We are so happy to have author Jennifer Niven on the blog today! We both LOVED All the Bright Places and we were so excited to interview Jennifer. After you read the interview, be sure to enter the giveaway :)
Interview
What was your
reason to writing a book about such a hard topic? Years
ago, I knew and loved a boy, and that boy was bipolar. I witnessed up-close the
highs and lows, the Awake and the Asleep, and I saw his daily struggle with the
world and with himself. The experience
was life changing. Back then, I didn’t
talk about it, but it’s important to talk about. I experienced firsthand the
stigma associated with mental disorders—both from his perspective and from
mine—and I realized that we need to make people feel safe enough to come
forward and say, “I have a problem. I
need help.” If we don’t talk about
suicide or depression or mental illness, how can we expect anyone to reach out
for help when they need it most?
Christy and I
loved the way the book ended, but had you always pictured it ending the way it
did? I never questioned how All the Bright Places would end. I knew in my bones that the only
ending could be the one I wrote, not just because too many stories about teen
mental health are tied up in neat little packages with bows on top, but because
it’s the ending I lived with the real-life Finch. It was the story I knew.
What made you
choose the name of the main characters? I really loved both of their names and I
was curious as to how much thought went behind them. Some
characters pretty much name themselves, whereas others take some work. When I
sat down to write Finch’s first chapter, I heard his voice in my head saying,
“I, Theodore Finch, being of unsound mind…” I never even thought about his
name. It just appeared. (Probably unconsciously influenced by Atticus Finch in To
Kill a Mockingbird.) Once I had Finch, I worked to find “Violet Markey.” I
knew I wanted a classic-sounding name, and landed on Violet pretty quickly. Her
last name took a bit more thought, but it ended up being perfect. I didn’t
choose it so that Finch could call her “Ultraviolet Remarkey-able”—that was
just creative serendipity.
Who would you like
to play Finch in the movie (which Christy and I are thrilled about)? I’m thrilled too! When I was writing the book, I pictured
Nicholas Hoult as Finch, right down to his imposing height, the dark hair, the
blue eyes. In a dream world, it would be three years ago and he would play the part, but sadly he’s a
little too manly and mature now. I’m hoping for a wildly gifted, largely unknown
actor who can become Finch to movie
audiences and to me.
What was the
hardest part for you to write? In the interest of
avoiding spoilers, let’s just say the entire book was challenging because it
was so personal. A young writer asked me recently, “How did you write All the Bright Places without crying
over it?” The answer is that I did cry while writing it, but I also knew that
it was okay to cry because that meant I was tapping into all of the emotion
that was going to help me write what I needed to write.
Finch had a place
he ventured to when he wanted to get away, where is the place you go to relieve
stress and just relax? I go hiking/walking—either
to the Santa Monica beach or to the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park. One of
the twelve million things I love about living in Los Angeles is that nature is
so accessible.
If you could
choose one place on Violet and Finch’s list, where would you go on an adventure
to, and why? I think I’d go to Hoosier Hill,
because that was really where it all started for them. Although I’m going back
to Indiana in April and I can’t wait to ride the backyard roller coasters!
What are three
books that you recommend the most? There are too
many to pick just three! But three books I love to share with other readers are
In Cold Blood, We Have Always Lived in
the Castle, and The Lovely Bones.
Christy and I are
both wondering, what is next in the YA world for you? I’m
at work on my second YA novel now. It’s about a boy who can’t recognize faces
and a very visible girl who feels invisible. It’s about seeing, being seen, and learning to recognize what’s
important. It’s about what makes us love someone.
A little THIS OR THAT
Winter or Summer? SUMMER!
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate. (Although I’ll take popcorn over either!)
Movies that make you
laugh or movies that make you cry? Movies that do
both.
E-book or hardback? Hardback, hardback, hardback.
Contemporary or Fantasy? I admire fantasy writers/books greatly, but I’m
definitely a contemporary girl.
Giveaway
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VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW
· Entries will be checked and anyone found cheating will be disqualified from all future giveaways.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW
