Why do you read young adult fiction?
Young adult has an unbelievable sense of adventure that I have a hard time finding in books geared to an adult audience. The characters experience a lot of “firsts,” which, in turn, make those adventures or misadventures all the more significant and exciting. The stakes feel higher when a character is slated to learn so much from their mistakes and experiences. That’s why once I started reading young adult, I never looked back.
What YA book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading two YA books. They are FIRE by Kristin Cashore and UNDIVIDED by Neal Shusterman. I absolutely love these two series. Before I started on these two, I was reading HALF A KING by Joe Abercrombie.
Young adult has an unbelievable sense of adventure that I have a hard time finding in books geared to an adult audience. The characters experience a lot of “firsts,” which, in turn, make those adventures or misadventures all the more significant and exciting. The stakes feel higher when a character is slated to learn so much from their mistakes and experiences. That’s why once I started reading young adult, I never looked back.
What YA book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading two YA books. They are FIRE by Kristin Cashore and UNDIVIDED by Neal Shusterman. I absolutely love these two series. Before I started on these two, I was reading HALF A KING by Joe Abercrombie.
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When and where do you read?
I read in my car on my way to work! But don’t panic, I use the term “read” loosely. There are always two books on my “currently reading” list. The one I read in my car is actually an audiobook, which I normally get from my library either on CD, playaway or download. The second book is one I purchase, preferably a hardback cover so later it can look pretty on my shelves :) This book I enjoy mostly at home, during stolen moments before bed or while the family is occupied and doesn’t need me.
What draws you to a book?
The first thing is the author. If I’ve read their work before and I’ve liked it, their new books are going on my list. Other than that, I will have to confess that curiosity plays a big role in drawing me to a book. When I constantly hear people talking about a particular book, I add it to my list as well. Once a book makes it to my list, I decide what to read next based on reviews. I read good and bad reviews to determine whether I might like it or not. Interestingly enough, sometimes good reviews make me not what to read a book, while bad reviews have the opposite effect.
Do you ever reread books?
No. I have never reread a book. Not sure if that’s good or bad, but I feel there are many good books out there and I want to discover them all. I also want to find new voices, new authors from whom I can perhaps learn something as a writer. I won’t say I’ll never reread a book, there are a few that tempt me, but there are too many on my list to stop moving forward, besides I’m always looking for the book that will replace my last favorite one :)
Which YA book has had the most impact on your writing?
Though not one of my favorite YA books, I will have to say that SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi opened my eyes to certain possibilities I thought were impractical or closed off to me. I like to play with words and get a little wild with my prose. Not as much as Ms. Mafi does but, after reading her book, I realized it was okay to let my instincts take over. I saw that I didn’t have to hold back when I wanted to wonder off the straight path into zones were words can be used in interesting ways.
I read in my car on my way to work! But don’t panic, I use the term “read” loosely. There are always two books on my “currently reading” list. The one I read in my car is actually an audiobook, which I normally get from my library either on CD, playaway or download. The second book is one I purchase, preferably a hardback cover so later it can look pretty on my shelves :) This book I enjoy mostly at home, during stolen moments before bed or while the family is occupied and doesn’t need me.
What draws you to a book?
The first thing is the author. If I’ve read their work before and I’ve liked it, their new books are going on my list. Other than that, I will have to confess that curiosity plays a big role in drawing me to a book. When I constantly hear people talking about a particular book, I add it to my list as well. Once a book makes it to my list, I decide what to read next based on reviews. I read good and bad reviews to determine whether I might like it or not. Interestingly enough, sometimes good reviews make me not what to read a book, while bad reviews have the opposite effect.
Do you ever reread books?
No. I have never reread a book. Not sure if that’s good or bad, but I feel there are many good books out there and I want to discover them all. I also want to find new voices, new authors from whom I can perhaps learn something as a writer. I won’t say I’ll never reread a book, there are a few that tempt me, but there are too many on my list to stop moving forward, besides I’m always looking for the book that will replace my last favorite one :)
Which YA book has had the most impact on your writing?
Though not one of my favorite YA books, I will have to say that SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi opened my eyes to certain possibilities I thought were impractical or closed off to me. I like to play with words and get a little wild with my prose. Not as much as Ms. Mafi does but, after reading her book, I realized it was okay to let my instincts take over. I saw that I didn’t have to hold back when I wanted to wonder off the straight path into zones were words can be used in interesting ways.
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Which books do you find yourself recommending over and over again?
There are several, but the top one is most definitely DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor. What an amazing story and beautiful writing! I think she should give me a commission ;) Other favorites of mine are the UNWIND series by Neal Shusterman, LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld, POISON PRINCESS by Kresley Cole, and THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J Maas.
There are several, but the top one is most definitely DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor. What an amazing story and beautiful writing! I think she should give me a commission ;) Other favorites of mine are the UNWIND series by Neal Shusterman, LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld, POISON PRINCESS by Kresley Cole, and THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J Maas.
Ingrid Seymour is the author of Ignite The Shadows (Harper Voyager, April 23, 2015). When she’s not writing books, she spends her time working as a software engineer, cooking exotic recipes, hanging out with her family and working out. She writes young adult and new adult fiction in a variety of genres, including Sci-Fi, urban fantasy, romance, paranormal and horror.
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Her favorite outings involve a trip to the library or bookstore where she immediately gravitates toward the YA section. She’s an avid reader and fangirl of many amazing books. She is a dreamer and a fighter who believes perseverance and hard work can make dreams come true. For more information, visit Ingrid at: ingridseymour.com
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