frequently asked questions



School Report Questions
    Biography
  • Melissa grew up believing in faeries, ghosts, and various other creatures. After teaching college lit for a decade, she applied her fascination with folklore to writing. Wicked Lovely, the first novel, was simultaneously released in the US and UK by HarperCollins in 2007 (with translation rights also sold in seven countries). It debuted as a NY Times Bestseller. Critical responses both here and abroad have been positive. Ink Exchange, the second novel, released in late April 2008 in North America. Currently, Melissa lives in the DC area, writes full time, and still believes in faeries and ghosts.

  • Q: “I would like to know your parent’s names. I would also like the names of your husband and kids. And where did you go to school?”
  • A: I’m sorry, but some of those are all on my “no comment” list. I will say that my parents are still very happily married, and I was raised by both of them. I have two children, one husband (Loch), and some pets. My dogs are called Drusilla, Gabriel, and Oliver; my cat is Jezebel; and my turtle is Bronwyn. Dru and Ollie are Rottweilers, and Gabe is a Rott-Labrador. My oldest dog, Junior, died in 2011.

  • Q: “What did you used to be?”
  • A: I taught English Literature and Writing at university for more than a decade. I’ve guest taught high school through one of the universities too. When I was in college and graduate school, I also worked as a research assistant, a daycare teacher, an assistant on a colonial archaeological dig, a waitress, a bartender, and a tutor. When I started teaching, I was bartending too. (Teachers, even at university, don’t make much money.)

  • Q: Where were you born? When? What’s your middle name?
  • A: Pennsylvania. July 25, 1972. The name on my birth certificate is Melissa Ann Marr.

  • Q: When were you married?
  • A: May 1998. I went to the courthouse, and it was (to me) the perfect way to get married. I don’t like a big fuss, so we sent an email out to friends and family saying “We’re getting married this week.” I didn’t have an engagement ring or a bouquet or any of that. I did add another name to mine. I hadn’t planned on ever adding a name, but my (new) daughter was four years old then. She wanted me to have “her same name” (my husband’s last name, too) because “mommies should.” So I have had two last names for the last 13 years.

  • Q: What is your religion?
  • A: I am a believer in the idea that there are a lot of beautiful faiths. I do not think there’s only one right answer. What this means (if you need a label for it) is that I am a pagan. I believe that we should try to treat others like we want to be treated, and that if we do that, we can work towards a future where we are all equals.  Thinking one religion or race or country is better makes a lot of people treat others badly. People die and are hurt in the world every single minute by others who think their way is better/right/the only truth. Being a pagan means I don’t believe there is one right answer. I pray, and I believe in an afterlife. I just don’t think my way of praying is the only way to do it.

  • Q: Why don’t you answer some questions? [Another Author] did.
  • A: My kids like their privacy, and my niece isn’t old enough to say how she feels about it. I’m not trying to be mean; I’m putting my kids first. That what I think a mom is supposed to do. Like everything, I don’t think my way is the only way, but that how I work as a mom. I answer some pretty personal things (religion, for example), but I don’t answer questions that can invade my family’s privacy.

  • Q: What was your favorite subject in school? What didn’t you like?
  • A: I decided in 6th grade that I wanted to write books, teach school, & be a mom, so English was usually my favorite subject. There were years I liked it less (generally because of a teacher I didn’t enjoy) and years I loved it extra (I even liked diagramming sentences and learning commas). I usually disliked math, except in 10th grade when I had a Geometry teacher who was amazing at making it make sense.

  • Q: Where do you get your ideas?
  • A: Everywhere. I read a lot of folklore and history, and I think that’s the biggest source for me. Then I ask, “What if?” Sometimes, though, a painting or a song might start me on a story.  A dream could (and has) been the start of a story, too.

  • Q: Did you go to school to be a writer?
  • A: No. I went to school to learn about literature, and I got a couple degrees so I could teach college. I didn’t take writing classes. I’m not sure creative writing classes would’ve worked for me, but they do work for other people. One of the cool things about being a writer is that there are different ways to end up here. It’s not easy, though.  I went to school for 7 years to learn enough about literature to teach at college, and then I taught for another 12 years. All of those years of studying and teaching books were how I became a writer—and every book I write is a chance to get better at writing too.

  • Q: What’s the theme of [one of my books]?
  • A: What do you think it is? No, really. If I can tell you only one thing about books, it’s this: there isn’t a Right Answer to this for any book.  Many papers are written every year on what this or that book/play/poem is “really about,” but those are all theories.  What you need to do is decide what you think the story is about, and then use details (and often quotes) from the book/play/poem to convince your reader of your point.  I didn’t write any of my books to be about any particular theme. I can see themes in them after they’re written, but so can you.  Your answer is just as right as mine if you can point to details in the story that support your theory. Honest. That’s part of why studying books is fun.

  • Q: I don’t see any themes. What were you trying to say in [book I wrote]?
  • A: In the 1800s (and other times too), a lot of people thought the point of a book was to teach a lesson. I’m not one of those people. I wrote my books to tell a story, not teach a lesson. It’s perfectly fine to read a book just for the fun of reading. I certainly do.

  • Q: I sent you a letter, and you didn’t reply.
  • A: If you want a reply, send me a stamped self-addressed email, and I will definitely TRY to reply. My jobs are writing and being a mom. Those both take up a lot of time. Some day when my kids are grown up, I’ll reply to more letters, but right now, they are the two people who get every free minute I have.  Many months go by when I don’t even see my friends because I need to devote most of my time to my job and my kids. Like everything, I know that this is not the only way to do it, but the truth is that being a mother is the single most important thing I’ll ever do in my life, so after them is my work (because I love it AND because that’s how I can earn the money to give my kids the things they need/want). Letters, friends, and everything else has to fit in the time when my kids don’t need/want my attention.  I DO read your letters, but I don’t reply to all of them.

