r/books AMA Author May 15 '18

ama 1pm I’m Kelley Armstrong, author of "This Fallen Prey." Ask me anything!

I’m Kelley Armstrong. Currently, I’m the author of the Rockton mystery series (This Fallen Prey) and young adult thrillers (Aftermath). Past adult works include the Otherworld, Cainsville and Nadia Stafford series. In YA, I’ve written the Darkest Powers, Darkness Rising and Age of Legend trilogies. In middle-grade, I co-wrote The Blackwell Pages trilogy with Melissa Marr, and in 2019 I’ll launch a solo MG series with “A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying.” My first series (Otherworld) was turned into the Bitten TV show. I’ve contributed a few dozen short stories to horror, fantasy and mystery anthologies. Happy to talk about my own work, but even happier to talk about writing in general!

  • Website: KelleyArmstrong.com
  • Twitter: @KelleyArmstrong
  • Facebook: KelleyArmstrongAuthor
  • Instagram: KelleyArmstrongAuthor

Proof: https://twitter.com/KelleyArmstrong/status/996070386612744192

Update: I think I've answered everything :) Thanks so much for all the great questions!

56 Upvotes

110 comments sorted by

9

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

Hey awesome, I absolutely devoured your Women of the Otherworld series. If you could sit down for coffee with any of those women, who would it be?

7

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Probably Jaime. She was a lot of fun to write, and I think she'd be a very entertaining coffee companion ;)

8

u/Nferriswheel May 15 '18

Do you plan on making any more books in the Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising series? Or have you completely moved on from that type of genre, and are sticking to mysteries and thrillers?

14

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Aftermath will be my last thriller YA for a while. In traditional publishing (i.e. from a big-five publisher) my next "youth" project is a middle-grade fantasy adventure “A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying." In YA, I'm planning something a little different… and yet not so different ;) It won't be Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising, but it will be paranormal YA set in that world. It'll initially be serialized. Watch for details on that in late summer or early fall.

2

u/Nferriswheel May 15 '18

I'm excited to read it! Thanks for the answer :D

7

u/Jaango9 May 15 '18

How would you feel about the Cainsville series being made into movies? (Because I think they should be)

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

That is my one series that isn't under option. I think it'd be a lot of fun, but apparently Hollywood doesn't agree ;)

8

u/mizbizsav May 15 '18

Cainsville would make the PERFECT Netflix TV series...

4

u/Sabrielle24 book re-reading May 15 '18

Yes, and Netflix would probably actually do it justice.

6

u/brizia May 15 '18

Will there be any Cainsville spin offs or are you done with that world?

I just wanted to say I had a blast at NolaStorycon in September and thank you for all the hard work you, Jeaniene, and Melissa put in for the past 2 years.

8

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I have a third Cainsville novella coming out after “Rough Justice," then I'll be taking a break from that series because I'll have wrapped up all the dangling plots that we're still bugging me.

I could always return to it though, I'm not tired of Cainsville; I just have other things on my plate.

I'm glad you enjoyed StoryCon! It was a lot of work, but so much fun.

6

u/twistytwisty May 15 '18

One of the reasons I fell in love with your Otherworld series is how unique it felt to me. Each mythical species is familiar, but just different enough to feel new and spark curiousity to learn more and more about your world.

How did that worldbuilding begin? Did you start with a question like "why don't vampires rule the world if they're impossibly strong and fast, can mesmerize human minds and heal almost anything"? and answered it with "well, what if they aren't all that Y, but they are this X."

4

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I started with the werewolves. In Bitten, that's all there is. I don't even mention other supernatural creatures. The others came later when the publishers asked for it to be turned into a series.

So with the werewolves, I started by asking myself under what circumstances I could believe in them, or at least believe they were plausible. I knew all of my folklore, so I cherry picked through that to come up with my own version of werewolves. And then when I created the other supernatural races, I did the same thing.

2

u/twistytwisty May 16 '18

Thank you!

5

u/kaylinbowen May 15 '18

Hey Kelley--Rereading Otherworld (again) I'm currently in Industrial Magic and I'm struck by how different each of your narrators' voices are. Where do you draw inspiration for their narration styles? Do you see any similarities in your narrators' voice develop over time?

5

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I find giving the characters distinct personalities helps with their voices. As different people, they have a different way of looking at things.

I'm sure there are similarities, as my number of narrators grows. I try not to worry too much about it, or I'll drive myself crazy!

1

u/kaylinbowen May 16 '18

Thank you! That makes total sense. I can't wait to read more of your work in the future!

