Colleen Houck Book Club discussion

Welcome to the group! Aprilynne will be answering questions on Monday, Sept 29th in this thread only. In the meantime if you have a question for the author or just want to introduce yourself feel free to do so in this thread.

Dear Aprillynne

What's your favorite movie and song and color and book and drink and holiday and tv show and weather season and food?

Where on earth did you get the idea for earthbounds? It's such a unique idea. I love it!

I know some authors make a list of songs that make them think of their books so I was wondering if have a list of songs. Thanks!

I absolutely love the Earthbound series, as we'll as the Wings series. I have a couple questions. First, since novellas are very popular now, would you ever consider writing a novella to let us know what the characters from the Wings series are up to? Also, when you were creating the Earthbound Series, did you draw inspiration from anything or anyone? Was it a, "BOOM" moment, or something that came to you over time? Hopefully that makes sense haha. I can't wait to see what happens in the next Earthbound book!

Cassie C wrote: "I absolutely love the Earthbound series, as we'll as the Wings series. I have a couple questions. First, since novellas are very popular now, would you ever consider writing a novella to let us kno..."

Oh I echo that one. I'd love to see a novella from the Wings series.

Will there be a book three in the series?

So an earthbound only has seven cycles to find their mate right? If they don't they die permanently? Can you tell us how that works?

Reading the oracles book now. How did you come up with the idea for that one? I love the dark edge.

Can I also ask a Life After Left question? So what made you want to write from the boy's perspective. I love his voice. It feels so real!

Also did you ever steal anything like Kimberlee? ;)

Hey Colleen

What do you like writing more the fast paced action scenes or the tense but very nice romantic scenes? Which take longer to write and have you rethinking and rewriting them in your mind over and over?

What is it inside Tavia that keeps her so strong and not running to a closet and hiding? Is it just who she is deep down? Having the weight of the world on her shoulders is pretty epic in this series.

I'll have to read her books

Whoo hoo! The live chat with Aprilynne Pike starts right now!

Christine wrote: "Dear Aprillynne

What's your favorite movie and song and color and book and drink and holiday and tv show and weather season and food?"

Movie: Man, this hard … I LOVE Center Stage. We’ll go with that one today.:)
Song: Again, this changes, but at the moment, Quiet from the musical Mathilda.
Color: Yellow, but I don’t wear it or decorate with it or anything. I just like it.
Book: The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Drink: I don’t drink alcohol, so Diet Rootbeer. I’m boring.
Holiday: Christmas!!
TV Show: I don’t watch much TV, but I am currently loving Game of Thrones and Doctor Who.
Season: Summer. Always.
Food: Sweet=Cadbury eggs or macarons, Savory=Wasabi and Soy Sauce Almonds.

Colleen wrote: "Where on earth did you get the idea for earthbounds? It's such a unique idea. I love it!"

Thanks! It was actually an idea that developed slowly and started out thinking about superpowers being highly evolved science. You’ll see in the books the analogy made about charging batteries, but that’s how it started! Superpowers that were like batteries!

Did I tell you all about the amazing prize being given away tonight?

That's a lot of books =)

Ruth wrote: "I know some authors make a list of songs that make them think of their books so I was wondering if have a list of songs. Thanks!"

I don’t! I actually don’t listen to music when I am writing—I find it distracting. However, I always seem to discover a new musical when I am writing a new series and Earthbound’s is Dracula. (Wings was Wicked.:D)

Cassie C wrote: "I absolutely love the Earthbound series, as we'll as the Wings series. I have a couple questions. First, since novellas are very popular now, would you ever consider writing a novella to let us kno..."

Absolutely!! In fact, I have an idea that has not quite made it to the top of my list for a full-length (I think;)) novel about Rowen, Tamani’s little Summer Faerie niece. The fanscinating thing about Rowen is that, even though a complete revolution in Avalon benefits the fae as a whole, Rowen personally loses a lot. She does not come out ahead … at first glance. This book will involve more faeries, a good look at Summer magic—which we really haven’t seen much of—and an elite ballet school. I can’t wait to write it!!


