Q&A with Cassandra Clare discussion
Q&A: Clockwork Angel/TMI: questions here!
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I did? Where did I say that?
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I have a feeling this might have already been posted (did not read all 16 pages) but I was wondering if perhaps you could give a hint about what Will goes to Magnus for? Also, you said on your blog that the TMI main characters (Clary, Jace, Simon, etc.) had no resemblance to the CA main characters (Will, Jem, Tessa, etc.) but I could not help but notice that they do. Did you/Were you thinking of the TMI characters while writing the CA characters?
Also, you said on your blog that the TMI main characters (Clary, Jace, Simon, etc.) had no resemblance to the CA main characters (Will, Jem, Tessa, etc.) but I could not help but notice that they do.
I really don't think I said that, or if I said something that sounded like that I misspoke. I've been pretty clear here, and everywhere else I think that I've discussed the books, that Will was written as a commentary on Jace, so of course they are going to have things in common. I can also give a huge list of things they don't have in common, but I wouldn't deny the similarities; they are intentional.
I do think Simon is very little like Jem (and I also think that it is sort of ridiculous that half the reviewers drawing comparisons say Jem is just like Simon and the other half say he's just like Alec — pick a character, people.) I guess they are both nice. And musical. And . . . yeah, not really coming up with much. People just assume Jem will fill the Simon role because they think Will will fill the Jace role. This is not an assumption that's going to be borne out.
As for Tessa and Clary: they are both strong girl characters. They stand up to boys who try to tell them what to do. They are smart, and brave; they were raised by strong women, they have special talents. That is because I do not think that YA is really crying out with a need for more female protagonists who are weak, frightened, and do whatever the men tell them, or whose job is to follow around some guy with special talents and give him moral support. It doesn't make them the same person.
When I pick up a Tamora Pierce book I know I'm going to get a strong kickass girl heroine who speaks her mind and chooses her own path. That doesn't mean I think the characters are all the same character. There will be *flavorings* of her previous characters in the new characters, because all the books are written by her and therefore informed by her values and style. It is the same case with me - these characters are all written by me and informed by my values and style.
To quote my Kirkus review: "Though details differ, the general flavor of Tessa's new family wil be enjoyably familiar to the earlier trilogy's fans." I guess I would agree with that — there is a similar general flavor, but the characters are not the same people. And if one person's "enjoyably familiar" is someone else's "too similar," well, you can't please everyone.
Did you/Were you thinking of the TMI characters while writing the CA characters?
Not really, except in the case of Jace and Will.
I know you have so many questions to answer, so here are some things I've wanted to tell you. 1) I love Magnus/Alec! So when you put in that comment in Clockwork Angel, when Magnus said 'Black hair and blue eyes are my favorite combination,' that made me so happy! Thanks for putting things like that in.
2) I love all your books, and I appreciate you doing question/answer things like this.
3) I'd pick Jace over a sparkly vampire any day.
4) Thanks for making these books so my friends and I will have a super awesome and funny books to quote and be the object of all our conversations!
You're amazing!
-Basil
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http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/faq...
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/faq...
sorry this is very random and i don't think it spoils anything but it just popped into my head:will we see any of the shadowhunters celebrate any holidays like thanksgiving or christmas etc. in the future books(TMI or ID)??
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Anyway, in CoG Jace says that "Lucifer loved god" when he's trying for an explanation to why he loves Clary the way he does, connecting it with having demonblood. So, did Sebastian love Clary? Is that why he kissed her?
Sebastian's a complicated guy. Well, first, this is just Jace's theory — when he thinks he has demon blood, he's theorizing that he's attracted to Clary's goodness the way Lucifer still loved God. But it's just a theory (and a self-dramatizing one to boot. :D) Sebastian's hasn't really spent enough time with Clary to love her. Would he feel a strong inexplicable pull toward her? Scientific evidence says yes, but it's hard to say what he'd make out of that feeling. He certainly wouldn't care that she was his sister if he wanted to sleep with her, but you also get the sense that he's disappointed that she isn't "more like him." I'd say his feelings about her are . . . messy.
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I think you may have misread the word "biracial."
Cassandra wrote: "Emma (Pulvis et umbra sumus) wrote: "Jem is bi?"I think you may have misread the word "biracial.""
Right. Good. I mean, not that I have anything against gay/bi people, I think they're awesome actually. I just didn't expect Jem to be one. Which he's not.
