Carey: One of my most favorite YA reads of this year was the quirky,
imaginative story Robin in the Hood by Diane J.
Reed. In addition to being a kick-ass author, Diane has interviewed numerous
Once Upon A Time cast members about the hit show-which is so cool! I’m thrilled to have her here
today to talk fairy tales and fandom.
CC: We always start with the same
curiosity: What book spoke to you most during your teen years?
DJR:
I loved so many books! But I have to say my favorite was When the Legends
Die by Hal
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Visit Diane: www.banditsranch.com |
CC: Do
you have a book (or books) that you reread regularly? If yes, what book and
why?
DJR: One book I read regularly is Blackbird House by
Alice Hoffman. This particular book is a collection of short stories and her
lyrical writing is exquisite! She's truly a master of the craft. She also
delves into the waters of magic realism and I LOVE how she depicts the mysterious
& magical aspects of life that sometimes we can only sense through the
quiet whispers of our spirits. She's also the author of Practical Magic—a
hugely fun book about witches, written long before the current paranormal
craze, and it was made into a fantastic movie! I believe I've watched that film
100 times, and I even designed my kitchen after the one in the film. Can you
spell O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D? Did somebody mention "spells"? ; )
CC: What
YA novel or novels have you read recently that you most want all your friends
to read?
DJR: I came awfully late to this party, but I adore Beautiful
Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl! It's just so beautifully
written and I love the teen narrator Ethan Wate's insights into life. I also
really enjoyed Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan with its
wonderfully smart spy heroines and Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie
Langdon with its unique blend of magic & history that impacts
present-day teens.
CC: Aww –
thanks for the DOON shout out! What made you want to write teen fiction? Is
there any link to the stories you read growing up?
DJR: I simply love the vulnerability and need for courage that
all teens experience. It's an amazing, magical time where you're deciding
who you really are and who you want to become—and that takes GUTS! You can wimp
out and put one foot after the other by following the life that may have been
"prescribed" for you, OR you can dig down deep, search your soul, and
go against the grain. It's a perilous age for everyone and I love examining the
choices people make. One book that really influenced me growing up was National
Velvet by Enid Bagnold about a teen girl who poses as a boy so she can
enter her horse in the most dangerous steeplechase race on earth: The Grand
National. Many jockeys and horses have died in that race, but she refuses to
let anything stop her. Like The Hunger Games, every time I read a book
about teens who muster up extraordinary bravery, I'm hooked!
CC: Tell
us about ROBIN IN THE HOOD. Where did the inspiration for this story come from?
DJR: Yowza—believe it or not, I once held a job in a juvenile
detention program that was the last stop for teen boys before they
turned 18 and faced decades in prison for federal crimes. We're not
CC: How closely does Robin in the Hood mirror the original Robin Hood story?
DJR: Robin in the Hood is meant to
tread lightly within fairy tale territory, but also to mix it up a little
& provide a more modern, "edgy" feel to the legend. So instead of
Robin being a guy, I decided to depict the character as teenage girl who makes
the decision to rob from the rich to give to the poor. And most certainly I was
playing with the Sherwood Forest concept when I created Bender Lake—a boondocks
haven for those who are running from the law as well as their exes! Also,
the motley group of characters who appear at Turtle Shores Trailer Park mimic
Robin Hood's band of Merry Men outlaws in a comedic way. But unlike the
original Robin Hood, who is an expert marksman and always noble of purpose, my
Robin steals out of desperation at first, but then begins to develop a real
heart for the unfortunate people around her that galvanizes her into more noble
endeavors.
CC: Both
your YA and adult books are modern day fairy tales. Why do you suppose
fairytales continue to be so popular?
