Richelle Mead is the author for this Thursday’s Author Tales! Richelle is the author of the Vampire Academy series: Vampire Academy, Frostbite and Shadow Kiss. Shadow Kiss will be released on November 13, 2008. As well as being a very talented writer, she is also very beautiful and very nice! She is actually the one and only author I’ve met in person! If you want a chance to win one of Richelle’s titles, be sure to leave a comment to be entered into the Monthly Contest!
You originally started writing for adults, why did you want to try a YA novel?
It was actually something that was suggested to me. My then agent commented that she knew some people looking for YA vampire books. I had never heard of anything like that (little knowing what a hot genre it was) and thought it sounded like fun.
And why vampires?
Like I said above, it was just kind of suggested for me. I actually wasn’t too keen on vampires at the time. I thought they were overdone in adult literature and didn’t want to “go with the crowd.” That’s why Rose is a half-vampire–it gave me the power to do something different. And of course, once I started writing them, I grew to love all of my other vampires too!
What do you like about writing for young adults?
I love the enthusiasm! My adult readers definitely love my books too, but the responses I get from teens are just amazing. They get so invested and passionate in the book. It’s wonderful, and it really inspires me to keep writing.
Where did you come up with the ideas for your characters?
Moroi and Strigoi are vampires from Romanian mythology. I always like writing things that are based in folklore, so I’d found them by doing research. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a huge amount about them (aside from the alive/good and dead/evil parts), so I improvised a lot of their world. Rose and Lissa’s relationship is inspired from my very first novel–which never got published. It too had a bodyguard relationship, which I think is just so powerful and creates a lot of interesting dynamics with characters.
Do any of them reflect how you were as a teen?
No, not so much. While I create all my characters, none of them are ever based on me or anyone I know. I was kind of a quiet, bookish type–though I did have a bit of snark, so maybe that inspired Rose!
How do you feel about the current infatuation with vampires in literature?
I think it’s a lot of fun, though I do worry about people getting tired of it. So long as good books keep getting written, though, the genre will last awhile. One question I get asked a lot is *why* this genre is so popular, and honestly? I don’t know, but like I said, it’s a lot of fun!
Will there be a Vampire Academy novel after Shadow Kiss?
There will be two more books after Shadow Kiss, but I don’t have any info on release dates are titles.
Can you tell us anything about it!?
I can’t say too much, but #4 won’t take place at the academy very much.
Would you ever consider or have interest in writing other genres, such as historical fiction or teen issues?
I’d actually love to write both some day! I’m a big reader, so I love reading everything and would certainly love to expand out. My contracts keep that from happening for a few years, but hey, who knows?
Who or what inspired you to become a writer?
Hard to say, but I knew I wanted to do it from a very early age. I used to draw picture books when I was little, and of course, I was reading all the time. I think a lot of people who love reading books go on to write books. I think you develop a nature that loves stories, and it’s inevitable that you’d eventually want to create your own!
Who are some of your favorite authors?
In the paranormal/urban fantasy genre, Rachel Caine is my favorite. In historicals, Marion Zimmer Bradley is. And in epic fantasy, I love Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Richard Morgan also writes amazing sci-fi.
Any advice for aspiring writers out there?
Don’t give up! That sounds really obvious, but you’d be amazed at how many people say they’ve been writing a book “for the last ten years.” You can’t do that if you want to be a serious reader. Of course we’re all busy in our lives, but if you can just write a couple pages a day, that will go a long way to get you where you need to go.
Do you have any television shows you watch obsessively or an all time favorite movie?
I LOVE The Lord of the Rings movies. I think they’re amazing. As for TV, I’m a bit of reality TV fan. My especial favorites are Project Runway, Hell’s Kitchen, and (cringe) America’s Next Top Model.
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading The Oracle’s Queen, which is a wonderful epic fantasy novel by Lynn Flewelling.
For more information on Richelle Mead or the Vampire Academy series, visit the following links:
Website: http://www.richellemead.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/richellemead
Blog: http://blue-succubus.livejournal.com/
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I want to read these so much! And you are right, she is beautiful. Thank you for the interview (:
Wonderful interview. Your series and how you got started writing YA are both fascinating.
Great interview! I really enjoyed it. I’ve got the first of these on Mt. TBR, and I’ll just have to move it up to the top!
I think I need to look for these books! What a nice interview. Have a great day!
Thanks for the great interview. The books sound really good.
Haha, don’t cringe, I watch ANTM too. I love it! I was sooo glad Elina went home last night.
