From epic sci-fi series to contemporary standalones, Kristen Simmons has done it all. Her latest series Vale Hall is about a school for scoundrels, and commenced with The Deceivers early in 2019 to critical acclaim. Its sequel, Scammed, releases on February 4th 2020 and is full of more hijinks and secret schemes. Kristen sat down with Nerd Daily contributor Tasha Leigh to talk all things publishing, prep, and pizza!
You casually slid into the publishing scene with your debut series, Article 5, in 2012. How long did the road to published author take?
Oh Article 5…my first published baby! It took a long time for me to get there – 10 years of querying different books, in fact! There were times I was convinced I’d never be published, but perseverance paid off, and I’m happy to welcome a new series to my growing book family!
After this series culminated, you moved on to several standalone novels including the novel The Glass Arrow, a sort of YA Handmaidens Tale. How does your writing process differ between standalones and series?
For me, a story is dictated by the characters. If they have more to say, it’s going to be a series. When they’re quiet, I know the story is done. For The Glass Arrow, Metaltown, and Pacifica, I knew the story was ending when the characters in my head were satisfied with the conclusion. (That said, I do much more plotting for series – there are more arcs, character and plot wise, to consider before everything is wrapped up.)
A lot of your work fits into the dystopian genre, while your latest novels, the Vale Hall trilogy are more a contemporary style of writing. All of them however, fit into the umbrella of Young Adult. What draws you to writing for a teenage audience?
I love writing for teens, but many of my novels end up being young adult because that’s how the characters present in my head. I love exploring exciting, new situations and challenges with them – the intensity of a first relationship, the devastation of loss. It’s the sharpness of emotion in YA lit that really draws me in.
Last year the first in the Vale Hall series, The Deceivers was released to wide acclaim. Was it always intended to be a series?
It was! I knew Brynn and the Vale Hall crew were going to have a lot to say and do from the beginning!
For readers who haven’t read The Deceivers, how would you describe these novels?
A girl goes to a school for con artists! I usually describe it as a very twisted, morally gray, Harry Potter.
In The Deceivers, the audience meets a group of teens who are attending a so called ‘school for scoundrels’. What was your inspiration for these characters?
‘Found family’ is one of my favorite concepts in all literature, and I absolutely love writing it. As someone who spent much of their life searching for my people, Brynn’s hope (and skepticism) of acceptance rings true with me. Each of the people at Vale Hall become a part of her life she works to complete her assignments.
While on initial inspection the protagonists of Vale Hall could be seen as villains, after reading the cast could be seen as a type of antihero who are simply trying to get ahead in the world. Were there certain events that shaped the progress of the characters?
I’m always intrigued by the line between good and evil. The characters in The Deceivers and Scammed do some bad things, but with important intention. As the director of the school, Dr. Odin, says, “would you fault the starving child for stealing food?” The con artists at Vale Hall may be doing “bad” things, but they’re also trying to strangle some of the corruption that has oppressed them.
So Scammed, the sequel to 2019’s The Deceivers, releases on February 4th this year. How have you spent your time in the lead up to its release?
Breathing into a paper bag and yelling at strangers for no reason.
I’m (kind of) kidding! This book has been such a joy to write and work on. I’m really just excited to share it with everyone!
In the finale of the first novel, we see the underlying humanity of Brynn relating to her mark and their plight. What can readers expect from Brynn, Caleb and their criminal friends?
Ooh…more cons, more twists, more dangerous assignments, and definitely more kissing.
If you could have any of your novels/series translated to the screen, which would you choose and what form would it take? (e.g. Movie, limited series, short/long form series) Who would be your dream casting?
Oh I would LOVE to see the Vale Hall books as a TV series! I always imagined it that way in my head while I was writing – like I was taking dictation of a script already in progress. I’m not sure who I’d dream cast, but I do love the models on the new cover – they make an excellent Brynn, Caleb, and Grayson!
Where can readers expect to see you in the coming months?
I’ll be hitting a lot of cities in the next few months – details posted on my social media sites (@kris10writes on Twitter and Instagram) soon!
Is there anything in the works that you can tell us about?
I also have a series I’ve co-written with Sara Raasch which starts in August. The first book, SET FIRE TO THE GODS, is about gladiators who fight in an Ancient Rome inspired world, using elemental magic. I can’t wait!
Last question, what would you tell your younger self about your road to published author if you had the chance?
Don’t worry. Keep trying – you’ll just get better. Everything worth having takes time and a lot of work.
QUICKFIRE ROUND
- Fiction or nonfiction? Fiction, definitely. (And commercial fiction if we’re getting picky!)
- Plotter or pantser? I used to be a pantser, but then my books ended up being WAY too long. Now I try to plot a basic structure, and let my characters flush out the story.
- Favourite bookish trope? Found family!
- Least favourite bookish trope? Crushes on relatives. That…is not my jam.
- Coffee or tea? Tea for sure!
- Pizza or pasta? Pizza!
- Beach holiday or hiking in the bush? Hiking. My dream vacation is always a cabin in the woods.
- Convention crowds or smaller signings? Either. I love meeting readers!
- Sunny or rainy? Sunshine, please!
- If you could pick a single holiday destination for the rest of your life, where would it be? Definitely a cabin in the mountains.
- Music, books or Netflix – you can only pick 2? Books and Netflix. I’ll make my own music (Haha just kidding).
- If you could recommend five authors to the general public that are must reads, who would they be? Katie McGarry, Mindee Arnett, Sara Raasch, Caleb Roehrig, and Nancy Werlin.
