Lissa Price
About Author
Lissa (pronounced LISS-sa) has written children's television for Jim Henson Productions and is an award-winning screenwriter. She lives in the foothills of Southern California, but has previously travelled the world; walking with elephants in Botswana, swimming with penguins in the Galapagos and travelling with nomads in India. When she sat down to write, she found that the most surprising journeys were still inside her mind.
Author link
Interview
STARTERS
PUBLISHED BY DOUBLEDAY
APRIL 2012
In a future world ravaged by war, teenagers live as outcasts while 'seniors' rule. Then teen Callie discovers the Body Bank where teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. But there are darker plans afoot for the teen donors....
Q: What was your 'day job' before you started writing? Are you now writing full time?
A: I've been writing full time for a while now. Now I'm writing or doing publicity for writing just about 24/7 (okay, I do eat and sleep and sometimes shower).
Q: Why write for the YA audience, what appeals to you about this age group?
A: I found the books I was enjoying the most were YA, particularly dystopian novels: INCARCERON by Catherine Fisher, a British author, was one of my favorites (and the sequel). I also loved THE HUNGER GAMES and the UGLIES series by Westerfeld. I devoured many more YA books. What Fisher and Collins showed me was that you did not have to talk down to a YA age group. You just told your story in the best way possible, with a teen protagonist. I think some of the most inventive writing going on today is in this arena and that's why there is so much crossover into all ages of readers.
Q: Why do you feel that dystopian novels are flourishing now, is the world in a bad way?
A: I'm an optimistic person, but I do see that many people are reacting to our world situation. Here in the states, huge brands are dying -- Borders, a major bookstore chain closed last year for example. It also seems as if we've all endured catastrophic natural disasters in the last few years. The dystopian novel allows a reader to address some of these underlying fears but in a completely entertaining way because it is so removed and hopefully imaginative and fun.
Q: Would you write an adult dystopian novel or do you feel that dystopian instinctively belong to teenagers?
A: Right now, and this is just my take, I feel the most exciting writing is flourishing in the YA category. Publishing is embracing this, and it is reaching readers. So this feels right for me.
Q: Why did you focus on our modern preoccupation with youth in Starters? Could you see the premise old people 'borrowing' younger bodies ever happening?
A: I've had readers tell me they could see this happening. Like most writers, I just want to tell an exciting story that sparks my imagination, because then I know it will spark the reader's as well. We really aren't trying to predict the future so much as tell a great story.
Q: There is huge hostility between the young and very old in your book do you feel this is a reflection of today's society?
A: No, not really. Again, my concern is relating a creative story. And the best stories have a lot of conflict in them. So you look for ways to magnify small differences. I do make a point of having good Enders in the first book and there will be more in ENDERS, the sequel.
Q: Would you live to 200 years if you could?
A: If I could look like Angelina Jolie, sure.
Q: Did you enjoy creating the post-war LA, were there any areas of this world that your struggled to envisage?
A: It's hard to take your hometown and imagine it post-war. But I was walking somewhere recently and noted that my comment in the book about every third storefront being boarded over was becoming more of a reality in some neighborhoods.
Q: Does Callie know who is the Old Man? Did you enjoy creating him?
A: He is my favorite character. He kept surprising me when I was writing him, and I love that. If I told you anything more, I'd have to have someone take over your body.
Q: Are you a gadgets person? What is your favourite gadgets and which high tech inventions from the book would you adopt if you could?
A: Total gadget freak! At home it has to be my new iPad. I'd love to have the mini airscreen from the book and the huge holo screen at home so I could interact with my favorite stars.
Q: Book 2, Enders will that be the last book or will you leave it open for more? Can you give us a brief idea of what we can expect from the book?
A: It opens exactly where we leave off from STARTERS, like a second later. And it was always intended to be the finale to the series, so it will have a good, satisfying conclusion and a great finish. The world as it will exist at the end will be very ripe for more stories.
Q: You've done a lot of travelling but what's the best travelling experience you've ever had?
A: I've had so many great experiences, but because of the UK readers, I want to thank you for giving me some of my favorite trips ever - I spent two wonderful in the city of London. I visited many museums (for free!), shopped, had tea at Fortnum and Mason's. And the best part was that I could just buy a ticket for an amazing play with some of the best actors in the world and walk right in. On another trip I spent a week in Stratford-on-Avon to see Shakespeare when they were doing all of his work in one year. I was six feet from Patrick Stewart dying on stage. It was so thrilling.
For exotic travel, my favorite place to return to is sub-Saharan Africa. Botswana and South Africa especially. Visiting photographic camps sustains and funds the wildlife and helps prevent poaching. Anyone who loves animals should plan to go at least once in their life!
