James Dashner, author of the Maze Runner series, launches the Mortality Doctrine series this fall. In the first book, The Eye of Minds (Delacorte), Michael's body remains safe in a "Coffin," while his mind is free to roam the VirtNet and play Lifeblood Deep with his virtual friends. Dashner was born and raised in Georgia and now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family.
On your nightstand now:
Manson by Jeff Guinn. I was too young to know much about Charles Manson until he'd been in jail for a long time, so I never really knew his story. And we're talking about a guy (me) who loves Dexter, American Psycho and other miscellaneous tales about serial killers (The Following, anyone?). When I saw that a new book had come out about Manson's life, and that the book was well reviewed and well researched, I snapped it up. And man, is it fascinating. I honestly don't read a lot of nonfiction, but I'm ripping through these pages. And let's just say I've gotten a lot of inspiration for future stories!
Favorite book when you were a child:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. It's really hard to pick just that one, because many, many authors and books influenced my love of reading as a kid. Anything by Judy Blume, Charlotte's Web, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew (yes, I read every one of those), James and the Giant Peach, etc. I could go on and on. But L'Engle's book really and truly (profoundly, you could say) rocked my world. The sense of wonder and other-worldliness and suspense hooked me to no end, and I think that affected what I've loved to read and write ever since.
Your top five authors:
Stephen King: Simply put, he is my idol. He's a genius like no other. I like to read his books while I'm writing my first drafts because he inspires me so much. His son, Joe Hill, will probably pop on my list soon. Like father, like son.
George R.R. Martin: I don't know how he does it. A Song of Ice and Fire is so long and so deep, and there are so many characters and places and events. And yet I love every single page (and there are lots and lots of those). I'm glad that I can say I loved his books before the HBO series turned them into a phenomenon. But I like the show just as much.
Tom Clancy: I went through a Clancy phase right after college and pretty much read every single one of his books. Jack Ryan is one of my favorite literary characters of all time, and it's not just because I picture Harrison Ford when I read about him! The authenticity and tension of the stories just blew me away.
J.K. Rowling: Ah, Rowling. What can I say that hasn't been said? It almost seems cliché to include her, but how could I not? There's just something magical and special about the Harry Potter series, and it's one of those things that I know I could never duplicate no matter how hard I tried.
Khaled Hosseini: I know he only has three books to his name, but they were all brilliant and mesmerizing and stayed with me long after I read them.
Book you've faked reading:
Madame Bovary by... I'm not even going to bother looking up the author just to make a point. I really hated this book and couldn't finish it, assignment or not.
Book you're an evangelist for:
The Stand by Stephen King. If you want to read a book where the characters and world and fear truly come to life, read this. It's my favorite book by my favorite author.
Book you've bought for the cover:
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Michael Whelan is probably my favorite fantasy or science fiction artist, and Brandon is a friend, so I would've bought it anyway. As an e-book. But this cover on such a gigantic book is just something I needed on my shelf.
Book that changed your life:
The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. I didn't know I loved big fat epic fantasy books until I read this one in middle school. I've loved them ever since. It was a real thrill for me to meet and hang out with Terry recently, as surreal as it gets.
Favorite line from a book:
"Drifts off, untroubled, everything clear, and radiant, and all at once." --from And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (can you tell I just read this?)
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, because it's one of the true surprise endings that ever left me stunned. (I wish you had said TV show because then my answer would've been Breaking Bad.)
What's it like to see your book made into a movie:
Surreal, amazing, spectacular. A dream fulfilled. That, or I'm actually dreaming.