Q&A
w it h
M rs. Hogref e
Q: Did you r f ait h in spir e t h is book ?
A: Yes, it did. As a Ch r ist ian , m y f ait h
sh apes m y w or ldview an d t h er ef or e m y
w r it in g. Th e r eason I decided t o w r it e a
dyst opian t r ilogy is t o of f er an
alt er n at ive t o t h e dar k an d h opeless
book s popu lar in t h is gen r e. Th ou gh
?dyst opian? is bleak by def in it ion , I
w an t ed t o w r it e a st or y t h at pr esen t s
r eader s w it h h ope in t h e m iddle of
dar k n ess.
Q: Do you h ope t o som eday w r it e book s
abou t ch ar act er s f r om you r t r ilogy
ot h er t h an Por t ia?
A: Th at ?s a gr eat qu est ion . At t h is poin t ,
I don?t t h in k so. In book t h r ee, I h ope t o
pr ovide closu r e f or all m y m ain
ch ar act er s (in on e w ay or an ot h er ). Bu t
n ever say n ever , r igh t ?
Q: Wh at is you r f avor it e t h in g abou t
w r it in g? Q: Wh at exper ien ces f r om you r lif e
h elped sh ape you r ch ar act er s?
A: Wr it in g is bot h ch allen gin g an d
exh ilar at in g becau se I?m cr eat in g
som et h in g ou t of n ot h in g. Th er e?s a
blan k page, an d I h ave t h e oppor t u n it y
t o f ill it w it h w or ds an d st or ies t h at can
en t er t ain an d in spir e r eader s. A: I lik e t o say t h at I give m y ch ar act er s
a lit t le piece of m e so I can r elat e t o
t h em bet t er . For exam ple, I ch ose
Por t ia?s ph ysical f law , becau se I also
h ave a m ild scoliosis an d st r u ggled
lear n in g t o r u n . Her ch allen ges an d
ach ievem en t in t h is ar ea in som e w ays
r ef lect m y ow n .
Q: Wh at is you r f avor it e t h in g abou t
cr eat in g ch ar act er s?
A: M y f avor it e par t is discover in g m y
ch ar act er s? m ot ivat ion s an d w eavin g
t h e con f lict s am on g t h em . Wit h ou t
con f lict , w e can?t h ave a st or y, an d I get
excit ed w h en I f igu r e ou t h ow t h eir
goals in t er lace or cau se f r ict ion t h at
dr ives t h e plot .
Q: How did you decide on t h e st or y of
Por t ia f or you r t r ilogy?
6
ou t on a jou r n ey w h er e sh e en cou n t er s
w h o God is, h ow He sh apes h ist or y, an d
w h y He car es abou t h er .
A: I w an t ed h er ch ar act er ar c t o in volve
per son al h u r dles (over com in g h er
ph ysical w eak n ess/ in ju r y) an d
r elat ion al on es, becau se t h at w ay,
r eader s cou ld r elat e t o h er . On a
spir it u al level, I also decided t o w r it e
h er ch ar act er as an u n believer w h o set s
Q: Wh at is som e advice you w ou ld give
you n g au t h or s as t h ey w or k t ow ar ds
f in ish in g t h eir book s?
A: Don?t qu it . Too of t en , I h ear people
say, ?I h ave an idea f or a book ,? or ?I
st ar t ed w r it in g a book .? St ar t in g an d
f in ish in g ar e t w o ver y dif f er en t t h in gs. I
w ou ld also en cou r age t h em t o pu t in
h ou r s of pr act ice t h at m ay n ever r esu lt
in an yt h in g get t in g pu blish ed. Look in g
back on m y ow n jou r n ey, I?m t h an k f u l I
n ever pu blish ed m y f ir st at t em pt s. Lik e
an y ot h er h obby or sk ill, w r it in g n eeds
pr act ice an d m or e pr act ice. Th e k ey t o
su ccess is disciplin e, per sist en ce,
h u m ilit y, an d pat ien ce.