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Ashes
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Ilsa J. Bick (author of Ashes) Q&A Nov. 11-17th
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Your Drowning Instinct cover is one of my favorites!!
Ilsa wrote: "(Nanouk)I haven't read Monsters yet (I'm DYING to read it but school makes it impossible), but I'm really curious about how authors come to the ending of a book. I talked to Lauren Kate (Fallen ser..."Thanks Ilsa, I've missed that I think! I love the way you always keep your readers updated by writing blogs! :) I've blogged about it! http://dutchbookchick.wordpress.com/2...
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Awesome blog, Nanouk!! :)
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Are you a coffee drinker?
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Ilsa wrote: " (Jeann)Hi Ilsa, do you think YA books are getting more stereotypical these days with instant love, love triangles and daft heroines? As a book blogger these are some of the blogosphere's most hate..."Fantastic response Ilsa, I loved how you compared the percentage of romance readers to sci-fi readers. Romance is definitely the dominant genre. And you are right, if it sells then why change the formula right? (Even though some of us reviewers hate it, I wonder if the rest of the readers still enjoy them).
(Jenny)What is the best the thing about being a writer? What is the worst?For me, the best things are a) I'm never bored and b) when it's all over, I get to hold a finished product in my hands that *I* did. The first one's easy to understand, especially if you're as easily bored as I. What other profession can you learn new things, go places, read, pick up interesting factoids . . . and it's all research? I go on a hike; it's research. I shoot guns; I eat a worm; I skin a rabbit; it's research. I read that if you want to foil a cadaver dog, bury another dog on top of a body--and it's research. Or I see a great movie, and there's a really interesting scene, and I think, okay, tweak this, do that . . . All of life is fodder. You never know when you'll be able to use whatever you've just done or seen or experienced in a book.
The second part to that is easy: there's MY book. *I* wrote that. Of course, I'm always convinced that I'll never write anything half as good ever again (and with every book)--and I have remarkable amnesia for the agony of the whole process--but, you know, that's mine. I did something that you'all find interesting and worthwhile. That's cool.
The worst things are many: trying to come up with something original (I jettison five or six or seven good ideas before I think I've found one, and then I usually jettison that); the daily, crushing agony of realizing that you suck and your writing sucks and this book completely sucks; that awful feeling of dread that no one will like this enough to buy it and that, yes, you do indeed suck, big-time and everything you write is bad; the even worse feeling you get when reviews start coming in and only reinforce that, yes, you really did know what you were saying when you told your husband that the book sucks . . . Yeah. See, the thing is that if a patient and you don't see eye to eye, they go out and find another doctor. They may tell other people that you suck, but--you know--it's all okay. With a book that you've labored over for a LONG time (soup to nuts, from inception of an idea to a finished product is well over a year, fourteen months, and that's a long time to live with a book in all its stages, especially as you're trying to move on to other work), it's absolutely soul-crushing when everyone begins talking about how sucky it is and, by extension, you are. It's why I try not to read reviews any more; life is hard enough and people are incredibly cruel sometimes and everyone has an opinion and blah, blah. It's worse when trade journals hate you, too. Then it's like . . . shit . . . what the hell am I doing? I should take up needlepoint. Raise sheep. Something.
(Karen)Dogs or cats? Actually, I love both and would have a ton of animals and live on a farm, if I could and the husband would agree. Sadly, for whatever reason, the husband--while a nice guy--doesn't really like animals or pets, period. Just never raised with them. Me, I had dogs growing up. I'd always wanted to try cats, too, but the parents didn't like them. So when I started getting my own places, I went small: gerbils, hamsters, albino clawed frogs. Then I graduated to cats--and by then, I had the husband. We once had a Golden whom I loved, but the husband wasn't wild and neither was the nanny, and so the dog went and for a while there was nothing. Then I pretty much put my foot down and said that it wasn't fair that I couldn't have ANY pets. (For a while, I kept fish and frogs in my office.) So the husband grudgingly agreed to a cat and then two. He got apoplectic when I had four, and he's not thrilled that I'm getting two new kittens. ("Why isn't one enough?") Flat-out refuses the dog. So I told him that when he dies, I'm getting dogs, too, and we'll go visit him and I'll let the dogs keep his plot nice and green, and then we'll all go home and I'll tend the bees, milk the cows, shear the sheep, and cuddle the cats.
