First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
Well, I first started writing stories and poems in junior high, so I’ve liked telling stories for a long time. But writing for yourself and publishing are very different things, and it wasn’t until much later (college, actually) that I could imagine myself as a writer. I can vividly remember the first time a teacher said to me: “We have a writer here.” And I thought: “Are you talking to me?” That’s when it started.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
I’ve always enjoyed the thriller/mystery/horror genre—from Stephen King’s writing to films like Silence of the Lambs (the book version too!) and Seven. One day, I just decided to give it a shot. I had a few ideas, and I ran with the one that I thought would be the most interesting. That’s how I started my first adult thriller, Night Visions. Really, I wanted to know if I could do it. I hadn’t planned on publishing it, but once I finished, I bought one of those “how to find an agent” books. And it worked! I found an agent, and she found a publisher. We’ve been working together ever since.
Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?
My new book, The Unspoken, is about a group of teenagers who were raised by a cult that foresaw their deaths. Five years later, they must face this horrifying prophecy—that they will die from their worst fear.
If I had to tell my readers one thing to buy it, I’d say it’s scary and creepy and fun and a real page turner! But to give you a more serious answer, the book is about fear and how we all try to deal with the things that we’re afraid of. I think the world around us can seem really violent and unstable at times. How does this fuel our own fears and insecurities? How do we become afraid of something? What do these fears say about us? I wanted to explore these kinds of questions.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
Other books and writers! When I read a great novel, it inspires me to write—to write better—and to push myself.
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
My parents live in Los Angeles, which is where I grew up, and I have one brother. I’ve dedicated The Unspoken to his daughters—my two enchanting nieces, Tommi-Rose (who is two-and-a-half) and Ellie Lynn (who is one). (Hi girls!) They’re very supportive, and they’re excited about the new book. I’m lucky to call them family.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate. And by chocolate, I mean anything with chocolate.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
Hit the snooze button.
Hit the snooze button again.
Check my email.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?
Well, I’d be surprised to find you in my closet. That being said … I think the most surprising thing that you would find is my Tar Heel Basketball T-shirt and cap. I love college basketball, and I’m a die-hard fan of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill basketball. Go Heels!
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
Green. It’s cool, easy-going, spring-like, and a mixture of blues and yellows.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Cartman from Southpark because he’s so offensive and outrageous.
Which cartoon character is most like you?
Schroeder from Peanuts. I’ve been playing the piano for most of my life, so as a kid, I identified with Schroeder—always playing the piano and concentrating so hard on his music. I was also really attached to my blanket as a kid, so perhaps I have a little Linus in me too.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?
Austria in the 18th century. I think it would be really cool to meet Mozart and to hear him play a concert.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?
My favorite type of music is classical--not only because I’m a bit of a nerd but also because I grew up playing classical piano. I do love all types of music, but the only kind that I can listen to while writing is classical. Songs with words distract me too much when I’m writing. I need to hear the words of my characters instead.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
My favorite shows right now are Battlestar Galactica, The Shield, and Damages. I loved The Sopranos too, and I never get tired of catching a rerun of The X-Files. I just saw the movie No Country for Old Men, and I thought it was great.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Keep reading books—whatever you can get your hands on!
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
My next teen thriller, Sleepless, is about a group of students in a secret society that try to figure out who or what is responsible for an epidemic of sleepwalking that is causing teens in a small town to kill each other. It’s pretty wild, scary stuff. That’s coming out next year (2009).
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you.
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