Q&A with Cassandra Clare discussion
Q&A: Clockwork Angel/TMI: questions here!
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I know Jace is a lot nicer (or at least not openly cruel), but Will seems like the better friend of the two. I mean, he clearly loves Jem very much, and Jace always seems kind of... distant from Izzy and Alec.
I guess what I'm asking is, how would you compare WIll's relationship to Jem with Jace's relationship to Alec (and Izzy too, I guess)? Do you think that Will and Jem are closer because of circumstance/who they are, or that they are equally close and Jace would be just as torn apart if Alec or Izzy were dying?
Thanks! Sorry, I can't help it, I LOVE comparing books in general and the fact that the characters are all distantly/sort of/maybe related just delights me. :D
(And it's funny, as someone who never liked Jace one bit, I ADORE Will, but am still Boat Jem)"
I think that I would disagree that Jace is really distant from Izzy and Alec — I mean, Jace is a distant guy, he walled himself off a bit after his father died, but he basically treats them the way a fairly self-possessed guy treats a brother and sister. Jace, when Alec is injured:
"Jace crouched down on the floor beside his friend. His shirt was stained dark across the sleeves and chest with blood, demon and human. When he looked at Simon, Clary saw that all the gold seemed washed out of his eyes by something she had never seen in them before. Panic."
I mean he obviously CARES. He was shattered by Max's death and would be if anything happened to Iz or Alec.
The difference is that Jace has all the Lightwoods -a whole family. Will has nothing but Jem. Without him, he'd be dead or a monster. Jem's the only person he can actually be himself around. Jem's the only person he can expressing any caring about. Jem's all he's got, so of course he's sort of psychotically protective of him.
And I do think it's funny, not liking Jace, but liking Will, who is much meaner! It's quite an interesting outlook.
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Happy writing! :) "
You will learn more about Stephen and Celine in the second cycle of TMI. Jace has a very conflicted relationship with them (even though they're dead, it's a one-sided conflicted relationship) and looks for answers about himself in his dead parents.
Oh, and I was also wondering if the romantic drama in TID is going to be as cruel to Tessa, Jem, and Will as it was to Jace, Clary, and Simon. It was so hard to read about Jace and Clary thinking they were brother and sister!
I would say it's pretty cruel. Differently cruel, but cruel just the same.
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Institutes are in cities; each Institute is responsible for dispatching Shadowhunters through the "area" they represent — the LA Institute would probably cover the border up to Santa Barbara, etc. There are those who report to the Institute all over, so say you have a problem in Hoboken with a goblin, you'd call up the NY Institute and have them send someone.
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The Mark of Cain isn't "almost Biblical" - it's Biblical, as in, a story from the Bible! I sure as heck didn't make it up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_an...
The Shadowhunters' religion, such as it is, is worshipping Raziel, who made them. As for my personal religion, being Jewish, we do incorporate a lot of lore about angels into the more mystical parts of our religion so perhaps that speaks to my interest in them.
Hello Cassandra! I'm Spandana from India and I was wondering-Are there no Silent Sisters? I'm sorry if someone else has already asked but I'll be getting my copy of CA in a few days so I was careful not to look at too many of the Q&A's. I remember in CoB it was mentioned that women had started training to be shadowhunters only recently, so does it have something to with that? But the training the Silent Brothers go through has more to do with the mind and what they inflict on themselves right?
Also, there was a scene in the City of Glass where Max (Oh, Max :'() was reading the Angel Sanctuary. I was wondering, have you read it? I love Yuki Kaori's works, so I didn't miss the irony there! :)
Well, I can't wait to read Clockwork Angel and since you'll probably never visit here, your readers from India send their love! :D
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Tessa can turn into guys as well. It didn't come up in CA but it will in CP. (Do keep in mind she needs to prepare for it, as her clothes don't change, and no one wants to see Will in a dress. Well, maybe they do.)
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I've read some of the TMI on mundie mom and all i can say is wow, your a wonderful author. My question is: I know in the begining of "city of Fallen Angels" Clary and Jace are together, and you have mentioned that one of the main characters will die......well actually i would like to ask and beg please dont kill them off... I love clary and jace and after so many problems (and im guessing more to come) it would be very sad if its not a happy ending. I know a good story can not be without complications but in this series i hope you give us (the readers) a happy ending Please."
