Wicked Lovely (36 page)

What is the message, if any, in
Wicked Lovely!

There are always choices. As long as we're still breathing, we can keep making choices and keep striving for our objectives. The choices aren't always ones we like, but I honestly believe that if we keep choosing, we can often get to where we need to be. If we stop choosing, we have no chance. Accepting limitations isn't my first choice because it feels, to me, like it limits the options we can see.

What can you tell us about your next novel,
Ink Exchange!

The novel is about the

Will we get to read more about the characters in
Wicked Lovely?

Ash, Seth, and Keenan are all in
Ink Exchange.
It's not their story, but they are a part of it—much like how the main characters in
Ink Exchange
are present in
Wicked Lovely.
My goal is for some characters to resume primary roles in other books—I'm already planning for Seth and Donia to be main characters in future novels, for example.

Is there anything you're really looking forward to in the future?

Everything.
Life is a brilliant adventure. It's beautiful and horrible and stressful and thrilling and … I love the ride.

Read more questions
and answers at the fabulous fansite www.wickedlovely.com!

A
Wicked Lovely
Playlist

No list is ever constant, but these are the songs I had on repeat as I wrote and revised the novel. Sometimes, I had a single song I listened to incessantly for a scene (like "Break Stuff"), and sometimes I had a group I listened to (like the songs for the Rath).

For the curious, here's my list:

1.         Beth Orton—"She Cries Your Name" (the Prologue)

2.         Limp BizKit—"Break Stuff" (the opening scene at Shooters)

3.
  
Jem—"Flying High" (Ash and Seth)

4.
  
Teddy Geiger—"For You I Will (Confidence)" (Ash and Seth)

5.
  
Simple Plan—"Shut Up" (Keenan at Beira's)

6.
  
Keren Ann—"Not Going Anywhere" (Donia at the fountain)

7.         Beth Orton—"Sugarboy" (Donia with Keenan at the railroad yard)

8.         Jem—"Falling
For
You" (Ash and Seth after their first kiss)

9.         The Corrs with Bono—"Summer Wine" (at the faire)

10.       The Corrs with Bono—"When the Stars Go Blue" (at the faire)

11.       Tegan and Sara—"
You Wouldn't Like
Me" (Ash/Seth after the faire)

12.       Sugarcult—"Pretty Girl" (Donia/Keenan after the faire)

13.       Sugarcult—"Counting Stars" (Keenan at river with Beira)

14.       Dashboard Confessional—"Screaming Infidelities" (Donia dealing with Summer Girls, on Keenan)

15.       Jem—"Missing You" (Ash at the Rath, thinking about the way she's changing)

16.       Fall Out Boy
—"Dance, Dance" (Summer Girls spinning at the Rath)

17.       Muse—"Time is Running Out" (Keenan when Ash arrives at the Rath)

18.
   
Nine Inch Nails—"Closer" (at the Rath)

19.
   
Sean Paul—"Temperature" (at the Rath as they're walking out)

20.
   
Jem—"Stay
Now "
(Ash and Seth at his place)

21.
   
All American Rejects—"Dirty Little Secret" (Keenan at home after Ash ran)

22.       Simple Plan—"Shut Up" (Keenan outside Ash's with Niall)

23.       Victoria Williams—"This Moment" (when Ash finally says yes)

24.       Jem—"Finally Woken" (Ash after she takes the staff)

25.       Beth Orton—"Touch Me
With
Your Love" (final chapter and Epilogue, Donia with Keenan)

Melissa Marr's Reading List

These are some of the books (other than folklore) that inspire my writing, and which you might enjoy too:

My Biggest Inspiration (Always and Forever):

William Faulkner—novels and most short stories (His novel
Sanctuary
is a great place to start!)

Old Folklore Made New:

War for
the Oaks
—Emma Bull

American Gods
—Neil Gaiman

Classics:

The
Awakening
—Kate Chopin

Heart
of
Darkness
—Joseph Conrad

The Return
of the
Native
—Thomas Hardy

On the Road
—Jack Kerouac

Thus Spake Zarathustra
—Friedrich Nietzsche

Wide Sargasso Sea
—Jean Rhys

British Romantic and Victorian poetry

Theory:

Don't
Bet on the Prince
—Jack Zipes

Happily Ever After
—Jack Zipes

And

Books I Just Really Like:

Speak
—Laurie Halse Anderson

Valiant—Holly Black

Coraline
—Neil Gaiman

The Blue Girl
—Charles de Lint

The Hollow Kingdom
trilogy—Clare B. Dunkle

Keeping You a Secret
—Julie Anne Peters