  • Q: Do you like [this or that author]?
  • A: I don’t think it’s proper for me to say I dislike any living author or their books. I like lots and lots of authors—and their books. I hardly ever watch TV, but I read all the time. That means I’m always finding new books to love. My absolute favourite books/stories are by:
    1. 1. William Faulkner (novels & short stories)
    2. 2. Christina Rossetti (poems)
    3. 3. Neil Gaiman (novels, poems, short stories, & comics)
The Writing Process
  • Q: What's your favorite part of a story to write?
  • A: It depends on which part I'm writing that day. I enjoy the whole process. . . There's just something fun about seeing the voices, the world, the characters, the plot (etc) unfold. The only part I can't say I totally enjoy is beginnings. I don't really know where I'm to begin until I'm done, so beginnings are the least fav part . . . but even then, there's something fun about the process.
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  • Q: I'm curious about the quotes that begin at the start of each chapter of Wicked Lovely. They just fit the chapters so perfectly. Did you already know those quotes before you start writing the book? Or did you discover them as you were writing it?
  • A: Mostly I found them during the writing. I'd write a section or two (or more if it was a good day), & then I'd flip through my books for a passage that fit. The quotes were then reviewed by my editor, & she flagged chapters where she thought the quote didn't fit well enough. I replaced those with new ones during revisions.
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  • Q: Do you have tips to help force yourself to slowly build the world within the novel, so as not to overwhelm and lecture readers?
  • A: For me, it's a case of looking through my characters' eyes. What would I notice? When? Why? How would I feel about it? As a reader, I HATE big chunks of exposition because they feel like Authorial Voice Intruding into the story. As a reader, I skip those. So when I write I am very conscious of trying to paint with slight details rather than vast explanation. Are there many things I know about the world that aren't in the books? Definitely. I only include those that the character would notice OR the reader absolutely must know to avoid confusion.
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  • Q: Have you ever drawn a blank when writing? Like...have you been in the middle of writing, then you feel like you've run out of ideas? Almost like your mind refuses to think up the rest non-action parts?
  • A: Of course! If a sequence doesn't flow, I make a note --for example-- "Niall & Keenan/altercation/ alley" or "Don/Keenan/argue/Comix". Sometimes, I am completely stuck. For me, it just means that my muse needs me to go do something else for a while. Feed the muse. Go live. Go recharge. Better to write in blurs & then silence than force it & hate it.
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  • Q: I will admit that I cried at the end of Wicked Lovely (my favorite so far)! Ash and Seth are my favorite characters, what went behind writing them?
  • A: What went into writing any/all of the characters is a bit of a mystery to me, to be honest.  I think most all of the characters seem like fully realized people to me.  When people ask random questions, I often have a good sense of the answer for a particular person.  I have playlists of songs for each of them, and I add new songs that seem to "fit" them.  I get a sense of what they'd wear or not wear, read or not read, enjoy or find tedious . . .  I don't think that they ARE real, but they feel pretty real to me.
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  • Q: Dear Melissa, You keep mentioning an "m dash" . . .
  • A: Yeah. I sorta love my dashes. It's a sickness, but it's part of a larger grammar geeking thing that I can't help.

    There are three big uses for dashes.

    DASHES #1:

    The easiest one is to use in broken dialogue. In real life, we do this thing where we pause mid-speech to do something physical. Watch people around you when they talk. It's instinct. Storytellers do it to draw out tension. People do it in a halting way or a I'm-not-really-uncomfortable or a variety of body language things.

    "Our queen worries"--Devlin weighed his words carefully as he emptied the cup of elixir--"I may need to be away from your side to deal with business matters."

    By breaking it, there's a sense of hesitancy, of acknowledging his presence. It allows me to convey tone. In real life that pause is a blink. It's an extra few heartbeats to collect thoughts.

    DASHES 2:

    It's also dialogue appropriate to show interruptions. It shows a word cut off. The trick there is to make sure there's enough of a word to let the reader know what was being said.

    DASHES 3:

    So I used to get these students who said "I want them to PAUSE so I inserted a comma." As an English teacher, this was an early term lesson. Commas aren't just inserted to make a reader pause. When we read, we DO pause at a comma, but it's not a bilateral function. We don't randomly shove commas in to make a reader pause.


    All commas MUST have a reason for being.


    However, if you want an extra beat of pause, you may use an em dash.


    She extended her left hand to the yawning mouth of a brass gargoyle knocker. Lovely sharp pain drew a sigh from her as the gargoyle closed its mouth over her fingers. The bite was over before she saw it happen, but she was found to be acceptable. Only those Irial had permitted access were allowed to disturb him. She was on the list--even at this hour.


    So I want the reader to pause a blink. It's the end of a paragraph (one with the usual sentence type mix). I close with a simple sentence and with an em dash as an extra emphasis.

    Let me repeat that because it's important:  All commas MUST have a reason for being.

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  • Q: How does Point of View work?
  • A: This is a big topic. I'm obsessed with who's telling, to whom, & why. Honestly, I think this is the big thing that enabled me to go from trying to write to ACTUALLY writing. I don't do solitary pov. I don't do first. *

    First person: Simply put, it is an "I" book. Typically 1st is one character telling. Lots of great books are written this way. Writer after writer tells me it's easier. Every time I try, I get blank pages. Lots of blank pages . . . which means I found myself saying "Man, I so can't write a book. Wow, I suck."


      I read lots of 1st person solitary protaganist books. LOTS. Luv them. . . but I find 1st person completely baffling as a writer. Why?

    • • I don't want my voice tangled up with my characters. If I write in someone else's voice, won't they get some of MY phrases?
    • • If I do this, I need to be able to do full out immersion in a persona in a way I can't find comfortable.
    • • Holy fragments, Batman! I hate sentence fragments. I can deal witn them in blogs, chats, email, and with my novels in dialogue & thought sections, but writing a book with lots of them would mean I'd need to be sedated.
    • • Seriously, the way we think? Much much more fragment-y than what works in prose (CUE: Faulkner The Sound & The Fury for what true first person would read like). I can't write that way.
    • • I have exactly ZERO desire to write a big ol' series with the same protag for years. Doing a repeat of a FEW of the same protags in a few WL books is about as much of one character as I can stand. As a writer, I'd get bored.

    Multiple first: A few characters telling what they know in some sort of alternating structure <-- This is the hardest sort in my opinion. It means you need to have totally unique voices, diction, speech patterns for multiple characters. I've read a fair number of books attempting this. I rarely find one that doesn't fail for me.


    It highlights the issue of writing first for me. I read books by the same author that are supposed to be totally distinct characters, but there are key phrases that echo. If a WRITER does this, I don't think anything of it. It's a writer quirk. If you ask me to believe that these two totally different people are "telling me a story" but they use these same phrases . . . Ummm, no. I disengage.

    Does third still do that? It does, but my ability to suspend disbelief and buy a voice is less jarred when the CHARACTER'S voice is conveyed via dialogue. 3rd allows that distance that lets me say "a-ha! different character" because the quirk-phrases that writers have are easier to contain in dialogue than in whole text first person.


    Third person:  Not the "I" but the "he"or the "she."


    Third limited:  The character who is telling can only tell what s/he knows.


