Get to know Lauren…

Lauren Oliver is the author of the YA novel Before I Fall and the Delirium trilogy: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem, which have been translated into more than thirty languages and are New York Times and international bestselling novels. She is also the author of two novels for middle-grade readers, The Spindlers and Liesl & Po, which was a 2012 E. B. White Read-Aloud Award nominee. Lauren’s next YA novel, Panic, was released March, 2014 and has been optioned for film by Universal Studios. Her first adult novel, Rooms, will release in September, 2014. A graduate of the University of Chicago and NYU’s MFA program, Lauren Oliver is also the co-founder of the boutique literary development company Paper Lantern Lit. For more info, visit her website. 

Quirky Questions

If you were a prescription drug, what would be your main side effect?

You will always either be working hard, playing hard, or napping. There’s no in-between! 

What company advertisements could you model for?

They should have me model for Blackberry phones, because I’m probably the last person using one!

What is your greatest phobia?

WORMS.

What is the messiest place in your home?

Well I just moved, so right now it’s every place. 

What current product do you think will baffle people in 100 years?

Hopefully cars, because we’ll just be able to teleport everywhere.

What do you often make fun of?

Myself.

What is the best thing about staying at a hotel?

The super comfy beds.

What is one thing you do with determination every day?

Write 1,000 words.

Writing Questions

How do you know when a book is finished?

When I’m so full of it that I feel like I’ll vomit if I look at it anymore.

What traits, if any, do you think that creative people have compared to people who are not creative?

I think creative people NEED to be creative in the same way that they need to eat or breathe. Even if they’re not working as an artist, they find a way to insert creativity into their life. 

Do you do anything special to get your creative juices flowing? 

Sometimes when I get stuck I take a shower, or sit in the tub, or go for a run. 

What are your words of wisdom for someone starting out in the field of writing?

Read and write as much as you can.

Who do you consider a literary genius?

Gabriel García Márquez, who recently passed away. Everyone should read everything he’s written.