Ask the Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Answered Questions (44)
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Jocelyn,
The very first ideas for Gaia's story came to me when I was driving across the U.S. in 2008 and went through a drought in the South. The waterless lakes made me feel like climate change was already here, and I started to consider the social and political effects we would face in the coming years. Then I wondered what it would take to survive, and Gaia’s story began to form. I started writing the first chapter a couple weeks later, and then I wrote the rest to see what would happen. It's disturbing to see how many of the ideas I included then are relevant now.
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for my novel! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I wish you all the best with your own writing.
Best,
Caragh
The very first ideas for Gaia's story came to me when I was driving across the U.S. in 2008 and went through a drought in the South. The waterless lakes made me feel like climate change was already here, and I started to consider the social and political effects we would face in the coming years. Then I wondered what it would take to survive, and Gaia’s story began to form. I started writing the first chapter a couple weeks later, and then I wrote the rest to see what would happen. It's disturbing to see how many of the ideas I included then are relevant now.
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for my novel! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I wish you all the best with your own writing.
Best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Jesse,
Yes. I've been working on a futuristic, sci-fi YA novel that's out of this world. Thanks for asking!
Best,
Caragh
Yes. I've been working on a futuristic, sci-fi YA novel that's out of this world. Thanks for asking!
Best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Abigail,
How nice of you. Your kind words and encouragement mean so much to me. I am currently at work on another YA novel, and if it is picked up for publication, I will post about it. For now, it helps to know you believe I should keep writing. Thanks!
All best,
Caragh
How nice of you. Your kind words and encouragement mean so much to me. I am currently at work on another YA novel, and if it is picked up for publication, I will post about it. For now, it helps to know you believe I should keep writing. Thanks!
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Michelle,
As you've probably realized by now, I like to invent words to fit the status of people in my futuristic dystopias. Two of the words that sound unfamiliar fall in this category. Mx. Josephine and Mx. Dinah have titles that distinguish them from the mladies, the female ruling class in Prized. The ruling women are also known as the cuzines, a term which I hope suggests cousins in a feminine way, like a sort of sisterhood.
Questions around Leon's last name pose potential spoilers, so for those who have not read Prized and would rather not know, stop here. For others, Leon's last name is Vlatir. That's made up, too, and I had no special intentions behind it. In fact, I rather casually named a minor character in the first book Vlatir before I realized his lineage would matter and the name would resurface. Writing is full of surprises.
Thanks for writing to me!
All best,
Caragh
As you've probably realized by now, I like to invent words to fit the status of people in my futuristic dystopias. Two of the words that sound unfamiliar fall in this category. Mx. Josephine and Mx. Dinah have titles that distinguish them from the mladies, the female ruling class in Prized. The ruling women are also known as the cuzines, a term which I hope suggests cousins in a feminine way, like a sort of sisterhood.
Questions around Leon's last name pose potential spoilers, so for those who have not read Prized and would rather not know, stop here. For others, Leon's last name is Vlatir. That's made up, too, and I had no special intentions behind it. In fact, I rather casually named a minor character in the first book Vlatir before I realized his lineage would matter and the name would resurface. Writing is full of surprises.
Thanks for writing to me!
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
She loved him with all her heart.
He consumed it willingly.
He consumed it willingly.
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Salome,
When I care as deeply about a character as I do about Gaia, I continue to think about her and imagine that she and her loved ones are finding ways to survive and be happy. Also, it sometimes alarms me to look around our world and feel like the Birthmarked trilogy is more relevant than ever. Even so, I'm not planning to write another book for Gaia's story. Instead, I'm being pulled in the direction of a new writing challenge.
Thanks so much for your question.
All best,
Caragh
When I care as deeply about a character as I do about Gaia, I continue to think about her and imagine that she and her loved ones are finding ways to survive and be happy. Also, it sometimes alarms me to look around our world and feel like the Birthmarked trilogy is more relevant than ever. Even so, I'm not planning to write another book for Gaia's story. Instead, I'm being pulled in the direction of a new writing challenge.
Thanks so much for your question.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Hello, Ashley! How nice to hear from you!
