Summary of Aprilynne's Chat (May 1st) on Pitch Dark Facebook
A summary of Aprilynne’s question-answer on Pitch Dark facebook on Destined Release Day, which I picked out some interesting ones and Wings Series’ related answers to share! :) -there might be a little spoilers!-
Q: I’m curious about how you write the books. Do you do a plot outline or just write whatever scene that appeals to you first or write from start to finish, letting the story flow by itself?
A: I tend to outline, although for the book I am working on at the moment, I didn’t, really. However, I do plan my basic plot out ahead of time (and the basic plot of the whole series if it’s more than one book) and then I write from the beginning to the end, with very little editing. After it’s done, I spend a good month just editing the mess I’ve written.:D I learned early on that I LOVE to write endings, so I save them for the end, dangling them like a carrot for motivation!
Q: Is there going to be a chapter or book on any of the character’s life before Wings, like who was the girl that Tamani met before Laurel?
A: I’m not planning any prequels, and no, you don’t find out anything else about Tamani’s “flings” because, well, they just aren’t important to him. I don’t have names in my head or anything, just the knowledge that there were occasional girls he dated, only to solidify his knowledge that they were not the one for him.
Q: Where did you get your inspiration from to create laurel and all the other main characters?
A: This is really a hard question to answer because they don’t come from anywhere specifically. I just made people up when I needed them in the story. They aren’t based on anyone in real life (people ask me all the time is Tamani or David is more like my husband and neither of them really are). Sometimes a character comes to me and I find a place for them in a story, and sometimes the story comes first and I have to find characters to fit. The Wings series was a Story First series.:)
Q: Have you ever draw out how you imagine all the characters to look like or do you just imagine them?
A: Actually, I’m a terrible artist, so I do not draw my characters, even though I always have a very clear picture in my head of what they look like. However, once the books are out, I do like to see what other people think they look like, so I often browse deviantart.com and search for words like Wings, Tamani, Laurel, etc.!
Q: Was it hard for you to decide who laurel would end up with, or did you know from the beginning?
A: I have known from the beginning. The challenge with drawing out a love triangle through a four book series was balancing the guys, giving them each time in the spotlight, and making Laurel’s decisions make sense. Trust me, that may be harder that choosing midway through the series who she’s actually going to choose.:D
Q: Who do you relate to most in your books? And if you could, who would you love to date the most? Tamani or David?
A: I actually relate most to Chelsea. She’s very much like me (personality-wise, not appearance-wise.:)) I love the who would I pick thing, because since they are my creations, it really is like asking a mom which child she likes best.:D However, I will say that Tamani is more exciting, but I think David is better husband material… Maybe.:D
Q: Will you be writing more faerie books, or will you do books on different things?
A: I am not planning on writing faeries … probably ever again. I think this will be my only faerie series. (How can I top this?!?!?) However, I tell people that the two things you will always find in my books are magic and kissing.:D So there will be more Supernatural stories! My next two books have ghosts and fallen gods in them.
Q: Did you base any of the characters off of you, personality or looks? Were any of the other characters based off anyone else you know?
A: I did not base any characters off of myself because … well … I’m kind boring! There are bits of myself in the characters: Chelsea runs cross country, David is a science geek, Laurel loves to sing. But an entire person? No way. Too boring.:D
Q: Have you always been a fan of fairy stories?
A: Oh yes!!! Some of my earliest memories are of looking through these two flower faerie books that my parents had. I have always, always adored faeries!!!
Q: A lot of authors make playlists as mood setters for their books, do u do that too? Do Laurel, Tamani, and David have themes?
A: I actually don’t generally write to music because I am usually listening for my kids! (4) However, when I do revisions I sometimes blast the same music for literally HOURS!! The “theme” so to speak, of the Wings series is the Broadway musical, WICKED.
Q: What’s happening with the Wings movie project?
A: The movie people are actually working on their second script (they didn’t like the first one.) No big updates, but they haven’t cancelled the project yet and after three years that is definitely good news!!!
(Just Wings Things: Do hope to hear good news and to see it happening!)
Q: What’s the significance of your characters’ names? I’m particularly curious about Tamani–how did you decide on that? :)
A: Tamani comes from Tammany Hall in the Teapot Dome Scandals. No significance to the history reference, just a name I decided I liked and respelled to look more fae-ish. Laurel came from sifting through lots of lists of flowers and plants and David’s name was supposed to be Glenn, but I kept typing it wrong (figure THAT one out) so David actually named himself.
Q: How did you come up with the names of the places?
A: The places are all real! So i guess GoogleMaps inspired me.:P
Q: What inspired you to write the Wings Series?
A: I was inspired by the desire to keep my agent after my first book didn’t sell!!:D I wanted to write a book about faeries and wanted to have a new twist on it, so I came up with the idea on purpose and just pulled pieces together after that!
Q: How did you decide where the four gates were going to be located?
A: The locations are actually based on mythos that i like. Japanese faeries are fascinating! And all the Egyptian mythos rocks, the California gate is near the Redwood forest and also gives a nod to Native American mythology, and seriously, do we need to say anything about how much Scottish folklore rocks??:D
Q: Why did you decide to branch off from the “normal” winged fairy?
A: That was my saddest part!!! The wings and flying, etc. just didn’t fit with the faerie/plant mythos, so it had to go.
Q: How did you come up with the idea of the fae being plants?
A: Hehe, it stemmed (no pun intended :D) from a very bad idea at 4:00 in the morning that involved faeries getting their power from the sun and the science geek in me said, well, they must photosynthesize then.
Q: And why did you spell it “faerie” instead of “fairy”?
A: Faerie is a more traditional spelling, but also, I think of fairies as more of the small pixie type fae and faeries as the human sized ones.
Q: What’s up NEXT for you?
A: NEXT!!!! Oooh! I love this one!!! Next summer I have a stand-alone coming out that features a Klepto ghost and the boy who can see her. It’s a paranormal adventure that is a retelling of The Scarlett Pimpernel. I have been working on this book for five years and I LOVELOVELOVE it!!!!!!! I also have a new series in the works, and all i can say about that one at this point is that it is about cursed gods.:)
Interesting questions and answers from Aprilynne about the Wings Series! And JWT can’t wait to see what she have up next for us too! :)
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