David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! discussion
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Amie Kaufman
Author Q&A
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Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (Authors of These Broken Stars) Q&A Event--March 17-20th
Ohmigoaaaaaaaawd. I'm fangasming all over the place. Loved this book with a passion!
Mod
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I am beyond excited for this Q&A!!!
*squeals* This was the first book I read this year and I think it's one of my favorites. \Ö/Will be thinking of questions to ask :3
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I am beyond excited for this Q&A!!!"
Not yet, but I've heard such amazing things that I'm moving it WAY up on my list :)
Yippee! During my Spring Break as well... :DI think I already have a question to ask. O_O
Mod
Hi Amie and Meagan!First off, when I finished reading the book, I didn't know how I would rate it, but after mulling it over, I've decided that I did like it. :)
So my questions are :
- What was your inspiration when you chose to set the location in space?
- It felt like Tarver and Lilac were much older than their age in the book, have you ever thought about actually making them at least 2-3 years older instead of being in their teens?
- The first book ended without any cliffhangers (at least for me), what can we expect on the sequel?
- The story felt more of a romance novel in a sci-fi setting, would we see more sci-fi aspects in the next books?
Mod
Hi Amie & Meagan! I LOVED your book so much!
My questions are:
How difficult was it to co-write this book? Did you each take a character to write about?
Are Tarver & Lilac going to make guest appearances in the other “Starbound Trilogy” books?
Hi Amie and Meagan! *waves*These Broken Stars is my favorite book ever!!!!
My questions are:
If you couldn't be authors, what would you be?
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
What are your favorite parts about being authors?
What is your favorite book?
Mod
I love
. And look at that cover! Just absolutely gorgeous!Did you ladies have any input in the cover design?
I haven't yet read this book, but heard good things about it.Could you in a few sentences describe where the book is about?
Hi ladies, I absolutely LOVED These Broken Stars, it was such a classical book but with an updated sci-fi element to it. One of my favourites of 2013!Here's my questions for you both:
How did the co-authoring process actually work? Did you coordinate to write different chapters, point of views, etc.?
These Broken Stars had a pretty controversial spoiler, about what happened to (view spoiler)
Are we going to see a Lilac and Tarver cameo in the sequel? Like how Lilac's dad will handle her newfound love?
Hi, Annie and Megan! Thanks for visiting our group! I haven't yet read These Broken Stars but it sounds excellent and it's on my to-read list.When you think of These Broken Stars, would you describe it more as a sci-fi, survival, or a romance novel?
How did the two of you meet and begin co-authoring this series? Did you guys primarily work online since you're from different hemispheres? :)
Thanks!
Hi Amie and Meagan! Thank you so much for answering our questions. I actually just finished this book yesterday, and I loved it! Where did the idea for this story, and this series, come from?
Is there a playlist for this story?What can you guys tell us about the TV rights for These Broken Stars? :)
First of all the cover is beyond amazing I freaked out! As an aspiring writer I have been working on a story and I'm really stuck (motivation wise), I love my characters and the plot but I feel my story is pretty long and I wonder if I should continue with it. Have you guys dealt with any of these things before, how did you overcome them??
:)
Thanks for doing this, Meagan and Amie!I'm always interested in how co-authors work together, and I was wondering how the two of you worked out the chapters. Do you have them planned out ahead of time, or do you pass them back and forth and pick up where the other leaves off?
Was it difficult for you to get into the groove of the sequel, even though it's new characters and different circumstances?
Hi Amie and Meagan :)Thank you guys so much for writing a fantastic book! Could not put it down when I was reading it on my holiday, and probably spent a good afternoon/evening convulsing in heartbreak as the book was drawing to a close.
Was wondering - how long did it take you guys to research the space setting? Or did you guys have a pretty good understanding/interest of it prior to writing the book? Also (this is more directed at Amie) what's the Australian publishing industry like? Is it hard work trying to get work published in America or is the Australian industry just a good?
Thank you both for answering these questions! Good luck with editing and finishing This Shattered World - Can't wait to buy it!!
Hello lovely author ladies!!
These Broken Stars is one of my favorite books of all time, and I'd like to thank both of you so much for writing it! It was so gorgeously written and thought out.
I'm super curious about your writing processes. Do either of you plan, or do you just free write? Do you have any advice on planning/the writing process?
Thank both of you so much for doing this! I'm eagerly awaiting the release of This Shattered World!! :D
These Broken Stars is one of my favorite books of all time, and I'd like to thank both of you so much for writing it! It was so gorgeously written and thought out.