So...cats. For now.
Actually, anyone who knows me--and if you've been paying attention to my blogs, you know, too--I couldn't do this without the husband. He really is a rock. But...dang.
(David)Are you a coffee drinker? Yup. One cuppa per day, every morning. Any more than that, and I start vibrating. I'm wired enough as it is.
(Karen)Ilsa, IF you ever decide to revisit the world of Ashes, would you consider doing some prequels? Maybe even short stories or novellas? There are so many interesting backstories I'd love to learn more about. Chris, Peter, Simon, Lena, Kincaid, Jess, and especially Alex and Tom. The story of Rule! So much to know!Hmmm...maybe. It would depend, I think, on if I thought that would be interesting enough. I agree that there's a lot to know and learn, it's like a continuation or sequel: I'd have to be convinced that these were stories worth telling. I was thinking about that this morning, in fact: when you write a character, you really put all your eggs in that basket. That is, you make that character as rich and compelling as you can, and it's all very exciting, new territory. But sequels (and prequels) are tough, because some of the excitement's gone. (It's one of the great things about doing a book in third-person POV as I did; you can branch out to tell other stories and nothing gets stale.) It's why series characters can go flat; you run out of interesting things to explore or know about them. So if I did something like that--pre- or post- -- the story would have to be incredibly rich and interesting to me.
Now, having said that . . . I think all those characters--and I try to do this for every book, ANY book--have a lot more going on that you'll ever know. So could I do it? Sure. I actually had a Tom-book--pre-Waucamaw--in my head. The problem is not only time but consistency (and you have to make sure the book has surprises in it, too; that it's a stand-alone and a true story in its own right--not something that you do using ASHES as a hook...see what I'm saying?).
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Glad to know that ideas are formulating! Tom!!?! :-)
Other characters keep popping out at me too. Penny! Her baby! Come on characters! Throw yourself at Ilsa already! ;-D. I know, I know -- white pages at the end of the book! That's what they're there for. :-P
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Actually, I love both and would have a ton of animals and live on a farm, if I could and the husband would agree. Sadly, for whatever reason, the husband--while a nice guy--..."
Kittens!!!! :-)
What do you enjoy about writing dystopian books? Also what do you find challenging?I'm excited about your upcoming book White Spaces. I hear there's many POVs within it, could you tell us about how this is weaved into the story? How do you think readers will find your new release?
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The animals thing--HAHAHA!! I love animals, too, but my twin boys are deathly allergic to animals, and one of them has severe asthma, so we don't have any pets. Once they are grown and out of the house, I'm getting a cat and a dog!
(Karen)Ilsa, in Monsters, you touch upon an environmental issue about wolves. Are there any causes you are interested in, environmental or other?Not causes per se (although I've been talking about climate change for years to anyone who'll listen) but certain organizations that, IMHO, do a better job than others. In no particular order: The Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, Oceana, ASPCA, Humane Society of America, WSPCA, WWF, Wildlife Conservation Society, Sierra Club, NRDC, Earthjustice.
And, of course, just about anything to do with the national parks.
If I could figure out how to write a conservation-minded book--or something about illegal poaching--without sounding preachy, I would. The way we treat this planet is atrocious.
