Ask Kate Brian, Jen Calonita, and Kieran Scott discussion

Welcome to the group! Kate, Jen, and Kieran will be answering questions throughout the day on Tuesday, July 29th in this thread only. In the meantime if you have a question for them, or just want to introduce yourself, feel free to do so in this thread.

My question is for Kate! Which character in the Shadowlands trilogy have you most enjoyed writing about?

Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

Just wondering if you would ever consider doing a sequel to this? The book was nice and different and unique. The characters had their individual traits and I'd love to read more about them. Perhaps from different perspectives or even just a future extract from Megan's view? Just wondering :)

Hi my question is for Kieran! I love the He's So/She's So trilogy. They were all very compelling and books that I couldn't put down. Each one had such a different plot line that made me excited to get to the end. I was wondering which book was your favorite to write, and why? Thanks :)

Hiya, omg I loved the private series, as soon as I read one book, I moved on to the next book straight away, I also got a couple of my friends hooked on them aswell

Hi, my question is for Jen. Will we returning to Whispering Pines in more novels? I love Whispering Pines and reading Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind makes me wish I went to a summer camp like that when I was younger.

Hello, my question is for all three: how do you write in the voice of a teenager so well? I would think it to be hard since people are always changing and teens now aren't the same as teens before, just as future teens won't be the same as present teens.

This is for Kate: the Shadowlands series is pretty different from the Private series. Was it hard to adjust mentally to write it, or was this something you'd been sitting on for a while?

This question is for all three, what music do y'all listen to when writing?

I assume that all of you are writing in the young adult genre. And all of you are adults by now. How can you keep yourselves young? How can you think like a teenager when you aren't anymore?

For Kate Brian, I really liked Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys and think it would be really nice if you do a sequel to it like Zarrin mentioned but no pressure. For Jen Calonita, although this series came out a long time ago I like you to know how much I enjoyed reading Secrets of my Hollywood Life. I had read it years ago and by chance picked it up today to re-read it again. The novels had gotten me into books depicting actors/actresses as main characters. Kudos to you both excellent authors. Thanx:)

Dear all authors: what projects are you working on now? Should us readers expect sequels to any of your released books? Thank you :)

This question is for Kate, I absolutely love the Private and Privilege series and can't wait to get my hands on Endless, another series I have thoroughly enjoyed so I was just wondering, whats next? Are you working on another fantastic addictive series?

hey i just wondering if you ever considered writing another book about Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys?

Dear Jen, my question is would you please give us a little bit more insight into what happened with Sam and cole when they dated between the two summers? I loved them together so much and just wondered why things didn't work for them. Thank you!!

Jen! I just wanted to say that I am such a HUGE fan of your books!! Even though I read the series a while ago, "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" was the BEST series ever :) I read them all and I liked them so much that I bought the entire series and plan on reading them again! I also love the way you write, this may be weird but I love when authors add little text messages, Notes to Self, and such in a different font randomly in the book! Also, I bought "The Sleepaway Girls" a year ago and just reread it again. It was SO GOOD! Even though I'm going into college, I love young adult books hahah and I'm working on "Summer State of Mind" which is also amazing! And has those little different-font-tweets at the end of some chapters which adds to the amazing factor!!

My questions are for all of you - If you had to select one book you wrote to recommend, which one would it be and why? Also, what are some of your favorite YA books other than those we see here?

Sarah wrote: "Hi, my question is for Jen. Will we returning to Whispering Pines in more novels? I love Whispering Pines and reading Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind makes me wish I went to a summer camp ..."

I love writing about summer camp and would always consider going back to Whispering Pines for another summer. I think if people enjoy Summer State of Mind and there is a want for a third book, I'd definitely consider it. Thanks for the question!

Christina wrote: "My questions are for all of you - If you had to select one book you wrote to recommend, which one would it be and why? Also, what are some of your favorite YA books other than those we see here?"

I am so proud of the Belles series and am always up for giving it more love. I think the character of Izzie is such an interesting one and I'd love for more people to get to know her. As for other authors' books, I'm a huge fan of Kieran's and the Only Everything series is one I've devoured (I've already read book two and it's AMAZING!). I also love Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series and can't wait for Embassy Row. This summer, I've been reading a lot. I just finished We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and I can't stop talking about how good it was.

Charlotte wrote: "Dear Jen, my question is would you please give us a little bit more insight into what happened with Sam and cole when they dated between the two summers? I loved them together so much and just wond..."
Hi Charlotte! I was so torn about Sam and Cole and what to do with them and here was the big problem: there's actually FIVE summers between the two books! Sam is fifteen in the first book and twenty in the second. The two of them lived in different states and couldn't see each other much during the year. With all that working against them, I just couldn't see them staying together for five years. If I had written SUMMER the year after SLEEPAWAY, I think I would have done things differently, but since it was five years, I felt like I needed to break them up (don't be mad!). In my mind though, they're awesome friends and I could still see them getting back together after they've worked through all their issues in college!

