The moment I started reading Maggie Stiefvater's Lament, the lyrical, smooth style made me wonder if it could really be her debut novel. It's since been followed by Shiver and now a sequel to Lament (Ballad: released October 1st!). Not only does Maggie have a wicked sense of humour and an entertaining blog, but she draws and has an ear for music, too! And she has the rockingest auto-response email EVER. I'm so pleased to welcome Maggie Stiefvater, author of one of THE coolest books about homicidal faeries, to my blog!

You mentioned once that a tarot card called The Tower (which you described as being "about everything you believe coming crumbling down and you having to reevaluate everything you thought was true") is representative of the kind of books you love to read.   In my recent reading of Lament, The Tower also seemed like an excellent card to represent your own works.  What comes first for you when writing - the truth or the lie - and how do you get from A to Z or Z to A?

Wow, good question! Um, I think I start with the lie. I start with what is presented to the world, and then I start to dig at it, like a journalist, to find out what’s really going on. Like in Lament, we see happy-go-lucky, funny, confident James, and in Ballad, I start to see what’s behind that. I love to look at the complicated elements of seemingly straightforward people. Because if I’ve learned anything about life, it’s that we are all of us complicated creatures. Especially the loudest of us.

When your writing process stalls, you read something you wish you'd written, a "really good novel on [your] keeper shelf".  When was the last time you did this, and what was the book you pulled off the shelf?

( Let's read on to find out! )

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Thanks, everyone, for joining us today!

As writers, one of our many challenges is that our characters be distinct, even memorable, while still coming across as real people, people you could go to a concert or share a slurpee with. Characters whose stories play on in a reader's head long after they've closed the book. It's a tricky balance, one that I think Valerie Tripp, author of an astounding number of historical fiction books for young readers, has got the hang of - in spades!

For those who haven't heard of the American Girl phenomenon, a quick explanation: each series (six books long) depicts the story of a nine-and-later-ten-year old girl living somewhere and sometime in the vivid past of the United States. Valerie Tripp's contributions include Felicity (1774), Josefina (1824), Samantha (1904) [this series was also written by Susan Adler and Maxine Rose Schur], Kit (1934), and Molly (1944). These books aren't just for kids, either! At nineteen, I'm still enjoying them as much, if not more, as I did as a wee bairn.

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Valerie Tripp to my blog, so sit back, relax, and read on!

If Felicity, Josefina, Samantha, Kit, and Molly had lunch together, what do you think the dynamics would be like?  What would they talk about?

Many girls write to me (and I always write back to every single one) and ask me what would happen if all my American Girl characters met. Sometimes when I speak to girls we try to imagine what would happen if the characters found themselves in a disaster! We all usually agree that Molly would put herself in charge, Kit would be noticing everything so that she could write about it later, Samantha would be trying to make everyone comfortable, Josefina would be quiet and shy, but she'd be the one to notice what needed to be done, and Felicity would be up to mischief! I think it would be most fun if they talked about being American Girls; that is, what they have in common, what's different about their times and places, why I am so prone to putting them in dicey situations, and what their dear readers are like.

When you came into the Samantha series after Susan Adler and Maxine Rose Schur to write the final three books, how did you situate yourself in Samantha's Victorian world?  How was this different than starting from scratch with your other characters?

( Let's find out! )

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If you want to know more about the American Girl stories (and are in a mood to procrastinate! who isn't, on a Monday morning?), skip over to their website and try a quiz to see which American Girl you are, or find out more about the girls themselves! And, of course, there's always your local library or indie bookstore; is that Kit calling your name? Or maybe Samantha?

In the meantime, thanks so much for joining us today! It's been a blast.

If you're into mixed media art, a story about a small-town girl discovering a big city, or feeling your own heart throb as she meets a boy who kind of makes you go all gooey, then Siobhan Vivian's Same Difference should totally slip into that pile of To-Be-Read books on your bedside table. Siobhan herself is as sweet as a chocolate-chip cookie and writes a fabulous yarn, so I'm delighted to welcome her to my blog and so excited to share this interview with you!

How did you figure out the artistic specialties of each character (Fiona's shadows, for example, or Emily's collages)?  Was there much research involved in depicting their art so well or was it more a matter of exposing yourself to different genres?

I'd have to say that it was a combination of research, reflecting on my time at art school, and just making stuff up! 

Fiona's shadows were inspired by an artist that would make chalk drawings in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. As for Emily's work in collage, I had sat in on a paper arts class when I went back to the summer art program that I had attended in high school. But I definitely made a conscious choice for both my characters to have mediums that were more abstract, because that would give me a bit more freedom to draw connections between their art work and their life. 

Have you looked beyond the barn door of Duchamp's The Waterfall, the piece of art that was super-enlightening to both Emily and Fiona? What was your reaction?

( Read on to find out! )

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Feeling the artist/writer/creative-type in you tingle? Head on over to Siobhan's blog for juicy tidbits like a video of chalk drawings reminiscent of Fiona's, or check out her contributions to The Longstockings' blog, or, heck, just pop onto her website and puzzle out whether the girl on the cover might actually be Ellen Page! Better yet, take your lunch break to go to the bookstore and/or library and check out Same Difference for yourself.

