Kelley Armstrong is the author of both the Otherworld and Nadia Stratford as well as the YA trilogy The Darkest Powers. She lives in Ontario with her husband and three children. The last book in The Darkest Powers, The Reckoning, comes out next spring. You can visit her online at http://www.KelleyArmstrong.com
To someone who has never read the Darkest Powers, how would you persuade them to read the books in a few sentences?
I’m going to admit, first off, that I’m really bad at persuading anyone to read my books. It feels pushy. If I absolutely have to, I usually say…
“It’s a supernatural thriller about a teenage girl who suddenly starts seeing ghosts, and is taken to a group home, which she quickly discovers is not what it seems. If it sounds like something you might like, you can read the first ten chapters free online.” Then I’d direct them to the excerpt, which is here.
Was it any different writing the Darkest Powers versus your other books for adults?
The only real difference is the age of the characters. I cover a lot of narrator ages in my adult series, but teens are a lot different. When I’m writing adult characters, whether they’re 25 or 45, they’re dealing with a similar set of issues (jobs, finances, marriage & children) Teens are at a different place in their lives and the characters need to reflect that. They also have a limited set of tools for dealing with problems. If I have an adult character on the run, they can empty their bank accounts, get fake ID, hop on a plane, rent a hiding place etc. Fifteen-year-olds can’t do that.
Are any of the characters from the Darkest Powers based on real people?
No. I always make sure my characters aren’t based on anyone I know. They have traits in common with myself and others, though. For example, Chloe stutters and so do I, because it’s an experience I can relate realistically.
If you could have any of the powers the residents of Lyle House have, what would you choose?
I would love to be a werewolf because I’d love to experience life in a different form. The secondary characteristics would be cool, too. Those “extras,” though, also make it hard for werewolves to blend, so if I was being very practical, I’d go with spell-casters. Their powers take work to learn, but overall they have fewer drawbacks.
After The Reckoning (Book 3), what future plans do you have for the Darkest Powers or any other YA Novels?
Chloe’s story is currently a trilogy. Now I’m starting a new trilogy set in the same world, with all new characters, about another Edison Group experiment. If readers want me to return to Chloe later, I would.
Read more here.
I think this is the first interview with Kelley that I have read. She seems like a really nice, intelligent and normal gal. I haven’t read the ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy yet, but it is definitely on my to read list. Hooray for another trilogy though!
Have you read the ‘Darkest Powers’ series?
