Link to the interview here!
1) What inspired you to choose animals as your characters instead of people?
The whole idea of writing about the familiars was born out of the fact that we were interested in telling a traditional fantasy story from a perspective that we had never seen before. Familiars in popular lore had always been sidelined to being assistants and helpers (ie Hedwig in "Harry Potter" or Shadowfax in "Lord of the Rings"). We wanted to see what would happen if they were forced to be the heroes!
2) Do you feel that it was easier or harder to write animal characters?
We think there are a few extra challenges to writing animal characters, in that they lack opposable thumbs. But beyond the physical limitations, we knew they had to be as rich emotionally as any human being.
3) What was one item (food or otherwise) that really helped you through the writing process?
We're not sure if this is an item per se, but a writing partner. Having another person to bounce ideas off of is better than staring at the blank screen alone everyday.
4) Do you have a favorite character?
Everyday, Adam has a different favorite character, he loves them all so much. Today, it's Grimslade, the bounty hunter who is a merciless and wonderful foil for Aldwyn. I'm always curious what new black magic he's going to pull out of his bag of tricks.
Andrew would go with Gilbert, who always makes him laugh.
5) Where is your favorite place to write?
Adam would go with Hawaii, but he'll settle with one of our two home offices. He's happy just as long as they're not writing at Peet's Coffee Shop, which makes his clothes reek so strongly of Brazilian Roast that he has to strip down when he gets home so not to make his 3 year old daughter cry.
Andrew also finds writing with the sound of any ocean nearby to be heaven, but he, too, can live with working at home.
6) What book(s) have influenced you most?
Adam: I have to say the dictionary. I love looking up new words. They fuel my love of writing.
7) What book(s) are you reading right now?
Andrew: Just finished The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I have pre-ordered Mockingjay and can't wait!
8) Can we expect more amazing books from you in the future? (I hope so!)
Yes! The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown (book two of the trilogy) will be coming to bookstores in September of 2011.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
A Bunch of Random Things We've Learned Since Getting Published
GUEST POST on The Fiction Enthusiast
It turns out “The Familiars” is not a YA book like we first thought.
It’s actually an MG book, or middle grade. We didn’t even know there was such a thing. But yes, tween and teen lit are sub-divided into picture books, MG, and YA.
We learned what those Amazon sales rankings actually mean.
And #479,505 is not good.
Naperville, Illinois has a pretty dope hotel.
While on our pre-pub tour we stayed at Naperville’s very own Hotel Arista, an ultra-modern, eco-friendly hotel. The rooms were gorgeous, there was a TV in the bathroom mirror, and there was an incredible restaurant downstairs. It would have been even better if the two of us didn’t have to share that bed (jk).
There is a difference between an MS, a galley, and an ARC.
What that is exactly we still don’t know.
They will let you speak on the airplane intercom if you ask nicely.
At least they will on Southwest Airlines. You can watch Adam doing just this here.
We learned what “stacked words,” “orphan words,” and “widow words” are in copy editing.
They all have to do with setting the type in the final book so that there isn’t an imbalance on the page. It’s kind of like feng shuing your novel.
It turns out “The Familiars” is not a YA book like we first thought.
It’s actually an MG book, or middle grade. We didn’t even know there was such a thing. But yes, tween and teen lit are sub-divided into picture books, MG, and YA.
We learned what those Amazon sales rankings actually mean.
And #479,505 is not good.
Naperville, Illinois has a pretty dope hotel.
While on our pre-pub tour we stayed at Naperville’s very own Hotel Arista, an ultra-modern, eco-friendly hotel. The rooms were gorgeous, there was a TV in the bathroom mirror, and there was an incredible restaurant downstairs. It would have been even better if the two of us didn’t have to share that bed (jk).
There is a difference between an MS, a galley, and an ARC.
What that is exactly we still don’t know.
They will let you speak on the airplane intercom if you ask nicely.
At least they will on Southwest Airlines. You can watch Adam doing just this here.
We learned what “stacked words,” “orphan words,” and “widow words” are in copy editing.
They all have to do with setting the type in the final book so that there isn’t an imbalance on the page. It’s kind of like feng shuing your novel.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Autumn 2010 Indie Kids' Next List
See the link on Indiebound!
