have had different experiences may feel differently, and that's fine. But I did write from a place that I remember being at when new people came into my life.

9. What is the best part about being a YA author?

Oh good. An easy question! :) Most definitely hearing from readers.

Every week I get letters from teens who have read one of my books and want to tell me how it's touched them. As a writer, that's the ultimate goal really. To tell a story and to touch someone. And I love hearing that I accomplished what I set out to do.

10. What's next for you?

I'm working on a third novel for Pulse, called CHASING BROOKLYN, about a girl and a boy who are brought together by the ghosts in their lives. It will have some of the same themes as the other two, but I'm working hard to make it new and fresh, and one of the ways I'm doing that is by having alternating POVs. So part of the book will be told from a boy's POV as well as girl's. That book will be out sometime in early 2010.

Thanks so much for having me, and for reviewing FAR FROM YOU!!! I'm

always really impressed by your reviews!

Interview by Rachael

January 2009

Enchanting Interview: Leslie Margolis

1. What sparked the idea for BOYS ARE DOGS?

My husband and I adopted our dog, Aunt Blanche, from an animal shelter back in 2005. She was four months old and not housebroken and really sick and afraid of everything ¨C including us. I got pretty obsessive when it came to her training and read at least ten books on the subject. So many of them said the same things. And so many of their training methods worked on people, too¡ It seemed like a natural transition.

2. What made you decide to write Middle Grade?

I didn't necessarily set out to write middle grade fiction. When I'm in the early stages of developing ideas I'm not thinking in terms of age group or genre. I just came up with this character and this story and it seemed to fit. Annabelle appeared as a sixth grader, and her story was set in junior high school. The transition was organic and I'm so glad it happened because the junior high school years are such an exciting and dynamic time. There's so much material there.

3. What do you like best about Annabelle?

Annabelle is straightforward, honest, and strong and she's not afraid to speak her mind.

4. Did you have a favorite scene to write?

Yes, the first time Annabelle makes the connection between puppy training and boy training -- when she finds her voice and things start to turn around for her ¨C that moment of recognition was very exciting to write.

5. Did you ever have to deal with any of the same situations Annabelle does?

Sure, junior high school was torture! Like Annabelle, I once got stuck in a lab group with two boys. I wish I'd been able to take control the way Annabelle learns to. I suppose that scene is mostly fantasy with a pinch of revisionist history tossed in.

6. What's next for you?

I just finished Girls Acting Catty, the sequel to Boys Are Dogs. In it, Annabelle has some problems with a group of girls and she finds they're too complex to handle with puppy/boy training techniques. It'll be out in the fall of 2009.

I'm also working on a middle grade novel set in Brooklyn. It's about friendship and aliens.

Interview by Lisa

January 2009

Q and A with Meg Cabot

1) What led to the idea to have a tiara auction?

I wan ted to do something to help libraries--library use is up 30% right now with the recession, but funding for them has been slashed significantly!--and my publicist Rachel Breinin suggested doing an auction. Of course TIARAS seemed like a natural fit. We had tiara frames custom made, then set about asking designers, celebrities, authors, and illustrators decorate them. Truthfully, we got a lot of "I'm too busy's" and, adorably, from a few male stars, "I'm not sure it would fit my manly image," and one celebrity journalist we asked even accidentally threw hers away! But we got of yesses too. So it turned out great!

2) What inspired your design?

My design was inspired by "Forever Princess," which takes place in the springtime. Princess Mia really "blossoms" in the book, hence the tiara's floral theme, which also represents her gradu ation, going to prom, and, of course Greenpeace!

3) If you could have anyone in the world wear your tiara, who would you like to see it on?

Oh, my gosh! I guess the first person who springs to mind would be one of the Obama girls. Second would be Kathy Griffin.

4) What do you think Mia's tiara would look like if she were taking part in the auction?

A huge mess. She's not crafty at all. But you know what? Grandmere would come to the rescue and hire Martha Stewart to fix it, so in the end it would turn out BEAUTIFULLY.

Thanks Meg for taking the time to answer my questions!

Please check out the tiara auction at http://www.cmarket.com/auction/item/Browse.action?_sourcePage=/item/browseImage.jsp&sort=NAME_ASC&page=1&auctionId=73509724&view=IMAGE

Enchanting Interview: Michael P. Spradlin

1. What made you want to become a writer? Growing up I loved to read. I read all the time and just about anything I could get my hands on. I think at some point, I just naturally progressed to the realization that if reading books was so much fun, then writing them must be the best job in the world. Turns out I was right about that.