So not really a question, more a comment. :) Hey, I've been where you are — writers are readers, too. We do understand worrying about the fates of your favorite characters.
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Remember way back in a past post when I said that readers fixate on things you think of as unimportant? That's how I feel about Madame Dorothea's prophecy. It was never meant to be important. Never. To me it was just meant to be in there as part of the uncertainties of life and to give Clary a chance to turn down the Seelie Queen later with a bang. But people are so obsessed with it that I decided to address it in the upcoming books.
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City of Fallen Angels is written. Clockwork Prince is half written. I will start City of Lost Souls in February.
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Yes.
-Is Tessa immortal (because we saw her at the end of MI 150 years later) during Clockwork Angel, or does she become immortal during the rest of the series?
She's already immortal.
How old were you when you finnished your first novel?
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Fourteen? It sucked, too. Majorly.
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how did this story come about?
what prompted you to write a supernatural story?
why do you always make the leading man conceited and arrogant?"
1) I've already answered the "idea" question a ton of times (and I will tell you a secret about authors - we *hate* the "where did you get the idea" question — I have never met an author who doesn't — even though we know that you have a perfect right to ask it, and if I was you, I'd probably ask it, too.)
2) You write what you love to read. I love supernatural stories.
3)*is amused* It's not a play. Will isn't more a leading man than Jem, who isn't conceited, or arrogant. In Jace's case, the conceit and arrogance was only half true - he was really a bit up himself about his Shadowhuntery talents and so forth, but he had a big dose of self-hate to counteract it. In Will's case all the arrogance and conceit is a false front, and, as I said before, he's meant as a commentary on Jace.
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It was not remotely hard to write those scenes knowing they thought they were related. That was what made it fun. In fact, that is initially why I wasn't interested in writing about them after City of Glass — I couldn't imagine summoning up much interest in Clary and Jace who *didn't* think they were related. Fortunately I thought of something else horrible to do to them so my interest was rekindled and I think their scenes in CoFA are hotter than any they have in the previous books.
As for worrying about the effect it would have on readers, my goal was to write their love and their relationship in such a way that readers would root for them whether they were related or not. You always worry that you'll fall short of the challenge you set yourself, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it.
My second question is who were the inspirations (if any) to Jem and Will's shockingly good looks?
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I'm not sure I understand the question, but I am pretty sure I am not alone in not finding it difficult to dream up mental pictures of hot guys. :D
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I just heard somewhere that you have started a guide for the MI series? I was wondering if it would be published at all, spoilers, what's in it, etc?"
That's just a rumor. I said I've thought about it, but that's as far as it's gone.
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"
Jace wouldn't cheat on Clary. Not only would it be wildly out of character, but I also actually think it would be a really boring development. [Clary wouldn't cheat either, for the record.]
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2.) You said we already know the villain for TMI Cycle 2 and we would never see it coming. I've seriosly been listing all the characters I can remember in TMI. So, on a scale of 1 to 10, how unexpected is this character t be the villain in TMI cycle 2: 10 being 'we would never see it coming'. And has this character appeared a lot in TMI Cycle 1?
1) We've seen a ring that works *like* Mortmain's in City of Bones. It's not the same ring.
2) Um... nine? I would say the fact that no one's guessed it yet - and people guess all sorts of random stuff - indicates it's not someone people expect.
Hey Cassandra,I really enjoyed reading your books. They are one of my all time favourites and I could read them over and over again. Thank you for writing such incredible stories.
******SPOILER********
My questions are...Will there be any clarification in the further books of TMI on what Madame Dorothea said to Jace in CoB, that he will fall in love with the wrong person?
Thank you for taking so much time in answering all the questions here!
YOU ROCK!!!
Hey Cassandra, the villain in the Circle 2 is someone we know from circle one! How well do we know him/her? Is it someone we've met briefly, or someone we've seen a lot of?
Cassandra wrote: "Ronna wrote: "1.) In the other questions you've already answered, you said we've seen Mortmain's ring in action in TMI. When or which book exactly?2.) You said we already know the villain for TMI ..."
Oh god, I hope it's not someone from the lightwood or farechild family!?
