Author Interview: Alex Flinn!

Hellooo! So I have slightly recovered and to celebrate I am conducting my first author interview! I had a list of authors that I am extremely grateful for writing fantastic novels and at the top of my list is the author of Beastly, Alex Flinn!

Forgive me if my questions were not the best - I was still trying to find my grip on doing author interviews... Nonetheless let's begin!

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1.) I absolutely adore Beastly and am very excited for the film, which will be out Summer 2010. How involved were you in the film production process?

Not much, really.  I got to visit the set, which was a lot of fun, and I've read the script.  I'm very pleased with what I've seen.  Yes, there have been some changes from my book, but the story is the same, and the meaning is the same.  The changes are mostly superficial.  I think fans of the book will be pleased.

2.) Beastly and A Kiss in Time are both modern fairy tales. How did you come up with the idea of incorporating the modern twist into the age-old stories?

I like fairy tales and thought it would be fun to write a story based upon Beauty and the Beast.  There have been a lot of books based upon Beauty and the Beast already.  Most retellings take place in some fairy tale world.  They're really good books, but I didn't really think my usual reader of my realistic fiction would be very interested in that.  Plus, it's already been done.  I thought the themes of Beauty and the Beast were universal enough that they would translate to modern times.  Indeed, the story of Beauty and the Beast goes back to ancient Greece and maybe even earlier.  With A Kiss in Time, the princess sleeps a long time anyway, so I thought it would be fun to see what would happen if she woke up in our time.

3.) Which, if any, of your books are you most proud of?

I'm proud of them all for different reasons.  Some of my books are more popular than others, but the ones that are less popular often inspire a passionate following among readers who do like them.  For example, Breaking Point, which is about a school bombing, appeals to kids who feel displaced, like they don't fit in.  It was the kind of book I would have liked as a teen. 

4.) Your books relay inspiring messages and important life lessons to their readers. When writing, do you have a clear outline of what message you want relayed by the book, or does it come naturally with the plot?

I just start writing and see what happens.  I usually know how the book will end, but not how I'll get there. Sometimes, it's frustrating, but that's my technique.  I've tried to outline, and it doesn't work for me.  

5.) You mentioned in your website that Breathing Underwater was inspired by your experience of interning with the State Attorney’s Office and volunteering with battered women. Are any of your characters also based on anyone you know?

Only one.  Most of my characters are completely fictional, and a lot of my characters have big problems, so it wouldn't be fair to base them on real people.  The exception is the character of Sean in Diva.  He is based upon one of my best friends in high school, upon whom I (and a lot of other people I know) had a huge crush.  To this day, I feel he was a really admirable person, so Sean was a sort of tribute to him.

6.) Are you currently working on another novel? If so, what should we be expecting? :)

I recently finished a novel called Cloaked, which will be published in January, 2010.  It's about Johnny, a poor guy who works in a shoe repair at a posh South Beach hotel.  One day, a princess who is a guest there asks him to go on a quest for her, find her brother, who has been turned into a frog and set loose in the keys, a group of tropical islands off the coast of Florida.  He thinks she's nuts, until she pulls out a magical cloak which allows him to travel wherever he wishes.  Along the way, he meets talking animals, battles giants, and takes a heck of a summer vacation.

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A massive, massive thank you to Alex for her time! For more information about her books you can visit here author site: www.alexflinn.com.

If you haven't read Beastly yet, you can read my review HERE. It's a fantastic read! A film adaptation starring Alex Pettyfer as Kyle Kingsbury/Adrian and Vanessa Hudgens as Lindy is coming out July 2010. You can view the trailer @Youtube to get a glimpse of it!

Click HERE for the movie site.

Book Review: Beastly (Alex Flinn)

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.

Calling all fairy tale lovers! Beastly is the classic fairy tale with a modern twist - and a good one at that! I was firstly drawn to the blurb. It is exceptionally frank, and seems to give a solid perspective from 'the beast'. I really don't know how to feel about the modern twist this book promises, but in the end it all tied up pretty well. Like, really well.


Beastly is a quick, easy and reflective read. The pace isn't too fast or too slow, and the characters are humourous and very individualistic. I loved the little chatroom snippets all throughout the books - it opens up to new characters who were just hilarious! My favourite would be Froggie - who coudn't type well with webbed feet - how cute was that? :)


As for the romantic aspect, I found that the pace helped established the romantic connection between the girl (let's not say who) and Kyle Kingsbury (later Adrian). Unlike most books, this focuses on emotional connection, not physical, and I adore that. Plus, the romantic gestures that Adrian does, including the little 'cautions' that he reminds himself to do to not scare the girl was just sweet. And let's not forget, Adrian himself is a pretty funny beast boy.


The best thing about the whole book is the fact that you really see Kyle's transformation. Every single little change for the better is well depicted and highlighted, and very well founded.


Beastly is a book of humour, fairy-tale romance, with a pinch of sadness and pain, and ultimately of selflessness. I love it!


Five stars.