Author Interview: Claire LaZebink

Today I have Claire, the author of Epic Fail, here to do an interview! She is super nice and funny! You can read my review for Epic Fail HERE.

Can you describe Epic Fail in four words?


A contemporary take on Pride and Prejudice.  (I decided "a," "on," and "and" don't count!)


In Epic Fail Elise seems to be a put together teen. She loves to spend time with family, and doesn't care what people think. Is she like you in any way?


I've certainly always been very family centered.  I'm never happier than when our whole family is under one roof (doesn't have to be our roof necessarily--I love traveling together).  Like Elise, I grew up with three sisters, although I have a brother too, and definitely relate to her combined feelings of affection for them--and irritation with them.  
I envy her her independent spirit.  I wish I didn't care what people think, but I'm not that liberated.  I'm working on it--I think I get more confident and feel less of a need to please everyone the older I get.  But when I was Elise's age, I didn't have the guts to say anything that might tick people off.  So making her outspoken and confident is total wish fulfillment for me--which is what makes writing so much fun.

You originally have written mostly Adult novels. What made you decide to write a Young Adult novel?


Part of it was having a daughter who's just entered her teen years (she''ll be fourteen in the fall) and realizing how few books out there really appeal to her.  She's not into the supernatural, which rules out a lot of books, and she likes her novels happy and romantic, not tragic or gritty.  I've been amazed at how hard it is to find realistic YA books that aren't about drug abuse or a sibling's suicide or something equally grim and serious.  So I figured I'd write one to fit her criteria.
I also just like to try my hand at different kinds of writing.  In books, I've written fiction for adults, nonfiction, anthology essays, and now YA.  I've also written screenplays, teleplays, theater pieces, and newspaper and magazine columns. I just like to change things up now and then, keep myself interested in what I'm doing.


Which is easier to write: Adult or YA?


In all honesty, they're not all that different to me.  Other than steering away from four-letter words (which I don't use that much anyway) and some sexual situations, I don't change the way I write from one to the other.  When I was a teenager, I didn't want to be talked down to.  I mostly read books that had been written for adults and if there was something I didn't understand, I just skipped over it.  So when I write YA books, I don't dumb my writing down at all.  


What is one thing you hope teens take away from reading Epic Fail?


To be openminded and judge things for themselves--not to let anyone tell them what to think or who to like.


Can we expect more YA novels from you in the future?


I'm working on one right now!  Well, I was until I started answering these questions . . .


I am looking forward to read it! Thank you so much Claire for taking the time to do an interview!


My pleasure.  Thank YOU.