Oh, and who in TMI and/or TID resembles you the most?- Sorry, I know I ask a lot of Q's! I'M JUST SO EXCITED THAT YOU'RE ANSWERING! Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices ROCK!
This question relates back to the other question someone answered about the Institute locations. If say there was a problem in Toronto Canada, would they have to call the New york Institute or would Toronto have its own institute?
Question 2) Am I the only member of Team Charlotte? and will her role be expanded in Clock Work Prince, and Princess ?
PS thanks for answering !
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions. For the next two books in the ID trilogy, will they be told solely from Tessa's point of view, or will they incorporate other characters' viewpoints as well?
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I really enjoyed reading your books. They are one of my all time favourites and I could read them over and over again. Thank you for writing such incredible stories.
******SPOILER*..."
You might want to look at message 595 on the page before this one.
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...
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Uh-uh. The only hint is it's someone you've seen before.
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- Sorry, I know I ask a lot of Q's! I'M JUST SO EXCITED THAT YOU'RE ANSWERING! Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices ROCK!"
TMI: Simon
TID: Tessa
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If say there was a problem in Toronto Canada, would they have to call the New york Institute or ..."
Toronto has its own Institute. And Charlotte will continue in the same role she had in CA; she is already an important character, and she develops over the course of the books.
On average, how many shadowhunters live in an institute? And is it normal for a bunch of teens to live in the institute while an adult runs it? Like in TMI and ID, the shadowhunters are all very young. Is that normal?
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CA is not told from Tessa's viewpoint solely — think of the scene in the carriage with Will and Jem. Much like that, Tessa remains our central narrator but other characters POVs are also represented.
Why is Simon trying to date two girls in CoFA? He didn't strike me as that type though it is amusing.
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Well, Tessa starts out the book having dismissed Will as a romantic prospect because of his awful behavior on the roof. However, that does not mean things are over for Will and Tessa. There is plenty of emphasis on them. There is just also plenty of emphasis on Jem and Tessa.
is their another book after city of glass?
Hello Cassandra!MY question is about the next three books of TMI.
1) I would like to know if there is going to be a love triangle between Simon, Izzy and Maia.
2) Does Maias ex-boyfriend, the one who turned her into a werewolf, appear?
Hi! You are awesome for doing this.*Spoiler for Clockwork Angel*
I’m wondering about the attic scene, when Will asks, “What was that?” Is he referring to: 1. His lack of self-control around Tessa? 2. The fact that she was so into kissing him too? 3. A different feeling, maybe something powerful he felt while kissing her, that could be somehow related to his secret – or none of the above? :D
Also, I’m Team Will at this point, despite his lack of, um, people skills. When developing and writing about his character, did you recognize that while there would be lots of readers who would despise him, that there would also be others who were intrigued by him and wanting to believe he could be good? Or was that not a consideration (as in you just wrote him as he was and figured people would take him or leave him?) As a reader, would you be more likely to be put off by a character like Will, or are you the type who would wonder what’s behind the mask of cruelty? And does that match up with how you would perceive someone like Will in real life?
Thank you again for taking your time to do this!
Cassandra,first off, huge fan. i'm eagerly awaiting my copy of CA to come through the library server (grr, good books always cost tons of money.) so my question(s) will be about TMI.
Will the characters from TMI eventually make an appearence in CA? (i heard CA is supposed to be about Jace and Clare's ancestors?)
Hi Cassandra!!!!!!!!!!
u r such a good writer i luv ur mortal instruments series!!!!!! i'd really like 2 read ur new book clock work angel but i'm only a kid so would u recommend it 2 someone who just started high school??????
Thanks,
Hannah
u r such a good writer i luv ur mortal instruments series!!!!!! i'd really like 2 read ur new book clock work angel but i'm only a kid so would u recommend it 2 someone who just started high school??????
Thanks,
Hannah
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I'm really interested in writing a book, but I want to know how to get a good idea, and how to make it good. I'm wondering how authors get the wonderful ideas they use in their books."
There is no magic formula for getting ideas. You just get them. Everyone gets them (And if you don't, I don't know what to tell you!) It's the processing of them into story that's important. Lawrence Watt Evans has a good article:'
http://www.watt-evans.com/wheredoyoug...
