Marie Lu

Growing up, I didn't know any writers and felt somewhat isolated.

I've seen fan art from readers that is professional-grade in quality.

Before I ever begin writing a new story, I have to sketch my characters out on paper. It's part of my process of understanding who they are.

As a writer, I try to appeal to the 'elusive boy audience' the same way I try to appeal to everyone: I do the very best I can to create interesting characters, addictive plots, tons of conflict, believable settings, unexpected plot twists, intriguing beginnings, and satisfying endings.

I remember my favorite books when I was a kid: 'The Redwall Adventure' series, 'Ender's Game,' things like that.

The Rose Society' was definitely the hardest book I've ever written, because it's so difficult to stay in that dark space.

My very first system was the Sega Genesis back when I was 7 or 8 years old. I played that into the ground. Like, my parents had to confiscate it and put it in attic, the whole thing.

On the one hand, I'm so relieved that I've actually managed to finish my very first series and that I've been able to see my characters through to the end of their journeys. On the other hand, I feel like how parents must feel when they send their kid off to college. It's a bittersweet mix.

I had a lot of really emo stories as a kid. I wrote a lot of fan fiction.

I remember playing 'Mortal Kombat' when I was a kid and the other 'Tekken'-style games.

Boys are different from girls, but boys are also different from other boys, just as girls are different from other girls. Calling a book 'for boys' or 'for girls' is well-meaning, but to me, not terribly helpful.

I went into writing 'The Young Elites' with a great deal of fear - I'd been told repeatedly that a villain's story would be far too dark for young readers to want and that no one would like my villainess, Adelina. I braced myself for epic failure.