THE FAMILIARS has been selected by Indie Booksellers for their fall Next List! Thanks for the support :)
THE FAMILIARS has been selected by Indie Booksellers for their fall Next List! Thanks for the support :)
Why We Write MG: "30 Going on 13"
GUEST POST on Forever YA
When we decided to write our first novel, we weren’t thinking about who we were writing the book for. We just knew it was a story we wanted to tell. But looking back, it’s no surprise that we now find ourselves writing middle grade fiction. The truth is, we are two early 30-something guys going on 13. When Andrew was a seventh grader, he remembers going to see a midnight screening on the opening night of Tim Burton’s Batman. Two summers ago, he went to see the midnight screening for the opening of The Dark Knight. And while his voice is no longer cracking (most of the time), he still loves superheroes and comic books just the same. When Adam was a middle schooler, he would stay up late at night hungrily devouring The Lord of the Rings. Recently he found himself rereading the same Tolkien opus, only this time he was doing it after his young daughters went to sleep. The stories we love to tell are the ones we would have loved growing up and would still love today. This genre allows us to write all the wonderful fantasies we dream up in our heads. To bring the action figure shows we imagined as kids to the page. The bottom line is that who you write for is dictated by the story you tell. We hope that “The Familiars” is not just read by tweens and teens but adults, as well. These labels – YA/MG – they shouldn’t define a book. Look at “Harry Potter” or “The Hunger Games.” A great yarn should transcend the aisles of the book store. And whether you’re 13 or 30 you’ll love the book just the same.
When we decided to write our first novel, we weren’t thinking about who we were writing the book for. We just knew it was a story we wanted to tell. But looking back, it’s no surprise that we now find ourselves writing middle grade fiction. The truth is, we are two early 30-something guys going on 13. When Andrew was a seventh grader, he remembers going to see a midnight screening on the opening night of Tim Burton’s Batman. Two summers ago, he went to see the midnight screening for the opening of The Dark Knight. And while his voice is no longer cracking (most of the time), he still loves superheroes and comic books just the same. When Adam was a middle schooler, he would stay up late at night hungrily devouring The Lord of the Rings. Recently he found himself rereading the same Tolkien opus, only this time he was doing it after his young daughters went to sleep. The stories we love to tell are the ones we would have loved growing up and would still love today. This genre allows us to write all the wonderful fantasies we dream up in our heads. To bring the action figure shows we imagined as kids to the page. The bottom line is that who you write for is dictated by the story you tell. We hope that “The Familiars” is not just read by tweens and teens but adults, as well. These labels – YA/MG – they shouldn’t define a book. Look at “Harry Potter” or “The Hunger Games.” A great yarn should transcend the aisles of the book store. And whether you’re 13 or 30 you’ll love the book just the same.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Why I Read Twilight, Watch Gossip Girl, and Listen to Justin Bieber
GUEST POST on Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf
It’s research. At least that’s what I tell friends and family who ask why I’m reading the Twilight books, or watching the CW, or listening to tween pop music. Yes, I’m a man in my early thirties. I’m married with a kid on the way. But for much of my career I wrote teen comedy movies and for MTV, and now I have transitioned into writing fantasy middle grade fiction. So it’s not entirely a stretch when I justify my tendencies toward adolescent entertainment as research for work. And what an awesome job I have, creating stories for an audience of tastemakers, many of who aren’t even old enough to have a driver’s license.
It’s true, I have to stay current on what kind of pop culture the pre-teen and teen demo are consuming. My secret… my hidden shame… is that I actually like it. I’m a superfan of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I never miss an episode of American Idol or Glee. I listen to Taylor Swift (when my wife isn’t in the car). A perusal of my bookshelf or DVD collection or car CD player might give the impression that they belonged to a tweenager. But alas, they are the property of a fantasy football playing, red meat eating, superhero loving dude who also happens to enjoy The Hills. I don’t know if I’ll ever outgrow my affinity for youthful diversion. Just know that if you find me standing in line for Breaking Dawn… it’s research.
It’s research. At least that’s what I tell friends and family who ask why I’m reading the Twilight books, or watching the CW, or listening to tween pop music. Yes, I’m a man in my early thirties. I’m married with a kid on the way. But for much of my career I wrote teen comedy movies and for MTV, and now I have transitioned into writing fantasy middle grade fiction. So it’s not entirely a stretch when I justify my tendencies toward adolescent entertainment as research for work. And what an awesome job I have, creating stories for an audience of tastemakers, many of who aren’t even old enough to have a driver’s license.
It’s true, I have to stay current on what kind of pop culture the pre-teen and teen demo are consuming. My secret… my hidden shame… is that I actually like it. I’m a superfan of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I never miss an episode of American Idol or Glee. I listen to Taylor Swift (when my wife isn’t in the car). A perusal of my bookshelf or DVD collection or car CD player might give the impression that they belonged to a tweenager. But alas, they are the property of a fantasy football playing, red meat eating, superhero loving dude who also happens to enjoy The Hills. I don’t know if I’ll ever outgrow my affinity for youthful diversion. Just know that if you find me standing in line for Breaking Dawn… it’s research.
Describing the Chandelier
GUEST POST on YA Highway
One of the questions we most frequently get asked since becoming authors (after 10 years of screenwriting) is, “What’s the difference between writing books and writing for film?” Our answer: the chandelier. As screenwriters you learn that economy is key. It’s telling a story with a minimum amount of words. Writing a blueprint that will become richer once it’s brought to screen. When writing about an interior location, if you ever find yourself describing the chandelier, you’re in trouble. Because unless that chandelier is crashing down to the floor, you’re writing too much. That’s a production designer’s job – deciding if it should be metal or crystal, electrical or candlelit. But in a book, it’s all chandelier. That’s your job. Being the costume designer, production designer, hair, make-up, the actors, and the director. No description is too elaborate.