And about Clockwork Angel, you know how near the end of City of Glass Magnus had walked off close to the forest and was talking to a lady? I have a feeling that she was Camille ( Or at least someone important from The Infernal Devices)... Am I right?
That was Tessa.
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I'm not sure if you can/are willing to answer any excerpt-related questions but it's worth a shot! :D Does this imply that Tessa's the only one (out of the main characters aside from Magnus and Camille) who is still alive by the time of the Mortal Instruments, or does the possibility exist that I misinterpreted the statement and am wrong? *hopes for latter answer*
You could be wrong. He could simply be thinking about how Tessa never changes, how her personality/their friendship is always constant. It doesn't mean everyone else is necessarily dead.
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I wanted to say well done on Clockwork Angel. I truly did love it!
I was wondering what inspired you to think about Tessa's powers?
"
A story idea I had a long time ago about a shapeshifters brothel where you could "order up" any person you wanted to sleep with.
Hey Cassandra,Just want to say, you inspired me to even write my own stories after reading your fabulous novels :) I really am counting down the days for the upcoming books in the TMI and ID series! So amazing, and well written! I have read some extremely good books, but it seems as if you put so much emotion, dedication, and thought into your books, and Thats what makes me so intrigued with them! I am loving your books, and I have not found ONE person who doesnt like your books! :)
Keep up the great work Cassandra! I absolutely LOVE will and tessa being together, but I just KNOW Jem has something for Tessa!!! I have some questions:
Clockwork Angel questions/ ***SPOILER***
1. Does Jem have a 'thing' for Tessa in the first book, or will we just have to wait and see in the upcoming books?
2. So, ALL of the people in the Institute lost family members and came their for shelter (except for Will, he Choose to), right?
TMI questions/ ***SPOILER***
1. Does Magnus ever mention Camille (former girlfriend thats mentioned in Clockwork Angel) to anyone in the TMI books?
2. Does Simon ever go against the people at the Institute in the upcoming books in TMI series? Since he's a vampire and all...
Thanks for everything! (sorry it was SO long, what I typed up)
-Natalie
Okay before you freak out this question isnt as long as it looks, its just a piece of the book i had to type out =)Okay now that I got that out of the way,
Hi cassandra. i love your work! the mortal instruments are amazing series and i told evrione i know to read your books. I have a question about Clockwork Angel though (which i luved <3) its about the end of the chapter entitled Boadicea: "he opened his mouth. the words were there. he was about to say them when a jolt of terror went through him, the jolt of terror of someone, who wandering in a mist, pauses only to realize that they have stopped inches from a gaping abyss. The way she was looking at him-she could read what was in his eyes, he realized. It must've been plainly there, like the words of a page of a book. There had been no time no chance to hide it. "Will," she whispered. "Say something, Will." But there was nothing to say. there was only emptiness, as there had been before her. As there would always be. "I have lost everything" Will thought. "Everything"
I was wondering what he means by "I have lost everything" and it says "there had been no chance to hide it" Hide what exactly>? Im sorry about this by the way. There already is a huge list of questions you have to answer and im only adding another one, ut i tried and tried, I just dont get this part. Thank you for all your incredible books-Huge fan <3
Hello Cassandra, I read your Mortal Instruments Series earlier this year, and I fell completely head over heels for all the characters, and the story plot. Your books have stolen my heart. I recently just bought and read Clockwork Angel, and yet again fell head over heels for it. So, after this long winded thought, my question is, who is the character on the front cover of Clockwork Angel. I'm sorry if you have been asked this question before there are just too many for me too look through to see if you have already answered it. :)
Your writing is amazing, you keep me on the edge of my seat for every single word of the entire series. I am hooked for life! <3
~Mandii Grous
Abla wrote: "Okay before you freak out this question isnt as long as it looks, its just a piece of the book i had to type out =)Okay now that I got that out of the way,
Hi cassandra. i love your work! the mo..."
Yea! I was wondering the same thing! Gosh, its such a cliff-hanger isnt it!!!!!!! I think she mentioned that it will be revealed by what Will meant in the upcoming book in the ID series. But i dont know, Im pretty sure she said that. But yes, I would LOVE to find that pparticular part as soon as possible as well!!!
