NYT Best Selling Lauren Oliver Author Interview ~ JeanBookNerd

Book Nerd Interview

Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader.

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.

She is deeply grateful for the chance to continue writing, as she has never been particularly good at anything else.

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What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?

I sleep, like, thirteen hours a day. I need crazy amounts of sleep!

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I was probably eight or nine. I hand-wrote a 30 page story about people living on the frontier, because I was really into Laura Ingalls Wilder at the time. I’m pretty sure I killed off almost all the main characters at the end. I thought it was brilliant.

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?

The alphabet!

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Passionate, driven, loyal.

In your new book; The Spindlers, can you tell my Book Nerd Kids Community a little about it and why they should read your novel?

The Spindlers is an epic, awesome monster story for kids. It tells the story of a girl named Liza, who wakes up one morning to discover that the spindlers—evil, spiderlike beings—came during the night and stole her brother’s soul. She knows she’s the only one who can rescue him, so armed with little more than her wits and a huge talking rat for a guide, Liza descends into the dark and ominous underground to save him. She must brave tree-snakes, the Court of Stones, and shape-shifting scawgs before facing her greatest challenge in the spindlers’ lair, where more than just Patrick’s soul is at stake. If you like adventure, monsters, underground worlds, or stories of friendship, this book is for you!

For those who are unfamiliar with Liza, how would you introduce her?

Liza is smart, stubborn, loyal, and very adventurous. She has a smattering of freckles on her nose, which she once attempted to blot out with paint, and long brown hair that is, I’m ashamed to say, dirty more often than it is clean. She doesn’t mind baths, but she hates wet hair because it slows her down!

If you could introduce Patrick to any character from another book, who would it be and why?

Lucy from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. They’d have a grand old time
together.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

My father.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your readers. What would it be?

Do the things you’re afraid to do.

What's the most memorable summer job you've ever had?

Lifeguarding, mostly because it was the summer after senior year and my three best girlfriends worked there too. We used to sneak into the pool afterhours and skinnydip!

What scares you the most and why?

Not doing enough—not seeing enough, tasting enough, producing enough. Not taking advantage of our very short time on this planet.

when was the last time you told someone you loved them?

About five minutes ago.

Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?

My fiancé. Or my sister.

When was the last time you cried?

Probably only a few days ago, at a movie. I’m a huge crier. I bawled at Bridesmaids, which is a comedy.

Where can readers stalk you?

Lauren-oliver.tumblr.com or @OliverBooks on twitter!

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.

When Liza's brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul.

She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him.

To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom. There, she uncovers a vast world populated with talking rats, music-loving moles, greedy troglods, and overexcitable nids . . . as well as terrible dangers. But she will face her greatest challenge at the spindlers' nests, where she encounters the evil queen and must pass a series of deadly tests--or else her soul, too, will remain Below forever.

From "New York Times" best-selling author Lauren Oliver comes a bewitching story about the reaches of loyalty, the meaning of love, and the enduring power of hope.

Lauren Oliver’s action-packed adventure, The Spindlers, tells the fascinating story of Liza’s journey to a world where animals talk in order to rescue her brother Patrick. One morning, her brother is not acting like himself. Patrick has always been the annoying brother to Liza, always doing things that irritate her. But he has his soft side which Liza admires. So when his demeanor goes to a 180 degrees turn, she suspects that the Spindlers are responsible for taking his soul. In a quest into their world, Liza is tested by the evil queen. If she fails these deadly trials, she may face the same fate as her brother.

This beautifully written book is full of magic. It will remind readers of the classic Lewis Carroll tale, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in which Lauren twists it into her own. When Liza steps into the world of the Spindlers, Lauren paints this magical place that is way beyond anyone’s imagination. The pace of the story is managed well and appropriate for its age group. The pages are filled with adventures, intense imagery, and stunning writing that once readers get lost in the story, it becomes difficult to stop. The immaculate writing etiquette of Lauren engages readers into the story of spindlers, serpents, and tree snakes. She has a knack for constructing words together that your imagination takes no effort in visualizing this remarkable world. From beginning to end, it is non-stop excitement of fresh fantasy tale. Although The Spindlers is targeted towards middle graders, there are elements in the book that will satisfy any age group.

You can purchase The Spindlers at the following Retailers: