For A Cornicopia of Dystopia, I read and reviewed XVI and had the extreme pleasure of interviewing debut author Julia Karr about her amazing novel XVI. Want to know if there were any deleted scenes in XVI or which invention Ms. Karr would like to have for real? Check it out below!
1. XVI showed us a very scary version of Chicago
The idea grew organically as I was working on XVI. It started with an image of a girl in a futuristic city. Then NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) started & I decided to use this girl (Nina) and a city (Chicago
2. I loved following Nina but if you could re-write the story following another character for fun, who would you choose?
2. I loved following Nina but if you could re-write the story following another character for fun, who would you choose?
I think Sal would be a good character to follow. He's been through a lot and doesn't talk much about it. But, I bet there's a lot there!
3. With verts, trannies and gps tracking systems, the world in XVI feels very real. How did you decide on what Nina's futuristic world was going to look like? Did you have a favorite part about it? (I think I'd like to have a cooking station. They seem incredible useful!)
3. With verts, trannies and gps tracking systems, the world in XVI feels very real. How did you decide on what Nina's futuristic world was going to look like? Did you have a favorite part about it? (I think I'd like to have a cooking station. They seem incredible useful!)
It was kind of hard to decide on what to use and what I couldn't really conceive. A man named Napoleon Hill wrote, "What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." There were some things I couldn't quite conceive! But, I did enjoy coming up with items I thought were totally possible. And, yes - a cook center that you could load with ingredients, program in recipes, and have the machine give you the finished product - Bring It On! :)
4. Nina spent a lot of time guarding DeeDee's baby book. If Nina had a baby book, what are a few of the secrets it would conceal?
4. Nina spent a lot of time guarding DeeDee's baby book. If Nina had a baby book, what are a few of the secrets it would conceal?
Not sure I can answer this without spoilers. Sorry!5. Sal and Nina's relationship felt real to me. Do you have a particular line or scene that was a favorite to write between them?
The scene in the park when they first meet. Yeah… I loved writing that one!
6. Nina is such a strong female character. If you could give her a best friend from any other novel, who would it be?
I think she'd easily be besties with Jenna Fox and Vi from Elana Johnson's POSSESSION.
7. Were there any scene that got cut during editing that you were fond of? Was anything added that you love?
I'm a pretty spare writer, so nothing was cut. I had to add things. FeLS was the add to the original manuscript - I think it made the book come alive!
8. Do you write with music on? If so, is there a band or certain song that represents XVI for you?
I have to write in silence. I get so involved when I listen to music that I'd be singing or dancing up a storm instead of paying attention to the writing. That said - there one song that kind of represents XVI for me - Common People by Pulp.
9. Have you reading any good YA novels lately?
Three from my friends at The League of Extraordinary Writers - in alphabetical order… Across the Universe by Beth Revis, Memento Nora by Angie Smibert, Possession by Elana Johnson. Also - The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder, Popular by Alissa Grosso and Illegal by Bettina Restrepo.
10. What are you working on currently? Can you tell us anything about it?
Well, I just sent off the first round of edits on TRUTH, which is a sequel to XVI. And, then there is this Sekrit Project… :D
Want more on XVI?:
- Visit Goodreads
- Check out XVI on Amazon.com
- Go to Julia Karr's website
Feeling creative and want to win a SIGNED copy of XVI? Check out my cover re-design contest!
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Fantastic interview. I can't wait till I get around to reading XVI
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