I'm super curious about your writing processes. Do either of you plan, or do you just free write? Do you have any advice on planning/the writing process?
Thank both of you so much for doing this! I'm eagerly awaiting the release of This Shattered World!! :D
Absolutely adored These Broken Stars!Seeing Amie is in Australia and Meagan in the US (hope that's right), can you claim the cost of phone calls as a tax write off for work?
Hi Amie and Meagan! Thank you for doing this. Your book is wonderful. :)I'm curious, how did you come up with/what inspired you to name your main characters Lilac & Tarver? They're both unique names but also not too out there or hard to pronounce/figure out the pronunciation.
Also what inspired the idea to have major corporations terraform and colonize planets?
If you could be anybody in this book, who would it be and why? How did you come up with the idea for this book?
I'm still in the process of reading These Broken Stars but I am really enjoying it.Have you always wanted to be writers? If not, when did you decide that writing was what you wanted to do?
Do you think it is easier or harder collaborating on a book?
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Hi, Brittersweet, thanks so much for your questions! I did not post them up above, because both of those have been asked already, and I didn't want it to get redundant :) Feel free to ask anything else, though!
Loved this book! The cover is so beautiful and it was what really drew me to it in the first place! <3My questions:
1. I know the second book in the series is focusing on Lee+Flynn, but will Lilac+Tarver make an appearance?
2. Book 1 left us with somewhat of a cliffhanger and I'm sure I'm not the only one to want more of Lilac+Tarver. ;) Do you have plans to write another book for them or even a novella?
3. What kind of research did you ladies do during your writing process?
if you were stranded on a desert island with one if your character who would you want and why?
How much research went into the book?
Jenny wrote: "Brittersweet wrote: "Hi ladies!! Thank you so much for this amazing story. It was quickly a favorite of mine I read in 1-2 days. I'm sure you hear about this all the time but the cover is STUNNING!..."I realized after i had posted! Thanks for saving me from looking like that girl!!
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Hi Ladies! Thank you so much for this lovely book! It was such a quick favorite of mine. There are so many great questions already so ill go a bit left field! Where is your favorite place to write and why?What is your favorite food?
<3 Brittany
PS extremely excited about possible TV series!!
Thank you so much for doing this! :) Question: Did you always know that the whole trilogy was going to be a trilogy with different characters in each one or how did that idea come about?:)
Love from Mari <3
Oh how interesting! My question is:Was it difficult to publish a story using an international team? How did you decide on whether to approach Australian or American publishers, whether to spell things Mom or Mum, or where to base the majority of your publicity like book tours?
I really loved this book, thank you for writing such a story!
Thanks so much, Meagan and Amie, for doing this Q&A with us. TBS was the top of my "best of" list for this year. What a pleasure it was to read this story! So well written and completely unpredictable. You took a foregone conclusion and just transformed it into something amazing.Will we be seeing more of the politics of the government in the sequel, since it has all new characters?
Hi Amie and Megan! I am actually reading These Broken Stars right now! I think that the cover of the book is absolutely mesmerising and beautiful. My questions are:
How did you two think of such an amazing looking cover?
Because one of you is from America and the other from Australia, how did you manage to write together. Did one of you go to one another's country? Or did you have to email/call each other?
What genres would you place your book in?
Thank you and I can't wait for you two to answer our questions! :)
What are your favorite books and why?
Hi, everyone! So excited to be here with you, and you guys have already got some awesome questions. Amie and I are thinking we might try to group similar questions together to cover the more frequently asked questions first, and then move on to the others. Sound good? Yes? OKAY. Here we go!For the very first question, I thought it might be cool to talk just a little about the book, especially for those of you who haven't read it yet...
THESE BROKEN STARS IS:
12. Lola--Could you in a few sentences describe where the book is about?
These Broken Stars tells the story of two very unlikely companions thrown together when the luxury spaceship they're traveling on crashes on an unknown planet. Lilac, a pampered rich girl, and Tarver, a young war hero, must work together if they have any hope of finding rescue--or uncovering the secrets of this eerie, abandoned place.44. Kate--What genres would you place your book in? / 16. Lauren--When you think of These Broken Stars, would you describe it more as a sci-fi, survival, or a romance novel?
