| Poll | | | What's Your Favourite book Genre | | Drama | | 14% | [ 11 ] | | Fantasy | | 36% | [ 28 ] | | Horror | | 14% | [ 11 ] | | Romance | | 19% | [ 15 ] | | Tragedy | | 6% | [ 5 ] | | Other | | 9% | [ 7 ] |
| | Total Votes : 77 |
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| Author 411
Tonya Hurley
Author of ghostgirl
Tonya
The Books
ghostgirl
ghostgirl: homecoming
ghostgirl: love sick
Available July 2010
Ace of Cakes
Click to view full photo
Links
Tonya Hurley Official
Official Site
ghostgirl Blog
Spanish Official Site
French Official Site
Tonya's Facebook
ghostgirl Facebook
ghostgirl Spanish Facebook
ghostgirl Twitter
Charlotte's Myspace
Merchandise
Click to visit store
YABC Reviews
Annmarie
Evie
Mandi ~ Coming Soon
Namine
ghostgirl and ghostgirl: Homecoming are the first two books in the trilogy. The third book, Love Sick, will be available this coming July. Make sure to go get your copies! You won't be disappointed.
This interview was conducted by site staff: Annmarie, Evie J, Mandi, and Namine.
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YABC – First of all, we’re all in agreement that ghostgirl and ghostgirl: homecoming are two of the most creative books we’ve ever read. Truly great reads.
That is very kind of you to say, thank you.
YABC – You’re an extremely talented author. Have you always wanted to be an author/writer? If no, what did you originally want to be?
I loved music and writing and I knew I wanted to do something creative as far back as I can remember. Growing up, we didn't have much money to spend on books so I’d check Where the Wild Things Are out of the library every week. At the end of the year, the librarian gave me the book as a gift. I’d read it so often that I’d memorized the words, so to make it different each time, I put masking tape over the words and made up my own stories to the pictures. I still have that book in my office. I will never forget that librarian or that book.
Apart from writing, I thought I might be a drummer in a band. I played since I was eight, not a very popular thing to do as a little girl, and I played in a punk rock band in high school.
YABC – Where did this idea come from? Like we said, it’s extremely creative and unlike anything we’ve ever read before. Did it just pop into your head? Or did something trigger it?
It came from a few different places. I wanted to write a fantasy about fitting in and acceptance, love, longing and loss so ghostgirl is a story about ghosts but not really a ghost story in the typical sense. First, I think everyone has had the experience of feeling overlooked or excluded and wanting desperately to be accepted by people that you – rightly or wrongly – admire. It’s especially common in high school but I think it carries on throughout our lives. I thought it would be interesting to take the whole idea of ‘invisibility’ the most extreme level and have some body literally dying to be popular.
Also, I had the opportunity to work in Hollywood with some very famous twin actresses and saw what massive fame and popularity was really like. The rewards it brings to some and the desperation it creates in others just to be around it. ghostgirl was just my way of putting it all out there in, I hope, in a relatable and funny way.
YABC – Had you always planned on a trilogy? Or did that come after finishing the first book?
I was planning on writing two books and then I kept going! ghostgirl Lovesick will be out this July and I couldn't be more excited.
YABC – You were making and writing films before you wrote ghostgirl, which is extremely impressive. How do the two mediums differ the most? Is one harder to do than the other?
They are very different. In television and film, it's more of a group effort. Also, less is more when writing for those mediums. When you write a book, it's just you and you can write whatever you imagine without thinking about budget or any other limitations. I really love writing books because of that reason. ghostgirl was originally a script that I wrote for Robert DeNiro's production company. I'm really glad I decided to just keep going and make it a book series.
YABC – Do you continue to write and make films in addition to ghostgirl? Or has ghostgirl slowed that process?
I am working on a few things right now. Stay tuned.
YABC – Ghostgirl is your debut novel. It must have been incredible to see your first book in stores. How would you describe the feeling?
I cried when I saw the cover for the first time. It was something that I kept so near to my heart for so long that I almost couldn’t believe it was really happening. I got some rejections early on but I believed in the story and the characters so seeing it succeed like that made it even more fulfilling. I remember the day my editor called and said, "Is this the New York Times bestselling author Tonya Hurley?" I nearly fainted when it hit the list.
YABC – Evie J saw your cake on Ace of Cakes. That was amazing! What was it like to see Charlotte as a six-foot long cake?
