Ask the Author: Kristen Simmons
Answered Questions (73)
Kristen Simmons
Hi there!
Thanks for reading my books! You are awesome. Yes! I have another book coming out next year - METALTOWN. In the coming months I will be releasing a lot of information about it, so hold tight. I can't wait to share this book with everyone. Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks for reading my books! You are awesome. Yes! I have another book coming out next year - METALTOWN. In the coming months I will be releasing a lot of information about it, so hold tight. I can't wait to share this book with everyone. Hope you enjoy it!
Kristen Simmons
Hi Emma,
Thanks for asking. It's technically dystopian, but I don't think you'll find it much like the current market's definition. :) It's a little different!
Thanks for asking. It's technically dystopian, but I don't think you'll find it much like the current market's definition. :) It's a little different!
Kristen Simmons
Hi Lisa,
Yes! I'm currently working on revisions for METALTOWN, my next YA out in October 2016. I'm really excited about this one - it's the story of sweatshop workers who join together and fight for better working conditions. I hope you love it!
Yes! I'm currently working on revisions for METALTOWN, my next YA out in October 2016. I'm really excited about this one - it's the story of sweatshop workers who join together and fight for better working conditions. I hope you love it!
Kristen Simmons
Oh they might someday have kids...but it's not for a while... They need to enjoy their time together first!
Maybe someday I will! :) Thanks for the question!
Maybe someday I will! :) Thanks for the question!
Kristen Simmons
Thank you! I release extra scenes for my books (THE GLASS ARROW included) every once in a while through my newsletter or on my website, so you can catch up a bit with Aya that way. I do have an extra scene featuring Kiran and Aya which I haven't released yet, but maybe someday soon...you've got me thinking about it now... :) Thanks for writing!
Kristen Simmons
He is not! He's Chase's mom's brother - so Chase's uncle. But what a fabulous conspiracy you have come up with!
Kristen Simmons
Hi Nat,
I write whatever feels best for the story that I am working on. Sometimes that's first person, sometimes that third person. Sometimes that's multiple perspectives, as in my next book, METALTOWN. For me, it's just a matter of what feels right when I start.
Thanks!
Kristen
I write whatever feels best for the story that I am working on. Sometimes that's first person, sometimes that third person. Sometimes that's multiple perspectives, as in my next book, METALTOWN. For me, it's just a matter of what feels right when I start.
Thanks!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Don,
Thanks for asking this question. I absolutely did feel uncomfortable writing some of the scenes in this book. Sometimes that helps me know that I'm on the right track. I knew that if I felt entirely comfortable writing it I wouldn't have accurately portrayed the horrors of this misogynistic world. Or I would have become immune to them, which might be even worse.
Thanks!
Kristen
Thanks for asking this question. I absolutely did feel uncomfortable writing some of the scenes in this book. Sometimes that helps me know that I'm on the right track. I knew that if I felt entirely comfortable writing it I wouldn't have accurately portrayed the horrors of this misogynistic world. Or I would have become immune to them, which might be even worse.
Thanks!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Because I love to dance! Haha! Thanks for asking. I've been teaching for 11 years. It's the only place I know where I can shake my booty AND to push-ups. :)
Kristen Simmons
Hi Kate!
Thanks for saying so! I am not opposed it writing series at all, although my next 2 after THE GLASS ARROW are both standalones. I just write the story as I see it, sometimes it stretches longer, sometimes it's self-contained. Thanks!
Kristen
Thanks for saying so! I am not opposed it writing series at all, although my next 2 after THE GLASS ARROW are both standalones. I just write the story as I see it, sometimes it stretches longer, sometimes it's self-contained. Thanks!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Erin,
Thanks for reading! I'm so glad you liked it. Yes! Kyan IS Kiran's sister. Don't worry, he's all Aya's after the story closes.
Kristen
Thanks for reading! I'm so glad you liked it. Yes! Kyan IS Kiran's sister. Don't worry, he's all Aya's after the story closes.
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Eileen,
Thanks so much for reading. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the book! I actually have an extra, future-set scene answering this question...I may release it at some point...we'll see! Regardless, they're together. Aya has difficulty trusting others (with good reason), and what she finds with Kiran is something she'll never let go of. As for him, he's smitten, plain and simple.
