Background — Have you always wanted to write? Why?
No! I even took the AP English exam as a junior in high school so I could be Language Arts-free as a senior. I went into college with a major of Chemistry Education. I ended up switching to Elementary Education, with an emphasis in physical science (since I had so many science credits) and a math minor.
Writing was the farthest thing down the list. Seriously.
I started writing as a way to drain the emotional angst in my life. It’s like free therapy!
Why write for young adults?
A teenage girl became the perfect sponge for all the super-highs and super-lows of life. I mean, who experiences more ups and downs than a sixteen-year-old girl? Uh, no one.
Do you have any rituals? Do you write all day?
Not really. I like to draft really fast, to get the story out of my head as quickly as possible. I like to listen to loud music when I revise and edit. It helps block out the chaos that surrounds me.
I only dream of writing all day! I actually teach elementary school in my spare time. Most of my writing is done from 9 – 11 PM at night, after my children are in bed.
Where did the idea for “Possession” come from?
I’d just finished a dystopian novel—though I didn’t have a label for it at the time. The thought of creating an alternate future intrigued me. I did some research, found the label, and thought, “I want to write a book like this.” So I did.
Briefly tell me a little about it.
POSSESSION is the story of a fifteen-year-old girl who struggles to learn what she believes in a society where she’s always been told (read: brainwashed) what to do, what to wear, what to eat, who to hang out with.
“Possession” has a darker feel to it than other YA lit. Was this a conscious decision?
Not really. It deals with mind control and brainwashing, so by nature, it’s a little on the dark side. I am a huge fan of books that make me feel something. Good, bad, light, dark. I want to feel. I like broken characters who feel. So that might contribute to some of the darker feel.
How long did you work on it?
I draft incredibly fast, so I pounded out the first version of POSSESSION in just 17 days. After that, I worked on it on and off for about 8 months. Then I revised hardcore for 4. Then I did several more revisions over the next year before it sold to Simon & Schuster. So the revision end of things is much longer for me.
Who is your favorite character in the book? Why?
Vi, all the way. She’s sort of lost, but not okay with that. I think anyone, no matter their age, can relate to that. We often go through periods of our lives, searching for something or wondering if we’re on the right track. Every time I read POSSESSION, I feel something different, but I can always relate to Vi.
What were the challenges working on “Possession”? And conversely, the highlights?
Ah, the challenges. Taking something that is 90,000 words and shaping it into something coherent is a huge challenge. There are a couple parts of the book that gave me huge fits. There are some simulations in the story, and I worked on those for a long time. Eventually, I just scrapped the whole section and rewrote it from scratch.
The highlights… Vi’s voice and character came very easily to me. Jag as well. So their interactions and relationship was one of the highlights of writing POSSESSION.
“Possession” feels like the beginning of a series. Is it? Was it always planned that way?
I wrote POSSESSION as a stand-alone novel. I never even considered the possibility of series or sequel. The ending is not a cliff-hanger. I prefer a different word, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
However, since selling and working on the book, the idea of a sequel came up. But I just can’t do it. Vi’s story is over for me. That’s how it is. So I wrote a companion instead. It does have some sequential elements—you will see some of the same characters in the companion that are in POSSESSION—and it does take place in the same story world.
The companion, tentatively titled FUGITIVE, is due to come out next summer from Simon Pulse. The idea of a third book to make a trilogy is on the horizon.
What do you hope readers will get out of “Possession”?
I hope readers of POSSESSION will open their mind and take from the book what they need at the time of reading. Like I said, every time I read the book, I get something different. I hope that’s the same for readers.
Lately, there have been a lot of dystopian novels released. “Possession” will inevitably be compared to some of them, particularly those where there’s a love triangle. What did you do to make it different, stand out?
I didn’t do anything consciously. I don’t write to trends—or at least I try not to. I wrote POSSESSION about 3 ½ years ago, before The Hunger Games was even out. Before I even knew what Publisher’s Marketplace was.
I do think POSSESSION is a little different with the fact that it’s part dystopian, part science fiction, part paranormal. So that sort of sets it apart.
What are you working on now?
Breathing. That takes up a lot of my time. Ha! But as for books, I’m in the stewing stage for book 3 in the POSSESSION series, and looking forward to edits on FUGITIVE in July.
Looking back, how has your writing evolved from when you first started until now?
Oh, holy mother of pearl. I don’t think we have quite the space for that. Every writer goes through a process of tine-tuning and figuring things out. Let’s just say that I wrote a lot of very bad stories, using a lot of misplaced words before I figured out how to craft a story. Even now, sometimes I feel like my writing is just word vomit, and I’m going to need to spend a lot of time cleaning up later.
You teach elementary school students. What grade? What books do you recommend to your students? Do they know you’re a writer?
I teach K-6 as the technology specialist. So I’m not really reading or talking about books with the kids. But our school does Battle of the Books, and I always participate and lead the teacher team.
The students do know I’m a writer, and I speak to our 5th and 6th grade classes about publishing and writing and being an author.
Did you have a favorite book or book that really resonated with you as a young reader?
You know, not really. I read a lot in middle school, but by high school I was working and busy with extra-curricular activities. As an adult, I re-discovered middle grade with Harry Potter, and young adult with Twilight. I’m a voracious reader of both genres, and especially love books like SKIN HUNGER by Kathleen Duey to THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary E. Pearson.
The book that resonates with me as a dystopian author is THE GIVER by Lois Lowry, and the book I read that made me want to write a dystopian book is UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld.