FAQ: general questions
Other than the fact that it's about a teen living in Laguna Beach, CA, EVERMORE is a bit of a departure from your other books with all of its supernatural elements—what inspired you to write this series?
A few years ago, I went through a period of intense grief where I lost three people I loved in five horrible months, and then almost lost my husband to leukemia and it felt like my entire world was crashing down (he's in full remission now). Going through those tough times got me thinking a lot about life and death, mortality and immortality, and how we can still feel a bond with our loved ones even long after they're gone, and since I've always been interested in all things paranormal, Ever and Damen's story was born from there.
Your main character, Ever, is psychic and can see people's auras, if you could have any special power, what would it be?
When I first started writing the book, I was so jealous of Ever's powers, but it wasn't long before I realized what a burden it was for her. Knowing a person's entire life story by touch and hearing everyone's thoughts would feel more than a little invasive. Or as Ever puts it, "Hearing your friend's thoughts requires a heck of a lot of forgiveness." Though I still think seeing auras would be cool...
Since becoming a writer, what's the coolest thing to ever happen to you?
Seeing my first book, FAKING 19, on the bookstore shelves was definitely a dream-come-true moment, getting my first e-mail from a reader was completely amazing, and meeting Judy Blume in person and getting to thank her for inspiring me to write my books and live my dreams was truly over the top!
The Damen character in EVERMORE is very dreamy. I fell just a little bit in love when I read it. Is he inspired by anyone you know?
Damen encompasses all the traits I find appealing—he's smart, artistic, inventive, open minded, curious, adventurous, well mannered, mysterious, oh, and he's skilled in the kitchen too! Hmmm, now that I think about it, he shares a lot of the same traits as my husband . . .I definitely married a Renaissance man!
If EVERMORE were to be turned into a movie, who would be your top choice to play Ever and Damen?
It's funny, because writing my books is such a visual experience, I often feel like I'm transcribing the movie in my head! And while I can see all of my characters so clearly, down to the smallest detail, that also makes it hard for me to cast them with real life actors. Though I wouldn't mind sitting in on the casting call for Damen's role . . .
What made you decide to write a paranormal book?
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.
What sort of research did you do to prepare?
The research was, and continues to be, the best part of the process! It's the perfect excuse to study the subjects I've always been interested in. So anytime I'm lying on the couch reading a book about psychic phenomenon, or watching a documentary on near death experiences, I can honestly say, "Don't bother me, I'm working!"
I've read a ton of books on ghosts, psychics, near death experiences, past lives, auras, chakras, crystals, reincarnation—you name it! But aside from all the book reading, Internet searching, and documentary watching, I also took a three-day psychic development seminar with world famous medium and best selling author, James Van Praagh, and it was absolutely fascinating! He had us engaging in all sorts of meditations and psychic exercises, and I must say the results really exceeded my expectations—I was blown away!
I also did a couple past life regressions with bestselling author Dr. Brian L Weiss who's a leading pioneer in the field. And while I was a bit skeptical going in, I have to say the visions I saw under hypnosis were nothing like I thought they would be!
So you actually believe in all of this stuff?
I like to keep an open mind. A willingness to consider all the possibilities and be open to whatever the universe has to offer is what keeps the creativity flowing. There's a limited number of "what ifs" if I assume I already have all the answers. Besides, I've experienced enough unexplained phenomenon to ever say never.
How many books will be in THE immortals series?
There will be 6 books in total:
EVERMORE
BLUE MOON
SHADOWLAND
DARK FLAME: in stores 06.22.10
NIGHT STAR: in stores 11.16.10
EVERLASTING: in stores 06.07.11
And don't miss The Immortals spin-off, the Riley Bloom series, including RADIANCE, SHIMMER (03.15.11), DREAMLAND (09.13.11), & WHISPER (Spring 2011).
FAQ: advice on writing/publishing
I wrote a book—how do I go about getting it published?
First you'll want to get an agent since it's nearly impossible these days to sell a book without one. Most of the bigger New York publishers won't even look at unagented manuscripts. Also, those publishing contracts can get pretty complicated so it's good to have someone on your side who knows the ropes.
Okay, so how do I go about getting an agent, then?
I'm not gonna lie, getting an agent is tough, but then, publishing is a tough business, so if you really want it, you can't let that stop you.
A good place to start is by going to your library and/or bookstore and checking out the most current version of Writer's Market, which provides a comprehensive listing of all the major agents and publishers and tells you how to contact them, you can find Writer's Market on the web as well.
Once you've decided whom to target, you'll need to write a one-page query letter that briefly describes you, your book, and why a publisher would want to buy it. It's a lot tougher than it seems, so be sure to take your time to get it in the best shape possible as this alone will determine whether of not the agent will request to see your book. Though if they don't ask to see more, don't get discouraged. Rejection is the one thing you can count on in this business, which is why perseverance is key!
I can't seem to finish my book, what do I do?