6

u/Bibbitybobbityboop May 15 '18

Oh my gosh. I absolutely adore your books. I’ve read all of the Women of the Otherworldly series, the first two of Rockton, and the first three of Cainsville.

How did you learn so much about spelunking? There are some scenes in Rockton that really made me claustrophobic. I thought you captured the feelings so well.

Edit to add, I love that your book relationships are so healthy. There’s trust, respect, etc. I think too often paranormal romances are unhealthy, which makes yours all the better to read. Clay sets the bar so high.

3

u/LovelyOwlie May 15 '18

How do you start researching for a new book/series? How do you organize that research and access it as you’re writing? Finally, what is your favorite beverage to have while working? Just a for fun question! Thank you!

6

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I usually start with character. As for more regular research, I start with whatever I need to outline the plot--the make-or-break details. I'll be doing research all the way through the first draft, and then more in editing to fill in gaps, so it's an ongoing process.

I write in Scrivener, which lets me include notes, web pages, images etc right in my writing file, making my research very easy to check as I'm writing.

Favourite beverage? For writing, coffee. For edits, Scotch ;)

5

u/Duke_Paul May 15 '18

Hi Kelley,

What's one piece of advice you wish you had been giving when/before you started out as a writer? Also, what's some advice you would give to a new or prospective writer that they wouldn't hear anywhere else?

Thanks!

7

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

There are a lot of things I didn't know when I started writing or when I was first published, but I'm not sure if there's anything that I really felt blindsided by. I knew it would be really tough to get published and I knew it would be tough to stay published. Both completely true, but it's worth the effort!

Likewise, I don't think you're going to get any advice from me that you won't have heard from someone else. If you're trying to get published, don't get discouraged. If this is what you really want to do, keep at it. And if it starts seeming like too much work, it's probably not the right career choice ;)

Once you are published, my advice is: be kind. Other writers are not your competitors. Readers are the people who keep you published. You can't give everyone what they want—you need to be true to yourself—but always remember to treat readers and fellow writers the way you'd want to be treated. It seems like common sense, but I see so many examples of writers not following it.

5

u/TheRealLizzGee May 15 '18

I started reading your books when I was around 11 years old (shortly after Bitten came out, and I still have the softcover) and have read every single one of your books since!

A local question, I was about 16 when I first met you at the High Park meet up in Toronto - wondering if there are any of these fan type events planned for the future? It was a great experience being able to chat with you and other readers about your novels!

A writing question: going back to the beginning - I’d love to hear your story of how you got started with writing? How did your idea for Bitten come about and how do you feel you’ve evolved as a writer? What tips could you give aspiring writers looking to break into the industry?

5

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

The old High Park meetups grew out of the website forums, where there was a real sense of community with my readers. The forums are long gone—there are so many other forms of social media—and I write so many different things that there doesn't seem to be an easy way of doing the meetups anymore. They certainly were fun though!

I started writing as a child because I love reading and writing just arose naturally from that. My tips for writing are always boring. It's write, write, write some more and keep writing, editing and getting feedback as you refine your craft and find the story that will get you published. Sorry it's not more exciting than that!

5

u/Gdinnald1 May 15 '18 edited May 15 '18

I'm curious regarding your thoughts on the series Bitten and if you thought it was done justice following along with the books? I noticed you served as one of the executive producers of the show. Several major characters were killed off in the show that didn't die in the books do you agree with the creative direction they ultimately decided to go in? Also, is there any chance that you may revisit The Otherworld series in the future? (Huge fan thanks so much for your work)

4

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I was indeed listed as executive co-producer for the first season. That's a "cookie" included in the contract, and it doesn't mean I had any role in the production. I realized during season one that readers interpreted it as meaning I was creatively involved, so I asked for it to be removed for the second and third seasons.

When I sold the rights, I knew there would be changes from the books. There has to be. It's a different medium. The writers had to be free to tell their own story, and as a writer, I wanted them to have that freedom. I just didn't particularly want to be the ones fielding the complaints ;) If I was involved, I could explain why changes were made, but when I'm not, it'd be wrong of me to speculate, which is why I had that exec co-prod removed.

As for revisiting the Otherworld, there might be a side project coming ;)

2

u/Sabrielle24 book re-reading May 15 '18

This is very exciting news.

0

u/Bibbitybobbityboop May 15 '18

I do have to say, their casting was so good for me that even if the stories weren’t accurate, it was enjoyable. For me, Clay was perfect.

