Author Interview: Lucy Jago (Montacute House)

Today I am excited to have Lucy Jago, the author of the newly released YA historical Montacute House on the blog today to answer my questions about the book. You can see my review of the book here.

The interview:

Can you describe Montacute House in a sentence for my readers?

Montacute House is, for me, the most evocative Elizabethan House in the country. The book, 'Montacute House' is a page-turning tale of murder, mystery and witchcraft set in late Elizabethan England in which a thirteen year old illegitimate girl unwittingly uncovers a plot to assassinate the Queen and James VI of Scotland while also discovering the truth about witchcraft and her own birth.

I’m fascinated that the real 16th century property of Montacute House inspired your story. What interested you about it?

I know Montacute very well because my grandparents used to live in the village. I played there, and on the strange, conical hill behind it, as a child and would imagine witches living in the woods. As my fascination with history grew, memories of Montacute stayed with me, which I think is partly why I find the Tudor period so absorbing.

How do you think the character of poultry-girl Cess appeals to modern readers?

I think that, whatever period someone lived in, certain basic human qualities are common to us all - the need for security, for relationships with others, for status, for fulfillment in whatever form. Others, such as what we think about 'love' or 'childhood', are very much created by the times in which we live. Writing to give readers this sense - moments of identifying completely with a character and moments of alienation, is a great motivator for me and I think Cess embodies this. At times a modern reader can completely identify with her - her desire for friendships, her humiliation at being an outcast, her desire to know who her father is; but at other times she is strange to us - her genuine fear of the faerie world, for example. I think this makes her a real and believable character while also creating a sense of her as being of the time in which she lived. She is also feisty, clever, resourceful and courageous like, I suspect, many of my readers.

Montacute House is rich in interesting historical detail. What research did you have to do before writing?

Lots! The research is a very rewarding part of the writing process for me. I have to make myself stop rather than force myself to start.

What was the writing process like for Montacute House and what was your favourite part?

The writing process was fun and challenging but rather stop-and-start as I gave birth to two children and moved house four times during it. I now have three children and am moving again so, necessarily, I have had to learn to write in short bursts which I find extraordinarily difficult, especially as it always takes a while to 'get back' to the period I am writing about. I don't have a favourite part although the scene of a certain character's funeral I still find powerful despite the number of times I have read it.

What appeals to you about writing historical fiction for young adults?

I discovered my love of history once I left school - I found it exceptionally boring at school because we were made to learn dates and all about such topics as 'The Repeal of the Corn Laws' and not about people and how they lived and thought. I think the teaching of history is much better these days (my daughter comes home with really interesting projects) but I hope my books will also inspire young people to love history and see it as something alive, changing, fascinating and full of passion and mystery and not as a dull and dry list of dates and legislation.

If you could go back in time, which period of history would you travel to?

If I had to succumb to the medical and dental treatment of the period then I would not go back very far! If, however, I could come back to the present day for all my bodily needs (hot showers, clean sheets, comfortable clothes and antibiotics) then I would go back to Elizabeth I's England but I would make sure I was rich and well connected and probably male because being poor or female was very hard.

Can you tell me what you are working on next?

It's top secret but I can tell you it is set just a little later than 'Montacute House'. It is not a sequel to 'Montacute House' but I do hope to write one (or two, in fact) one day.

Thank you for answering my questions Lucy and giving such a fascinating insight into Montacute House and the process behind writing it! I'm so glad that you're writing another historical book and that a sequel for Montacute House is possible. I love your answer to number three, that is partly why I love historical fiction so much!

A Cornucopia of Dystopia Event: Interview with author Megan Mcafferty

Megan McCafferty is the author of Bumped, a satirical dystopian YA novel to be published by the Balzer + Bray imprint of HarperCollins on April 26th, 2011. She also wrote the bestselling Jessica Darling series. Megan edited a short story anthology called Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday. She has contributed to several fiction and nonfiction anthologies including My Little Red Book, Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? and Everything I Need To Know About Being a Girl Came From Judy Blume. Her work has been translated into eleven languages, including German, Chinese and Hungarian. She is writing the sequel to Bumped. (Bio from Goodreads)

Today is the start of the A Cornucopia of Dystopia event held by The Bookish Type and A Tapestry Of Words, which I posted about earlier, and I am very pleased to have the author of Bumped, an upcoming YA dystopian book, Megan Cafferty on the blog today to answer some of my questions about Bumped. So, without further ado- welcome Megan!

