Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Author Interview: Lauren Oliver discusses Delirium

For my final author interview of Dystopian August, I have the very lovely Lauren Oliver on deck.  Even though DELIRIUM is not out until next year, I was able to snag an early copy at BEA and I loved it. Look for my review later today. I am also dying to read book 2 of this series, and of course that one is not due until 2012.    Now, let's welcome Lauren! (applause)



What is about the dystopian genre that drew you in and made you want to write a whole series? Any favorites or influences you’d like to share?

Well, utopias are no fun, are they? No, but seriously—I didn’t exactly set out to write a dystopia, but I have always liked to imagine alternate societies, and alternate ways and patterns of living. That’s part of the fun of being a writer! This concept—the idea of love as a disease—necessitated a kind of dystopia because it required me to build a mythos for the kind of social, political, and religious order that would enable this idea to take root. But I do love the classic dystopia’s: Brave New World, A Handmaid’s Tale, The Giver. I love worlds that are so different from our own, and yet so completely imagined they seem totally plausible.

So. I must say, your romance scenes are HOT! What’s your secret for writing such authentic and steamy love?
Hmmm. You’d have to ask my ex-boyfriends. ;)

DELIRUM is set in Portland, Maine and you even spent some time there while writing as research. What about Portland specifically spoke to you as a setting for this particular story?
That’s a great question, and honestly, it’s one I never really thought about. Portland just felt right, even though I hadn’t spent a tremendous amount of time there before writing Delirium. I think something spoke to me about the bay, and Portland’s proximity to the ocean; it is a place both bounded and unbounded, circumscribed by the water and by a series of off-shore islands, and yet very, very close to open ocean. I liked that as a metaphor for Lena’s growing ambivalence over the society in which she lives.

Do you know the song Resistance by Muse? I swear when I heard it, I thought it could totally be the theme song for DELIRIUM. Is it something you could picture Lena connecting with?
I had never heard of it before you interviewed me, but now I’m obsessed! I could definitely picture this being one of the forbidden songs Lena connects to; through much of the book, she hears nothing but “approved” (and boring) music, and one of her epiphanies about the resistance occurs when she hears real, live, unregulated music for the first time.

And my last question is: WHY ARE YOU CONSTANTLY BREAKING MY HEART?!!
Because, my darling, as you should have learned from Delirium: If you’re not getting your heart broken, you’re not feeling enough. And if you’re not feeling enough, you’re not living enough. And if you’re not living enough…well, then you’re only waiting to die.

Oh, I learned that lesson well, Lauren.  Thanks for stopping by!

Find out more about Lauren and her books at her website.

16 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Vance is a big Muse fan - I'm going to have to get him to play that song for me.

Anonymous said...

Great interview! I'm so excited for this book.

Chotti said...

Me too, this book looks like it will be a fun read. Great review!

Cath said...

This book looks awesome and the author sounds supremely awesome. Awesome review! ;)

The Library Lurker said...

It's a SERIES??? Oh wow, I'm going to need some time to process that information. On one hand I'm ecstatic, on the other, I quite enjoyed the ending of Delirium...hmm. Reminds me of Shiver and Linger.

Carla said...

I am ridiculously excited to read this book, love love loved Before I Fall and Lauren herself!! You do realise I broke my internet hiatus to read this review :-p

Lori said...

Great interview!! I LOVED Delirium with every fiber of my being! It is honestly my new favorite book, so thanks for the interview!

Heather said...

I am so looking forward to this book!

Zibilee said...

Oh, I can't wait to see your review on this book! The author sounds like she is very creative and has some great world building skills!

Shooting Stars Mag said...

This book sounds amazing. great interview though. :-) And I love her last answer.

-lauren

Juniper said...

Ahhhh .. So excited for this! 'Specially since you gave it a five, it mst be good.

Sam said...

So, I'm pretty sure her answer to the last question is supremely quotable. Like, lets print it off and put it on my English folder quotable. I can't WAIT for this book.

Sandy said...

Wow, fantastic interview! I'm really excited that Delirium is part of a series!!!

Lynsey Newton said...

I thought it might be part of a series, can't wait to get my heart broken ;)

Lauren said...

Awesome interview, and Lauren's answer to that last question is really beautiful. Love it.

Nikki (Wicked Awesome Books) said...

I love this interview and Lauren seems so kind :D

I didn't know that Delirium was set in Portland. I know Portland and go there a few times a year, so it will be cool to see it in the book. And I kinda love Lauren's last line. It's so true.