The true release date is August 29th. So far, I don't have any information about when an ARC might be available, but the book is now post-copy edits and deep into its production schedule, which is a good sign.
I'm really happy that you're looking forward to this novel!
All best,
Caragh
The true release date is August 29th. So far, I don't have any information about when an ARC might be available, but the book is now post-copy edits and deep into its production schedule, which is a good sign.
I'm really happy that you're looking forward to this novel!
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Zoe ~ I haven't figured out how to make life easier, or writing either, for that matter, but I do have a little advice. Remember how fun it is to start your project, and plunge on until you have a complete draft. Simply relish the whole wild ride, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.
All best,
Caragh
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Mariah ~ I'm so glad you like Rosie's story! Yes, The Rule of Mirrors is in stores and libraries now. It's also available online. I hope you enjoy it! The third book, The Keep of Ages, is due out in July, 2017. I'm working on it now.
All best,
Caragh
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Ashley ~ Thank you! So far, I'm focusing more on finishing The Keep of Ages than on possible book signings for once it comes out, but it's super encouraging to be invited. I would love to come to Ohio! If a tour brings me through, or my publisher has an ARC for your store, I will most definitely let you know. Thanks!
All best,
Caragh
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Ronja,
It’s possible that the Vault of Dreamers series will be translated into German some day. My agent has been working to find a German publisher for the series, and we’ve had some interest, but so far, no firm deal. I remain optimistic. Thanks for asking.
All best,
Caragh
It’s possible that the Vault of Dreamers series will be translated into German some day. My agent has been working to find a German publisher for the series, and we’ve had some interest, but so far, no firm deal. I remain optimistic. Thanks for asking.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Kayl ~ Thank you so much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Rosie’s story. The Rule of Mirrors caused me so much trouble and took so long to write that I begged my editor to postpone publication, and she did by half a year. Definitely handling two points of view added to the complexity of writing the novel, both for dovetailing the parallel plotlines and, as you noticed, dealing with the same character who was changing in different ways once she was in two bodies. I started out writing a long chunk (100 pages) of Thea’s story so I could immerse myself in her mindset, and then I went back to Day 1 and wrote a long chunk from Rosie’s perspective. Only then did I start alternating the sections that eventually became chapters, and I rewrote the whole thing countless times. I was absolutely fascinated by the dynamic between the two girls and by the way their experiences changed them. I kept wondering what it would be like to meet a second version of myself, and how I might be different if I’d taken different paths. When the puzzle of the novel finally came together, and I read a late draft on paper, I was stunned to discover that it worked. I was so happy, and I’m so grateful for all the help my editor gave me. You should see all the timeline charts she sent me as we tried to line up the scenes!
The third book is due out July 11, 2017, and I’m working on it now. So far, it has only one perspective, thank goodness. Thanks for your great questions!
All best,
Caragh
The third book is due out July 11, 2017, and I’m working on it now. So far, it has only one perspective, thank goodness. Thanks for your great questions!
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Thanks for asking, Elizabeth!
I'll try to be concise, but the answer is involved.
The very first ideas for Birthmarked came to me when I was driving across the U.S. back in 2008 and went through a drought in the South. The waterless lakes made me feel, for the first time, that climate change was already here, and I started to consider how worsening conditions would affect regular people, like me. I wondered what it would take to survive, and Gaia’s story began to form. I started writing the first chapter a couple weeks later, and then I wrote the rest of the novel to see what would happen. Then, when the first book sold, my editor offered me a three-book deal, so I discovered I was writing a trilogy.
The ideas for The Vault of Dreamers emerged from a combination of things rather than a particular experience. I’ve always been interested in dreams and wished we could tap them as a creative resource, so I was kicking that concept around. I also really enjoy reality TV shows (like Survivor and American Idol, which were airing at the time) and I was teaching at a high school when its security cameras were first installed, so I was intrigued by issues of stardom and privacy. I imagined Forge, an arts school that doubles as a reality show, and I started writing Rosie’s story without realizing how far my ideas would take me. I felt like I was reaching for a book that was beyond my capabilities, the same way students in the novel are challenged to explore the far edges of their art. I still feel like I’m being stretched now, as I’m working on the third book in the series, which I take as a good sign.
