1.
Tell
us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I like to write longhand
before entering it into the computer—and I use a fountain pen.
2. Where did the idea for Scythe come
from?
After so many years of teen dystopia, I wanted
to do the opposite. Instead of a story
about the world gone wrong, I wanted to explore the consequences of the world
gone right. What happens when we, as a
civilization, get all the things we say we want?
3. What is your favourite book?
Hard to pick just one. But if I had to, it would be A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
4.
What inspired you to become a writer?
The books I
read growing up, and teachers who encouraged me along the way – particularly an
English teacher I had in 9th grade.
5.
How did living overseas as a teenage influence your writing?
It made me feel like a citizen of the world,
and that nothing was beyond my grasp. I
honestly don’t think I would have had the nerve to think I could be a writer
without that experience.
6.
If you were to become a Scythe
who would you choose as your patron historic?
Kurt Vonnegut
7. What book do you wish you had
written?
Ender’s Game.
But here’s the thing – Orson Scott Card had asked me to co-write Ender’s
Shadow with him (a retelling of Ender’s Game from the character Bean’s
perspective). In the end, however he decided to do it himself instead –
although he gave me a really wonderful mention in the foreword. After reading Ender’s Shadow, I was glad I
didn’t write it, because if I had, I would have been robbed of the pleasure of
reading it!
8. What is your favourite word and why?
Brouhaha. It’s just a funny word, and my books create
quite a brouhaha!
9. Describe your writing style for us in ten
words?
Thought. Provoking. Enough. To. Keep. You. Up.
All. Night. Pondering.
10. What is your favourite
writing snack?
Ben & Jerry’s
Cherry Garcia ice-cream.
11.
Can you tell us a little about your next project?
It’s called DRY, and it’s a story about what happens
when the water runs out in Southern California.
It’s predicted to be bad. I
co-wrote the book with my son, Jarrod, and it follows several kids during the
first week without water, when twenty-three million people basically become
water-zombies, willing to kill for water.
It’s kind of a zombie apocalypse story, but a real one, and that’s what
makes it so scary. Naturally we’re
watching very closely what happens when Cape Town, South Africa runs out of
water…
Q&A courtesy of Walker Books.
Missed the SK review of Scythe? Catch up here.
Q&A courtesy of Walker Books.
