Thank you so much for Alaya for letting me interview about The Library of Broken Worlds.

Interview

What was your inspiration for The Library of Broken Worlds

Back when I was working on the revisions of Love Is the Drug, i.e. when I had no time for it at all, I had a flash of a vision: a young woman walking across the desert, running from the only home she’d ever known, which was called the Library. I didn’t know what it was or why she was running, only that she was going to confront a god who was most likely going to kill her. That vision of Freida sustained me for years until I had time to really dig into her story and discover all of the details of the Library, the gods and Freida’s journey to the truth.

How did you choose which character to focus the story?

I always knew that this was Freida’s story. She came with the package, if you will. So my journey was more about getting a clear handle on who precisely she was, this singular young woman who was created for a purpose she can’t even imagine.

What was your process for writing for the series?

I would say I spent about three quarters of my effort on this novel on the re-writes. My first draft ended up being more of a skeleton and the hard work was going back to that basic story and fleshing it out. I did the first draft in about a year, but the rewrites took many more.

What is your approach to world and character building?

I’m a very immersive worldbuilder. I need to know way more about the details of how my worlds work than I ever show on the page: the monetary system, the judicial system, the last thousand years of political history, how technology works, how gender norms work, and a hundred other details. I have notebooks filled with this stuff! Character comes out of world, for me (and vice versa). For The Library of Broken Worlds, both Freida and the Library came to me in a flash, and they grew together until each one felt inextricable from the other.

What drew you to writing Young Adult fiction?

I love writing YA because I have an inner 17-year-old. I’ve never forgotten what it was like to realize that the world was broken and that the adults around me would do nothing to fix it. I’ve never forgotten my mingled horror and exhilaration when I understood that it was now my responsibility to inform myself about the world, and quite possibly disagree with what my parents and elders had told me. It was like coming out of the dark. I write YA for those young people who are like I was–who are questioning everything and need a light.

How would you describe The Library of Broken Worlds in five words?

Peace is not always justice.

Did you have a favourite moment to write in any of the books?

Probably my favorite was close to the end, a huge spoiler, so I won’t say more beyond that it packs a huge plot and emotional reveal into one tiny scene and I was so damn proud of myself for having pulled it off!

What was your favourite book growing up?

Way too many to pick just one! But one of my absolute favorites was Diana Wynne Jones’ Fire and Hemlock.

Do you have a favourite genre to read?

When I was younger I stuck to Fantasy and Historical Fiction, but these days I dabble in everything. Science Fiction, Romance, Literary, Historical–what counts the most for me is the writing, the characters, and an intangible quality I call emotional honesty.