    Multiple third limited: A few characters telling what they know in some sort of alternating structure <-- This is what I write. My books all have multiple narrators telling the tale. So far, I've had 3 (Keenan, Ash, & Don) in WL; 3 (Iri, Leslie, & Niall) in INK; 4 (Ash, Sorcha, Don, & Seth) in FRAGILE; and 3 (Dev, Ani, & Rae) in SHADOWS.


    The difference between multiple voices & head hopping  Limited multiple pov isn't the same as what most people mean by "head hopping." Head hopping is when you, the author, are able to know everyone's thoughts so you are in the Deity Position (ie have omniscience AND, in theory, omnipotence). With multiple 3rd limited, you are structuring the story in "sections." I typically do this by chapter. The challenge, of course, is balancing who tells in what order. Do you switch btw chapters? How often?


    It depends.


    To determine which character gets pov, I ask "what is this scene about?" If it's about an event that clearly has the most impact to ONE character's trajectory, that's my pov character. If it could be arc-shifting for a couple of them, I make a choice: who can I get the most mileage out of here? Who will suffer/rejoice/struggle the most? If it's equally possible for two characters, I write it twice to see which is better OR I say "A-ha! Keenan hasn't been central for 3 chapters. He will suffer here, so he tells."


    --------

    * Which, yanno, means I rather desperately WANT to do solitary 1st person pov eventually.

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  • Q: "How many rejections did you get by agents/editors before finally getting represented?"
  • A: Ummm, a lot :) I think it was 30-40 (more?) for the un-pubbed "trunk novel." For WL, I got a couple, including one from an agent who was at lunch with my YA editor the day she bought my book AND a form rejection after WL was out & sitting on the NY Times list :)

    It's all subjective. Repeat it with me: It's ALL subjective.


    Agents? Editors? They're readers too. Reviewers? Yep. They're readers too.


    I see reviews by folks who hate my books now. NO book works for all readers. You will be rejected by agents, editors (one told my ex-agent that Harper "made a mistake" offering a preempt on WL), reviewers (so far one of the big review spots seem to hate my books whereas another gave a killer review & a slam--two diff reviewers, two books, same venue), readers, and . . . other authors. I had one gem of a moment where an author at a book event asked me how I felt about "writing my book to ride the coattails of Twilight." *pauses* Yeah. That was a really killer moment. I wrote WL before Twilight was pubbed, wrote the story that became WL before Twilight was written . . . but that author needed to believe that my book's initial response was from Something Wrong.


    It happens. It's all subjective.


    Here's the deal: if you want to do this, you gotta face the facts that 1) there will be hosts of folks who have nothing positive to say . . . and others who love your characters more than YOU do and 2) it's not personal--these folks don't hate me (typically/I think/I hope). It has nothing to do with me, & everything to do with a book, their own tastes, and sometimes their own baggage. Try to remember that. You do this because you HAVE to write, because you love the story, because you believe you can do it, & . . . well, you're going to try. It's not easy.


    Also? The numbers don't matter. Subjective individual experiences. I understand the urge to try to quantify it, but you can't. It simply doesn't help--but it does distract you from what you CAN do, which is keep trying & keep writing.

    And remember too that the human tendency is to remember the outlier. We remember the lottery ticket that won- not the 138 that didn't. We remember the date that was the start of a fab love--not the 200 that weren't. We remember the aced test on no sleep--not the ones that we struggled to get. Writers' stories are like that. I can remember that I couldn't even get responses for my first novel--or in some cases for WL--or I can remember that my editor skipped her tea to read my book. We, as a species, prefer to remember the magic moment.


    To contextualize on the agent thing-- Yeah, I got lucky with the responses to Wicked Lovely, & it was my debut novel. There is the illusion that it can be an "overnight" success. I don't buy it. I taught for 12 years, spent another 7 years before that studying lit, & then 3 years writing. . . *counts* That's a realllllly long night. During that, I raised kids, homeschooled, before that I bartended & waitressed & worked odd jobs. AFTER this, I might do something else. The agent rejections, the editor rejections, the books unsold, those are all not-important. There's no magic number, no statistic that will lead any one of us closer to the goal that we seek.


    . . . at least that's my take on it :)

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Research Questions
  • Q: "When doing research on Faerie lore and stuff, how would you recommend going about it? Is the Internet a decent source of information, or are books and stuff more reliant? Are there any books/sites that you'd recommend?"
  • A: First, *sends adoring thoughts for asking a research question* 

    Sacred-texts.com has a lot of old texts scanned in. If you're going Celtic faery, go here. Start reading. The Secret Commonwealth (Kirk) is essential. If you're going Welsh, read the Mabinogion. Evans-Wentz Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries is a great text. Thomas Crofton Croker.


    If you're looking for hard copy (newer but still awesome), Eddie Lenihan is a master (http://www.eddielenihan.com/).


    Honestly, there's a lot of great stuff there. Read the old texts.


    Do NOT read other novels with faeries until after you do your research. (Yes, I realize that I am suggesting that you don't read my books, too.) It's the source texts that matter most. Read those. Read critical texts.


    -----


      Where:
    • The Lion and the Unicorn
    • Marvels and Tales
    • Folklore (among others)

      Check:
    • • Your library's online academic database
    • • University library holdings (sometimes local non-university folks can get library passes)
    • • Interlibrary loan is ADDICTIVE
    • • Reference librarians (serious cool folks)

      Books:
    • • Look in the aforementioned journals for reviews
    • • Browse bookstores (used bookstores=potential treasure troves)
    • • Bibliographic citations at the end of academic articles
    • • Anything associated with Jack Zipes (who is as close to a god as folklore scholars can get)
    • • Some books by Maria Tatar or Marina Warner

      Lore:
    • • Libraries (don't be afraid to go to the kidlit section)
    • • Bookstores
    • • Scholarly journals (Marvels & Tales offers translated lore)
    • • Sacred Texts website has old texts online
    • • Random bookstores when you travel (I stop at bookstores by default & bought an extra suitcase to carry home the books I bought in Scotland & Ireland)
    • • Guidebooks for historic spots
    • • Museum giftshops

    Hope that gives you a start. I can tell you what I'm reading but half the fun is the journey so simply reading the articles I read is going to be less useful (& less fun).

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Books (possible spoilers), Publishing News & Tour Stuff
  • Q: How does the selling rights to different countries thing work? Do publishers ask you to buy the book or does Harper or your agent offer the book to publishers around the world?
  • A: Agents take your books to different editors, & (ideally) find a good home. One can sell various amounts of rights. To sell my book for publication in the US my choices were--

    World Rights (all languages)

    World English (English in any country)

    North American


    When I sold the YA novels (& the anthology stories AND manga), I sold "World Rights" to HarperCollins US, Children's Division. They have a team of people in the "Subrights Department" there who function much like agents do for authors.

