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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sensational 7 Q & A with Lauren Oliver!

Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to hang out with your favorite author(s)? In an attempt to get a better understanding of authors, my Sensational Seven Q & A takes a closer or more personal look at these authors to give you a glimpse of the personalities behind the writing of your favorite books.

“Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is pledged to the doctrines there set forth, and which exists to see and state things so, and not otherwise.” By Ralph Waldo Emerson


Lauren Oliver was previously an editorial assistant at a publishing company in New York. A graduate of the University of Chicago and the MFA program at New York University, she is now a full-time writer and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her favorite things include: underlining and making notes in the margins of her favorite books; cooking for good friends; running in Prospect Park; lingering in farmer’s markets; coffee; and ketchup. Before I Fall is scheduled for release March 2, 2010.

If you were given a chance to travel back in time, what year or place would you go / Why?
I would probably choose to go to Paris or New York in the early 1920s, and not just because I like fringe and flapper dresses. There was a kind of cultural explosion after the first world war, I think, in which young artists were trying to make sense of the horrors that had been perpetrated and the society they had felt was in dissolution. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf—not to mention painters like Picasso and Matisse—were all busy redefining the rules of art and literature, and I just think it would have been a tremendously exciting/inspiring time to be alive. They didn’t have twitter back then, but I would have surely found a way to stalk my favorite writers nonetheless.

Additionally, the 1920s were pretty good to outspoken, fun-loving, independent women, unlike pretty much every single other era in Western history.

Describe your novel in seven words or less?
Samantha Kingston’s final chance to make meaning.

Please share with us about your favorite book and fictional crush to date?
Well, my fictional crush is, has always been, and will always be Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Swoon.

My favorite book? I’m not sure I have one. I have always loved Matilda, by Roald Dahl. I am a huge James Joyce and F. Scott Fitzgerald fan, and I love One Hundred Years of Solitude as well. My favorite book might be Alphabears, a gorgeous picture book, now long out of print, that my mother used to read to me as a child. Very mature, I know.

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be / Why?
Um, Elizabeth Bennet. See above. What is infuriating is that my sister was actually named after Elizabeth, inspiring years of name-envy on my part.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you / Why?
Natalie Portman, because I wish I were that pretty! Kidding, kidding. Probably Uma Thurman. She’s older than I am, obviously, but she’s a great actress and, importantly, she has a lot of range. I have many contradictory and bizarre aspects to my personality, so that would be incredibly important.

If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be – please explain?
Fiercely, and With Passion. It may sound cheesy, but I try to apply that philosophy to everything in my life, from my career, to my friendships and relationships, to my hobbies, to my sleep time!

How would you describe yourself/life in seven words?
Always evolving. Trouble, in a good way. ;)


Bonus:

**Is there any additional info you would like to share with your readers about what’s next for you and your books?**

As for additional things I’d like to share…look for a second book from me in 2011! (And many more to follow that one, I hope!).


Thanks Lauren for stopping by!

For more information about Lauren Oliver and her books, please visit her website here.

29 comments:

  1. Awesome interview!

    I'm a HUGE fan of Fitzgerald, one of my fave authors ever *huggles THE GREAT GATBSY* And the early 1920's are so, so cool :)

    Can't wait to read BEFORE I FALL, it sounds amazing!

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  2. Awesome interview! Really enjoyed reading it. Can't wait to read Before I Fall, sounds really great!

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  3. That's pretty funny about her sister being named after Elizabeth Bennet. I agree about Darcy, too! Yum.

    Great interview.
    Thanks,
    Kelsey
    krae991@yahoo.com

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  4. Loved this interview and I love Darcy too! Hehehe, I watched that movie on V-Day just for him! Hahaha funny about your sister and being named after Lizzie!

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  5. Ooh, Paris in the 1920s, what an excellent answer. I love flappers as well! There are so many great writers from that era.

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  6. Enjoyed the interview- and don't you just love the book cover. The model's eyes just pop next to that grass.

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com

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  7. Awesome interview! I agree- Mr.Darcy is totally crush-worthy.

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  8. Great interview! I love the questions. The author seems really cool.

    Thanx!

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  9. Awesome answers! I love the fiercly and with passion :)

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  10. Loved the interview and that she would go back to 1920s Paris, I probably would have chosed the later 1800s period if I had to choose a period but being an author I can understand why she chose Paris and the 1920s.

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  11. You asked really fun questions. I want Before I Fall sooooo bad!

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  12. Really great questions. I love the interview and cant wait to read this book.


    kmichellec87(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  13. Loved the questions! Loved her last answer and I can relate to her favorite hobbies!

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  14. Mr. Darcy is and will always be the ultimate dream boat! Congrats on all of your success Lauren and am looking forward to Before I Fall!

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  15. Great review. Found out she would like to travel back to 1920. You asked alot of great questions.

    misskalllie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  16. GREAT interview! I love the Natalie Portman- Uma Thurman comment.

    *giggles*

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  17. Great interview, I always loved Matilda too! And The Witches was excellent as well... :)

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  18. I loved that she would want to go to Paris in the 1920's. I feel the same way! Would love to win to be able to find a new author to read:)

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  19. I have to read Pride and Prejudice. I have heard so many people say there literary crush is Mr. Darcy.

    Thanks for stopping by. I'm really looking forward to reading Before I Fall.

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  20. I love that she described herself as trouble in a good way. That made me laugh. As always, fun interview!

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  21. 1920s - that's like the calm before the storm, no? But, but. I do agree with her that Mr Darcy is a swoony (literary) guy :)

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  22. I can't wait until 2011 for her second book! It's a dystopian novel (my favorite genre). I think I may die waiting.

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  23. Wonderful fun format for an interview. I learned lots about this "new to me" author! Thanks.

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  24. Hmmmm......another Jane Austen fan. Apparently everyone's a fan of the classics.

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  25. Loved hearing more about Lauren! I have been ravenously excited about her book for months now. Can't believe it's almost out!

    -Mandy

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  26. I definitely need to check out Pride and Prejudice to see why everyone loved Mr. Darcy. I can't wait to see whet her next book is going to be!

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  27. Great interview! I like the range of questions you asked instead of boring ones. I enjoyed learning more about Lauren.

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  28. Great interview. I love the questions.

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  29. I love your questions! Thanks for the interview!

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