Richelle Mead is the author for this Thursday's Author Tales! Richelle is the author of the Vampire Academy series: Vampire Academy, Frostbite and Shadow Kiss. Shadow Kiss will be released on November 13, 2008. As well as being a very talented writer, she is also very beautiful and very nice! She is actually the one and only author I've met in person! If you want a chance to win one of Richelle's titles, be sure to leave a comment to be entered into the Monthly Contest!
You originally started writing for adults, why did you want to try a YA novel?
It was actually something that was suggested to me. My then agent commented that she knew some people looking for YA vampire books. I had never heard of anything like that (little knowing what a hot genre it was) and thought it sounded like fun.
And why vampires?
Like I said above, it was just kind of suggested for me. I actually wasn't too keen on vampires at the time. I thought they were overdone in adult literature and didn't want to "go with the crowd." That's why Rose is a half-vampire--it gave me the power to do something different. And of course, once I started writing them, I grew to love all of my other vampires too!
What do you like about writing for young adults?
I love the enthusiasm! My adult readers definitely love my books too, but the responses I get from teens are just amazing. They get so invested and passionate in the book. It's wonderful, and it really inspires me to keep writing.
Where did you come up with the ideas for your characters?
Moroi and Strigoi are vampires from Romanian mythology. I always like writing things that are based in folklore, so I'd found them by doing research. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a huge amount about them (aside from the alive/good and dead/evil parts), so I improvised a lot of their world. Rose and Lissa's relationship is inspired from my very first novel--which never got published. It too had a bodyguard relationship, which I think is just so powerful and creates a lot of interesting dynamics with characters.
Do any of them reflect how you were as a teen?
No, not so much. While I create all my characters, none of them are ever based on me or anyone I know. I was kind of a quiet, bookish type--though I did have a bit of snark, so maybe that inspired Rose!
How do you feel about the current infatuation with vampires in literature?
I think it's a lot of fun, though I do worry about people getting tired of it. So long as good books keep getting written, though, the genre will last awhile. One question I get asked a lot is *why* this genre is so popular, and honestly? I don't know, but like I said, it's a lot of fun!
Will there be a Vampire Academy novel after Shadow Kiss?
There will be two more books after Shadow Kiss, but I don't have any info on release dates are titles.
Can you tell us anything about it!?
I can't say too much, but #4 won't take place at the academy very much.
Would you ever consider or have interest in writing other genres, such as historical fiction or teen issues?
I'd actually love to write both some day! I'm a big reader, so I love reading everything and would certainly love to expand out. My contracts keep that from happening for a few years, but hey, who knows?
Who or what inspired you to become a writer?
Hard to say, but I knew I wanted to do it from a very early age. I used to draw picture books when I was little, and of course, I was reading all the time. I think a lot of people who love reading books go on to write books. I think you develop a nature that loves stories, and it's inevitable that you'd eventually want to create your own!
Who are some of your favorite authors?
In the paranormal/urban fantasy genre, Rachel Caine is my favorite. In historicals, Marion Zimmer Bradley is. And in epic fantasy, I love Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Richard Morgan also writes amazing sci-fi.
Any advice for aspiring writers out there?
Don't give up! That sounds really obvious, but you'd be amazed at how many people say they've been writing a book "for the last ten years." You can't do that if you want to be a serious reader. Of course we're all busy in our lives, but if you can just write a couple pages a day, that will go a long way to get you where you need to go.
Do you have any television shows you watch obsessively or an all time favorite movie?
I LOVE The Lord of the Rings movies. I think they're amazing. As for TV, I'm a bit of reality TV fan. My especial favorites are Project Runway, Hell's Kitchen, and (cringe) America's Next Top Model.
What are you currently reading?
I'm currently reading The Oracle's Queen, which is a wonderful epic fantasy novel by Lynn Flewelling.
For more information on Richelle Mead or the Vampire Academy series, visit the following links:
Website: http://www.richellemead.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/richellemead
Blog: http://blue-succubus.livejournal.com/