I read mostly science fiction and fantasy, and loved John Christopher's Tripods Trilogy, anything by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Octavia Butler, and Andre Norton, and short-story anthologies that let me sample work by a lot of different writers. I also loved horror, like Stephen King's work, and I really remember Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper by Robert Bloch.
Would you say your reading as a teenager has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?
Yes, because I loved reading so much, and I want young adult readers to pick up books I write because they love the characters and the story. I also want them to find stories that speak to the broad range and depth of their experiences.
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 was and am a practicing neuropsychologist, and I've always written short stories and novels (really, always, since third grade). I wrote for adults until I was in my thirties, and around that time, my son JB had a back surgery. I wrote a fantasy piece to amuse him while he was debilitated, and that piece later became our co-authored Oathbreaker books. I realized that my natural narrative voice came out in young adult fiction, so I wrote another, then another. I started working with an on-line critique group serious about publication, and when one of the members got an agent, she referred me. That agent, Erin Murphy, has sold eleven books for me and counting (hope I didn't miss any).
How would you describe your style of teen/young adult fiction or your approach to writing teen/young adult fiction?
Most of my stories are contemporary, and they have both dark and humorous elements. I'm more interested in how my characters handle situations and recover from blows rather than the blows themselves, so I usually don't write about the bad situation happening. I pick it up afterward, and keep the focus of the story on how the character moves through the challenges.
Who is another author whose teen/young adult fiction you admire and why?
There are sooo many, it's hard to pick one, or even a few! I love Laurie Halse Anderson's strong narrative voice, and Tamora Pierce's characters and easy to read prose (okay you could argue she's middle-grade, but I'd argue right back that her stories are any-agers, and timeless). I love Philip Pullman because he never coddles younger readers or talks down to them, or assumes they can't handle any subject matter--plus his stories rock. I still love Judy Blume, too, because when I was a younger reader, I always felt like she was writing directly to me. Man, I hope I pull that off sometimes!
How would you summarise one of your teen/young adult novels in one paragraph?
Going Underground:
Welcome to Del's world--or his lack thereof. A graveyard is a strange place to find yourself and get a life, but when every other option gets stolen away from him, Cain Delano Hartwick does the only things that make sense to him. He digs and he digs and he talks to his parrot and he watches his best friend go from Cookie Monster to Romeo and he falls in love with a fairy girl. Oh, and he calls his parents to chase away the resident vampire, not that it helps much. Non Surgeon-General's Warning: there are no actual vampires or fairies in this story. But, there are graves, a one-eyed rooster, a big fat drooling cat, at least one dead guy, and a live guy who can't bring himself to tell you his secrets outright. Not yet. But give Del time. He'll keep trying until he gets it right.
How would you describe the appeal of this novel to teen/young adult readers?
First off, I'd say, music and humor. The story's full of both. It also deals with falling in love, and with messing up so badly it's hard to figure out how to get life back on track. I think those are universal experiences. Plus it has parrots, a not-vampire, other freaky animals, and a guy who wears a giant rubber cookie suit. Hard to beat that, right?
How would you summarise a chapter from this novel in one paragraph?
Going Underground: Chapter One
When you find a guy digging graves for a living, you have to wonder how he got in such a big hole--pun intended. How deep is it? How does he climb out? And what's he supposed to do when he's minding his own business, trying to stay out of trouble, and he meets the most beautiful and interesting girl ever in the last place he expects to find her: a cemetery. He's got secrets, but no doubt she's got secrets, too. He should stay away from her. That would be best for her. It would be best (and safest) for him, too. Thing is, he probably won't stay away from her. Yeah, right. He definitely won't. The question is, will she help him out of that big, deep hole, or will he just drag her underground with him and shovel on the dirt?
How would you describe the contribution this chapter makes to the novel?
I think the chapter shows Del, the main character, living his life now, after all the bad things happened. I hope it shows who Del is, how he's coping, and what he wants in life (and can't have). I also hope it interests the reader in knowing how Del got into the shape he's in, and what might happen between him and the beautiful girl who captures his attention in those opening paragraphs.
To what extent would you say fiction written primarily for young readers is different from fiction written primarily for adult readers?
When I write for young adults, I get to the point, both in the plot and dialogue. I think young adult readers are pickier and less patient than adult readers, so authors have to "write tighter" and keep the action going!
Author website: http://www.susanvaught.com/
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