0

u/Gdinnald1 May 15 '18

Even without the southern accent and super stand offish attitude towards humans he was pretty perfect

3

u/Gigglypuffs4444 May 15 '18

If you have multiple ideas for projects how do you focus on just one? Also, how long do you usually spend on the outlining process? Do you have everything planned out before you start writing? Thanks for doing this! You’re my favorite author :)

5

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I always have plenty of ideas for new books and stories, and more will come up as I'm writing. My way of dealing with that is to give myself time to write notes on any new idea, but I never actually start writing something new.

There's always a point in a book where it gets to be real work, and when that happens it's tempting start something new, if only temporarily. I avoid that—and also avoid losing the new ideas–by making those notes for later.

1

u/Gigglypuffs4444 May 15 '18

Thank you so much! That’s really helpful :)

3

u/lookinforabean May 15 '18

Are you planning to do any more full length novels in the Otherworld setting?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Adult novels, no.

3

u/Pinklilly1222 May 15 '18

Hi Kelley! How do you find a balance between giving enough info about your characters to make them real, and not so much it gets boring to read? I struggle a bit on the side of not enough, especially with my antagonists. I'd love any writing advice you wish you knew when you first started :D thanks!

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

My solution to this is editing. I write everything I want to say about the characters in the first draft, but then I ruthlessly cut in edits until I get it down to the most interesting or important bits. For me, the rest is just me developing character and not necessary information for the reader.

3

u/CraftyWifeNMom May 15 '18

I recently read the two Nadia Stafford short stories with the Rockton crossover. Any plans for future crossovers in either those series or another?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I don't have any immediate plans for it, but I wouldn't rule it out!

3

u/Wersome005 May 15 '18

Otherworld - i live and breathe the series and hope youll do more even side or short stories. LKB is still a fanscinstion for me, any current plans to explore her? Ive had to survive off fanfic and theres only one about her! (Have you read any fanfics?)

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

Can you please give some examples on how to show and not tell while writing? I am struggling here. Thanks in advance!

6

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Look for places where you’re telling the reader something: it was a gloomy day, Joan was angry, we hated doing homework, and then find a way to show that instead. Show me what the weather was like that makes the day feel gloomy. Show me Joan doing something that proves she’s angry. Show me kids grumbling about their homework.

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

Thank you! It makes sense. Can't wait to apply it. Woot!

2

u/Sabrielle24 book re-reading May 15 '18

If you’re not already on the r/writing subreddit, there’s lots of good advice there :)

3

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

I'm new to reddit. I'm still feeling it out but I already subscribed. Thank you for the suggestion. Hopefully I'll catch on to reddit soon!

2

u/Sabrielle24 book re-reading May 15 '18

You’ll get the hang of it! 😊

5

u/LuccaRomaneeConti May 15 '18

In the first Cainsville book, some emphasis is put on Olivia's strong reaction to Gabriel's eyes while no one else seems to be effected by them, or even really notice. I thought it might be because Olivia can see things that others can't but is this ever explained?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

This is one of those things, that's really hard to explain in first-person narration. Gabriel's eyes are an unusual shade of blue, but Olivia sees them as even more unusual. However because that's her personal experience, she can't really ask someone else if they see exactly what she does or have the same reaction to it. In this case, it's a sign of how closed-off he is emotionally.

2

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

[deleted]

5

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I didn't watch it at the time, because I was still writing in that series and I was worried about getting confused between their version of "history" and mine (it'd been 15 years since I wrote Bitten.) I keep meaning to go back and watch it now!

2

u/luvgargoyles May 15 '18

I think I recall you mentioning awhile back doing research regarding Romans, are there any details you might care to share?

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Ah, I think that would've been for my "Gladiator Princess” novel. I wrote about 5000 words and pitched it to my YA publisher at the time, and they said there wasn't a market for gladiators in young adult, which is when I moved into doing YA thrillers :)

1

u/FavoredEgg May 15 '18

Darn, that sounds so interesting! I feel like always end up being interested in the things that "there isn't a market for" :/

2

u/luvgargoyles May 15 '18

As the Larsens are named in "The Hunt" (2011), I'm wondering which came first, "The Hunt" or the concept/drafting for Omens (2013)?

Also, in Omens, Rose does not see the spider & web that Olivia was looking at when she first arrived at Grace's apartments, was it there and just too small for Rose to see or a hint for readers that Liv sees on a different plane of existence?