All best,
Caragh
I'll try to be concise, but the answer is involved.
The very first ideas for Birthmarked came to me when I was driving across the U.S. back in 2008 and went through a drought in the South. The waterless lakes made me feel, for the first time, that climate change was already here, and I started to consider how worsening conditions would affect regular people, like me. I wondered what it would take to survive, and Gaia’s story began to form. I started writing the first chapter a couple weeks later, and then I wrote the rest of the novel to see what would happen. Then, when the first book sold, my editor offered me a three-book deal, so I discovered I was writing a trilogy.
The ideas for The Vault of Dreamers emerged from a combination of things rather than a particular experience. I’ve always been interested in dreams and wished we could tap them as a creative resource, so I was kicking that concept around. I also really enjoy reality TV shows (like Survivor and American Idol, which were airing at the time) and I was teaching at a high school when its security cameras were first installed, so I was intrigued by issues of stardom and privacy. I imagined Forge, an arts school that doubles as a reality show, and I started writing Rosie’s story without realizing how far my ideas would take me. I felt like I was reaching for a book that was beyond my capabilities, the same way students in the novel are challenged to explore the far edges of their art. I still feel like I’m being stretched now, as I’m working on the third book in the series, which I take as a good sign.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Aubrey,
Yes! The third novel is due out July 11th, 2017.
All best,
Caragh
Yes! The third novel is due out July 11th, 2017.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Books Are Life ~
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the series enough to blast through in a couple days. That's fast! I think of Gaia as strong, too, and after all she's been though, I'm sure she can face anything in her future. I don't intend to write a fourth book because I feel that I left her and her world in the right place. I'd probably mess it all up if I took the story further. Thanks for asking, though!
All best,
Caragh
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the series enough to blast through in a couple days. That's fast! I think of Gaia as strong, too, and after all she's been though, I'm sure she can face anything in her future. I don't intend to write a fourth book because I feel that I left her and her world in the right place. I'd probably mess it all up if I took the story further. Thanks for asking, though!
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Mell ~ Thanks for your kind words about book 2! Naturally, I would be thrilled beyond words if the Vault of Dreamers story were made into a movie. So far, however, that prospect is unlikely, so I'm focused on my writing, which is a pleasure in my own control.
All best,
Caragh
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Mell,
I’m thrilled to learn that you care so much about my books. Thanks for your kind words! I, for one, like books with pictures, so I hope you’ll still read them from time to time along with whatever else grips you. I don’t sell copies of my books directly to readers, but if you send me a private email at cob@caraghobrien.com, I’ll see about donating a copy to your school library so you can check it out. In the meantime, good luck with the giveaway.
All best,
Caragh
I’m thrilled to learn that you care so much about my books. Thanks for your kind words! I, for one, like books with pictures, so I hope you’ll still read them from time to time along with whatever else grips you. I don’t sell copies of my books directly to readers, but if you send me a private email at cob@caraghobrien.com, I’ll see about donating a copy to your school library so you can check it out. In the meantime, good luck with the giveaway.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Dear Emily,
I wish I could help you, but the information I found when I was writing Prized had to do with fish populations responding to hormones. I'm not aware of any studies involving cattle. It's a worrisome problem, for certain, and I hope your local veterinarians or university can give you some guidance.
All best,
Caragh
I wish I could help you, but the information I found when I was writing Prized had to do with fish populations responding to hormones. I'm not aware of any studies involving cattle. It's a worrisome problem, for certain, and I hope your local veterinarians or university can give you some guidance.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Mell ~
Yep! I'm working on it. Thanks for asking.
All best,
Caragh
Yep! I'm working on it. Thanks for asking.
All best,
Caragh
Caragh M. O'Brien
Tara ~ I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the book with your daughter! What a great way to read it. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that Linus reappears in Book 2. It would be a shame to leave him out.
All best,
Caragh
All best,
Caragh
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