Jackie: Please tell the readers a bit about what we can expect from Delirium?
Lauren: DELIRIUM is a novel about a world in which love has been declared a contagious disease. Scientists have invented a cure and the government has made it mandatory. The book tells the story of Lena, a seventeen-year-old on the verge of being cured.
J: Delirium is a dystopian novel, which is becoming increasingly popular (again?) in YA literature. Do you think this genre has taken over from the overwhelming amounts of vampire, angels and werewolf novels of recent years?
L:Oh, jeez. That’s so hard to say. I think both genres indicate that the popular imagination has been very dark of late. But I try very hard not to think too hard about trends, and what will stay in or out. It’s too stressful!
J: With Delirium being your sophomore effort, did you find it easier to get your ideas down on paper?
L: Definitely not! One of the things that kind of amazes me about writing is that it never gets any easier. In fact, sometimes I think it’s the reverse!
J: Before I Fall drew heavily on your own experiences in high school. Does Delirium share any parallels with your life or is it a complete departure from similarities?
L: Well, to be honest, there have been times in my life when I have very much wished that there was a cure for love! And Lena is a runner, as I am; I actually ran most of the routes described in DELIRIUM. And I certainly relate to the deep ambivalence Lena feels about love—its terrors and attractions.
J: Both Before I Fall and Delirium have been optioned for films. Are these projects in the infancy stage or are they full steam ahead? Will you have much input in the film versions?
L: Before I Fall is chugging along—Delirium is a little farther behind, as it has just been released. I’m lucky that the producers attached to my projects are very open, communicative people, and really committed to making a film that best represents the book. I therefore feel absolutely no fear about leaving it entirely in their hands!
J: For my Canadian readers, do you have any plans to tour in Canada with Delirium?
L: I would love to! I have no immediate plans to tour there, but I think it would be great, and I’m sure we can make it happen!
J: Have you already started on your next project? If so, can we have a sneak peek?
L: My next book is actually a middle-grade called LIESL & PO and it publishes this fall. And after that comes the sequel to Delirium, PANDEMONIUM. No sneak peeks allowed, but it is action-packed, I promise!
Thanks to Lauren for taking the time out to answer my questions; it was a great honour. Hopefully if you haven't read anything of Lauren's yet, you'll get on it ASAP!
3 comments:
I never really thought on the 2nd being harder, maybe now that people have expectations though I can totally see this!
Thanks for the interview Jackie & Lauren :)
P.S. a Canadian tour would be awesome!
Great interview! :) I didn't even connect the two books as the same author. See, I'm a bad book person. But this one, sounds like one I will enjoy. Thanks for the great interview!
@Mel - I always thought the first would be, then once the creative juices started flowing there would be no stopping them :-p
@Melissa - Honestly, there are only so many titles and authors one can remember, lol, Thankfully, we've got Goodreads to help ;-)
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