Sarah wrote: "Jen! I just wanted to say that I am such a HUGE fan of your books!! Even though I read the series a while ago, "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" was the BEST series ever :) I read them all and I liked..." Thank you, Sarah! I have to say, I love when books have different styles of text in them too (I think that's why I enjoyed "Where'd You Go, Bernadette?" so much!). I try to do different text styles whenever I can. I loved doing it in the Secrets books. I'm actually doing it in my first middle grade series too--Fairy Tale Reform School--and I think it adds so much to the story.

Briahna wrote: "This question is for all three, what music do y'all listen to when writing?" To be honest, I can't listen to anything that I'm going to sing along to! I get distracted! It has to be more of background noise so I usually pick a quieter station on Pandora and use that. This week, I have GMA on in the background on low. It really depends on my mood.

Colette wrote: "Dear all authors: what projects are you working on now? Should us readers expect sequels to any of your released books? Thank you :)" Hi Colette! I am working on a YA called Side Effects, that will be out in October. It's a cross between Glee and this show called Party of Five, which was about siblings who've lost their parents and are trying to still be a family. It was such fun to write from all the siblings' points of view. I'm also working on two middle grade series' -- Fairy Tale Reform School, which is exactly what the title says--a reform school for delinquent kids in the fairy tale community, and V.I.P, which is about a girl who goes on the road with her favorite boy band when her mom gets a job with them.

Andrea wrote: "I assume that all of you are writing in the young adult genre. And all of you are adults by now. How can you keep yourselves young? How can you think like a teenager when you aren't anymore?" My husband says I'm still 17 in my head! But it's true, I still love the types of TV shows I loved as a teen, that type of music, and so many of the issues I had as a teen are ones that I wish I could help other teens deal with so that they handle them better than I did! I also help run a book club with my local libraries and get to spend a lot of time talking to teens. Whenever I'm working on a new project, I'll ask them, or other teens in my life, what they think of the idea, of the characters, and what they think the characters would be feeling. That helps me a lot.

Emma wrote: "Hello, my question is for all three: how do you write in the voice of a teenager so well? I would think it to be hard since people are always changing and teens now aren't the same as teens before,..."
It's true! And interests are ever changing. I think I just try to listen to teen conversations whenever I can (Dunkin Donuts is a great place to do this. The teens from my high school hang out there at lunch) and try to stay tuned in to what's going on in the world and what teens are into. Talking to teens at the book club I help run, always helps as well. I'm doing the same thing now with my middle grade series.' My nine-year-old has been very helpful!

Emma wrote: "Hi my question is for Kieran! I love the He's So/She's So trilogy. They were all very compelling and books that I couldn't put down. Each one had such a different plot line that made me excited to ..."

Hi Emma! Thanks so much! I'm glad you like the series. I actually miss it! Each book had parts that I really loved to write. I liked creating the world in She's So Dead to Us and dealing with the conflicting emotions in This is So Not Happening, but my favorite to write was He's So Not Worth It. I liked exploring the new characters down the shore, and seeing Ally and Hammond dealing with their awkward past. Making Hammond and Shannen more human was fun, too. Plus I love LBI (where the book is set). We go there every summer. So it was like a little vacation to write about it in the middle of the winter. Thanks for the question!

Briahna wrote: "This question is for all three, what music do y'all listen to when writing?"

Hi Briahna,
I listen to pop. I have always been a top-40 geek, so basically, whatever is popular is on my iTunes. Right now I have a playlist that includes Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato . . . and I listen to it over and over. Occasionally, I sneak some country or alternative onto my lists. Thanks for the question!

Hello Kate Brian,

I love your shadowland series, and just received my preorder of Endless (thank you canadapost!), anyhow, what inspired you to write for an older crowd and will you continue to write for the older young adult crowd again/are you working on another novel that will interest readers of Shadowlands?

Thank you!

Gabriella

My question is for Jen:
First off, I'm a big fan of yours and have read all of your books! My favorite book series ever is Secrets of My Hollywood Life, would you ever consider writing another installment in the future? Hope so :)

Hi Lizzy! I miss Kaitlin and the others from that series so much. It was so much fun to write about teen celebrities and that world. I often think about Kaitlin and what I'd write about now that she's in college. The fear would be that I would rehash territory I've already been in, but at the same time, the landscape in Hollywood is constantly changing so there is always more to tell. I think if enough people wanted me to return to Kaitlin, I'd definitely consider it. I still think about putting short stories up about Kaitlin all the time!