Btw, I just wanna tell you how completly and utterly amazing I think it is that you have gay and bi people in your stories! I have both gay and bi friends, and I love to see them and their love acknowledged too!
Carina wrote: "Will Simon's mother ever find out that he's a vampire in any of the last three books of the Mortal Instruments series? I was just wondering about this yesterday. P.S: Thank you so much for taking..."
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/faq...
Hello cassandra :) i love all your books and can't wait for the rest to come out. my question is :
In the other clockwork angel books do we learn more about will and does his and tessa's relationship grow?
thanks =]
Cassandra wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Nophoto-u-25x33 I have not read Clockwork Angel yet. I plan on getting it this weekend. My question for you though is, How many books are going to be in the MI Series? I have seen web..."I think they're getting the information from the FAQ page on The Mortal Instruments Website...
http://www.mortalinstruments.com/mort...
It says COFA shifts focus to Simon.
I assume it just hasn't been updated.
Thank you for answering my like one millon questions ! 1) Will Jessamine get a new Parasol ?
2) When she smashed the Lamp over Nates head and Refused to Leave Tessa alone, Does this mean Jessamine might make a full circle and accpet shes a shadow hunter ?
Hi there,I am a huge fan and have honestly became obsessed with books after reading city of bones - i started the trend with all my friends. Me and my best freind love it so much!
I bought Clockwork prince... I just have to read it. It looks great!
Questions, Questions, Questions!
Sorry but i do have a lot :p
1. Why kill sebastian off? Is he really dead?
2. Does Jocelyn come face to face with valentine? When? BTW. when she's awake
3. Are there going to be consequenses for Simon and or Maia / Issi for dating a Child of the Moon / night / shadow hunter?
4. Will the clave find out about Alec and Magnus? They frown upon that so will that become a problem?
Thats all my questions about the books... but I have a couple of questions about publishing or realy just writing...
1. What program do you use to write drafts? Writing has been a hobby of mine for a while and I have always used Microsoft but is there something I should use / do to microsoft so its like a book?
2. Any tips? Dont holdback ;)
3. If someone were to tell you something about book writing before you started what woiuld you have wanted to know...?
4. If I were to try to get published what are some small steps I could take to getting there?
5. Am i setting my sights to high?
Thank you very much. I love your books and I think you are truly amazing. I hopt that one day I can be as amazing and talented as you are and maybe even meet you or something!!!! OMG! that would make my day :P
Taylor (barbestbcb)
Okay, I thought of a few more questions (haha, sorry! I hope you don't mind!) Thank you again for answering all of the questions here! I love going through and reading your answers to them.1) I know you don't like to name a favorite book, but are there any books out there you really hate?
2) What's your advice for an aspiring writer who always gets about fifty thousand words into a manuscript and then gets stuck/gets this idea for something new that they simply must start?
3) If you could jump into the pages and give your own character(s) advice, what would it be?
4) Not a question, but my guess for the villain in Cycle 2 is that it's either Jocelyn or Luke :).
5) No one has guessed the right villain in CoFA or Will's secret yet, right? Do you think it's possible to do so (are there clues?) or would it just have to be a brilliantly random shot to figure it out?
Thank you so much! :)
Hi there,I am a huge fan and have honestly became obsessed with books after reading city of bones - i started the trend with all my friends. Me and my best freind love it so much!
I bought Clockwork prince... I just have to read it. It looks great!
Questions, Questions, Questions!
Sorry but i do have a lot :p
1. Why kill sebastian off? Is he really dead?
2. Does Jocelyn come face to face with valentine? When? BTW. when she's awake
3. Are there going to be consequenses for Simon and or Maia / Issi for dating a Child of the Moon / night / shadow hunter?
4. Will the clave find out about Alec and Magnus? They frown upon that so will that become a problem?
Thats all my questions about the books... but I have a couple of questions about publishing or realy just writing...
1. What program do you use to write drafts? Writing has been a hobby of mine for a while and I have always used Microsoft but is there something I should use / do to microsoft so its like a book?
2. Any tips? Dont holdback ;)
3. If someone were to tell you something about book writing before you started what woiuld you have wanted to know...?
4. If I were to try to get published what are some small steps I could take to getting there?
5. Am i setting my sights to high?
Thank you very much. I love your books and I think you are truly amazing. I hopt that one day I can be as amazing and talented as you are and maybe even meet you or something!!!! OMG! that would make my day :P
Taylor (barbestbcb)
p.s. sorry my comment didnt work when i tried to edit it :S
Thank you so much for answering questions... I only have one question Don't want to waste your time because I'd never stop.1.) Are we going to know more about Magnus's past?