All three! If I had to pick one, I'd probably pick science fiction, simply because that's the broooaaadest category. I'd probably classify it like "science fiction: survival, romance." It's on the lighter side when compared to adult SF... but on the heavier side as far as recent YA (which is mostly post-apocalyptic and dystopian!) goes. There are spaceships, and planets, and words like "hyperspace" involved. ;)
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Okay, now it's time for me to make some breakfast and have a cup of tea, and go for a walk. Although it's raining, so... maybe just the tea. ;) I'll be back later to answer more questions--I just wanted to jump in and get this party started!
Hi Amie and Meagan! This is really exciting :) I'm not sure if you remember this Meagan, but I got a picture with you at NovaTeen BookFestival awhile ago :)
My question is:
other than to write and read a lot, what is some advice you have for young aspiring authors?
Wow, I saw your book at the store the other day and was really intrigued, but I didn't get the chance to buy it yet! What was something you learned from the process of writing and publishing this book? (Any valuable lessons and etc.)
Thank you!
Okay, I've had a chance to get settled and actually get a little work done this morning--Amie and I are in the middle of final revisions on book 2 in the Starbound Trilogy, This Shattered World. More on that later! For now, more of your questions. (And by the way, Amie is participating too--but because of the time differences, she'll be answering questions later! Right now she's asleep.)INSPIRATION:
1. Dre-- What was your inspiration when you chose to set the location in space?
When Amie and I first started writing Lilac and Tarver's story, we had no intention of writing a novel about them. We were just making up characters and writing scenes to entertain each other! We've done this with countless couples over the 7 years we've been friends. When we needed a new set of characters a few years back, Amie wanted to do a shipwreck story and I wanted to do a space story. These Broken Stars, a shipwreck story in space, was the result!
18. Holly--Where did the idea for this story, and this series, come from?
Our love of shipwreck-in-space stories aside, a lot of our ideas come from big, hours-long brainstorming sessions. Bits and pieces of the ideas come from everywhere... the TV shows we watch, the books we read, the conversations we have with people, art, music, etc.--and then we put them together by asking a lot of "what if..."
29. Heather--I'm curious, how did you come up with/what inspired you to name your main characters Lilac & Tarver? They're both unique names but also not too out there or hard to pronounce/figure out the pronunciation.
After deciding on "shipwreck in space," Amie and I went off to come up with our characters. Lilac was mine, and her name just popped into my head unlike other characters where I've had to narrow down lists of name candidates. I wanted her to be named after something pretty and delicate, because that's what she seems like as a person... at first glance.
As for Tarver, Amie just made his name up because she liked the sound of it. Later, however, she found out it actually IS a real name, from Old English, meaning "tower." We both quite like that... Tarver is a pretty solid, dependable guy! Serendipity, no?
30. Heather--Also what inspired the idea to have major corporations terraform and colonize planets?
Classic science fiction is often first and foremost a commentary on the society the authors live in. Amie and I grew up reading authors like Asimov and Heinlein, so it's a tradition we wanted to stick with. The idea that in the distant future corporations would be the most powerful entities in the galaxy is not exactly far-fetched, given our current society. So the idea that they'd be powerful enough to create whole worlds... that followed naturally!
Hi Amie and MeaganWhere is your favorite place to write down your stories?
Hi, I've read through the questions and am excited to go and read this book NOW (as soon as I've posted this question). I thought of a couple of questions (and then found they'd been asked). One thing I've always wondered about good books...
Did you ever look at the 'work in progress' and think that it just wasn't going to work (before going on to complete a successful book)?
Thanks, Amanda
Hi,I read somewhere that there is to be a common enemy throughout the trilogy.
Is the common enemy Lilac's father or merely men like him?
Thank you! I loved the book!
Good morning from Australia, everyone! MAN, that is a lot of questions! I'll jump on in! I'm going to tackle some of the 'about us' questions first!ABOUT US:
7. Carina--If you couldn't be authors, what would you be?
Amie -- I'd be a mediator, because in fact that's what I was for many years before I turned to full time writing. My job basically involve helping people in conflict have a productive conversation and decide what to do, and it was always super interesting.
Meg says if she wasn't a writer she'd probably starve, as she has no other marketable skills. She says: "I don't think an accounting firm would look kindly on someone who makes things up more easily than sticking to the facts."
8. Carina--What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
1. Read. Read a lot. Read stuff outside the genre in which you write.
2. Write. A lot. You wouldn't expect to play with a symphony the first time you tried violin, you'd expect lots of practice, lots of scales and drills. Writing is the same!
3. Get used to having your work critiqued as early as possible, whether it's finding a formal critique partner or sharing fan-fiction. Growing a thick skin is important!
