Q&A with Cassandra Clare discussion
Q&A: Clockwork Angel/TMI: questions here!
Hello Cassandra! I have to say that Magnus if one of my all time favorite characters! He's right up there with Severus Snape (and that is very high! Lol) I think Magnus is a fascinating character and maybe I'm just over analyzing him, but he just seems like a very complex person (I mean, he's been around for 800 some odd years, right?) I just wanted to say thanks so much for creating him!!Okay, my two questions:
1.) In CA we learn that obviously Tessa can't be with Will forever (she's immortal, he's not). So, I'm assuming that this point gets brought up in CoFA with Alec and Magnus, right? I'm wondering if Camille comes back and makes life hell for Alec?
2.) For Jocelyn and Luke, are problems going arise for them? As a couple I mean. Since Luke is a downworlder.... Or does is not make much of a difference now in CoFA?
Thanks so much! Love all of your books!!
~Ashley R.
First of all, I just want to tell you how much I am in love with your books! You are truly an amazing writer! My life would be very boring without your books in them! Thank-you!! My question has to do with the Silent Brothers. Is there only one Silent City, or are there numerous ones? What I mean is, is there only one in New York, or do Silent Brothers live in each major city (Like how there are Institutes in major cities)? For example, does Brother Enoch come from the Silent City in New York, or is there one in London as well? Or is it completely separate and are there just entrances in the major cities? (I hope that made sense?)
Also, I know they are called "Brothers" but are there any female Silent Brothers?
Thank-you so much for answering everyones questions!
Hello Cassandra,
I want to start out by saying that you are an amazing writer and I love all your books.
I also love writing but sometimes I find that my creativity is not enough to make my writing come to life and my question to you would be...
Do you do research for your books and what are your methods? I find sometimes that its diffcult to write in detail about places ive never been or places that are totally fictional. Any suggestions
Thank you. Cant wait for your next book!!!!!!
-Hodo A.
I want to start out by saying that you are an amazing writer and I love all your books.
I also love writing but sometimes I find that my creativity is not enough to make my writing come to life and my question to you would be...
Do you do research for your books and what are your methods? I find sometimes that its diffcult to write in detail about places ive never been or places that are totally fictional. Any suggestions
Thank you. Cant wait for your next book!!!!!!
-Hodo A.
Hi Cassandra!I just wanted to say your awesome! I love all your books and can't wait to find out what happens next. I've passed your books around to friends and family and everyone from my Mother in law to my 14 year old son love your books.
P.S.: I'm so scared that something will break up Clary and Jace. If they break up I will cry. That said, you're a great author and I know I will be satisfied with the ending however it comes.
Hi Cassandra,**SPOILER FOR TMI AND ID***
I know I have asked some previous questions, but I was thinking, so here are a few more:
1.Will Tess choose between Jem and Will?
2.If not, will she have feeings only for one of them and not have to choose?
3. Do you plan to start any other books or series in the future? (about shadowhunters or anything)
4. Did anyone help or inspire you to start writing a book?
5. If you could get rid of one character (that isnt already dead) from the TMI and ID series, which one? (one from each series)
Thanks SO much for taking the time, and thats ALL Im going to ask. Love the books, and can't wait for your next ones! :)
-Natalie
Hi Cassandra =D ive read ur series the mortal instrument (city of bones/ashes and glass) and let me tell u this, i LOVED LOVED LOVED it, im a HUGE fan and im completely obsessed with Jace <3
i have a couple of questions:
i was wondering did u knw while writing city of bones that u wanted Jace and Clary to b "brother and sister"? or did the idea just come to u while writing?
do u prefer Simon or Jace?
what part of the series did u enjoy writing the most?
thanks, again im a huge huge huge fan and i cant wait to read all ur books :D :D
P.S: i want city of Bones/ashes and glass the movie!!
and i think Alex Pettyfer is perfect for the role of Jace <3 <3 <3
Cassandra wrote: "Melannie wrote: "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 own them all, and have read the first 3 books of "TMI" series
I just haven't had time to read Clockwork Angel, it's waiting on my bookshelf(:
That's why I was asking, and that's why I'm here reading your answers :D
*immortal instruments spoilers*1) will the "you will fall in love with the wrong person" prophecy come into play or will we at least find out about it in the next books? if so, which book?