(Jeann)What do you enjoy about writing dystopian books? Also what do you find challenging?Well, to be honest, I don't think there's anything more enjoyable about a dystopian or apocalyptic (other getting to tear everything down and show everyone at their worst) than any other novel. With any novel, apocalyptic or otherwise, the joy lies in figuring out your story and then--as with any book--the challenge comes in telling the story in a fresh and exciting way that you hope won't feel hackneyed or like a pale imitation of someone else who does it much better. I pretty much approach each book the same way, and I find they bring the same joys and challenges.
(Jeann)I'm excited about your upcoming book White Spaces. I hear there's many POVs within it, could you tell us about how this is weaved into the story? How do you think readers will find your new release? Thanks! But I'm not sure how to answer your question. I mean, there are many POVs in the ASHES trilogy, too, if you think about it. So the challenge is in creating compelling characters, each with a distinctive voice, to help people keep things straight. For this particular book, because I'm not building on characters you've heard about in the first book (e.g., in SHADOWS, you already knew who the main players were), I help people a little bit by heading each chapter with the POV's name (Lizzie, Emma, Eric, etc.).
Are there are a lot of people to keep track of? Sure, but there are tons of characters in books by Dickens and Stephen King and Dan Simmons and . . .
I trust that a) my readers have brains and b) they come to my books--and this one, in particular--understanding that it's not the same-o, same-o. To be honest, I think that part of the predictability problem with a lot of YA is that writers limit their POVs because they think it'll be "easier" on their readers. In a sense, they're right; it's not like I've NEVER written a book from first-person POV. I write whatever POV the story demands. That means I won't shy away from bigger, broader novels with multiple POVs because that limits your options as a writer and may act to the detriment of your story. (I can think of MANY very popular trilogies that falter because of this problem. MANY. OTOH, they're ridiculously popular . . . so don't pay any attention to me.) And, frankly, every time you write, you ought to try something you've never done before. Otherwise, you get stale, and so does your writing.
WHITE SPACE really hinges on readers "getting" the conceit: what the different POVs are about; why they're playing out the way they are. That means I do weird things in the narrative, but because it's also partially horror, weird fits in naturally in terms of genre.
And I honestly think about things like that with every book. One of the lovely things about YA is you can get away with genre mash-ups. YA readers are, in some ways, much more flexible that way. So, you can stretch genre limits and expectations--but you must also really understand the conceits and structures of (and to) the genres you're playing with.
So, in WHITE SPACE, I do things you wouldn't expect, like end chapters in mid-sentence or with ellipses or dashes. I'm not trying to be cute, although--yeah--I'm shaking up expectations. (If you think about it, I did that at the end of the first ASHES book. Boy, were people mad and my editor was nervous because of it. But you weren't indifferent. I also ended it that way for a very specific, fairly artsy-fartsy reason: at the end of that book, Alex has discovered that all the niceties, everything she's ever taken for granted, are gone, stripped away. Civilization as she's known it has collapsed. So I wanted to give my readers that same kind of gut-punch shock. Nothing is nice and predictable for her anymore . . . so why should they be for you?)
In WHITE SPACE, I play with form to cue your mind about what's going on in the only ways available to me as a writer without sitting you down for a very boring, fairly condescending "you-know-Bob" moment. I know you guys are smarter than that. (But if you want a hint--or a movie that I mention in the book and which I think plays with the same concepts I do--then check out IDENTITY. Really interesting flick, and in some ways, much more inventive than INCEPTION, though that was also a great film.)
As for how they'll find it . . . I'm going to presume you mean . . . "like" it? Or do you mean, figure out I've written it? The latter's easy ;-) As for the former, I don't know if people will like it; I hope they do. I think it's a book and concept that has the virtue of never having been tried in quite this way.
But . . . WHITE SPACE is a very different read. I know that going into this. It's not your standard kind of book, and I also understand that not everyone will "get" it. But you take that risk with every book. (I was going to go all artsy-fartsy and say something about how boring any art would be if all we did was churn out identical narratives or paintings or songs . . . but that's way too serious for me. Is writing an art? Sure . . . but above all else, I'm an entertainer. That's my job. You pick up a book to be entertained, not because you need your daily dose of art.)
