Demons, Daim Bars and Good Advice: The long-awaited interview with Sarah Rees Brennan...

Yael and I met Sarah Rees Brennan on Blackfriars Bridge, one late July evening.

Like all stories, the beginning comes a little before that point.

I’ve been a fan of Sarah since before she was published, back when she blogged about her road through publication and kept livejournal rolling in the aisles with regular updates of wit (sidenote: this still happens), and repeatedly threw her books at Yael until she agreed to read them.

[Yael: You will now go read them too, if you know what’s good for you.]

Sarah Rees Brennan is the author of the Demon's Lexicon trilogy and the Lynburn Legacy trilogy. She's also collaborated with other big name YA authors, such as Cassandra Clare and Justine Larbalestier, is vocal about diversity in YA*, and feeds on the tears of her readers. Inevitably, we had to meet her, and we had to interview her for the blog. 

The Much

And so, when we learnt she was chairing a Cassandra Clare event in Piccadilly in July, we hopped the train and skipped on over. (We were interested in hearing Cassie talk about The Mortal Instruments film too, of course, and Jamie Campbell Bower was an unexpected bonus.** However, for us, the highlight was Sarah.)

There’s always a moment before I meet my favourite authors when I forget how to say words. I might have planned all these witty or meaningful things to say, but I still stumble through self-deprecating murmurs and babble as I try to convince them I’m a halfway interesting person (apologies to Meg Rosoff, David Levithan and Eoin Colfer, who I think all got a taste of this at Bath Kids Lit Fest a few weeks ago). As such, everything I needed to say to Sarah flew out of my mouth in the instance while she was signing my books. However, she is a caring soul, and clearly saw the Need To Speak bubbling behind my eyes.

‘Are you coming to Blackfriars Bridge?’ quoth she.

‘Um, should I?’ I responded. (As you can see, I am all rapier wit under pressure.)

The general consensus was that we should.

If you’ve read Cassie’s Infernal Devices, you’ll know that Blackfriar’s Bridge is laden with meaning (& also cars).  Cassie and Sarah were planning to head over after the signing, to meet fans more effectively, and, really, why would we not? And so myself, Yael and the amazing Heva wandered over and sat there, read the first chapter of Untold aloud to each other, and gradually acquired a collection of teenagers by yelling SHADOWHUNTERS? at everyone in black.

 Loyal readers (hello mother) it was a memorable evening.

(Yael, myself, the great Sarah Rees Brennan, and Heva)

And it only got better once Sarah and Cassie arrived, amid shrieks of excitement and a lot of pointing. There were hugs. There were photos. Some people even got picked up during the general enthusiasm (Sarah is Very Tall). And, at some point, I managed to stammer out that we’d really really like to interview Sarah for our blog if we possibly could and would she mind and she didn’t have to if she didn’t want to or anything but if she did that would be great.

Being, as I think I’ve already mentioned, a generous soul, she consented to try us. And the rest is history, so

ONTO THE INTERVIEW...

Lucinda and Yael: As people who won this interview in a brief conversation on Blackfriar’s Bridge, we can’t help being very aware of how good you are at interfacing with your fans. Which leads us to the question: how do you balance this with your Actual Writing? As you’re kind of super productive and all...  

Sarah: Aw, thank you. I think... everything is a balancing act. You want to do everything, so you do a lot of one thing (actual writing) sometimes, and a lot of another (interacting) other times. I feel like I'm on a tightrope, and sometimes I sway one way (my tumblr looks AWESOME, oh my god, I have so much writing to do, or 'I AM THE WORST AT SOCIAL MEDIA! But at least I met my deadlines.') I am really bad at answering emails, everyone can confirm that!

We’re really curious about your MA experience, since both of us are current students on the MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa.  How do you feel your MA impacted your writing? Are you still in touch with people from the course?

I am still in touch with people from the course, off and on: I went to my friend Mark's wedding, which was lovely: several of us went as a gang and that was the last time we were together as a group. I met some great people. And I got used to being in a group, and giving and taking critique.

I do wish my MA had been more open to fantasy literature, though. I hope yours is!***

Actually, how do you write? (Other than with cackling at the pain you’re creating, obviously.)  Any spot that you always go to? A time of day you seek out? Any crazy writing rituals that must be performed? (Does it in any way involve demon-summoning? Inquiring minds want to know.)

