YA Cafe Host MarleneP: ***ATTENTION*** The chat is now beginning. We ask everyone to quiet down now, find a comfy seat, and hold all your comments and questions until the HOST opens up the floor. Hello, everyone! Welcome to the YA Author's Cafe! Thanks for coming! I am Marlene Perez, your host for tonight's chat. Before I introduce our guest, I would like to remind you of our format. This is the Publication Party for Melissa Wyatt's FIRST BOOK, so we will be a little more informal tonight, but I will be asking our guest a few questions. Before the last question, I will invite the audience to get ready to participate. If you like to ask a question, type? and then type out your question so it is ready to SEND when I call on you. I'll will type GA when it is your turn. Let's begin. I'd like to introduce Melissa Wyatt, author of RAISING THE GRIFFIN. RAISING THE GRIFFIN tells the story of sixteen-year-old Alex Varenhoff, a British teen whose family once ruled the tiny Eastern European country of Rovenia. When his father is asked to accept the crown, Alex must give up everything he knows and become crown prince of a country he only knows from his grandfather's stories. Melissa, can you tell us a little about building an entire country from your imagination? And making it seem so real that I almost went to my atlas?
Melissa Wyatt: Creating Rovenia was serious play. I knew that fooling around with the subject of royalty would strain credulity. So I wanted to make everything seem as real as possible because the story I wanted to tell was meant to be real, have no relation to fairytale or fantasy. So I knew I had to create a setting that fit into existing geography and history. That meant I had to go back and learn all the history I slept through in high school. I read tons of books on several different Eastern European countries. I didn't base Rovenia on any of them or borrow anything directly from them, but tried to create similar histories, folklore, etc.
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: I was fascinated by so many of the characters in this story, but deBatz in particular intrigued me. How did that character come about?
Melissa Wyatt: Oh deBatz! I think he might be my impatient side. He just sort of grew along with the story.
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: was he always such a pivotal character?
Melissa Wyatt: Yes. His character is probably the least changed of any since the first draft. I knew this was going to be the key relationship, deBatz and Alexei.
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: (All right gang, I am going to ask our guest one more question and then it will be time for you to ask your questions. Type your? at any time and then get your questions ready to send and for me to call on you
Amanda: ?
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Melissa, can you talk a little about the open ending of the book? I know what I think happened and why and you had such a light touch, a mere adjustment of a word
Melissa Wyatt: I'm actually a little surprised that it's considered an open ending. The information is there, I think, to tell you what choice Alexei makes. As far as where he goes from there, that's a little more questionable.
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: the ending is beautifully subtly done
Melissa Wyatt: Thank you! It was one of the few things we really didn't tinker much with in revision. We worked to bring the rest of the book around to that ending. (Not a royal "we." I mean my editor and me.)
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Okay, I'm going to open it up for questions now. Amanda GA
Amanda: You said that deBatz changed the least of any of the characters as you went through drafts. Who else changed, and how, and why?
lauramc: ?
Melissa Wyatt: Ha, Amanda! This could take all night.
Annette Klause: ?
Melissa Wyatt: As far as actually changing, Alexei's dad (the king) probably changed the most. He went from being this older, formal, reserved and controlled man to being younger and more volatile, more emotional. I would have said Alexei changed the most, but I don't think he changed so much as I had to work harder to get the reader to understand him better.
Nancy Werlin: ?
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: lauramc GA
lauramc: after this kind of world-building, do you plan to continue? or are you going in other directions with your writing?
Melissa Wyatt: It's really tempting to want to stay in Rovenia, Laura. Not just because it was a ton of work! But I also don't want to get stuck there. So there are other things I'm working on now, a little closer to home.
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Annette Klause GA
Annette Klause: Did a web site history of the country ever get made like you planned at one time?
Melissa Wyatt: Ha! Yes, Annette, I did put up the history of Rovenia on my website. Right after i put it up (before the book came out)... I got an e-mail from a man thanking me. He said he'd been searching for information on Rovenia for years and hadn't been able to find anything. I didn't have the heart to tell him I made it all up. GA
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Nancy Werlin GA
Annette Klause: Wa ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Nancy Werlin: Could you imagine writing a historical novel set in Rovenia? Perhaps starring a Victorian ancestor of Alexei's?
Mary Pearson: ?
Alex: ?
Melissa Wyatt: Oh, yeah! There was a woman in the history in particluar, who I keep thinking about. And I'd also love to go back and do deBatz's story. GA
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Mary Pearson GA
Mary Pearson: I think every book teaches us something about ourselves as we write it--what did RTG teach you?
Melissa Wyatt: Oh Mary, that's a tough question.
Mary Pearson: sorry--peristence maybe?
