Ask the Author: Melissa Marr
Answered Questions (60)
Melissa Marr
Reluctant Witch is out on April 1st!
Melissa Marr
There are two books-- The Hidden Knife & The Hidden Dragon. They are companions (i.e. same world), but not direct sequels.
Melissa Marr
The message doesn't say WHICH book, but at this point, there are no sequels planned for any of the books that were published before 2020. Most books COULD have sequels, but that decision is often about factors beyond author control. (Carnival is the glaring case there! The publisher didn't want to buy more in the series.) Currently I only will write a "cliff hanger" IF the next book is already under contract, specifically to avoid the lack of ending that happens in so many series.
Melissa Marr
There is not a plan for a sequel. (Sorry!) I conceptualized it as a stand-alone story.
Melissa Marr
It will. I sold the rights and already selected the voice actor, so it's in process!
Melissa Marr
I suppose it varies depending on what sub-genre you prefer. My book, THE WICKED & THE DEAD is urban fantasy. Future New Orleans, draugr, witch, and fae. Sword-swinging & mystery. (It was prompted by my rattlesnake bite in 2019, so the draugar have "venom.")
If you want Weird West (think Cowboys & Aliens or the Old Guard), read THE ARRIVALS. People from different time periods wake up on an alien world where they are never sure if dying will be permanent. Sometimes they wake up, and one day they don't.
If you want a little myth, fated love, & dead that don't stay dead, visit Claysville, a town cursed by death, in GRAVEMINDER.
If you want Weird West (think Cowboys & Aliens or the Old Guard), read THE ARRIVALS. People from different time periods wake up on an alien world where they are never sure if dying will be permanent. Sometimes they wake up, and one day they don't.
If you want a little myth, fated love, & dead that don't stay dead, visit Claysville, a town cursed by death, in GRAVEMINDER.
Melissa Marr
Hogwarts, but when Lily/James/Severus/Sirius were in school. What would I want to do? Get my Hogwarts letter & LEARN.
Melissa Marr
There are 2 others I've considered, as well as 2 sequels, but no guarantees. I wrote this book bc I missed my characters. I'm not sure where I'll wander next. I'm definitely debating it, though...
Melissa Marr
I actually have about 50% of a sequel finished, so eventually!
Melissa Marr
DEFINITELY as a paperback, & possibly as a hardback.
Melissa Marr
I don't ever say never, but I'm not currently writing one. My publisher had no interest in buying the sequel. :(
Melissa Marr
I've started sequels to both--although GM was sold & planned as a stand-alone. I go back to the GM one regularly. Maybe someday. I have the same 20-30k of a sequel written, but it's not on par with the first book in quality so unless I can make it worthy, it'll stay on my hard drive.
I'm fairly certain that there will not be a CoS sequel. The publisher totally bailed on that book even though it was meant to be a duo, & that combined with my first ever writer's block meant that I doubt I'll ever go to that world again.
I DID learn from that experience, though. I'm no longer keen on selling a book on proposal (as that one was sold). These days I write the whole book before selling it, & then the sequel before the first is on the shelves. That assures there is little to no chance of another book that lacks a conclusion :(
My NEXT novel for young readers is written, not announced, and a release date of 2020 is set. Before that, the sequel will be already written.
I have 2 more picture books coming--one in 2019 (BABY DRAGON) & one set to release in 2020 (BUNNY ROO AND DUCKLING TOO) if the art is finished on schedule.
I have two other novels (one written & in revision) & one in drafting. Both are stand-alone, adult novels.
So I have things in process, but not sequels to either of those books.
I'm fairly certain that there will not be a CoS sequel. The publisher totally bailed on that book even though it was meant to be a duo, & that combined with my first ever writer's block meant that I doubt I'll ever go to that world again.
I DID learn from that experience, though. I'm no longer keen on selling a book on proposal (as that one was sold). These days I write the whole book before selling it, & then the sequel before the first is on the shelves. That assures there is little to no chance of another book that lacks a conclusion :(
My NEXT novel for young readers is written, not announced, and a release date of 2020 is set. Before that, the sequel will be already written.
I have 2 more picture books coming--one in 2019 (BABY DRAGON) & one set to release in 2020 (BUNNY ROO AND DUCKLING TOO) if the art is finished on schedule.
I have two other novels (one written & in revision) & one in drafting. Both are stand-alone, adult novels.
So I have things in process, but not sequels to either of those books.
Melissa Marr
There were & will be only the 2. I imagined it as a duo, sold it that way, & wrote it that way :)
Melissa Marr
I don't actively follow ANYONE on ANY social media unless I know their work or know them. My FB page is around 200 people. My Twitter is maybe 600 (including news feeds, archaeology sites, etc).