Amanda wrote: "Hello Cassandra,
I read your Mortal Instruments Series earlier this year, and I fell completely head over heels for all the characters, and the story plot. Your books have stolen my heart. I re..."
Not to jump ahead of Cassandra Clare, but the character on the cover of Clockwork Angel is Will.
I read your Mortal Instruments Series earlier this year, and I fell completely head over heels for all the characters, and the story plot. Your books have stolen my heart. I re..."
Not to jump ahead of Cassandra Clare, but the character on the cover of Clockwork Angel is Will.
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Cassandra, Was it fun to do a book based in the 1800's? Did you have to do a lot of research for it? Was it more challenging than doing a contemporary piece of work?
For six months I read only books written during, or set in, the Victorian period in England, London specifically. I did a lot of reading of first-hand sources: journals kept at the time period, the travel accounts of tourists visiting England from America (since Tessa is American, in London for the first time, I wanted to have a sense of what her impressions would have been) and newspapers of the period. I also employed a research assistant — Lisa Gold — to track down hard to find photographs of locations in the time period, and went to London several times myself to map out routes and select locations.
Your book had a feel to it which reminded me of some of old movies, where they seem darker and just a touch more sinister than the more modern ones do. Were there any movies that inspired the setting? Oh, and I have to say I loved the artwork that you have on your website. The clockwork menu was a nice touch.
I did watch quite a lot of movies set in the Victorian era. I would note "From Hell" and "Sweeney Todd" as particular examples.
Also, I love that you created a set of runes and listed them there. Will you be adding to them in the future as more books are released?
Yes, the artist is working on a second set right now.
One more thing, I went to an exhibit at my local Museum of Science and Industry that was on Leonardo da Vinci. They showed a lot of designs that used clockwork mechanisms among others. The designs were truly amazing. Did you see any similar exhibits that inspired you to incorporate a clockwork mechanism into your book? "
No. I read a book called "Edison's Eve" about the historical obsession with creating automatons and clockwork mechanisms that helped spark the idea.
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Are you saying the reason Will cares only about Jem is because he thinks they're both going to die?
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MY question is about the next three books of TMI.
1) I would like to know if there is going to be a love triangle between Simon, Izzy and Maia.
2) Does Maias ex-boyfriend, the one ..."
Well, at the beginning of the book, Simon is dating both girls, so you could call that a love triangle. As for Jordan, why would you want him back?
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It will make sense by the end of chapter one.
The runes that shadowhunters use; I've been wonderingm if they are, in fact, runes? Like the vikings wrote? Or if it's some other sort, going under the same name?
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Secondly (and I know this totally out of the blue) but does Will in ID have a curse on him?? I know the that Clary sometimes has dreams with reality mixed in them and I noticed that in City of Glass when she first saw Sebastian she thought he looked like her "dark ,romantic ,shadowy prince" from her ongoing graphic story (this is on page 110 - 111). I noticed the resembelance to Will and was wondering if they were somehow connected?? Anyways ,I'm probably thinking way too far ahead ,sorry!
I was also wondering if the books in MI are going to get darker and maybe funnier (your books are already hilarious). I definitely think Magnus is my favourite character ,could you maybe give me some hints on what happens between him and Alec ...... ??? "
Interesting Will theory!
Darker doesn't usually go hand in hand with funnier unless you're big on black humor. All the books contain humor as well as angst and that will continue. I do think the TMI books get pretty dark esp. the second one, Lost Souls.
I can only give the one hint about Magnus and Alec: someone from Magnus's past reappears, and causes trouble in their relationship.
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There is already more than one runic alphabet in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_al...
Q&A with Cassandra Clare
Books mentioned in this topic
Clockwork Angel (other topics)City of Heavenly Fire (other topics)
City of Lost Souls (other topics)
No matter how many times people ask me if Sebastian is alive, I am not going to tell them. Just putting that out there.
"Does he want more from Clary than revenge?" What? When? In City of Glass? I mean, I don't think he was out for revenge against Clary in CoG. She hadn't done anything to him.
I know he is a dark and twisted character but I feel that he may have some feelings for Clary that arent family related or driven by Valentine.
If you mean incestuous feelings, quite possibly. He really really wanted her to be "someone like me." It's lonely being Sebastian, he probably knows no one really loves him, even if it's because he's distinctly unloveable.