Cassandra, since tessa is a "warlock", she mention in City of Glass talking with Magnus Bane, Tessa and Will have feeling for each other, does she experience his death and also Jem's later on her life. will be mention in your books?
Cassandra wrote: "Emma (Pulvis et umbra sumus) wrote: "Jem is bi?"I think you may have misread the word "biracial.""
what races? I haven't read the book yet, (finals week)
but I'm curious, I love when a book has racial variety
will Jem's or Will's death be experienced in the clockwork prince/princess?
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http://www.mortalinstruments.com/mortalf...
It says COFA shifts focus to Simon.
I assume it just hasn't been updated. "
*goggles* My God, yes, it looks like my web designer wrote over the current FAQ with a FAQ that's a year old and totally inaccurate. It's fixed now but thanks for letting me know. All the info on my cassandraclare.com site is accurate but I had no idea my FAQ section on the MI site was so wildly and totally out of date. That's horrible. (I will say though that even when I had planned to write a Simon-focused book, Clary and Jace were still going to have big parts in it.) Yikes.
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I thought it was funny.
4) Thanks for making these books so my friends and I will have a super awesome and funny books to quote and be the object of all our conversations!"
You are welcome!
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will we see any of the shadowhunters celebrate any holidays like thanksgiving or christmas etc. in the future books(TMI or ID)??
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They actually do have a sort of Christmas celebration in TID.
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i love all your books and can't wait for the rest to come out. my question is :
In the other clockwork angel books do we learn more about will and does his and tessa's relationship grow? "
Yes.
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I imagine Henry will make her a new one whether she wants it or not.
2) When she smashed the Lamp over Nates head and Refused to Leave Tessa alone, Does this mean Jessamine might make a full circle and accpet shes a shadow hunter ?
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No. It's a step that way, but nothing definite.
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Impressive, as it is not out yet. :>
1. Why kill sebastian off?
Because he killed Max (among others) and the Lightwoods woudn't get any closure with him still alive. Plus, he's evil.
"Is he really dead?"
Since I'm not answering this question, I'm just going to start counting the amount of times people ask it anyway. :D 12, I think we're up to.
2. Does Jocelyn come face to face with valentine? When? BTW. when she's awake
Valentine's dead.
3. Are there going to be consequenses for Simon and or Maia / Issi for dating a Child of the Moon / night / shadow hunter?
They are really not dating remotely seriously enough in the beginning of book 4 for there to be any consequences from the Clave. Besides, they're busy re-evaluating Shadowhunter/Downworlder relationships.
4. Will the clave find out about Alec and Magnus? They frown upon that so will that become a problem?
Honestly, I think that would be such a boring plotline that no, I really don't want to go there. I've also outlined the larger reasons why not in an earlier post.
1. What program do you use to write drafts? Writing has been a hobby of mine for a while and I have always used Microsoft but is there something I should use / do to microsoft so its like a book?
I only ever use Macs, and my writing program is Scrivener.
2. Any tips? Dont holdback ;)
www.cassandraclare.com/cms/writing
3. If someone were to tell you something about book writing before you started what woiuld you have wanted to know...?
Outline.
4. If I were to try to get published what are some small steps I could take to getting there?
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/wri...
5. Am i setting my sights to high?
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for? (Browning.) Look, what's the point of setting your sights too low?
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Moby Dick.
2) What's your advice for an aspiring writer who always gets about fifty thousand words into a manuscript and then gets stuck/gets this idea for something new that they simply must start?
Self-discipline. Everyone wants to start doing something else when they hit the middle portion of their book because that's the difficult part. Tough it out. BIC. HOK. Butt in the chair. Hands on the keyboard. Set yourself a word count and stick to it. Most people never finish the books they start. Don't be most people.
3) If you could jump into the pages and give your own character(s) advice, what would it be?
Avoid demon pox. It's nasty.
4) Not a question, but my guess for the villain in Cycle 2 is that it's either Jocelyn or Luke :).
5) No one has guessed the right villain in CoFA or Will's secret yet, right? Do you think it's possible to do so (are there clues?) or would it just have to be a brilliantly random shot to figure it out?