Honestly, there's no silver bullet here—it all comes down to B.I.C. ("Butt in Chair") it's really the only way to get from the beginning to The End. Because the truth is, the story idea is always the most exciting part. Writing the beginning of the story is fun too, but then, somewhere around the middle, it becomes, well, not-so fun. And that's usually about the time when a shiny, newer idea starts to beckon. . .
But, if you want to be a writer, you have to learn to ignore that new idea in favor of the one you've already started—(though make sure to write it down in your Idea Folder—you have one of those, right?—so you can revisit it later). Finishing a novel is a huge accomplishment, one that many would be writers never get around to. I know, it took me 15 years to finish my first book!
Every time I start a new book I get a better idea for another one, and then all I want to do is write that book-how do I stay focused?
See above—it's all about BIC! BIC—one page at a time—it's the only way!
How do you come up with the names for your characters?
I love names, especially unusual ones, and I collect them in a little something I like to call "My Unusual Names File" (I'm big on keeping files!). So every time I hear a new one, I add it to the collection, then when I start a new book, I search through the list and pick and chose among them.
Should I outline my entire book before I write it?
If that works for you, then sure, why not? The important thing is to find what works for you, since there's no right or wrong way, just your way!
For me, I like to do a general outline, (I use the Beat Sheet from Blake Snyder's amazingly useful book: SAVE THE CAT) listing all the major turning points along the way, which is sort of like a roadmap that leads me to my final destination, aka—The End. Though I still allow plenty of open road so the journey can involve an alternate route if I chose. But that's just me, lots of other writers like to pre-plan each and every scene, it takes a while to find what works best for you. The key is to try varying techniques and see which fits best.
How do you get past writer's block?
By refusing to believe in it. Seriously. If I believe in it, then I might experience it, and I just don't have time for that. Though, when I do find myself "stuck" I usually go back and do more research into my world, my characters, their motivation, etc, and it always spawns the next sentence. Always. Never fails!
What is "I-suck-itis" and how do I make sure I don't get infected?
I-suck-itis is that feeling you get when you're happily engrossed in your writing, everything's going great, and then, smack out of nowhere, that horrible, annoying, little voice in your head pipes in with all sorts of judging, and snarking, and horrible little comments—determined to convince you that you'll never be as good as so and so.
When that happens, the only cure is to tell that little voice to mind it's own business, thankyouverymuch. That you are just trying to get the first draft written and have every intention to go back and revise later. Because the truth is, writing is all about re-writing, and to paraphrase Nora Roberts: You can't fix a blank page!
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
The best advice I can give any writer is to READ—and read widely. The books you like, as well as the books you don't like—they all have something to teach you. Reading a lot of books, in a wide variety of genres, goes a long way toward teaching storytelling rhythm. It's the most valuable tool a reader has.
And then, of course, you have to WRITE. Get in the habit of writing when and where you can because the more you write the better you get. And again, allow yourself to write without judging, since you can (and should!) always go back and revise it later. I revise my books countless times before I hand them into my editor, and then, even after that, I usually revise them again before they hit the bookstore shelves. Then, once your work is finished, it's good to put it aside for a few weeks while you work on something else. It's amazing what you'll see when you revisit it with fresh eyes!
If you have writing classes available in school take them—if not, there are a lot of good writing books out there—two of my favorites are actually geared toward screenwriters, but whether it's a movie or a book, the story elements are basically the same. One is STORY by Robert McKee—and the other is SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder. ON WRITING by Stephen King is really helpful as well—the first part is mostly autobiography (which is really quite interesting), while the second half is some really solid writing advice.
Oh, and don't forget to LIVE! Don't spend so much time writing that you're not out there living! Your own experiences will make for much richer stories, so make sure to walk away from your computer now and then and go make some memories!
How long should my book be?
Publishers go by word count, not page count. The average adult novel is 90,000 words, while the average teen novel is 55,000 words. Though the key word here is "average" there are countless exceptions.
How should I format my book?
Double space, 12 point font, I use Times New Roman.
How long does it take to write a book?
It really depends. My first book took 15 years. These days I write them in a few months.
How old do you have to be to get a book published?
There is no age limit. Publishers are interested in great stories—not birthdates!
What's the best part about being an author?
Tie between wearing pajamas to work, the short commute from the kitchen to the office, and getting to converse with so many awesome readers!
Since starting your career as an author, what would you say are some of the most important lessons you've learned?
That I will always panic the week before a new book comes out, and that this is not likely to change.
That the brilliant ideas that stop by in the middle of the night always disappear by morning.
That it's never too late to follow your dream, though there's nothing wrong with getting a head start.
That there is no magic bullet. Writing is hard work, much harder than it seems, and perseverance and a willingness to revise will take you a very long way!
That publishing is a tough business, one that is always changing, and the road is often long, and bumpy, and riddled with rejection. But if you really want it, you just have to keep going, reminding yourself that it only takes one "Yes!" to get you where you want to be!
That inspiration is not very punctual, so it's best not to sit around and wait for it to show up. Just get started, and know that if you keep at it long enough, eventually, it'll show up!
