Maddy asked Lisa McMann:

Hi! A couple questions: when you started your first book did you already know what was going to happen in the rest of the series? If not, how far ahead did you have planned? (Mostly I'm wondering whether you knew that Alex and Lani would not stay a couple throughout the entire series). Also do you have any favorite characters?(Mine is Meghan!)And do you ever regret/wish that you could change something from past books

Lisa McMann Hi! I know generally what is going to happen in the series before I start the first book, but I always allow for better ideas to happen as I start writing. I wasn't sure about Alex and Lani after the first book, and the closeness that developed naturally between Lani and Samheed when they were captured really bonded them and created an unlikely coupling that I really grew to love. So I went in that direction and I think that left Alex open to doing something similar.

My favorite characters change all the time but I really love Florence, Simber, and Aaron! And Carina.

I rarely wish I could change something from past books, and if that happens I try to make the change happen within the story, just like we do in real life when we regret some action we've taken.

However I do not regret any of the deaths (in case that's what you're wondering) because I think very carefully through those in advance and, while many of them make me sad, I write them because they are necessary to the story.

Hope you like all 14 Unwanteds books--the last two are coming soon. Dragon Slayers this Sept and Dragon Fury in Feb 2021.

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