iBooks chats with Richelle Mead

Richelle Mead held a Twitter Q&A with iBooks on Twitter. She talked about the Vampire Academy Movie (out this Friday in US and Canada!) and shared some of her writing tips.

What books did you love to read growing up?

When I was very young, I loved historical "girl" books like Anne of Green Gables. As I teen, I got into lots of sci-fi.

How close does the Vampire Academy movie adhere to your book?

Very! They really got the dark/romantic/funny tone and included so m any fave scenes, fans will be happy... of course, there are changes, but they're small & help the film flow better. My review better explains (here)

As an author, how did it feel to see your characters come to life on film?

Amazing. The cast is so spot-on in looks and personality. Seeing Zoey & Lucy was like Rose & Lissa coming to life. They all brought out the emotion I put into the books and reminded me why I love these stories so much!

You followed up Vampire Academy with the series, Bloodlines. Was it hard to shift the attention from Rose to Sydney?

It was an adjustment getting into Sydney's head and switching tones, but I really love writing Sydney. She brings a new look to the VA world, and once I finished book #1, I understood her perfectly. :)

What is the hardest part about writing a series? How do you keep each book new and exciting?

For me, the key is planning ahead. If I know the ending, I can seed clues along the way and make sure each book serves a purpose and is exciting. If I don't plan, I start to flounder and go astray. So I outline everything!

Do you have any advice for young readers who are aspiring to be authors?

Write what you love, don't worry about if others will like it. Your passion is what fuels a story. Also write each day, even if it's just a page. People who take long breaks never finish books. It's a lot of work!

What gave you the idea to start writing Bloodlines?

I didn't want to leave the VA world but i needed a new project. I thought telling it from a human POV would be fun. Also, I really wanted to continue Adrian's story. He got a raw deal in the VA series and needed help! :)

How do you make your characters so multidimensional?

I try to make them real. I put in real emotions, things I've felt and seen. People aren't 2D in real life so I don't write my characters that way. Having flaws is also key to making them feel real.

What character is most like you?

There's a little of me in all of them. No one is exactly me since I didn't write myself into the books. Instead there are pieces. Georgina's humor, Sydney's cautiousness, etc. It's a lot of fun working with all of them!

How was it spending time with the actors on set?

It was great! They were all so friendly, and I loved seeing how passionate they were about their characters.