"
I think there are clues. And I think given the infinite monkeys with infinite typewriters theory, eventually people will guess the right answer just by guessing everything. People have come close, just not exactly right.
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1.) Are we going to know more about Magnus's past?"
Yes. In ID.
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since tessa is a "warlock", she mention in City of Glass talking with Magnus Bane, Tessa and Will have feeling for each other, does she experience his death and also Jem's later on her life. will be mention in your books?"
I think you're asking: Since Tessa's immortal and Will and Jem are not, will she experience their death(s) in the books?
Well, that;s one way to resolve a love triangle I guess: they both die. Look, I can't tell you who lives and who dies any more than I can tell you who ends up with each other. I can say Tessa's immortal. I can also say there are various paths to immortality. That's about it.
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Message 827.
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I think you may have misread the word "biracial.""
what races? I haven't read the book yet, (finals week)
but I'm curious..."
If you haven't read any of the books this is probably not a great place for you since you'll get really spoiled for the series(es).
Hi Cassandra!I know you have read this a lot, but i really wanto to tell you that yout books are amazing!!
I dont really have questions about TMI or ID, but I read you have been in Mexico, so my questions about this are:
1. Did you enjoyed it?
2. What paleces did you visited?
3. Are you planning to come any other time? And if so, that would be because you want to, or because of something related with your books?
4. Is there any part of mexican history you really like? or do you dont like it at all?
Im sorry for so many questions, but being a mexican myself, I can tell you this isn´t a much of a reader country, so for people like me, who spent most of their time with a book in their hands, there isn´t the opportunnity to meet with their favourite authors!!
Now questions about writng:
I have been writing a story for a while, and i just came to a point where all the secrets, and the misteries, start being revealed, but I dont know how to do it without revealing everything in the same scne. (i have the feeling Im going to get everyone confused with this...) Im i getting clear??
(if i had any English mistakes, sorry!)
Hey Cassie!Since you said Church is an immortal cat, who brought him from London to New York? Magnus perhaps?
Cassandra wrote: "Jen wrote: "Like any famous series such as Harry Potter and Twilight, there are inevitably going to be people who write up a bad review on The Mortal Instruments. Do you ever read bad reviews on th..."It's because he drank Jace's blood. Jace has a lot of angle blood. More than the normal shadowhunter. The effect it had on Simon was to cause him to be able to walk in the daylight. *signs*
Cassandra, I love your books, I love that you take the time to answer our questions and I can't wait to read the rest of TMI and ID!Is the necklace we see Jem wear the same that Isabelle wears in TMI? Does Isabelle inherit her whip usage from Charlotte?
Hi Cassandra ******************SPOILER FOR CLOCKWORK ANGEL********************
Really, I just wanted to say hello and tell you that you are brilliant… I can’t wait for the next book! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THEM ALL!!
Also, I'm just curious... this is probably a really lame question and considering no one else has asked makes me think as much but I was just wondering, when Will finds Tessa on the ground and thinks she is dead, all the protective “walls” come down for a moment and he is about to say something – but doesn’t – I’m just wondering what he was about to say to her?
Anyway, thank you so much for continuing with TMI series and also the new ID… I must say you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face when I found out there were going to be another 3 TMI books! Whoo hoo
Cassandra wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Does something bad happen if a Shadowhunter names a seraph blade after Raziel, or is it it just a matter of respect that they don't?"
You'll find out. :)"
I know there is very little chance of this whole question getting answered if at all, but dose this mean a seraph blade is going to be named after Raziel, and if so, who names it after him?
You'll find out. :)"
I know there is very little chance of this whole question getting answered if at all, but dose this mean a seraph blade is going to be named after Raziel, and if so, who names it after him?
Would you recommend writing alone, because me and my best friend are writing a book together. Is it harder to get published if there are two authors? or is it just the same?Ohh and someone might have written this already but i dont remember, since Church is immortal from that thing the Dark sisters did, could that be what happened to Tessa too? or not.
