Interview with author Angela Morrison

Today I'm proud to announce that I had the privilege of interviewing young-adult author Angela Morrison on Books Obsession! :)

About your writing: What inspired you to become an author?

I fell in love with writing as soon as I learned how to do it in first grade. My mom made up great bedtime stories, too. I made my own little books. It took me a long, long time to get to publish big ones.

How do you think your life would be different if you didn't write?

I'd be cranky ALL the time. I'm miserable when I don't write.

Can you tell us anything about a current project you're working on?

I've got two manuscripts with my agent--the sequel to TAKEN BY STORM, UNBROKEN CONNECTION (that Razorbill rejected when my editor left) and a historical romance called MY ONLY LOVE. Think good thoughts for me on those, okay? I hope to find a publisher for both soon. One of my bloggers started a FaceBook group for UNBROKEN CONNECTION. Join if you'd like to get updates on what's happening with it.

The project I'm revising right now is so much fun. I'm turning a time-slip adventure novel on it's head. I originally wrote TIME ASSASSINS for middle grade boys with a snarky boy protagonist, but the time assassin turned out so hot that it seemed like such a waste there was no one in the novel to fall in love with him. So I axed the snarky boy, and I'm rewriting the story with a Bronte-esque heroine. So it's turning out to be Jane Eyre meets the Terminator or Mad Max in the Middle Ages. (Mad Max works better because my assassin is nothing like a robot!) Crazy mix of times and ideas, but it's a blast to write and I think it will be quite a ride for the reader.

Do you have a certain writing routine or ritual?

I draft scenes by hand. I have to write with black Zebra medium point gel pens on unlined pink paper. It works best if I start scribbling when I first wake up and keep going until my hand or brain wears out. I have a kidney shaped lap desk so I can write in bed propped on feather pillows. Then I get up and type it up. And start all over again. Some days I draft about five pages; some days I get around twenty. I'm not good at multi-tasking. If I'm writing, I'm writing.

Favorite thing about being an author?

I love hearing from fans--especially teens. They are so exuberant and real. It makes my day whenever I get an email from someone who is dying for more about Michael and Leesie or cried at the end of SING ME TO SLEEP. I also love to visit high schools and meet aspiring writers. They inspire me so much.

About you: You're an advanced scuba diver, I read on your site. What's the best thing about diving? Favorite location you scuba dived at?

The best thing about scuba is it lets you enter another world--a secret, silent place only divers know about. Hands down the most amazing site we ever dove was Bloody Bay Wall at Little Cayman. That's why Michael keeps dreaming about it in TAKEN BY STORM.

What toppings do you like to put on your pizza?

I never get to eat pizza because I can't eat cheese. It gives me headaches. Isn't that tragic? When we lived in Switzerland, we used to get pizza from this small restaurant every Friday night. And I swear, it had nothing to do with how cute the Italian guy tossing pizza crusts in the air who greeted us when we walked in. We just got mozarella and fresh tomato sauce, but it was the best pizza I've ever eaten. They baked in a wood-fired brick oven while we watched. That was worth picking the cheese off and eating the crust and tomatoes. The tomatoes were sun sweet and tasted amazing. The crust crispy thin and fresh. Hmm. It makes me hungry just to think of it.

Favorite books or authors?

I'm a big Jane Austen geek. But I'm really into the Bronte's these days. I think my favorite is Charlotte's VILLETTE, but I also like Anne's AGNES GREY. I just reread JANE EYRE, and I was impressed with how much faith Charlotte pours into Jane. My favorite YA novel is THE BOOK THEIF by Markus Zusak.

Best song or band at the moment?

Right now my favorite performing group is the Amabile guys. If you haven't heard their recording of "Beth's Song," from SING ME TO SLEEP, hop over to my website for a taste and then you can buy it from iTunes--all the proceeds go to support the choir. Their youth girls' choir is recording "Take me Home," and will be releasing that on iTunes soon. I can't wait to hear it. And next month the guys are going to record the duet Derek and Beth sing at the Choral Olympics, "About You." I never, ever, ever thought a song I wrote would be out on iTunes.

Thank you so much for answering my questions Angela! Readers, if you haven't read one of her amazing books yet, you are missing out!