Author Bios:
Natalie Zaman is the co-author of Sirenz, the first in a YA contemporary fantasy series published by Flux. Her work has appeared in various magazines, newspapers, e-zines and anthologies for adults and children. She's currently plotting disasters for the characters of Sirenz and working on a Victorian steampunk fantasy for teens. Natalie lives in central New Jersey with her family and several fine looking chickens.
Charlotte Bennardo is the co-author of Sirenz, the first in a YA contemporary fantasy series published by Flux. When not contemplating embarrassing situations for the characters in the sequels, she works on her own YA, MG and adult level novels. She has been published in magazines, newspapers, e-zines and anthologies. She is held captive in New Jersey by three sons, husband, cat and friends.
EAN: 9780738723198
Trade Paperback
Young Adult/Fiction
Price: $9.95
Available: June 2011
Available: June 2011
Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when they find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes—with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades—the god of the underworld—himself. To make them atone for what they’ve done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld any individual whose unholy contract is up.
But just because they have an otherworldly part-time job now doesn’t mean Meg and Shar can ignore life’s drudgeries (work) or pleasures (fashion!). Finding that delicate balance between their old and new responsibilities turns out to be harder than they expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there’s the matter of the fine print in their contracts . . .
With two authors, what was your writing process like working on Sirenz?
Nat: We had to do some planning—with two of us writing it was too easy for things to go off in too many different directions. Once we had the initial chapters down, we sat down and mapped out where the story was going. That map had to be totally rewritten once it landed with Brian Farrey, our editor at Flux. We kept the first five chapters (with revisions), then had to rewrite, and so re-plot the other 3/4 of the book!
Char: Plus we had to coordinate our schedules; we each have three kids each, husbands, pets, housework, errands, yada yada. It’s hard enough writing on my schedule, never mind throwing in Nat’s, but we were determined so we found, and made the time.
What was the first little spark that made you two start writing Sirenz?
Nat: We first “wrote” something together when Char ‘bunny sat’ my rabbit when I went away on vacation. He supposedly bit her (he was a big white fluffy bunny—wouldn’t hurt a flea!)--and she made him fess up in an email. I sent one back from my cat, cloistered in the house. Before we knew it we had this whole correspondence and thought it would be an interesting picture book. We were the only ones that thought so. HOWEVAH, we had a lot of fun, and decided to try something else, and purposefully...
Char: (And it was a vicious attack bunny!) At first it was vampires, because everyone was doing vampires, but we changed our minds because everyone was doing vampires. We hit upon Greek mythology, talking about a strong character like Xena, Warrior Princess, but also campy, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We threw ideas around until we came up with sirens, there weren’t any books out there with those creatures.
Who is more like Meg and who is more like Shar?
Nat: I don't think we’re totally like our characters, although I wrote the initial drafts of the Meg chapters and Char wrote Shar’s. I definitely wrote things that appeal to me into Meg’s character—being into divination and other new-age philosophies, and the dark clothes. There are also aspects of Char’s character (fashion fashion fashion!) that I heart. I’ve always loved clothes (Vivienne Westwood is a favorite designer; I’ve read a couple of biographies about her—what a fascinating woman!)--probably too much!
Char: Meg is a green person, into saving the environment, and so am I, nagging my family to recycle every little bit, and also mentoring the Green Initiatives sub-team on my son’s high school robotics team. And Nat is the one who’s opened my eyes (and purse!) to Century 21, shopping in the city, designers I never would have known about. Although my character is a shop-a-holic, in reality, that’s more a Nat thing. It’s a real mix ‘n match with the characters and our personal quirks, and that’s what makes it fun and allows each of us to give input into the other’s character.
What is something cool about Greek Mythology you didn't know before writing Sirenz?
Nat: To me the Persephone myths were real eye-openers. I always thought Persephone was kind of a victim—being abducted into the Underworld by Hades, so innocent, so fragile. But there are other stories that portray her otherwise, such as the one with Menthe that we referenced. She’s definitely not a goddess—or a woman—to be messed with.
Char: Who knew real sirens were actually half bird, half woman? Most people, myself included, thought sirens were mermaids. We took a little liberty—I don’t remember reading about sirens dying off, but then, it doesn’t say they were immortal, either.
Sirenz has so many hilarious parts! What part of Sirenz still makes you laugh when you think about it?
Nat: For me it’s a toss up between the scene with QTΠ (shugga-booty—hahaha!), and the one with Callie, the office tech. I remember when we were writing that scene and putting her “lunch” together... I still squirm when she goes to take a swig of energy drink and a fly buzzes out of the can—yikes!
Char: It sounds sick, but I laugh when I read about the subway accident—and the reference to a sliced tomato. And Reynaldo—I read his dialogue and it makes me crack up because he’s such a drama queen.
If you were a Siren, who would you use your charms on first?
Nat: Good Nat: Husband, of course. Bad Nat: Damon Salvatore >:)
Char: Um, yeah, okay, that sounds good—husband first, then Damon. Or Hollywood producer. Or TV producer. I have a long list…
Is there anything else you would like to add before you go?
We’re still dancing around because SIRENZ is a series—we get to keep devising devious dilemmas for Meg, Shar and Hades again. The next book, SIRENZ BACK IN FASHION will be out in Summer 2012 and SIRENZ 3 (no title yet) in 2013!
Thanks for being a tour host.
ReplyDeleteI love this interview! Nat and Char's voices seem very unique and fun, and I get the feeling Sirenz will be like that, too. And I *love* the recent uprising of Greek myth in YA, so I'm definitely adding this one to my TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteSmiles!
Lori
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ReplyDeleteSo cool! I've always wondered what it would be like to do a collaborative project, and this has answered some of those questions. Thanks for the awesome interview :)
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)