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Questions about PRIVATE & PRIVILEGE? Ask them here!
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Jul 21, 2014 08:04AM
Feel free to ask any questions about the PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series!
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What inspired you to write such an intense and thrilling storyline for the private series? And which book from the private series did you enjoy writing most?
In regards to the Private Series, did you always intend for there to be a mystical element in the story line, or was it a sudden inspiration because of other novels and films thay were following that general trend? Regardless I have loved all your books and have been a fan since Private was first released!
Do you think you'll ever continue the Private series or at least fill in the gaps between the end of Reed's junior year and her acceptance to Georgetown? I'm so interested in how her relationship with Josh played out and whether or not she still goes to the islands over winter break and sees Upton.
Khadija wrote: "What inspired you to write such an intense and thrilling storyline for the private series? And which book from the private series did you enjoy writing most?"I second this question! :)
If there was one thing that you wanted to teach us through these enticing novels, what would it be?
Khadija wrote: "What inspired you to write such an intense and thrilling storyline for the private series? And which book from the private series did you enjoy writing most?"
Hi Khadija!
First of all, I'm glad you found it intense and thrilling! Thank you! I had basically written a few hardcover stand-alone novels for the same publisher, and they wanted me to try a series. Gossip Girl was very popular at the time, so they were hoping for something set at a private school, and I'd always wanted to try writing a mystery (I loved reading them), so I suggested a murder mystery. I thought the setting was great for something dark.
From there I think it was my love of thrillers, mysteries and horror stories that kept the inspirations coming. A lot happened to Reed in those books, so it was tough to keep it fresh, but hopefully I managed!
Thanks for your question!
Hi Khadija!
First of all, I'm glad you found it intense and thrilling! Thank you! I had basically written a few hardcover stand-alone novels for the same publisher, and they wanted me to try a series. Gossip Girl was very popular at the time, so they were hoping for something set at a private school, and I'd always wanted to try writing a mystery (I loved reading them), so I suggested a murder mystery. I thought the setting was great for something dark.
From there I think it was my love of thrillers, mysteries and horror stories that kept the inspirations coming. A lot happened to Reed in those books, so it was tough to keep it fresh, but hopefully I managed!
Thanks for your question!
Nicole wrote: "In regards to the Private Series, did you always intend for there to be a mystical element in the story line, or was it a sudden inspiration because of other novels and films thay were following th..."
Hi Nicole,
It was never the plan. The series had been going on for a while and everyone was looking for a way to shake things up. I was never a huge fan of the idea, but I did the best I could with it! I do really like witches and witch stories, but I don't know if it belonged in Private, per se. If I had it to do again . . . . Let's just say I'm glad it didn't factor into the final book. :) Thank you for reading!
Hi Nicole,
It was never the plan. The series had been going on for a while and everyone was looking for a way to shake things up. I was never a huge fan of the idea, but I did the best I could with it! I do really like witches and witch stories, but I don't know if it belonged in Private, per se. If I had it to do again . . . . Let's just say I'm glad it didn't factor into the final book. :) Thank you for reading!
Kitty wrote: "Do you think you'll ever continue the Private series or at least fill in the gaps between the end of Reed's junior year and her acceptance to Georgetown? I'm so interested in how her relationship w..."
Hi Kitty,
I WISH! Oh my gosh, I'd love to see that year, because I just imagine Reed and Josh going out to movies and walking on boardwalks and playing football on the beach with his huge family. Generally being happy little teenagers with no death and no evil best friends. :) I guess there wouldn't be much intrigue, but there WOULD be romance! Unfortunately, there are no plans to continue the series right now, but hopefully the above gives you a little inspiration for your imagination.
Hi Kitty,
I WISH! Oh my gosh, I'd love to see that year, because I just imagine Reed and Josh going out to movies and walking on boardwalks and playing football on the beach with his huge family. Generally being happy little teenagers with no death and no evil best friends. :) I guess there wouldn't be much intrigue, but there WOULD be romance! Unfortunately, there are no plans to continue the series right now, but hopefully the above gives you a little inspiration for your imagination.
Salma wrote: "If there was one thing that you wanted to teach us through these enticing novels, what would it be?"
Don't go to private school. Just kidding. I think the big take-away from Private has to be question everything. You can't just take anything at face value. Not a place, not the people you meet. Everyone has a back-story and not everything is what it seems. I wonder if Reed knew what was really going on in Billings, if she would have been so psyched to join up. Maybe, but then again . . . probably not. :)
Don't go to private school. Just kidding. I think the big take-away from Private has to be question everything. You can't just take anything at face value. Not a place, not the people you meet. Everyone has a back-story and not everything is what it seems. I wonder if Reed knew what was really going on in Billings, if she would have been so psyched to join up. Maybe, but then again . . . probably not. :)
Who is your favorite character from the winter break island crew? I loved how you added extra characters that all had their own backgrounds and personalities that differed from what Reed had seen before yet still resembled the "private school" type!
How in the world did you create the character of Noelle? Never had a character so closely toed the line between bitchy and perfect, occasionally crossing over but never going to far! The mystery of her scar alone was enough conflict to carry me through the entire series. What went into her characterization? Did you aim to make her likable or what? I've never come across another character that I've loved and defended so much. She (and Reed, Kiran, Taylor, and even Ariana) is a huge part of who I am today. And you and this series are part of the reason I became a writer. Just graduated with a BA in Creative Writing-English in December :)
Kitty wrote: "Who is your favorite character from the winter break island crew? I loved how you added extra characters that all had their own backgrounds and personalities that differed from what Reed had seen b..."
Oh, wow. Thank you! I had a lot of fun creating those characters and thinking about how my core Easton people had interacted with them in the past. I'm glad that came through! Of course, I loved Upton. I actually had a hard time giving him up. I felt like he represented this alternate possibility for Reed. One where she got out of the crazy world she's in and had this person to take care of her. He was kind of like a Kennedy in my mind. Or a royal. But then, the point of Reed was that she never needed anyone to take care of her. Girl knew how to take care of herself. I never would have taken that away from her. To this day, the Upton Game is one of my favorite creations, though.
Thanks for your question!
Oh, wow. Thank you! I had a lot of fun creating those characters and thinking about how my core Easton people had interacted with them in the past. I'm glad that came through! Of course, I loved Upton. I actually had a hard time giving him up. I felt like he represented this alternate possibility for Reed. One where she got out of the crazy world she's in and had this person to take care of her. He was kind of like a Kennedy in my mind. Or a royal. But then, the point of Reed was that she never needed anyone to take care of her. Girl knew how to take care of herself. I never would have taken that away from her. To this day, the Upton Game is one of my favorite creations, though.
Thanks for your question!
Kelly wrote: "How in the world did you create the character of Noelle? Never had a character so closely toed the line between bitchy and perfect, occasionally crossing over but never going to far! The mystery of..."
Hi Kelly,
What an amazing message! I'm honored these characters touched your life and such a major way and CONGRATULATIONS on the BA! Nice work!
As for Noelle, she is basically everything I wish I could be. Sometimes, bitchy things I would never say pop into my mind and they're these great lines, but I can't use them in real life because I don't want people to think I'm a bitch, right? So I'd let Noelle say them. If there was something I couldn't imagine having the strength or guts to do or say, Noelle would do it. She never backed down from anything and was always so sure of herself. I think Reed is the only character she ever apologized to for anything, and that was because Reed was her soft spot. Reed kind of made Noelle human.
Thank you so much for this question. You completely made my day! Keep defending my girl! :)
Hi Kelly,
What an amazing message! I'm honored these characters touched your life and such a major way and CONGRATULATIONS on the BA! Nice work!
As for Noelle, she is basically everything I wish I could be. Sometimes, bitchy things I would never say pop into my mind and they're these great lines, but I can't use them in real life because I don't want people to think I'm a bitch, right? So I'd let Noelle say them. If there was something I couldn't imagine having the strength or guts to do or say, Noelle would do it. She never backed down from anything and was always so sure of herself. I think Reed is the only character she ever apologized to for anything, and that was because Reed was her soft spot. Reed kind of made Noelle human.
Thank you so much for this question. You completely made my day! Keep defending my girl! :)
I'm sorry for asking so many questions but it's a dream come true to get to ask all of these questions about some of my favorite fictional characters ever and have them answered by the person who created them! What did it feel like to write about Kiran at the end of the Privilege series? Was it hard to come up with where the Easton gang ended up by the time the last Privilege book happened?
I have two questions if you wouldn't mind. First Question: Even since book one fans of the Private community have been hypothesizing about Noelle's birthmark. It seemed like the mention of it was deliberate and was supposed to foreshadow something more. I may have missed the follow up somewhere in the series, but was there ever anything planned for the birthmark or was it just a birthmark. Second Question: Would you ever consider writing snippets of the futures of the main characters in Private?
Kitty wrote: "I'm sorry for asking so many questions but it's a dream come true to get to ask all of these questions about some of my favorite fictional characters ever and have them answered by the person who c..."
Hi Kitty,
THERE WILL NEVER BE TOO MANY QUESTIONS! :) I had a really hard time writing Kiran's death because I loved the original four Billings Girls so much, but it seemed like it was time to show what Ariana was truly capable of, and that was a huge thing for her. It was actually pretty easy to imagine where everyone ended up because I knew them so well. I think Gage is on a beach somewhere swanky hitting on local chicks and Dash is hanging out in the Hamptons day trading and Taylor is just out of med school kicking butt. It's fun to imagine!
Hi Kitty,
THERE WILL NEVER BE TOO MANY QUESTIONS! :) I had a really hard time writing Kiran's death because I loved the original four Billings Girls so much, but it seemed like it was time to show what Ariana was truly capable of, and that was a huge thing for her. It was actually pretty easy to imagine where everyone ended up because I knew them so well. I think Gage is on a beach somewhere swanky hitting on local chicks and Dash is hanging out in the Hamptons day trading and Taylor is just out of med school kicking butt. It's fun to imagine!
Anastasia wrote: "I have two questions if you wouldn't mind. First Question: Even since book one fans of the Private community have been hypothesizing about Noelle's birthmark. It seemed like the mention of it was d..."
Hey!
Do you mean Noelle's scar? The one Reed sees through the window in the first book? If so, it's explained in Vengeance, the final novel in the series. As for your second question, wouldn't it be fun if they all got together for a ten-year Easton reunion? Of course, someone would have to die. Hmmm . . . my vote is for Amberly. :) I just imagined up futures for Gage, Dash and Taylor in Kitty's answer, if you're interested. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll write a way-in-the-future sequel.
Thanks for your questions!
Hey!
Do you mean Noelle's scar? The one Reed sees through the window in the first book? If so, it's explained in Vengeance, the final novel in the series. As for your second question, wouldn't it be fun if they all got together for a ten-year Easton reunion? Of course, someone would have to die. Hmmm . . . my vote is for Amberly. :) I just imagined up futures for Gage, Dash and Taylor in Kitty's answer, if you're interested. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll write a way-in-the-future sequel.
Thanks for your questions!
Ok last question I think. . . How did you come up with a character like Ivy? She's one of my favorites because she's Noelle's polar opposite but they both care about Reed and I think her character really kept the series fresh.
Hello! I have a couple of questions. First question: Do you think it is possible Ariana could have lived at the end of "Cruel Love"? And faked her death again? I know it seems very unlikely but as crazy as she was I really started to like Ariana a lot when she was away from Easton. Second question: Do you think that you would ever write in the same universe again? Maybe a look into the life of Taylor Bell or Ivy Slade? Final question: Do you think they would ever do a better TV/ movie adaption of the story? I thought the actors were fine but they changed the story to much imo plus I would have liked to have seen it go passed the second arc. I personally think if done right it could be bigger than the TV adaption of Pretty Little Liars!
