Thursday, January 14, 2010

Alexandra Bullen's Wishin' Upon A Star

Today, I am excited to share with you an interview with Alexandra Bullen. Her debut novel, WISH was just released this week. Click here for a chance to win 1 of 3 copies!

The main characters in WISH are twins. Why did you choose twins over siblings or best friends?

I have always been fascinated by the special relationship all of the twins I’ve known have seemed to share. I grew up with brothers, and, though I can’t imagine life without them, often fantasized about having a sister. Having a twin sister just seemed like the ultimate—you had somebody going through absolutely everything with you at exactly the same time.

So when I was thinking about characters, and about a girl who had lost somebody she was very close to, my thoughts immediately turned to twins. It just seemed like the most devastating hole to even begin to try and fill.

I am a huge Happily Ever After fan & love fairytales, what was your favorite growing up & do you see a trace of it appear in WISH?
I was always really afraid of fairy tales growing up. I remember watching Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and being absolutely terrified. I don’t really remember why, probably the evil queens. And something about being put to sleep for eternity. Now that I think about it, there’s a lot to be afraid of!

I did really love The Princess Bride, mostly because I was fairly certain I would grow up to marry Wesley. Not sure how that helped with WISH, but…what was it that Wesley said to Buttercup all the time? Wasn’t it “As you wish…”?

Do you have any advice that you'd like to pass along to other aspiring writers?
I think the best advice I’ve gotten is to pay attention to what inspires you, and seek it out when you’re feeling stuck. For me, reading certain passages or poems always get me thinking in a way that leads to wanting to write. For some other writers I know, it’s listening to a certain type of music, or going to a favorite museum, or even just going out for a walk. Whatever it is, I think it’s really important to know what works for you, and to take the time to do it.

Thanks Alex for taking the time to stop by!

Cross-posted at: He Followed Me Home... Can I Keep Him? on 14 January 2010.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great interview. I really enjoyed learning more about Alexandra and her writing. Thanks to Alexandra for sharing. And for the excellent advice!

Anonymous said...

I agree, anything that inspires you will produce a heartfelt and passionate story. It feels real and provides a strong connection for the readers.
Cheers and congrats on your success!
Jennifer Gibson, author of Sway (Kobobooks.com).

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