Jen wrote: "Hi Lizzy! I miss Kaitlin and the others from that series so much. It was so much fun to write about teen celebrities and that world. I often think about Kaitlin and what I'd write about now that sh..."

That would be awesome! I'd definitely read a short story/new book about Kaitlin :) Thanks for answering my question!

Hi Kieran! In this is so not happening, Chloe has her baby but you never say what gender he baby was. Do you know or did you never even think about it? :)

Bribooks2 wrote: "My question is for Kate! Which character in the Shadowlands trilogy have you most enjoyed writing about?"

Hey there!
Obviously, I love Rory or she wouldn't be the main character, BUT I also love Joaquin. I just love writing the cocky bad boy, and in Joaquin's case, he's like a cocky WISE bad boy, because he's been around for so long. That gave the character another layer that was fun to explore.
I also have this weird soft spot for Fisher. You know exactly what you're getting with him. Blunt, strong and willing to do whatever Tristan needs him to do. I like that kind of reliability.
Thank you for your question!

Zarrin wrote: "Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

Just wondering if you would ever consider doing a sequel to this? The book was nice and different and unique. The characters had their individ..."

Hi!
This is my #1 most often asked question whenever I do an event, and sadly, the answer is, the publisher doesn't see an audience for a sequel. I do have a plot in mind and I do know who Megan ends up with, so maybe one day I'll do a direct-to-e-book thing, but I'd need a lot of spare time on my hands, which I don't currently have. I LOVE MMGTTMB as much as its many fans do, and I miss Evan and Finn especially, so hopefully one day soon it will happen.
Thank you for your question!

Khadija wrote: "Hiya, omg I loved the private series, as soon as I read one book, I moved on to the next book straight away, I also got a couple of my friends hooked on them aswell "

WOW, thank you! I'm so glad you liked it. There's no higher praise than when a reader recommends your work to a friend, so THANK YOU!!!

Emma wrote: "Hello, my question is for all three: how do you write in the voice of a teenager so well? I would think it to be hard since people are always changing and teens now aren't the same as teens before,..."

Hi Emma!
First of all, I'm glad to hear you think we write the teenaged voice so well, because sometimes one wonders. :) It's not the easiest thing, but I think it has more to do with creating a believable character than anything else. You're right. Teens don't sound the same as they did when I was one, and in ten years, they'll sound even more different. But if you create someone with believable wants and needs and in a believable world, you can make them very believable inside the world, if you know what I mean. Like the girls in Private think and talk differently than Megan in Megan Meade's Guide, who definitely has a different perspective than Tristan in Shadowlands. If I can make each character real within their world, then I can make them believable no matter what age they are.
Also, eavesdropping on Friday-night conversations at Starbucks helps. ;)

Madison wrote: "This is for Kate: the Shadowlands series is pretty different from the Private series. Was it hard to adjust mentally to write it, or was this something you'd been sitting on for a while?"

(SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't finished the first book in the Shadowlands trilogy, and want to, don't read this answer.)
It's interesting. When I was a kid I used to look around and think "What if this is actually the afterlife? What if there was a massive explosion and the whole world blew to pieces and we're all dead, but the afterlife looks just like real life?" (I was apparently a morbid kid.) So the idea for Shadowlands actually came from an editor, but as soon as she said "they're actually dead," I was like YES! I WANT TO WRITE THAT! I really wanted to do a story about sisters, so we found a way to work in a sister relationship to the kind of afterworld plot line, and that's how it all came together.
I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for your question!

Andrea wrote: "I assume that all of you are writing in the young adult genre. And all of you are adults by now. How can you keep yourselves young? How can you think like a teenager when you aren't anymore?"

Hi Andrea,
Please see my answer to Emma's question, above. Also I keep myself young by eating lots of ice cream, watching the CW and MTV and using TONS of face cream. ;)

Colette wrote: "Dear all authors: what projects are you working on now? Should us readers expect sequels to any of your released books? Thank you :)"

Hi Andrea,
I'm actually working on a romance idea at the moment. A nice, light, summer romance set at the shore. Shadowlands kind of did me in for dark stuff for a bit. Hopefully readers will be excited to see me go back to my light romance roots!

Caroline wrote: "This question is for Kate, I absolutely love the Private and Privilege series and can't wait to get my hands on Endless, another series I have thoroughly enjoyed so I was just wondering, whats next..."