Another major difference between being an author and a screenwriter is that as a screenwriter you are far more disposable. A studio can hire you on for a project and then move on to other writers when you’re done, even if you did a great job. We’ve been on both sides of that equation, rewriting others and being rewritten ourselves. The film business views writers as cogs in a much bigger machine, which they are. In books, the author is as much the product as the books themselves. You may read every book by a favorite author just because their name is on the title. But an author is treated with – dare we say it – respect! Now what’s interesting is that in adapting our book to the screen, the film studio (Sony Animation) has been treating us more like authors than screenwriters. They have been hugely respectful of us, like no other film project we’ve worked on previously.
The truth is, we wouldn’t give up either hat – screenwriter or author. It’s like an athlete that plays two sports. You might use different muscles, but each makes you sharper. What sounds better: screenwriter/author, or author/screenwriter? You tell us.
One of the questions we most frequently get asked since becoming authors (after 10 years of screenwriting) is, “What’s the difference between writing books and writing for film?” Our answer: the chandelier. As screenwriters you learn that economy is key. It’s telling a story with a minimum amount of words. Writing a blueprint that will become richer once it’s brought to screen. When writing about an interior location, if you ever find yourself describing the chandelier, you’re in trouble. Because unless that chandelier is crashing down to the floor, you’re writing too much. That’s a production designer’s job – deciding if it should be metal or crystal, electrical or candlelit. But in a book, it’s all chandelier. That’s your job. Being the costume designer, production designer, hair, make-up, the actors, and the director. No description is too elaborate.
Another major difference between being an author and a screenwriter is that as a screenwriter you are far more disposable. A studio can hire you on for a project and then move on to other writers when you’re done, even if you did a great job. We’ve been on both sides of that equation, rewriting others and being rewritten ourselves. The film business views writers as cogs in a much bigger machine, which they are. In books, the author is as much the product as the books themselves. You may read every book by a favorite author just because their name is on the title. But an author is treated with – dare we say it – respect! Now what’s interesting is that in adapting our book to the screen, the film studio (Sony Animation) has been treating us more like authors than screenwriters. They have been hugely respectful of us, like no other film project we’ve worked on previously.
The truth is, we wouldn’t give up either hat – screenwriter or author. It’s like an athlete that plays two sports. You might use different muscles, but each makes you sharper. What sounds better: screenwriter/author, or author/screenwriter? You tell us.
My First Crush: The School Librarian
GUEST POST on Readspace
When I was 9 years old, I remember the thrill of leaving my classroom and heading down the short hallway to the library. My third grade teacher was uninspiring. She was more concerned with organizing her pencils and sucking on lasengers than engaging with her students. But I knew that three times a week, I would be transported away by the energetic words of Mrs. Schwabe, E.M. Baker’s school librarian.
Now, I wasn’t in love with her — that was reserved for the pig-tailed girl who lived three houses down from me, but the stories she told have stayed with me since those days collected in a circle, on the rug, looking up at her sitting in her big wooden chair. William Steig’s “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” still holds a special place in my heart. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, with its different shaped pages, is as vivid now reading it to my own three year old daughter as it was then. I’m not sure if those morning trips to the book-filled walls of Mrs. Schwabe’s domain turned me into the author I am today, but she certainly inspired my love of reading.
Now, I’m excited to think how school librarian’s across the country, the gatekeepers of imagination, will be sharing The Familiars — yeah, my book! — with third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders — as librarians read the first words: “It all started with Aldwyn’s whiskers beginning to tingle…” I wonder if children will be transported the way I was.
Adam Jay Epstein
When I was 9 years old, I remember the thrill of leaving my classroom and heading down the short hallway to the library. My third grade teacher was uninspiring. She was more concerned with organizing her pencils and sucking on lasengers than engaging with her students. But I knew that three times a week, I would be transported away by the energetic words of Mrs. Schwabe, E.M. Baker’s school librarian.
Now, I wasn’t in love with her — that was reserved for the pig-tailed girl who lived three houses down from me, but the stories she told have stayed with me since those days collected in a circle, on the rug, looking up at her sitting in her big wooden chair. William Steig’s “Sylvester and the Magic Pebble” still holds a special place in my heart. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, with its different shaped pages, is as vivid now reading it to my own three year old daughter as it was then. I’m not sure if those morning trips to the book-filled walls of Mrs. Schwabe’s domain turned me into the author I am today, but she certainly inspired my love of reading.
Now, I’m excited to think how school librarian’s across the country, the gatekeepers of imagination, will be sharing The Familiars — yeah, my book! — with third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders — as librarians read the first words: “It all started with Aldwyn’s whiskers beginning to tingle…” I wonder if children will be transported the way I was.
Adam Jay Epstein
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