STARTERS, meet Author LISSA PRICE

It's always exciting when I meet authors for the first time.  I consider all of them geniuses for conjuring words and stories out of thin air, stories which may change the lives of one, or millions, of readers worldwide.  

Such is the case of Lissa Price who has converted a former non reader into an avid one....one of many I am sure.  No wonder she is published in 30 countries and counting.

Here is Lissa Price.  
(FYI her name is pronounced not long like Lee-sa, but Lissa as in Lis-ten.)

Lyn:  How are you adjusting so far?

Lissa Price:  I am having a blast. You know the first day, you come to a foreign country and you have jet lag and you're supposed to go to sleep. So I took myself over to Landmark.

L:  Ooooohhhhh shopping!

LP:  Yes of course! And I went underground by myself and came unto the food court and it was so exciting. And then I went upstairs to where they had the filipino souveneirs

L:  The goodies

LP:  Oh yes.  And I bought some wonderful things that I've never seen before like those balls made out of wood and everything.  Things that will delight my friends.

L:  Hope you'll have more time for shopping since the Philippines is a shopping haven.  But how are you feeling now that you're about to meet your Filipino fans?

LP:  I am so excited because they have been tweeting me and taking pictures of billboards for me and the posters.  I feel the love already and I havent even met them yet face to face so I can't wait.

L:  How ready are your hands for cramps from signing non stop?

LP:  I've done exercises for my wrists (laughs), I'm ready...

L:  For those who have not read the book, what is Starters about?

LP:  Starters takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles where desperate teens are renting out their bodies to seniors so they can enjoy being young again temporarily.  One senior plans to do more than sports and party with the body, she plans to use it to murder someone.

L:  I'm not gonna ask about the plot of Enders because that will give away the end of Starters.  but which one did you enjoy writing more?

LP:  That's a very good question.  Probably Starters because that was done in that pure time when i was an unpublished author, where I was just a dreaming writer in my home office looking at the mountains going "Oh what if a character did this".  And there is a purity to that stage that I will never have again.

L:  When you were writing Starters, did you know it was going to be a duet and not a series?

LP:  No.  I thought that because all of the YA books I've been reading were trilogies, i thought "Oh i'm writing a trilogy".  But I was gonna close out Starters with a finished feeling and it was actually my agent who said "could you do this as a duology, as two books?"  And I said yes coz I haven't written any more and she thought it would be a good idea, a good way to place it with publishers and at that time it was very unusual.  So when I would go to conferences.... I've been to comic con, I've been to these big conferences and I would say the word duology, there'd be nervous twitters in the audience because they didn't know that word.  And now it has become a thing.  Now there's lots of duologies out there so I'd like to think that my agent and I sort of set a little bit of a trend.

L:  So which character is your favorite?  Is it Callie, Michael or Blake?

LP:  Honestly, it's gonna shock you.  My favorite character is the old man

L:  Why?!?

LP:  Because he is so complex, he is so interesting, he surprised me all the way through the writing of both books.  You know a villain believes he is the hero of his own story.  And so you just have to be attracted to that amazing, interesting character.

L:  Would you be interested in doing another duet with the same thing or would you diversifying in your next book?

LP:  Actually I've had so many requests from fans..... You know this is published in 30 counties...i've had so many fans email me, facebook me, tweet me..."Lissa, we're really hapy with the ending of Enders but we really want a third book".  We want more. And because of the way I end Enders, you can see a new door opening, I am seriously considering doing a third book in this series.  And also I am working on a new secret project that is YA, but will not be futuristic.

L: Oooohhhh can you give us more clues?

LP:  No (laughs)... Unfortunately no coz it really is a secret secret book...

L:  Okay can u at least tell us when it will be out?

LP:  No coz it's still in the early stages so it's way too early for that

L:  Books are now being truned into movies so if it happens, who would you like to play Callie?

LP:  I love Hailee Steinfeld from True Grit.  I just think she's wonderful.  She has strength and vulnerability.  However you never know since she has been in some science fiction films already so I don't know, but I'll be really open because there some really interesting actors coming up

L:  And the boys?

LP:  I don't know because the boys are always hard for me.  I always ask my fans, who would you recommend.  They send me ideas and it changes all the time so I don't have one right now for you.

L:  Okay.  So let's play a quick Q&A.  First answer that pops out.

LP:  Ready.

Dystopian or romance (what you enjoy):  
Dystopian

Cute and nerdy or handsome and hot (for your characters):
Cute and nerdy

Cupcake or chocolate:
Chocolate

Paperback or ebook:
Paperback

Travel or stay home:
Travel of course

Gym or couch:
Gym

You a better driver or passenger:
Driver

Stand alone book or series:
Series

Hunger Games or Divergent:
Hunger Games

Vampires or Angels:
Angels

Favorite author (or playwright):
Shakespeare

Favorite book or play:
Romeo and Juliet

Favorite book you wrote:
Starters

Favorite song:
Of all time? That's so hard.  There's just too many.

Favorite singer:
Right now I am just totally addicted to Adam Levine

Favorite movie:  
That's another tough one.  I guess I'd say Wings of Desire.  The original version

Favorite actor:
Humphrey Bogart

Favorite actress:
Audrey Hepburn

Dream Job:
I've got it!  Being an author.. It is truly (laughs)

Dream destination:
Africa

Dream event you'd like to attend or attend:
Oprah's next birthday party

L: I know right?  When she gives out everything!  That's everyone's dream!  So what's your best fan experience so far?

LP:  I've had so many good ones, I am so grateful.  But the vey best is a girl from Brazil who wrote and said they couldn't get their younger brother who's maybe about 13, to enjoy reading.  And they have tried Harry Potter and even tried Hunger Games but he just couldn't get into any book.  And he came into a room, saw Starters and said what about this and she said yeah try it.  And he liked it so much he was under the covers with a flashlight so he could finish the book.  She said the whole family thanks me from the bottom of their hearts I've turned him into a reader now.  He's reading other books.

L:  That's so sweet!

LP:  I know, it touched me so much

L:  I love asking this question.  Can you give me your most recommended books.

LP:  This is a tough one. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  Neil Gaiman's Coraline.  Hunger games by Suzanne Collins. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami.  Trouble Makers by Harlan Ellison.  Incarceron by Catherine Fisher.

L:  Lastly, anything for the fans?

LP: I'm very excited and grateful about meeting them.  There is one fan who keeps tweeting me that there's a trick up her sleeve.  Don't do that!  Please don't do that, I don't want surprises or tricks.  I just wanna see their happy faces and I want them to tell me right away if they know me because they've been tweeting me or emailing me.  They need to tell me that right up front so i will know exactly who they are and don't make me guess (laughs).

Lissa Price along with author Jennifer E. Smith are here upon the invitation of The National Book Store.  Line up for their scheduled book signing events at the following:
September 20. Saturday.  2pm at the Level 1 Atrium SM Aura Premier
September 21.  Sunday.  2 to 4pm (200 slots only) at the Manila International book Fair, SMX Convention Center.  
Registration starts at 10am for both events
Only books bought at the National Book Store, Powerbooks and NBS will be signed.
Follow National Book Store on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @nbsalert

You may visit Lissa Price's site at: www.lissaprice.com and follow her on Twitter @Lissa_Price

A Special thanks to Mr. JB Roperos of The National Book Store for arranging my interview.