Interview with Brianna Shrum
The Serious Questions
What made you want to become an author?
I have always loved writing, and dug reading (though the book that propelled me into ERMAGERSH BOOKS OBSESSION was The Outsiders in 7th grade), and mostly stuck to writing poetry and songs with my grandpa when I was young, because I viewed “author” as such a fantasy dream career. Like…it felt so unachievable. Then I grew up, watched The Hunger Games in theaters, got an idea (which will never see the light of day), and decided to try. Because there’s no sense in not giving your absolute DREAM a shot. And the rest is history. 😉
Tell us about your current work in progress.
I have 2 projects going right now, one a very dark, gritty YA contemporary about a fight club. (I know, I know. I totally just broke the first rule of Fight Club. ;)) The other is a high fantasy I’m co-writing with my brother, revolving around my absolute *favorite* kind of character: a bad to the bone villain. *evil grin*
What do you do to cure writer’s block?
That’s one reason I have 2 wips going at all times, to try to circumvent that. If I’m stuck on both? I completely ignore my computer. Usually, if I’m blocked, I can read something awesome, or binge watch Breaking Bad or The Bachelorette or something, or play through Dragon Age, and that little break where my brain doesn’t have to work on anything creative, but can still *experience* creativity acts like a jump start.
Are you a plotter or a pantster?
Usually I’m a plotter, but lately I’ve been pantsing a lot more. I think it depends on the book for me, really.
Do you have any writing rituals?
Hmmmmmm. Not strictly, because with 2 tiny kids, I just kind of steal writing time whenever, however, wherever it comes. My preference is to write on my couch, though, with a cup of iced chai, curled in the dark in this awesome afghan a writer friend made me.
What is your favorite book? What about favorite book to movie adaptation?
Oh gosh. ONE?!? I’ll go The Outsiders, because it was the first book I ever truly ADORED, and that really shredded my heart. (Shout out to more recent faves—Red Rising, Shadow and Bone, Wrath and the Dawn, and Jellicoe Road). Hands down, my favorite ever book to movie adaptation is GONE GIRL. That was freaking masterful.
What was your favorite fairy tale as a child (or maybe it still is!)?
Oh, I LIVED for Beauty and the Beast. (Is Princess and the Goblin a fairy tale? Wikipedia thinks maybe. I adored that too.)
What is the best piece of writing advice you NEVER followed?
“Don’t revise while you draft.” I love to re-read and revise mid-draft, and if I didn’t, I’d never get through writing a draft. Write how you want to write, and THAT is the right way for you!
Your bio hints that you like the Big Bang Theory. Which character do you think you’re most like and why?
Oooooh, that’s a fun question. I’m *definitely* married to a Howard. You know what? Probably Howard. He’s pretty chill about things in general, and has a great sense of sarcasm and humor (my best and worst trait. SOMETIMES THINGS REALLY SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, ME), and is very close to his family. Plus he’s more of a realist than a theoretical guy, which is very me. Yep. We’ll go Howard.
Tell us about NEVER NEVER – it sounds so cool!
Aw, thanks! NEVER NEVER is basically the origin story of Captain Hook—how he came to Neverland, why he and Peter are locked in this dark rivalry, who he is, who he loves (oh yes, there is looove), and how the story would have been told through the eyes of a pirate, and not a Pan.
I have always loved writing, and dug reading (though the book that propelled me into ERMAGERSH BOOKS OBSESSION was The Outsiders in 7th grade), and mostly stuck to writing poetry and songs with my grandpa when I was young, because I viewed “author” as such a fantasy dream career. Like…it felt so unachievable. Then I grew up, watched The Hunger Games in theaters, got an idea (which will never see the light of day), and decided to try. Because there’s no sense in not giving your absolute DREAM a shot. And the rest is history. 😉
Tell us about your current work in progress.
I have 2 projects going right now, one a very dark, gritty YA contemporary about a fight club. (I know, I know. I totally just broke the first rule of Fight Club. ;)) The other is a high fantasy I’m co-writing with my brother, revolving around my absolute *favorite* kind of character: a bad to the bone villain. *evil grin*
What do you do to cure writer’s block?
That’s one reason I have 2 wips going at all times, to try to circumvent that. If I’m stuck on both? I completely ignore my computer. Usually, if I’m blocked, I can read something awesome, or binge watch Breaking Bad or The Bachelorette or something, or play through Dragon Age, and that little break where my brain doesn’t have to work on anything creative, but can still *experience* creativity acts like a jump start.
Are you a plotter or a pantster?
Usually I’m a plotter, but lately I’ve been pantsing a lot more. I think it depends on the book for me, really.