2. Why historical? I don't necessarily stick to historical. My first novels in the Spy Goddess series were contemporary tales. In the case of The Youngest Templar, I grew up loving this
period of history and reading Robin Hood and Ivanhoe and all the stories about knights and castles and sieges. I just knew that someday I would have to write a book set during that period.

3. What inspired THE YOUNGEST TEMPLAR: KEEPER OF THE GRAIL? The actual inspiration for this story came from reading a magazine article about the Rosslyn Cathedral in Scotland. Legend says it is the hiding place of the Holy Grail. When I read this, I said to myself, assuming the Grail is real and is hidden there somewhere, how did it get there? What journey did it take from the Holy Land to this place? So I worked backward and came up with a character, Tristan, who must keep the Grail safe and see it all the way to Roslin.

4. How much research did you have to do before starting the book? For historical novels quite a bit. I strive very hard for accuracy, while keeping in mind that I am writing fiction. I try to focus on the characters and the story and not overwhelm the book with historical minutiae. I would say that of all the research I do, only about 20% makes it into the book.

5. What's your writing process like? I have to have a character first. I have tons of plots in my head, but until I find the character to tell each partiuclar story, there is no story. So when a character reveals himself to me, I set him down in the world I want to create and see how he does in it. If he or she likes it, I keep going.

6. What is your favorite quality of Tristan's? I think I admire him mostly for his compassion. He strives to live by the Templar code of duty and honor. And he's also incredibly loyal. He would make a good friend I think.

7. Which character would you say is most like you? I think I'm probably more like Robard than any of the others, only hopefully not as rough around the edges as he is. I can be stubborn, but like Robard, I hope that most of the time my heart is in the right place.

8. What was your favorite scene to write in KEEPER OF THE GRAIL? My favorite scene was when Tristan and Robard meet for the first time. Originally I hadn't intended for Robard to remain in the entire book. It would be a brief meeting and then they would meet up again later. However, Robard's personality just took over and he sort of demanded to remain in the story as Tristan's sidekick. Since he had the bow and arrows I agreed to let him have his way.

9. What's next for you? I have just finished the next book in the trilogy. It's called THE YOUNGEST TEMPLAR: TRAIL OF FATE and will be out in September 2009. I'm well underway with book three and I've finished another novel that my agent is shopping around right now. It's a historical paranormal adventure and a lot of fun, we're getting a great response to it, so I hope to have a deal in place soon. My unfulfilled writing goal is to some day write a comic book series. I hope to follow in the footsteps of Brad Meltzer, Jodi Picoult and other novelists who have written for comics. I loved reading them as a kid, still read them as an adult, and I have a ton of ideas for story arcs. So I'll keep my fingers crossed! But I'll always be a novelist first.

Interview by Lisa
December 2008

Enchanting Interview: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

1. What made you want to become a writer?

Silly as it sounds, I came up with the notion of Dairy Queen and

desperately wanted to read the book. So I had to write it first. Then I was hooked.

2. Why historical?

In part because then I don't have to learn to IM. Also, history is

rather like fairy tales, providing us all a common frame of reference.

Princess Ben isn't history, really. There's no one specific time to

which it refers: if pressed, I describe it as "1750 without gun

powder." But it is old-fashioned, which is comforting, and knowable, even if we don't get all the references.

3. What inspired PRINCESS BEN?

I had a dream about a girl leaping out of a window while clutching a

broom. Truly. Then I had to write the book in order to find out what

happened.

4. How much research did you have to do before starting the book?

In my past life, I was a trained historian who specialized in the

histories of food and architecture. Needless to say, both of these get

extensive coverage in PB. But one of the great joys -- if not THE great

joy -- of writing fantasy is that by definition it doesn't require much

research. I had to nail down the names of weaponry, and military dress,

and the proper forms of address for a queen versus a princess versus a

duke. But really it's all about making stuff up.

5. What's your writing process like?

I come up with an idea -- hopefully a good one -- and then spend weeks

staring into space thinking about it. This is great fun for my

children. Then I prepare a multi-page outline based on my screenwriting

training -- I have no idea how to plot a story other than as a script.

Then I start at the beginning and work my way to the end, word by word,

promising myself that I'll get to read it once it's done. Then the hard

part starts.

6. What is your favorite quality of Ben's?

Her sense of humor! That was so much fun to weave into the story -- there's nothing like a wry aside to lift my spirits.

7. Which character would you say is most like you?

Hmmm... I have to say that I have a real soft spot for Queen Sophia.

When I first started the book, she was the archtypal villainess. But

the more I wrote about her, the more I sympathized with her situation.

