Ask the Author: Meagan Spooner
Answered Questions (20)
Meagan Spooner
Good question! The quick answer is that no, the two stories are not related. Different worlds entirely -- HUNTED is a straight-up fairy tale with magic and curses and mythical creatures, whereas SHERWOOD is a Robin Hood retelling with no literal magic involved. (Though it should still have that folklore/timeless storybook feel.)
The covers are similar, though, because the intention is to attract fans of HUNTED and basically tell them "hey, if you liked that book, odds are you'll like this one too." It's a branding choice the publisher makes (but that I'm totally in support of, because I loooove these covers!) to show that the books are in the same vein, and will probably also apply to the other retellings I write in the future.
As for the bows, well, I'm an archer myself and so I do tend to gravitate toward stories with archery. In HUNTED I made the "Beauty" character a huntress, hence the bow. In SHERWOOD... well, how do you do a Robin Hood retelling without archery? ;)
The covers are similar, though, because the intention is to attract fans of HUNTED and basically tell them "hey, if you liked that book, odds are you'll like this one too." It's a branding choice the publisher makes (but that I'm totally in support of, because I loooove these covers!) to show that the books are in the same vein, and will probably also apply to the other retellings I write in the future.
As for the bows, well, I'm an archer myself and so I do tend to gravitate toward stories with archery. In HUNTED I made the "Beauty" character a huntress, hence the bow. In SHERWOOD... well, how do you do a Robin Hood retelling without archery? ;)
Meagan Spooner
Sorry for waiting this long to answer your question, but I wanted to wait until I could actually give you something! My next retelling was announced today--and while it's not exactly a fairy tale, I think HUNTED fans are going to love it. SHERWOOD is a gender-swapped kick-ass vigilante Robin Hood, basically, and you can read the synopsis now on Goodreads!
Meagan Spooner
Oh, that's so lovely, thank you for telling me! So Eoven is pronounced almost exactly like the name of Eowen from LotR, just with a V. Phonetically, it'd be A-oh-ven, with emphasis on the long A. Hope that helps!
Meagan Spooner
I'm so glad you liked HUNTED--thank you! Right now I have no plans to write a sequel for it, because I feel that Yeva's story (and the Beast's) is complete. I'm happy with where I left the characters. Never say never, but I think a sequel is unlikely.
I AM writing another retelling, however, which right now is due out Fall 2018. So while HUNTED won't have a sequel, there will be another book in a similar vein, so don't despair! :)
I AM writing another retelling, however, which right now is due out Fall 2018. So while HUNTED won't have a sequel, there will be another book in a similar vein, so don't despair! :)
Meagan Spooner
I'm so happy that you enjoyed HUNTED!! Thank you for reading, and for letting me know you that you liked it!
I am working on another retelling, and right now it's scheduled to come out Fall 2018. That may change, you never know, but right now that's the plan!
I am working on another retelling, and right now it's scheduled to come out Fall 2018. That may change, you never know, but right now that's the plan!
Meagan Spooner
TNSD (Starbound 1.5) was intended to be read in between book one and book two. It isn't necessary to do so, but you do learn a bit about certain characters who show up later, and a little of what happens after the end of book one. All other things being equal, I would suggest reading them in the following order: 1, 1.5, 2, 3.
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
Meagan Spooner
I first came to Asheville for a book signing for my debut novel, Skylark. I got out of the car, took a breath, looked around, and said, "Wow, I could live here." To this day I have no idea what specifically grabbed me about the place, except that I've spoken to other local writers who've had eerily similar experiences, so maybe it's just something in the air!
As far as inspiration goes, Asheville is full of creative people, and tremendously supportive of artists in general. I love that you can go downtown and sit at a coffee shop and write, and then drive twenty minutes and do the same in the middle of the Smoky Mountains. Nature has always been a huge source of inspiration for me, and I think Asheville has got to be in one of the most beautiful settings this country has to offer!
As far as inspiration goes, Asheville is full of creative people, and tremendously supportive of artists in general. I love that you can go downtown and sit at a coffee shop and write, and then drive twenty minutes and do the same in the middle of the Smoky Mountains. Nature has always been a huge source of inspiration for me, and I think Asheville has got to be in one of the most beautiful settings this country has to offer!
Meagan Spooner
Thank you so, so much!
Unfortunately I do not have plans at the moment to visit the Philippines for a book tour, but I would absolutely LOVE to. As a writer I can't afford to tour other countries on my own (heck, I can't even afford to tour my own country on my own!) so it is, as always, up to publishers, conventions/conferences, and bookstores to make tours and visits happen. I hope I'll be able to visit you someday soon!
Unfortunately I do not have plans at the moment to visit the Philippines for a book tour, but I would absolutely LOVE to. As a writer I can't afford to tour other countries on my own (heck, I can't even afford to tour my own country on my own!) so it is, as always, up to publishers, conventions/conferences, and bookstores to make tours and visits happen. I hope I'll be able to visit you someday soon!