    They sell rights in each country. Harper paid me more up front for the control. That means they get a percentage of the sale in each country, BUT it meant I got more money up front (the "advance") and they do the leg work at selling overseas. With Harper & as a debut author, this felt like a wise move (& I think it was). If I'd only sold NA Rights, my agent would need to shop it to publishers in each country. I could earn more--or not.

    So at Harper, there are some great folks--Jean and Alpha are the two who've handled most of my sales, & they are completely kicking it. WL will (or has) release(d) in more than twenty-five countries: US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand), Singapore, the Philippines, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, China, Japan, Romania, Estonia, Indonesia, Poland, Russia, Serbia, et al. Some are via "exports." The UK edition goes to Australia & New Zealand. The US edition goes to Canada. The German edition goes to Austria.

    So a translation is sold as "World Spanish" or "World German." Anywhere the book goes that speaks that language then gets into "export" territory. . . and to be honest, even figuring out this much has been a lot of questioning on my part. How a book gets from spot A to W is sometimes just downright perplexing. It does, though, & then I get to hear from readers from all over--which is pretty fabulous, IMO.

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  • Q: In the beginning of the book (WL) it's mentioned that Seth parents left on some mission and gave him everything they owned. Could you please elaborate more on that?
  • A: That was actually influenced by a friend of mine--Derek. Derek's parents decided one day that they wanted to dedicate themselves to helping people, so they liquidated all of their possessions. They sold or gave away everything; some of it they gave to their two kids. I thought this would be a kinda cool background to give Seth in the text. It seems to me that parents who are pretty laid back & unusual would be the right parents for Seth. It also seemed important to make clear that he wasn't living on his own because he left his family, but because his family was out following their path & he was following his.

    NOTE: Derek wasn't the prototype for Seth. No one person is the basis for Seth, or Beira, or Ash, or Keenan, or Don, or . . .

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  • Q: At what time did Kennan and Donia meet? My guess was the twenties because of the short, flapperesque dress, but it also sounded like it was much further back then that.
  • A: They met--and she lost her mortality--in the early part of the 1900s. You're looking at the right clue. It hasn't yet been a full century. There were others before her though who left her with their belongings and journals. (See the scene with Beira in the early parts of WL.) One of those (Rika) is the central character in the manga stories.
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  • Q: How old do Irial and Gabe look?
  • A: I never specified. I don't draw that detail for readers. They're ALL older. Aside from halflings & mortals, the youngest we meet are Summer Girls & Don (who was a teen during the speakeasy era). Folklore has most faeries & vampires & other supernatural sorts looking like they could be around late teens through late 20s. Glamour means they can look whatever age, hair colour, skin tone, eye colour, etc they want to be.

    Remember too that we see them through our POV character--which means that we're working with what works for the character we're seeing through.


    Les sees Gabe with two different looks.


    At Verlaine's "Gabriel's appearance shift was more subtle than Irial's: he still wore black jeans and a collarless shirt, but the Hound's tattoos were now hidden under long sleeves. His unruly hair appeared to be neatly trimmed, as were his goatee and sideburns. Like Irial, Gabriel's glamour was not his usual one. Gabriel's face was somehow gentler, without the dark shadows and hollows that he usually left visible for the mortals. Of course, the glamour did nothing for the Hound's intimidating height, but for Gabriel, it was near conservative."


    Outside her house: ". . . older than most of the people who hung around Ren. He had a different look, too. Heavy silver chains dangled from both of his wrists. His jeans were faded and ripped in the calves to reveal the tops of scuffed combat boots. Tattoos of zoomorphic dogs covered his forearms."


    So he doesn't look like a teenager. . . He HAD to look a little earlier than a teen because he's supposed to be Rabbit's Dad, but beyond that . . .


    Irial:


    " . . . seeming far too serious--and apparently oblivious to the number of people watching them like they were members of the Living Zombies. Leslie wondered if Irial played an instrument. He was sexier than any of the Zombies. If he played or sang too . . . he'd be halfway to success just by looking so delicious. He had a mysterious aura, plus he was a couple years older than Leslie and Aislinn--a college sophomore maybe."


    Most college sophomores are abt 19/20.


    So . . . I guess that's a long way of saying: there is no definitive answer here. I'm just not big on anchoring them that way (which is why we get such varied visuals when you all pick actors--who your pick says more abt what you see when you read than abt what I wrote . . . which, fwiw, I love).

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  • Q: Where are the Rowans (tree bark fey) from?
  • A: Rowan people--named from one of the sacred woods (Rowan, AKA Mountain Ash). Grey-ish bark-like skin, typically faithful to the Summer Court. Evan, a Rowan, leaves to lead the guard of the new Winter Queen at the end of WL (Wicked Lovely).

    But I write a world where choice is always central, so they're not JUST Summer.

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  • Q: Ash seems a little different than the people she's hanging out with in Wicked Lovely. Is there a reason she hangs out with the crowd she does?
  • A: Well, I'm going to suggest that it isn't unrealistic at all. Leslie & Ash talk about literature; they are two of the most vocal & obviously insightful students in the class (look at the poetry class). Carla is skilled in sciences & technology (chat when she meets Ash before school). Ri is a bit flightier, but into music & arts (various tiny refs). None of the girls are financially . . . ,umm, Upper Economic Bracket either. (Little cues on that are there & continue to be developed in INK.)

    Yes, they talk about sex--but that's far from their only interest. The girls have intellectual & artistic & feminist interests. Sex is only the "light" topic. Ri (if you look at the scene where they're leaving school) talks a good game, but she's pretty innocent. Leslie has made a mistake--Mitchell--and her tone is slightly jaded (& definitely remorseful). There was a very conscious decision on my part to make clear that talking trash is not the same as being irresponsible. Ash ponders the consequences. STDs & pregnancy are very real concerns. Before she does anything with Seth she knows whether or not he's safe.


    You're right that these aren't the most "conventional" people--but neither is Ash. She sees faeries, loves arts, lit, music, & fringe people.

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  • Q: Why Rabbit? Is it his real name? A nickname? If a nickname, what's the story behind it?
  • A: I think my roots are showing there. Growing up I knew friends of my father's named "Crazyman" (who really was a bit crazy, in a very Dark Court way, but also very endearing in the same way). In graduate school, I worked at a bar that catered to bikers. Our patrons included Kyote, Animal, Val, Kot'n, Tiny, Taz, Swift . . . and there were three other bars of the same sort. One was run by a guy named Daddy Rabbit. A lot of those folks are nestled in my affections.

    And MY artist (at the competing shop) was named Hunter.