Now she's probably my favorite character. My daughter would probably

say we resemble each other, though I don't garner nearly the respect

that she does.

8. What was your favorite scene to write in PRINCESS BEN?

The second ball, when Ben dances with King Renaldo, and they have a

true war or words all while smiling politely. It's probably my favorite

scene of all my books.

9. What's next for you?

The third and final Dairy Queen book, and then ... Well, we'll see. I have ideas, but no juicy dreams so far. Here's hoping.

Interview by Lisa

December 2008

Enchanting Interview: P.J. Hoover

How long have you been writing?

Since the birth of my second child, which seems kind of counterintuitive, I know! My son came first, woke up a couple times a night, every night, for over a year. So when my daughter was born and started sleeping through the night at two months old, I was in heaven. I found all this extra time on my hands in the evenings I never had before. I started writing in 2004 and have only missed a handful of nights since.

What do you like best about being a writer?

The amazing feeling that kids are reading my stories and loving them. That’s just so cool!

What's your writing schedule like?

I’m super fortunate that my hobby is now also my job. I used to work as an electrical engineer, but in April 2008 I quit to focus on writing full time. I write in the evenings, every evening, from about 9:00-11:00. During the days, I work in clumps. If there is a bunch of publicity stuff to get done, I’ll spend the day knocking it out. If the publicity isn’t as front focus, I’ll spend the day writing. I have until I pick my kids up from school each day to work which is wonderful!

What's your writing process like?

I’m playing around with various techniques to help improve my craft. On some books I’ve spent months plotting and planning before even writing the first word. On other books, I’ve spent a couple days and then jumped in. It’s a matter of experimenting to see what works well for what kind of book, and what time spent improves the piece the most.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Hmmm…let’s see. Putting my hair up in a ponytail? Drinking a cup of coffee before attempting the first word? Emptying my inbox?

No, really, let’s see. I always write on a computer, never on paper. I always finish a first draft before attempting any revisions. I keep a digital voice recorder in my purse for when inspiration hits. I read the genre I’m working on. I read books on craft. I talk writing whenever I can.

What inspired this book?

A youth of sci-fi and fantasy TV watching inspired THE EMERALD TABLET. It all started with an 80s TV show called The Powers of Matthew Star. Matthew Star was an alien with telekinetic and telepathic powers who had to fit in with teenagers in a normal high school. He got to do cool things like save the world on a regular basis. So although the characters in THE EMERALD TABLET aren’t aliens, I’m happy to say Matthew Star was the original inspiration for the story.

Also, I’m a Trekkie. And one of my favorite episodes was Who Mourns for Adonis where they found out the Greek gods were actually just super humans on earth. I loved this idea, and incorporated it into THE EMERALD TABLET.

Favorite character in the book?

I’d have to go with Heidi. She’s a spunky girl whose hair spontaneously changes color when her emotions flare up. She’s fun, doesn’t mind breaking the rules, and can read minds like nobody’s business.

Which character is most like you or most unlike you?

I’ll start with the simple one: Iva is the most unlike me. She’s gorgeous, serious, and a vegetarian. I definitely eat meat.

I’d say I’m a combination of Gary and Heidi. I have the nerd qualities of Gary, but like to have fun like Heidi (not to mention I’m a girl).

Which character gave you the toughest time to write in the book?

No one character gave me a hard time. Hard for me was making sure the five kids all had distinct voices. It took many, many revisions to make sure lines of dialog were actually true to the characters saying them. And what’s nice about writing a trilogy is that with each book this can be improved upon even more!

Who would your ideal cast be if a movie was made?

My kids and their friends J

Seriously, no idea. I’m not a pop culture kind of gal and don’t follow who’s popular at all!

What's next for you?

Next for me is hopefully a lifetime of writing!

The second book in The Forgotten Worlds Trilogy, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, comes out in Fall 2009.

The third book, THE NECROPOLIS is due out in Fall 2010.

I’m also working on a MG urban fantasy series and a YA urban fantasy.

Interview by Kim

December 2008

Enchanting Interview: Jen Calonita

3. What's your favorite part of being an author?

I LOVE CREATING NEW CHARACTERS AND WORLDS THAT READERS CAN GET CAUGHT UP IN.

4. What inspired SECRETS OF MY HOLLYWOOD LIFE?

I WAS WORKING AT A MAGAZINE CALLED TEEN PEOPLE AND I WAS AN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME INTERVIEWING TEEN STARS AND I KNEW THERE WAS A STORY THERE. FROM THERE, KAITLIN WAS BORN.

