Interview: LAUREN OLIVER + Win a copy of BEFORE I FALL!

Today is a big day: March 2nd in the official publication day for BEFORE I FALL, an incredible YA debut by Lauren Oliver. The blogoshere has been gushing about it for months so if you haven't heard about it, you must've been living under a rock and you really need to get with a program - trust me, you do not want to miss this amazing book - scroll down to see how YOU can win a brand new copy of BEFORE I FALL along with some signed bookmarks!

Here's a quick plot summary:

"Sam Kingston is dead. Except she isn’t.
On a rainy February night, Sam is killed in a horrific car crash. But instead of seeing a tunnel of light, she wakes up in her own bed, on the morning of the same day. Forced to live through the same events – the drive to school, skipping class, the fateful party – she struggles to alter the outcome, but wakes up again on the day of the crash.
What follows is the story of a girl who comes of age in a matter of days. Who discovers, through heartbreaking insights, the consequences of her every action. Of a girl who dies young, but in the process learns how to live. And who falls in love . . . a little too late."

I got a chance to read it online (legally) on a HarperCollins site a few months ago. I wasn't supposed to review it, but the book affected me so much that I just could not resist, I had to get it all out of my system. I described it as a book with "NICELY COMPLEX PLOT, WELL STRUCTURED, WONDERFUL CHARACTERS, BEAUTIFUL WRITING, THOUGHT PROVOKING, EMOTIONAL - ALL IN ALL, AN OUTSTANDING DEBUT!" You can read the whole review here and this book honestly moved me so much that it ended up being my second favourite book of 2009 and virtually *everyone* who has read the book so far has been amazed by it - it's just the kind of a novel that really makes you think and stays with you forever.

Oh and guess what - the foreign rights for this book have already been sold to FOURTEEN countries even before this book was officially published. Yes, that's how good it is! :)

Both the UK and the US trailers have been released - they're both great so click here to watch them!

The woman we have to thank for this incredibly powerful book is LAUREN OLIVER (visit her official site), who is not only so very talented but also unbelievably nice! I was lucky enough to interview her and please find her answers below!

Let's start with the standard question: What was the inspiration for Before I Fall? It's such an original book so I do wonder how you came up with the idea for it!
Thanks! The idea for Before I Fall came from a bunch of different places. I used to spend a lot of time trying to imagine, in as much detail as possible, a “perfect” day: the kind of day I wouldn’t mind reliving forever. So I’ve always had that question in my mind. Additionally, I’ve always been interested in the mean girl phenomena and in themes of change and redemption—and ultimately, even though Before I Fall has a very strong narrative structure, I do see it as a character-driven book about change.

How long did it take to write the book? I imagine it must've taken a while since the story is so complex. Were there any particular scenes you were struggling with? How did you get published in the end?
You know, I was working from an extremely solid and intricate outline, and generating the outline was certainly the most difficult and time-consuming part of the process, I would say. The actual writing of the book only took about five-six months. It was surprisingly easy, actually, as was the publishing process; I believe my agent managed to get us a deal within a few days.
However, before people start throwing shoes at me, I will say this was not my first attempt at publication. I had previously completed two adult novels, neither of which was ever sold.

Can you tell us more about this "universe" (for the lack of a better word) where Sam finds herself reliving the last day of her life seven more times?
[SPOILER ALERT! PLEASE DO NOT READ ON IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK YET.]
Hmm. I mean, in some ways I envisioned it as kind of a limbo. She is able to effect changes in the lives of the people around her, and so alter the legacy she will be leaving behind, but ultimately she is still penned in by the ultimate circumstances of her death. I guess you could say that that—that event, that death—is the concrete limit, the axiom on which her other actions must be based. That’s why, for me, there was never a question of allowing her to live on at the end.

Which five words would you use to describe Before I Fall?
Redemptive; realistic; hopeful; sad. That’s only four but I think they are sufficient.

How did you decide on the title? Did you have any alternative titles in mind?
Originally we called the book IF I SHOULD FALL, but we felt it was somewhat too ephemeral and also very similar to IF I STAY, a book that was being released at the time. But it took us about 500 titles to get from IF I SHOULD FALL to BEFORE I FALL, if you can believe it! I'm terrible at titling. :)

Would you change anything about the book now if you could go back? Is there anything you wish you could've written differently?
There is much I would change on a line-by-line level. I feel I've already grown and developed as a writer, and there are certain phrases in the book that don't feel quite right to me anymore. But on the whole, no; I'm happy with the book's overall structure and content. I'm not one for regret, in any context!

The book will undoubtedly be a massive hit and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it were turned into a film. Should that happen, who would you like to see starring in it?
Oof. I don’t know! I can only hope your predictions for the book’s success are correct. I actually can see Kristen Stewart playing Sam, and I’m not just saying that because she starred in Twilight! And I could completely see Dakota Fanning playing Lindsay; she looks just like the way I envisioned Lindsay in my hed.

What was the best and the worst thing you've heard/read about Before I Fall so far (in terms of reviews etc.)?
The best thing I’ve heard was that the book has caused a girl to reconcile with her mother, from whom she was semi-estranged; also, a blogger told me that the book helped her grieve the loss of a younger family member. People have been generous so far in terms of criticism, but probably what most aggravates me is when people think that I’ve included a superfluous quantity of drinking and drugs. We really did drink that much in high school! I was just trying to depict my experiences realistically. And besides, the whole point of the book is how unfulfilling those moments can be, and how what really brings happiness are moments of true connection and sharing.

What you working on now?
I am editing my second book, DELIRIUM, which will be released in early 2011. It’s very different from Before I Fall, a kind of dystopian Romeo-and-Juliet story, and I am very, very excited about it.

* * * * *

To celebrate this awesome day, I'm also hosting a CONTEST!
One lucky winner will win a hardcover copy of BEFORE I FALL and some *signed* swag! Here's what you have to do in order to be entered into this contest:

• you have to leave a comment telling me WHY you'd like to win/read this book (+1)
  
• you have to be a follower of my blog through Google Friend Connect (+1)

Those who are more determined and want to have more chance of winning can get more entries by:

• following Lauren on Twitter: @OliverBooks (+1)
• tweeting about this contes (provide link) OR simply re-tweeting my tweet (+2)
• posting about this contest on your blog sidebar (+2)
• dedicating a whole post to this contest (+3) along with one of the trailers (+5)

The contest is open WORLDWIDE and closes on March 10th at midnight your time.

ps: If you don't win, you can always get your own copy at Amazon US/UK or at Book Depository (free worldwide delivery, woo)!

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