Unafraid

There were actually many unexpected developments that arose during the course of writing these three books. As a writer, I’m rather organized, so I began each book with a very detailed outline, somewhere around fifty to sixty pages of specific plot points. So when I began writing I really didn’t think that much would change from my outline or that I would be surprised by any major new ideas. Needless to say I was proven wrong on many occasions.

One of the first developments was the true history of Inishtrahull Island and Weeping Water, Nebraska. I chose those locations for specific reasons: I wanted Ronan to come from the northernmost point in Ireland, and I wanted Michael to come from the heartland of America. However, I had no idea that both locations were steeped in legends that had to do with water and bloody battles. These two seemingly random choices were perfect fits for the Archangel Academy series because water and blood are vital elements to the story. I’m not sure if it was luck or the storytelling gods pointing me in the right direction!

I also had no idea that the origin of the white roses was going to play such an important role in the overall story. When I first introduced this interesting, but minor plot point, I thought it was simply a bit of fun, just a nice addition to the Double A folklore. I truly had no idea that they would turn into the huge plot point they eventually became. It was a wonderful surprise to me and hopefully to you readers as well.

When I decided to have Phaedra leave in book two, I cried. Partially because it was so unexpected, but also because it made such perfect sense. Of course, I loved the character so much (especially her name! and I think you’ve figured out by now that I love really interesting and unique names) that I would have found a way to bring her back into book three even if it didn’t make complete sense.

Luckily for me (and you), her bonds to Fritz and Michael were still very strong, so it was totally fitting for her to return and play an important role in Unafraid.

And finally, I think one of the biggest surprises was the character of Ruby. Originally I had her in one scene in Unnatural when her family comes to bring Penry’s body back home. She was Penry’s older sister and named Cecily. After I submitted the first draft and while I was plotting out Unwelcome, the idea hit me that Cecily was really Penry’s twin sister and that her name needed to be Ruby because she was going to be possessed by Rhoswen’s spirit and Rhoswen means white rose and Ruby is red like the color of blood. Make sense? I also toyed with the idea that Ruby and Penry were born as conjoined twins, but realized that would be a bit of a stretch because conjoined twins are always the same gender. I know the Archangel Academy series is all about the supernatural, but some things just won’t fly!

Why do you like writing for a YA audience?

I actually never knew how much I loved writing for the young adult audience until I started. Then for the longest time I just felt an emotional connection to the work and the audience and never questioned it until someone asked me during a book signing and I was forced to articulate my feelings. For me, it’s because the YA audience is fearless and without restrictions. They’re willing to join a writer for the journey and go wherever the next page may lead without cynicism or preconceived notions, and that is really liberating for a writer. As long as I maintain the architecture and the mythology of the story and don’t start changing defined elements halfway through the novel, the audience will accept pretty much anything that’s thrown at them. For instance, I can’t establish Nakano as a regular vampire and then have him walk in the sunlight in Weeping Water, which is something I actually did in the first draft! I was writing so quickly that during a scene in Unnatural I had Michael and Nakano go to Weeping Water for the funeral of Michael’s grandmother, and the scene was during the day. Of course when I reread it I had to change it so they traveled at night and Nakano had to stay inside during the day.

The other great thing is that the YA audience is not at all shy about telling you how much they love or hate a character or a particular element of your story. I’ve gotten such incredible (and, thankfully, mostly wonderful) feedback from young readers. The YA audience is really quite a smart, well-read group, and I thoroughly enjoy writing for them.

What are your favorite books?

Too many to mention or remember, for that matter! However, my absolute favorite book of all time is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. It’s a beautifully written and timeless story of one resilient child’s ability to overcome terrible adversity. It’s also a terrific melding of gothic, supernatural, and romance.

I just love it. The Picture of Dorian Gray is another favorite of mine that I only read a few months before starting the outline for Unnatural. It clearly made a huge impact with me because I made the novel and the author, Oscar Wilde, himself such an integral part of Michael and Ronan’s relationship.

Other favorites include John Knowles’s A Separate Peace, one of the best YA novels of all time, and Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, which is not generally categorized as a YA novel but is a beautifully told story with a teenage protagonist. I guess I’ve always loved YA novels and didn’t realize it. If my books can be mentioned in the same breath as these wonderful pieces of literature, I will be one very happy writer.

K TEEN BOOKS are published by Kensington Publishing Corp.

119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018 Copyright © 2012 by Michael Griffo All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

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ISBN: 978-0-7582-7776-3