"Also, when you were creating the Earthbound Series, did you draw inspiration from anything or anyone? Was it a, "BOOM" moment, or something that came to you over time?"

Earthbound was a “voice came first” novel and I actually had to develop a magic system to go around it. It began with Tavia’s voice and the idea of being the sole survivor of a plane wreck that also kills your entire family. It grew (rather slowly) from there. So no, not a boom … unless you count the plane smashing to the ground!! Bwahahahahaha!!!!;)

Aprilynne wrote: "Book: The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Drink: I don’t drink alcohol, so Diet Rootbeer. I’m boring.
Holiday: Christmas!!
TV Show: I don’t watch much TV, but I am currently loving Game of Thrones and Doctor Who. "

I just read The Giver for the first time and really liked it. Did you see the movie? What did you think of the adaptation?

Diet Rootbeer is one my favorite beverages too. It feels indulgent.

I tried one Dr. Who so far. I think I need to start at the beginning. Not sure I get it yet.

Aprilynne wrote: "Ruth wrote: "I know some authors make a list of songs that make them think of their books so I was wondering if have a list of songs. Thanks!"

I don’t! I actually don’t listen to music when I am w..."

I find listening to music distracting too. Do you have a favorite Dracula movie? Dracula is one of my all time favorite stories/character.

Colleen wrote: "Will there be a book three in the series?"

YES!!! I am writing it now, and I had some super exciting ideas that woke me up at three in the morning two days ago! (That’s how I know you’re getting into the right mindset.)

Aprilynne wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Will there be a book three in the series?"

YES!!! I am writing it now, and I had some super exciting ideas that woke me up at three in the morning two days ago! (That’s how I know ..."

I love it when that happens. I get have very vivid dreams too. I think my brain is writing when I'm asleep. Sometimes I wake up with a desperate need to put the characters I dreamed about on paper.

Christine wrote: "Hey Colleen"

Hola!

Colleen wrote: "Did I tell you all about the amazing prize being given away tonight? [bookcover:Tiger's Curse|928..."

Wow! That's a lot of books!

Boooooooks!

Colleen wrote: "So an earthbound only has seven cycles to find their mate right? If they don't they die permanently? Can you tell us how that works?"

Okay, so like the battery question from above, that really is the best way to think about this. So you have an Earthbound, and they have essentially seven bars of power. A lifetime passes alone, next life they have six bars. Another lifetime alone, next time five. This time they find their partner, charges them back up. This is where it gets tricky. Now they have seven lifetimes again, but they aren’t back up to full strength. It takes getting together several lifetimes to get more powerful. So if, on your seventh lifetime, you find your partner, you “charge up” so to speak … you will still be pretty weak, even though you now have seven lifetimes again.

Once you’ve used your lifetimes, at the end of your life, when you die, you die forever and the power you had goes back into the general pool where all the Earthbounds get their power from. Sadly, if your partner still has like, three lives left . . . they are just destined to lifetimes alone until they use their seventh. Remember, this system is a curse. A punishment. I felt like it ought to be. So, it’s difficult, sad, and unfair.

Colleen wrote: "Aprilynne wrote: "Book: The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Drink: I don’t drink alcohol, so Diet Rootbeer. I’m boring.
Holiday: Christmas!!
TV Show: I don’t watch much TV, but I am currently loving Game of T..."

You have to start with the 1st Weeping Angels episode to get hooked on Dr. Who. I think it's titled "Blink." Scary!-Shara
Diet Root Beer is best!

Colleen wrote: "Did I tell you all about the amazing prize being given away tonight? [bookcover:Tiger's Curse|928..."

That is a lot of books! I'm so excited!! :D

Colleen wrote: "Reading the oracles book now. How did you come up with the idea for that one? I love the dark edge."

Oh gosh, that one grew from a two-line pitch when I was throwing ideas at my editor. I hadn’t really thought it out and it ended up being the one she latched on to, go figure.:D
But once I started on it, it really was about the nature of Oracles in literature, and kind of turning it on it’s ear. First off, there aren’t a ton of stories where Oracles are the main character. They are usually the side character (and, lets face it, plot device) in a bigger character’s story. I wanted the Oracle to be the main player in this one.
Also, generally speaking, Oracles are mysterious and vague and only tell a piece of what they know. But I thought, wait, why would anyone do that? What is what they say is so weird and mysterious because, well, that’s actually ALL they know. So I have an Oracle with this amazing power, but it’s quite limited. In that Charlotte doesn’t get context either. She only sees the little glimpses that she sees and that’s it. She not all-knowing. *laugh* FAR from it!!

As for the dark edge, it actually got way darker while I was writing it. I wrote it in the weeks after the Newtown shooting of the school children and it really helped me deal with the feelings that were just plain plaguing me afterward. That’s why the book is dedicated to the survivors. I just had so much anger and grief and I poured it into the story.

Aprilynne wrote: "Sadly, if your partner still has like, three lives left . . . they are just destined to lifetimes alone until they use their seventh. Remember, this system is a curse. A punishment. I felt like it ought to be. So, it’s difficult, sad, and unfair. "

Yeah, it kinda is. So if the power goes back into the pool do other Earthbounds get it? Sort of like Highlander? If I recall correctly, they'd kill each other off and absorb the other guy's power.

Aricka wrote: "That is a lot of books! I'm so excited!! :D "

Have you read any of them yet?

Colleen wrote: "Can I also ask a Life After Left question? So what made you want to write from the boy's perspective. I love his voice. It feels so real!"

I just finished Life after Life and too and though about how often she had to steal to fill up a whole cave. Great book! I kept expecting her parents to catch him especially when the team showed up to help out.

So laundry or dishes?
Cookies or cake?
A kiss or a shoulder rub?
Flowers or chocolate?
A wink or a smile?
Dogs or cats?

Colleen wrote: "Can I also ask a Life After Left question? So what made you want to write from the boy's perspective. I love his voice. It feels so real!"


LAT was always Jeff’s book. I woke up one day with a first chapter essentially completely written and Jeff’s narrative voice very fixed in my head. It’s Kimberlee who I had to finesse into the story. Find her place. Originally I took it into a mystery direction and solving her own murder, but that never fit and when I chilled out about trying to make an exciting plot and just let it be about an unhappy guy and a messed up girl who just happens to be dead that everything started to fall into place. But his voice? It just came that way.:)

Where do you get your names for your characters from?

Colleen wrote: "Aricka wrote: "That is a lot of books! I'm so excited!! :D "

Have you read any of them yet?"

Yes I have! :D Tigers Curse, Tigers Promise, Earthbound, and Earthquake. :)

Colleen wrote: "Also did you ever steal anything like Kimberlee? ;)"

I haven’t ever stolen anything on purpose—it’s just not my personal temptation. But I did rob a house on accident one time. I was new in this little town and was hanging out with a girl I’d recently met and a couple of her friends came by and we hopped in the car with them and drove up a windy dirt road until we came to this house and everyone gets out and goes inside. The door was unlocked which I only later realize is just something that always happened in this particular town. So they went on and one grabbed a big bag of M&Ms and another grabbed a sword off the wall and I was standing there with my hand on the doorknob when one of the guys turns around and says, “What are you doing!!” and tosses my hand off the knob and proceeds to wipe it off with his sweatshirt. Before I could figure anything else out, they all grabbed something and headed out to the car. We were literally driving down the road before I figured out that we weren’t at one of the guys’ houses, we had just robbed a freaking house.
I didn’t hang out with them anymore, and the girl told me they took the stuff back when I freaked out, but looking back, I suspect she was just trying to make me feel better.

Aprilynne wrote: "Originally I took it into a mystery direction and solving her own murder, but that never fit and when I chilled out about trying to make an exciting plot..."

I was sort of wondering if she might've been murdered. Was thinking the cheerleader had done it. I think I spent half the book trying to figure out how she died. ;)

Aricka wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Aricka wrote: "That is a lot of books! I'm so excited!! :D "

Have you read any of them yet?"

Yes I have! :D Tigers Curse, Tigers Promise, Earthbound, and Earthquake. :)"

Wow! You've read a lot of them then! So what was your favorite Earthbound moment? I think mine is the kissing!

Aprilynne wrote: "one of the guys turns around and says, “What are you doing!!” and tosses my hand off the knob and proceeds to wipe it off with his sweatshirt. "

Oh man that's scary! I have some regrets like that. There were a few times in my life when I chose the wrong friends and ended up in situations I wouldn't normally put myself in. Thankfully, I'm much wiser now than I was back then.

Shara wrote: "What do you like writing more the fast paced action scenes or the tense but very nice romantic scenes? Which take longer to write and have you rethinking and rewriting them in your mind over and o..."

Which do I like? The romantic scenes. They are easy for me. But I think that the scenes that often make of break the book are the intense action scenes they are much more difficult for me to write. And your wording is exactly right, I do keep writing and rewriting them, both on the page and in my head. When I write a love scene I generally am feeling it as I write it … not so much the action scenes. They’re an Achilles heel of mine. That being said, I think that I have so particularly good action scenes in my books that are very, very pivotal … It just took AGES and AGES to get them right!!!:D

Shara wrote: "What is it inside Tavia that keeps her so strong and not running to a closet and hiding? Is it just who she is deep down? Having the weight of the world on her shoulders is pretty epic in this series."

I think that there are a few answers to this. The first and maybe most obvious one is that somewhere inside, she knows what she is. That she is a super-powerful, immortal being. Even if she doesn’t consciously know that, I think her mind does and that sometimes that simple fact helps her brain push her forward instead of stepping back.
Second is that when the book opens, Tavia has just got through an incredibly difficult ordeal. Not only physically with her injuries and all the fallout from that, but emotionally, losing everything in one very savage blow. There is the old saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but I think there is truth there. I think that you do come out of something like that even stronger and ready to conquer more big things.
Thirdly, I am a big believer in the power of strong, supportive partners (especially in my personal life!!:D) and Tavia has two incredibly strong, determined guys in her life who—more than anything else—support HER. I know that knowing there’s someone strong behind me helps me move forward when I’m afraid, and I like to think it helps Tavia too.

Yeah, it kinda is. So if the power goes back into the pool do other Earthbounds get it? Sort of like Highlander? If I recall correctly, they'd kill each other off and absorb the other guy's power.

Yes, actually. I'd never thought about it that way, but yes!

Aprilynne wrote: "When I write a love scene I generally am feeling it as I write it … not so much the action scenes. They’re an Achilles heel of mine. "

I feel ya there. The romance is usually swoony enough I can totally get into it and I emerge several pages later thinking writing is easy. Then a battle scene comes and I slog through it, researching weapons and all kinds of stuff better left to Lord of Rings nerds. Speaking of which there was way too much ork battle and not even close to enough Legolas kissing. Even Aragorn was separated too long from his elf girlfriend.

Colleen wrote: "So laundry or dishes?
Cookies or cake?
A kiss or a shoulder rub?
Flowers or chocolate?
A wink or a smile?
Dogs or cats?"

So laundry or dishes? Laundry!! I really despise doing dishes, which is sad as I love to cook.
Cookies or cake? Um, pie? I prefer … wet things? And cake and cookies are both dry. I know, I know, they can be moist, but that’s not really wet. Pies, ice cream, chocolate, that sort of thing.:)
A kiss or a shoulder rub? KISS!!!
Flowers or chocolate? Chocolate.:D
A wink or a smile? Smile.
Dogs or cats? Um, I have a dog, but I’m actually not a pet person. Dogs over cats, but no pet over either. (Don’t tell my dog who is in love with me!!)

Aprilynne wrote: "and Tavia has two incredibly strong, determined guys in her life who—more than anything else—support HER. I know that knowing there’s someone strong behind me helps me move forward when I’m afraid, and I like to think it helps Tavia too. "

And I have to add that both of these boys are absolutely swoonworthy! I liked both the boys in the Wings series too. Such good guys. It's hard not to want one of them to win and then cry for the other one. What's your secret to creating such memorable heroes?