Debut Authors of the Class of 2k12: AC Gaughen & SCARLET

I'm delighted to be back with another introduction to the Class of 2k12. Author AC Gaughen has crafted a wonderful twist on the legend of Robin Hood - one of my personal favorites - with her debut SCARLET...and don't you love that cover??
Congratulationson the publication of your novel, SCARLET. Can you tell us a bit about thestory and what inspired it?
SCARLETis a reimagining of the Robin Hood legend--with Will Scarlet as a very grumpy,knife wielding teen girl. She has a lot of dark secrets and holds to them very,very tight, but she also has people she wants to protect, all set in thebrutality and inequality of Britain's Middle Ages.
Honestly,Scarlet's voice is what inspired the story--it came out on a paper in gradschool and it took a really long time for me to figure out what the storywas.  Once I realized who she was,her story just came out like a flood. It was really fun. 
Howlong have you been writing for children/teens? Have you written other books oris this your first effort?
Thisis what I've always wanted to be doing, so I've always been writing in thegenre since I was about 14.  I haveabout 150 notebooks of other stories! I've had a few shorter pieces published, but this is my firstnovel. 
Your story will be very inspiring to my readers. :) Canyou describe your path to the publication of SCARLET?
Ihad been trying to get an agent with various novels for about three yearsbefore SCARLET began catching the interest of several agents.  About a month after I sent it out onsubmission I signed with my agent, and she sold it to Bloomsbury/Walker withinfive months after that.  Fromthere, it's really a bizarre waiting game--I waited for about six months forthe contract to be finalized (eep! That's nerve-wracking), and then it's very start and stop--you'll wait,then get a revision that has to be done post haste, turn it in, wait for thenext step, which should be done with more urgency, etc.  It's exciting! 
Doyou have any advice for beginning writers?
SomethingI told myself before I got published and something I tell my self all the timestill--keep going.  When you thinkyou have a great story, keep going until it's amazing, until it really breaksyour boundaries.  When you thinkeveryone's rejecting you and this whole business is impossible to break into,keep going.  When you're stressedand exhausted, just keep going. 
That is truly the best advice. Canyou tell us something about your personal life – inspirations, plans for thefuture, goals, etc.?
Oneof the things that I find incredibly inspiring right now is the work I'm doingwith Boston GLOW , a non profit in Boston that I'm a board member of.  One of the major initiatives I run withthem is an essay contest that encourages girls in underfunded school systems tocreate local, actionable change. It gives girls that aren't used to speaking up a new voice--and it'sjust incredibly humbling and uplifting. 
Doyou have any new writing ventures underway?
I'vebeen working on another novel for a whiiiile now--longer than I've worked onany before.  Honestly I'm not sureif it will ever see the light of day, but I think sometimes you have to writewithout the thought of any kind of publication.  But then again, some times it helps your writing to think ofthe potential audience. 
Doyou have a website where readers can learn more about SCARLET? 
www.acgaughen.com  Thanks Janet!!