9. Carina--What are your favorite parts about being authors?
Working in our pyjamas! (Kidding. Mostly.) There are so many amazing things about this amazing job. Getting lost in a story is hard to match -- just submerging and enjoying that rush of exploring a completely new path. Talking to readers is also fantastic, honestly -- we're all united by our love of books, and hearing their reactions to our writing is pretty amazing.
10. Carina--What is your favorite book?
Amie -- The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper.
Meg -- The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.
11. Karen--Did you ladies have any input in the cover design?
Often authors have no say at all, and the truth is, perhaps we shouldn't -- after all, writing is our area of expertise! Our amazing publisher did ask our opinion though, and our opinion was basically: !!!!!!!!!!!
We love our cover, and our amazing cover designer, Whitney Manger, is just too talented for words. They held a special photo shoot for the cover, and actually had Lilac's dress MADE!
32. Xandra--Have you always wanted to be writers? If not, when did you decide that writing was what you wanted to do?
Meg's wanted to be an author since she was a verrrrry little girl -- in fact, since she realised her copy of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE was written by a real, actual human being.
I've always written for fun, but didn't decide I wanted to try and write for publication until just a few years ago. Until then I wrote a lot, but just for fun!
37. Brittersweet--Where is your favorite place to write and why?
My favourite place to write is with my laptop on the couch, but I'm trying not to do it right now (secret: I'm totally typing this from the couch) as I end up with a really sore back, after losing myself in what I'm doing.
Meg, way more intelligently than me, loves to write at her computer, and so she should, as she has the cutest desk set-up ever! And her cat hangs out with her.
38. Brittersweet--What is your favorite food?
Easy, chocolate. Meg says hers is sushi!
Aaaaaand that's it for now. Off to grab some breakfast, and back later!
How do you keep details straight between the two of you? Do you keep a "Book Bible"? Also, how do you conduct your research? Do you have pets?
Are you cat people or dog people or both?
Thank you so very much for sharing with us.
Who Inspired you to become a writer?
David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite!
Books mentioned in this topic
These Broken Stars (other topics)This Night So Dark (other topics)
This Shattered World (other topics)
Skylark (other topics)
Illuminae (other topics)
More...
Amie and Meagan have been kind of enough to offer up a wonderful swag pack for one lucky winner! The swag pack includes bookmarks, postcards, and a special necklace. The necklaces include a charm each for Lilac and Tarver, a pendant with the purple flower and a dog tag, respectively; very limited in quantity, custom-designed and handmade for the book, the whole deal. This is open to US/Canada and Australia residents only. To be entered to win, you just have to ask a question!
Here is what the necklace looks like
And if you haven't checked out their book yet, I encourage you to try it! Its one of my favorites from 2013!
Questions
1. Dre-- What was your inspiration when you chose to set the location in space?2. Dre-- It felt like Tarver and Lilac were much older than their age in the book, have you ever thought about actually making them at least 2-3 years older instead of being in their teens?3. Dre-- The first book ended without any cliffhangers (at least for me), what can we expect on the sequel?
4. Dre-- The story felt more of a romance novel in a sci-fi setting, would we see more sci-fi aspects in the next books?
5. Marianne--How difficult was it to co-write this book? Did you each take a character to write about?6. Marianne--Are Tarver & Lilac going to make guest appearances in the other “Starbound Trilogy” books?7. Carina--If you couldn't be authors, what would you be?
8. Carina--What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
9. Carina--What are your favorite parts about being authors?
10. Carina--What is your favorite book?
11. Karen--Did you ladies have any input in the cover design?
12. Lola--Could you in a few sentences describe where the book is about?13. Jeann--How did the co-authoring process actually work? Did you coordinate to write different chapters, point of views, etc.?14. Jeann--These Broken Stars had a pretty controversial spoiler, about what happened to (view spoiler)[ Lilac dying and another one of her waking up and assuming the role of THE Lilac. Do you think the old Lilac is gone? How can the new one be exactly the same for Tarver? Obviously he coped with it because his grieving process wouldn't allow him not to. (hide spoiler)]15. Jeann--Are we going to see a Lilac and Tarver cameo in the sequel? Like how Lilac's dad will handle her newfound love?16. Lauren--When you think of These Broken Stars, would you describe it more as a sci-fi, survival, or a romance novel?17. Lauren--How did the two of you meet and begin co-authoring this series? Did you guys primarily work online since you're from different hemispheres? :)18. Holly--Where did the idea for this story, and this series, come from?19. Marianne--Is there a playlist for this story?20. Marianne--What can you guys tell us about the TV rights for These Broken Stars? :)21. Savanah--What can you tell us about Jubilee and Flynn as characters? How are they similar/different from Lilac and Tarver?22. Elimarie--As an aspiring writer I have been working on a story and I'm really stuck (motivation wise), I love my characters and the plot but I feel my story is pretty long and I wonder if I should continue with it. Have you guys dealt with any of these things before, how did you overcome them??:)
23. Megan--I'm always interested in how co-authors work together, and I was wondering how the two of you worked out the chapters. Do you have them planned out ahead of time, or do you pass them back and forth and pick up where the other leaves off?24. Megan--Was it difficult for you to get into the groove of the sequel, even though it's new characters and different circumstances?
