This week I chat with Allyson Richards, the author of a forthcoming supernatural young adult novel series. During our conversation, we cover the basics of the series and its female lead, her favorite authors, being a reader, her writing process, being a normal teenager while also being a writer, other projects she’s working on, her writing voice, and more.
To help defray the cost of hosting the podcast, archived episodes greater than four months old will be made available for sale at $0.99 per episode.
Duration: 5:35
File Size: 6.4 MB
Mentioned in this Episode:
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The Nine Lives of Chloe King This one-hour fantasy drama premiered on ABC Family on June 14, 2011. It follows the adventures of Chloe King, who discovers on her 16th birthday that she not only is a member of the Mai, a race descended from the Egyptian Goddess Baset, but is also the “Uniter.” The Uniter is meant to stop the war between the Mai and humans and has the unique gift of, literally, nine lives. The show is based on a series of three young-adult books by Elizabeth J. Braswell (originally published under the pen name Celia Thomson). |
| Slan This science fiction novel was written by A.E. van Vogt and originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in 1940 (September through December). Arkham House published a hardcover edition in 1946. The plot revolves around Jommy Cross, a telepathic Slan who holds the key to saving his race from genocide by humans. The Slan are super-intelligent telepathic people with superior strength and speed. They were allegedly created by a scientist, Samuel Lann (thus their name, slan). |
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James Patterson Best known for his thriller novels, James Patterson has written several popular series, including his best known series focused on American psychologist Alex Cross, as well as the Michael Bennett, Women’s Murder Club, Maximum Ride, Daniel X, and Witch & Wizard series. He has also written numerous stand-alone thrillers, romance novels and nonfiction books. Many of his books have been adapted to film, resulting in Kiss the Girls starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd, Along Came a Spider with Morgan Freeman and Monica Potter, and the currently in development Maximum Ride based on his series of young adult science fiction and fantasy novels. |
| Maximum Ride This series of young adult science fiction and fantasy novels by James Patterson centers around the lives of six fugitive kids, collectively known as the Flock. They were bred in a laboratory and are 98% human, 2% bird. The lab is called the School and has created other Dr. Moreau style creatures, including human-wolf hybrids called the Erasers. The first book, The Angel Experiment, was released in April 2005 and the seventh book was release earlier this year. An eighth book has been announced and is scheduled to release in 2012. |
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Other authors Allyson likes:
- Rachel Hawkins writes the Hex Hall books about a young woman who is a witch. The second book in the series was released earlier this year and the third book is currently under development.
- Kristin Harmel write humorus novels that have been compared to Bridget Jones Diary. Her books include How To Sleep with a Movie Star, The Art of French Kissing and Italian for Beginners.
- Rick Riordan is the author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series of young adult novels, which recently had a film adaptation made called Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
- Michael Grant is the co-creator (with his wife) of the Animorphs series. His other young adult series include Gone and The Magnificent.
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The Twilight Saga Written by Stephanie Meyer, the Twilight Saga centers around Isabella “Bella” Swan, a teenager who moves to Forks, Wash., and falls in love with a vampire. As the series progresses, werewolves join the mix. The series has been so popular that it has spawned a movie franchise, as well. |
Other episodes that reference Twilight:
- Podcast Episode 35: Time-traveling Teen
- Podcast Episode 25: Vampires, Shakespeare and The Holy Grail, Oh My!
| Chincoteague Ponies Also known as the Assateague horses, the Chincoteague Ponies are a breed of pony that developed on and live in a feral condition on Assateague Island off the states of Virginia and Maryland. Several legends are told about their origin, the most popular being that they descended from survivors of wrecked Spanish galleons off the Virginia coast. However, it is more likely that they come from stock released on the island by 17th century colonists trying to escape livestock laws and taxes on the mainland. The breed was made famous by Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague series, starting in 1947. |
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For more information about Allyson Richards:
- allysonrichards.com
- www.allysonrichards.blogspot.com
SIDE NOTE:
Is “Young Adult” a Genre?
Throughout this week’s podcast episode, Allyson references the term “young adult” as a genre. But is that really what it is?
Continue reading this side note here.
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