Interview with TBF Author Gennifer Albin

I recently had the oppertunity to ask TBF author Gennifer Albin, author of Crewel (review coming soon!), some questions for our blog. Check out her responces!

Elizabeth Reads: Why did you want to be an author?

Gennifer Albin: It was as close as I could get to being a rockstar with no musical ability. Okay, that's not entirely true (although authors are pretty frickin' awesome, if you ask me). I really love stories. Always have. Always will. And I'm lucky enough that I'm better with words than mathematical equations.

ER: What inspired you to write Crewel?

GA: A painting by Remedios Varo where girls in a tower and embroidering the world. I wanted to tell the story of one of those girls.

ER: How did you dream up Adelice’s world in Crewel?
GA: It all started with the concept of Spinster. In Arras, you want to be a Spinster because they seem to have lavish lives and power. From there I started wondering what that world would look like and it took on this Mad Men vibe, so naturally I wanted everything to have that glamourous feel of the 40s and 50s.

ER: Who was your favourite author as a teen? Were you always a big reader?
GA: That's hard because YA didn't really exist when I was a teen, save for Judy Blume. Most of my teen reading was for class, but we read great books! Honestly! Fitzgerald, Huxley, Dickens, and Shakespeare. I was so very into Shakespeare with I was a teen. I read about Renaissance theatre and made notes in the margins. I guess Shakespeare was my favorite author in high school.

ER: What’s the part about TBF that you’re most excited for?
GA: I hear there's Jell-O wrestling.

ER: What book(s) are you reading now or recently?

GA: I just read ALL THAT GLOWS by Ryan Graudin, which is a lovely spin on a fairytale romance. It comes out next year. I'm about to start THE HOLLOWED ONES by Laura Bickle and I've also been reading MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE.

ER: When's the next Crewel book coming out?
GA: OCTOBER 29, 2013! It will be here before I know it.

I for one am totally excited about meeting Gennifer Albin at TBF. I ADORED Crewel (as I'm sure you will too), and I cannot wait to read its sequel. (Check back for a review of Crewel in a few days!) I hope you'll be able to come and meet Gennifer Albin at the festival in May! (Just over 70 days left!!!)

Also, don't forget that we're only $200 away from meeting our goal of $8,888. Ask your family and friends to donate so that we can see all the board members (including Stephanie) in prom dresses!

Happy reading!
Elizabeth