25. Justine--how long did it take you guys to research the space setting? Or did you guys have a pretty good understanding/interest of it prior to writing the book?
26. Justine--Also (this is more directed at Amie) what's the Australian publishing industry like? Is it work trying to get work published in America or is the Australian industry just a good?
27. Becca--I'm super curious about your writing processes. Do either of you plan, or do you just free write? Do you have any advice on planning/the writing process?28. Kelly--Seeing Amie is in Australia and Meagan in the US (hope that's right), can you claim the cost of phone calls as a tax write off for work?29. Heather--I'm curious, how did you come up with/what inspired you to name your main characters Lilac & Tarver? They're both unique names but also not too out there or hard to pronounce/figure out the pronunciation.
30. Heather--Also what inspired the idea to have major corporations terraform and colonize planets?
31. Samantha--If you could be anybody in this book, who would it be and why? How did you come up with the idea for this book?32. Xandra--Have you always wanted to be writers? If not, when did you decide that writing was what you wanted to do?33. Xandra--Do you think it is easier or harder collaborating on a book?34. Zandalee--I know the second book in the series is focusing on Lee+Flynn, but will Lilac+Tarver make an appearance?
35. Zandalee--Book 1 left us with somewhat of a cliffhanger and I'm sure I'm not the only one to want more of Lilac+Tarver. ;) Do you have plans to write another book for them or even a novella?
36. Zandalee--What kind of research did you ladies do during your writing process?
37. Brittersweet--Where is your favorite place to write and why?
38. Brittersweet--What is your favorite food?
39.Mari--Did you always know that the whole trilogy was going to be a trilogy with different characters in each one or how did that idea come about?:)
40. Elisabeth--Was it difficult to publish a story using an international team? How did you decide on whether to approach Australian or American publishers, whether to spell things Mom or Mum, or where to base the majority of your publicity like book tours?
41. Jen--Will we be seeing more of the politics of the government in the sequel, since it has all new characters?
42. Kate--How did you two think of such an amazing looking cover?43. Kate--Because one of you is from America and the other from Australia, how did you manage to write together. Did one of you go to one another 's country? Or did you have to email/call each other?44. Kate--What genres would you place your book in?
45. Sherrie--What are your favorite books and why?46. Cindy--other than to write and read a lot, what is some advice you have for young aspiring authors?
47. Sandra--What was something you learned from the process of writing and publishing this book? (Any valuable lessons and etc.)
48. Jesse--Where is your favorite place to write down your stories?
49. Amanda--Did you ever look at the 'work in progress' and think that it just wasn't going to work (before going on to complete a successful book)?
50. Laura--Is the common enemy Lilac's father or merely men like him?51. Michelle--How do you keep details straight between the two of you? Do you keep a "Book Bible"?
52. Michelle--Also, how do you conduct your research?
53. Michelle--Do you have pets?
Are you cat people or dog people or both?
54. Heather--Who Inspired you to become a writer?
55. Jennifer--I noticed a lot of reviews mention that These Broken Stars is like a sci-fi version of The Titanic. How do you feel about that? Was that your intention or are you surprised to hear that?
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
56. Kerry--How did you decide which of you would write which character? Love love love them both!
57. Carrington--Will either of you write a solo book?58. Dan--What is the theme for this book?59. Karen--Do have any absolute favorite fan moments?
60. Jenny--What's your favorite thing about being an author?
61. Morrighan Cybella--Why, oh why do we have to wait till NOV 11th for book two!!!!!!
62. Morrighan Cybella--When are we going to be able to see the final cover of TSW???!! #CoverLust
63. Morrighan Cybella--Have you given the third book a name already? Because I'm crazy about the titles!!
64. Olivia--Which scene was your favorite to write?