FAQs
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About the Books
Where did you get the idea for Legacy?
Growing up, my sisters and I were always encouraged to use our imaginations to entertain ourselves. Now that we've outgrown playing out fantasy adventures in the front yard, I think that same sort of imaginative thinking for me has funneled into writing. Legacy began with the character of Narian, whose life story I invented one day, a couple of years before I actually began writing the book. The other characters and the rest of the plot were developed as a way to tell Narian's story once I finally sat down to write it.
How long did it take you to write Legacy?
I started it in July 2006 and finished the first draft in February 2007. The editing took until October 2007, so about fifteen months in total from start to finish.
How did you get Legacy published?
I took an unconventional route to traditional publication. To start with, I couldn't get an agent, in part because of the slush pile all authors encounter, and in part because of my age and lack of credentials. My mom finally opted to start her own publishing company to put the book out, and together we worked to promote it in the hopes of gaining the attention of a larger publisher. The process was incredibly difficult -- there were honestly nights I cried myself to sleep because I felt we were getting nowhere, and certainly without my mom's support and determination I would be nowhere. Then in March 2009, about a year after we put the book out, I connected with AmazonEncore. I then signed with Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency to help with contract negotiations (and so much more!), and am now having a blast thanks to so many amazing people. (Update: I'm now signed with Harlequin Teen and the Legacy Series will be published by them.)
How many books will there be in the series?
Three. Legacy, Allegiance, and Redemption.
When will Allegiance be published?
The manuscript is completed, but will be undergoing another round of edits before we call it fully done. A release date hasn't been set yet, but be sure to keep up with my blog for updates!
What are you working on now?
The manuscript for Allegiance is completed, and so is the manuscript for the third book. I have a bunch of other ideas bouncing around in my head that I'm really excited to start working on.
How do you come up with the names of your characters and kingdoms?
For the most part, names just come into my head. I have notebook pages filled with variations on certain names that I thought up when I was starting Legacy. Sometimes there's a particular word that I like, either in general or in relation to a character (the name 'Miranna' came from the word 'mirror'). Otherwise I just hit the keyboard and work with what comes out.
Have you ever thought of Legacy as a movie? Who would you want to play the characters?
I would LOVE to have Legacy made into a movie. Of course, that's in no way up to me, but what's wrong with dreaming? As for who I'd want to play the characters, my older sister is actually an actress, and the main character is based off her, so I'd love to have her play the role of Alera. For Steldor, I'd love to see Garrett Hedlund or someone like him (I've also fallen pretty hard for Chris Pine since I saw Star Trek); for London, I think Milo Ventimiglia would be cool; and Jeremy Irons is my dream Cannan.
About the Author
How old are you?
I'm seventeen (born in 1992, in case I forget to update this later).
How does it feel to be a published author at your age?
I imagine the feeling of being published -- the excitement and the occasional anxiety ;) -- is the same for people of all ages. In terms of how my individual experience as an author has been affected by my age, it's been much more difficult to get people to take me seriously. I was actually doing a book signing once, and a woman who had been hovering near the table for about half an hour finally approached me and said, "Are you the author?" When I said yes, she was shocked -- she'd thought I was too young, and had been waiting for the real author to come back.
How did you graduate high school so early? Did you attend public school?
I did attend public school. I started Kindergarten at four, squelched seventh and eighth grade into one year, and did the same with eleventh and twelfth. It's a long story, so I won't bore you too much.
Will you be attending college?
After I finished high school, I decided to take a year off to complete Allegiance, the second book. The plan was for me to head to college in the fall of 2009, but now that things have really taken off, college has been pushed to a back burner. It's definitely something I'm keeping in mind for the future though, however near or distant.
Can you look at my manuscript or at least tell me if I've got a good idea?
I actually can't -- due to time constraints and legal issues I can't read manuscripts. With regard to sharing ideas, I can't risk another writer feeling like their idea has been compromised by their sharing it with me.
What are your favorite books?
Anything by Robert Louis Stevenson; Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, The Constant Princess, and The Boleyn Inheritance; I think Libba Bray's books (A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, The Sweet Far Thing) are fantastic; I love the Artemis Fowl books and the Harry Potter books of course; My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Les Miserables by Victor Hugo; there are a WHOLE bunch more that I can't even think of right now.
A FEW RANDOM FACTS....
First off, the most important one, I practically worship Joss Whedon. I think he is an absolute genius, his work is phenomenal, and his Equality Now speech was amazing.
I'm addicted to American Idol.
I write from 10pm to 4am. For some reason, that's when my brain works best.
I love music and singing -- always looking for new music, so if anybody has recommendations...!
My dream car is a 1967 Chevy Impala because that's the car Dean and Sam drive on Supernatural.
My muse is a fat and fluffy cat named Nina who sometimes lets me share her bed. (She's awesome.)
I flunked math class in high school.
Sleeping Beauty is my favorite Disney movie. I watched it about a million times as a kid, and I always wanted to be Prince Phillip because, let's face it, he could kick the other princes' butts.
I'm the least coordinated person you'll ever meet. I once dislocated my shoulder by jumping on a trampoline. Just jumping. I also fell off a chair at a bonfire and lost my shoe to the flames.
I write on a pink laptop named Philippa. (Side note, I have a penchant for naming inanimate objects.) (Update: Unfortunately, Philippa has passed on. I now write on a black laptop named Jefferson.)