Claire Merle's Blog - Posts Tagged "interview"
SeeitOReadit Author Interview
I stopped by Jaskirat's lovely blog this week and she asked some really interesting questions about writing and my book THE GLIMPSE.
Here's what was said:
I would like to welcome Claire Merle, the author of the soon to be released dystopian thriller, THE GLIMPSE to SeeitORreadit!
Thank you!
I think we should start by telling our readers a bit about the book. Describe The Glimpse in 3 words.
Lies, Love, Destiny.
Why do you think readers will be able to relate to your characters?
The Glimpse is set in a near-future where society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed towards mental illness. The main character Ana has been raised in an elite, priviliged Community with the 'Pures', (those who won’t become sick), but becomes ostracised when the authorities discover there was a mistake with her test. Really she's a Big3 Sleeper, which means one day she’ll develop one of this societies 3 most frequent disorders – depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety. When circumstances force her out into the turbulent City beyond her safe Community, Ana is forced to question everything she’s been taught and is also left questioning herself and her own judgement, a part of her always wondering if her illness has started. This self-questioning and redefining the world from her own experiences rather than what you've been told to think, is one of the things that I personally related to most when writing Ana’s character, and I hope other readers will relate to it too.
Do you think the storyworld you have created in The Glimpse could be real some day?
I’ve taken the situation to the extreme, but I think the elements are already in place in our society. Mental illness is reportly on the rise with 1 in 4 people said to experience a mental health problem in any given year; Teen Screening is becoming more and more prevalent; and the race is on in the scientific community to develop genetic tests for various mental ills. I just read an article that three companies – Neuromark, Psynomics and SureGene – already offer genetic tests for variants associated with mental illness, and a company called Psynomics offers two genetic tests to diagnose Bipolar Disorder. So yeah, I don’t think it’s beyond the world of The Glimpse is beyond the realms of possibility!
How did you feel when The Glimpse was accepted for publication? Can you tell us a bit about how it happened?
My agent sent me an email saying ‘Offer Imminent!’ and I subsequently lay awake half the night anxiously wondering whether this meant I could get excited yet, or not! The following day my agent rang to confirm she’d received an ‘official’ offer. It took several hours to sink in. And I think I only really began to believe it and get excited once we’d accepted and finalised details!
Can you tell us a bit about the auditions and how Tamsin's story relates to the book?
16-year-old Tamsin Strike is Ana’s absent best friend. Tamsin’s video diaries take place around eight months before the The Glimpse. Like Ana, she is an outsider among the girls of her Community. Her parents come from a poor background and work endless hours in their shop in the hope that one day she’ll join with a rich Pure boy and have a safe, assured future. But Tamsin is a non-conformist. She detests the idea of being joined and pregnant before she’s 18, and she questions the separation of the Pures from the rest of the population. Unlike other Pure girls, she isn’t afraid of the City beyond their walls and willingly accompanies her father to the market to buy goods for their shop. When her father allows her to go to the cinema, she meets a guy that changes everything. But nothing is what it seems. Least of all, Brian. These videos are filmed in the days leading up to Tamsin disappearance, providing clues that will be followed up and answered in The Glimpse.
What do you hope to accomplish as an author?
Primarily, I hope to draw people into a world and a story that takes them on a roller coaster journey they won’t forget. I also hope the stories I write encourage people to ask questions about the world we live in, and search for their own answers.
What do you plan on doing on the release of the book!
Mmm tough question. I’d like to have a wonderfully lavish launch party/ celebration. But I’m in France and the book won’t be released here at the same time as it is in the UK, so I’m not sure yet! I may end up doing something totally different and going skydiving to celebrate instead. I was in a skydiving club at university, loved it, haven’t done it for years!!
Do you have any info on the cover reveal?!?! I promise I won't share!
Wow, the cover! Such an exciting and nerve-wracking part of the process. I've seen a few possibles, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Hopefully, I'll have more for you at the end of January!
Thank you so much for stopping by! I can't wait to read The Glimpse!!! Do you have any last words for your readers?
Thanks for taking an interest in The Glimpse. And if you know anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 who enjoys acting be sure to tell them about The Glimpse Auditions. Faber are launching a Glimpse facebook page this week which will include audition scripts, character description and details on how to apply!! The online video diaries will be directed by an award-winning British director, so anyone who wants to help spread the word that would be awesome! I’ll also be holding an international book giveaway on my facebook author page for anyone that tweets or blog about the auditions.
