Hello gentle reader,

I’m delighted to share with you another interview with a YA author! This week it’s Stephanie Diaz, whom I’ve been following online for quite some time. Her debut EXTRACTION is a YA Sci-Fi which will be released on 22d July 2014!

Author: Stephanie Diaz

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Website: http://steph-diaz.blogspot.fr/

Book: EXTRACTION trilogy (published by St. Martin’s Griffin, an imprint of Macmillan, in July 2014)

Biography:

Stephanie Diaz is 21. She grew up in sunny San Diego, wishing for rain. She studied film production in college. When she isn’t lost in other worlds, she can be found singing, marveling at the night sky, or fangirling over television shows.

My interview (27th May 2014)

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

I can’t remember a time I didn’t want to be a writer, so yes, I’ve always known.

When and where do you write?

My most common workspace is my bedroom, but I’ll write just about anywhere. The library is one of my favorite places. My favorite time to write is late at night, but that’s been impractical lately, so I have to write during the day.

What do you say to writers who want to be published one day?

To anyone who wants to be published: keep writing, keep reading, and keep living. Don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to set aside a novel, even if you used to think it was amazing. Your next novel will be better.

To write “Extraction”, where did you get your inspiration from?

The inspiration for Extraction came from a random image of an enormous moon looming in the sky. I started wondering what life would be like on a planet where the moon was a big, poisonous threat instead of something beautiful. I hadn’t tried writing sci-fi before, but I’d always been mildly obsessed with space. So I was excited to give the genre a shot. 🙂

Why did you choose to write for young adults?

I was a young adult when I started writing Extraction (I mean, I still am–I’m 21), and it just made sense for me to write for my audience. Plus, I pretty much only read YA, so those are the kind of books I’m most familiar with.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the second and third books in the Extraction trilogy. And pondering some brand-new projects on the side. 🙂

What are you reading right now?

I just finished WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart. Wow, it was amazing. Highly recommended.

What are your favourite books? Any recommendations?

I’m a huge fan of YA sci-fi books. Some recent ones I’d recommend are THESE BROKEN STARS by Meghan Spooner and Amie Kaufman, and STITCHING SNOW by R.C. Lewis, which will be out later this year. I also love YA contemporary. WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard is a favorite.

Thanks for the interview, Stephanie!