• What was your inspiration for Bumped? Can you describe your process as it went from an idea germinating in your mind to a fully-formed story on the page?

My fascination with the media’s response to teen pregnancy started with the notorious Gloucester High School pregnancy pact. A few months later, Bristol Palin and Jamie Lyn Spears battled for the dubious distinction as the nation’s most famous teen mom. That media brouhaha, coupled with the critical and commercial success of Juno, made teen pregnancy a hot topic in the media, with a lot of hand-wringing over the sexual activities of teenage girls in particular. All this controversy prompted me to ask myself: What if teenage girls were encouraged to get pregnant? Why would that happen? Ultimately, I settled on a virus that makes adults infertile so only teenagers get have babies. I did research for almost a year before I started writing, and spent another year creating the characters, plotting, and—finally—writing it all down.

• How was the writing experience for Bumped different from writing your Jessica Darling series and how do you think your fans will react?

I had written about Jessica Darling’s world for ten years. I knew all those characters inside and out, and I underestimated how difficult it would be to get to know Melody and Harmony in that same way. Plus, I was creating a whole new world so the first draft was too long and all over the place because I hadn’t figured out what was important and what was filler. Many thanks to my amazing editor, Alessandra Balzer, because Bumped is a book that really didn’t come together until after the first round of major revisions.

Like the Jessica Darling series, there’s a lot of humor in Bumped—it’s not grim like you’d expect a dystopian novel to be. I never thought I would write anything that crossed into sci-fi territory, so I don’t blame readers for thinking, “What the what???”

• What was your process like to get into a teenage mindset for this novel? How did you build believable teens in this foreign, futuristic world, and how do you think teenagers today will relate to the characters of twins Melody and Harmony?

I didn’t focus on what would change. I focused on what would stay exactly the same. The characters in the novel are bored by school, play soccer, party too hard, gossip, flirt, fight with their parents, get hooked on technology and obsess over pop culture. It’s easier for them to focus more on their own futures than the fate of the Western Civilization. I think today’s teenagers will see a lot of themselves in these characters, despite the apocalyptic scenario.

• Can you talk about the research or preparation that went into writing Bumped?

I did more research for Bumped than anything I’ve ever written before. I read dense books about the history of surrogate motherhood, reproductive technology, and the influence of religion on teens’ sexual decision-making. I read memoirs about girls (now grown women) forced to give up their babies for adoption in the decades before Roe vs. Wade, and about twins who were separated at birth and reunited as adults. I clipped countless articles and editorials arguing for and against abstinence only and comprehensive sex education programs. I watched hours of Christian teens’ testimonies on YouTube and have not missed a single episode of 16 & Pregnant or Teen Mom (1 & 2). In short, I did what I could to make sure even the craziest aspects of the book were rooted in reality.

• What were your favourite things about writing a dystopian novel?

I loved inventing a fictional world that reflects what’s happening in the real world right now.

· How are you feeling about the anticipation for the release of Bumped?

I’m eager to see what conversations it inspires.

· What message do you hope readers bring away with them from Bumped?

I’ll tell you what message I don’t want readers to take away: That BUMPED somehow promotes teen pregnancy as the cool thing to do. That couldn’t be further from the truth! If anything, I hope to raise serious questions about the “pornification” of our culture and the repercussions of loveless, senseless sexual activity. I find it hard to believe that readers could think otherwise…unless they don’t appreciate satire. This is a book about the dangers of extreme thinking, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by extreme reactions.

· Where is your favourite place to write?
I have a home office and it’s the only place I can work on my books. To stay focused I need solitude, green tea, dark chocolate, and music. For BUMPED I listened to a lot of LCD Soundsystem, though the soundtrack varies from day to day, scene to scene.

· What writing project are you working on now?

I’m working on the sequel to BUMPED and developing the idea for the book I’ll write after that. I’m not sure where this idea will take me, but that’s what makes my writing life interesting!