Do you have any writing rituals?
Hmmmmmm. Not strictly, because with 2 tiny kids, I just kind of steal writing time whenever, however, wherever it comes. My preference is to write on my couch, though, with a cup of iced chai, curled in the dark in this awesome afghan a writer friend made me.
What is your favorite book? What about favorite book to movie adaptation?
Oh gosh. ONE?!? I’ll go The Outsiders, because it was the first book I ever truly ADORED, and that really shredded my heart. (Shout out to more recent faves—Red Rising, Shadow and Bone, Wrath and the Dawn, and Jellicoe Road). Hands down, my favorite ever book to movie adaptation is GONE GIRL. That was freaking masterful.
What was your favorite fairy tale as a child (or maybe it still is!)?
Oh, I LIVED for Beauty and the Beast. (Is Princess and the Goblin a fairy tale? Wikipedia thinks maybe. I adored that too.)
What is the best piece of writing advice you NEVER followed?
“Don’t revise while you draft.” I love to re-read and revise mid-draft, and if I didn’t, I’d never get through writing a draft. Write how you want to write, and THAT is the right way for you!
Your bio hints that you like the Big Bang Theory. Which character do you think you’re most like and why?
Oooooh, that’s a fun question. I’m *definitely* married to a Howard. You know what? Probably Howard. He’s pretty chill about things in general, and has a great sense of sarcasm and humor (my best and worst trait. SOMETIMES THINGS REALLY SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, ME), and is very close to his family. Plus he’s more of a realist than a theoretical guy, which is very me. Yep. We’ll go Howard.
Tell us about NEVER NEVER – it sounds so cool!
Aw, thanks! NEVER NEVER is basically the origin story of Captain Hook—how he came to Neverland, why he and Peter are locked in this dark rivalry, who he is, who he loves (oh yes, there is looove), and how the story would have been told through the eyes of a pirate, and not a Pan.
The Random Questions
Chocolate or vanilla?
CHOCOLATE.
Dinos or dragons?
Dinosaurs, baby!
What psychic power would you want?
Telekinesis. (You can do EVERYTHING with telekinesis)
Favorite Disney character?
Oh geez, do not judge me for this. Scar.
Dream vacation?
Scotland. A vacation filled with castles and a crap ton of Outlander.
Tomatoes:
Fruit or veggie? Fruit! (But a manipulative fruit)
Morning Person or Night owl?
Night owl
Favorite Book Ever:
The Outsiders
Favorite Movie Ever:
Meet Joe Black (or Braveheart or Jurassic Park or also maybe Gladiator)
Music Earworm of the Moment:
4 Chord Song by Axis of Awesome
CHOCOLATE.
Dinos or dragons?
Dinosaurs, baby!
What psychic power would you want?
Telekinesis. (You can do EVERYTHING with telekinesis)
Favorite Disney character?
Oh geez, do not judge me for this. Scar.
Dream vacation?
Scotland. A vacation filled with castles and a crap ton of Outlander.
Tomatoes:
Fruit or veggie? Fruit! (But a manipulative fruit)
Morning Person or Night owl?
Night owl
Favorite Book Ever:
The Outsiders
Favorite Movie Ever:
Meet Joe Black (or Braveheart or Jurassic Park or also maybe Gladiator)
Music Earworm of the Moment:
4 Chord Song by Axis of Awesome
About Brianna
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Brianna Shrum lives in Colorado with her high-school-sweetheart turned husband and her two little boys. She’s been writing since she could scrawl letters, and has worked with teens since she graduated out of teenager-hood, either in the writing classes she taught, or working with the youth group. Brianna digs all things YA, all things geeky, superhero-y, gamery, magical, and strange.
Her debut YA, Never Never, releases on September 22nd of this year. Her second YA, How to Make Out, releases in Fall 2016. She is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary. She’d totally love to connect with you, so come say hi on her website or Twitter! |
Connect with Brianna
Website: http://briannashrum.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/briannashrum
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12700597.Brianna_Shrum
Amazon Pre-Order Link for Never Never: http://www.amazon.com/Never-Brianna-Shrum/dp/1633920399/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435854281&sr=8-1&keywords=never+never+brianna+shrum&pebp=1435854309570&perid=0Q94TX9JMD0HWT7WY8PP
Twitter: http://twitter.com/briannashrum
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12700597.Brianna_Shrum
Amazon Pre-Order Link for Never Never: http://www.amazon.com/Never-Brianna-Shrum/dp/1633920399/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435854281&sr=8-1&keywords=never+never+brianna+shrum&pebp=1435854309570&perid=0Q94TX9JMD0HWT7WY8PP