Also, about how many words per chapter do you aim for when your writing your books? :)
Thanks <3
Hi Cassandra! I feel very embarrassed for asking this, and I don't know if someone has asked you this already, but...are Jace, Alec and Issabelle virgin? I bet Alec is, but what about the others??? I know is a very stupid question, but I was just wondering...XD
Hi Cassandra. No questions from me, I ahve been reading everyone else's questions and the responses and everyone has already asked anything I would have asked. So I just wanted to say hi and to say I love your books. My husband had bought the MI books as a box set for me for our anniversary because when he was shopping with my son who was 5 at the time said he liked the book cover pictures so he bought them. Then he cursed himself for buying later that week when he could hard keep a 3minute conversation going with me because I wouldn't stop reading them...lol. Any how, I think it is great you are doing this for us fans so thank you. You have a wonderful writing talent and I am so happy my son liked the cover pictures:P
I'm curious about Valentine's childhood. After his father's death, he became further unhinged. What was their relationship like? Obviously, he had some inspiration for the way he raised his boys from his own experience, so I'm guessing it wasn't good. It makes me sort of wonder if he had anything to do with his father's death, considering how he set up Luke? Seems *mighty* convenient...Thanks! :)
*spoiler*Love Love Love your books! After reading CA I'm reading the others again.
In City of Ashes after Valentine's attack on the Silent Brothers - Alec, Isabelle & Clary were leaving the Silent City with Jace. (pg116 pb) Isabelle was whispering something under her breath in another language as they exited. Clary thought the words were old, maybe in Latin. What was Isabelle saying?
Thanks
Cassandra wrote: "Simirox wrote: "My question is, you said that in the CA, Tessa would meet a feisty red head who was Clary's ancestor..."I did? Where did I say that?"
OH MY GOD YOU ANSWERED!!!!
I swear you said it somewhere...gues it IS me just being stupid! He!
Also, does the Gray book in City of Bones have anything to do with Tessa 'Cause they have the same last name and all...I was just curious! Also the Clary's ancestor thing, I swear you said somewhere (your website) that Tessa would even encounter a fiesty redhead who was Clary's great something grandma. Maybe I was just, like, hallucinating or something ;)
Oh, OH! Another one! Sorry, but will Tessa actually CHOOSE between Will and Jem at the end of the series. You don't have to answer if it's a spoiler. I was just wandering if she'll actually pick one of the two.Thankyou. Your books are amazing!
Cassandra wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Nophoto-u-25x33 I have not read Clockwork Angel yet. I plan on getting it this weekend. My question for you though is, How many books are going to be in the MI Series? I have seen web..."My information came from this posting on one of your websites...
"I've always said that The Mortal Instruments was conceived of as a trilogy; I didn't have any intention of continuing past Glass, initially. Two things happened to change that: One, I had written a plot for a graphic novel about what would happen to Simon after the events of Glass. When the graphic novel didn’t work out, I was left with this storyline and nothing to do with it, so I suggested the idea of a Simon-centric fourth Mortal Instruments book to my publisher, and showed them the outline for the graphic novel."
Which is why I was asking if there are going to be a total of 6 books in the series & how the Clary/Jace relationship drama was going to work with a "Simon-centric" story line.
Hey Cassandra i have two questions:1)Will jem or will become vampires so that they can stay with tessa?
2)in MI will jace,clary and the others ever go back to idris in the next three books and will somebody of them stay and live there?
Sorry Cassandra but I thought of another question. What was the purpose of writing CA? Or to rephrase it, what was your intent, and what did you expect to get out of this book? (sorry it's just for a book report, and its a good question)Thanks again!
~Lauren W.
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"I've always said that The Mortal Instruments was conceived of as a trilogy; I didn't have any intention of continuing past Glass, initially. Two things happened to change that: One, I had written a plot for a graphic novel about what would happen to Simon after the events of Glass. When the graphic novel didn’t work out, I was left with this storyline and nothing to do with it, so I suggested the idea of a Simon-centric fourth Mortal Instruments book to my publisher, and showed them the outline for the graphic novel."
Which is why I was asking if there are going to be a total of 6 books in the series & how the Clary/Jace relationship drama was going to work with a "Simon-centric" story line.
Yes — as I said above, in message 819, my web designer wrote over the current FAQ on my mi.com site with a FAQ that's a year old and totally inaccurate. There's no book from Simon's point of view, there are six books in the MI series, and the last three are all like the previous three with the same points of view — skipping around from Clary to Jace to Simon, etc.
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/faq...
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/faq...
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/faq...
Will we meet more angels in the next 3 TMI book? (Okay, lame question since the next is called City of Fallen Angels...)
So... Will Clary meet Raziel again?
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)
P.S: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of these questions :D