Interview with Patricia Dunn!

         Hello, all!

         I am really psyched to be announcing here that I have a mega-awesome post planned for all of you—featuring the one and only YA debut author of Rebels by Accident,  Patricia Dunn! I actually haven't picked up Rebels by Accident due to my crazy schedule, but we all have crazy high hopes, and the ratings are scorching high! I'm so excited to be doing this with her for the first time for me, so let's get started!

How did you come up with Rebels by Accident’s idea? It’s so unique!

I was inspired on many levels to write Rebels By Accident. Some of it was on a very subconscious level and was only discovered through the practice of writing. I knew I wanted to write the journey of an Egyptian-Muslim-American teen who, in our post 9-11 world, is very disconnected from her culture, and how she finally figures out what it means to be Egyptian and American. I wanted to write a book about self-discovery and change. In a sense, a book about revolution, and not just the ones that happen on the outside, but the ones that happen on the inside. What better setting than the recent Egyptian revolution?

I love books that take place in exotic places. Why, Egypt? (It must be the mummies and pyramids!) 

My son’s father is Egyptian and I lived there for a while. So Egypt for me was more about in-laws than mummies and pyramids, though the pyramids are awesome and the light show there was one of best I’ve ever seen.

What’s your favourite thing about being an author?

When its working there’s no better feeling, when its not….

What genre do you usually find yourself “living in” while reading books?

I teach a novel class, so usually while I’m writing I’m also reading the writers’ in my class’s books. The genre can range from fantasy and YA to thriller, romantic comedy to literary fiction.

Since Christmas is right around the corner, what books do you want to see under the tree the most? 

I’d like to see my new book under a lot of trees, but as for me, I’d like to get every book written by Gabriel Marquez, and Murakami’s latest book, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage: A novel. 

How have bloggers and reviewers helped you with your author life?

They read your work and they share it with the world. And most bloggers I’ve worked with do it out of love, and the passion they have for books comes through in their writing and inspires readers.

This is your first YA novel. How has the formation changed from adult to writing for teens? 

It didn’t start off as a choice. I was in a writing class at Sarah Lawrence College, and through a series of writing prompts the voice of Mariam started to come through. Someone in the class said it sounded like I was channeling her. And I must have been, because I'd never have consciously written in the voice of a teenager. Teens are tough, but whenever I tried to go back to a more adult narrator Mariam kept fighting her way through. 

Rebels by Accident has such a gorgeous cover—is there a lot of work that you authors have to add into the creation? 

I was very lucky to have a publisher with an amazing creative team who also valued my feedback. But I loved this cover at first sight.

   

How can you describe RBA in six words? 

Romance, adventure, funny, revolution, pyramids, Facebook

What do you have planned for your future works of literature? 

I’m working on a dystopian fantasy. Like in my current book, there are two strong kickass heroes and a grandmother with lots of advices.

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    Ah, what a fine interview, I must say! I'd like to grant the biggest thanks to Patricia for being awesome and because she gave us a great idea from an author's POV. I can't wait to meet other authors!

Are you planning on picking Rebels by Accident? Do you call yourself

a pure "rebel?"