Melissa Wyatt: I was actually writing it while a lot of stuff was going on with my oldest son... And I now see a lot of that in the book, that I didn't realize was there. Yes, I think persistence is a good word for it. A sort of "doing the best you can with things not very subject to your control." GA
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Alex GA
Alex: You said you had to work hard to get the reader to understand Alexei better. What difficulties did you face and how did you deal with them?
Melissa Wyatt: Jeez, more tough questions!
michi: ?
Melissa Wyatt: I think I had this indulgent mother thing going on, where I thought his spoiled brat act was just adorable... and I thought everyone else would feel the same way... It was tough to step back and try to see him a little more dispassionately try to let the reader see the cause and effect, the reasons behind why he did the things he did and felt as he did. GA
Mary Pearson: ?
kay: ?
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: michi GA
michi: Lighter question -- how did you celebrate when you were offered a book contract? :)
Melissa Wyatt: Ha! I was too scared to celebrate. Honestly, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to revise well enough. GA
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Mary Pearson GA
Mary Pearson: Okay, here's an easy one! I know you are working on something else right now, but do you think there will ever be a sequel?
Melissa Wyatt: I would like to do a sequel, maybe even put it up on the website. I want to know for myself... how Alexei handles things in the future. I worry about him. GA
cheryl: ?
Alex: ?
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Cheryl GA
cheryl: How did it feel to work with an editor? Was it a good process? Do you feel you learned anything that will help you in future works?
Melissa Wyatt: I feel very fortunate to have worked on my first book with such a wonderful editor... The best thing about it was that she understood completely what I was trying to do... Other editors had seen the ms and wanted it to be something else. Wendy wanted to help me make it MY story. I learned tons from working with her. Mainly that there is a point where you need to switch your perspective on the story, start thinking as a reader, seeing the story as a reader would see it and giving the reader what they need. GA
cheryl: She sounds like a perfect match for you, then!
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: kay GA
kay: Did you base the character of Alex on a real person, or maybe steal bits and pieces from several real kids?
Amanda: ?
Melissa Wyatt: I don't think so, Kay. I don't really see anything there that reminds me of anyone so I don't think I even did it subconsciously, but... Sophy is based on a real person. That's the only time I've consciously done that. I couldn't resist after I met this terrific girl. She was perfect. GA
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Alex GA
Alex: Can you give us an idea what you're working on now?
Melissa Wyatt: Ummmm...my four-suit spider solitaire game?
Alex: Oh, I'm working on that myself!
Melissa Wyatt: (I am getting much better!) Seriously, I'm still bopping between a couple of different things.Having a hard time settling on something. GA
Mary Pearson: (LOL)
kay: What, I'm not the only one who does that??
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Amanda GA
Amanda: What's yourfavorite scene from the book?
Melissa Wyatt: Oooo. I like the scene where the lady inthe elder hostel makes Alexei taste the pie. GA
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Alex GA
Alex: What do you enjoy reading?
Melissa Wyatt: I like all kinds of different stuff. Some of my favorite YA books are British... I've always been huge fan of K. M. Peyton and love her contemporary stories and her historicals. a I love the Lord Peter Wimsey books, but only the ones with Harriet. GA
Nancy Werlin: (Yes! Wimsey was a loon until he met Harriet.)
Amanda: ?
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Amanda GA (this is our last "official" question)
Amanda: Where do you get inspiration? Music? Movies? ARt? Is that too vague?
Melissa Wyatt: Movies! I'm a movie fanatic, especially old movies.
Amanda: How do those affect your approach to writing?
Melissa Wyatt: All the "duty" stuff in GRIFFIN came from old movies like THE SWAN and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA and stuff like that.
Amanda: Not the reality show THE SWAN. Right?
Melissa Wyatt: (No! The Grace Kelly SWAN.) I think sometimes they affect me adversely. Some stuff I shouldn't watch when I'm writing.
Amanda: How so?
Melissa Wyatt: I like maudlin stuff, too maudlin for today's taste.
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Our "official" time for tonight is up-some of us need to go-but the rest of you are welcome to stay and chat as long as you like. Don't forget next week's chat, Best Performances in a supporting role: secondary characters in YA Lit (I nominate deBatz)
Nancy Werlin: Must duck out, but you were wonderful, Melissa. Congratulations on a terrific book! Yay!
Alex: Gotta go, but it was fun and informative:) And loved the book.
lauraw: Congratulations, Melissa! Love a book that chokes me up!
Melissa Wyatt: Thank you for coming, everyone! Thank you, Marlene!
gailgiles: I got bounced! Melissa, the book is fab and it's reception is pretty fab too! Congrats!
Annette Klause: Congrats, Melissa. Bye!
cheryl: Congratulations, Melissa. It's exciting, your new book! And thanks for taking the time to talk with us all.
Mary Pearson: CONGRATULATIONS, MELISSA! (yes, I'm shouting!)
YA Cafe Host MarleneP: Melissa, thanks for writing such a great book and for letting us celebrate with you!!!