Full Transcript of Richelle Mead's Q&A on Twitter

Have you seen the movie yet?

 I have seen it! And I loved it. I was so blown away. So much more amazing than I even imagined.

I hope the new baby is doing okay?

He's great! But he's also why I'm not online much. I hope you're able to stay up to date with this and other VA accounts!

Hey Richelle! Why does Lissa wear a green dress instead of a pink one at the dance?? Just curious! :)

I think just b/c it looked better on Lucy. Pale colors can wash out pale people. It wasn't a detail that affected plot :)

What do you think of Sami as Mía?

Sami is awesome as Mia! She really knows how to play Mia's bitch side and vulnerable side. It's a tough job.

What is your favourite swap from book to film scene?

Tough one! I have so many faves. I love all the Lissa/Christian attic scenes, and the ending scene is also phenomenal.

+ Read more of Richelle's Q&A below!

Did your cameo make it to the movie? If so, what was it like seeing yourself in the movie of your book?

Last I knew it did, but we'll see if it's in the final cut! It's really small and short. My husband didn't even notice me!

What's your favourite rose and dimitri scene?

My fave is when they're going back to St. Vlad's at the beginning. R&D have some funny lines on the car ride there. :)

How do you feel about the actors that are playing the characters you created?

I loved them. Their performances astounded me. Even the side characters were show stealers! The actors really 'get' their roles.

Any type of little Dimitri POV if we win MTV movie brawl?(:

Ha, no more Dimitri POV, I'm afraid! But maybe the movie team will come up with a treat. We'll see

I'm not sure if you can tell us this, but is the ending different than the book? ( like slightly throwing off frostbite)

There are a few tweaks in the action scenes, but the ending is ready to set up Frostbite if it gets made (fingers crossed!).

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Really hope Shadow Kiss gets made b/c Zoey and Dominic have awesome chemistry as Rose & Christian. Can't wait to see more!

How close did you work with director Mark Waters?

Mostly as an advisor, which was fine with me. He has a hard job! He fact checked things and made sure choices wouldn't ruin future books.

What's been the most exciting part of this for you?

Seeing the characters come to life. It reminds me why fans love the series so much and even makes me want to write more. :)

Are the other books in the series also going to be made into movies?

It depends on the success of this one! If it does well, they'll also make Frostbite and so forth. So make your friends see it!

On the scale of 1-10 how much did you enjoy filming and stuff?

I only saw 2 days of filming, but I'd give it a 10! It was fun seeing VA come to life and watching how much the cast loved it

Will there be Vampire Academy costumes available for Halloween?

That'll depend on you guys and if you make them. :)

Was it difficult to cast the movie and how close will the movie follow the book?

I didn't do the casting but love the job they did. The movie follows all the major plot points. There are little changes, but they were all smart ones.

Is there too much humor in the movie?

Honestly, I expected more! Lots of jokes, but the majority is very serious. You guys have seen heavily edited funny commercials!

Why was the UK date pushed back so far and does this mean we wont get a premiere?

Release dates are controlled by each country's own film distributor, so I honestly don't have an answer. Hope you love it!

How much Zoey Deutch looks like Rose?

To me, Zoey Deutch is a really close match to the Rose in my head! Even more so, she totally owns Rose's personality.

Have you built a relationship with the Vampire Academy cast?

They welcomed me instantly when I met them on set and have been super friendly in online communication! I love them.

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Only if they're of age! :) All the guys knock it out of the park, btw. You'll be in love with all of them.

Do you think we can win the MTV Movie Brawl?

VM's a tough fandom but if anyone can do it, we can! Divergent has many more readers so that victory already beat the odds!

How does the movie compare to the book? Is it faithful enough for you?

Yes, esp b/c all my fave scenes were in there. If one of your faves was cut, you might be sad, but overall, they kept most!

Does the movie capture the tone you were hoping it would?

Yes! I intended the book to be a mix of seriousness, romance, & humor, & the movie nails it (no matter what some ads might seem!)

What was your favorite food they had on set?

They had a food truck that made free lattes and smoothies. It was awesome.

How is the bond between Lissa and Rose portrayed in the movie?

Rose's eyes go funny when she's in Lissa's head so you know it's happening. Zoey & Lucy also really capture the emotion in the friendship

How was Lucy Fry as Lissa?

