Adrienne Young is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the Fable duology (a Reese’s Book Club pick!) and the Sky in the Deep duology. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, sipping wine over long dinners or disappearing into her favourite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Today, Adrienne Young is on the blog to take on our Ten Terrifying Questions — read on!
Adrienne Young
1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?
I was born and raised in Texas and moved to California when I was 19 years old to be closer to my boyfriend. We got married young and stayed in California for 15 years before moving to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina this year.
2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?
12: Author. Being an author was my childhood dream and writing was my favourite thing to do. I used to fill journals with poetry and short stories and felt like it was the only thing I was really good at.
18: Photographer. Through my teen years, I convinced myself that being an author wasn’t a realistic career choice. I started to imagine myself going in other directions, but continued to dream about being an author and kept writing for myself.
30: Author. I was around 25 years old when I finally got the courage to pursue getting published. By the time I was 30, I was close to selling my first novel.
3. What strongly held belief did you have when you were younger that you do not have now?
That the world is black and white. For a long time, I really held on to a lot of dualistic thinking I was taught as a kid. As you get older, you realise that the world is so much more complicated than that and I went through a huge perspective change. Now I see the world in greys and I’m convinced there is very little that can be sorted into black and white.
4. What are three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – that you can now say had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?
Florence + the Machine and Banks have had huge influences on me as a storyteller. I also find a lot of inspiration in poetry. Mary Oliver and Nikita Gill are two that I love.
5. Considering the innumerable artistic avenues open to you, why did you choose to write a young adult novel?
The story I sold first was young adult so that has been my focus while I get settled into being an author. But I have worked on projects in different categories in the past and definitely plan to branch out in the future.
‘I hope readers find an escape in this world. This has been such a hard year for so many people. I think we all deserve a little escape.’
6. Please tell us about your latest book …
Fable is the first book in a new duology. It’s a seafaring fantasy world where the main character is a dredger—a free diver that excavates gemstones from coral reefs. Four years ago, her father left her on an island to fend for herself and the book is about her journey in getting off that island and finding him so she can claim a place on his trading crew.
7. What do you hope readers will take away with them after reading your book?
I hope readers find an escape in this world. This has been such a hard year for so many people. I think we all deserve a little escape. I also hope that people find comfort in the found family aspect of the story.
8. Who do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?
Oh goodness, so many people. I really admire authors who have been around for more than a few years and who are still putting books out there. It’s a really tough industry and I think it takes a lot of dedication and persistence. Anyone who sticks it out for the long haul has my respect.
9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?
I have a lot of writing “bucket list” items. I would love to see one of my books adapted for TV or film one day. I’d also love to write for TV or film eventually.
10. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
My best advice is to write the story that only you can tell. Don’t write to trends or try to emulate other authors. The unique quality of your writing is what will sell it and make readers remember you.
Thank you for playing!
—Fable by Adrienne Young (NewSouth Publishing) is out now.
Fable
The Fable Duology: Book 1
Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.
As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen year-old Fable has ever known. It's been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food...
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