It's the middle of the night. You're stuck, asleep - and you're screaming silently as monsters chase you through the woods. You can't stop running, but at the same time, you know the running is only egging them on. Can't stop must stop can't stop must stop-
A girl appears and grabs your arms, slowing you down. The monsters race by and you smile at her gratefully, turning as the person of your dreams appears...
Welcome to the world Lisa McMann has created - letting her character learn to control the dreams that she gets sucked into. This amazingly fantastic New York Times bestselling author has agreed to chill out here at WORD for this month's Final Friday's interview! -boogies-
Let's go with the most overused, loved question in the history of author interviews - what inspired you to start writing?
Writing in general? My fourth grade teacher. He made us write a story and picked me to go to a young author's contest because he liked mine.
Writing the WAKE trilogy? I had a dream that I was in my husband's dream, watching what he was dreaming about. I woke up and thought that was great idea for a story.
What's the freakiest dream you've ever had?
I won't actually say because that actual dream is in GONE (Wake, book 3), coming to stores February 9. You will have to read the books to find out! The dream Carrie has in WAKE was also actually one of my own freakiest nightmares from my childhood. But the one in GONE is even freakier. *shudders*
Did you have a hand in picking out the (absolutely gorgeous) covers? If you hadn't, did you wish you had?
Most authors don't get a say in what their covers are like. Sammy Yuen, the artist who created my covers, is incredibly talented and I am so lucky to have him working on my stuff -- I'm happy to leave the artwork to the experts! He did the first two books, and I actually had a hand in helping create the GONE cover. We knew we wanted an empty chair, so when I was touring with FADE, my job was to snap photos of chairs I liked. Well, I only liked one -- snapped the photo on my cell phone, and I sent it in, just to give Sammy an idea of what style chair I'd like to see. The lighting was all just like you see in the GONE cover, too -- we all just loved it. I feel very proud to have a version of the photo I snapped on the cover of GONE.
Aspiring writers look at you and want to be just like you. Now - and you must imagine this in the most psychologist voice you can create - how does that make you feel?
It makes me feel like I should confess all sorts of things about my many flaws and how unglamorous it is to be a writer. But...I won't. It actually surprises me daily, the nice things strangers say to me. It's very rewarding. And only a little bit creepy.
Some people listen to music while they write, some don't. Do you? And even if you don't, what's your favorite song?
No, I don't. I need quiet. Favorite song... well, I kinda have a soft spot for Superman by Train, because I used that song as a sort of theme song for my main character, Janie when I first started writing WAKE. It's got that wistful, lonely feel to it, a misunderstood hero.
You're trapped in Willy Wonka's factory, and the only way to get out is to eat one of the items. Which one would you eat?
Something -- no, ANYTHING -- with gushy, creamy peanut butter inside.
Who would your ideal cast cast be for a Wake movie?
I haven't found a Janie yet. I like somebody broody-looking like Evan Peck for Cabe and maybe Queen Latifah for Captain. Jodie Foster would be great for Janie's mom. It's fun to imagine, but teen actors are fleeting and movies take years from first thought to in-theater, so it's really hard to pin down teen actors before they are too old to play the parts. I'll leave it to the experts, if the day for a WAKE movie ever comes.
If you could make up a fictional award and award it to any author or book besides yourself, what would that award be and who/what would you award it to?
It would be the "Can't Wait to Read This!" award, and I'd give it to Robin Brande for her upcoming novel, FAT CAT, and to Sara Zarr for her upcoming novel, ONCE WAS LOST. Both books come out this fall -- go pre-order from your favorite bookstore now!