5. What do you like most about Kaitlin?

STRANGELY ENOUGH, I LOVE HOW CONFLICTED KAITLIN IS. SHE WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN. SHE'S A PEOPLE PLEASER AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY COMMON IN A LOT OF PEOPLE (INCLUDING MYSELF!). BEING A TEEN IS HARD AND I THINK KAITLIN'S REACTIONS REFLECT THAT.

6. What's one thing you have in common with her?

WELL, DEFINITELY THE PEOPLE PLEASING PART. SHE ALSO GETS HER LOVE OF STAR WARS, THE COLOR GREEN AND TV LIKES AND DISLIKES FROM ME!

7. When you wrote the first book, did you envision it as a series?

I KNEW WHEN I WROTE BOOK ONE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SECOND ONE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD GO ON FROM THERE. I'M SO GLAD IT HAS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY KAITLIN STORIES I WANT TO TELL.

8. Do you have a favorite secondary character?

THAT'S A TOUGH ONE. I LIKE SO MANY OF THEM! I LOVE NADINE BEING THE VOICE OF REASON, BUT I ALSO ENJOY WRITING SKY. THE MEAN GIRLS ARE SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE. SKY HAS SOME OF MY FAVORITE LINES.

9. What is your favorite moment of the series so far?

I'M NOT SURE I HAVE A FAVORITE, BUT FAMILY AFFAIRS HAD A LOT OF JUICY ONES. I ENJOYED MAKING KAITLIN AND SKY FRENEMIES. IT WAS FUN WATCHING THESE TWO GIRLS WHO DON'T TRUST EACH OTHER HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.

10. What's next for Kaitlin?

PAPARAZZI PRINCESS, WHICH IS OUT IN MARCH 2009, IS ALL ABOUT KAITLIN TRYING TO WORK THROUGH A WORK CRISIS. SHE GETS A LITTLE WRAPPED UP IN THE HOLLYWOOD SCENE FOR A BIT, WHICH BRINGS ABOUT A LOT OF HILARIOUS MOMENTS.

11. What would readers be surprised to know about you?

HMM....TOUGH ONE. I LOVE SCRAPBOOKING. I CAN'T STOP DOING IT. IT'S SO TIME-CONSUMING, BUT I LOVE HOW THE ALBUMS LOOK WHEN THEY'RE COMPLETED. HOPEFULLY MY SON WILL APPRECIATE WHAT I'VE DONE SOMEDAY. IF NOT, MAYBE HIS FUTURE WIFE WILL!

Interview by Lisa

October 2008

Enchanting Interview: Linda Singleton

How long have you been writing?

I have stories that I wrote when I was 8. But if you mean professionally, I started when I was 27.

Why Young Adult?

I've done middle-grade and YA. I love them both but have had more success in selling YA paranormal suspense. I prefer to write for kids because inside I feel more like a wide-eyed kid than an adult. And juvenile fiction is so amazing--I can rattle of a list of books that steal my breath and heart with wisdom, humor and wonder. Juvenile books rock!

Best part of writing Y.A?

Creating characters that I love so much they feel like part of my family. I get high on taking blank paper and watching it transform into a story. Writing is magic in action.

What's your writing process like?

Like untying tight knots...slow but eventually the tangles of story smooth out into a finished book. I love finishing a book. The End are such amazing words because they mean a beginning to stories that will reach out and touch the world.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Nope. Just Butt-in-chair (almost) every morning.

What inspired this book?

DEAD GIRL WALKING used to be called TURN LEFT AT THE MILKY WAY when I came up with the idea 20 years ago. I loved the concept of a girl waking up in the wrong body then trying to figure out who she was meant to be. But I wasn't ready to write this book back then. I needed to grow as a writer. I hope readers enjoy my directionally-challenged heroine and her misadventures with high school and heaven.

Which character is most like you or most unlike you?

Amber is the ambitious, insecure, hopeful spirit inside of me. She's sassier and braver than I am, but overall she's more like me than my other heroines. Sabine, from THE SEER series, is the least like me, which I love because that means I succeeded in writing separate from myself.

Which character gave you the toughest time to write in the book?

In the 2nd DEAD GIRL book, DEAD GIRL DANCING (March 2009), there's a hot mysterious older guy with a very dark (but poetic) side. I did a lot of rewriting until he felt right -- and with one more round of rewrites still ahead, I'm sure I'll rewrite more to get him right.

Favorite scene in the book?

The scene where Amber's dead childhood dog, Cola, does his "otherside" job of comforting an old man who is dying. I got this idea from hearing of a cat that lived in a nursing home and showed up when people were dying, sitting beside them as if comforting them on this final journey. So I created Cola, who is a Comforter and can take any shape to guide someone over to the otherside.