I guess I'm a bit old school in that I take the word "friend" literally on FB & follow on Twitter/IG/GR and whatever else appears as a way to actually keep up with people I am trying to keep up with IRL. :)
I guess I'm a bit old school in that I take the word "friend" literally on FB & follow on Twitter/IG/GR and whatever else appears as a way to actually keep up with people I am trying to keep up with IRL. :)
Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely has been under option to various people since 2008. Initially it was with Universal. It has moved between people, but never been out of option.
We've had numerous directors (some announced, some not), producers, studio, art made, music written, financiers . . . for a decade. It is currently under option AGAIN as of March 2018.
Thank you re: the writing comment. I have two screenplays on submission these days, too. Not adaptations of my own books. New stories. I'd love to write in that format :)
We've had numerous directors (some announced, some not), producers, studio, art made, music written, financiers . . . for a decade. It is currently under option AGAIN as of March 2018.
Thank you re: the writing comment. I have two screenplays on submission these days, too. Not adaptations of my own books. New stories. I'd love to write in that format :)
Melissa Marr
Thank you! MADE FOR YOU was intended to be a stand-alone. I play around with the idea of an adult sequel when she's older, but it's more of a vague "it would be fun" project. I suspect that sooner or later I'll end up doing another thriller, though. It was a lot of fun to write from the killer's pov. . .
Melissa Marr
For a lot of my books, I used baby name books not websites :) However, I also use the Social Security website to get lists of names that are popular or rare based upon my characters' dates of birth/ages.
I think names are critical in creating identity, so I take a lot of time in selecting names. Sometimes, that means that the characters names might change as I'm writing and THEY change, so I do a find & replace a few times while drafting.
I think names are critical in creating identity, so I take a lot of time in selecting names. Sometimes, that means that the characters names might change as I'm writing and THEY change, so I do a find & replace a few times while drafting.
Melissa Marr
Right now, I know there are TWO. The sequel is already written, revised, & is about to go to copyedits for a release in March/April 2017.
Melissa Marr
It's less of a re-reading than collecting MORE information on a topic. The beauty of lore and myth is that there is not a SINGLE authority. There are many bits and pieces that are collected, so for me the path is collecting essays, academic articles, stories or even travel tied to certain topics.
Selchies are a big one for me. One of the things I did after I sold my first books (a decade ago) was travel to Orkney (island off the north coast of Scotland) where the selchie myth originates. There is something magical about walking along the coast where long gone people walked and crafted those stories.
Obviously, faeries are a regular interest, too. I go to Scotland almost every year, and here and there, I go to Ireland or England. There are shelves of articles and books on faeries I've collected.
I think, for me, it about drowning myself in reading on a beloved topic or a tangential one.
Great question. Thank you.
Selchies are a big one for me. One of the things I did after I sold my first books (a decade ago) was travel to Orkney (island off the north coast of Scotland) where the selchie myth originates. There is something magical about walking along the coast where long gone people walked and crafted those stories.
Obviously, faeries are a regular interest, too. I go to Scotland almost every year, and here and there, I go to Ireland or England. There are shelves of articles and books on faeries I've collected.
I think, for me, it about drowning myself in reading on a beloved topic or a tangential one.
Great question. Thank you.
Melissa Marr
Rabbit always looks like any number of tattooists I've met over the years. (I am up to about 50 hours of ink at this point in my life. All privately placed so unless I'm on a beach, no one knows I have it.)
In my 20s, I ran a biker bar that was across from a tattoo studio--back when such places weren't visited by so many uptown folks. There was an artist with long white hair who was an influence. There was another artist who owned a shop where my ex worked. I think he was an influence too. The name comes from a man I knew back then too. Rabbit was a collection of traits of sexy tattooists bc . . . well, I've dated two tattoo artists and am terribly biased towards people with ink, so MY Rabbit is more of the artists and tattooed souls I've met rather than actors, but if seeing Rabbit as Mickey Rourke all inked up results is you saying "mmmm, sexy artist" you're doing it right :)
In my 20s, I ran a biker bar that was across from a tattoo studio--back when such places weren't visited by so many uptown folks. There was an artist with long white hair who was an influence. There was another artist who owned a shop where my ex worked. I think he was an influence too. The name comes from a man I knew back then too. Rabbit was a collection of traits of sexy tattooists bc . . . well, I've dated two tattoo artists and am terribly biased towards people with ink, so MY Rabbit is more of the artists and tattooed souls I've met rather than actors, but if seeing Rabbit as Mickey Rourke all inked up results is you saying "mmmm, sexy artist" you're doing it right :)
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