Interview with Brenna Yovanoff, author of The Replacement

This is an interview by ninjakidlogan with Brenna Yovanoff, author of the amazing fantasy book about a boy named Mackie who finds out he's a changeling.  I read The Replacement and it was AWESOME! 

I think the book was very good, even though some parts left me a little disturbed. One strength of the book was that it was really satisfying--it had a good diversity of random scenes and a good narrative flow.  Yovanoff did a nice job with describing things so that you got a lot of mental images while you were reading.  I like the cover, too, because it had a really deep meaning.  Like, you wouldn't get it when you first looked at it, but when you look at it for a little while, you start to discover the reason there is such weird stuff hanging over the carriage--the main character is allergic to the metal, as well as the consecrated ground.

I'm honored to have the opportunity to interview Ms. Yovanoff!


Q1: What is the reason you wrote this book? Was there something in particular that inspired you to write it, or to get the idea?

It turns out that I don't have one perfect answer for this.  The Replacement was an idea I had for years and then one day, it just seemed like the right time to start writing it.  I'm still not sure exactly what prompted the story, but I think it had to do with how normal Mackie is, even though he's different.  The way he feels is often the same way a lot of other teenagers feel, even though they aren't changelings.  I wanted to write about that feeling of being uncomfortably separate, and deciding whether or not it's important to fit in.


Q2: What’s your fave character and why?  How do you go about creating characters that are so interesting and real-seeming?

One of my favorite characters to write was the Morrigan, because she's so strange and petulant and stubborn, but she really does have a good heart.  I like that she's not perfect, but she's always herself.


When I decide on a character to write, I try to think of all the little things that make a person specific.  It's never just how they look or what they say, but all those tiny details that make them special and different from everyone else in the world.


Q3: Have you written other books besides this one?  What were the steps you took to get this one published and to get good at writing?

The Replacement is the first book I've published, but not the first one I've written. Now I'm almost done with my second book, which is about demons and will be out this fall, and hopefully there are a lot more books in my future.


Getting good at writing is one of those things that pretty much has no short-cuts.  It's kind of like getting good at a sport or a musical instrument—you do it over and over and over again, and after awhile, you're better than you were.  Sometimes it seems like it would be easier and more fun if there were a way to magically be as good as I want to be overnight, but then I'd miss out on a big part of the process.  Part of the fun of writing is learning and seeing yourself grow and get better.


Q4: What is your all-time favorite book and why?

My answer to this question changes all the time, but that's not very helpful, so for now I'll try to pick just one. Today, my favorite book is American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. It's big and sprawling and full of amazing characters, and every time I read it, I find some beautiful new corner with something surprising in it.


Q5:What is your favorite color?

Most of the time, I like blue the best, but sometimes I like gray or purple or dark, dark red.


Q6: What is the best part about being a published author, and would you recommend it?

There are so many best things about being a published author! It's so exciting to be able to hold my book in my hands, and to see new places and meet other authors—I've gotten to meet so many people I wouldn't have otherwise.  Most of all, I get to do what I love best every single day, and I get to share my stories with readers like you.  It can be a lot of work, but I would absolutely recommend it!


Q7: What is your favorite type of chocolate? 


I know that people who really love chocolate usually say they like dark chocolate the best, but my favorite is actually milk chocolate with caramel or toffee chips.  Mmmmm, toffee . . .

Thank you, Brenna Yovanoff, for giving such great answers to our questions!