Ask the Author: M.L. Rio
Answered Questions (60)
M.L. Rio
Thank you! I hope you really enjoy it.
I don't think I had a "least" favorite character to write (even Richard has his moments) but the trickiest characters are really the supporting ones--particularly Oliver's family. Because I wanted the reader to feel how out of place he feels without vilifying his parents or siblings, and I also wanted those scenes to make us feel a little bit icky about Oliver in a way we maybe hadn't so far--his selflessness has limits. As for what got lost in the revision process, there was a very funny scene with Caleb and Oliver which unfortunately didn't do much for the plot, and I would have liked to give Wren a little more room to breathe. But sometimes you have to compromise on things.
I don't think I had a "least" favorite character to write (even Richard has his moments) but the trickiest characters are really the supporting ones--particularly Oliver's family. Because I wanted the reader to feel how out of place he feels without vilifying his parents or siblings, and I also wanted those scenes to make us feel a little bit icky about Oliver in a way we maybe hadn't so far--his selflessness has limits. As for what got lost in the revision process, there was a very funny scene with Caleb and Oliver which unfortunately didn't do much for the plot, and I would have liked to give Wren a little more room to breathe. But sometimes you have to compromise on things.
M.L. Rio
Absolutely. HOT WAX is all about road trips and concert tours (I'm also a music writer). GRAVEYARD SHIFT is interested in mycology and medical ethics. It's an eclectic mix, but you never know where story fodder will come from. Thanks for reading.
M.L. Rio
Thank you, but nope. IWWV was always supposed to be a standalone.
M.L. Rio
I'm glad to hear the book had such an impact. But this is one of those questions I don't want to provide a yes-or-no answer to, because it's so much more complex than that. The book is all about gray areas and ambiguities and I think it would do the text a disservice to negate them after the fact.
M.L. Rio
I'm glad to hear the book means so much to you! But unfortunately it is closed for me. I always intended it to be a standalone and I like the ending the way it is. I think any prequels, sequels, or spinoffs would only serve to lessen the impact, so I won't be doing any of those things. I'm also ready to move on to other projects; I wrote this when I was quite young and my own tastes and talents have evolved and I'm eager to do something new.
M.L. Rio
Not really any deeper meaning. I basically did it when there was a lot of dialogue and speaker tags would have been burdensome, and also where the dialogue was providing most of the narrative, if that makes sense.
M.L. Rio
So glad to hear you loved the book. I don't really have favorite or least favorite characters--for me the group dynamics are what really make the magic, and they don't work without everyone. As for changes between drafts, I'm a very thorough outliner so the overarching plot didn't change, but we made a couple of significant scene-specific changes in the revision process.
M.L. Rio
If I wanted you to have a firm answer I'd have put it in the book
M.L. Rio
Thank you and yes, I am knee-deep in the next thing now that I'm done with my PhD. (However, publishing is an absolutely glacial business, so don't hold your breath.) In the meantime, I do have a story coming out in anthology in September: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
M.L. Rio
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M.L. Rio
I think it really is Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, and you don't see it nearly as often as any of the others, but more than that it was about how the themes and structure are in conversation with the central plot.
M.L. Rio
This is like asking a parent to pick a favorite child but I think we all know it's Alexander.
M.L. Rio
Yes, we do have a French edition in the works! More details soon. The best place to keep track of foreign announcements is on my website mailing list (mlrio.com).
M.L. Rio
I'm already/always in the process of writing something new, but I have been slow to produce anything over the last few years because I've spent them writing a dissertation to get my PhD (a large mistake). The good news is I have successfully defended and will be officially graduating in May, and from there I will be focusing on writing full time for at least a year or two. Thanks so much for reading.
M.L. Rio
I have no idea! I think it would be difficult to translate so much Shakespeare into the graphic novel format, and while I'm not opposed to it, it's also one of those things I don't really have any control over (I'm not a graphic artist).
M.L. Rio
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