Thank you very much Megan for taking the time to answer my questions and giving such a fascinating insight into Bumped! It's amazing where inspiration can come from and it's really intertesting to know. I got a review copy off Net Galley and I'm enjoying it so far. Make sure you stop by some of the other blog posts for the event today, they're listed on the event schedule here.

Author Interview with Mary Hooper (face to face)

At the beginning of this month, I was very lucky to be able to meet Mary Hooper for the second time at her visit to my school. She is one of my favourite authors and although I wasn't allowed to take time out of my lessons to listen to her talk to the younger years as I did last year, I did get the opportunityy to get her latest book, Fallen Grace signed and interview her in person. Very exciting! To interview her, I stayed behind with a friend to watch her officially open my school's new library extension so the questions are a mix between mine and hers. Interviewing face to face (with a recording) was a fantastic experience because it was like a chat and Mary is a lovely person. So without further ado, I am very happy to be able to introduce Mary with the answers to our questions here today!

Note: I do have some photos from the event but they have other people from school in them so I can't post them for privacy reasons.

Interviewer: What is your favourite thing about writing YA historical fiction?

Mary: All the things I find out along the way.

Interviewer: What time period do you most enjoy writing about?

Mary: Ooh, I’d say 17th century.

Interviewer: How do you research your books to get your descriptions accurate to create a period feeling?

Mary: It’s a long answer isn’t it? Well, library first, and then the Internet, personal visits to places, talking to people, all sorts of bits, reading old newspapers from the time, that sort of thing. 





I never actually noticed
the skull in her eye
before-spooky!



Interviewer: What’s your favourite cover out of all of your books?

Mary: Ooh, I think probably At the Sign of the Sugared Plum, I like the skull.

Interviewer: Yeah, I like that one too but all of yours are wonderful.

Mary: It’s good, isn’t it?!

Interviewer: I have The Fever and the Flame [At the Sign of the Sugared Plum and Petals in the Ashes] edition.

Mary: Oh have you?

Interviewer: Who is your favourite real life historical character and who would you most like to meet?

Mary: Oh, Charles Dickens [Featured in Fallen Grace] definitely.

Interviewer: I thought it might be him.

Mary: Mind you, I quite like the idea of Nell Gwyn {featured in Petals in the Ashes] as well; I think she might have been fun.

Interviewer: Is there a story behind Velvet’s [main character in Mary Hooper’s new book, Velvet] name because I remember on Facebook you were asking for ideas.

Mary: Yes. No, I just looked at a list of Victorian girls names and got it off the list, I just loved it, and my editor loved it and we decided she could be the title of the book and it was such a nice name.

Interviewer: Yeah, I like it to.

Can you tell us any more about Velvet (featured in Velvet]?

Mary: Only that, she goes to work for, first of all she’s working for a spleen laundry and she then goes to work for a medium, who’s crooked, but Velvet doesn’t know that.

Interviewer: How would you feel if Fallen Grace was shortlisted for the Carnegie medal this year?

Mary: I’d love it to be shortlisted, I’d love it.

Interviewer: Have you got any ideas for your next book yet?

Mary: Yes, I think it’s going to be, I think it might be 18th century, which I haven’t tried before, and I think it’s going to feature the Hulks, I think I mentioned this on my Facebook page. The Hulks were prison ships on the Thames, they kept a sort of overflow of prisoners, especially before they sent them to colonise Australia, you know, that was one of the punishments in prison, that they would deport them, that was a valid punishment. I think that that will only be part of it but it should be interesting.

Interviewer: Which of your characters would you most like to meet, including the ones from your contemporary books as well?

Mary: I’d probably like to meet Grace [Fallen Grace]. She’s a very enterprising girl.

Interviewer: What got you started in writing?

Mary: What got me started? Writing short stories, which are a very good way for anyone to start, because it gives you good practice at writing. Yeah, short stories. And I did lots and lots of short stories and sold them and then moved onto doing serials. And you know, once you’ve done a serial for a magazine it’s almost like the same length as a book.

Interviewer: Where is your favourite place to write?

Mary: Just in my spare room. Surrounded by bits, bits and pieces, and pictures, all sorts of things I collect.

Interviewer: Have you any tips for budding writers?