Wonderful. I loved her before I saw the movie, and then I was stunned at how well she captured Lissa's strength & fragility.

Which VA trailer do you like best so far?

Last Stand is my favorite by far. If you haven't seen it, go search and check it out! Very dark and lots of action.

There was some scene that made you cry?

I didn't cry, but I was sad each time I saw Cameron Monaghan as Mason. Readers know why. :)

How come the VA movie will get release in February in most countries but others will have to wait!

Each country's own film distributor makes its own choices about release and has reasons for it. That's all I know!

When will we get some teasers of silver shadows?

It's not finished yet! The baby came early, so right now, he's got all my time, but I hope to finish it soon. :)

Will you be attending the premiere?

Afraid not! My new baby is too little to fly to LA, and I can't leave him home. He'll be my date for a viewing here. :)

Which character do you most identify with?

Hard to pick! I'm not much like Rose, but I definitely understand her most.

Hey Richelle! For you what was the hardest scene to watch being transferred from paper to the screen?

It wasn't hard, but I blushed a little in the lust charm scene. It's like watching your kids make out. :)

Were you sad about any lines or scenes being cut? (Whether it was important to the plot or not)

Most of my faves were kept! Some of them go by pretty fast, but it's amazing how much they kept in that 1:45 timeframe.

Did the director steer clear of the things he did with mean girls? That's my biggest fear because VA is different.

Don't worry! VA and Mean Girls both have a sense of humor, but VA is still very serious in all the parts it needs to be.

Can you tell us about the scene where strigoi seem to be in the school around the well attacking students?

There are some dream sequences and background stories that don't change the book & will make sense when you see it. :)

Was the VA movie serious or was it more of a comedy?

Serious w/a sense of humor, just like the books! The ads show a lot of humor to pull in new people, but fans will approve.

If you could pick between a moroi or dhampir, what would you want to be?

None! Those guys have a lot of problems. :)

Are you worried about how the audience who have read the books will think of the movie?

Only that they won't give it a chance. I've said in a million interviews the movie is true, but some still won't believe.

Do you have any idea as to why we don't get merch like a lot of other movies do/did?:(

Probably because we have a smaller readership than, say, Hunger Games, but if the movie pulls in new fans, we may see some!

What did you thought of Lissa (Lucy Fry)and Christian (Dom Sherwood) Chemistry on Vampire Academy Movie?

Lucy and Dominic were off the charts in chemistry, seriously! They totally keep up with Rose & Dimitri. :)

Is there any scene in the movie that comes from the other books?

Nope. I'd say 90% is from book 1, then the rest are small book-to-movie changes or extra background info to explain things.

What are your plans for the future? Are you planning on writing more? And, are you doing a book tour anytime soon?

I'm currently working on book 5 of Bloodlines and have other secret projects in the works. No tours for a while with the baby.

Who was the craziest/funniest cast member?

I wasn't on set enough to know! We'll have to ask the cast. :)

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I loved seeing them tease and bond with each other. They had the same great chemistry as the actual characters.

Do you have a fave scene in the movie? And if yes is it funny - action packed or a romantic one ? :)

I loved the church scenes and ending. Also Christian using fire in class:

Who has the funniest lines in the movie?

I'd say Rose does, just like in the books...but Christian, Dimitri, and Mason have good ones too.

What was your reaction when you found out VA would become a movie? :)

Very openminded! I knew it could change the book a lot and was so excited when I saw that it was actually super true to my work.

What do you think of Dom as Christian?

Dominic's amazing. He was one of the last cast, and we're so lucky to get him. He IS Christian, no question.

Do you think the movie is long enough for the characters to develop?

No movie ever is, but they did a really good job of capturing each character's big moments and vulnerabilities. It feels real.

What did you think of the uniforms and other costumes?

LOVED them. I'd wanted uniforms in the book but left them out. Also, the guardian jackets are slick. I want one!

How does it feel to know that the VA fandom is probably one of the biggest?

Funny thing...it's actually smaller than many others, but shows more power and heart than fandoms more than twice its size!

How much of Rose and Mason's friendship we'll see on the movie?

It's in there for sure, and Cameron has some pretty funny lines.

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