MVF Interviews: Rachel Caine

Posted by Saluki in Interviews | 2 comments

Today, we are excited to bring you an exclusive interview with internationally best selling author, Rachel Caine.  Her books include the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Morganville Vampire Young Adult Series, the Weather Warden Series, and her new series, Outcast Season.

MVF: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.  You are a favorite author of many of our readers here at MVF, so I know this will be a treat for them.

RC: Thanks so much! I’m delighted to be hear, it’s a treat for me, too!

MVF: Your three series are very different, although all deal with the supernatural.  Have you always been interested in the fantasy genre, or did you come up with the idea for the Weather Warden series and then get sucked into the genre?

RC: I really grew up in love with fantasy and science fiction, as well as mystery and suspense. I like to write what I love to read, so that just made a lot of sense to me!

MVF: Vampires are a very popular topic in Young Adult fiction these days.  Because of the popularity of the Twilight Saga, so many other series, both old and new, are popular reads for both boys and girls, spanning from the pre-teens to adults.  It’s incredible, I’m sharing YA books with my mother and aunt and bonding over our shared love of the supernatural.  What do you think it is about the genre in general that draws such a wide audience?

RC: I’m not really sure, because it certainly wasn’t true when I was growing up (or even when I was first writing the books) … I think that as paranormal tales have become more accepted in television and film, it’s opened up people to read it who normally wouldn’t have tried it. It’s lost some of its “geek” stigma, which is great, because supernatural stories are some of the best and most powerful around, I think.

MVF: What inspired you to write the Morganville series?

RC: I grew up in and around the most deserted areas of Texas and New Mexico — which are pretty darn deserted. And there were always these little, odd towns where nobody seemed to enter or leave — they just existed. I thought that would be an interesting idea, to have the secret at the heart of one of these little towns to be vampires. It’s a bit counter-intuitive, but fun.

MVF: We love Shane/Claire and Eve/Michael.   Are there any new pairings coming up?

RC: Ooooh, that would be telling … but yes. What, you want to know WHO? Can’t tell you that.  :)

MVF: What was the thought process behind the vampires dilemma? Is their inability to create new vampires going to lead to their downfall?

RC: I always thought one of the biggest problems with the vampire mythology was their lack of real limits … they didn’t get sick, they’re strong, they’re fast, they’re ruthless. In the old days, they didn’t even really have an allergy to sunlight. I wanted to have them presented with a problem they literally couldn’t overcome or power their way out of, and that’s why I gave them the illness.

They’ve figured out how to create new vampires now, but that’s a whole other issue … now that they CAN, how do they enforce keeping their numbers low? And since they don’t need to band together for protection, how is Amelie going to keep people in line? Good questions. I don’t know yet. But there is a Big Bad for my vampires, and we’re about to see it, starting in BITE CLUB.

MVF: Are we going to see more of Shane’s dad?  What about Claire’s parents?  Do they have a significant role in the upcoming books?

RC: Yes, Frank Collins is definitely going to be back in GHOST TOWN. Claire’s parents will be in and out, but there will be a significant development with them in BITE CLUB.

MVF: When you first started out was getting published easier, or more difficult than you anticipated?

RC: Well, getting published was easier … but STAYING published was much, much harder. When you’re an aspiring author you think of putting out that book as the end of the story, they lived happily ever after, the end. Only what happens is that it’s like getting a very tough job that moves a thousand miles an hour — and you’re likely not really prepared for it. Or else, you’re struggling constantly just to get people to take a look at the books you’re writing. It’s quite difficult, and not what it seems from the outside.

MVF: Many of our readers are aspiring writers. What advice would you give regarding the publishing process?

RC: The best thing to do is to learn as much as you possibly can about the publishing business — not just how to submit, or how to promote, but how the business overall works. Learn what roles are played by each department inside the publisher. Learn how the publishers and marketplaces interact. Learn contract language and take public speaking courses so you can handle PR easily. Do all the business things NOW, and you won’t have to scramble to catch up later.

Oh, and write. Write all the time. That’s important.

MVF: Do you have a specific writing process? For instance, do you outline? Do you draw inspiration from music?

I definitely do outline — and I HATE outlining. But it’s an extremely useful tool, and once you’re working steadily in the business you’ll have to do it, because before you turn in a book, the art department and sales and marketing departments need to have something to work from — and they’ll use your outline. Outlines help keep you on track and show you where your story is weak. I hate them, but they’re great. Sigh.

My specific writing process is that I sit down, create a new file with the standard heads, footers, formats, etc. — and copy in my outline. The outline lives in the book file, and what I’ll do is erase it as I go along, so by the time I finish the book, the outline is gone. Then I brew my coffee and start writing, 5 to 6 hours a day generally. Oh, and I make a new playlist! I’m incredibly nutty about it. I can’t start a book until I have at least six songs in the playlist, so the first couple of days, I end up exploring new music instead of really writing. But that helps me get the brain on the right track.

MVF: Have you ever read Morganville fanfiction?  What is your take on the phenomenon in general?

RC: I’ve read a few things, and I’m so impressed — there’s a lot of good stuff being written. I don’t mind it, to be honest, but I can’t afford to read it, either, because if I do, I’m afraid of taking ideas, or being perceived as doing so. I’m happy that people are so excited about the world and the characters — that it sparks their own creativity. It’s a huge compliment.

MVF: What books are you currently reading?

RC: I’m just finishing up 61 HOURS, by Lee Childs, and I’m starting FALLING UNDER by Gwen Hayes!

MVF: Is there anything you would like to tell our readers about upcoming releases/projects?

RC: I’m currently working on BITE CLUB, which will be out in April 2011, and there are some Morganville stories to watch out for in the upcoming ETERNAL anthology, edited by P.C. Cast, and also in another anthology coming out later in 2011 that isn’t titled quite yet.

Outcast Season is continuing over on the adult urban fantasy shelves with the release of UNSEEN in February 2011, and I’ll have a brand new adult series, The Revivalists, starting in August 2011 with the release of WORKING STIFF!

MVF: Thanks again for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us.  Please let us know if there is any way we can be of help to you in the future.

RC: Thank you so much for having me over to hang out at your place, eat your pizza, put my feet up on the sofa … :) It’s much appreciated. Cheers!