Ask the Author: Richelle Mead
Answered Questions (43)
Richelle Mead
Aw, you're sweet. I honestly think the problem was that a lot of the VA fan base is teens--who don't have the means to raise money like adults. (The Veronica Mars fan base was people my age--with jobs!). I don't know if there's anything that can be done to make the sequel. It's not something I'm a part of, but I know the producers are really passionate, and if there's a way to do it, they'll find it! From the very beginning, they've had a lot of obstacles to work against since so many investors think vampires are "over." It's been an uphill battle, with a lot of work behind the scenes that fans aren't aware of. Keep your fingers crossed! :)
Richelle Mead
I think you can write anything you want to! If you have the ability to do both, then there's nothing to stop you. The biggest issue is probably just a business concern. If you become a very big fiction writer, your book company may tell you, "More fiction! More fiction!" because that's where your fans are. So, you'd have to make some career decisions and decide what's most important. Good luck!
Richelle Mead
Roses on Bloodlines, lilies on The Golden Lily, and morning glory on The Indigo Spell. I've gotta guess at the other two, but I think it's forget-me-not on The Fiery Heart and something daisy-esque on Silver Shadows. (I don't pick them--the art department does! That's why I'm guessing). :)
Richelle Mead
Ha, thanks! It's a mix. Sometimes they come to me as I'm writing. Other times, if I'm having an off-day and not feeling particularly funny, I'll just have to write a scene and then edit it later with better dialogue. :) Ideas come to me all the time when I'm out and about, but I'm terrible about writing them down! I try to memorize them instead...which works most of the time...
Richelle Mead
Hi, Lucianne! I don't know if I have too many tips, but you shouldn't let it discourage you from writing! It may just mean you'll have to work a little harder, if you're up for it. I'd say focus on getting your ideas out first and not stress about the punctuation/grammar. Once your story or book is done, go back and very carefully try to fix things. You may also need someone to help afterwards (like a friend) to be an extra set of editing eyes. Like I said, it's extra work, but it'll be worth it if you've got a story you're really passionate about! Good luck!
Richelle Mead
Robert's whereabouts are a mystery. If you don't know what happened to Adrian, I'm guessing you may need to read the Bloodlines series. :) It's got five (soon to be six) books about him. Plus, it checks in with some of our other faves--Rose, Dimitri, Lissa, and more!
Richelle Mead
Travel to other countries depends on an invitation from the publishers in those countries...and I've actually received invites from a number of my European publishers! They're very kind to me. :) I've had to decline (and will for a while) while my kids are so young, however. I don't want to go on a long trip from them yet, and they're too little to bring along. Maybe someday when they're older we can do a big family European vacation!
Richelle Mead
The inspiration came while I was getting my M.A. in comparative religion years ago. We were studying all about religion and its impact on society, and I wondered, "What if there was no religion...and then it suddenly came back?" From there, I began building the whole world up!
Richelle Mead
It's an anthology called FORETOLD. Here's a link: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu/b...
It'll ship out signed the next time I'm in the store. Or, if you want it to ship right away, specify in the comments of their order form that you don't need it signed. Other stores should be able to order it also!
It'll ship out signed the next time I'm in the store. Or, if you want it to ship right away, specify in the comments of their order form that you don't need it signed. Other stores should be able to order it also!
Richelle Mead
Ha, great question! It's because I do my own updates to my website and have been super busy with the new baby this year. :) Hoping to catch up soon (or start making someone else do the updates!).
Richelle Mead
If possible, I write from beginning to end! It just makes better sense to me and allows me to create earlier events that impact later events in a logical way. But, if I'm really stuck on a chapter I don't know how to write, I'll sometimes skip to the next one if I understand it better.
Richelle Mead
I find what's good in my life now and think about that. Bad things certainly happen and bring me down, but I try to put it all in perspective and not focus on the negativity. I also try to stay hopeful. If things aren't good now, I look to the future and how I can make things change. Sometimes it takes a while, and it can be frustrating, but hang in there. Look to what brings you joy in life--be it family or friends, a pet, book or TV characters, or even an internet meme. Good luck!
Richelle Mead
Have you read "Homecoming"? It's a short story in an anthology called FORETOLD and is about Rose and Dimitri going to visit his family in Russia. It's sold in many places, but you can order it signed here: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu/b...
Richelle Mead
You're exactly right that the books don't get darker until later in the series. I think a lot of people who hadn't read the first book in a while may have forgotten that there was definitely some catty high school stuff in it! I liked that the movie captured that but also had some really serious moments. The first meeting between Lissa and Christian really sticks out, when he's talking about what happened to his family. The movie got that perfectly--no lightheartedness! I don't know yet if there'll be a Frostbite movie. The first movie didn't earn enough to pay for itself, so that raises a big question for how Frostbite will be paid for. I'm waiting for news, just like you guys, but if I hear something, I'll let you know! :)
Richelle Mead
I don't know yet if I'll go back to writing more VA/Bloodlines stories. I ended Bloodlines at six books because that's how long it takes to tell the story in mind. When I set out to write a series, I know the ending and when I reach it, that's the end...at least until I think of other ideas, and that may take a while. And yes, you can definitely bring other books to my signings! My normal limit is four books per person--one that I'll personalize and three that I'll just sign. If you have more books than that, bring your mom or friend and make them carry four more books. :)
Richelle Mead
I don't have anyone in mind, and I purposely keep it that way. I never pictured any actors for the other VA books either. I think if you get your heart set on a certain actor and then a different one is chosen, it can be very hard to ever get attached to them. So, I've always stayed open-minded, and as a result I was super happy with those chosen for the VA movie. Hoping the same will be true if there's ever a movie with Sydney! :)
Richelle Mead
No, I stand by all my decisions! :) I start a series knowing how it and the books within it will end, and I usually stick to it. There are so many conflicting opinions out there that if I let them influence me, I'd never get anything done. So, I just go forward with what feels right to me.
Richelle Mead
Pretty much the only thing Seth and I have in common with our writing is that I've used the bulletin board method too, including finding magazine pictures of people who look like my characters. Other than that, we don't have much else in common! I don't like to work in coffee shops, and I do a lot more outlining and planning than he does. :) I've never had an embarrassing experience like Georgina and Seth, though sometimes I'll be around people slamming vampire books who don't realize what I do for a living!
Richelle Mead
Glad you liked it! I'm excited for people to read The Immortal Crown this week. Writing that series has been very difficult! It literally takes me twice as long to write the same amount of words in this world compared to some of my others. I also had to write up pages and pages of documents to keep track of the infrastructure, history, and mythological systems. Adding on to the difficulty is that it's written in third person, and all the other books I write are in first person. Despite all the extra work, it's been worth it to challenge myself and step outside my comfort zone!
Richelle Mead
If I ever write more Rose books, Dimitri's father will eventually be revealed. But it may be a long time before that happens! :)
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