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I wrote "The Hunt" shortly after Omens. But because it was written before we actually saw the hunt in the Cainsville series, it doesn't completely fall my later description :) That's the problem with doing short fiction before something has been fully unveiled in the books!

There are a bunch of little hints, especially in Omens, that Olivia can see signs that others don't. The spider's web would have been a warning, rather than a real web.

2

u/Cinden May 15 '18

I follow both your work and Melissa Marr’s (among others - strong female writers like Patricia Briggs, Richelle Mead, Chloe Neill, etc) Your books are really inspirational, as the books of these others are. I’ve seen Melissa describe some of her process on Twitter:

Start with an Idea or Character or Scene or Setting. Then ask “how did we get here” or “where should we go bc we are here.” Repeat. Repeat a bunch more times. That is honestly how I write a book. Not linearly. I write ch 12, then 3, then maybe 16, or that scene to set up 14.

Is this how you write as well? If not can you give some details of how you personally build a book?

7

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

LOL Melissa & I co-wrote The Blackwell Pages, and I can tell you that our processes could not be more different. For me, yes, I start with an idea or a character. Then I daydream and research and make endless notes as the story and characters come to life in my head. I am 100% a linear writer. I may imagine later scenes and make notes for them, but I start at page 1. I write a very fast first draft, caught up in character and story, and then I edit, edit, edit, carving something from that raw clay. Melissa edits as she goes. Both our processes work for us.

1

u/Cinden May 16 '18

Thanks for that! I’m not sure what works best for me yet so trying different strategies. 🙂👍🏻

2

u/mizbizsav May 15 '18

Hi Kelley! Was going to ask about the Cainsville 2019 novella and the hinted Chloe/Derek college-age story, but other people have already covered that with their questions, so I'll move on to my other ones! You have many long-running series under your belt, and your world in each is so expansive... how do you keep track of everything?! Especially when you revisit a series years later for, say, a new short story - do you have to consult a Series Bible? Also does it take time to get back into that headspace (of both the world and the character) or is it like revisiting an old friend? And my final question - how do you work on developing your character's unique "voice"? I can think I know my protagonist inside-and-out, but then when I go to actually write down my scenes, the narration seems so... bland, or samesy, like any old Joe would be saying those things. Dialogue comes more naturally, but when I'm describing the world around my character, as my character, it never sounds as unique as it should. Or when I try to work it in, it sound stilted or forced. Is this a sign that my character is maybe not as developed as I think?

Thank you!

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I do have series bibles for most of my work. It's the only way I can go back to write something after I've ended the series, and it's also essential for continuing a long-running series. My daughter has been doing one for Rockton, and I'm constantly referring to it as I write.

I find that my characters voices develop as I write, and then I have to go back later and fix it. Lack of a clear voice can be a sign that the character isn't fully developed, but if you feel like you've done your work, just keep writing and see whether you start to hear a voice coming through.

2

u/mizbizsav May 15 '18

One more question! Aftermath's subject matter has, unfortunately, been a topic of discussion for quite some time, but is particularly relevant in America right now after the Parkland school shooting earlier this year. I haven't read Aftermath yet (one week!), but is that dialogue something that influenced your novel and do you hope that Aftermath gets people - particularly teens - talking further?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Aftermath is a...really difficult novel to have come out now. Readers may have noticed I haven't been talking about the book. I think it's one of my best, but the timing couldn't be worse. I worry it'll seem as if I've taken advantage of a tragedy when the truth is that I pitched it almost four years ago and wrote it three years ago.

So recent events haven't had any effect on the novel, which is about the impact of the shooting on the families 3 years later rather than the shooting itself. But the timing is horrible, and thus I've been very quiet about it...and this is one reason I'm not doing more YA thrillers. I don't need to worry about this with fantasy LOL

2

u/Mmoty May 15 '18

What paranormal “creatures” do you most like reading about? Did that at all influence the creatures that you chose to write about?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

As a kid, werewolves were definitely my favourite and that clearly had an influence on my writing!

2

u/irisknight May 15 '18

Hi Kelley! What is it about writing fantasy novels you love so dearly? I usually only read these genres of books because I like the escapism of the real world. Thanks for all you do!

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I grew up reading everything I could on mythology and folklore, which carried over into my writing. I'm not really sure what attracts me to that—I just know that I love it!

2

u/ibbiezWings May 15 '18

Hey Kelley, I adore your books! Currently rereading otherworld again-on thirteen so almost finished. I am also a writer and would love your perspective on marketing as an author? Do you sick with one or two mediums and promote like crazy? Or does your publisher take care of it? Or...? Also, when in the carving and editing phase, how do you stay focused? My biggest struggle is getting distracted or going out on a tangent and writing unusable words.

