Every time I would venture into a bookstore, step into its beauty, and gaze across the bound bestsellers, my eyes would always find Lauren Oliver's books. From the eye catching covers of the Delirium series, to Panic, to Liesl and Po, to the Spindlers, there's no denying that Lauren Oliver's books were meant to stand out on bookshelves.
You can only imagine my reaction when Ms Oliver agreed to do an interview for The Literary Connoisseur, me being an admirer of hers for so long.
But enough of me and my ever-growing fangirling, let's get to the interview!
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The Literary Connoisseur: Ms Oliver, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop by The Literary Connoisseur and answer some questions about yourself, your life as an author, and your writing process. If you're ready, let's begin! Have you always known that you wanted to be an author?
Lauren Oliver: No, but I've always been a writer. I've been writing pretty much every day since I was nine!
The Literary Connoisseur: Do you have a favorite place to write? Outside? A comfy couch, perhaps?
Lauren Oliver: I prefer to write at tables, but I love writing in the sunroom of my house upstate. It has beautiful light and it's very quiet.
The Literary Connoisseur: How did the plot of Delirium come to you?
Lauren Oliver: I was at the gym! I was watching a news piece about swine flu, and I was thinking about how governments can use the threat of disease to control populations. At the time I was also thinking about love stories. The two ideas just came together in my head!
The Literary Connoisseur: You've written books in the three genres; Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, and Children's Fiction. Which was most fun to write?
Lauren Oliver: I honestly love all of them! There's different joys and challenges for every age.
The Literary Connoisseur: Are you a reader as well as a writer? If so, what do you enjoy reading?
Lauren Oliver: I think all writers need to be readers. I read very broadly, obviously fiction, but also history and science!
The Literary Connoisseur: Which of your books was the most fun to write?
Lauren Oliver: I can't pick, they all obsess me, and torture me, while I'm writing them.
The Literary Connoisseur: How do you feel when you walk into a bookstore and see your books, your pride and joy, sitting there on the "Most Talked About" shelves?
Lauren Oliver: It never stops being completely amazing. I'm so grateful to readers and booksellers.
The Literary Connoisseur: What would you like to say to "fans-to-be" of your books? What would you like to say to readers who are considering picking up your work?
Lauren Oliver: To keep an open mind. I've heard from so many readers who HATED Sam in the beginning of Before I Fall, and loved her by the end!
The Literary Connoisseur: How can fans stay up-to-date with your latest news and announcements?
Lauren Oliver: You can follow my blog (lauren-oliver.tumblr.com) my twitter (@oliverbooks) or sign up for the newsletter on my website!
The Literary Connoisseur: What new and exciting things are coming to the world of Lauren Oliver? Are you currently working on any new projects?
Lauren Oliver: I'm ALWAYS working on new projects. My first Adult book, Rooms, comes out in a month! Then I have a new YA standalone book coming out this spring called Vanishing Girls. Check them out on Goodreads!
Lauren's Books
The Delirium Trilogy
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More from the world of Delirium...
Books
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Lauren's latest release!
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About Lauren Oliver
I was born in Queens and raised in Westchester, New York, in a small town very similar to the one depicted in Before I Fall. My parents are both literature professors, and from a very early age, my sister and I were encouraged to make up stories, draw, paint, dance around in costumes, and essentially spend much of our time living imaginatively. Our house was old and full of art and towers and towers of books, and that’s still the kind of house I like best.
I started writing as a way of extending my love of reading; when I read a book I loved, I would continue to write sequels for it (I was inadvertently a fan fic writer, before “fan fiction” was even a term!). Later on, I began working on my own stories, and keeping company with a lot of imaginary friends.
I pursued literature and philosophy at the University of Chicago, and then moved back to New York to attend NYU’s MFA program in creative writing. I simultaneously began working at Penguin Books, in a young adult division called Razorbill, and while there, I started work on Before I Fall. I left in 2009 to pursue writing full-time, and now I happily work in my pajamas every day.
I have a variety of interests apart from writing, including reading, cooking, traveling, dancing, running, and making up weird songs. Some of my favorite things are: being cozy; fires; autumn; fuzzy slippers; very high heels; great wine; dark chocolate; ketchup; pasta. Things I hate: practical shoes, liars, and bananas. I divide my time between Brooklyn, upstate New York, and various hotel rooms.
xoxo
For more on Lauren Oliver, check out her website here!
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