So come and join me!http://www.facebook.com/pages/Claire-...
Thanks again for having me on your blog Jaskirat!
Here's what was said:
I would like to welcome Claire Merle, the author of the soon to be released dystopian thriller, THE GLIMPSE to SeeitORreadit!
Thank you!
I think we should start by telling our readers a bit about the book. Describe The Glimpse in 3 words.
Lies, Love, Destiny.
Why do you think readers will be able to relate to your characters?
The Glimpse is set in a near-future where society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed towards mental illness. The main character Ana has been raised in an elite, priviliged Community with the 'Pures', (those who won’t become sick), but becomes ostracised when the authorities discover there was a mistake with her test. Really she's a Big3 Sleeper, which means one day she’ll develop one of this societies 3 most frequent disorders – depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety. When circumstances force her out into the turbulent City beyond her safe Community, Ana is forced to question everything she’s been taught and is also left questioning herself and her own judgement, a part of her always wondering if her illness has started. This self-questioning and redefining the world from her own experiences rather than what you've been told to think, is one of the things that I personally related to most when writing Ana’s character, and I hope other readers will relate to it too.
Do you think the storyworld you have created in The Glimpse could be real some day?
I’ve taken the situation to the extreme, but I think the elements are already in place in our society. Mental illness is reportly on the rise with 1 in 4 people said to experience a mental health problem in any given year; Teen Screening is becoming more and more prevalent; and the race is on in the scientific community to develop genetic tests for various mental ills. I just read an article that three companies – Neuromark, Psynomics and SureGene – already offer genetic tests for variants associated with mental illness, and a company called Psynomics offers two genetic tests to diagnose Bipolar Disorder. So yeah, I don’t think it’s beyond the world of The Glimpse is beyond the realms of possibility!
How did you feel when The Glimpse was accepted for publication? Can you tell us a bit about how it happened?
My agent sent me an email saying ‘Offer Imminent!’ and I subsequently lay awake half the night anxiously wondering whether this meant I could get excited yet, or not! The following day my agent rang to confirm she’d received an ‘official’ offer. It took several hours to sink in. And I think I only really began to believe it and get excited once we’d accepted and finalised details!
Can you tell us a bit about the auditions and how Tamsin's story relates to the book?
16-year-old Tamsin Strike is Ana’s absent best friend. Tamsin’s video diaries take place around eight months before the The Glimpse. Like Ana, she is an outsider among the girls of her Community. Her parents come from a poor background and work endless hours in their shop in the hope that one day she’ll join with a rich Pure boy and have a safe, assured future. But Tamsin is a non-conformist. She detests the idea of being joined and pregnant before she’s 18, and she questions the separation of the Pures from the rest of the population. Unlike other Pure girls, she isn’t afraid of the City beyond their walls and willingly accompanies her father to the market to buy goods for their shop. When her father allows her to go to the cinema, she meets a guy that changes everything. But nothing is what it seems. Least of all, Brian. These videos are filmed in the days leading up to Tamsin disappearance, providing clues that will be followed up and answered in The Glimpse.
What do you hope to accomplish as an author?
Primarily, I hope to draw people into a world and a story that takes them on a roller coaster journey they won’t forget. I also hope the stories I write encourage people to ask questions about the world we live in, and search for their own answers.
What do you plan on doing on the release of the book!
Mmm tough question. I’d like to have a wonderfully lavish launch party/ celebration. But I’m in France and the book won’t be released here at the same time as it is in the UK, so I’m not sure yet! I may end up doing something totally different and going skydiving to celebrate instead. I was in a skydiving club at university, loved it, haven’t done it for years!!
Do you have any info on the cover reveal?!?! I promise I won't share!
Wow, the cover! Such an exciting and nerve-wracking part of the process. I've seen a few possibles, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Hopefully, I'll have more for you at the end of January!
Thank you so much for stopping by! I can't wait to read The Glimpse!!! Do you have any last words for your readers?
Thanks for taking an interest in The Glimpse. And if you know anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 who enjoys acting be sure to tell them about The Glimpse Auditions. Faber are launching a Glimpse facebook page this week which will include audition scripts, character description and details on how to apply!! The online video diaries will be directed by an award-winning British director, so anyone who wants to help spread the word that would be awesome! I’ll also be holding an international book giveaway on my facebook author page for anyone that tweets or blog about the auditions.
So come and join me!http://www.facebook.com/pages/Claire-...
Thanks again for having me on your blog Jaskirat!
