Author Interview: Lee Nichols

Lee Nichols was born in Marblehead, Mass., raised in Santa Barbara, and now lives in Yarmouth, Maine. Which is probably why the four years she attended Hampshire College in Amherst, where she studied history and psychology, made her antsy. It was much too far from the ocean. She is the author of five novels for adults and the HAUNTING EMMA series for young adults. She is married to novelist Joel Naftali, who sometimes writes as Joel N. Ross, and they have one son.

***


Before writing DECEPTION, you wrote several adult novels. What made you want to write a YA novel and what was that transition like?

I originally conceived of DECEPTION as an adult novel, but the more I worked with it, the more I realized it was better suited for YA. I just kept making the character younger and younger. I love reading YA, and if I love reading something, I start to want to write it. It felt like a very natural transition for me.

Paranormal YA is of course very popular right now, are there any series out there that are your favorites?

I was lucky enough to get blurbs from some of my favorite authors: Carrie Jones, who’s writing the wonderful NEED series and Claudia Gray who’s EVERNIGHT series is so great. I also really enjoyed Cassandra Clare’s MORTAL INSTRUMENTS.

DECEPTION is the first book of the HAUNTING EMMA Series - can you give us any quick teasers about what's in store for Emma and Bennett in later books?

In book two, BETRAYAL (March 2011), Emma really lets loose with her powers and Bennett starts to turn into a serious bad boy. In POSSESSION (Fall 2011), ghosts start possessing kids at Emma’s school.


When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

After I co-wrote my first non-fiction book with my husband. I just thought, this is way better than my cruddy administrative assistant job.


What's your writing regimen like? Do you outline and plot everything out or does the story unfold as you write?

I’m a serious, scene-by-scene outliner. Not that I never surprise myself with what’s happening, or don’t allow things to unfold naturally, but my outline keeps me from having writer’s block and makes it easier for me to maintain a writing schedule.

How important is music to your writing? Do you have a soundtrack or are there any artists you want to give a shout out to?

I’m incapable of concentrating with music in the background, I can’t even listen to classical. And when I wrote DECEPTION, I had a three-year-old son, so I didn’t really want to be listening to the kind of music Emma would like with him around. I found myself playing CDs in the car on the way to pick him up from preschool that would inspire me. One song I really loved was Bob Schneider’s C’MON BABY. The video kind of sucks and so does the name, for that matter, but I love this song and I think it perfectly encapsulates Emma’s feelings about discovering how special and dangerous she is.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers out there?

One thing I do suggest, that most people don’t, is to start with non-fiction. A lot more non-fiction is published each year than fiction and it’s a much easier market to break into. And in between writing those books, you can pursue your dream in fiction.


If you had to have a different career, other than writing, what would you do?

If I hadn’t started writing, I probably would’ve gone back to music school and gotten a teaching degree. That cruddy administrative assistant job made me realize I had to do something creative. Either that, I would’ve become a librarian, because I love books.

What are you reading right now?

After a huge run of only reading YA novels, I’m back to adult fiction and just really enjoyed STAY, by Allie Larkin and SHELTER ME, by Juliette Fay.

Fill-in-the-blank:
1. In a perfect world, there would be no BP oil spill.
2. Most people would be surprised to find out that I don’t own a TV, even though I watch tons of it on Hulu.
3. Gollum is my favorite fictional character because I couldn’t think of anything else.
4. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for my mother and husband.
5. When I'm not writing, I’m reading to myself or my son. Or I could be walking the dogs. Or eating. Sleep is good too.


Thanks Lee!  Check out her website.

Giveaway:
I have one more copy of Deception for one lucky commenter!  Make sure to leave your email address so I know how to get you a copy of the book!