2)if i remember, it was hinted at in city of glass that clary's mom wasn't telling clary everything. will i find out what said secrets are and which book?
Thanks!
Hi Cassandra, I've read Clockwork Angel and it was wonderful. I have a simple question about your character Will. He seems torn throughout the book but I can't seem to figure out what is up with him...is this something that will go into greater depth in your next Infernal Devises book release? Or can you give me a hint? Thanks so much and I look forward to City of Fallen Angels, I've practically memorized all of the TMI books.
Hey I just want to ask about when would they start casting actors for the City of Bones, any updates on the upcoming movie???
Hi Cassandra,I have recently started reading your books and I love them!! I'm super curious, where did you get the idea for writing this series? Did the entire story come to you all at once? Did you base some of your characters on actual people? Who were Jace and Clary based on? Who is your favorite author? Thank you so much for writing this series, it gives me something to look forward to everyday!
Hello Cassandra,Thank you for your wonderful books ^^!
My questions concern Clockwork Angel:
- Did you go through a lot of research concerning the Victorian period? I liked your explanations about Victorian London and enjoyed your choice of poems :)
- There is a steampunk feeling in CA, are you into steampunk fiction? If so, what are your favorite steampunk books?
Hello again =) Spoiler alert
I don't really have a question but its more of a theory and I would like to know what you think. In COFA you said there was going to be a new bad guy. Well I still haven't figured out who I think that will be but I have a feeling hugin the raven will return and help whoever this new bad guy is. What do you think? Is it a completely ubsurd theory? because i know he didn't die and as to what happened to him seems to be a mystery.
Hi Cassandra, I am a 28yr old mother of 2.In June my 10yr old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I just wanted to say thank you for such an amazing series. It allowed me to escape from reality a little every day.Cant wait for the next books!!
Joyzi wrote: "Hey I just want to ask about when would they start casting actors for the City of Bones, any updates on the upcoming movie???"I think you should read this:
http://www.examiner.com/the-mortal-in...
So I guess until more news, we'll just sit and wait. :)
Mod
Words like "shallow" and "predictable" are not usually taken as compliments — if you genuinely don't mean to troll and actually want your question answered (which I was certainly not going to do) there are polite ways to be both critical and inquisitive. Think about how you'd feel if someone asked that question of you, and go from there.
Do you feel that Jace and Clary's relationship is a bit of an unhealthy relationship? Seeing is how they both still wanted to be together when they thought they were brother and sister.
...And? They didn't know they were brother and sister when they met. That this then turned out to (well not actually) be the case does not mean some magic balloon descends from the heavens and turns off their feelings. If you do any actual research into cases like this (people who have met and fallen in love without knowing they were related) you will find out quite the opposite occurs. (It's called "Genetic Sexual Attraction"; look it up on Wiki.) You can invent a moral code that says that they should have immediately stopped liking each other, but that doesn't happen with real humans, so it's hard to see why it should with fictional ones.
Anyway, in Clary and Jace's case, once they find out they are related, they do not have a relationship. Despite being desperately in love and the occasional "maybe we should just run away together" — never actually acted on — they do not pursue a romantic relationship. They conclude that this would be morally wrong. That they are still in love does not actually constitute a relationship. You are asking me if a relationship is unhealthy where no relationship exists.
If so how is that going to affect their relationship?
It is not so, so I suppose the answer there would be "not much, except that they're very relieved."
Is their someone in the series that is better suited for Jace other than Clary?
As Isabelle said to Clary, "You were the first person outside our family whose happiness I’d ever seen him take into consideration." As for Clary, thinking about Jace gives her the strength to do things she would never have imagined she could do. They are positive forces in each other's lives. I think, if you actually continue reading the series and experience reading them in an actual relationship, you'll see that at work.
Mod
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?
Hi Lorena. You're really supposed to stick to the topic at hand - the books - so I'm just going to answer fast: I've been to Chiapas, Oaxaca, and San Miguel de Allende; never been to the D.F; I think Mexico's beautiful; I'll be back in February, but for a writer's retreat, not for work (my Mexican publisher still hasn't really acknowledged I exist!); my Mexican history knowlegde is woefully slight.