    Those men are the reason that Rabbit is named Rabbit. He shares traits with a few artists I've met over the years (including both Hunter & Paul, my two tattooists), & the shop I see in my mind is Hunter's first studio. My love for tattoo artists and bikers and the folks who slipped into our bar in the "not open to the public" hours to remove any photos of themselves that we hung on our "wall of fame/shame" (after events). Although I don't see or talk to most of those folks any more, my love for them filtered into the text.


    Why Rabbit? Rabbit's father saw him when he was tiny, & he commented in that awed way new parents have that the baby was shaking and staring like a little rabbit. Rabbit's mom knew that awe was from affection. Thus, he's always been called Rabbit.

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  • Q: What was Gabe like with his... er... baby mommas? And with babies?
  • A: He treated his mortal loves like they were invaluable & amazing. Jillian's (Ani's mother) loss was why he stopped dating mortals & is currently trying fidelity with Chela. Che, being a Hound, isn't easily injured, vulnerable, like mortals are.

    He loves the kids, but did much better when they were babies & thus more cooperative with being coddled. He & Rab have a few issues now that Rab is grown, and--of course--because Gabe's fears made him stay away from Ani & Tish more than Rabbit thinks is acceptable. Babies were much easier for Gabe. His daughters sort of frighten him with their refusal to stay tucked in somewhere safe (especially Ani).

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  • Q: Did Gabe ever have one of those back and front baby holders? Or do the rocking chair/burp rag thing?
  • A: LOL. Of course he did the rocking chair thing. He's a dad. What man worth ANYTHING wouldn't rock his baby? I'm not sure Gabe is the sort to wear baby backpacks though . . . or if those were in use seventeen years ago.
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  • Q: Did Gabe's kids go to normal school?
  • A: Ani & Tish went to public school. Tish did quite well in academics. Ani's strengths were more athletic. She's sorta ADHD . . . not in the clinical sense, but she's got a Hound's trouble with focus. . . and dominance issues. Think pack. Ani doesn't do well with authority. Or rules. Or sitting still. She's a bit of a protector of folks, but not so patient with those who try to intimidate her or anyone else. Justice is important to her.

    Rabbit was very mellow, artist. He did art school & then a proper tattoo apprenticeship. Tattoo artists must get trained. There's so much to it that anyone who wants to do it RIGHT needs training. Inks, needles, safety . . . much, much training. And, of course, he continues to go to professional seminars. He's a pro, not a scratcher.

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  • Q: I've been wondering, exactly how does one pronounce her [Bananach] name?
  • A: RE: Various pronunciation questions. Why does it matter? I have an editor who says "Doan ya" & one who says "Dawn ya." *shrug* It's accent, inflection, & variation. Niall is "Nile" OR "Neal."

    And, umm, the folks who said the names in the book trailer were winging it too. Actually, the audio reader for INK didn't ask for how-to. (He says "ogham" wrong, but *shrug* it doesn't matter in understanding the story.) Storytelling is about the story not the accent or inflection.


    It's like names. I, for instance, prefer to use my full name. I don't like it being shortened when people speak to me aloud. . . except under certain conditions. My niece calls me "Aunt Miss" (she had the "M" & the "Iss"). My baby cousins used to call me "Lissa." My Pap used to call me "Missa Ann." Those were all affectionately spoken & because of the origin didn't make me cringe. I answer to "Miss," "Missy," & "Lissa" . . . and in truth, if anyone needs to shorten my name, I prefer "Lissa." It's all ME though. Then we get into accents, my UK editor & my Italian editor both call me "Melissa" but if you saw the phonetics, it wouldn't look the same as how most of you say it.


  • Q: Is there any particular methodology as to which fairies belong to which courts. Beira had wood sprites and hags serving her . . . Keenan had men with "tree bark skin" as members of his Court; but I would have thought wood sprites just as likely to be a part of Winter's as Summer's Court. The "bone girls" (or at least one) seemed to be inclined to talk with Donia and take her orders, so I wondered if that lot were Winter Court, too. On the other hand, Evan, who guarded Donia at Keenan's order, opts to remain with her when she becomes Winter Queen . . . so is it just random who goes where?
  • A: I went with the idea that a faery would have a more or less natural or habitual court association, but also that they make choices (I have a serious fondness for choices). It felt wrong to insist on any faery being forced to belong to a predetermined court. Predisposed? Sure. Lacking volition? Nope. So I tried to think of the nature of the character, possible scenarios, & reasons why particular faeries would or would not align themselves with particular court. The Rowan are of nature; Summer would be a good fit.

    The hags were actually chosen because of folkloric sources; the bone girls (Scrimshaw Sisters) were a touch macabre so I associated them with Winter Court & the Dark Court. OTOH, Beira's sprites were there under protest. They made bargains (bad choices) and were suffering for it.


    A variety of the faeries were not "real" types so as to expand the world. Rowan is a sacred wood. Scrimshaw is a touch disturbing. Thistles hurt and get under your skin (says the person who has foolishly walked barefoot where it wasn't bright to do so). There are others--wraiths, Gabriel Hounds, Jenny Greenteeth, Leanan -Sidhes, beansidhes, Gancanagh, Far Dorocha, kelpies--who are more traditionally ordered because the lore supports it.


    So, I guess it's--like most things--for a variety of reasons.

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  • Q: I know Beria was Keenan's mom but how is he the Summer King if he's the son of the Winter Queen?
  • A: The night she conceived Keenan she killed Miach. She didn't know she'd conceived (not that it would've changed her plans if she did know). Keenan inherited his father's traits, crown, & element. He was born as the next king. Anything more onthat requires reading DARKEST MERCY.
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  • Q: What sort of books, music, art do your characters like? I know Ash and her friends talked about books some, but it was class related. So, say she was dropped off in a bookstore with a huge gift certificate. What section does she head to first? Also, she was known by the comic store guy, so I'm assuming she reads comics. Which ones would be in her hold box?
  • A: Ok, these are FUN questions. If she was in OUR world, she'd probably head to the poetry & classics section. (I hinted at her lit love in the way she responded to the class.) She's big on feminist texts too, maybe a little classic philo (much like Seth). It's something they share: he's a fan of the Tao Te Ching & of course, Nietzsche's Zarathustra (which he lent her). Yeah. I think about them as if they're real.

    Obscure, indie local artists would interest her, and of course, Lenore is a hit (gotta love the dark humour), Buffy (strong feminist? good stuff), Nightmares & Fairy Tales, Fables, & she'd have read Gaiman's stuff (as everyone should, imho). She's read manga too. Basically, I see her taste as divided btw sweet stuff & dark stuff with an inevitable draw towards folklore as she knows it's real. She seems to be fond of vampire stuff because she believes they aren't real.