Mary: Oh, tips for budding writers. I always say the best thing is to read as much as you possibly can because it’s quite rare for anyone of your age to be able to write a whole book. Na also you haven’t got the experience of life, whereas, you know, when you’ve been around as long as I have, you have. So, you know, while you’re waiting to be old enough to write I think, read, read, read.

Interviewer: What types of books do you like to read in your spare time?

Mary: I tend to read historical books, factual and fiction, anything historical really.

Interviewer: Are any of your family interested in books?

Mary: Any of my family? Well my children. My son’s just written a book and that’s the only connection I think. He’s much more science fiction, his book is science based, much more learned than mine.

Interviewer: Who is your favourite author?

Mary: It changes, you know, it changes all the time according to who I’m reading, it’s usually Charles Dickens, a good cover-all.

Interviewer: What were your favourite childhood books?

Mary: I really used to like, and still do, Just William books, have you ever read them? They’re excellent.

Interviewer: Is there another particular person or author who’s inspired you in your writing at all?

Mary: No, not really. Just a case of seeing if you can do it, you know, if you want to do something it’s always worth having a try because, you know, so what if you fail. So yeah, always try.

Thank you very much for doing the interview, Mary, I really enjoyed it! I really like the sound of the ideas for the book you are working on next as I love the eighteenth century.

If you haven't read any of her books before, I really recommend that you look them up because she is one of my favourite authors and introduced me to historical fiction, which is why I love it so much today. I reviewed her latest book, Fallen Grace, which has just been released in the US back in July on this blog so you could start with that as I loved it. Her new book, Velvet,  is being published by Bloomsbury in the UK in September this year (I can't wait!) but the cover has not yet been revealed. Here's the synopsis:

Velvet is a laundress in a Victorian steam laundry. With both her mother and father dead, she is an orphan and has to rely upon her own wits to make a living. The laundry is scalding, back-breaking work and Velvet is desperate to create a better life for herself. Then Velvet is noticed by Madame Savoya, a famed medium, who asks Velvet to come to work for her. Velvet is dazzled at first by the young yet beautifully dressed and bejewelled Madame. But soon Velvet realises that Madame Savoya is not all that she says she is, and Velvet's very life is in danger ...A romantic and thrillingly exciting new novel from an acclaimed and much-loved historical writer for teens

Doesn't it sound fantastic- the Victorian era, an orphan and romance? Yes please :)

Above- Signed copy of Fallen Grace and two pretty Mary Hooper bookmarks

In My Mailbox and thoughts about In The Shadow Of The Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

In My Mailbox is feature held by the lovely Kristi at The Story Siren, which encourages bloggers to share what new books they have got this week.

This week I got:

Crusade by Linda Press Wolf for review from Bloomsbury, which is being released in January. Thank you Bloomsbury!

Blurb summary:

'When a dazzling handsome boy riding a white charger arrives in Georgette's village, she is spellbound- both by the boy and by the crowd that surrounds him. They are all children. The boy is even more entrancing when he speaks. He sees volunteers to join his Crusade-  a perilous mission from which some may not return.

Georgette has never left her village before, but she knows she will follow the boy.

And so begins a journey filled with terrible danger, sacrifice and true love, a journey which will take all of Georgette's courage to survive.'

The press sheet describes it as 'both thought provoking and powerful it should find a place in every historical fiction fan's library.'

I have had this on my TBR list ever since I saw it featured on a Waiting on Wednesday post and it was a lovely surprise to have it arrive through my mailbox. It sounds so intriguing and is set in a period of history that I have not read much about so I'm looking forward to reading it.

Over the last week I have read finished reading Captivate by Carrie Jones and will be reading the third book in the Need series, Entice soon.

My thoughts about In The Shadow Of The Lamp by Susanne Dunlap

I won an ARC of In The Shadow Of The Lamp by Susanne Dunlap a few weeks ago on her Facebook page and this week I finished reading it. I will post a review nearer the release date in April next year but I want to share some of my thoughts about it now.

Here is the Goodread's description of it:

'It's 1854 and sixteen-year-old Molly would give anything to change her circumstances as a lowly servant in a posh London house. So when she hears of an opportunity to join the nurses who will be traveling with Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, she jumps at the chance. The work is grueling, the hospital conditions deplorable, and Miss Nightingale a demanding teacher. Before long, the plight of British soldiers becomes more than just a mission of mercy as Molly finds that she's falling in love with both a dashing young doctor and a soldier who has joined the army to be near her. But with the battle raging ever nearer, can Molly keep the two men she cares for from harm? A love story to savor, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes imagining of the woman who became known as "the lady with the lamp."

