Interview with Lisa Mantchev!

The Absolutely amazing Lisa Mantchev was kind enough to answer a few questions for me! My first author interview, how awesome is that?

Rather Be Reading: What do you consider to be the location of the Theatre Illuminata? (Real place, fictional, etc) Will there more information about this in the second book?

Lisa Mantchev: It's completely fictional, and it's representative of all those beautiful art nouveau and Victorian era theaters. There will actually be more discussion of it's location and time period in the third book, So Silver Bright.

RBR: What information can you give us on book two as of now?

LM: Perchance To Dream picks up where Eyes Like Stars left off, with the merry band headed out on the road. Bertie is determined to save Nate, and--as usual--Ariel isn't sharing his plans with anyone. Of course, there is a lot of silliness and mayhem and cake.

RBR: How do you think professional stage actors/ theater workers feel about the book?

LM: I hope they like it! I'm actually more nervous, having a theater-person read the novel than just about anyone else... they have more context for criticism, I think, if I got anything wrong!

RBR: If Eyes Like Stars was to be made into a movie, can you picture any actors/actresses you think would portray the characters well? (Living or dead, as far as I care.)

LM: I have pictured Ellen Page as Bertie ever since I saw Jason Chan's cover art for ELS, and Daniel Henney as Ariel. Nate is a little harder, although Craig Horner (from Legend of the Seeker) can swing a sword and wear leather pants with the best of them. XD

RBR: Do you have any advice/tips/wisdom/pity for aspiring authors?

LM: Treat it like a job, with regular hours and dedication and professional behavior when interacting with agents, editors, and other authors.

RBR: If you could collaborate on a project with any author(s), living or dead, who would they be? What do you think the project would be like?

LM: At the risk of sounding like a complete fangirl, I pick Neil Gaiman. And the project could be absolutely anything (seriously, I'd sit there and write out his grocery list, if he asked me to.)

RBR: Are you working on any other projects?

LM: I am in the middle of revising a Retrofuturist NeoVictorian (somewhat steampunk) novel, the first of another series. I am up to my eyeballs in clockwork bits, gadgets, bustle skirts, and, yes... more dessert.

Thanks so much Lisa!