If you are into YA books and surf the net at least once a week, you must have heard of Candor. Today we talk to the author of this extremely delicious-smelling book (read the summary! pre-order! it's so awesome!), Pam Bachorz. Here are my questions and here are her answers. Enjoy:)

Let’s start with the basics. Tell us something about your upcoming book, Candor.

CANDOR is a novel for ages twelve and up. It takes place in a planned community in Candor, Florida, US, where the residents pay top dollar to have their entire families brainwashed! The kids don't know what their parents have signed them up for--except for Oscar Banks, the son of the town founder. He knows about the subliminal Messages that are hidden in music that plays everywhere in town--and he's secretly fighting them. He thinks he has his world figured out until Nia Silva moves to town. When Oscar falls in love, he must choose between saving Nia from brainwashing or keeping himself safe.

You can see the book trailer on my website (www.pambachorz.com), as well as read the first chapter.

How did you come up with the plot? I mean I read the synopsis and it’s definitely not something that you just wake up one day, look at the ceiling and go “Wham! Eureka!”--it's complex, unique and creative.

Thanks! It took a lot of work and a good number of drafts! I am a plot geek and I read a lot of books about the writing process, as well as books about screenwriting. My favorite plotting tool is something I call my "story wire": it's a wire stretched across my study, over my writing desk (about 5.5 feet tall and 12 feet long). I hang index cards from it that denote each scene in my current project, and have way too much fun swapping and sliding them around while I'm plotting.

What’re your favourite book/s? Other than Candor, because I’m evil and I don’t want an easy answer.

Like every author, I am a voracious reader. Some of my favorites are Jeanne DuPrau's "City of Ember", Neal Shusterman's "Unwind", and anything by Lois Duncan (a childhood fave!).

Tell us something about yourself. Anything from your hair colour to why the chicken crossed the road and how that’s even relevant in your autobiography works.

I am a very creative, high-energy person who has a hard time sitting still! Even when I'm watching TV I multi-task. Oh, and I have red hair.

(I want red hair!) Speaking of autobiography, what would it be titled if you wrote one?

"Good Lord, Nobody Is Going To Want To Read This Except My Mother"

What do you do when you’re not writing? As in, hobbies?

I love to read (big surprise). I also watch far too much television and love going to the movies. I like any water sport--swimming, boating, etc and also jog--but that's not a hobby, that's torture that I reluctantly submit to.

Rapid Fire round! Which fictional character do you find yourself most similar to?

Oh, probably Anne Shirley Blythe, my all-time fave.

Why is the moon round when it could be a hexagon for all it could be?

I guess some space monster broke off all the sharp corners years ago for a snack.

Do stairs go up or down?

Precisely.

Are marbles made of marble?

Not in our house. We prefer hand-rolled playdough ones.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done?

Hah, I keep my weirdest stuff buried deep! Probably one of my weirder moments was entering my middle-school lip synching contest with a friend. Boy were we terrible. It did NOT get us dates to the next school dance like we had hoped.

You’re locked in an elevator. Who would you want in there with you to keep you company and why?

That guy who stars in the TV series "Dirty Jobs", because he could get us out of there right quick and tell funny stories while he did it. Plus we both live in Maryland so maybe he could suggest some places for some good crab cakes.

Which shoe do you put on first—right or left?

Depends. Which one did I find first while I wandered the house yelling, "has anyone seen my other shoe?"

A cow just flew by. What would Oscar Banks (the main character of Candor) do?

Blame it on the brainwashing. If you're really resistant to the Messages, you get locked in the Listening Room and bombarded by brainwashing until you're completely changed. One of the unfortunate side effects is hallucinations--one character sees dead birds flying. Yeah, dead ones. How can he tell they're dead? Don't ask me. I haven't been to the Listening Room (or have I....)

Three words to describe yourself and three more to describe Candor.

Me: outsider, driven, suspicious. Book: creepy, engaging, fun!

Good God, authors really are creative! Thank you so much for your time and awesome answers, Pam. If anyone else has any opinions or questions to shoot, fire away in the comment box!

Labels: Author Interview, Candor, Pam Bachorz, Tête-à-Tête