I loved the premise for it as I have studied Florence Nightingale at school and I thought it sounded like it was told from an interesting angle and it turned out that I *loved* it! It was everything a fantastic YA historical fiction novel should be. The protagonist Molly was a character that I instantly warmed to and she was a very strong willed girl with lots of courage to overcome her fears making her very sincere. Her voice was very distinct and really drew me into the story so that I read it at every spare moment I had at school, on the bus, or at home. Susan Dunlap has captured the horrors and hardships of the Crimean war through the eyes of a young girl in words perfectly.  It is one of my favourite books that I have read this year and should definitely be added to your 2011 reading list!

Exclusive Sophie Mckenzie interview!!!!

I am very excited to be posting an interview with the  award winning author Sophie Mckenzie that I got when she visited my school last year. After delivering a brilliant talk about her books and the way she writes them, I brought several of Sophie's books and got them signed. Also, I got to eat lunch with her along with the school Book Club and got to know more about her and her books. I thought that she was a very friendly person!

Here is the interview:

Where do you get the inspiration for your books?

It varies, but for Girl Missing I was on a missing children’s website and I came across a photo of a boy called Ben when he went missing and another of him using age progressing technology. I began to think about how this boy would feel if this boy was looking at these photos when he was older and thinking ‘is that me?’ I also take ideas form different situations and subjects that I am interested in.

What is your favourite book that you have written?

It’s almost like choosing between your children but I would have to choose Girl Missing and because I have spent longer with the characters as a part of the series, the Set Up (which is part of the Medusa Project series.)

What was your favourite genre of book when you were a child?

Adventure books

How old were you when you began writing stories?

7

How long does it take you to write your books?

It usually takes about 4 months.

Why did you start to write?

I started to write because I love both reading and writing stories.

Who designs the covers for your books?

The art director in the publishing house who would commission an illustrator and choose the colours and typeface

How do you feel when your books win awards?

When Girl Missing won The Red House Book Award it was amazing, the most special thing ever especially as it was my first book and it was so unexpected. Also it is different to the other awards because The Red House award is the biggest where the readers

themselves judge it.

What did you want to be as a child?

I wanted to be a writer but I never imagined I could do it. I also wanted to be an actor or a singer.

What sort of books do you like to read?

Exciting books like adventures and thrillers, which also have a relationship and romance in it. A bit like my books!

How do you feel when you see your books on shop shelves?

At first it was weird and always very exciting. It also gives you a big kick and there’s nothing to compare it with.

How long did it take you to get your first book published after writing it?

I wrote ‘Girl Missing’ in 2 months and then I sent it to an agent who found a publisher and it was published within 2 months.

Where do you like to write?                         

I like to write at home.

How do you get in the mood for writing?

I don’t really have to get into a special mood to write, I just get up and start writing once my son has gone to school

What do you use to write?

I use a desktop computer or a laptop like most writers nowadays. It is much easier than writing on paper and paying someone to type it up for you.

What is your favourite thing about being an author?

In the mornings I can just get up and make sure my son gets to school but then I could go back to bed if I wanted to.

What was your favourite subject at school?

English

What are your tips for aspiring young writers?

My top tip would be to read a lot but if you check out my website there are lots of other tips too.

Recently Sophie won another two awards, this is what she says about them on her website:

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Excellent news! Blood Ties has just won its tenth regional award (to add to the national Red House book award) from the lovely voters in the Grampian region of Scotland! And The Set-Up has been awarded both the Portsmouth Book Award (which Blood Ties won last year) and the North East Book Award (yrs 7 & 8)!

I’m very excited - and delighted that both books are proving so popular with readers!!!!



If you want to know more about Sophie and her books visit these websites:Monday, May 17th, 2010


http://www.sophiemckenziebooks.com/
authors.simonandschuster.co.uk/Sophie-McKenzie/65784525

She also has a Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sophie-McKenzie/355619419770?ref=search