FAQ: On Writing

Question: “What time of day is best for writing?”

Answer: For me? All times are the same. Sometimes i get good writing done in the morning, sometimes in the evening. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and go write until I can fall back to sleep. I probably shouldn’t admit this.


Question: “When writing a book do you already have an idea on the ending for some characters?”

Answer: Absolutely. In fact, it’s pretty rare that I don’t know what will happen to the characters, or that it changes while writing. The interesting thing about writing a series is looking back to where the characters were at the end of the first or second book, and thinking about where they’ll be by the end of the fourth. I didn’t necessarily have that all mapped out, though I did have a general impression. George, of course, is abducted by aliens. And Odile becomes a kindergarten teacher.

Having said that, however, I love it when characters surprise me. For example, when I first started writing Secret Society Girl, I didn’t think of Poe as a major character, but he appeared on the page and insisted upon being included. So I did. I always try to go with my gut when things like that happen. If there’s an interesting character hanging out in the wings, use him!

Question: “Where do you get your ideas?”

Answer: Varies from book to book. With the Secret Society Girl series, it was a conversation I had with my now-husband about the bizarre and misleading way Yale secret societies are represented by Hollywood. I wanted to write a story about secret societies the way they really are — where the twenty year old members aren’t constantly committing murders that the “powerful” members of the society are somehow hushing up, or being branded, or being given hundreds of thousands of dollars — but where the personal, collegiate level intrigues and influence can be every bit as mysterious and devastating. The impression is that a secret society can destroy your life, empty your bank account, ruin your family… the reality is far more mundane (though no less important to the people involved).

Rampant developed from an overheard snippet of dialogue, a dream, and a bit of research that snowballed. It’s all about playing what if. What if I a girl who buys into the conspiracy theories of secret societies were to join one? What if unicorns weren’t the fluffy gentle creatures we think they are? What if they were dangerous?