DJR: Because they're TRUE! You can often tell "soul
truths" in fairy tales that you somehow can't quite comprehend any other
way because life is so complicated and mysterious. For example, I read an
archaic version of Cinderella recently where one of the stepsisters
cut off her big toe to fit into the glass slipper. The prince thought she was
the real deal & hoisted her onto his horse for a ride back to the
castle—but she left a trail of blood behind her the entire way. NOTE TO SELF:
If you're dating someone who leaves a trail of blood in their wake, no matter
how much they try to smooth talk you, they're NOT the real deal! I love how
fairy tales aren't afraid to illuminate the dark recesses of the human
spirit as well as the noble victories.
CC: You
are very active in the ONCE UPON A TIME (OUAT) fandom. Tell us a little about
what that’s like?
DJR: You know, I sort of fell into it. I loved the show and
began following @OnceUponAFan
on twitter as a result. The creator of the fansite, Gareth Hughes, later
asked me if I would like to write a couple of articles on the origins of fairy
tales for the website, which I thought would be fun. He liked my work and when
the occasion arose, he asked me if I would mind interviewing the cast
& creators of the show. Of course I said yes! From there it snowballed and
to date I've done 11 interviews with the cast & writers of ABC's hit
show Once Upon a Time. I'm hoping to do interviews for their new
spin-off Wonderland this fall as well : )

CC: Do
you have a favorite OUAT character or storyline?
DJR: Well who couldn't love the enduring battle between Regina,
played by Lana Parilla, and Rumpelstiltskin, played by Robert Carlyle? The
actors are SUPERB and I think I could happily watch them read the phone book!
Every second they are on screen is a thrill for me. So talented : )
CC: We’ve got a lot of aspiring authors
visiting our blog. Would you share with them your path to publication? (And any
words of encouragement would be great additions *s*)
DJR: My biggest advice is to just start writing and get your
books out there as fast as you can to start building platform and fans. Don't
wait for traditional New York publishers to "approve" of you or your
teachers or mother to say it's good enough—go Indie if you have to. You'd be
stunned at how much audience you can gain if you work hard, constantly refine
your craft, and go for it! The real test of how worthy your work is comes down
to the readers who are eager for more. Get out there on Wattpad or write for
fansites, or better yet, load up your work on Kindle and sell it. Somewhere out
there are hearts that are willing to read your stories. Be bold, be confident,
and keep writing!
CC: What’s next for you?
DJR: I just finished a fun &
irreverent fairy tale book for children called The Boys Who Farted and Flew
(because sometimes magic gets stinky ; ). I'm now working on the sequel to Robin
in the Hood where Robin and her boyfriend Creek go to Venice in search of
her long-lost mother.
About Diane J. Reed: I
was the kind of teen who hitchhiked her way out of church camp to go play pool
with strangers, then picked the cutest guy to go make out on the beach. Since
that time, I moved to the Rocky Mountains & I write books that
are infused with enchantment, where characters dare to break through boundaries
and believe in true love. I have a soft spot for artisans & outlaws of the heart,
those of us who burn brightly to live each day as a gift—because it is! I'd
love to hear from you, so feel free to visit my website www.banditsranch.com or message me on Facebook or Twitter (@DianeJReed) to share the whispers
of your spirit.
Thanks Again
Diane. I will be eagerly awaiting your fantastic OUAT interviews and the next installment of
Robin & Creek in la bella Venezia!
Carey
Carey Corp is the author of DOON,
Brigadoon reimagined, co-written w/Lorie Langdon. Book 1 coming 8/20/13
from the new YA imprint BLINK (a
division of Zondervan/HarperCollins)
Join
the DOON journey: www.doonseries.com
2 comments:
I have paused PRACTICAL MAGIC a gazillion times to see that kitchen again and again. I'm so jealous that you have a kitchen like that!!! Lol.
I, too, have always held a fondness for "outlaws of the heart". :-) I loved your story about your juvenile detention program experience, and that must have played such a part in writing ROBIN IN THE HOOD. I have got to get my hands on that book! It sounds like a book right up my alley. Thanks for visiting!
Thank you so much, Kimberly! And with October upon us now, even more reason to obsess over Practical Magic! Hope your Autumn is magical : )
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