If I'm being honest, as a teen, I read mostly what was required in school. I read a ton as a young child but then got caught up in school/life/friendships/relationships and the books most unfortunately took a back seat. That said, in high school, we were required to choose an author for a semester-long project, reading and analyzing several of his/her works. I chose Ray Bradbury and he continues to be one of my favorites.
Would you say your reading as a teenager has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?
Yes. I always preferred the more "out there" premises--as long as they still had a clear message to convey--and that is what I enjoy writing the most now, too.
What did you do before you became a published teen/young adult novelist, and how did you come to write your first teen/young adult novel and get it published?
I worked in public relations for thirteen years before getting the idea for FORGOTTEN. I'd always wanted to be a writer, and throughout my life, I wrote poetry, short stories and several attempts at novels. After the birth of my twins in 2008, I forgot what I was doing in the middle of an activity, then began thinking of amnesia...and amnesia in high school. The idea for a girl who remembers the future instead of the past just popped into my brain. I began writing that day, and finished the first draft of FORGOTTEN less than three months later. I queried my top pick agent and he got back very quickly--I attribute that to having the right story and the right pitch at the right time. He and I worked together to fine-tune the book until it went to auction six months later; after that, it sold to twenty one foreign territories and the movie rights were purchased by Paramount. It's been an amazing experience--I consider myself incredibly lucky because I know the process is not always as smooth as mine was.
How would you describe your style of teen/young adult fiction or your approach to writing teen/young adult fiction?
My style is fairly straightforward: I'm not an overly poetic writer. I like to tell approachable stories of teens with strange lives that are similar to the lives of teens in our world today so that they can relate, without hitting them over the head with "the moral of the story."
Who is another author whose teen/young adult fiction you admire and why?
I admire Maggie Stiefvater, the author of The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and others. I'm not a poetic writer but she is, and I love diving into her dreamlike worlds. She makes science fiction style ideas seem completely normal, and her novels are timeless.
How would you summarise one of your teen/young adult novels in one paragraph?
FORGOTTEN is the story of London Lane, a teen who remembers the future instead of the past. The book chronicles her school and home life, and relationships, with her strange condition, and challenges London to solve the mystery of her past so that she can move forward with her future.
How would you describe the appeal of this novel to teen/young adult readers?
Though London has a made-up condition, I think she's relatable to teens because she has many of the same feelings (awkwardness, isolation, confusion about how to handle ethical dilemmas, etc.). I've heard from many readers that she feels "real," like someone they'd go to school with.
How would you summarise a chapter from this novel in one paragraph?
The book opens on a typical day for London Lane. She's arrived at school in the morning with no memory of yesterday or the days before, and without her cell phone, which normally helps keep her on track. She remembers what's going to happen tomorrow and beyond, but that doesn't help her when she goes to dress for PE and she's missing a T-shirt. Thankfully, a friend loans her one; most unfortunately, the loaner's not fashionable to say the least, and London won't be happy to be wearing it when she meets the new guy at school, Luke Henry. London doesn't remember Luke, so he won't be in her future. Or will he?
How would you describe the contribution this chapter makes to the novel?
This chapter sets the stage for the entire novel--it starts to explain London's condition to readers and also hooks them with the romance aspect very early on.
To what extent would you say fiction written primarily for young readers is different from fiction written primarily for adult readers?
YA fiction as a category is as diverse as adult fiction; I'd say the biggest difference is that the protagonist is usually a young adult himself/herself.
Author website: www.catpatrick.com
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