Have a great weekend!
Kristen
Thanks so much for reading. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the book! I actually have an extra, future-set scene answering this question...I may release it at some point...we'll see! Regardless, they're together. Aya has difficulty trusting others (with good reason), and what she finds with Kiran is something she'll never let go of. As for him, he's smitten, plain and simple.
Have a great weekend!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Alice!
Thank you for the kind words, and congratulations on your own story! Dystopia forever! Okay, so I think the key is vulnerability. Every character has to have strengths AND weaknesses. Once you discover both of those sides, you can build a deep, real character.
Kristen
Thank you for the kind words, and congratulations on your own story! Dystopia forever! Okay, so I think the key is vulnerability. Every character has to have strengths AND weaknesses. Once you discover both of those sides, you can build a deep, real character.
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Miriam!
The idea from Article 5 came when I was driving to work one day and saw a book protest outside the local bookstore. It was such a pivotal moment for me. They were protesting because they disagreed with the content of the book, which of course they had every right to do, but it got me thinking...if people could ban books just because they disagreed with the message, what else could they ban? Music? Art? What about bigger concepts like divorce or having a child out of wedlock? That became the basis for the Moral Statutes, which became the foundation of Article 5.
Thanks for reading! Glad you loved the books!
Kristen
The idea from Article 5 came when I was driving to work one day and saw a book protest outside the local bookstore. It was such a pivotal moment for me. They were protesting because they disagreed with the content of the book, which of course they had every right to do, but it got me thinking...if people could ban books just because they disagreed with the message, what else could they ban? Music? Art? What about bigger concepts like divorce or having a child out of wedlock? That became the basis for the Moral Statutes, which became the foundation of Article 5.
Thanks for reading! Glad you loved the books!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Trinity,
Hot tea (I drink a LOT of green jasmine tea), and something sweet, like a cookie or cupcake. Not the healthiest habit, I know, but they are my favorite. :)
Thanks!
Kristen
Hot tea (I drink a LOT of green jasmine tea), and something sweet, like a cookie or cupcake. Not the healthiest habit, I know, but they are my favorite. :)
Thanks!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Emily,
I'm proud of them all for different reasons. I'm proud of Glass Arrow because it addresses issues I was previously not brave enough to write about. I'm proud of Article 5 because it was my first published book, Breaking Point because I learned a lot about editing and writing a series, and Three because I had to tie up all the loose ends in the series.
Thanks!
Kristen
I'm proud of them all for different reasons. I'm proud of Glass Arrow because it addresses issues I was previously not brave enough to write about. I'm proud of Article 5 because it was my first published book, Breaking Point because I learned a lot about editing and writing a series, and Three because I had to tie up all the loose ends in the series.
Thanks!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
Hi Kendela,
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it! I loved writing from Chase's perspective for those extra scenes. Every once in a while I think of writing some kind of short piece of their lives in the future, but I haven't gotten there yet. If I did, I would probably write from his side. So, nothing planned as of now!
Thanks!
Kristen
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it! I loved writing from Chase's perspective for those extra scenes. Every once in a while I think of writing some kind of short piece of their lives in the future, but I haven't gotten there yet. If I did, I would probably write from his side. So, nothing planned as of now!
Thanks!
Kristen
Kristen Simmons
This is an excellent question, Jaime. I would have soft, white chocolate and cranberry cookies with Ronan Lynch. He seems like the kind of guy you'd want to eat cookies with, 1. because he wouldn't want to talk a lot, just eat (I get that), and 2. because if I was with Gansey I'd be too worried about picking cranberries out of my teeth.
Kristen Simmons
Oh wow. Hmmmmmm...I don't know. I think I might be too nervous to ask anyone! That said, I think about co-authoring a lot. I would love to do it someday!
Kristen Simmons
Mostly I hope they enjoy it, but also, that other people don’t determine our self worth, we do. That our importance and relevance is not reduced to the size of our pants or the shape of our bodies. That we are so, so much more than what others see on the outside.
Thanks for asking, Cassie.
Thanks for asking, Cassie.
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