Monday YA Author Interview With Anne Blankman

Anne Blankman
Twitter Website Goodreads 
Where are you from?
Niskayuna, New York, a small town near Albany


 When and why did you begin writing?
I don't remember a time when I wasn't writing stories--even before I could actually write words, I was creating stories by drawing pictures and stapling them together to make a "book." The urge to tell stories has always been in me.


 What books have most influenced your life most?
The Diary of Anne Frank really affected me. I was twelve when I read it for the first time, and heartbroken when I found out what had happened to her. That book sparked my fascination with history.
And, of course, I have to include Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery since I'm named after the title character! :)


If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
My mom, Lynn Blankman, is a MG author, and she helped me whip Prisoner of Night and Fog into query-ready shape. She's unflinchingly honest and a careful reader.

What book are you reading now?
Right now I'm doing research for my third book so I'm reading a lot of nonfiction about seventeenth century England.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I'm part of a debut authors group called the YA Valentines, and all of their books have piqued my interest! It's such an eclectic group, with books ranging from high fantasy to science fiction to contemporary realistic fiction to historical thrillers. Getting to read their ARCs has pulled me out of my reading rut of YA fantasy and historical nonfiction.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
Ooo, this is almost a mean question! :) How can I possibly pick just one? The first author who pops into my head is Jane Austen. Her characters are so fully developed and beautifully drawn.

 What was the hardest part of writing your book?
For me, actually sitting down and writing the first draft is the hardest point. Coming up with the idea is exciting. When you're revising, you've already got something to work with. But forcing yourself to sit at your desk and start filling a blank page is the most daunting aspect of writing.
 
Have you been an avid reader your entire life? (since you could read)
Yes!
 
What character in your books do you relate to most?
 Gretchen, the protagonist. Our lives are completely different, but Gretchen struggles with the same issues we all face growing up--trying to decide who you and what you believe, falling in love for the first time, becoming disillusioned with the adults in your life who had always seemed infallible.
 

 

 
Ok now some fun questions:
What is your favorite sport to watch and or play?
I love running track races with my husband. I run 5-6 miles a day, five days a week. It's a great time to brainstorm the next scene in my book!
 
Favorite Movie?
Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest". You've got gorgeous Cary Grant, an intriguing mystery, and heartstopping action--what more could you want?
 
Chocolate or Vanilla?
 Vanilla
Puppy's or Kittens?
 Kittens, no question! (I've always had cats)
Beach or Mountains?
 Beach
If you could be a color, what color would you be?
 Sky blue
Favorite Dessert?
 Banana chips (yeah, weird, I know!)
If you could be a book character, what character would you be?
Sally Lockhart in Philip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke trilogy. She's smart, tough, pretty, determined, and a crack shot. Seriously, who wouldn't want to be her?


Anne's debut novel Prisoner of Night and Fog is coming out April 22nd 2014 from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins.

In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.

And Gretchen follows his every command.

Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?