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  • Q: How did you decide on Summer, Winter, Dark, and High courts? They are a combination that I haven't seen before in fae books, and I really enjoy the mix. It's not just four seasonal courts or two over-arching courts like Seelie and Unseelie (although the Winter and Dark courts definitely seem as though they might qualify for Unseelie-hood). I always enjoy a new twist on old established legends, and these court combinations were especially intriguing.
  • A: I don't believe in Good v Evil as a two system structure. The Seelie/Unseelie seems potentially like it might fit into a history of god/devil, right/wrong, good/evil dichotomy structure--which violates how I personally see the world. I see life as a series of balances (which is the core of Ink Exchange).

    As we look at each of those 4 courts, it becomes clear (IMHO) that no one stance is "purely right" or "purely evil." To some degree, everything is relative. That's a central point of philosophical inquiry to me personally. I'm enjoying trying to poke at ideas & characters & threads to see which factors need shifted for a character to be classified as "good" or "evil" & an act as "right" or "wrong" (hence the multiple POV). Life, in my opinion, is complex, so a simple two answer system seems tedious to write (& less able to reflect the way things look to me--which like all the rest is merely one perspective).


    Where did it come from? I'm not entirely sure. B/c I like seasonal myths? B/c I like multiplicities of meaning? B/c I find Winter terrifying & tempting? B/c I thought the dynamics were more interesting? I'm never entirely sure what the answer is . . . or maybe there isn't a single answer.

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  • Q: Is the Comix Connection store featured in Wicked Lovely based on the actual Comix Connection in Mechanicsburg, PA?
  • A: Nope. It was based on a variety of stores I've been to over the years. The final layout was based on one particular store, but I'm not naming it (sorry). I've never been to Mechanicsburg. That would make me smile.
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  • Q: I was just wondering, because you have many allusions to myths, if you grew up learning about them, or if you researched (read around and such) before writing Wicked Lovely? And, did you also add a little of your own mythology in the book as well?
  • A: I mostly grew up with them, but I still read & re-read myth and lore for fun, so I guess I think it's a sorta "always learning" process. And, there are times I just look up random tidbits as I'm writing. I actually just ordered some books that were lacking in my home library for a new story I'm working on. Sometimes I ask for help from a folklorist I know. For book 4, I asked my British editor to find some stuff. When I was in Ireland last summer, I picked up a bunch of lore texts that weren't ones I could find over here. It's what I consider fun, & now that I write I use the "maybe this could be useful in a book" thing as an excuse to indulge my interest even more.

    Did I make some up? Yep. Folklore & fairy tales aren't stagnate. They evolve. There's a wonderful tradition of re-telling, of re-envisioning, of adapting & updating the old tales. Frex, there's no myth of a Winter Girl. Cailleach Bheur (Beira's source) is not gorgeous. She's a blue-faced hag with razor sharp teeth & blue lips in many tellings. There is, however, a story of Beara traveling on the back of a great white wolf as she spread winter over the earth.


    Glaistigs are in lore. Rowan People are not (although the rowan--AKA Mountain Ash--is a sacred wood). Ditto the Hawthorn Girls (Hawthornis sacred, but there are no Hawthorn People). There is a Seelie & Unseelie Court in lore, so the idea of balanced courts comes from there . . . but the Winter Court, Summer Court, Dark Court, & High Court are not all present. Eating the food of Faerie is dangerous (akin to the Persephone myth sometimes). Music & all night dancing (or years missing when it felt like but one night) are lore sourced ideas. The role of tattooing in folklore (as in INK) is not found in source texts. OTOH, the idea that tattoos can hold supernat'l power IS in lore.


    I guess, in sum, it's a mix of sources, but not all of them are direct one-to-one things. They are (mostly) with some source though. My mind is an amalgamation of such things; they filter into the words when I try to write.

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  • Q: My question is: Did Ash and Seth ever have sex? Because I believe that you clearly pointed it out in Ch 27.
  • A: I suppose it depends on how you define "sex" In the chapter before that, there is oral sex. What happens the morning after (Ch 27) is purposefully left unspecified.

    I think I'm a little traditional in this regard--I like to leave the door closed on those moments. I'll give some details (Ch 26 & the epilogue w/ Keenan & Don), but I tend to believe that my characters' intimate experiences are meant to be left to imagination rather than explicitness.


    So I suppose both arguments could be correct. I will say that when Ink Exchange starts Ash is not a virgin. When & how precisely that happens is not detailed in WL though. I thought a lot abt that choice, & it seemed the right answer to me . . . which is sorta amusing considering how many comments I've read abt "how much sex" is in the book. I'm left assuming that a) some readers are uncomfortable with any sex, b) they read another book, or c) a girl or woman enjoying oral sex threatens their comfort zones (which is really sad).

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  • Q: Graveminder?
  • A: From today's deal section in Publishers Weekly:

    "YA author Melissa Marr has closed her first adult deal with her longtime publisher, HarperCollins. Merrilee Heifetz of Writers House brokered the deal for two books for mid-to-high six figures. Jennifer Brehl at HC took North American rights. Heifetz described the first book, Graveminder, as "Six Feet Under laced with ancient Irish evil and a dash of Faulkner"; the second book is currently untitled. Marr's teen books Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, dark paranormal titles featuring fairies who coexist uneasily with the few humans who can see them, earned starred PW reviews and were Book Sense Picks."

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  • Q: I was wondering what books about mythology you like the best? I'm really interested. Any recommendations?
  • A:
    • 1. The Secret Commonwealth by Robert Kirk and Andrew Lang [1893]
    • 2. The Fairy Mythology by Thomas Keightley [1870]
    • 3. Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx Vol.1 and Vol. 2 by John Rhys [1901]
    • 4. The Folk-Lore Of The Isle Of Man, Being An Account Of Its Myths, Legends, Superstitions, Customs, & Proverbs, by A. W. Moore E, M.A [1891]
    • 5. The Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland By Walter Gregor [1881]
    • 6. British Goblins Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions by Wirt Sikes [1880]
    • 7. The Mabinogion (notes) by Lady Charlotte Guest [1877]
    • 8. The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas [1908]
    • 9. Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland by Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde [1887]
    • 10. Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland by Lady Augusta Gregory [1920]
    • 11. Celtic Twilight by William Butler Yeats [1893, 1902]
    • 12. Folktales of Ireland Editted by Sean O'Sullivan [1966]
    • 13. West Irish Folk-Tales and Romances Collected & Trans. by William Larminie [1893]
    • 14. Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology James MacKillop
    • 15. Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland Thomas Crofton Croker [1825, 1838]
    • 16. Irish Folktales Henry Glassie [1985]
    • 17. Myths and Folklore of Ireland by Jeremiah Curtain [1890]
    • 18. Celtic Lore & Legend Editted by Dr. Bob Curran [2004]
    • 19. Myths: gods, heroes, and saviors by Leonard Biallas [1991]
    • 20. The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell [1988]
    • 21. Gaelic Ghosts by Sorche Nic Leodhas [1963]
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Quick and Fun Facts