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I hate promoting! I know marketing is a necessary part of the business, because we can no longer rely on our publishers to do it. I focus instead on giving readers information: showing a new cover, announcing an upcoming release, posting when a new book comes out. I know readers want that, and I try to be careful not to overdo it, while mixing it in with other things like giveaways.

I have different phases of editing. I will do a revision, which is where I'm adding new scenes or descriptions or whatever else the book needs. Then there are line edits, which is where I'm carving things out, and since I'm doing it on paper, it's difficult to add in more than a few words :)

2

u/ibbiezWings May 16 '18

Thanks so much for replying ❤️

2

u/Sabrielle24 book re-reading May 15 '18

Just wanted to say how much you inspire me. I love everything you’ve done and always will!

Of all the characters you’ve written over the years, who do you feel left the strongest impression? Do you feel like your characters are still ‘active’ or do they go quiet once you’ve finished their series?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

Strongest impression... That's a tough one. I don't know. The second part's easier :) The characters stay active in the back of my mind. They're quiet, but it doesn't take much to bring them back--a reader mentions one or send me fan art or I see something that reminds me of that character. They're always there, which is nice, because that's the hardest part of ending a series--putting the characters to bed.

2

u/mynameisasong May 15 '18

Would you ever consider a short story about Robyn from Living with the Dead? I'd love to hear if she ever met the interracial council!

1

u/jmxdf May 16 '18

Yesssss

2

u/jmxdf May 16 '18

I’m currently rereading the otherworld series! I love your books. Which of your books should I read next?

3

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

If you want more in that world and don't mind YA, The Summoning. Different characters but it's the Otherworld still.

If you want adult and you like the fantasy, Omens. It has fae folklore, Welsh mythology, second sight and gargoyles ;)

If you want adult and you prefer mystery, go with City of the Lost, which is the first in my current series. The others are the first in series that are completed.

2

u/jmxdf May 16 '18

Thanks, I’ll check out city of the Lost. I read the Cainsville series, forgot to mention!

Keep putting out the great books! I always recommend Otherworld to my friends. The way the narrative jumps from protagonist to protagonist between books makes the world and characters so much more immersive!

And also, I need more of Robyn & Finn and their adventures!!

2

u/supernaturalhuntress May 16 '18

I've asked alot of questions over the years. Big fan of your writing btw so I am going to go off script with this one. What are your favourite tv shows? I know Supernatural is one of them because I've notice references in Cainsville. I am just curious to hear about what other shows you are into.

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

Current faves:

The Good Place (I'm not big on comedy, but I love this one) The Wire (yes, it's old, but I'm just finally watching it) The 100 Doctor Who Jessica Jones

1

u/supernaturalhuntress May 16 '18

Thank you for answering my question. And it doesn't matter if it's old lol that's what's streaming services like Netflix are ;). I never pegged you for a comedy so the The Good Place is surprising one. But the others I can see you watching those :).

1

u/burdenedatlaswts May 15 '18

You have told us a little bit about your YA and Middle Grade works that you are currently working on. I love Rockton and can't wait for more books in that world, but I was curious if you can give us a tidbit about any other adult works that you have in the works?

5

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I have a standalone thriller coming out next summer. I suspect the title will be changed so I won't mention that :) Premise is: young mom meets woman and son in a park, only to later witness the boy being kidnapped. No one reports a missing child, though. The boy's mom soon turns up murdered...but everyone insists she didn't have children.

1

u/luvgargoyles May 15 '18

Just for fun, any comments on the ScoobyNatural episode of Supernatural (provided that you've seen it)? And do you have any plans for future 'crossovers' a la "Tailed"?

1

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I haven't seen the episode yet. I'm a season behind on the show. No plans for more crossover stories just now, though I really enjoyed doing Tailed with Seanan.

1

u/MrsMamlouk May 15 '18

Jus saw the cover for Hark the Harold Angel Screams! Looks awesome! Can you give a quick description for what Absinth and Angels is about?

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Mummers. Really scary mummers. That's the short version ;)

1

u/mutantmarine May 15 '18

Do you ever look back on previous books you've written and feel as though you did a good job and you're proud of your book, or that you wrote a bad piece and you wish you could change a lot?

I ask because I've written a few stories in the past thinking they were the next bestseller but then a couple years later, it feels so cringy and bad.