It was surreal! I couldn't believe my eyes. She was a real masterpiece. The cast stayed for the entire reading and party. The cake was to celebrate the release of the second book ghostgirl: Homecoming and both audiobooks which feature original music by Vince Clarke and narrations by actress Parker Posey. Vince was there and played his score as a read along. What a great night. I remember driving home in the dark with Charlotte's head on the seat next to me. She stared at me the whole way home. I still have her foot in my freezer.
YABC – The format of this series is just as creative as the content. Did you have any input in creating it?
I had a website first, so the creative direction was in place. Craig Phillips is an extraordinary artist and he really helped me bring ghostgirl to life early on. I gave my input and then the rest was Little, Brown and Company. My editor Nancy Conescu is amazing and the cover design was done by the incredible Alison Impey.
YABC – Charlotte’s animated on the cover and through silhouettes throughout the rest of the books. This made it easy to imagine the story in animation. Was that intentional? Do you picture as real or animated?
I’ve written animated programming for TV and short film (both cel and stop motion) and I love working with art. Basically, the website was done that way. The visuals were an important part of telling the story, creating the characters and the mood ever since I started with ghostgirl. I do imagine ghostgirl to be real however, with some animated elements or embellishments.
YABC – The quotes and passages before each chapter definitely added to the story and were enticing. What gave you the idea to do that?
They were quotes that I had written down while writing. Lyrics, quotations and excerpts that were inspirational to me and relevant to the story. Same with the intros. I just decided to keep them in at the last minute.
YABC – The characters are original and diverse. And some are extreme polar opposites. Were they based off of anyone? Family or friends?
We write what we know!
YABC – As an author, we bet it’s hard to pick a favorite character. But if you had to, who would be your favorite? And which character are you most like?
I am probably more like Charlotte on the inside and was pretty much Scarlet on the outside. I absolutely love writing Petula and The Wendys. I guess my favorite would be Piccolo Pam -- we all need one of her in our lives.
YABC – Did you ever have any idea that the series would become as popular as it has? Were there ever any doubts?
I really hoped that it would connect, but I had no idea that it would touch people so deeply.
YABC – Charlotte, among the other ghost characters, had very unique deaths. How did you come up with them? Charlotte and Piccolo Pam’s especially?
I had fun with cautionary tales for teens. I wanted the deaths to be absurd, but still poignant on some level.
YABC – Where did the ghost hotline idea come from? That was very clever.
I just played around with the whole afterlife theme and what happens. I remember going to a funeral for a younger kid when I was little and everyone kept saying that it's too bad that he never got to do this or that. I remember thinking at that very moment -- well, how do you know what he's doing? The truth is, no one really knows exactly what happens, but we all have very strong beliefs.
YABC – How long did it take for you to write ghostgirl? Was it easier to write the first or second book? Or were they equal?
The first book took longer, but the second book was probably a little easier since I knew the characters so well at that point.
YABC – Did you draft the books before writing? Or do you just get the idea and run with it?
Usually I get obsessed over an idea and run with it. Of course you have to outline to some extent, but my characters end up surprising me, so I give them room to grow on their own.
YABC – Are/Were there days were you didn’t want to write, but you had to? Or are you able to write at any time?
Yes, there are days that I don't want to write and have to, but those are usually the most productive days. When you're a writer, anything you do is material so you're always working on some level whether you know it or not.
YABC – Do you have any habits while you’re writing?
I usually have my Italian greyhound Esther Pearl at my feet.
YABC – Do you write at a certain time of day?
I used to write at night, but now I mostly write during the day.
YABC – A few of us are aspiring writers and are trying to get published. Do you have any advice for us?
If you believe in your ideas and your writing, eventually someone else will too. Keep at it.
YABC – Is there anything you can tell us about the upcoming third and final ghostgirl novel? We all can’t wait for it!
The tag line I dreamed up is ‘Romance is Dead.” I’ll leave the rest to your imagination!
Just for fun:
Favorite books? Anything Edward Gorey and I love biographies.
Favorite authors? Paul Bowles, David Sedaris, Stephen King, Sylvia Plath
Favorite food? Lobster rolls
Favorite movie? Harold and Maude
Favorite TV shows? Nurse Jackie, 30 Rock
Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate
Humor or Horror? Humor with a dash of horror!
Summer or Winter? Winter
Spring or Fall? Fall
YABC – Thank you, Mrs. Hurley, for you time. You’re an amazing author and we can’t wait to see more work from you in the future.
Thank you so very muchX
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