  • Q: If you could only wear one type of jewelry for the rest of your life, would you wear silver or gold?
  • A: I wear three pieces of jewelry daily: a white gold dolphin on a silver chain that my kids got me for mother's day a few years ago, my white gold wedding band, & my yellow & white gold 10 year renewal of vows knotwork wedding band. I suspect that I default to white gold or silver, but I do like yellow gold if it's entwined with white gold. I rarely ever wear yellow gold by itself. My only exceptions are antiques (a couple cameos & one locket).
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  • Q: Can you do a cartwheel?
  • A: I can't do a cartwheel, split, flip, handspring, or any such gymnastic trick. My children, however, can do all of the above. My son lamented my lack of gymnastic skills, & he has endeavoured to "help" me. As a result, I can "tumble" on the trampoline & do not fall EVERY time I jump on the trampoline with him. He despairs of my lack of grace, but assures me that I have "other things I'm not awful at."
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  • Q: Do you believe in aliens?
  • A: Yes, of course there are aliens. I am a believer in the vast possibilities of the universe, & a devotee of the Science Channel & Discovery Channel specials on space. I watch these with Son (& watch archaeology shows with Daughter).
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  • Q: How do you feel about Pluto being deemed a moon instead of a planet?
  • A: The Pluto thing is a stressful topic in our house. The Kuiper Belt objects vs planets debate . . . I was liking the possibility of Sedna as a planet, but the inverse (Pluto losing planetary status) has happened (http://xfacts.com/sedna_planetx_2004.htm). That said, the division into the closer planets & gas giants makes a certain sense. Are Kuiper Belt objects planets? Not sure. What I do think is cool though is that the discussion of it seems to re-energize people to talk abt space, planets, the universe, & THAT is cool.
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  • Q: Have you ever chased butterflies? What's your favorite reptile?
  • A: With the intent to capture? Not since I realized that this would harm them. Followed kinda haplessly across a field? Umm, more often than I should admit. I'd like to go to the Monarch migration, & I have looked into doing entomology trips to see butterflies (& giant praying mantis).

    Fave reptile . . . I have a pet turtle. Her name is Bronwyn. She likes her head stroked, & she sometimes likes to have the tip of her beak rubbed. I'm a bit ill at ease with some snakes (the Mojave rattlesnake, cottonmouth, Western diamondback rattler, & copperhead, in particular), but I like black rat snakes, boas, and have great respect for serpents in general. Desert Tortoises make me very happy. In truth, most reptiles (excepting the venomous ones) make me less uncomfortable than birds. Birds freak me out to degrees that are not rational.

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  • Q: If you had thirty minutes all to yourself, what would you be doing?
  • A: And no deadlines? Caught up? If caught up sans deadlines, I'd either read, play with the puppies, or bubblebath.
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  • Q: What's the strangest name you've ever given to a pet? What about strangest name of a pet you had but didn't name yourself?
  • A: My last dog was Calixta (from a story). My current pets are Drusilla, Gabriel, Oliver, & Jezebel. My bunny was Neal(from lit), & my guinea pig was Japhy (Japhy Ryder was a lit character too).
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  • Q: And while we're talking about stars and planets, have you ever tried space ice cream?
  • A: Nope. The beasties said it was nasty so I didn't bother. I trust their opinions.
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  • Q: If your characters had ipods, what color would they be and what songs would be on them?
  • A: LOL. I have playlists I keep for a number of my characters, so that one would take a while to answer. Don's would be silver; Iri & Seth &, umm, most ppl would get black. It's so multipurpose. . . but then I suspect they'd need skins for over them. Ani would get an electric colour. Sorcha wouldn't have one. (She'd be more likely to send Devlin to retrieve a band or singer if she wanted to hear their music.)
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  • Q: To be or not to be?
  • A: LOL. I'm pretty content being, but I'm okay with ceasing to be when the universe thinks it necessary. If I could be here as long as the kids require me, that's my personal desire, but aside from my worry over being to look after the kids' needs, I see nothing wrong with death. I am not afraid of ending.

  • Q: What's your favorite fruit?
  • A: Fresh fruit. Srsly. I like peaches, plums, clementines . . . It's all abt what's in season. Big fan of fresh ripe in season fruit.
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  • Q: Would you sky dive?
  • A: I'm not sure. My gut reaction is no, but if it was something spouse or kids really loved & wanted to share with me, I'd re-consider.
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  • Q: What's the strangest pet you've ever had?
  • A: . . . Pets . . . Dogs, cats, bunny, turtle, moray eel, lion fish, guinea pig . . . Nothing weird, I'm afraid. There was this guy that was a bit like a house pet, but he wasn't technically a pet. Hmmm. My ex & I stayed with a business associate of his who had wolves & snakes & chameleons--all roaming free. The free ranging snakes kinda freaked me out a little. The wolves startled me a few times, but they were mostly sweet.
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  • Q: Diamond or pearl?
  • A: *shrug* Ambivalent there . . . I like opals. I have one diamond ring (was my Gramma's) & a pearl necklace (also Gramma's). I have two amethysts (one from Dad & one I bought myself after I ended one of my engagements & my finger felt naked). Diamond/ruby earrings (Mum's). . . opal earring (from Uncle). . . . Really, I like shiny things well enough, but unless a family member gives them to me they usually don't strike me. It's pretty much a sentimentality thing.
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  • Q: Are emu or ostrich creepy too?
  • A: Feathered things are always scary & BIG feathered things . . . *shudder* Aside from hummingbirds, puffin, & penguins, I find ALL birds frightening.
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  • Q: Watch! Wrist, pocket or other?
  • A: I think I have a few wristwatches somewhere . . . but they were gifts. I don't usually wear one. I bought Spouse two antique pocket watches. He likes timepieces.
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  • Q: Orcas or Humpbacks?
  • A: Both. Orcas are gorgeous but the whole predator part ious a bit of a turnoff. Usually I'm more fond of humpbacks (baleen is cool); grey whales are pretty awesome too. . . still, orcas are beautiful. This is like the whole seal or sea lion thing for me. Yes. To Both.
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  • Q: If you could have any super power what would it be?
  • A: Breathe underwater/swim like fish . . . basically I want to have mermaid tail & gills so I could swim under the sea with the dolphins, et al.
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  • Q: We are the knights who say...
  • A: Pls no. . . I simply don't get Monty Python. I try. I reaallllllly try because my whole family loves it, but I can't see the fascination.
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  • Q: You see legos! What do you build?
  • A: I'm not as good with spatial relations, so my lego time usually involves following my son's instructions & joining in the narration of what the beings do or what happened at the buildings. OR we have a kit . . . I like trying to build the big star wars things or jets.
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  • Q: You can paint your walls any color. What is it?
  • A: I like deep gem tones--like a dark ruby or emerald. We bought a house this fall, & I sometimes consider painting but . . . painting feels like claiming it as permanent home & I am unwilling to do that. If I did, I think I'd like textured wallpaper and one of the two colours listed above as an accent wall. I kinda like Victorian overly done rooms OR completely spartan.
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  • Q: What's the first song that comes up when you turn i tunes on random?
  • A: *flips over to itunes* *clicks shuffle* The first 6 are