Who would your ideal cast be if a movie was made?

Frankly, I don't care. They could cast my characters as cartoons if that's what it would take to sell to Hollywood. I'd just LOVE to have a movie/tv show because that would boost the sales of my books so I could easily find them in any bookstore.

What's next for you?

Good question (have a crystal ball?) I really don't know for sure. I'm finishing the 3rd book in the DEAD GIRL series. My agent is shopping around a YA urban science fiction (sort of Romeo & Juliet with aliens) and my SEER fans keep asking for another book. I'd love to work on either of these projects. When I find out, I'll post it on my www.myspace.com/LindaJoySingleton blog.

Interview by Kim

September 2008

Enchanting Interview: P.C. Cast

1) How do you care for and nurture your muse?

I think it’s important as an author, as well as a successful woman, to be well read and well traveled. People are so much more interesting when they’ve had a variety of experiences, which should include visiting different cultures and countries. Probably more than anything else travel inspires me and nurtures my creativity.

2) What was the inspiration for the HOUSE OF NIGHT series? Anything taken from real life (even just a little!)?

My fabulous agent, Meredith Bernstein, came up with the idea for me to write a series about a vampyre finishing school. At that time I was reading Amelia Atwater-Rhodes’ HAWKSONG books, and I instantly thought of YA – so that’s how the House of Night was born! Yes, we definitely take many things from real life. First, the basis of our vampyres is biological. My father is a biologist; he and I brainstormed for a genetic reason for vampyres, then I added the goddess lore. The setting for the school was inspired by a prep school in Tulsa, just as many other setting elements are Tulsa based: Street Cats, South Intermediate High School (which is where I teach), the Tulsa Depot, the tunnels under the city, Utica Square, St. Johns Hospital, the Benedictine Nuns, etc. Also many of the characters are based on ex-students and friends – and, of course, Zoey is based on Kristin when she was a teenager!

3) Where did you come up with the idea of a vampire who is 'chosen'? Also the idea of the tattoos?

The Marked/Chosen part all grew out of the biological research my dad and I did, using the premise that for some teenagers hormones come alive and act on the junk DNA strands we’ve yet to map for their purpose. The tattoos were inspired by ancient goddess lore and the idea that when a young woman became a priestess she was often tattooed to show that she had been accepted into the service of her Goddess.

4) I'd like to know a little more about the mother/daughter collaboration. I've always been curious about how two people writing a book together brainstorm and make decisions...what if the two don't agree on a plot point? And the mother and daughter combination makes it even more interesting...and possibly volatile! Any funny stories come out of this?

Well, I love it because I’m the mom and I can beat Kristin if she disagrees (if I can catch her!). Seriously, we don’t always agree, but I respect Kristin’s opinions, just as she respects mine. And what we’ve discovered after writing five books together is that both of us have to bow to what the characters decide to do – so neither of us are actually in control!

5) Looking back on the first three books, is there anything you wish you could have added or even taken away?

Honestly, I wouldn’t change anything about the books. I love the House of Night and feel strongly about our characters and the problems/conflicts they face. I like that our heroine and the secondary characters are flawed, and that they actually make mistakes – like real life. I find it interesting and sometimes disturbing that some teenagers judge Zoey and her friends harshly when they mess up, when so many teenagers mess up! To me it makes a point about not being so quick to judge

Interview September 2008

Enchanting Interview: Beth Fehlbaum

How long have you been writing?

All my life. I began writing professionally when I began writing Courage in Patience-- even though I didn't realize at the time that I was writing something I would submit for publication.

What do you like best about being a writer?

I love being in "the zone", when I am so immersed in what I am creating, I am lost in the story and unaware of the passage of time.

Why Young Adult?

I really enjoy being around teenagers. Truth be told, however, I did not set out to write a Y.A. book-- and, actually, Courage in Patience is appealing to people across the age spectrum.

Best part of writing Y.A.

The letters I get from teenagers, and the things they say to me that let me know they really "got" what I was trying to do with Courage in Patience.

What's your writing schedule like?

I wrote Courage in Patience in the wee hours of the morning, before work, and on the weekends. I am still very much a middle-of-the-night writer.

What's your writing process like?

I usually start out by rereading much of what I've already written and revise and rewrite, then add to the story.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I require massive quantities of Diet Coke nearby and Chuck Pyle music on the iPod when I am writing. I do a lot of copy-editing by printing out chunks of what I've written, putting it in a binder, and reading it while I'm on the treadmill. I keep sticky notes & a highlighter nearby to mark areas I need to fix-- a comma here, quotation marks there, change this word, etc.