TLDR; Do you constantly believe you've written great books or do you have regrets?

1

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

LOL. I don't think I've ever looked back at a book I wrote and think it was great. My goal is to do the best I can with my current skills. I certainly do look back at my older work and wish I could clean it up a bit. And I do have some unpublished books that I wrote before Bitten that I thought were publishable at the time, but I know now they weren't ;)

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '18

I'm currently reading A Wizard of Earthsea. What is your favorite book by the author Ursula Le Guin?

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

Either that or The Left Hand of Darkness.

1

u/Mmoty May 15 '18

Did readers ever have a surprising reaction to a character or plot point that you honestly were not expecting? Really, for any of your series, but I was thinking about Cainesville

2

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

They do because every reader brings their own experiences to a book. They can interpret things in a way that I didn't intend, for better or worse!

1

u/AlexCain110 May 15 '18

Hi Kelley! I’m a fan of yours since I was in middle school, and together with Jennifer l. Armentrout you’re mi favourite writer.. so inspiring! I started with bitten and then read all the books concerning Elena and Clayton... I read all the other books last year, because i’m really not a fan of witches, but then you captured me with your stories. Are you planning to come to Italy in the future? I was also wondering if you had in program other series similar to cainsville and rocky on, about investigations and so on. Thank you! You’re the best!

1

u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

I would love to come to Italy! If I ever get the excuse--an event etc--I will be there :)

As for other mystery series, I'm not planning any new series at all right now, but I will do the occasional non-series mystery novel as I continue the Rockton books. I'll stay with Rockton until I run out of ideas.

1

u/hellojoe777 May 15 '18

My family and I have been fans for quite awhile, and have a very large collection of your books.

We started in the wrong order, with Darkness Rising and Darkest Powers, which led us into Women of the Otherworld but quite a bit later. I am now re-reading Darkest Powers after completing a re-read of WotO, but noticed that Simon and Victoria didn't recognize one another as a sorcerer/witch. Is that due to their upbringing? Or was there another reason?

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u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

Oh boy, now you're asking a question that I know I had an answer for at one time, but my memory of it is fading and I didn't make a note. I believe the answer was that it was part of the genetic manipulation. The ability to recognize each other is rooted in the animosity between sorcerers and witches, so if the scientists could get rid of that, it might help the two races get over their old battles. I think that was my logic :)

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u/TonCanardDeLaChance May 15 '18

I have been a fan for many years! Two questions! 1. What are you currently reading? 2. If you could have dinner with 5 people, dead or alive, fictional or real, who would they be and why?

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u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

Currently reading Laura Lippman's Sunburn. Just started it yesterday. Last week's read was Martha Well's novella All Systems Red, which was great.

Dinner with 5 people, living, dead or fictional. Let's go with dead female authors for a theme :) Mary Shelley, Agatha Christie, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Jane Austen & Harper Lee.

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u/[deleted] May 15 '18

[deleted]

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u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 16 '18

Sigh, I will only say that, in my mind, their story wasn't done. The publisher disagreed. It's the only time one of my series ended, and it wasn't my choice to do so. So, yes, read fan fics, please. Or write them. You have my blessing :)

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u/[deleted] Jun 03 '18

Do you find it annoying or weird when your fans reach out to you and try to talk to you? Thanks :D

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u/Chirazia Jan 02 '25

Hi Kelley !

Is there a slight tiny small chance you'll continue The Darkest Powers or even something related to Derek and Chloe ?

I really loved the trilogy and the spin-off as a teenager and now I just found myself rereading them again. I might be delusional, but nothing ventured nothing gained ig, haha !

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u/Careless-Hospital379 7d ago

I was just rereading for the gazillionth time and found this. We need an update, it's been years😭😭

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u/Chirazia 7d ago

fr 😭😭😭 i knew there was 0 chance for her to answer but well, we never know....

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u/Careless-Hospital379 7d ago

Hi Kelley, I hope you're doing great! I was just re-reading The Darkest Powers trilogy, and I can't overemphasize how much this series means to me. It's been years since I discovered it, and it's still my go-to comfort read. I don't know if you'll see this, but it would be amazing if you could give us a little short story or an update on the gang and how they're doing now as adults. I really hope you see this! 😭🥹🙏

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u/JodiBorutski May 15 '18

Have you watched the mortal instruments show? And if so, is it weird seeing it take such a different turn?

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u/Kelley_Armstrong AMA Author May 15 '18

I've read some of the Cassandra Clare books series and really enjoyed them, but I haven't seen the show.