Ask the Author: Courtney Summers
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Courtney Summers
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(view spoiler)[are you considered as an optimist? (hide spoiler)]
Courtney Summers
My books probably wouldn't suggest so... :)
Courtney Summers
Hello! Sorry for the delay in answering your question--thank you for your interest in reading Sadie :)
The podcast from Sadie is pulled directly from the book/audiobook and stops after a certain point. You need Sadie's perspective to get the whole story and the rest of the podcast episodes. You can listen to the podcast before, as or after your read--it's really up to you! Thank you for asking :)
And if you love what you heard on the podcast you can always continue the journey in audiobook.
Thanks again!
The podcast from Sadie is pulled directly from the book/audiobook and stops after a certain point. You need Sadie's perspective to get the whole story and the rest of the podcast episodes. You can listen to the podcast before, as or after your read--it's really up to you! Thank you for asking :)
And if you love what you heard on the podcast you can always continue the journey in audiobook.
Thanks again!
Courtney Summers
Please thank your daughter for me! I'm so glad she picked up and was enthralled by Sadie and its multiple perspectives. :) It took me a couple of years to write Sadie, and it was inspired by the way we consume acts of violence against women and girls as a form of entertainment. I hope that answers her questions & my thanks to her again!
Courtney Summers
Thanks for the question! I love all my books in different ways (which sounds trite, but is true)--my favorite is always the one I'm currently working on. :)
Courtney Summers
Thank you so much! I'm so thrilled Sadie resonated with you and appreciate you reading and your incredibly kind review! I have to admit that I have no plans (at this time) to continue Sadie's story--but I also never say never. :) Thank you for your interest. I'm so happy it made an impact and I appreciate you letting me know. Thank you!
Courtney Summers
Hi! Thank you so much for reading This is Not a Test! I hope it held up for you. At this time, there are no plans to make Please Remain Calm into an audiobook, but if that situation changes, I'll let my readers know. :)
Thanks for reading & for your interest!
Thanks for reading & for your interest!
Courtney Summers
Hi! Thank you so much, I'm thrilled it's a favorite. I have no immediate plans for a sequel to SGA, but I never say never. :) Thanks for reading and for your question!
Courtney Summers
Hi! I'm currently focused on completing my next book but we'll see what the future holds... I'd be surprised if I never returned to the zombie apocalypse. I'd like to! I have a lot of fun writing all that misery. :)
Courtney Summers
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[If it's not on the page, it's completely up to the reader. :)  (hide spoiler)]
This question contains spoilers...
(view spoiler)[Hi Courtney! I have recently read This is not a test and Please remain calm and I would like to know if Rhys and Sloane survive at the end? Me and my friend are wondering what you meant by the light shining through the window. Did the zombies get them or did they somehow survive? (hide spoiler)]
Courtney Summers
Hi! Thanks so much for reading. :) These are great questions and I know the answer to them all. BUT.
I can't tell you.
I hope after I clear a few things from my writing plate I'll be able to return to the TINAT universe. I absolutely can't guarantee when that will happen but the loose threads were definitely not an accident and I think would best be explored in that format.
But I can tell you by the time they got to the cabin, they were clear of the zombies. For that moment, anyway. :)
I can't tell you.
I hope after I clear a few things from my writing plate I'll be able to return to the TINAT universe. I absolutely can't guarantee when that will happen but the loose threads were definitely not an accident and I think would best be explored in that format.
But I can tell you by the time they got to the cabin, they were clear of the zombies. For that moment, anyway. :)
Courtney Summers
Hi! It was and I'm not sure... I never say never about that kind of stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if certain elements made a reappearance in a future book somewhere down the line. Thanks for your question. :)
Courtney Summers
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot to me & it's always wonderful to hear from an aspiring author! Before Cracked Up to Be, I wrote three novels--one adult novel, one that would be considered new adult now (but I thought of as adult at the time) and one YA novel. Then CUTB. And between those books, there were always a lot of false starts with different ideas that I'd get 20-50 pages into before I'd realize they weren't what I should be working on and set them aside. Getting published rarely happens overnight and on the first try (that's the exception, not the rule!), and that willingness to fight for your manuscript can make all the difference. It's great to have that mindset! 
I wish you all the best with your writing. :)
I wish you all the best with your writing. :)
Courtney Summers
Hi! Thank you for your incredibly kind words. :)
I didn't get published the very first time--not at all. :) I wrote three manuscripts before Cracked Up to Be and I tried for representation for each of them. Consequently, I have hundreds of rejections. I didn't have any contacts/connections in the publishing industry, so I did what most writers do--researched agents and sent queries to those I thought would be a good fit for me and my work. One was, and she found an editor who was also a good fit for me and my work. I'm not opposed to self-publishing but traditional publishing was the route I wanted to explore for myself.
I hope that answers your question!
I didn't get published the very first time--not at all. :) I wrote three manuscripts before Cracked Up to Be and I tried for representation for each of them. Consequently, I have hundreds of rejections. I didn't have any contacts/connections in the publishing industry, so I did what most writers do--researched agents and sent queries to those I thought would be a good fit for me and my work. One was, and she found an editor who was also a good fit for me and my work. I'm not opposed to self-publishing but traditional publishing was the route I wanted to explore for myself.
I hope that answers your question!
Courtney Summers
Thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear it worked for you. :) 
Something that always struck me in a lot of zombie apocalypse stories was that many of their protagonists possess this incredible will to survive. They might have moments of self-doubt and despair, but they work past it and fight their way through. But what if you didn't? What if that's just not how you were built? I started thinking about what it would be like to explore an apocalypse through the eyes of someone who didn't want to survive anymore and with that, Sloane's story started coming into place.
Thanks for your question!
Something that always struck me in a lot of zombie apocalypse stories was that many of their protagonists possess this incredible will to survive. They might have moments of self-doubt and despair, but they work past it and fight their way through. But what if you didn't? What if that's just not how you were built? I started thinking about what it would be like to explore an apocalypse through the eyes of someone who didn't want to survive anymore and with that, Sloane's story started coming into place.
Thanks for your question!
Courtney Summers
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[Hi! Thanks for your question. Romy's present trauma causes her to flashback to previous trauma. The opening chapter of All the Rage is Romy on the deserted road, having a flashback of her rape. The flashback is marked by gray text and Romy references that it is a flashback immediately following it. The next part of the novel--part one-- is two weeks earlier (the dividing page reads 'two weeks earlier' not two months) from her being on the road. The way the story is told, with the time broken and fragmented across the narrative, is to reflect Romy's PTSD. (hide spoiler)]
Courtney Summers
Hi! I'm currently working on sixth book so that's where my focus is right now, but I never say never when it comes to sequels. Thanks for your question!
Courtney Summers
thank you so much for your incredibly kind words and your question. My apologies for the delay in response. I appreciate that it was a difficult read for you. I can't tell you how much it means that you picked it up and that it resonated with you, and you found it worth your time. Thank you so much. As for a companion to All the Rage, I don't have any immediate plans for it, but I also never say never when it comes to continuing any of my books. :)
Courtney Summers
Hi! Thanks for your question! When it comes to sequels to Please Remain Calm, I never say never... :)
Courtney Summers
Thank you for all your kind words and sorry for the delay in response!!! I'm currently working on my next book and as soon as I've got news to share about it, I absolutely will. As for a sequel to Please Remain Calm, I'm getting the sense from the questions I get about it I should start seriously considering it... :) 
Courtney Summers
Hi! Sorry for the delay in answering your question! As far as writing more in the TINAT universe--I never say never. I didn't initially think I'd ever write a sequel to TINAT and look how that turned out. :) Thanks for your question.
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