So, changing things up, taking chances, trying something new . . . all that keeps things fresh. It's part of the terror of writing, and--for me--most of the fun.
David wrote: "Oh my gosh Ilsa, your response in message 110 is so awesome, I want to print it out and frame it! Every writer should read the part about what you dislike about writing. And trust me, you do not su..."Thanks. But, really, there are days when you just have to shake your head. Like . . . Ilsa, honey, what were you thinking?
OTOH, remember: I'm a Freudian. We all think the glass is half-empty.
Jenny wrote: "Agree completely that you do not suck, I loved that response, though!The animals thing--HAHAHA!! I love animals, too, but my twin boys are deathly allergic to animals, and one of them has severe..."
Yet another reason to celebrate when you finally boot the kids out of the nest. My friends asked if I was depressed when the last kid left home. Naw . . . no way. Are you kidding? I mean, I love my girls and everything, but a parent's job is to become obsolete. Really. That this means you can also do things you've never done before--like have pets--well, that's just gravy.
Nanouk wrote: "Ilsa wrote: "(Nanouk)I haven't read Monsters yet (I'm DYING to read it but school makes it impossible), but I'm really curious about how authors come to the ending of a book. I talked to Lauren Kat..."Did I say "thanks?" If not . . . thanks! ;-)
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Ilsa,
What things were you excited about doing when your kids left the nest?
(Jenny)What things were you excited about doing when your kids left the nest?
Oh, basically, it was nice not having to get up at 4:30 a.m. to make a spin class before then coming back and getting everyone up and going for school. I liked not having to worry about dinner as much (although I still enjoy cooking for the husband), and there just isn't as much drama. I get up; I drink my coffee; I go to work. I exercise. I deal with dinner. It's a much simpler existence. All the melodrama happens in my head instead of real life ;-)
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Thank you so much, Ilsa, for coming to our group and answering our questions! You are just amazing and I had so much fun with this!
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Wow that is an awesome answer Ilsa! you've really made me excited to pick up White Space, I love it when authors really make their work artistic while still telling an amazing story.Thank you for visiting our group Ilsa, I have really enjoyed reading all your answers and chatting with you. I'll definitely hit you up when I read the Ashes trilogy :) Had heaps of fun!
You've very welcome! Me, too. Thanks for the invite :-)
Jeann (Happy Indulgence) wrote: "Wow that is an awesome answer Ilsa! you've really made me excited to pick up White Space, I love it when authors really make their work artistic while still telling an amazing story.Thank you for..."
Great, Jeann. By the way, your question about WHITE SPACE was good, and so I've replicated our little discussion for my blog post. Thanks for asking about that. Never hurts to lay the groundwork for folks.
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http://www.ilsajbick.com/?p=2458
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Thank you SO MUCH Ilsa!! Not only did the group apparently LOVE your answers to our many crazy questions, but it meant a lot to me personally that you'd take the time out of your busy schedule to hang out with us. Sorry I missed the end, I've had very bad food poisoning! But I loved your answers to the last few questions and yes, use any of your answers as groundwork for blog posts or anything else you need them for! It's awesome to know you'll get some added benefits of your time spent with us :)
All the best and thanks again!!
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http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/shar...
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And there are tons and tons of amazing authors that will be there!! I'm pretty blown away.
I plan on going to meet Ilsa and will be dragging 1 or 2 grandkids along. ;-D
https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/
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O_O I missed this. And I read this. And I reviewed it on Saturday.OMG, I'm so behind, XD
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David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite!
Books mentioned in this topic
Drowning Instinct (other topics)Drowning Instinct (other topics)
White Space (other topics)
Monsters (other topics)
Ashes (other topics)
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He never leaves, Sherry. Read that part again: he stays behind because he won't leave Jess. But he's caught and stopped before he can. Esse..."
Kincaid is one of my favorites!