1. What drew you to YA fantasy writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?
I was always an avid reader, raised by a mom who introduced me to the magic of books early on. But it wasn’t until I read Judy Blume’s ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET and DEENIE , that I knew I wanted to be a writer too. It was those books that felt like they were written just for me, and my friends, and all the things we were going through. They made me realize how a story could be so much more. So I started writing really dreadful poetry in junior high, and by high school I took to writing short stories that I used to hand in instead of the essays my teachers assigned. And though I took various writing classes through the years, it wasn’t until the tragic events of 9/11 when I was working as a flight attendant in NYC and figured a job change might be in order, when I finally sat down and finished the manuscript that’d been living in my head for decades. Ultimately resulting in my debut novel, FAKING 19.
As for writing fantasy, ever since I was a little kid I’ve been fascinated by anything to do with the supernatural. Seriously, CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST was my favorite cartoon! So I’m actually kind of surprised I didn’t write a paranormal sooner, especially since I love being in Ever and Damen’s world.
2. Where did the idea for Evermore come from?
EVERMORE , and the entire IMMORTALS series, was inspired by grief. A few years ago I 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!). Experiencing that sort of intense grief and fear got me thinking a lot about life and death, mortality and immortality, the soul’s journey, the bonds that tie us even after a loved one is 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 achieve it? 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 of those themes.
3. Are there any plans for a movie? If there is, will you be part of it as a producer?
We are currently in serious negotiations that I’m really excited about, but that’s all I’m allowed to say until everything is inked and ready to go! Though, if there is a movie / TV show, they’ll most likely hire a team of professionals so I probably won’t be part of that process—I just get to write the books ! J
4. Do you know how many more books will be in the series or do you just write one at a time?
There will be a total of six books in the IMMORTALS series. I’m currently in the process of finishing the final book in the series. So far, the release schedule is:
Evermore – in stores now
Blue Moon – in stores now
Shadowland – in stores now
Dark Flame – in stores now
Shadowland paperback- 09.14.10
IMMORTALS boxed set- 10.12.10
NIGHT STAR – 11.16.10
UNTITLED #6 – in stores 2011
5. Radiance is Riley’s life after death, can you give us a little peek into the story?
RADIANCE is the first book in the Immortals spin-off series featuring Riley, Ever’s ghostly little sister. Riley’s series picks up right after we left her in EVERMORE , and it’s about her experiences in the afterlife—which is not quite the eternity of cloud lounging and harp lessons she envisioned. She has a job—Soul Catcher—and she’s been assigned a guide—Bodhi, a fourteen-year old boy she’s not quite sure what to make of.
Riley turned out to be one of my favorite characters to write, and because of that she ended up getting a much bigger part in EVERMORE than I originally planned. So I was thrilled when I was offered the chance to send her out into the world to tell her own story. RADIANCE will hit stores on August 31 and you can view the trailer here , and read a summary of the story here .
Read the rest of the interview here: http://www.yafantasyguide.com/author-interviews/alyson-noel.htm
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