Maureen Johnson

29-05-2006

Maureen Johnson is de schrijfster van het boek '13 Enveloppen & 1 rugzak'. Dit boek is behoorlijk populair en daarom besloten wij om deze auteur eens te interviewen.

Your books seem to be pretty popular. How does it make you feel to know that a lot people read your writings?
It always surprises me, which is weird. I know the books are out. I see them in stores. And yet, when people tell me they've read them, I usually say, "What? Really? How?"

In your book '13 little blue envelopes', Ginny travels to Amsterdam, but doesn't quite like it there. Have you ever been to the Netherlands, and did you think about it the same way Ginny did?
Now I feel terrible. I have been to the Netherlands, and I loved it. I went with some friends from England, and I still remember it vividly. I want to come back.

That scene had to take place somewhere, and Amsterdam was cast in the role. It's one of the longer sections—I was trying to keep Ginny there for a while.

Do you travel a lot, and what was the best thing you ever saw on your trips?
I travel between New York and London a lot. And I'm not sure what the best thing I've ever seen is. I've certainly ended up in a lot of weird situations.

When you start writing, is a story all in your head or do you work it out first? In other words: do you know how a story ends when you write it or does it evolve while writing?
A bit of both. I sketch the story out, then go to my editor and explain how it will go. But it often changes once I start writing. 13 Little Blue Envelopes changed so much between drafts. I don't think the final story bore a great resemblance to how I first presented it.

Are you working on a new book? What's it about?
I am quite literally working on one now. I don't want to say much about it except to say that it takes place on the ocean, and involves Atlantis. I think people who liked 13 Little Blue Envelopes will like it a lot.

What was the best fanmail you got?
No best one! I appreciate them all, and I make it a goal to answer every single one. It could be that I won't always be able to do that, but I'd really like to try. I'm blown away by the thought that people take the time to let me know what they thought.

And what was the worst fanmail you got?
I've never gotten a bad one, though recently I did get a weird one. I guy wrote to be and told me I was the most beautiful woman in the world, and attached a picture of himself in a Speedo. I don't think he'd read any of the books.

Is there a question you've been really longing to hear but wasn't asked before and would you answer it as well?
I'm really not sure. I can tell you what I do get asked a lot. Everyone asks me if I am the same "Maureen Johnson" from the musical Rent.

What do you want to say to your Dutch fans?
That I want to come back to The Netherlands! Tell your bookstore to invite me!

Door S. Peters


<--- Pagina terug



©2005 - 2006 mediareviews.net