Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

We are pleased to welcome the amazing Cassandra Clare to Paperback Dolls once again! Hot on the tails of her Bestselling release of CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS, the fourth installment in her super popular Mortal Instrument series, Cassandra took the time to answer some questions for us….

Q: How has the media attention from the TMI movie impacted you as a writer?

A: Not at all! So far the film is optioned and in pre-production, which means they’re looking to get everything lined up — cast, director — to greenlight a film. But since they’re not actually making the film yet, it still remains very unreal to me. My grandfather was a producer and I remember vividly how projects could fall apart at the last moment. So I’m cautiously optimistic. If the movie happens, great. If not, I’m okay. I just keep writing my books.

Q: As far as busy schedules go, do you find time to read for yourself? If so what are some of your current favorite books?

A: I don’t have as much time as I would like to read, but I do try to make time. Right now I am loving “Shine” by Lauren Myracle.

Q: So many adults are enjoying the YA genre now. Do you feel like your writing has messages for the targeted audience of young adults, or do you keep in mind the cross-over audience as well?

A: When I’m writing, I try to write the story I would want to read. I like to read about strong girl characters, I like sarcastic, funny characters, I like to read about romance, I like epic battles of good and evil – I think these are things that appeal to all ages of reader. It wasn’t so much intentional as it just happened that way. I’m grateful for my crossover audience, and especially for families that enjoy reading the books together.

Q: Do you ever get “star-struck” meeting other authors or have “fan-girl” moments?

A: Oh, all the time. The first time I met Ellen Kushner, Tamora Pierce, Susan Cooper — the list goes on.

Q: You were recently at RT convention. Since Romantic Times has an emphasis on romance, who are some of your favorite romantic couples of fiction, history or ones perhaps you’ve created?

A: Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet top my list. Richard and Alec from Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner. Blair and Chuck on Gossip Girl. Percy Blakeney and Marguerite St Just, The Scarlet Pimpernel. Laura and Sorry, the Changeover. Willow and Tara, Buffy. Buttercup and Westley. So many!

Q: Are there certain things you have to have to write, like snacks or music?

A: Music — I usually have playlists for each book, and play them while I am writing.

Q: Writing seems to be such a personal thing, is it hard to send your work out into the world? How do you deal with getting feedback from so many different people?

A: Well, before the book is published, it goes through an intensive workshopping process — I have a great group of critique partners including Holly Black, Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan, Ellen Kushner, Kelly Link, Delia Sherman, Gavin Grant, and of course my editor and my agent. These are all writers I admire and look up to — award-winners, people who teach courses, I’m lucky to have them! So by the time the book’s released I have all their feedback and I try to use it to stay grounded and keep moving forward. No book is for every reader — there are always going to be those who don’t like my books, so I try to keep focused on my critique partners’ thoughts and keep going forward, hopefully learning and growing as a writer. I appreciate fan feedback more than I can say but since it varies so widely, I try not to let it sway me.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to young adults (on anything), what would it be?

A: Oh no! I’m so not an advice columnist. But, I would say follow your dreams.

Q: What is your opinion on the steady popularity of supernatural elements in YA fiction? Do you think that the Vampire (were’s, angels, demons, fairies) trend is here to stay?

A: Oh, yes, because they always have been there. Magic has always formed a building block of children’s fiction, and that stretches on up into fiction for adolescents. The books I read as a teen centered on vampires, witches, werewolves, elves and fairies. I don’t think that will ever change. I think we’ll see the material handled differently, but the basics of the material will remain.

Q: As a writer of Young Adult fiction, teens (and some adults for that matter) can get kind of obsessed with characters and the authors that created them. You are really great at conversing with fans on Twitter and your website, which is awesome. But, do you enjoy the fame and attention you have gained from writing or is it more of a nuisance?

A: If it was a nuisance I’d have no one to blame but myself! There are a lot of authors who limit their outreach and how available they are. I’ve made myself pretty available. That’s my choice and I’d never judge anyone who made a different one. It can take up a lot of time and if you were, say, Stephenie Meyer I think it would literally be impossible. I don’t think you could keep up. I try to keep up and be available because I enjoy the connection. I am a reader as well as a writer so I understand that passion for characters and information.

Q: What is next for you? Any exciting news you could share…or tease us with?

A: Well, I’m already starting to research into the next Shadowhunter books — they’d be a sort of reboot, I’d push forward five years into the future (setting them in 2012) and deal with a new generation of teens. The characters who are Jace and Clary’s age would be twenty-two, twenty-three — suddenly more the adults in the picture. And I’d get to show where they went in their lives, a bit. It’d be fun!

Paperback Dolls is made up of women from different parts of the world, with different backgrounds, different tastes and beliefs that were brought together through a love of reading. We like to think of ourselves as a cyber version of "The View" that focuses on books, authors, and reading. We are proof positive that one common love can unite the most opposite of people and form lasting friendships that introduce other ways of life and perspectives to each other.

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