Thanks so much for joining us, guys!

Megan Crewe's debut YA novel Give Up the Ghost isn't your typical oh-goodness-I-can-see-ghosts-get-me-out-of-here! ghost story. Cass McKenna can see ghosts, all right, but she's using the gossip they glean from her unsuspecting classmates to tear the poseurs off their pedestals. When the student council vice president seeks Cass's help, though, it might be time to re-evaluate her opinion of "breathers" [in other words, The Living].

In honour of Give Up the Ghost's release on September 15th, Megan agreed to answer a few questions for me. One of the things that most intrigued me about her novel on first glance was that each ghost has a specific smell, and so I led off with this question:

If you could pick one historical figure to appear to you as a ghost, who would it be and why?  And what scent do you imagine might linger in their presence?

I think I'd pick Shakespeare, because I'd like to find out if he really did write all those plays after all.  (There's so much mystery about that!)  And I suspect he'd be entertaining to talk to.  I'd imagine he'd have a scent with a little alcohol in it, along with theatre make-up.

How would you suggest readers set the mood for settling in with your story? (ie watch a spooky movie, grab a bowl of marshmallows, dab on a drop of unique perfume)

( Read on to find out! )

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Drift on over with your morning muffin/latte/brownie to Megan's blog for behind-the-scenes info on her writing process [she does excellent craft-related posts]. Or maybe you're curious what character you'd be from Give Up the Ghost? Or what Megan's office space looks like? Or to see a trailer for Give Up the Ghost? You can find all that and more at her website.

In 2007 and 2008, I had the pleasure of welcoming a series of inspiring authors to Journey of an Inquiring Mind for a virtual cup of tea and a chat. Coming from a variety of genres, these lovely writers shared their time and energy so that I could bring these interviews to you. In honour of the newest season of interviews in the 'Presenting' series, I've rounded up the ones from the past.

( In chronological order, complete with some of my favourite tidbits, they are ... )

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Now, about that new series: just like before, the interviews will be posted on Mondays, and announced the Friday previous, so pop by this coming Friday - August 28 - to discover the identity of our premiere guest!

Carolyn Meyer has been one of my favourite authors ever since I read Mary, Bloody Mary as a preteen: I credit her as one of the major inspirations of my passion for history. Duchessina, as depicted on the right, gives a fascinating glimpse at the life of Catherine de Medici, who is often shown as a villainess in history. Carolyn's latest book, In Mozart's Shadow: His Sister's Story, which was just released yesterday, is about Mozart's older sister Nannerl, an accomplished musician and possibly (although there's no strong historical proof) a composer in her own right!

You can find a full list of Carolyn's works--and works-in-progress--on her website, as well as a detailed log of her writing progress, which Carolyn updates regularly. Today, I'm honoured to share my interview with one of the reigning queens of historical fiction. Please, sit down and have a cup of tea with us!

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On your website, you mention that you "do a huge amount of research": how does this process unfold for you?

To establish a general framework on which to build, I begin with some general reading, often on Wikipedia, nailing down essential dates and relationships. For instance, Marie Antoinette, born in 1756, was the 15th child in her family, and she had a younger brother. She married the dauphin of France when she was 14, so I then had to find out about his family. With this handful of facts, I proceeded to the library to find biographies of Marie Antoinette and read them all. Then I ordered the ones that seemed most useful. I also checked out books on Vienna and the palaces where MA was raised, and especially on Versailles. I have recently been to Vienna when I was working on IN MOZART'S SHADOW and don't need to go back there, but I'm leaving shortly to revisit Paris with a list of places that I missed when I was working on MARIE, DANCING. One of the queen's favorite places at Versailles, Petit Trianon, is closed for renovation, but much of the furniture was on display at a museum in San Francisco; I visited a friend who lives there, and we saw the exhibit together and watched a video about the queen's little theater, no longer open to the public. While I was there I bought a DVD of the recent Sofia Coppola movie, MARIE ANTOINETTE, mostly for the visuals of clothes, food, etc. I have bought or borrowed several books about the palaces with diagrams of how the various rooms were laid out, and I keep combing the internet for information about how those elaborate coiffures were actually put together and how the corsets were made. I have a French dictionary and refer to it often.

What's the most interesting fact you've uncovered in your research (for any of your books) to date?

( Curious about the answer? Click on through for that and the rest of the interview! )

Claudia Gray is a newbie to the publishing world, but you wouldn't guess that from reading Evernight, the first in a YA quartet about vampires. While it's not being released until May 27th, I was one of several lucky readers to get a sneak peek at the story of Bianca and Lucas, two seemingly ordinary teenagers who are actually neck-deep in a struggle that goes back centuries. It's not another badly-written epic fantasy, however, where the characters could be anyone and all that matters is the plot: these kids not only have to face insurmountable odds that hit close to home, but deal with young love and vampiric cliques to boot.

None of this adequately describes exactly how incredible and complex I found the story Claudia created, so I asked her over to my blog for an interview, hoping to shed some light behind the scenes.

