Lauren Oliver interview and giveaway!

Author: Lauren Oliver


Author of: Before I Fall
                Delirium





Bio:

Lauren Oliver comes from a family of writers and so has always (mistakenly) believed that spending hours in front of the computer every day, mulling over the difference between “chortling” and “chuckling,” is normal. She has always been an avid reader.

She attended the University of Chicago, where she continued to be as impractical as possible by majoring in philosophy and literature. After college, she attended the MFA program at NYU and worked briefly as the world’s worst editorial assistant, and only marginally better assistant editor, at a major publishing house in New York. Her major career contributions during this time were flouting the corporate dress code at every possible turn and repeatedly breaking the printer. Before I Fall is her first published novel.

She is deeply grateful for the chance to continue writing, as she has never been particularly good at anything else.



Interview:

1--How did you come up with the idea for Delirium?

The idea for DELIRIUM came from an essay I read by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, in which he wrote that all great books were about love or death. The next day I was thinking about that quote--particularly about how and in what form a modern love story could be told--while I was on the treadmill at the gym. I was simultaneously watching a news story about a flu outbreak that had everyone freaking out about the possibility of a pandemic, and I was kind of marveling that people so easily go into panics about reports of these diseases, and at some point the two trains of thought--love, and disease--just sort of combined in my head.

2-      At what age did you first start writing?

I started writing at around the age of five, actually—basically, once I started reading on my own. As soon as I began to read, I began to write sequels for my favorite books. It was an early version of fan fiction, I guess.

3-      Did you think Delirium was going to this big of a success?

 Oh! I don’t know. I try not to think too much what will happen to my books once they go out into the world. It’s so stressful. I’m continuously kind of baffled and amazed, though, by how many people have found their way to my books already. So I guess no—I didn’t really expect it.

4-      Who’s your biggest inspiration

I’m not sure I could narrow it down to one person. I get inspired by so many people—my parents, my friends, my fans, and anyone who works hard to achieve a goal.

5-      Would you like to travel to the future or to the past?

For how long? The past, I guess. The future kind of scares me. But I would only go to the distant pass if I could bring along modern plumbing…or lots and lots of air fresheners.

6-      Do you have a bucket list? If so what are some things on it?

I don’t have a list, per se. I would just like to keep living as much and as expansively as possible—loving well, traveling, embracing new opportunities, pushing myself and trying new things. I’m a “yes” person. I’ll pretty much say yes to anything once.

7-      Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Hmmm. I’m kind of both and neither! I love being out late but I hate sleeping in and missing the morning, which is a super productive time for me. Plus, I need a ton of sleep—like nine hours a night. I so wish I could be one of those people who only needs five or six hours. So although I wish I could be both a morning and a night person, I usually end up getting to sleep by midnight and waking up around eight.

8-      What’s your favorite time of the year?

That’s a great question! I love both the fall and the summer. I love going to the beach and being bare-foot and in shorts and getting my hair tangled with ocean-water. But I also love the colors of an East Coast autumn, and cozy sweaters and warm days that melt into cold nights. 

9-      What author would you like to meet and why?

JK Rowling. I would tell her to adopt me, I would tell her I loved her, I would kiss her hand.

10-   Can you tell us some facts about yourself that no one really knows about?

Oof, that’s a hard one. I hate watching TV except for Glee. I religiously sing in the shower, and I even have a sponge shaped like a microphone. I dance a LOT in my apartment. My sister used to call me Sluggie, because I am the world’s slowest walker! There. That’s a lot of secret facts. J

Giveaway time!!

I will be giving away a UK copy of Delirium:

Rules to win:
follow my blog via GFC (suscribing by email is optional)
and leave a comment with your email address down below.
+1 entry for tweeting a link to this interview


The Giveaway ends on July 4 at midnight




my review of Delirium here


Check out her website here
read her blog here


Buy a copy of Delirium here
Buy a copy of Before I Fall here



Don't forget to be on the lookout for the second book in the Delirium series which comes out march 6 2012 (mark it to your to-read list here )

Thanks for checking out the interview and enjoy!