Amazon Editors' YA Book Club discussion

We asked, she answered:

From Marissa:
The Wrath and the Dawn ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. What direction will the sequel, The Rose and the Dagger be going in?
Renée Ahdieh: Haha! So many people have sent me texts and tweets in which their fists were shaking in the air! THE ROSE AND THE DAGGER will take place immediately after the events in THE WRATH AND THE DAWN. In terms of direction, there will be a lot of intrigue, more kissing, more swordfighting, and perhaps even a magic carpet ride or two!

From Seira Wilson:
You’ve said that you travel to eat, what is your favorite destination so far?
Renée Ahdieh: I love this question! Probably my favorite food destination in the U.S. is New Orleans. Outside of the country, I'd have to say it's a tie between India and South Korea. But I will always be a bit biased because my mother's family is from South Korea, and Korean food tastes like home to me.

From Jennifer:
How long did it take you to write The Wrath and the Dawn? How long after it was completed did it take to get it published?
Renée Ahdieh:
I finished the first draft of THE WRATH AND THE DAWN in a little less than five months. My agent sold it in two weeks near the beginning of October of 2013, and it was published in May of 2015.

From Jacqueline:
Did you write any novel length works before The Wrath and the Dawn?
Renée Ahdieh:
I wrote at least four other novels before THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, and each of them were absolutely worth the effort because each manuscript taught me how to be a better writer.

From Seira Wilson:
As I read The Wrath and the Dawn I often forgot that both Shahrzad and Khalid are still teenagers—when you were writing did their age play much of a part in how you created these characters?
Renée Ahdieh: It absolutely did. I wanted to write characters at pivotal crossroads in life. To me, that time when a teenager is just on the cusp of being an adult--making life-altering decisions and such--is a wonderfully convoluted time. Every emotion felt is felt so keenly; there's a newness to all things.

From Bgodfrey34:
What happened to Despina???? Jalal went to find her and he came back but she didn't. I hope she is in book 2 because I just loved her character and her friendship with Shazi.
Renée Ahdieh:
*twirls mustache* I guess you will have to read THE ROSE AND THE DAGGER to find out ;-) But all joking aside, I love Despina and her friendship with Shazi so much, too. That friendship definitely has an important role in ROSE.

From Seira Wilson:
What are you reading now?
Renée Ahdieh:I am just getting ready to read an ARC of Victoria Aveyard's GLASS SWORD, and I am so excited I've been humming the theme song from Game of Thrones all day. Also I recently read an ARC of Traci Chee's THE READER, and was completely blown away. You definitely need that book in 2016!

I totally dig this interview--great questions, fellow readers, with splendid answers by Renee. It was interesting to learn that she is half Korean and that she'd written four novels before publishing The Wrath and the Dawn.