Here at BOP & Tiger Beat headquarters, we are huge fans of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. We can’t get enough of all the vampire drama and we are excited that her new book The Golden Lily, the second book in the Bloodlines series came out yesterday! We can’t wait to see what Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian do in this one! And for our lucky readers we got this EXCLUSIVE interview with Richelle herself! Check it out below.
BOP&TB: What inspired you to write the Bloodlines series?
Richelle Mead: Even though Bloodlines is its own self-contained series, it’s really an extension of the Vampire Academy series. I wrapped up Rose’s story (for now!) in Last Sacrifice, but I knew there was still a lot more to tell about this world I’d created. It’s so intricate and filled with so many different characters that I couldn’t let it go yet. Sydney, Adrian and Jill clearly had more to do in their personal journeys, and I chose Sydney as my narrator because I thought a human could give us a new perspective on the world. That, and she’s a lot of fun to write.
BOP&TB: Do you ever struggle with writer’s block? If so, how do you find your muse again?
Richelle Mead: For me, the best way to cure writer’s block is to prevent it in the first place. Whenever I stall out on a book, it’s usually because I didn’t think it through enough. So, before starting a book, I do a lot of groundwork on where the story’s going and outline extensively. If I do a good job with that, then most of my battle’s already fought. Those blocked days are still inevitable, of course, and then I find it’s best just to step away for a while.
BOP&TB: When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? How did you get to where you are today?
Richelle Mead: I wanted to write from a very early age. I grew up loving books and reached a point where I wanted to create my own stories. Actually making that happen was difficult, and I fell away from that path in college and my early twenties. I worked other jobs and eventually picked up writing again as a side project. I think I simply needed time to grow up and get more discipline. Once I finished my first book, I began pitching it to agents, and things slowly took off from there. I’ve been very lucky in my career.
BOP&TB: What’s the most frequent question you get from fans of your books? What’s the most unique question a fan has ever asked you?
Richelle Mead: The most frequent question I get is if there’s going to be a Vampire Academy movie. Unfortunately, the answer is one that readers find frustrating: I don’t know. There’s a production company trying to get a studio on board, but at the moment (no matter what rumors say), there’s no movie being made. Fingers crossed! I get a lot of unique questions, but one that sticks out was from a girl asking if she could create a Vampire Academy board game. I had to explain the dreary legal and copyright sides to something like that but was impressed that she had thought of it!
BOP&TB: Do you model any of your characters off of real life people? Were there any in The Golden Lily that were specifically inspired by real people?
Richelle Mead: I try to avoid basing my characters on real people because I’m pretty sure that’s the biggest way to get in trouble with your friends. I did, however, once go to school with a guy who dressed a lot like Abe.
BOP&TB: Do you plan on incorporating more witchcraft in the rest of the Bloodlines series?
Richelle Mead: Yes—there’s definitely more magic to come!
BOP&TB: Will Rose Hathaway be making more of an appearance in this series?
Richelle Mead: She will, but it’ll only be in small parts here and there. Rose is a huge force in the larger Vampire Academy world, but for Bloodlines, she’s got to take a backseat for a while. I haven’t forgotten her, though.
BOP&TB: Should fans expect the Warriors to make appearances in later books?
Richelle Mead: Absolutely. There’s a lot more to tell about them!
BOP&TB: What books are on your summer reading list?
Richelle Mead: My biggest goal is to finish A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin. I was in the middle of it the night I went into labor with my son—which was last August. He’s kept me so busy that I haven’t had a chance to get back to it! I’ve also got an advanced copy of Velveteen by Daniel Marks on my list. It’s a teen ghost story that comes out in October.
BOP&TB: What one book not written by you would you encourage young fans to read this summer?
Richelle Mead: If they like vampire stories, they should check out Glass Houses by Rachel Caine. It’s the first in her Morganville Vampires series, and she’s a master (mistress?) at creating wonderful characters and worlds.
BOP&TB: Which authors inspire you the most?
Richelle Mead: L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series was one of my youngest exposures to a character-driven series. It really taught me how creating characters that readers love can be just as powerful as the plots those characters go through. Later, in adolescence, I read Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman’s Dragonlance series and saw those same principles applied to a fantasy world. Exciting plots are important in books, of course, but the best ones have characters that readers will follow anywhere. I’ve always tried to keep up to that standard.
Want to keep up to date with everything Richelle Mead? She has a FREE app, The World of Richelle Mead, that gives you exclusive interviews, illustrations, and behind-the-scenes notes straight from Richelle!
Are you a fan of the Vampire Academy world? Do you want to see more interviews from your favorite authors? Let us know which author you want us to interview next in the comments below or on Twitter!