Източник: tvw.org

Източник: Warm 106.9

People often ask where I get my inspiration from, and I always say I have no good answer because, well, inspiration comes from everywhere: people, places, memories. There are little gems all around us that can hold glimmers of inspiration. Here’s one of my more unexpected ones.

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I absolutely adore this love story. When I was getting ready to start “The Indigo Spell,” I was fully prepared to have Adrian be in brooding, snarky mode toward Sydney and/or constantly trying to win her over with flashy, in-your-face gestures. Then I thought, “What if he took a Mac approach? What if Adrian just plays it cool and is like, ‘Okay, Sydney, you do what you’ve got to do.’ I honestly wasn’t sure if Adrian could pull it off. Mac is a serious, patient character, who’s used to being sidelined. Those aren’t terms that usually describe Adrian, but I was suddenly really excited to see if someone like him, who’s so used to being adored and having instant gratification, could be responsible and strong enough to hang in there for the long haul. Could he respect Sydney’s feelings enough to step back and not constantly try to pitch to her? Could he be mature enough to not be bitter about her rejection? And could he be patient enough to see if she’d eventually come around on her own, if he continued being the friend she’d grown close to?

Those questions got me really excited to write the book, and that takes me back to the initial topic of inspiration. Like I said, it comes from everywhere, and often, it’s just asking a “What if?” question. You see something like I did in Alcott’s book and then try to turn it around and put it in a totally wacky context. That’s the great thing about being a writer. You dream up amazing questions…and then dream up even more amazing answers.

Източник: Hollywood Crush

В пост от Omnivoracious Ришел говори за песните, които й напомнят за някои от героите:

Sydney

Song: “Other Side of the World” by KT Tunstall

This song is actually about a long distance relationship, but a lot of the lyrics remind me of Sydney. The lines that struck me the most when I first heard it were: “She’s waiting like an iceberg/Waiting to change/But she’s cold inside/She wants to be like the water.” There’s so much longing in that, and it perfectly describes Sydney. She puts on such a proper—and yes, at times cold—face for the world, and there are moments when she almost believes that she truly is cold on the inside. But, as the book progresses, we—and Sydney—see that there’s so much more to her. There’s a vivid, passionate nature within her that’s waiting to be released, and the song’s mood captures her yearning for that.

Adrian

Song: “Hurricane Drunk” by Florence and the Machine

This is a harsh song, a song of self-destruction and the pain of losing love. It definitely describes Adrian’s mood through much of the original Vampire Academy series and the Bloodlines series. He keeps experiencing all these hurts and throws himself into the aftermath full force, almost as if he’s relishing—or maybe challenging—his pain: “No walls can keep me protected/No sleep, nothing in between me and the rain/And you can’t save me now.” These dark moods of his both fascinate us and make us ache for him. I wish I could say the storms are over for him, but he’s still got a few to endure. Hang in there, though, because he might eventually get some sun.

Можете да прочетете остатъка от статията на сайта на Omnivoracious.

Източник: Omnivoracious

Поместила съм само отговорите на Ришел:

An Exclusive Q&A with Richelle Mead and Kristin Cashore

Q: You have both written strong, independent female characters: what or who were the inspiration for Sydney and Bitterblue?

MEAD: I’ve written a few female characters who were obviously very strong, so much so that they could just walk right up and punch you. What I wanted to show in Sydney is that there are different types of strength, including a kind that’s quieter and more internal. Sydney shows that strength can come from will, character, and intelligence, and I think that’s important for readers—especially young women—to see. In fact, it’s probably a strength more people can relate to than the ass-kicking kind—not that that isn’t important sometimes!

Q: Both of your main female characters have power in their worlds, though Bitterblue is not a Graceling and Sydney is not a vampire. What is the source of power for each?

MEAD: Sydney has a few different types of power. Part of it is just in how smart she is. She possesses a lot of knowledge about a lot of things and is able to think her way out of tough situations. The people she works for, the Alchemists, have some power from the substances and chemicals they use—including vampire blood. As the series progresses, Sydney begins experimenting with human magic, which is different from the kind vampires use. Vampire magic is internally drawn. Human magic must be wrested from the world and involves spells with complex incantations and tangible components. Managing them requires intense concentration and attention to detail, which Sydney excels at.

Q: Both Bitterblue and Sydney are characters from earlier books who emerge with their own full stories to tell. Did you both always know that you would tell their stories, or did it come about through the writing process? What surprised you about these characters as you began to dive into their stories?

