Interview with Sophia Bennett

Hello everyone!

Today I've got a treat for all my readers; an interview with a brilliant YA author. She is one of my favourite authors; I've read all of her books and have written a review of Threads posted here: http://tellingitlikeateen.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/threads-by-sophia-bennett.html

 So without further ado, I’m very pleased to introduce Sophia Bennett *round of applause*.

 

Olivia: Hello Sophia! Welcome to Telling it Like a Teen. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Sophia: Hi Olivia. I'm a writer of books for teens, and I've so far published four books: the Threads series and The Look. My new book, You Don't Know Me, comes out in May.

Olivia: Why do you write YA books instead of adult fiction?

Sophia: Very good question. I think it's because I most passionately consumed books when I was 12-17. That's when I discovered my favourite authors, and writing styles, and what mattered to me about the world. Writing for that age group is very exciting for me, because you are forming the personalities and opinions that will carry you throughout your lives. You're making a few mistakes and working out how to make the world better. It's a stressful time, but so exciting. But having said all that, I don't write YA deliberately. I just write what I like, and that's how it comes out.

Olivia: What is your favourite book (it can't be one of yours:) and who is your favourite author (it can't be you:)?

Sophia: Quite impossible - there are far too many special ones. But I love PG Wodehouse and Dorothy L Sayers. Recently, my favourite books were The Hunger Games and Wolf Hall. I also loved Millions.

Olivia: Who is your favourite and least favourite character from The Look?

 Sophia: My favourite character to write was Tina di Gaggia - but she has my least favourite moral standards. She really would to anything to get a good picture. My favourite character to be would be Jesse, Ava's boyfriend, probably. He's gorgeous, has a great lifestyle by the sea, and he's kind. Also, of course, I love Ted the way she ends up in the book.

Olivia: If you could be a character would you rather be Ted or Ava and why?

Sophia: Hmm. Very tricky and nobody's ever asked me that before. I guess Ted, by the end. But to start with, definitely Ava.

Olivia: In The Look, Ted becomes a popular model while Ava becomes ill, why did you choose to have this contrast?

Sophia: I thought it would make a much more interesting story than 'girl who is obviously beautiful becomes model and has a great life'. I wanted to explore the contrast between one girl discovering her looks and another battling with them. But they both discover great strength and courage inside, so in some ways their journey is the same.

Olivia: I am frequently frustrated when I read a book and find the last 30 pages are a total disappointment. Therefore I was so pleased, when I read The Look - this was not the case. Can you give our readers any tips on how to write successful endings?

 

Sophia: Oh, thank you! What did you particularly like about it? I'm very curious to know. I like endings that are slightly unexpected, but that make perfect sense when you read back over the book. I like it when the 'happiness' of the ending isn't down to the girl getting the boy or vice versa, because we all know that can go wrong soon afterwards. I like it when lots and lots of what seem like loose ends are miraculously caught up, but at the same time it doesn't seem too neat. And I like a feeling of a bubble floating high into the sky, when a character gets the happiness or recognition that he or she has earned.

Olivia: If someone gave you the choice, to either continue being a successful writer or break (successfully) into the fashion industry, which would you choose?

 

Sophia: Blimey! Wow. Well, having tried the writing out, I would say I'd stick with it - because I know the people in the writing world are wonderful and supportive and kind. But I don't hear that so much about the people in the fashion world.

Olivia: Can you see yourself writing a YA novel not centred on fashion?

Sophia:Yup. Just did! Out in May …

 

Olivia: And lastly, can you give us any hints as to what your next book will be about?

Sophia: Four girls love to sing together. But when they're mysteriously entered into a talent show, and get the chance to do well in it, they make a hideous mistake. Suddenly, it's as if the whole internet hates them for what they did, and their friendship is torn apart. How will they cope?

  

Thank you very much Sophia!

 Well I hope everyone enjoyed that. I’m very excited about Sophia’s new book – I’ve always wanted to enter a talent contest.

 
To find out more about Sophia Bennett check out: http://sophiabennett.com/

What to expect from An Unexpected Journey - going from film to book

First up, Happy New Year everybody! To kick start this year off I have posted below a review (ish) of The Hobbit film/book. I strongly recommend that if you haven’t already read the book you do that before you see the film as although the film is based on the book the storylines are quite different. Secondly, sorry for the lateness of this blog post!

The Hobbit

18.30, 3D glasses really starting to annoy me, been in the cinema for 3 hours. Really enjoying it but losing track of the endless dwarves. And those geeks in the front row are really starting to get on my nerves with their Lord of the Rings quotes. Martin Freeman looking at a bird flying off in the distance. Cut to credits. OMG it’s gonna be a trilogy! I have to wait a year to find out what happens to them! Yes, last Saturday I went to see The Hobbit in 3D with something about a higher frame rate. After I left the cinema I felt disappointed, not with the film itself but with the fact that it is a trilogy. The book is only 360 odd pages!

So, wanting to find out the fate of Bilbo and Co, I started reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I have to admit that it has been sitting on my bookshelf ever since my mum bought it for me when I wasn’t into reading – yes that long! Strangely this time I didn’t skip the introduction (a bad habit - don’t do it). The book itself is very descriptive and uses so much imagery that would bring a smile to my English teachers face.

Unfortunately, I have the faces and mannerisms of the actors playing in my mind as I read. While I’m on the topic of characters I’ll say one thing; the characters in The Hobbit (book) are very different to those in the film. For example I’m finding that Gandalf is slightly in the book whereas in the film he is shown as wise and kind. It is interesting to spot these differences as I read the book. I can feel my whole Hobbit world crumbling as I turn each page.  So far I don’t like many of the main characters e.g. Gandalf however in the film I found I loved them. I think it’s strange that my opinion of Gandalf after watching the film and after reading the book for a short while can change.

In terms of storyline, I think the film and the book are on the same page (pun!) but I do think there are slight differences. The film seemed to have made up more details whereas the book is simpler and somewhat faster.  The numerous characters are easier to remember and recognise in the book however in the film some of the characters – particularly the dwarves – get a bit confusing. Yet, in the book I think the story is harder to grasp and follow – strange considering I’m slightly at an advantage having seen the film before reading the book!

I remember reading an article a few weeks ago in preparation for my GCSE English Language Paper about The Lord of the Rings and its visuals. The author expressed feelings of loyalty towards the book and said how films can never be as good as the books that they are based on due to the fact that are imagination is greater than CGI, animation etc. However after watching the film and reading ‘Part 1’ of the book I would have to disagree with him.

I think the films like Narnia, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit are easier to understand than the books; the setting is in front of you. For me, by the time I’ve finished reading a long paragraph about X’s bedroom I’ll have forgotten the first half of it! Yet when I see a film I only have to look for a couple of seconds at an image and I’ll remember it. I’m not saying that details are bad I just think it is easier to see the setting then to imagine it. However, many fantasy novels contain items that don’t exist, these items are therefore open to interuptation. These objects e.g. the swords Bilbo and Co. find in a cave I prefer reading about.

I can’t give you an overall view of The Hobbit as I made myself stop reading when I reached the part which corresponds with the end of the film. When The Hobbit Part 2 is released then I’ll read ‘Part 2’ of the book.

Which is better? Even though I have a strong pull towards the book (as it is a book) and I normally say books are better than films, I’d have to say The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was better than ‘Part 1’ of The Hobbit.