Interview with Amy Plum

If you haven't checked out my review of this book yet (I LOVED IT) you can right here. Also, did you know Amy has a map on her website of Paris and it has little notes on the places that are mentioned in the book? Check it out! 

1. So you've lived in Alabama, Chicago, New York, Paris and London, as well as some other small places. Which was your absolute favorite place to live? 

Paris and New York are my favorite places on earth, both to live and to visit. Since my parents are gone, I don’t really have a “home” to go back to. But when I am in either of those cities, I have this happy bubble inside me that feels like it’s constantly on the verge of bursting. In New York it’s the creativity, the energy, the 24/7 activity, and the fact that no one looks twice when some guy wearing only a Speedo and a leather jacket dances by them on rollerblades. In Paris it’s the ancient history of the city, the millions of ghosts that are everywhere, pulling on the edges of your consciousness, that seduces me. There’s an ambiance of lazy luxury, appreciating life (whether with the food, art, or beautiful people) being at the forefront of its inhabitants’ minds. Paris is a woman: she’s incredibly sexy, sophisticated and cool. New York is a man: he’s artistic, bohemian, and has so much nervous energy that when you’re with him you can’t help but buzz and jump around with his contagious excitement. I love both of them equally! 

2. What is a book you've read recently, that you think everyone should read? 

I know they’re the books on everyone’s favorite list at the moment, but I have to say the Hunger Games series. 

3. How close are the actors in your book trailer to what your characters actually look like? 

The kids they chose are super-cute, but they don’t look anything like Kate and Vincent. 

4. For those wishing to live abroad, what is some advice they must know? 

Don’t judge anything in your new country by the same standards you would back home. Wherever you go, try not to have the attitude “Our way is better”. Try instead for “Our way is different”. And then, even if you come across something you don’t like, attempt to find the charming side in it. You will have a much better experience if you do! 

5. Did you know Kate's story would be paranormal to begin with or did her early draft life start of differently? 

Yes, I approached the idea of the book knowing it would be a paranormal romance. But before I even thought of what paranormal creature I would write about, I tried to figure out what Kate, my human protagonist, was like. The book began when the first sentence (which has since been cut) came to mind: “Ten days after I got my driver’s license, my parents were killed in a car accident.” That defined Kate for me, and everything else grew from that. Once I had her personality down, I tried to think about what kind of supernatural being she would fall for. 

6. Which was your favorite character, if you have one? 

Kate and Vincent are my favorite characters, of course. But after them, I would have to say Jules. Since we don’t see him much in Book 1 the reader doesn’t know this, but he has a very three-dimensional personality in my mind. He has found a way to deal with his fate that I completely understand and empathize with.