Meagan Spooner
Spooners unite! *high fives*
Meagan Spooner
In general, no! Sometimes we'd pick actors or models to give each other ideas of what our characters looked liked physically (Lilac, for example, looked physically like a hybrid of Amy Adams and Molly Quinn), but in terms of their personalities, backstories, aspirations, etc., they're all invented characters. That's not to say there aren't little bits of other existing characters in them here and there--every writer, I think, carries little pieces of people they've met, in real life or in fiction, into their work. But there were no conscious decisions to base them on anyone.
Meagan Spooner
For the first drafts, Amie mostly wrote Tarver/Flynn/Gideon's chapters while I mostly wrote Lilac/Jubilee/Sofia's. But during revisions we both worked on everything, and as the books progressed, the lines between who wrote what blurred even more. There are massive sections of those books that now, in hindsight, neither of us have any idea who wrote what. They really ended up being wholly collaborative all the way through.
Meagan Spooner
I'm not sure which book you're referring to here, but I believe most of the books that have already been released have a "look inside" or Kindle excerpt available from Amazon at least (don't quote me on that, this is guesswork!).
And if you're talking about Hunted, the first two chapters (and first THREE Beast sections) are available on Epic Reads: http://www.epicreads.com/blog/hunted-...
And if you're talking about Hunted, the first two chapters (and first THREE Beast sections) are available on Epic Reads: http://www.epicreads.com/blog/hunted-...
Meagan Spooner
Ooooof, this is impossible to answer! Skylark will always be cemented in my heart as my first book cover ever, and I will always remember opening that email and seeing Sammy Yuen's design and completely losing my mind. But then, the first time I saw Whitney Manger's design for These Broken Stars, I was on the phone with Amie and it was such a beautiful, breathtaking cover that we got to experience together, which made that moment all the more magical.
Right now, I suppose I would have to say that Hunted's cover is my current favorite. (But for all I know that's just because it's the one sitting on my desk as I type this!) It's a gorgeous combination of beautiful art that perfectly reflects the story--you don't see Yeva's face, the focus is on her striding into the forest, active, on the hunt, searching--and fantastic printing effects in the final version. The hardcover has a subtle foil sheen that makes the light in the forest seem to glow, and I can't get enough of it.
tl;dr: ......all of them? <3
Right now, I suppose I would have to say that Hunted's cover is my current favorite. (But for all I know that's just because it's the one sitting on my desk as I type this!) It's a gorgeous combination of beautiful art that perfectly reflects the story--you don't see Yeva's face, the focus is on her striding into the forest, active, on the hunt, searching--and fantastic printing effects in the final version. The hardcover has a subtle foil sheen that makes the light in the forest seem to glow, and I can't get enough of it.
tl;dr: ......all of them? <3
Meagan Spooner
It's hard to answer this because all of my books are special to me (cliche but true!) in different ways, and the co-authored books in particular "feel" different to me than my solo books. I think the Starbound books get better, technically/craft-wise, with each book, but there will always be a special place in my heart for These Broken Stars. And the Skylark Trilogy will always be how I got my start, the first books I ever shared with readers, the books that got me my first amazing fans.
All that said, I think my upcoming book, Hunted, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is the best book I've ever written. I love it with all my heart. It's special to me in ways I can't articulate aloud, and in many ways is the book I've always been writing, since I was a child.
tl;dr: All of them. But especially the Starbound Trilogy, the Skylark Trilogy, and Hunted. (>____>)
All that said, I think my upcoming book, Hunted, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is the best book I've ever written. I love it with all my heart. It's special to me in ways I can't articulate aloud, and in many ways is the book I've always been writing, since I was a child.
tl;dr: All of them. But especially the Starbound Trilogy, the Skylark Trilogy, and Hunted. (>____>)
Meagan Spooner
I loooove writing with Amie. But she and I know each other, and each other's writing styles, as well as it's possible to know anyone. So I think part of why it's so fun is that we both already know what the other's thinking.
We actually don't ever clash when it comes to ideas or style. Occasionally we have different ideas about how something should go, but whenever that happens it's usually because we're BOTH wrong and the right "answer" ends up being something we discover as we talk it over. We've never had a split about anything in our books.
We actually don't ever clash when it comes to ideas or style. Occasionally we have different ideas about how something should go, but whenever that happens it's usually because we're BOTH wrong and the right "answer" ends up being something we discover as we talk it over. We've never had a split about anything in our books.
Meagan Spooner
Pffft. "Do I know what shipping means..." Please. I was shipping people before shipping existed. ;)
To answer your question, though, there's no official Tarver/Lilac ship name. We managed to come up with two names that just do NOT go together in a cute way. >_> So use whatever you'd like... maybe it'll catch on!
