Maria Roberts (superb writer, check her out
here), sent me this interview to do and post. I’m supposed to ask five more writers to do it, but the chances of me getting organized enough to actually do so with my upcoming UK trip (while pregnant with a three year old and a one year old) is low. It’s a great initiative and fun to try! You could use the interview questions yourself and post the answers on your own blog – let me know if you do!
Where did the idea come from for the book?
My most recent book is called 40 Things I Want To Tell You and the idea came from a combination of moments rather than just one blast of inspiration. I was thinking about this character, Bird, a girl who wants to fly but who is terribly controlling. She kept appearing in my head. At the same time, I was curious about online advice columns and I was reading lots of them. I started thinking about a story where a girl, nicknamed Bird, ran a site giving advice to other teens, but her own life began to fall apart.
What genre does your book fall under?
Young adult fiction.
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, this is the sort of question I’m terrible at answering. I find it hard to remember the names of movie stars. Um, I like that good looking guy in Into The Wild. He’d be Griffin. Then someone with a sweet, ordinary look could play Bird. Pete, hmmm, maybe the guy who plays Pieta in the Hunger Games. Just as well I’m not a casting agent!
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
Despite Bird’s good intentions the hot new guy at school is just too tempting, her plans fall apart, leading to a whole new life.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It’s published by HarperCollins Canada.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Two years, including lots of editing. The first draft isn’t something I can easily pin down – the first time I showed someone else was two years into the project. I probably wrote a very messy draft much more quickly, but I wasn’t sure if it was going to become anything.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Realistic teen fiction. No vampires, dystopias, monsters, sadly. I’d love to be able to write such fantastical teen fiction, but I’m solidly in the realism camp.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
That character I described floating around my head. The experience of having small children, which has led me to abandon any sense of control I might have had.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Bird writes Top Tips for her online readers. There are 40 of them. I loved working out what bits of advice Bird was going to share and I shamelessly plundered the brains of my family, friends and even total strangers for their best ‘life tips’.