Hi, Cassandra,Sorry if you've already answered this question/comment, I didn't take the time to read every post. I was curious as to whether there's any significance between Tessa's last name (Gray) and one of Luke's surnames (Greymark). I know it's a stretch, but it just seemed to strike me as some sort of connection. Anyways, I love all of your books, they're fantastic!!! :) I can't wait for the next ones. Thanks!
Cissi wrote: "Salutations, miss Clare! I really enjoyed reading the first three books in the mortal instruments, and I am reading clockwork angel... And anxiously awaiting the next books! I have an odd questio..."
i love that question, i have been wondering the same thing
Mod
Since you said Church is an immortal cat, who brought him from London to New York? Magnus perhaps?"
Church's movements are mysterious. He makes it from London to NY in someone's luggage. You'll find out whose.
Mod
No, since Isabelle's necklace is a big ruby and Jem's is a jade hand. Camille'e necklace, on the other hand . . .
Does Isabelle inherit her whip usage from Charlotte?
In a sense.
Mod
People ask this all the time, I just never answer it. Clary is, Simon is. The Lightwoods, well. I respect their privacy. :D
Mod
******************SPOILER FOR CLOCKWORK ANGEL********************
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?
Actually a lot of people have asked! It's an important scene for Will because for one split second, being in the company of someone he thinks is dead, his facade cracks and we're about to see the real Will. Then Tessa opens her eyes and the facade goes back up, wham, but not fast enough for Will not to be freaked out. The whole structure of the books depends on not knowing what is going on with Will in book one, that's why I can't be specific.
There is a very important thought he has at some point that points toward what the problem is but I've never seen anyone mention it. ;)
Mod
(Okay, lame question since the next is called City of Fallen Angels...)
So... Will Clary meet Raziel again?
"
Hmm. No, but that doesn't mean there aren't any angels in the next books.
so like Will said that he's lost everything but Charlotte said that Will's parents came to the institute after a little while so.... I'm a little confused. Can you help me?
Church's movements are mysterious. He makes it from London to NY in s..."Is Church the cat Magnus talks about in city of bones?
"Is it in honor of anything?"
"My cat's birthday."
"Oh." She glanced around. "Where's your cat?"
He unhitched himself from the pillar, looking solemn. "I don't know. He ran away."
Or am i just reading too much into it? :)
Cassandra wrote: "Lorena wrote: "Hi Cassandra!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 somethi..."
Oh! ok, thank you for answering!! I was just curious...
In City of Glass you said that will had killed Sebastion (Johnathan Christopher) but that when other Shadow-hunters went to look for his body and that Jace had his own thoughts and like I'm wondering did Sebastion really die? or is he the new big problem??? I've been thinking about it ever since I've read the book and I wanted to ask the author, and now I get the chance so i thought i should, so I did. LOL XD
Adele wrote: "Church's movements are mysterious. He makes it from London to NY in s..."Is Church the cat Magnus talks about in city of bones?
"Is it in honor of anything?"
"My cat's birthday."
"Oh." She gl..."
Magnus' cat is named Chairman Meow. I don't think it's the same cat :P
Can you tell us why you chose the titles: City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Desire? Or is it too big of a spoiler....Secondly what was the hardest part in writing the Victorian Era?
Thank you so much for your time! I really love your books and am dying to get my hands on City of Fallen Angels!
i think she said for her first three boooks it was going into hell (city of bones), in hell ( city of ashes) and rising from it (city of glass). For the next 3 I think she said sunrise, darkness and sunset but I might be wrong. (actually just wanted to post something instead of sitting here being a goodreads stalker lol )
Chakara wrote: "i think she said for her first three boooks it was going into hell (city of bones), in hell ( city of ashes) and rising from it (city of glass). For the next 3 I think she said sunrise, darkness an..."Thanks, it's a lot of reading the 18 pages of Q & A
I hope this hasn't already been asked >.> I'm sorry, but I'm NOT all reading through 18 pages(so many T.T).If you don't mind my asking, what is your real name?
Hi Cassandra! Loved Clockwork Angel can't stop thinking about it! Is Tessa and/or Will going to continue looking for a cure for Jem? Thank you!
Nikki
HI.Just curious if by the end of the ID series if we will find out how(if it is same one) Isabelle comes into possession of Camilles Ruby necklace? Let me know if this just a crazy hunch, new villian in COFA is Stephen Herondale and he is now a vampire.