Demon-summoning I just do for fun.

(Exhibit a, readers. Be afraid. Be very afraid. But, also, read the books.)

I am not an artiste at this. I never get up early unless I absolutely have to, I like a comfy place to sit, I like country music blasting. If I can be with fellow writers, I like that--I'm not a fan of splendid isolation. But mostly I don't believe in writing rituals--writers write, and I do, in whatever way I can. On a plane, in a chair, I can write anywhere. ;)

On a very serious note: What is your favourite writing snack?

Tea. I literally can't write without having had at least one cup of tea that day.** Other than tea, those Milka Dime bars they are making now are dangerously delicious. All the delicious of a Milka bar, all the delicious of a Dime bar. IN ONE.

(How to bribe SRB? Maybe…)

You’ve done a bunch of collaborations with other authors.  We’re curious: how do you go about it? What’s your preferred method? What’s it like to work with other people on something that’s usually considered to be an individual pursuit?

Well, I already said that I like being with other writers. Writing is something that's lonely sometimes, and you do a lot of it alone necessarily, but I prefer to write, even my own solo novels, near someone I trust and who I can consult. Being with other writers means talking enthusiastically about imaginary people over dinner. It means that writing collaborations comes easily to me, and seem like a natural step.

(Exhibit b. The Bane Chronicles, with Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson) 

So, Yael’s Canadian and wants to live in the UK, while Lucinda’s British (not English) and is trying to pluck up the courage to run away to North America... As somebody who’s lived in and published on both sides of the Atlantic, what’s your sense of the difference between the markets? And what’s it like to be successful in the US, the UK and Ireland?

... Gosh, who measures success? I don't know. I'd LIKE to be successful everywhere. ;) 

The markets are indubitably different--it's always interesting to see different covers, to see how the US leaped on Harry Potter while the UK was initially dubious of Twilight--but don't think about that when it comes to where you want to live. Go where you'll be happiest.

If you could have written any book, what would it be? (Lucinda shotguns Fire and Hemlock, while Yael is leaning towards His Dark Materials...)

Pride and Prejudice, though I have a lot of Diana Wynne Jones emotions, so I feel Lucinda, too.

 (Unspoken actually reminded me of Fire and Hemlock, in some very cool and non-derivative ways) 

How do you handle the dreaded Writer’s Block (a.k.a. writer’s indecision [thank you, Matt Haig], or, in Lucinda’s case, writer’s insecurity...)?

I don't know if I believe in blocks so much as obstacles. You can get over them--specific problems you're having in writing, other things that are taking up your time, yourself getting in your own way. You just have to really try--try to think of what's wrong and how to address it, and try to make yourself sit down and write, even if you don't feel good about your writing, even if it's just a little.

 (Other writing advice from Sarah. Because this cannot be posted too many times)

Is there any advice you wish you’d been given before you became published that you’d like to share now? (Or do you just want to clutch it to your chest and watch us stumble through it?!)

Some people are going to be unbelievably kind to you. Some people are going to be unbelievably cruel to you. Nobody can stop you but you.

(Actually, that's good life advice as well as good career advice. I'm a multitasker!)

Also, always ask your publisher about co-op. ;)

And last, but by no means least....  Will there be a launch party for Untold, and can we come? We’ll bring cookies...  

 ... I don't know, but I think I'll be doing some things in the UK in November. ;) I'd love to see you there. Especially if there are cookies involved.

(Mysef & my copy of Untold, two days after it came out, posing in the little Cotswold town of Nailsworth)

So there you have it, folks. As an update since the time of interviewing, it should be noted that Sarah is touring the UK with the equally fantastic Holly Black this November, and that Yael and I are going to Monday's event. (We are also, in fact, bringing cookies). 

Meanwhile, a huge thank you to Sarah for agreeing to do this interview. It was a tremendous priviledge actually, and a lot of fun as well. I hope you've all enjoyed it too...

____

* I picked this post because it was a call to arms that made me somewhat emotional. However, her tumblr is also a good source... for most things really... 

** Indeed, I think Yael fell more than a little in love that night...

***A.N. Most of what has become “team YA” on the MA is also happily on team fantasy, so I think we’ve all been quite lucky in that respect

**** Lucinda, on her fifth cup of the day, is simultaneously amazed and horrified by this level of restraint