Can you tell us a little about your novel Illuminate?
Gladly! ILLUMINATE is about angels and devils, selling souls, saving souls, falling in love, and a teen girl's path from meek to mighty. My heroine, Haven, is a 16-year-old straight-A student/social outcast/angel-in-training who finds herself pitted against a pack of gorgeous devils on a soul-buying spree. Oh, and best of all, it takes place at a ritzy hotel in Chicago.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Nothing beats that feeling of having a really good writing day. When I got to the end of ILLUMINATE, those last 50 pages flowed out in a wild sort of frenzy. I've never run a marathon, but I imagine it's the same kind of adrenaline that kicks in on that last mile. It's exciting when you see everything you've plotted and planned falling into place. And, naturally, when I have one good day, I get superstitious and try to duplicate it the next day: I wear the same thing, eat the same things, write sitting in the same spot. I think I wore the same sweater for, like, a week writing that ending.
Where did you get the idea for this series?
I wanted to write the kind of books I would have loved as a teen, back when I had no confidence whatsoever and always turned to books to help me get through the madness of high school and the trials and tribulations of growing up. I wanted the series to be about a girl learning to believe in herself, someone who was smart and driven and destined for great things but who had to battle her own insecurities to get there. And, of course, she had to be an angel because who doesn't want to fly? Flying is just the ultimate metaphor for rising above whatever's bringing you down, right?!
I know Illuminate is the first of many in this series, how many books are you thinking of writing for Illuminate?
I'm planning on a trilogy and I've already finished a draft of the second book!
When will the next book be released?
Book Two in the Gilded Wings Trilogy should be out in 2013. Stay tuned!
Do you plan on writing any other books in different genres?
Good question! I love the YA world, and there's so much excitement and creativity and imagination happening on the paranormal/dystopian/fantasy bookshelves right now. I hope to be lucky enough to get to keep writing these kinds of stories because I've got a notebook full of glimmers of new ideas. But, at the same time, I have a book I've been dying to write that's outside that realm about a 20-something girl and her eclectic group of pals navigating their personal and professional lives. We'll see!
What was your favorite book growing up and why?
What is the best book that you have read this past year and why?
Oh no! That's too tough! I have to give a few! STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini was fantastic: that mix of magic and mythology was so brilliant and her heroine, Helen, becomes such a force to be reckoned with. I love strong girls! I can't wait for DREAMLESS. And I adored SPELLBOUND by Cara Lynn Shultz. The love story made the pages absolutely fly by. And THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern was some truly stunning storytelling.
Are there books you would recommend to fellow bloggers and readers out there?
Thanks so much Aimee for answering all of my questions! I hope everyone out there is excited to read this amazing book!
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I'm excited for Illuminate, it was great learning a little bit more about Aimee !
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for this book to come out in March!
ReplyDeleteI loved Nancy Drew as a kid, too!
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