Interview with Alyson Noel

Spellbound By Books would like to thank Caitlyn from Pan Macmillan for sending this Q and A's through!  I was hoping to interview Alyson Noel this month as I'm reading through the series but unfortunately she is on tour at the moment.

So without ado, here they are!

What were your favourite books as a child?

I loved anything by Dr. Seuss, Charlotte’s Web by EB White was the first book that brought me to tears, and Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret changed my life and inspired me to be a writer too!

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

To read a lot—read outside of your usual genre, outside of your comfort zone. The books you like, as well as the books you don’t like—they all have something to teach you.
Also, be kind to yourself! It’s so easy to get discouraged when the words you write fail to live up to the vision you had in your head, which is why it’s important to remember that all writing is rewriting. The books you see on the bookstore shelves were revised numerous times to get to that point. Your first draft is for your eyes only—it’s the jumping point that allows you to build your story---it’s not meant to be published!

What did you do before you were a writer?

I worked as a New York City based flight attendant, travelling the world and working on my debut novel, Faking 19, during long weather delays and boring layovers—basically whenever and wherever I could find a free moment to spare!

Where do you do all your writing?

I have a home office where I pretty much hunker down in the morning and stay put all day—just like a “real” office job, only I go to work in my pyjamas!

Which of your characters do you most admire and why?

I really admire Ever for her strength. She was forced into this horrible situation—losing her family, burdened with psychic powers she doesn’t want—and has no choice but to navigate her way through a new life she really doesn’t understand, with no one to confide in. And though she makes some mistakes along the way, she always picks herself up and keeps going, determined to make amends, set things straight, and do the right thing. It’s a pretty tough gig that she’s got!

Is living in the OC as glamorous as what we see on the TV in the UK?

Every time I see one of those shows I can’t help but wonder what I’m doing wrong. My OC, while undeniably beautiful, with one of the most gorgeous coastlines around, consists of pretty much the usual, real life stuff—grocery shopping, bill paying—nothing anyone would ever want to film!