La Bibliothèque aux Mille et Une Vies

Shannon Messenger Interview – Author of "Keeper of the lost cities" series and "Sky fall" series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are lucky to have Shannon Messenger with us today. She is the author of the saga “Keeper of the lost cities”, whose French translation was released on May 2014 by French publisher Lumen.

 

First of all, Shannon, thanks a lot for agreeing to spend some time with us for this interview!

 

 

 

• Could you please describe yourself shortly for the readers who do not know you yet?

 

Hi everyone! I’m the author of the KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES series and the SKY FALL series (though I don’t believe the latter is translated into French). I live in Southern California with my wonderful husband and a rather embarrassing number of cats. Oh, and anyone who brings me macarons becomes my best friend forever. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• What was your first reaction when you got to know that “Keeper of the lost cities” was being published?

It was a wonderful mixture of joy and disbelief. I’d been working on the book for so long that part of me had started to believe it would never get published. And then all of a sudden I had a multi-book offer and could barely wrap my head around it. For the rest of the day I had to keep checking the call log on my cell phone to assure myself that I hadn’t imagined the whole thing.

 

• How did you feel when this saga became so successful?

So incredibly grateful. There are thousands of wonderful books out there for kids, and it’s such a huge honor when they choose mine. There’s also nothing more rewarding than hearing from readers and seeing how excited they are about the stories. Basically, I have the best job ever, and I know how lucky I am to have it.

 

• What were your feelings about the French release of “Keeper of the lost cities”?

That was such an amazing day! I was fortunate enough to be in Paris at the time, and got to do a signing at Lamartine and meet the amazing team at Lumen. They have worked so hard to bring the book to French readers, and they are such an inspiring group of people. I might have also walked all over the city taking photos with a copy of the book. Here’s a few of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• To what extent did your life change since “Keeper of the lost cities” hit the market?

Honestly, it hasn’t changed that much—which is actually a good thing, when you think about it. I already had a good life. Now I just also get to have my dream job, too. The only real difference is that I have a lot more deadlines now. So I don’t always get as much sleep as I’d like. But, hey—that’s what caffeine is for, right? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Are you planning a sequel to “Keeper of the lost cities : Everblaze”? If so, when do you think it will be available for readers?

I am! In fact, I’m working on the draft right now. I’m not allowed to share the title yet, or anything about it. But I can say it’s scheduled to release in the US in Fall of 2015. I’m not sure when that means it will come out in French, but hopefully you won’t have too long of a wait. And if you’re wondering if book 4 will be “the end,” I honestly can’t say. I won’t know until I finish writing it.

 

• Which character is most similar to you? Which one is your favorite amongst your books?

Oh my, now you’re bringing out the hard questions! Honestly, I don’t feel like any of my characters are all that similar to me. They each have their own personalities. But Sophie and I do both sleep with a bright blue stuffed elephant named Ella, so maybe that means we have the most in common? As for favorite characters—yikes, that’s like trying to pick a favorite cat! And every time I answer this question, I give a different answer. So this time I’ll say Fitz—but not because I’m Team Fitz. I’m choosing him because he was the first character I came up with, even before I came up with Sophie. We all owe Fitz a big thank you for inspiring the series. Without him, it probably wouldn’t exist. 

 

• What is your typical writing process?

I don’t write at a desk, because I can never seem to get comfortable. So I have a cozy chair in the corner of my office where I work from my laptop. Some days I’ll write thousands of words in one sitting. Other days I’m lucky to push out a few hundred.  The important thing is for me to write something every single day. I also always have candy around. And something with caffeine. There’s also usually a kitty or two somewhere nearby.

 

• At what time of the day do you prefer to write? Are you an early bird or a night owl?

I definitely write much better in the evenings, so I usually don’t start writing until after dinner (unless I’m close to deadline, then I write all day). I think it’s because there are so many urgent emails and phone calls and other “life” things happening during the day that keep me distracted. My mind can’t switch into creative mode until all of that quiets down.

 

• What kind of message do you want to give to society through your books? How is it represented in your stories?

Yikes, another hard question—and this one is especially tough, because I actually try not to think about “message” when I write my books. I always focus on the story, since I feel like any themes will come out more naturally that way. In Sophie’s case, I think the story is a lot about belonging, and becoming comfortable in your own skin. Sophie’s always wishing she didn’t have to be so different, and yet her differences are what make her so special. So her journey is about becomming happy with who she is.  

 

• Who are your mentors when it comes to writing?

Oh my, there are so many people who have helped me, between my friends, family, and other authors I’ve become friends with. Everyone thinks writing is a solitary process, but I feel like I have my own small army. They’re always in the background, pushing me and encouraging me and believing in me—I couldn’t do this without them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• What is most inspiring to you for writing?

This probably isn’t the answer you’re looking for, but I feel like inspiration is everywhere, and the trick is to open your eyes and pay attention. Whenever I’m feeling stuck on a scene, or like I’m running dry on ideas, I’ll put on some music and go for a walk and try to observe the world around me. It’s amazing how quickly it clears my head and gives me tons of new inspiriation.

 

• A last word for your readers?

Just a huge THANK YOU, both for reading this interview, and for reading my stories. I hope all of you love every step of Sophie’s journey, and continue with her to the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese portrait

 

 

If you were…

 

• A memory, you would be…

The first time going to Disneyland (equal parts happy and overwhelming, plus plenty of sunshine and sparkles)

 

• A fragrance/smell, you would be…

Cookies baking in the oven (warm and inviting)

 

• A landscape, you would be…

A river (always pushing to get somewhere, no matter how many obstacles ).

 

• A book, you would be…

Anything by Roald Dahl (silly, with just the right amount of heart)

 

• An animal, you would be…

A cat—of course (pretending to be independent, but who are we kidding?)

 

• A quote, you would be…

I’d love to end on something wise and inspiring, by some very famous smart person. But I am drawing a blank at the moment. So instead I’ll keep it real and leave you with a quote from a movie called Galaxy Quest: Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

 

To discover my review in French, click THERE!

 

To buy "Gardiens des Cités Perdues", click THERE! 

 

To go on the website of Shannon Messenger, click THERE!