Interview with Richelle Mead
Today we also have with us the fabulous Richelle Mead. I was one of those fortunate few who was asked to read an ARC of Richelle’s SUCCUBUS BLUES and was ecstatic over her talent.
We've asked Richelle lots of crazy questions as well as questions about FROSTBITE, the sequel to the wildly popular young adult novel VAMPIRE ACADEMY.
Welcome, Richelle!
1. Who is Richelle Mead? When did the dream of being a writer begin?
Who is Richelle Mead? Ah, that’s one of those deep ‘How many roads must a man walk down…’ questions. Some days I’m not sure myself! The brief answer is that I’m a redheaded Scorpio living out in Seattle, where I write three urban fantasy series. I drink a lot of coffee, am nocturnal (maybe because of the coffee), and pronounce my a’s with a Michigan accent.
I’ve wanted to be a writer my entire life. I used to make my own picture books in elementary school and then went on to do short stories when I was older. It’s still surreal sometimes to realize I’m living my dream career.
2. What drew you to the Young Adult genre?
It was suggested to me shortly after I sold my first series (SUCCUBUS BLUES + sequels). I was teaching junior high English at the time and thought it’d be fun to use my experiences with young adults to create something. Ironically, most of my time with young adults actually taught me to treat them and talk to them like I would adults. So, aside from some sex and violence censoring, I write the Vampire Academy series just as I would my others, and I think it works well.
3. What details can you give us about your release, FROSTBITE?
FROSTBITE is the sequel to VAMPIRE ACADEMY. This world is built off of the Romanian myths of Moroi (living vampires) and Strigoi (dead vampires). The protagonist is Rose, a dhampir or half-vampire, who is training to be a bodyguard for the Moroi. In this book, Rose and her classmates go to a ski resort for winter break. At first, it seems like the biggest problem she’ll face will be her ever-complicated feelings for an older man (and that is still a problem), but then a dangerous turn of events suddenly puts lives on the line and tests her training.
It’s funny because if you hear about teenagers at a ski resort, you might get the impression that it’s a light book. Actually, this is probably the darkest thing I’ve written (aside from SHADOW KISS, the next book in the series). It still surprises me that *I* wrote that when I read it.
4. How would you describe your lead characters in FROSTBITE?
Rose is probably the anti-me. I grew up following rules, and even today, I hate confrontation. None of that’s true for her, and that’s what makes her so great. She’s so driven by her passions and loyalties that she’ll often jump into situations and say things that she really should have considered first. What’s really neat is that she knows her future role as a bodyguard requires discipline, and so we get to see her work and grow throughout the series to gain more self-control but not entirely give up the intense feelings that make her so strong.
5. Where did the idea for FROSTBITE originate? What brought you to your desk to write it?
I wanted to do something with vampires-which is practically a genre unto itself nowadays. So, I wanted to go in a different direction with it, which is why I went searching through the mythology books. I have an M.A. in Comparative Religion and Mythology, and so I dig that kind of research anyway. The Moroi and Strigoi stories (most of which I had to build up considerably-there isn’t a lot out there on them) provided the potential for a lot of dualism, which is actually a concept at the heart of most old Eastern European vampire myths anyway. I’d always loved the idea of dhampirs too, so I put it together…and here we are.
6. It takes a lot of mental and emotional fortitude to write, what do you do to get through the tough spots?
A lot of things play into it. Sometimes it’s as simple as knowing there’s a deadline and pay check on the line. Sometimes it’s knowing when to breathe and wait out writer’s block. Lately, fan mail has been a huge factor. This series has taken off more than I expected, and I get mail from readers every day telling me how they loved VA and can’t wait for the next one. I’m not at a point in my author career where that stuff just rolls off me-each letter blows me away. And when I see how much the readers love the world and the characters…well, it’s daunting. It makes me look at what I’m writing and think, “Good God, is this good enough? Am I going to let them down?” And that’ll spur me on to keep working.
7. How do you structure your writing time?
I think you mean “structure.” I’m not very good at it. I usually do it in spurts throughout the day because it’s healthy to take mental breaks and rest my hands/wrists. My computer time increases drastically when deadline time comes around-then there are fewer breaks.
8. How can readers best contact you?
The best way to reach me is via email: irishdream@gmail.com I answer all my letters, usually within 1-4 weeks. I also have a website (www.richellemead.com) and a blog I maintain every day (blue-succubus.livejournal.com) that’ll tell you everything else you need to know!
9. Book Info: title, release date, publisher, and etc.
FROSTBITE (Vampire Academy #2)
April 10, 2008
Penguin - Razorbill Books
10.What future project are you working on-what do readers have to look forward to?
It’s a busy year! I just finished VA #3, SHADOW KISS, and I love it. It’s out in November. In October, the third book in my succubus series, SUCCUBUS DREAMS, will be released. I also have a new series about a fey-and-ghost-fighting shaman coming out in August, which I’m very excited about. That’s called STORM BORN. And finally, I’m going to be in a YA vampire anthology that’s out this fall that’ll have a short story set in the VA world that isn’t about Rose.
Thanks very much, Chey!
Thank you for being with us, Richelle!