Hi Caroline,
Thank you SO MUCH! I'm glad you've enjoyed the series. I'm actually developing a stand-alone romance novel right now. Doesn't have a publisher yet, so I'm not even sure if it will come to fruition, but it's been nice to work on something lighter. Shadowlands was written during a pretty dark period in my life and I'm ready to try something different. Hopefully it will happen and hopefully you'll enjoy it just as much if it does!
Thanks again and KEEP READING! Also, let me know what you think of ENDLESS!

Ale wrote: "hey i just wondering if you ever considered writing another book about Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys?"

Hi!
Yes, I definitely have. I have a plot for it and everything! As of now, the publisher doesn't really see an audience for it, but I might trying writing it as a direct-to-e-book. Keep an eye on my twitter account for news! @kate_brian
Thanks for your question!

Christina wrote: "My questions are for all of you - If you had to select one book you wrote to recommend, which one would it be and why? Also, what are some of your favorite YA books other than those we see here?"

Hi Christina!
Good question. I'd probably say Private, because it was different from anything I'd written before then, and I was so proud of the way it turned out. Also, if you read the first you're pretty much going to read the next three, so it's really recommending a FEW books at the same time.
As for other YA books I'd recommend, there are a million, but in keeping with my dark side I'd say The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, Ten by Gretchen McNeill and I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga. I'm also excited for Amity by Micol Ostow and Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz.
Thanks for your question!

Gabriella wrote: "Hello Kate Brian,

I love your shadowland series, and just received my preorder of Endless (thank you canadapost!), anyhow, what inspired you to write for an older crowd and will you continue to wr..."

Hi Gabriella,
I'm so glad you're liking SHADOWLANDS! It definitely does skew a bit older than my other books, but it wasn't really a conscious decision. I think just the subject matter makes it feel a bit more mature. It has a lot of adult fans! As for what I'm working on next, I've been developing a romance/first love idea that I'm hoping to talk my publisher into printing. It's not paranormal or anything, but if you like the romance aspect of Shadowlands, or the beach-town setting, you might like it. I'll keep you posted!
Thanks for your question!

Emily wrote: "Hi Kieran! In this is so not happening, Chloe has her baby but you never say what gender he baby was. Do you know or did you never even think about it? :)"

Hi Emily,
I LOVE THIS QUESTION! She had a boy. I don't know why, unless it's just because I have two boys, but there was never any doubt in my mind that she had a boy. Thanks for asking!
xo

Christina wrote: "My questions are for all of you - If you had to select one book you wrote to recommend, which one would it be and why? Also, what are some of your favorite YA books other than those we see here?"

Only one? GAH! Okay, I guess I'd say Only Everything, because I think it's funny and romantic and I love True, the main character like I'd love my own daughter if I had a daughter. :) As for other recommendations, I loved Jen's Summer State of Mind and Elizabeth Eulberg's Better Off Friends. I also recently got really into Gayle Forman's Just One Day/Just One Year/Just One Night. OMG, LOVE! And because I'm a rule-breaker I'll also recommend my own She's So Dead to Us, because I miss the characters so much. :)

Kieran wrote: "Christina wrote: "My questions are for all of you - If you had to select one book you wrote to recommend, which one would it be and why? Also, what are some of your favorite YA books other than th..."

WAIT! Also, Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. It is the perfect beach read.

I have read Open Road Summer and Ten this summer to be able to share with my students, and I think they are going to love those because I thoroughly enjoyed them as well. I will check out the others you mentioned because I am always looking for something different to inspire them to read.

OMG that you are just now reading Gayle Forman's books. They are amazing, and I have gotten a ton of my old students hooked on them. We are all anxiously awaiting the release of the movie just so we can (as usual) say how much better the book was than the movie. I completely agree with the She's So Dead to Us trilogy, and I always tell my students they are lucky they don't have to wait on each book to come out like I did. The cliffhangers had me ready to cry when I knew I had to wait on the next book in the series to come out.

I saw the trailer for If I Stay in the theater and I almost had to leave. I can't see that movie or I will blubber throughout. In fact, I read that book before my mom died and I don't think I could have gotten through it after.

Krystal wrote: "My question is for Kate: I'm like addicted to every book you write but was wondering if you ever considered writing more of the private novels"

Hi Krystal!
If you're going to be addicted to something, books are a good way to go! :) Thank you. I'm so happy to hear you like my work. As for Private, I never say never, but I think that one's a wrap. I mean, what else could I possibly do to poor Reed without her having a nervous breakdown? I've always thought it would be awesome to write a book from Noelle's point of view, but I'm almost intimidated by the idea. Honestly. She's SO intimidating! And I created her! But maybe someday.
Thanks for your question!