1. What drew you to writing YA fantasy?
I started writing YA fantasy, I think, because it’s what I liked to read as a teen. Actually, I still love reading fantasy and especially paranormal romance!
2. Who are some of your favorite authors? What books would you recommend?
I love Shades of Simon Gray by Joyce McDonald. There’s also a new book coming out very soon called Breath of Eyre by Eve Mont that is a spectacular read. My favorite book of all time is Phantom by Susan Kay. I’m also a huge Harry Potter Fan.
3. What inspired Nevermore?
I began writing a story about a goth and a cheerleader who get paired up for a project. That was sort of my whole concept. Then, when Varen decided their project would focus on Poe, I began researching Poe on a surface level. I found out how he died and then, as I continued to write, Poe really became the backbone of the whole novel.
4. Can you tell our readers a little bit about Isobel Lanley?
Isobel is not your typical cheerleader. She’s spunky, spontaneous and a bit snarky. She also tends to be a little impulsive. She’s quite a sparring partner for the stoic and sarcastic Varen.
5. What I enjoyed most about Varen Nethers was that he’s not your typical YA fantasy male lead. Can you tell our readers a little bit about him?
Varen Nethers is a quiet and brooding goth boy. He doesn’t say a lot, but what he does say carries a lot of weight. He keeps to himself and writes his thought and dark visions in his sketchbook, which Isobel likes to sneak glances of. He has many secrets and many layers to his personality.
6. You managed to tie a lot of the lore surrounding the last several days of Poe’s life into this novel. Did you travel to Baltimore as part of your research? If not, where did you research for this book?
I did travel to Baltimore! When Poe really started have a major presence in the book, I knew I had to go to the places he’d been and to walk in his footsteps. I have visited both his house and his gravesite. On January 19th 2009, I stood outside the cemetery after midnight to watch for the Poe Toaster, the mysterious gentleman who leaves roses and cognac at Poe’s grave every year. I knew I wanted to make the Poe Toaster a character and I also knew that he would be playing an even more major role in the sequel, Enshadowed. So I had to go check it out! I did catch a brief glimpse of him. He’s super fast!
7. I am really looking forward to the sequel, can you tell us the name and release date?
The sequel to Nevermore is titled Enshadowed and is due out Fall of 2012.
8. Can you give us a sneak peek into the sequel? What can we expect from Isobel, Varen, and Brad?
I can’t give away too much but I can say that all three characters appear in the sequel. Also, Isobel prepares to head to Baltimore since she knows that’s where she can find Reynolds!
9. Do you have any book signing/tours planned? Where can our readers find you on the internet?
As of right now, I’m only doing local book signings. Hopefully, in the near future, I’ll be traveling around a little more. I always update my blog and my facebook to announce any events that are in the works. Just visit me at www.kellycreagh.com
10. What advice would you offer aspiring YA fantasy writers just starting out?
I think my one piece of advice is to write a story that you want to write. Don’t look around you to see what everyone else is doing or even what is selling. For the serious writer, it is important to keep your eye on current trends and what readers are asking for and picking up. At the same time, it’s also important to remain true to yourself and to keep your own artistic visions in focus. So if there’s something you want to write, go for it. Also, do your best to maintain that focus.
Sometimes when you get into a project and you feel like it’s not working, there’s a temptation to quit or to give up and move on to the next thing. If you can, try your best to finish a project before starting another. There’s nothing that will boost your confidence more than having a completed project. Then, while you start on the next, set the first aside and plan to come back with it. Always try to view your work with a fresh eye. Lastly, find readers and people who enjoy writing the same type of things you do. Have them read your work and offer suggestions. A second eye along with learning to take and apply constructive criticism will help you hone and refine your craft.
As a child, Kelly would hold elaborate one-kid plays for patient relatives, complete with song, dance, and over-the-top melodramatics. Then, whenever Mom or Grandma called for a break, she would venture outside to slay dragons, run from make-believe ghosts and create magical feasts for fairies out of mud and pinecones. In the third grade, Kelly wrote her first book titled Pink Lettuce, a story about a young girl who comes to the aid of her mad scientist neighbor, helping him to return his potion-pink lettuce patch to its original green and leafy luster. Kelly holds an undergraduate degree in Theatre Arts and Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Today, she finds true joy in transcribing her dramatic daydreams onto the stage of the blank page. When not writing or curled up with a good book, Kelly can be found teaching, learning and performing the ancient art of Bellydance.