To answer your question, though, there's no official Tarver/Lilac ship name. We managed to come up with two names that just do NOT go together in a cute way. >_> So use whatever you'd like... maybe it'll catch on!
Meagan Spooner
Sorry this answer is so belated--I don't come often to Goodreads (that way lies madness) and it doesn't email me when I get a question. Sorry!
To answer: no, the second book, This Shattered World, isn't out yet. It comes out on Dec. 23rd in the US, and you can find out more here: http://www.thisshatteredworld.com
There is a free digital short story out right now (thesebrokenstars.com/eshort) which adds a bit to TBS and explains a few things that were only hinted at in the book itself. It's not strictly necessary to read the e-short before reading TSW, but if you're looking for something to tide you over, there's at least that! (And it has the first three chapters of TSW in it.)
To answer: no, the second book, This Shattered World, isn't out yet. It comes out on Dec. 23rd in the US, and you can find out more here: http://www.thisshatteredworld.com
There is a free digital short story out right now (thesebrokenstars.com/eshort) which adds a bit to TBS and explains a few things that were only hinted at in the book itself. It's not strictly necessary to read the e-short before reading TSW, but if you're looking for something to tide you over, there's at least that! (And it has the first three chapters of TSW in it.)
Meagan Spooner
Thank you!
These Broken Stars didn't start out as a novel—my co-author Amie and I had been writing together for years, just for fun, creating characters and roleplaying them together and just writing each other little scenes and vignettes to entertain each other. We started this shipwreck-in-space setting with the intention of playing our first two characters (Lilac and Tarver) until we got bored, and then creating new crash survivors to play with. But after a year had passed and we hadn't gotten bored yet, we realized maybe there was more to them... like a book.
I don't remember how long it took to go from that to finished first draft, but it wasn't long and it was pretty easy, comparatively speaking. Amie and I traded off chapters, so there was always incentive to finish my chapter—it meant I'd get to read hers sooner!
Right now there are no plans for it to become a movie, but there is a producing team adapting it for television, which is even more exciting for us, because we loooove TV! You can read more about that here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by...
These Broken Stars didn't start out as a novel—my co-author Amie and I had been writing together for years, just for fun, creating characters and roleplaying them together and just writing each other little scenes and vignettes to entertain each other. We started this shipwreck-in-space setting with the intention of playing our first two characters (Lilac and Tarver) until we got bored, and then creating new crash survivors to play with. But after a year had passed and we hadn't gotten bored yet, we realized maybe there was more to them... like a book.
I don't remember how long it took to go from that to finished first draft, but it wasn't long and it was pretty easy, comparatively speaking. Amie and I traded off chapters, so there was always incentive to finish my chapter—it meant I'd get to read hers sooner!
Right now there are no plans for it to become a movie, but there is a producing team adapting it for television, which is even more exciting for us, because we loooove TV! You can read more about that here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by...
Meagan Spooner
Well, first of all, the production company developing TBS is based in America, so I imagine that it would at least be available there, if not elsewhere in the world. It's unlikely to be Australia-only just because half the writing team behind the original book is Australian, so don't worry!
That said, the project is "in development," which means that there aren't many details to be had yet. It may never even happen, for all we know--or it could happen next year! It's impossible to know yet what the eventual product will be, but it'll be fun to see how it all plays out.
That said, the project is "in development," which means that there aren't many details to be had yet. It may never even happen, for all we know--or it could happen next year! It's impossible to know yet what the eventual product will be, but it'll be fun to see how it all plays out.
Meagan Spooner
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, thanks for letting me know!
The first seeds of an idea for Skylark came from an NPR segment on the energy crisis, oddly enough. I was driving home and listening to the radio, and as they talked about wind/solar/nuclear/etc., I started wondering what a world that ran on magic would be like. Originally I came up with the pre-apocalyptic world, the one before the wars Lark references. But by the time I got home, my mind had already played that civilization out to its inevitable (to me) fall, and I found the idea of what came AFTER to be far more intriguing.
From a world where magic is a limited and dwindling resource came the idea of a character who is herself a resource, and once I had Lark, I had the rest of the story.
Thanks for your question!
The first seeds of an idea for Skylark came from an NPR segment on the energy crisis, oddly enough. I was driving home and listening to the radio, and as they talked about wind/solar/nuclear/etc., I started wondering what a world that ran on magic would be like. Originally I came up with the pre-apocalyptic world, the one before the wars Lark references. But by the time I got home, my mind had already played that civilization out to its inevitable (to me) fall, and I found the idea of what came AFTER to be far more intriguing.
From a world where magic is a limited and dwindling resource came the idea of a character who is herself a resource, and once I had Lark, I had the rest of the story.
Thanks for your question!
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Oct 29, 2020 01:35PM · flag