MEAD: I knew half-way through the first Vampire Academy series that there would be a spin-off, though I’d originally expected a different character to narrate it. I chose Sydney at the last minute and am glad I did. Having a human observe and report on the vampire world opens it up to us in a whole new way. I think what’s surprised me the most about Sydney is just how fun she is to write. I initially worried that writing an intellect like her would be boring, but she’s not! She has so much complexity and emotional depth, as well as a dry and wonderful sense of humor. Her social awkwardness and romantic obliviousness make for some very funny (and occasionally heartbreaking) scenes.

Q: Both of your series have complex worlds, how do you map it all out in the writing process?

MEAD: I try to write down the details and rules of my world, so that I have them all in one easily referenced place. Unfortunately, I sometimes get lazy and think, “I’ll just keep track of those things in my head.” Whenever I do that, I always end up regretting it.

Q: You both have incredibly loyal fans—what themes in your writing do you think draws fans to your series?

MEAD: I think readers are drawn most to characters they can connect to and care about. I try to create characters with emotional depth and personalities that feel real. I also try to make characters who aren’t perfect but who have the potential for greatness. As a reader myself, that’s what really hooks me. I love reading about characters who struggle and grow. I cheer for their highs, I cry for their lows. When readers really and truly care about characters, they will follow those characters to Hell and back. I just hope my readers continue to enjoy the journey!

Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?

MEAD: I draw inspiration from life and experiences. People often think you have to travel the world or take a forensics class to write something really incredible. In truth, some of the most wonderful books out there are built from everyday life. I’ve written funny scenes based on something small and quirky observed in a coffee shop. I’ve written huge, emotional scenes based on my own experiences with love. The things in our hearts, the things we live through and observe…those are the places where the richest writing comes from, in my opinion.

Q: What books are you reading right now? What books have inspired or influenced you?

MEAD: Right now I’m reading A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. I’ve actually been reading it for about seven months. When I was younger, I could’ve eaten up that book in less than a week. Now, with a baby, my reading rate is much slower! But his books and anything else that’s strongly character driven are what affect me the most as a reader and a writer. I grew up reading all sorts of genres, historicals like the Anne of Green Gables series and fantasy like the Dragonlance series. No matter the genre, all were filled with strong, believable characters, and those are what I’ve always aspired to write.

Q: Do you read much in your own genre? If so, what? And what have you learned about your own writing from reading these books?

MEAD: I actually avoid reading my own genre. It’s a little too much like taking my work home with me. I still think it’s important for authors to always be reading something, however. None of us are perfect writers, and there’s always something we can learn. Whenever I read someone else’s book, I’ll always see something—a clever wording, a vivid description—that I’ve never encountered before. I hope I can always grow as a writer and continue to improve my writing.

Източник: www.omnivoracious.com

Ришел отговаря на въпроси на ShadowKissed.net:

Richelle kindly answered some questions for us! So, from our vault of questions we brought out five though out questions that we thought you’d love to hear her answer! Enjoy!

What is a must-have for you when you are writing?
(Besides coffee)

My own space. I wish I was one of those writers who could write in cool locations, like parks or coffee shops. I get distracted, though, and am never fully comfortable. My best work always comes out of my own office, at my own desk. I can put my feet up, talk to my cats, and wear pajamas. A little crazy, maybe, but it gets the books done.

What was the inspiration behind writing a spin-off from VA? Did you always know you were going to, or did the idea come up mid-series?

I knew I was going to do it in the middle of the VA series, which was around the time I introduced Jill and Sydney. I originally thought Jill was going to narrate the new series, but Sydney turned out to be a better fit. Her voice and style are so unique, and it’s nice to have a human perspective on this world.

What was your favorite and least favorite part about leaving Rose’s mind and entering Sydney’s?

I love that Sydney can drop the craziest, most intellectual comments at any time. I’ve had to research some wacky topics to keep up with her! Rose was more “street smart,” so that wasn’t something I got to do a lot for her. While this isn’t my least favorite thing, I’ve been surprised at how difficult it is not swearing with Sydney. She never swears, either in thinking or speaking, but let’s face it: there are a lot of tense situations in these books that call for a few swear words. Rose never had any problem with that.

You answered a question saying that it was planned for Rose to be an Aries. What are the star signs of some of the other characters in the series?

Dimitri’s a Sagittarius, Lissa’s a Cancer, and Christian’s a Scorpio.

Is there a chance of it being revealed at some point that Dhampirs can actually have children with other Dhampirs?
It’s been speculated that they can, because Joshua told Rose that they could get married and have babies. Is there a chance of something being behind this, or was it merely an error in editing?

This was mostly an error in word choice on my part. I wanted to have Joshua go off on a crazy lovestruck ramble, painting a picture of all the things you want to do with someone you’re crazy about: get married, have kids, etc. I intended him to just not even really be thinking about what he was saying, but I shouldn’t have done that! It’s a line that’s raised a lot of questions since then.

Източник: ShadowKissed.net