What inspired this book?

My own recovery from childhood sexual abuse was the catalyst. I have always written as a way of processing my own life, and in the course of therapy, I was writing short stories and poems and sharing them with my therapist. One day, he suggested that I try writing a novel. It took me about four months of trying to pull myself out of my own head enough to stand back and look at the recovery experience more as an observer than a participant. And that's when the story really began to flow.

How did you come up with the title?

I honestly do not remember.

Favorite character in the book?

Gotta be Ashley. I love her. Wait-- I also love Bev, her stepmother, because she is so brave. Then there's Zaquoiah…you know, I love most all of the characters like they are my own children… I don't think I can actually settle on one!

Which character is most like you or most unlike you?

Mmmm… I'm not going to answer that one… good question, though!

Which character gave you the toughest time to write in the book?

Definitely Charlie.

Hardest scene to write?

Most of Chapter 2 was excruciating to write.

Favorite scene in the book?

I have several that are my favorites for different reasons-- but one that comes to mind is when Dr. Matt tells Ashley that what happened to her and the way she was treated in her mother's house was "Fucked Up", and when she hears him say that, she felt something inside herself wake up-- like a flower turning toward the sun-- because Dr. Matt said so strongly what she had known was true within herself-- but here was someone validating that feeling for her. Then, when she takes off running from the encounter with her mother, she is sobbing uncontrollably, but she feels alive and says that for the first time she feels unafraid and like a flower turning toward the sun.

Do you have any sequels planned?

Yes, I'm working on the sequel-- it's called Hope in Patience. People have already been writing to me telling me that they didn't want Courage in Patience to end, because they weren't ready to let go of Ashley at the end. I feel the same way. Ashley has unfinished business.

Who would your ideal cast be if a movie was made?

I think John Cusack would be a great "David" -- but other than that, it would take me hours to think about that!

What's next for you?

As I said, I'm working on the sequel to Courage in Patience. And I'm also rolling around in my mind a story with adult characters who are dealing with scars and working through them.

Interview by Kim

September 2008

Enchanting Interview: YA Author Taylor Materne

1. How did the idea for writing a book together come about?



First off, let me thank you all for taking the time to read and review the book. We always love to get new opinions of what is working and what is not. It's greatly appreciated!





Hobson and I were living in Atlanta at the time and he mentioned how there had never been a proper depiction of boarding school life done on TV (this was around the time of The O.C.) and his words really stuck with me. I began contacting alumni from Hotchkiss that worked in the film and TV world and asked around about the process of developing/pitching a TV show. It was certainly a long shot, but the one thing I did learn is that if you put in the effort inevitably someone will take notice.



After about two months of developing the TV treatment Hobson and I came to a roadblock. We discovered that it was difficult for us to capture an authentic voice of a teenage girl. I had just read Caroline's first novel, HERE KITTY KITTY (where she goes by Jardine Libaire) and on a whim I contacted her. At that time I was living back in NY and she was in Brooklyn. We had drinks and reminisced on our experiences at Hotchkiss (we all went to the same boarding school, but at separate times). Caroline jumped on board and over the next few months we developed a sixty-page treatment!

I now work a lot in TV and I can tell you that no one wants to read a sixty-page treatment, but it was thorough. Caroline sent it to her literary agent who then linked us up with a TV and Film agent in LA. While he was shopping the property our literary agent felt that the document we had was rich enough to pitch as a novel. About two weeks later we had pitch meetings and offers from publishing houses. It was a very exciting time to say the least!





2. Why YA?

We did receive offers in both the adult and YA market, but the adult market meant we were probably going to end up doing an expose rather than a pure work of fiction. YA also allowed us the ability to develop characters over the course of multiple books and I think we were able to find our own stride as writers as we got further along into writing the novels. My favorite characters are Parker and Chase who aren't major focal points till our second novel, MISS EDUCATED. They return as the main focus of our final book, CRASH TEST, which comes out in September. YA give authors and readers an opportunity to see characters grow over time as you might in a television show.





3. What's your writing process like?

I think of it in the same way as one might think of a band, like a Destiny's Child or The Supremes. You have three artists who each have a distinct voice and through repetition it becomes apparent where a certain person shines. I am stronger with dialogue and the whole scope of the story. My partner's strengths with detail and tone only compliment me. That isn't to say that everyone wasn't extremely adept at all facets, but certain characters and certain scenes or chapters sometimes resonate with a different writer.

Sometimes you end up writing scenes that aren't as exciting as others so we tried to let one another take on moments that spoke to them which is the most fun for any writer...when your mind is racing faster than your fingers can type.





