Write for a Reader

                                 I have just finished reading the Clare Series by Yvonne Prinz.  There are 3 books in the series:   Still There, Clare, Not Fair, Clare and Double Dare, Clare.  I will be posting reviews for these books this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  For today, I wanted to introduce you to the author, Yvonne Prinz.

Thank you so much, Yvonne, for agreeing to this interview.

WFAR:  Please tell us a little about yourself.

YP:  I was born in Edmonton, Alberta to Dutch Parents. I grew up in Canada but I had a pretty strong wanderlust and I traveled a lot. I waited tables, sold bus advertising, drove a forklift, worked in a record store. I ended up in San Francisco and met my husband. We opened Amoeba Music in Berkeley in 1990 and I started thinking about writing the first Clare book shortly after that.

WFAR:  When did you start writing?

YP:  As a young girl I was always writing stories. I was awful at Math but I adored anything to do with literature and reading. I devoured my parents books.

WFAR:  What have you written besides the Clare Series?

YP:  I just finished a movie called “Our Daily Bread”, my first screenplay. I had a blast writing it. A director in Vancouver named Andrew Williamson asked me to write it after he bought the rights to the Clare TV series. I also have two books coming out published by Harper Collins; “The Vinyl Princess” about a sixteen year-old girl who collects vinyl records and works at a record store in Berkeley; and “All You Get Is Me” about a girl who moves with her dad from San Francisco to a bio-dynamic farm. That one is called “All You Get Is Me”. I also have an adult novel making the publisher rounds called “The Girl Stands Alone”. I also write reviews for an online music magazine (caughtinthecarousel.com). That’s my nerdy music side coming out.

WFAR:   How did you come up with the idea for the Clare Series?

YP:  Well, I wasn’t thinking about a series at the time. I set out to write a story about a real girl in a real life and I pretty much based Clare on who I was at that age: A quiet, darkly funny, rather unpopular girl with a keen sense of observation, apparently there’s a lot of us out there.

WFAR:  I’ve heard that there is talk of a possible television series for the

Clare Series.   Can you tell me about that, your feelings, any details, etc?

YP:  This is the second time that the rights have been sold for the Clare Series. Keatley Entertainment in Vancouver now has them and they’re working with the Canadian Family Channel. Scripts are being written for two episodes and if all goes well, a pilot will be shot. I like the people at Keatley and it’s always a thrill to go down a road like this.

WFAR:  Clare has an imaginary friend.  Did you have an imaginary friend growing up?  If so, what was he/she like?

YP:  I had a few of them. One of them was a tow truck driver and one of them was very similar to Elsa in my books. They’re still around. Like Clare, I have separation issues.

WFAR:  What’s next for you as an author?  Are there more Clare stories in the works?

YP:  I’m doing a lot of editing right now…blech! I’m also quite involved in the movie as a pretend producer. I recently marched off to New York to ask Ally Sheedy The Breakfast Club) to play the lead and she said YES! As for writing, I have a couple of ideas in the works but I’m not sure if I’ll write a book or a screenplay, maybe both. As for another Clare book? I never say never.

WFAR:  What is your favorite piece or book that you have written?

YP:  “All You Get Is Me” (Harper Collins, 2011). It’s such a beautiful setting; very bucolic, fields, forests and swimming holes, Plus, my character “Roar’s” (short for Aurora) struggle was a dream to write.

WFAR:  What do you like to do when you are not writing?

YP:  I totally goof off. I like going to movies, I read books, I wander around.

WFAR:  How do you feel about book bloggers reviewing your books?

YP:  Thank God for book bloggers. I love them. They’re the new librarians, quietly powerful.

WFAR:  What are some of your favorites?  Author, food, color, book, any others…

YP:  Authors? For kids, I love Lemony Snicket. I’m drawn to his dark humor. For adult literature I really love Cormac McCarthy. I recently read Edgar Sawtelle and I thought it was brilliant.

I’m a huge eater and I love to cook for friends so my favorite food is anything eaten with good wine and good friends.

I love Blue, as in Blue Skies for Everyone!

WFAR:   Is there anything else that you would like readers to know?

YP:  Visit me at my myspace page at www.myspace.com.stillthereclare or facebook at “The Clare Series” or http://www.stillthereclare.com/. Watch for the TV series and learn more about the Vinyl Princess at www.myspace.therealvinylprincess.com

Look for reviews of all three books in the next three days!