1. What drew you to writing young adult fantasy?
There are a couple of things at play here. When I wrote my nonfiction crime novels, I found myself drawn to the stories of young people facing the unthinkable (a 15 year old whose mother was murdered by cyanide, for example) and how they coped with it. Writing novels just takes that a bit further. I’m drawn to survivors and those who rise above tragedy. Crime victims inspire me. I want to write crime novels for young people that entertain and enlighten. Fantasy gives me the “wow” factor that engages a reader’s imagination. Who doesn’t love the “what if” aspect of the paranormal? I do!
2. What’s easier to write: true crime or crime fiction?
Both have real challenges and rewards. Writing true crime is intense – you have to get things right and that takes a lot of time, interviews. Fiction is all up to you. You can research (and I did some for Envy) but at the end of the day, you dictate the storyline. In true crime you are stuck with the outcome. I love writing YA fiction because it frees me to do whatever I want with the story and characters. That’s fun!
3. You’ve said in other interviews that you read a lot of crime books when you were a kid and that influenced your decision to become a crime writer. Can you name some of your favorites?
I love reading Stephen King (Carrie, Christine, etc.) and the early books by Dean Koontz. But I also loved reading true crime. Ann Rule was just beginning then (first writing under a pen name, Andy Stack). I think her book Small Sacrifices about a mother who shot her children in Oregon was the one that really got me thinking about writing true crime myself.
4. What inspired, Envy (Published: August 23, 2011)?
I could answer this in so many ways. My editor, Cindy Loh, for one. She is great! The concept of writing about a pretty place in which ugly things occur was another. That’s why I selected Port Gamble, Washington. And finally, the idea of cyberbullying and how it is hurting our young people was a big inspiration to the first book in series. I looked at some of the elements of a case involving a young girl in St. Louis to see how things could spiral and end tragically. I wanted to keep it real, but of course, be full of surprises.
5. How do your twin daughters feel about being the inspiration for Taylor and Hayley?
They love and hate me for it. Seriously, my girls are the best. They’ve put up with a lot of crime stuff and are amazingly well adjusted! They both read the book in progress and didn’t seem to mind that I stole just a little bit from their lives to write Envy.
6. Did you have any input into your Envy book cover? I love it!
The cover is wonderful and I can’t take any credit for it. The designer is Sterling/Splinter’s crazy talented Katrina Damkoehler. She worked with a photographer in Prague who did a brilliant job under her direction, adding his own talent to make the image even more striking. Of all my books, this is by far my favorite cover. I can’t wait to see what Katrina comes up with when she starts work on Betrayal.
7. At the end of Envy, your publisher included a really scary teaser chapter from the next Empty Coffin book. Could you give us a sneak peek into Betrayal?
I hate to say too much, because I really do think readers will be surprised and I’d like to keep it that way! The first book holds the key to much of what will happen in subsequent books – readers just don’t know it yet J. Hayley and Taylor will learn more about the source of their gifts and in doing so will suffer a tremendous hurt in the process.
8. Do you have any upcoming book tours/signings?
I keep my events updated here: http://www.emptycoffinseries.com/news-and-events
9. Where is the best place for readers to find you on the internet? Do you enjoy participating in social media outlets such as twitter or facebook?
I’m on facebook, twitter (@Gregg_Olsen), and have a webpage (listed above). I enjoy hearing from readers and I answer every email personally. I would love it if you’d ask your readers to send me their thoughts on cyberbullying (I won’t use their names) but I want to write something more about the subject. I think sharing experiences (in a safe, respectful way) is the greatest gift of the internet. We’re all connected.
10. What advice would you give to an aspiring young adult fantasy writer?
Authors often provide the same advice…READ, READ, READ. Also, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Here’s what I want to say. Don’t give up. Don’t let anyone tell you that your voice shouldn’t be heard. You might not land the million dollar book deal, but if you work hard, polish your prose, you have different ways to let your voice be heard – ebooks are a wide open door for all writers now. I tell young people that if you think you are a writer, you are. You’re kind of stuck with it. Make the best of it. Write about what interests you and never stop.
Gregg’s interest in young adult (YA) literature comes from his fascination with that “moment when we define ourselves, plan our futures, and make the moves to get us to where we think we want to go.” As a father of twin girls, he’s seen those definitive moments and understands the rivalry among teenagers, particularly twins. “My girls were close, but also rivals in a way, too. . . . Hayley and Taylor in the series know that all too well.” A Seattle native who lives in Washington State, Gregg has seen the darker side of the Pacific Northwest and knows a little more about the area than your average guy. “There is something dark and beautiful about the Pacific Northwest,” he says. “We seem to have an overabundance of serial killers out here–so many, in fact, sometimes I wonder if they have a secret convention in Washington.” A New York Times and USA Today best-selling author with thirteen books and sales of over one million copies to his credit, Gregg makes his young adult fiction debut with Envy.