Official Bio
Alyson Noël is the #1 New York Times best-selling, award-winning, author of 23 novels including: The Immortals, The Riley Bloom, and The Soul Seekers series.
With 9 New York Times bestsellers, and over 8 million copies in print, her books have been translated into 36 languages, sold in over 200 countries, and have made the New York Times, USA Today, LA Times, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal, NCIBA, and Walmart Bestsellers lists, and have won numerous awards such as: the National Reader's Choice Award, NYLA Book of Winter Award, NYPL Stuff for the Teenage, TeenReads Best Books of 2007, Reviewer's Choice 2007 Top Ten, appeared on the CBS Early Show's "Give the Gift of Reading" segment, and selected for Seventeen Magazine's "Hot List" and Beach Book Club Pick.
Chosen as one of OC Metro magazine’s “20 Women to Watch,” she’s been nominated for the Orange County Business Journal’s “Women in Business Awards” as well as their “Excellence in Entrepreneurship” award. The dramatic rights for The Soul Seekers are optioned to Cheyenne Enterprises and Traziende films; the dramatic rights to Saving Zoë are optioned to actresses/producers Ellen Marano, Vanessa Marano (Switched at Birth), Laura Marano (Austin & Ally), with Jeffrey G. Hunt (Vampire Diaries, Gotham) directing; dramatic rights to The Immortals are optioned to Gil Adler (Valkyrie, Constantine) & Jason Rosenberg.
Born and raised in Orange County, California, she’s lived in both Mykonos and Manhattan and is now settled back in Southern California.
Book Report Facts
Born—December 3
Where—Orange County, CA
Married—Yes
Kids—No
Pets—As a kid: dogs, turtles, birds, horses, snakes, rabbits, lizards, fish, and tarantulas. As an adult: none, but I just know a puppy is in my future!
Jobs—In this order: Babysitter, department store sales clerk, administrative assistant, office manager, jewelry maker/T-shirt painter, hotel front desk clerk, tour operator representative, flight attendant, author.
Geography—I've lived in Mykonos and Manhattan and am now settled back in The OC.
Books I loved as a kid that made me want to be a writer too—Anything by Judy Blume or JD Salinger rocked my world! Also, SE Hinton, Stephen King, Judith Krantz, Sidney Sheldon, and Jackie Collins.
Are any of your books inspired by things that happened in your life?—Yes, all of them.
Awards/Kudos/Accomplishments: #1 New York Times Bestseller, LA Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, NCIBA Bestseller, #1 International Bestseller, National Reader's Choice Award, NYLA Book of Winter Award, NYPL Books for the Teenage, TeensReadToo 5 Star Gold Awards, NYPL "Stuff for the Teenage", TeenReads, Best Books of 2007, Reviewer's Choice 2007 Top Ten, RT magazine Top Pick, nominated for a CYBIL award, Nominated for a Quill Award, Nominated for YALSA's Teen's Top Ten, chosen for the CBS Early Show's "Give the Gift of Reading" segment, Seventeen Magazine "Hot List" and Beach Book Club Pick, OC Metro magazine "20 Women to Watch."
Five things you may not know about me—- My hair has been brown, orange, red, blonde, auburn, black, and purple. Only the purple was an accident and I lived with it for three days, wondering if I should just go with it before I had it fixed.
- I pronounce the word thing like theen, and I don't do it on purpose.
- I believe in silver linings, even when all evidence points against it.
- I once ate a live bug during a game of Truth or Dare. Next time I’ll pick Truth.
- If I could go back in time I would travel to Renaissance Florence—but only if I could bring my modern day grooming habits with me!
Fun Facts
Did you always want to be a writer? Well first I wanted to be a mermaid, and then a princess, but the day I finished reading my first Judy Blume book I knew I wanted to be a writer. I was always an avid reader, starting with Green Eggs and Ham, and progressing through Charlotte's Web, and all the Little House on the Prairie books. But it was Are you there God? It's me Margaret, and Deenie, that felt like they were written just for me, and my friends, and all the things we were going through. Those books made me realize how a story could be so much more than just words on a page.How much of your writing is based on your own experience? Most of it—I steal from my own life all the time. My motto is: If it didn't kill me, then I'll find a way to write about it!
What was your favorite book as a child? I learned to read with Horton Hatches the Egg, and I still own the original! I even wrote my name on the inside cover, (though the S is backwards). Charlotte's Web is the first book that ever made me cry (I mean, I was sobbing!), and I think I've read Deenie at least 15 times (and I kept the original copy of that one as well)!
What are some of your hobbies?
What is your working environment like? A home office with purple walls, built in bookshelves overflowing with books and gifts from readers, and when I’m writing I always have a cup of green tea and a scented candle at the ready.
Since starting your career as an author, what are some of the most important lessons you've learned?
- I will always panic the week before a new book comes out, and that this is not likely to change.
- The brilliant ideas that stop by in the middle of the night always disappear by morning.
- It's never too late to follow your dream, though there's nothing wrong with getting a head start.
- Getting published is just as hard as staying published—this business is truly a marathon, not a sprint.
What is your least favorite word? Cancer.
Saturday evening. Going out or reading a book? Going out for a nice dinner, but still getting home early enough to read before bed!
Holidays. Beach or Mountains? Even though I live at the beach, I still like to vacation at the beach!
Country or City? City girl, totally.
Shy or Easy-going? Easy going, with the occasional bout of inexplicable shyness.
Serious or Funny? I'm always looking for the funny.
Traveler or not? Traveler. I've been to 5 continents so far—Antarctica, I'm coming for you!
Sporty or not? Clumsy, uncoordinated, and so not sporty!
The leader in the group or not? Always the observer.
Favorite...
TV series: Breaking Bad.Movie: I have so many favorites, but if I have to choose one then, American Beauty.
Book: Again, I love so many books from so many genres, but let’s go with Catcher in the Rye.
Music: Classic rock, alternative, blues, jazz, pop . . . it's all good!
Food: French bistro.
City: Paris!
Favorite place to write in: My home office.
Sentence or motto: "Don’t believe everything you think."
