This week we're changing it up a bit. On hold is the usual Book of the Week review, in its place I'm very happy to feature an interview with Shannon Delany, the author of the new book 13 to Life, and a snippet of the novel for you to read. The cool thing about this novel--which is slated to become a series with the second and third books already on their way--is that it began life as a serial textnovel. The whole idea of the textnovel was intriguing to me as it seems to harken back to the serials written by authors like Dickens and Henry James. I was also very interested in the process Delany went through, transforming her serial into a full-length book. Here is a rundown of the plot from the publisher:
"Something strange is stalking the small town of Junction…
When junior Jess Gillmansen gets called out of class by Guidance, she can only presume it’s for one of two reasons. Either they’ve finally figured out who wrote the scathing anti-jock editorial in the school newspaper or they’re hosting yet another intervention for her about her mom. Although far from expecting it, she’s relieved to discover Guidance just wants her to show a new student around—but he comes with issues of his own including a police escort.
The newest member of Junction High, Pietr Rusakova has secrets to hide--secrets that will bring big trouble to the small town of Junction—secrets including dramatic changes he’s undergoing that will surely end his life early."
Intrigued? So was I. Read on to find out what else Shannon Delany has to say about her novel, her characters and her creative process:
I'm always interested in the inspiration of artists, where did the idea for 13 to Life come from?
It all started with the random phrase “thirteen to life” which was rolling around in my head for no good reason and the fact I was tired of seeing so many vampire novels (unlike my main character, Jess) and was wondering why there weren’t more werewolves. That was back in late 2008.
Did you find the process of converting your textnovel into a printed novel series difficult?
No, by the time I was done with the textnovel.com version, I knew where the characters wanted to go and had ideas about other characters and subplots to make it all work. The hardest part was just finding the time to get the full manuscript created.
What are some of the differences between writing a text novel and a traditional book?
A textnovel tends to have (in my opinion) a more sparse writing style or an “economy of language.” With every entry (and I did two “chapters” a day most days) you have to focus on making it very memorable and completely clear—people read an entry then go back to work for another six or eight hours before they can return for another brief section. It’s easy to forget what was going on if you’re reading a serial in a true textnovel serial format. I also had to remember to create a little cliffhanger for each “chapter” to encourage readers along. Writing that way makes you micromanage your words (especially if you’re naturally verbose, like me).
Does main character Jess Gillmansen have any similarities to you at that age?
Bless her heart, yes. She’s opinionated, a bit snarky, loves horses, edits the school newspaper and has been a competitive shooter.
How do you think 13 to Life sets itself apart from the vampire and werewolf novels that have risen in popularity lately?
I’m told pretty often that people like my new take on werewolves. Although I wrote the serial version very organically (it sort of grew on its own) I did a lot of research. I delved into science, “fringe science,” history, legends and lore. I don’t throw all that info out at readers at once (because I don’t like that in books I read) but let readers discover things as Jess discovers them. And much of the research we authors do never shows up in the books directly but just helps build the world. I think another difference is the way the series is told to readers. Jess has a distinct voice. She’s self-involved and self-critical and it takes her a while to pull her head out of her own troubles and see what’s going on with others. Although Jess is very involved in the action and drama, she’s a lens we view the action and drama through. Her opinion, her doubts and fears color everything she perceives (and everything we know and learn) in the story.
What can we expect from you next?
At this point, my 13 to Life trilogy (at least my part in writing the manuscripts) is nearly wrapped up. Book 2 will be released in February 2011 and Book 3 will follow about six months later. Now I’m playing with brand new characters, new settings and new trouble. Every day’s a new adventure when you’re creating worlds and the characters that populate them!
What would you like others to know about your novel?
13 to Life is designed to be read at different levels. Most readers can (and do) zip right through it in a day or two enjoying the tangled teen relationships, action and danger. Others read it and realize later they’re asking themselves the same (or very similar) questions about love, friendship and Shakespeare that Jess and Pietr are exploring. And others will get the importance of the names and start subconsciously lining things up for the second book. And any way you read it is fine—we all bring different things to our reading and we all should leave with a slightly different experience after reading.
Thank you Shannon for taking the time to talk with me and sharing your experiences in writing 13 to Life. Additional Links: 13 to Life Blog, Where to Buy.
Welcome to Shannon Delany's Start Your Day with Serial Tour! Shannon's debut novel (and first in her YA paranormal series) 13 to Life started as a winning cell phone novel written in serial segments. During the tour you can read bits of the book in order. Miss a day? Hop to Shannon's blog http://13toLife.us/blog and check the link to the blog tour calendar in her sidebar.
13 to Life: Chapter 4, Part H (used with the author’s permission)
He wrote: Fearing the Forest. “Man has always tried to tame the wilderness. We timber ancient forests, we strip mine… We have an instinctual fear of wild places and wild beasts, so we have historically tamed them so we feel more in control. This primitive fear impacts how we live and how we react in strange situations.”
Shannon's debut novel, 13 to Life, hit stores just 7 short days ago and is the beginning of a new YA paranormal series from St. Martin's Press. Find out more about Shannon and her series at http://ShannonDelany.com and http://13toLife.us/blog or follow Shannon on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Shannon_Delany.
