Be Charmed by These Bewitching Books from 2025

Ask the Author: Marie Lu

“Hi everyone! In honor of the release of The Midnight Star (The Young Elites #3), I’ll be answering your questions from 11/7 - 11/13, so be sure to post them here! Can’t wait to see what you ask. <3” Marie Lu

Answered Questions (34)

Sort By:
Loading big
An error occurred while sorting questions for author Marie Lu.
I find myself to be extremely alike to Adelina. Do you have advice for people like her & I?
Marie Lu I think we all have a bit of Adelina in us. The mantra I try to live by is: in spite of everything, be good. Do good. Don't let anger and darkness consume you, lest you turn into your own worst enemy. Walk in the light. Help others, stand up for what's right, and speak out.
flag
Let me tell you that I've LOVED the universe you've created for TYE trilogy. It's so detailed, so fleshed out, so PERFECT... That it seems like a waste to just create a trilogy out of it. Have you thought about telling us more about it again in another book? A prequel maybe? Do you feel like you've said all that you had to say about TYE world? x
Marie Lu Thank you so much! I don't have any plans to write more books in the TYE world right now, but never say never. We'll see if something materializes in the future.
flag
Can we look forward to any LGBT main characters in your upcoming Warcross books?
Marie Lu There are definitely LGBT characters in Warcross.
flag
What is the best thing you've gotten out of writing your books?
Marie Lu This is such an interesting question! The best thing I gain out of every book I write is a progressively deeper perspective on life and people, a better understanding of my own shortcomings and mistakes, and an idea of how I can be a better person and writer. Writing is my way of understanding myself and others.
flag
Do you have a clear image of your characters before your begin writing, or do their physical imaginations develop as you continue the process of writing? My sister who does art, wants to know if the drawings you do are something you do beforehand, or as mentioned, do they come along as you go? Thank you again x
Marie Lu I tend to draw my main character(s) before I ever start writing about them, which helps me understand them. I also draw as I write, sometimes to explore my world further, sometimes to procrastinate.
flag
do you have a plan to make a short story of novella of Young elites series? i mean you have one on legend tho :(
Marie Lu I don't have any plans at the moment, but never say never!
flag
Considering their genre, world building and the amount of story, all the books in The Young Elites are very short. Was that a conscious decision on your part? If so, why? Btw, thank you for writing :)
Marie Lu In general, I tend to write short. I don't know why this is, other than that it must be my writing style, but hopefully they were still enjoyable!
flag
Can we expect any similar romances in Warcross to The Young Elites and Legend series?
Marie Lu Well, there is definitely a romance in Warcross. <3
flag
I cried in the end of champion and of the midnight star and I wanted to know if you feel emotional when you kill off characters or when you finish a series?
Marie Lu I feel VERY emotional when I kill off characters or finish a series, for sure. It's always hard to leave my cast behind!
flag
Why did you choose "White Wolf" for Adelina's name? I feel like it doesn't have any relation with her powers of illusion? Like Lucent's Windwalker, Sergio's Rainmaker, etc.
Marie Lu Her nickname has everything to do with what her mother's nickname ("little wolf") was for her when she was small. She is fierce and she bites back; the "white" part of it is in relation to the color of her hair and eyelashes.
flag
what will Warcross be about??? Does the young elite series have any influence on your new book coming out in 2017 ?
Marie Lu Warcross is set in modern times and is science fiction. While it's not directly tied to either Legend or The Young Elites, it could conceivably be set in the Legend universe. And there are some callbacks to both series in the book.
flag
Do you think you will ever post anything from your first draft of The Young Elites? The premises of what I've heard about it really interest me, and I would love to see the original characterization of Adelina.
Marie Lu I might someday, although it's so drastically different and I don't have a complete first draft of it. We'll see!
flag
Which book from the Legends series is your favorite?
Marie Lu Champion. I was so sad to leave my characters, but I remember feeling wistful and proud of them too.
flag
Another favorite author of mine hasn't released a book in years because she writes so many drafts, at least 4-5 on average! How many drafts do you usually write for each of your books? And how long does that take?
Marie Lu On average, I do one major rewrite per book that involves about one-quarter to one-third of the book, and then anywhere between 3-10 rounds of revisions after that. Legend's first draft took me four months (shortest), while Prodigy's first draft took me over a year (longest).
flag
Where do you find all the quotes on the page of opening chapters? Or did you write some of them? :)
Marie Lu I wrote all of them!
flag
Who is your favourite character from Legend and The Young Elites? And why? This may sound obvious and stupid ...
Marie Lu Not stupid at all--it's a great question!

Favorite character from Legend: June. She is who I wish I could be more like.

Favorite character from The Young Elites: Raffaele. I absolutely loved writing him.
flag
How would you describe Raffaele and Enzo's relationship? I like to think they are soulmates.
Marie Lu
This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)
flag
What or who was your inspiration in writing the characters of Teren and Magiano?
Marie Lu They weren't inspired by any real person in particular, so much as by ideas: Teren being the oppressed person who turns on his own fellow oppressed people, and Magiano being the symbol of good and light, the rogue with a heart of gold. He's a Type that I'm particularly drawn to writing.
flag
Growing up, what books did you like? :D
Marie Lu Anything and everything fantasy and science fiction. Brian Jacques, J.K. Rowling, Jacqueline Carey, Richard Adams, Terry Brooks, David Eddings, etc. were some of my favorites!
flag
Now that young elites is over, do you have an idea of what you are going to write next ?
Marie Lu Yes! My new series is called Warcross and it comes out in Fall of 2017. It's about teen bounty hunters, hackers, geniuses, and a game that takes the world by storm. My Pinterest board for it: https://www.pinterest.com/mreefish/th...
flag
Marie Lu
135,673 followers
To ask Marie Lu a question, please sign up.

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more