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You and Bianca, the main character of EVERNIGHT, are both immense fans of Cary Grant: which of his movies is Bianca's favourite and why?

Bianca's favorite is "An Affair to Remember," because it's so lush and romantic, and because Nicky's artistic streak is so sympathetic to her. (My personal favorite is "Notorious.")

What do you find most detestable about Bianca?

( Click through for this answer and a whole lot more! )

Sarah Dessen takes us back to the trials and gems of teen life. Whether we're still in it or long past, there's always something--or someone--to relate to. Character cameos from other books, quirky settings like a 24-hour waffle house, and drool-worthy male leads are just some of the things that make her books so unique. Sarah has posted some of the stories-behind-the-stories on her website, and shares tidbits from her life through her blog. Somehow, even though she's a full-time writer and a new mom, she managed to bring yet another baby into the world: Lock and Key was released on April 22, 2008. To commemorate this, I invited Sarah to my blog for a virtual interview, and I hope you'll sit down with us now to see what unfolded.

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How much do you know about your characters' lives after the events of their book? Any examples?

I don't think a whole lot about what happens to my characters after a book is done. It's my hope that I've left them in a good place, where the loose ends of their story are tied up but there's also a sense of a good future ahead. In my mind, the couples are usually still together, and everyone is doing all right. Occasionally, though, I'll bring someone back in a cameo in another book. I had Macy and Wes from the Truth About Forever show up together in Just Listen, for instance, so people would know they were still going strong.

What is the first piece of fiction you remember writing?

( See the answer, and more, beneath the cut! )

I first met Robin Stevenson online, via Absolute Write. We later had the chance to meet in person at the launch party for her debut YA novel, Out of Order. It was set in Victoria, BC, and in a neighbourhood I was familiar with, so reading it was like a treasure hunt! Since then, three more of her books have come out, and she's far from done. Her website is fun to peruse, but I hope you'll take a few minutes first to check out her tips on launch parties, writing from life, and other goodies in ( this interview! )

K.L. Going is one of the most talked-about authors in the young adult circuit, thanks to the success of books like Fat Kid Rules the World and Saint Iggy. She recently turned her attention to non-fiction, working together with Writer's Digest to create Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel. It includes not only her ideas and encouragement on the subject but responses from teen readers as well! It was released on April 4th and can be bought through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters, or maybe even your local independent bookstore (an option particularly close to K.L.'s heart).

Under the cut is our interview. Grab your beverage of choice, sit back, and ( enjoy! )

Melissa Marr burst onto the writing scene in 2007 with her YA urban fantasy, Wicked Lovely, and now she's back: Ink Exchange, set in the same world but with less familiar characters, comes out on April 29th. You can preorder it from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and a myriad of other places (listed on her website, which is full of cool information about her books and writing habits). Her first book, Wicked Lovely, has also inspired WickedLovely.com, a fansite dedicated to the work of Melissa Marr. It includes a discussion forum, icons (usable on LJ, among other places), and fanfic.

Melissa took the time to sit down for a virtual interview with me, and I hope you'll join us now. Sit back, relax ... ( and have fun! )

Carrie Jones is quirky, sweet, and has a thing for Grover, John Wayne, and Postum. She's also penned a young adult contemporary novel, Tips On Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend (released May '07), and its sequel, Love (and Other Uses For Duct Tape), which comes out on her birthday, March 1st. That's right, just a few more days until you can have it in your hands, via Amazon, Chapters, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent bookstore. Meanwhile, why not peruse her website, her blog, or stick around for ( ... our interview! )

Christine Norris is not only a really cool person (who else plays "What did the UPS lady bring me" on their blog!): she also happens to be an author of middle grade/young adult fantasy. Her latest novel, The Crown of Zeus, isn't scheduled for release until February 19th, but that didn't stop this reviewer from raving about it. Upon its release, The Crown of Zeus will be available through the publisher. For now, content yourself with browsing her website, her blog ... ( and our interview! )

Over the course of 2008, I'm going to be interviewing some fabulous authors (Christine Norris, who I interviewed last year, will be returning next month). My first guest of the year is Kate Messner. Her debut novel, Spitfire (children's historical fiction), was published in the fall of 2007. If this trailer doesn't inspire you to take a look at it, maybe the positive reviews it's garnering will. It can be bought through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or possibly your local independent bookstore. Kate's friendly and informative virtual presence can be felt through her website and her blog.

Now, onto the interview!

( Ghosts, sage kids, and magic! )

It's the day you've all been waiting for, the day I post a no-holds-barred interview with up and coming author Christine Norris. Christine's first book, Talisman of Zandria, a middlegrade fantasy, was published in 2005 and can be bought through Amazon, Barnes and Noble.com, and Borders. Her upcoming release, Return to Zandria, is the sequel to Talisman and is currently available through the publisher, LBF Books, and through Amazon. She also regularly updates her blog.

( Now, without further ado, I give you ... Christine Norris! )

Take care! I'm off to the magical world of Harry Potter, pictures forthcoming.