Australian author Marianne de Pierres speaks to Hypable about Night Creatures, her gothic/science fiction Young Adult trilogy. Burn Bright is the first book in the trilogy, followed by Angel Arias, and Shine Light, which came out in November 2012. Marianne de Pierres also writes a crime series under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.
Could you tell us 5 random facts about yourself?
1. I’m 186 cms tall
2. I’m a cake fiend
3. I own 3 pink and grey cockatoos
4. I LOATHE grocery shopping
5. I own the full DVD collection of Kimba the White Lion
Tell us about your journey to becoming a writer.
The simple answer is: reader – writer.
The less simple one is still simple! I’ve been writing stories since I was 9 years old, but didn’t gather real momentum until my early thirties.
Then it became a case of submitting stories until something found a home. It took a year until I sold my first short story and all up about 7-8 years until I sold my first novel (Nylon Angel). I think it was a pretty typical writer’s journey in that sense. Nothing happened in a hurry and there was a pile of rejections along the way!
How would you describe Burn Bright to a new reader?
It’s a young adult dark fantasy set on an island that is bathed in perennial darkness. Tantalising, secretive, sinister and uplifting. Like no other YA you’ve ever read.
What inspired you to write the Burn Bright trilogy?
It was an intersection of a number of things that interested me; the habits of nocturnal creatures, sleeplessness, and gothic architecture. These all meshed into one strangely vivid story in my mind.
How has your experience with Burn Bright been different from your other novels?
Well, aside from the fact that I was writing for a slightly younger audience, the main difference was that this series felt quite cathartic. At the end of it, I felt as though I had excised a few teenage demons who’d been hiding from view.
Your novels are incredibly atmospheric – how do you go about the process of world-building?
Thank you! I basically read and view things that stimulate me before I begin. Then I let my mind go wild, making sure that I don’t let it take the easy way out on description. I push myself over every sentence.
Which do you find easiest to write, the first line or the last line of a novel?
Hmmmm … that’s a hard question. The first line, I think. If the story is hanging together well then the last line writes itself!
Could you give us a book recommendation of something you have read recently?
I’m just starting Haze by YA author Paula Weston. It’s book 2 of a series, and I enjoyed book one a lot.
What are you working on now?
I’m beginning a SF thriller; near future and potentially quite terrifying. I’m really excited to fully back in SF writing mode and challenging myself at every level.
About ‘Burn Bright’:
In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .
Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.
But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.
When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?
Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?
For more about Marianne de Pierres:
You can connect with Marianne on Facebook and on Twitter as @mdepierres. For further information and contact details, check out her website. Burn Bright and the rest of the Night Creatures trilogy is available for purchase from Amazon and other booksellers.