Archive for March, 2008

March 8, 2008 • Comments

Marlayne……………… congratulations on winning a copy of Luisa’s book. You’re going to LOVE it!!!

Please email me your contact details and I will pass them onto Luisa.

March 4, 2008 • 22 Comments

I’m so excited to be interviewing the fabulous Luisa Plaja. Her book Split by a Kiss (what a fabulous title…. and just look at the cover, it’s to die for!) is being released this week. And guess what…….. just add a comment here or on my Myspace blog and you could be in with a chance to win a copy!!!!

 

What inspired the plot for your book?

I’m the kind of writer who makes it all up as they go along - I’m not a planner. So it’s hard to say what exactly inspired the split. It just seemed like the right thing to do when I reached that point in the book. Mind you, I’ve always liked the idea that making major decisions can cause parallel lives. Hey, there could be a version of me out there who’s written a book about Jo not splitting into two girls…

The inspiration for the US/UK culture shock theme was my own experience, even though I wasn’t a teenager when I went to the USA. And I was also heavily influenced by an article I once read about the different dating expectations of men (and boys) in the USA and the UK, based on their national sports - ‘reaching the bases’ (baseball) rather than ‘heading straight for the goal’ (soccer). I wouldn’t necessarily say there was any truth in it, plus it’s kind of sexist - what about the dating expectations of girls, huh? Huh? But, anyway, I put some of the theories of that article into the Jake Matthews character.

Why did you decide to write for teens?

Ah, I didn’t decide. It chose me. Ha ha, does that sound totally pretentious? Sorry! But I passionately love everything about fiction for this age group - always have done, always will do. I did try to write in other genres but as soon as I started on a teen novel, I knew it was what I really wanted to write.

What is your writing process like?

As I said before, I’m not a planner. I’m what’s known as a ‘pantser’, flying by the seat of my pants. Hmm, I wonder, should that be a ‘trouserser’ in UK English?

I write quick and rough first drafts and then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite {repeat to fade}

What are you working on now?

A novel about two girls who try to escape their stresses for a day by going on an ‘extreme journey’ - a road trip based on turning to random pages of their teen magazine. The girls are best friends but they’re keeping important secrets from each other, and the extreme day gradually brings out the truth.

What do you know about publishing now that you wish someone had told you earlier?

Interesting question! I’m not sure what to say - I decided when I was tiny that I wanted to be a writer, but I honestly thought it was an impossible dream, and for years I didn’t pursue it at all.

Ah! So the answer to this question is: That being published is not an impossible dream!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Write the book you’ve always wanted to read.

Or, you know. Don’t. As a good friend once told me about bringing up children, “My only advice is not to listen to any advice.”

(Of course, this made my head spin slightly. Like, was I supposed to listen to that advice?)

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Apart from working and looking after my children I, er… Do lots of stuff, I’m sure. Yikes, my mind’s gone blank.

Well, I edit Chicklish (http://www.chicklish.co.uk) And I read.

Who do you like to read?

Sara Hantz! Tee hee. No, really! (DON’T YOU JUST LOVE THIS GIRL…Sara) I also have lots of other favourites - Jaclyn Moriarty, Sarra Manning, Maureen Johnson, E. Lockhart, Rachel Vail, and many, many others. Did I mention that I love teen fiction?

 

Luisa Plaja lives in Devon in the UK but she grew up in Sicily and London and she has lived in lots of other places. She has two small children and a passion for reading and writing fiction for teenagers.