Hello Beautiful People,
When we first launched Maggie Keenan-Bolger’s column, one of our greatest supporters was Lauren Oliver. And so, I’m just unbelievably honored and grateful that she has so graciously participated in our School Time Author Q&A Series!
For those of you who don’t know, Lauren Oliver is the author of the YA novel Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem, which have been translated into more than thirty languages and are New York Times and are international bestsellers. She is also the author of two novels for middle-grade readers, The Spindlers and Liesl & Po, which was a 2012 E. B. White Read-Aloud Award nominee. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and NYU’s MFA program. Lauren is also the co-founder of the boutique literary development company Paper Lantern Lit.
Ladies + Gentlemen, meet Lauren Oliver…
MM: First things first, did you ever envision yourself as an author?
LO: I did, although I also imagined myself as a ballerina! Writing has always been an incredibly important part of my life though.
MM: When you were a teenage, what was your favorite book?
LO: Pride and Prejudice was certainly up there. It’s still probably my favorite romance.
MM: Of all the character’s you’ve created, is there one in particular that is your favorite?
LO: No! It’s like picking a favorite child.
MM: Just for fun, if you were stranded on a desert island, what movies would you want to have with you?
LO: The BBC Pride and Prejudice mini series with Colin Firth, and maybe a boxed set of Parks and Recreation (not really movies, but they’ll last longer!)
MM: Just for fun, if you had to choose five musicians to listen to for the rest of your life, who would they be?
LO: Off the top of my head I’ll say Dar Williams, Beyoncé.
MM: Just for fun, what books are permanently on your bookshelf?
LO: One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; the Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald; Matilda, by Roald Dahl; the Harry Potter series; and about five hundred others.
MM: Do you write at a particular time of day and/or at a particular place?
LO: I try to write in the morning at my living room table, but I usually end up writing wherever and whenever I can cram it in.
MM: Can you describe your writing process for our readers?
LO: I write 1000 – 1,500 words a day, no matter what.
MM: What’s next for Lauren Oliver? (In terms of new and upcoming projects.)
LO: So many exciting things! I have my first Adult book coming out this fall, called Rooms. I also have a new YA standalone novel on the horizon, and a new Middle Grade Series!
MM: In today’s economy, arts programs are being cut. What reasons would you give to a politician for preserving the arts?
LO: Engagement in the arts teaches children how to be creative problem solvers and inventive thinkers, two skills that are more necessary than ever in today’s globally competitive economy. By cutting these programs, we’re not just endangering culture–we’re hamstringing our ability to maintain a fertile and dynamic economy.
MM: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
LO: My father.
Live, Love, Learn,