4. What have you learned about writing together, three books in to the series?

That's it's a challenge. There is a reason that most writers work alone or in team of two. Most writers are very stubborn in their ways and beliefs. I certainly am. You also find that you may not work at the same pace as another writer and that becomes extremely difficult.

It can also be extremely rewarding to read someone's work that so perfectly compliments your own, but it takes time to get to that point.





5. Best thing about co-writing? Worst thing about co-writing?

The exchange of ideas prior to actually writing is very rewarding. You get different perspectives that can help broaden your story and characters. Writing is also a very lonely occupation so it is nice to have constant contact with people.

The negatives are the same as the positives unfortunately. Sometimes you want to work at your own pace, you don't want your work manipulated, and you simply get frustrated.



The positives in our experience certainly outweighed the negatives, but it was a learning experience. You try to remember that you are blessed to do something that you love and be patient, but not all writers are as open--we had to work at it.





6. How much of 'The Upper Class' mirrors your own experiences?

Because we are all boarding school alums, much of the description of the exclusive society mirrors our own experiences. The international student body, the classes, the dorms, and the campus are all very similar to our alma mater and New England boarding schools in general.

The story itself has hints of our backgrounds and experiences. Chase, for instance, had an older brother who went to Hotchkiss and so did I. However, because Hobson, Caroline and I were not at Hotchkiss during the same period our characters were just amalgamations of a lot of people we knew. The themes we dealt with were themes familiar to us, but we also worked hard at trying not to date our stories too much. There is nothing worse as a teen or young adult than listening to an adult tell you what your life is like or use outdated lingo.

I graduated from Hotchkiss in '99 and much had changed in the six or so years when we began writing. We spoke with teachers, students, and visited campuses to familiarize ourselves with boarding school again. I think getting the world right is important because we wanted our audience to realize that just because these kids are living together in dorms without their parents doesn't mean they aren't dealing with the same problems as other teens. In fact, because they are coming of age in such a strange place their issues tend to be that much more heightened.





7. Can you describe 'The Upper Class' in three words?

Honest, Authentic, Stylish





8 What are your favorite qualities about Laine and Nicki?

I think they both grew a great deal throughout the story. Both of them were from such different, but equally insular worlds that it was interesting to see them adapting to boarding school where no one really cares who you were at home.

Nikki is certainly the more outgoing of the two, but she also carries many insecurities. They are alike in that regard. Both have scars.

Laine is a tougher girl to crack because she is so guarded. She is easily manipulated, but I think she begins to understand friendship by the end of the book. Boarding school is interesting in that way because, unlike regular high school, you need to be able to rely on your friends since you don't have a family to return to at the end of day. It's a very difficult environment for shy individuals at first. They are forced to branch out quickly and I'm sure many boarding school alums will tell you that they were glad to learn how to adapt at age 15 rather than 18 when they are leaving for college.





9. What was your favorite moment in the book?

I think my favorite moment in the book was when Laine went to the Long Island party with Nikki. I thought it was a moment when Laine finally began to realize who Nikki was and where she came from and how they weren't very different. I also thought it was great to see her interact with guys that were so dissimilar from the normal preppy crowd she was used to.





10. What would readers be surprised to know about you?

That my entire family works in the banking world in New York. I now live in Venice Beach, California, which is much more my speed. I think it just goes to show you that when you are young you feel as though you are destined for a certain life because that is all you know, but it's okay to go another way. I never even told my family I was writing until I got the book deal. They were shocked and scared and proud all at the same time. Sometimes it is important to break the mold.





11. What's next for you?

I'm now working mostly in TV and Film. I have two scripted shows in development right now. I'm hoping that in time we will be able to see the boarding school world on TV or in film. It is inevitable and I think our books would transition well, so I'll keep you posted. I'd love to show audiences how boarding school compares to a show like GOSSIP GIRL, for instance. I think people would find the world very intriguing because of the widely different backgrounds of students and all the chaos that exists behind those gates.

We also have our fourth and final novel, CRASH TEST, coming out in August. I really hope audiences like how we ended the series.



Thank you all so much for the support! Please be sure to visit us or email us at our myspace or facebook pages! We are always available to chat!

www.myspace.com/upperclassnovels

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1051538679&ref=ts

Enchanting Reviews Interview with YA Author Kathryn Williams

1. What made you want to be a writer?
Being able to work in my pajamas. Kidding (kind of). As long as I can remember, I’ve just loved words and writing. It’s how I best express myself. When I was really young, I used to write poems and short stories about a horse named Babbling Brook in a pink Trapper Keeper my mom got for me. I still have it.

