It is with great honor to announce that the UK Caraval tour has officially started right here on The Book Chapter and I am so fricking excited. To kick start off this tour I have an epic Q&A in store for you all and that's not all - this is part 1 of the Q&A, be sure to keep an eye out for part 2. Without further ado I bring forth the Q&A...
Disclaimer; random GIF's will be used by yours truly because words are not enough to describe my emotions to all these answers.
1. Where did the idea for Caraval come from?
I had the idea for this book about a year and a half before I started writing. It started when I was reading the 'Code Name Verity' by Elizabeth Wein. One of the characters in that book is a pilot during World War II. During one scene she picks up a young man who's surrounded by two guards, and the pilot had no idea if he's being guarded because he's a dangerous criminal who needs to be watched, or if it's because he's an important person who needs to be protected. It's a very small part of the book, but the question stuck with me. I loved how either answer could have been true, which made me start thinking about fun it would be to write a book that centers around big mysterious questions like that. This transformed into the idea of writing about a game that made everyone play it constantly question what was real and what was part of the game.
2. Are you working on anything at the moment? (Caraval sequel, maybe?)
Yes! I am actually taking a break from the sequel right now to answer these, which is a good thing, since the ending of the book has not gone in the direction I'd planned. So right now I need a little distance from my characters, because I'm not agreeing with all of their decisions.
3. Can you tell us about a little about the sequel?
Sadly, everything about the sequel is top secret at the moment, so I can't share much, other than I'm very excited about it, and It's surprised me more than once as I've written it.
4. If you could describe Scarlett and Tella in 3 words each, what would they be?
Scarlett would probably be: Faithful. Hopeful. Stubborn.
Tella would be: Impulsive. Daring. Stubborn
I know I used stubborn twice, but it is one thing the sisters have in common. :)
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| Did someone say stubborn? hehehe |
5. Were there any difficult and/or fun parts of Caraval to write?
Honestly, every part of this book was both difficult and terribly fun to write. I really like to be surprised in stories. So, when I first sat down to write Caraval, I tried to keep it a secret from myself whether or not everything that happened was real, or just part of a game. I didn't know who was telling the truth, or who was lying, which made it really exciting to write every chapter, because I felt as if I was really playing the game with Scarlett. But it also made it really challenging to write, for that very same reason.
6. Who was your favourite character to write about and why?
I really love all my characters, even the awful ones. But I think Donatella was probably the most fun to write. She's impulsive, unpredictable, and almost everything she says is something that I would never say. So it was fun to write about a character that I could run completely wild with.
7. If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from Caraval would you want to be with you?
This one is so tough. Probably Legend, because I'm dying to meet him!
(HOLY SHIT YES! LEGEND! I WANT TO MEET HIM TOO. SO BADLY)
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| Tom Hardy + Top Hat = my version of Legend Sorry not sorry |
I hope you all enjoyed this Q&A and my Tom Hardy (obsession) GIFs. Thank-you Stephanie for being on my blog and for the epic debut Caraval that has stolen my heart. I highly recommend this book to all.
About the Author
My favourite place in the world is Disneyland because it's the one place on earth where I feel as if the fantastical stories I love to write could actually come to life.
When I'm not writing, I teach creative writing at a private college in Northern California, where I've been known to turn assignments into games and take students on field trips that involve book signings. I'm also a blogger on PUB(LISHING) CRAWL. But I probably spend most of my time on Twitter where I tend to overuse exclamation points and emojis.
My debut YA fantasy novel, Caraval will be published January 2017 (Flatiron Books/Macmillan - US and Hodder & Stoughton - UK). Caraval has sold in twenty-five foreign territories and the move rights were pre-empted by Twentieth Century Fox.
Caraval Summary
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| There will be 4 epic designs of the UK edition under the dust jacket. |
Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world...
Welcome, welcome to Caraval - Stephanie Garber's sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.
But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever find her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.
(Summary from Goodreads)