Great interview! I’ve heard a lot about the books; they seem really good! Haven’t got the chance to read any of the books yet tough!
Love her red hair, and taste in movies.
Thanks for the great interview. I really enjoyed the first two books and can’t wait to read the third.
I heard lots of good things about this series! This was a great interview! Richelle seems incredibly nice.
:]
A huge fan of Richelle Mead! Love her books~
Lovely interview!
Thanks for the interview! I love Rachelle’s books. They are so good! I can’t wait for Shadow Kiss!
I love what she said about the enthusiasm of teens. As an adult, I find that while there are great books about there, I am always more excited about YA titles. And that definitely makes for great conversation with my teenaged students.
Ahh Richelle Mead! -fangirls-
How sad am I? The only vampire book I have read is Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare. I have a lot others on my to read list and several on hold for me at the library. Now I have to add another!
I love the Lord of the Ring movies, too!
-Adayla
Yay, thank you for the interview! She is really pretty
I really love Richelle Mead’s VA series and can’t wait for Shadow Kiss. At least the setting of the 4th book gave us a tad/tiny bit spoil about what’s going to happen!
Wonderful interview! I am so going to start on the series.
Great interview! I love her books and can’t wait to read more of them!
omg, i love this series! i read the first two this summer and it was a-mazing!
would love to be entered thankss
stephanie
Great Interview! I actually have been meaning to check these out!
“And in epic fantasy, I love Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.”
I am actually kind of proud to have read a Tracy Hickman book =P Even though I never would have picked it out for myself.
My friend Sarah finished reading Vampire Academy recently, and she went up to me and went, “Chelsie, you HAVE to read this book”. And I am very keen on doing so =D
I absolutely love Richelle Mead. She is down to earth and a wonderful writer. She keeps you interested from the first to the last word.
I love both the YA and adult series (though I’m behind on both…but I purposely didn’t read Frostbite yet because I was waiting on Shadow Kiss to come out–I’m odd, it’s a thing)
Thanks for the great interview
I want to read Shadow Kiss, badly.
I love Romanian folklore, too! Are there any particular books that inspired you either in writing about vampires or writing in general?
I admit I’ve had Vampire Academy on my TBR pile for a wee bit longer then I normally allow, but in my defense I wanted to wait for book 2 (and then that turned into waiting for book 3…this is a vicious cycle).
I read the Oracle’s Queen a year or so ago, well more like 6 months prolly. I enjoyed that quite a bit. Made me hunt down her other books XD
Great interview! I just recently read Stormborn and can hardly wait for the next one in the series. I’m also loving the Vampire Academy series. You must be one seriously dedicated and talented individual to have 3 series on the go and you are definitely an inspiration!
Rachel Caine is also a favorite of mine.
Judi
sidhevicious(at)shaw(dot)ca
Hi, Richelle, great interview!
I’m dying to read Stormborn, I’ve read great things about it.
I’ve never read these books but they do look interesting. I loved the interview!
Great Interview! I just got Vampire Academy and can’t wait to read it.
Oh, gosh. I LOVE the Vampire Academy series. It was really the first vamp series I got hooked on during my Twilight withdrawl. The first book was absolutely amazing, the second brought me to tears. I can only imagine how great the third will be! Richelle Mead is a wonderful author and I've been following this series for a while. *sigh* Shadow Kiss… I can't wait to finally get a chance to read it.
H&C,
Tay-Toe
I want to read these books so badly!!! I like to write about vampires, and love how I can twist the mythology to create something totally different (my vampires are almost nothing like the typical bloodsuckers). I also used to make picture books when I was little, then came many failed attempts at writing a book. Maybe someday I’ll actually finish one…
I just looked up whether this books were at my library or not, and they have Vampire Academy! Totally going on my TBR list.
Great interview!
-Rima
what a great interview
love the interview
love the vampire academy even though im a grown up,lol i read my teens books
WOW! I love these books, they’re absolutely amazing! I would absolutely love to win shadow kiss, it would make my day! I hope there’s another book coming soon!
-Mag
mag_ratnayake@hotmail.com
Awesome! I shall do more research into her. She sounds like she is a great author!
thekbseries@yahoo.com
Great interview. I love the Vampire Academy series. I cant wait to read the new one.
I love the Vampire Academy series and I wish that this was a continuous series like The Immortals or the House of Night. A movie would be really uber cool too. I think they should make movies because that would be totally awesome.