2. Why young adult?
Why not? (Sorry, I hate it when people answer a question with a question.) I’m relatively young myself, 26 -- and while that might sound as old as the earth to some readers, it feels young, so I still feel close to that audience and identify with a lot of the issues and themes addressed in YA lit. I love how you say in your bio that you’re "a young girl and a grown woman," because that’s how I feel, too.

I’m also in awe of how perceptive teens are -- they pick up on everything! Their threshold for bullshit is low, which I respect. I think maybe it’s a product of growing up in the Internet era. They’re constantly bombarded with media, so they learn early on how to sniff out insincerity or fakeness, and they’re also used to sharing their lives online, so they expect openness. There definitely is something as too much information, but in books, I believe you shouldn’t hold back. I think we’re finally reaching a point where publishers are realizing we don’t have to hold back in YA.

3. What inspired THE DEBUTANTE?
I have to give credit where credit is due. The seed of the idea -- a girl from the North whose family moves to the South and forces her into the whole debutante culture -- was actually my publisher’s. My editors grew up in New York and Connecticut but had spent some time in the South and were so intrigued by this "foreign" culture. They saw a personal essay I wrote for a newspaper in New York about being Southern in New York City, and they contacted me. When I heard their idea, I loved it. It was the reverse of what I was experiencing, living in New York and really missing the South, and this was a way for me to sort of revisit it through my writing. (While the book is definitely not autobiographical, I did draw a lot on my experiences growing up in Richmond, Virginia.)

4. Describe Annie in three words.
Searching, sarcastic, genuine. The last two seem like they contradict each other, but I don’t think they have to.

5. What’s one thing you have in common with Annie?
I tend to be sarcastic, like she is. I also love old-school game shows. I did not, however, make my debut, though a lot of my friends did. And I did do cotillion in middle school, which is kind of like pre-debutante (not to be confusing, because some debutante balls are, in fact, called cotillions). We had to wear white gloves and learn ballroom dances (none of which I remember, except for the "Star Gaze" and the "Pretzel") at the Tuckahoe Women’s Club. The big dance, called the Holly Ball, was at Christmas, and my friend had a party every year where we made our own bouquets (we called them "nosegays"… seriously). Man, I wish I had photos to share with you. The dresses were awesome -- sleeves bigger than my head. Of course, I think I saw SJP in something similar the other day, so maybe those are back in now…

6. THE DEBUTANTE has such vivid secondary characters. Who would you pick as your favorite?
Thank you! We (and I say "we" because my editor was awesome and very involved) worked hard to bring them to life and fill them out. I would say Mary Katherine or Gram… probably Gram. She comes off as a witch, but she’s just from a different era. You run across a lot of older people like that in the South, who are living by the codes and traditions of a bygone time. If you haven’t noticed, we don’t like to let things go in the South, especially if it’s "tradition." Sometimes it’s infuriating, and sometimes it’s a beautiful thing -- as Annie learns in the book.

7. What was your favorite scene to write?
Ooh. That’s a hard one. I enjoyed writing a lot of the scenes. Some were added later in the editing process to help move the story along and flesh out the characters, so those were sometimes difficult to work in. I guess I’d say the party scene when (without giving too much away) Annie has a major freak-out. For some reason, I loved writing her freak-out scenes, like the other one in the car with Robert, too. The scene I least liked writing was the kiss -- I felt so awkward, like I was invading my characters’ privacy! Haha! I think I was blushing the whole time I wrote it. I also really didn’t want to be cheesy.

8. Any chance of a sequel or a spin-off with one of the other characters?
Not at the moment. I’m really happy with where I left Annie and the other girls at the end of the book, and I don’t want to beat a dead horse with the whole fish-out-of-water thing. I wanted to characterize the South but never caricature it, and I’d be afraid if this book became a series, it might lead to that. But I grew to know and love my characters, so never say never…

9. What would readers be surprised to know about you?
I am the world record holder for longest javelin throw. Kidding. I have no idea. What have they been saying…?

10. What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on a second YA novel. This one’s set at a summer camp in Tennessee. I had an awesome experience, both as a camper and a counselor, at a camp in Virginia growing up, so I really wanted to explore that setting. There’s just something about camp that’s magical. Those were great summers.

I also have an illustrated gift/humor book about living with roommates coming out in September. It’s called Roomies: Sharing Your Home with Friends, Strangers, and Total Freaks and would be great for guys and girls heading to college and getting ready to experience dorm life. If you’ve never had a roommate before, sharing your living space can be a shocking experience.