Meggy wrote: "I hope this hasn't already been asked >.> I'm sorry, but I'm NOT all reading through 18 pages(so many T.T).If you don't mind my asking, what is your real name?"
its been asked idk if she answered yet though. she did answer why she chose to use Cassandra Clare though. My little trick for getting through the large amount of asked questions is i look for Cassandras name (u can also click on her name in the post to see all her post i think) and then i just read what she says so that way i kno if she has answered a question by her response. :)
Oh, just another quick little question... I notice the ID characters mention loving each other a lot more than the TMI characters do (I don't mean romantically, I mean Jem saying he loves Will like a brother, Charlotte saying Henry loves them, etc.). Is there any reason for this, or just because they're more the types to be vocal about affection? And thank you so, so much for answering my earlier questions :D, it makes me so happy to read what you said.
Mod
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?"
1) Becoming a vampire wouldn't cure Jem's condition. And the idea would really repulse them both. I can't see them doing it willingly.
2) I can't say they'll never go back to Idris, but no one's going back there to live. I'd rather write about new settings.
Mod
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?
There is nothing wrong with cowriting and it makes no difference in easiness of getting something published. Look at Kami Garcia and Margie Stohl. However do keep in mind you don't get paid twice as much for being two people so effectively you are cutting your salary in half.
Church became immortal because he was used in a necromantic ritual meant to raise the dead. Tessa has a whole other thing going om.
I aim for 4,0000-6,000 words a chapter.
Mod
"
Valentine's not really a murderous pscyhopath - he's a religious zealot. His zealotry was actually set off by his father's death, rather than him having anything to do with it.
Mod
Tessa and the Gray Book, unrelated.
Tessa will definitively end up with SOMEONE by the end of the series.
Mod
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?
You know how the Shadowhunters say 'ave atque vale' over each other's dead bodies? She was saying the death words for the dead Silent Brothers.
Mod
Eventually a blade is named after Raziel. You are right I won't say by who.
Mod
They've been available as a hardback box set since last October; the paperback boz set comes out October 18th of this year.
http://www.amazon.com/Mortal-Instrume...
Mod
It's a weird question. I used to be assigned that sort of question all the time for book reports (I guess none of my high school teachers subscribed to the "the author is dead" school of postmodernism) and now that I am a writer in actual fact, I find the question bizarre. I wrote the book because I enjoy crafting stories in the same way some people enjoy scrapbooking or turning matchbox cars into flash drives. There was no "purpose" to it beyond telling a good story that hopefully would draw other people into it, so I could talk about the characters and the story with them. And, aklso, it's my job.
Mod
Let's just say the whole problem of immortals dating mortals gets driven home pretty hard for Alec.
2.) For Jocelyn and Luke, are problems going arise for them? As a couple I mean. Since Luke is a downworlder.... Or does is not make much of a difference now in CoFA?
Jocelyn's not the in Clave really. She can do what she wants. Of all of the couples she and Luke are the happiest and least troubled.
Mod
Also, I know they are called "Brothers" but are there any female Silent Brothers?
"
There is only one Silent City with multiple entrances to it.
There are no female Silent Brothers but there is a sister organization you'll be hearing about in future.
**Clockwork Angel Spoilers!**Another question! When Will finds Thomas dying, Thomas is about something about Sophie. What was he about to say? I know I read earlier here that sometimes you leave sentences hanging, but not know exactly what they were going to say; to leave it our imaginations. But did you know what he was going to say? (I'm sure you do lol) Could we possibly know what it was?
Mod
1.Will Tess choose between Jem and Will?
I can't tell you that.
2.If not, will she have feeings only for one of them and not have to choose?
No, she has feelings for both.
3. Do you plan to start any other books or series in the future? (about shadowhunters or anything)
After writing the next four books I'm contracted for, I plan to take a break.
4. Did anyone help or inspire you to start writing a book?
Holly Black.
If you could get rid of one character (that isnt already dead) from the TMI and ID series, which one? (one from each series)
But I don't want to get rid of the characters. If I did, I'd kill them off!
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)
Also I have thouroughtly enjoyed reading all of the post- and your responses back! You are a very patient and funny lady! I can't wait to read what you come up with next! Thank you again for taking the time out to chat with all of us!