    • Damien Rice "Eskimo"
    • Danzig "And the Angel Weep"
    • Florence+The Machine "I'm Not Calling You A Liar
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  • Q: What sort of armor is your knight in?
  • A: If I had to outfit a knight, . . . She'd get chainmail (more room to move, less constricting on the chest), but I'm not well versed in armour so would be happy to adjust if she required it. I'd prefer to be flexible as I am not the one who'd feel the results of a wrong choice.
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  • Q: Define art.
  • A: Such a definition is impossible. Art (& Literature) are subjectively applied terms . . . sorta like Beauty, Love, Justice . . . We can reach points of common accord, but that doesn't mean that ours are The True Definition. Such things, by their very essence, are fluidly defined. To impose a singular limited definition is to promote the stifling of creativity--which is criminal, in my opinion.
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  • Q: You can come to the party, but you bring snacks. Whatcha bringing?
  • A: Whatever the host specifically directed. My friends know that I fail in these areas so they give me explicit instructions.
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  • Q: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
  • A: Evolutionarily speaking, I would suspect that the two aren't mutually exclusive answers. As a species evolved, a point would arrive wherein the being in the egg was different than the being birthing the creature. Thus, both egg & chicken are first.
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  • Q: Cats are a) pets b) my boss c) gods or d) KITTY!
  • A: As a rule, I'm a dog person. The children wore me down a few years ago, & we now have a cat who--perversely--seems to prefer my company . . . & sleeps on me. . . or in front of the PC or anywhere I prefer her not to be. I'm fond of her (sheer will on her part), but there won't be more cats.
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    ing pink
  • Q: Favorite thing about the ocean?
  • A: Everything? It really is the place of complete perfection. Touch, scent, sight, sound . . . It makes me feel calm in a way nothing else does.
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  • Q: Bath or shower?
  • A: If I'm in a hurry, shower, but if it's just a regular day, I prefer a bath. I have abt 10 different bubblebaths and a variety of bath salts . . . and "sugar bath" & "seaweed bath" . . . The presence of a proper tub was a criteria in the last two houses.
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  • Q: Houseplants?
  • A: I used to, but we move every 2-3 years so I got rid of them all about 7 years ago. Now, I have 2 cactus plants that are the kids' and a couple aloe that Mum gave me.
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  • Q: Eyes are the window to the soul. Thoughts?
  • A: Eh. *shrug* I rarely notice eyes. I have a very hard time focusing on faces, & if you notice in my characters descriptions, eye colour & other facial traits aren't often listed. In real life, I only know the eye colour of spouse, son, daughter, & parents. I could guess at my niece's, but I honestly don't know. It just doesn't register to me.
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  • Q: Ever cried at a wedding?
  • A: I don't do weddings. I've been to 3 or 4 that I recall. My cousin, a guy in college, mine (which was a courthouse thing with only the 2 required witnesses), & . . . I'm sure there was another somewhere. I don't like them and typically find a polite way to excuse myself from going. I sometimes do the reception, but even then, it's a brief appearance.
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  • Q: Best Halloween costume you had?
  • A: Sadly, I was pretty dull with costumes as a kid--the usual vampire, witch, dead girl, & once a pink clad princess (complete with veil). The princess was my favorite for the sheer wrongness of it. The oddest was a cat. (It was cold where I lived!). Mum bought fake fur & sewed me a complete cat get-up. It was the warmest ever. As a grown up, my fav was Dead Bride. Spouse & I went as Bride & Groom corpses the other year.
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  • Q: Do you speak any languages other than English?
  • A: Sadly, no . . . I know a smattering of words in a few other languages, took a few years of Spanish & a couple years of Latin, but my retention is horrible.
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  • Q: Pizza - better warm or cold?
  • A: Either. I'm not a big pizza eater, but if it's here, I have a slice or maybe 2 at most. . . If there are leftovers, I see no need to heat it. Perfectly fine breakfast food . . .
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  • Q: You have $50 and are locked in a bookstore till you spend it. Where do you head first?
  • A: Depends on my mood that day. I get a ton of YA from publishers, so I usually end up in fiction, fantasy, romance, or manga. . . unless it's a used bookstore whereupon I go straight to folklore.
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  • Q: Gabe versus Batman. Who wins and why?
  • A: Oh dear, I'm a Batman fan, but I'd feel guilty being unfaithful to Gabe. I'm going to say it could go either way.
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  • Q: Irial versus Batman, same question.
  • A: *grin* fighting? Batman. Causing trouble? Luring people into temptation? Iri. . . . *pause* Yanno, I initially, read these in terms of fighting--which might be why my natural court affiliation is what it is.
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  • Q: Don versus Batman?
  • A: LOL. Donia. She has the full weight of winter to call upon, & she has a bit of unresolved anger to draw from . . . My money's on Don in most any conflict.
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Wicked Lovely, The Movie
  • Q: Latest Update?
  • A: I read the screenplay for Wicked Lovely, & I thought it was FABULOUS. Caroline & my producers (Wild West Picture Show Productions) did an amazing job. So, not only are we on schedule, but we're on schedule with a script that tells the story truly (and with improvements over my book!) I am very very thrilled by it AND by the way my team keeps me involved every step of the way. I think that if it was on the screen the way it is written right now, those of you with worries (because yes, I do read all of your emails, msgs, replies, etc) would be satisfied. I know I am.
    We have a director, script, some cast (not yet public), some killer art design (which I’ve seen and loved), so what’s left is finishing the casting and turning on the cameras!
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