I had the honour to interview Alyson Noel in 2012 about
her novels and the Immortal Series. Now two years later I am interviewing
Alyson again to get more gossip on Ever and Damen, the Souls Seeker series and
what she has coming up this year.
1. As you know I loved Ever and Damen. Can
we look forward to reading more of their adventures in the future?
When I finished writing EVERLASTING, I really felt that Ever
and Damen’s journey was over, that I took them to the end of their adventure
and it was up to them to find their way from there. While I still feel their
story is complete, I’ve definitely toyed with the idea of a spin-off. I left an
opening in EVERLASTING, and when I find time, I might just play around with
that and see where it leads. I miss my trips to Summerland!
2. When naming characters do you give much
thought to the actual meaning of the names?
Character’s names are a big part of the process. I can’t
fully conceive of a character until I’ve given them just the right name, which
has turned me into a bit of a name collector. I’m always on the hunt for
interesting or unusual names and I keep them in a file that I peruse whenever I
begin a new book.
3. Now that the Soul Seekers series is over
are you planning a spin-off series like you did with the Immortal series?
While I definitely left an opening at the end of HORIZON, at
the moment I’m busy working on my new, three book series, UNRIVALED, and I’m
completely immersed in that world. Still, I’ve learned to never say never…
4. Are there any recent works that you
admire?
Definitely! I just got an ARC of Mary Pearson’s newest, THE
KISS OF DECEPTION, I’ve wanted to read this since she first told me about it,
and I was only a paragraph in when I found myself hooked. Her writing is so
fluid and elegant—I’m a huge fan.
I read really widely, so other recent reads I’ve enjoyed
are: WONDER by R.J. Palacio, THE RING & THE CROWN by Melissa de la Cruz,
NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl, WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE? by Maria Semple, and
ME BEFORE YOU by JoJo Moyes.
5. Is there any news on a movie or T.V
series for the Immortal series?
At the moment, there’s no news on an IMMORTALS movie or TV
show, but THE SOUL SEEKERS series has been optioned by Cheyenne Enterprises and
I’m very hopeful they can make something happen. Also, my adult novel, FLY ME
TO THE MOON, is still under option with Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions
with Sharon Maguire of Bridget Jones’s Diary fame set to write the screenplay
and direct.
6. What do you think people look for in
your books?
Oh, I can never be sure what people are looking for, or what
they’ll take away for that matter. I just try to provide a fun, romantic,
adventurous, entertaining, inspiring, and ultimately optimistic read and hope I
succeed in parlaying that to the reader!
7. What type of research did you do for the
Soul Seeker series?
I’m really big on research, and the more hands on the
better! Even though THE SOUL SEEKERS involves themes of mysticism, alternate
dimensions, magic, and more, I like to ground the story in as much realism as I
can. I took a three-day ‘Introduction to Basic Shamanism’ course where I
journeyed to the Lowerworld and met my spirit animal much like Daire Santos
does in Fated. I travelled to New Mexico where the series takes place and
interviewed local teens about their high school experiences, as well as a
Native American about life on the reservation. I read loads of books on
Shamanism, mysticism, Curanderas, Native American lore, and more. Everything I
experienced help to enrich the world of the books.
8. Did you enjoy doing the research and did
you learn a lot of new information?
The research is my favourite part. Not only does it serve
the stories, but enriches my life in ways I don’t always expect.
9. Do you use your own experiences in your
books?
Always, I steal from my own life all the time! I figure if
an experience didn’t kill me, I may as well write about it.
10. What can your fans look forward to in
2014
Well, believe it or not, this is the first year since 2005
when I’m not releasing a book! I wrote 21 novels, 3 stories for anthologies,
and went on countless international tours over the course of the last 9 years,
and so last year, when I finished HORIZON I took a yearlong break from writing
to reacquaint myself with the other parts of my life and determine where to go
next. I have a middle grade Christmas book coming out sometime in 2015, and I’m
currently working on UNRIVALED, a new 3 book series that I’m very excited
about. It’s set to debut in early 2016.
Thanks for the interview!
To find out more about Alyson and her novels visit her at
any of the following links:
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