Monday, May 17, 2010

Introducing 2011: Maurissa Guibord


Her debut novel, WARPED, will be published by Delacorte Press in February 2011.

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What was the inspiration for WARPED?


It's kind of silly but I remember this so distinctly. I was in the library and browsing through the craft section of nonfiction, looking for instructions for crocheting granny squares.

I know, lame, right? But my fingers fell on this book about tapestry- "The Oak King, The Holly King and the Unicorn: Myths and Symbolism of the Unicorn Tapestries" by John

Williamson. This book is a brilliant, scholarly exploration of all the folk-lore and religious meanings behind the symbols in the famous Unicorn Tapestries. Every plant even has a meaning!

One of the things he delves into is that the unicorn symbolizes sacrifice- specifically, that of Jesus Christ.

In my head, that idea gradually melded into the unicorn actually being a man, trapped in a tapestry. Then I had to work out how that could happen...

My book of course, is not deep or scholarly or symbolic. It's more of a romantic romp!

But that's where the idea came from.


Did you put any parts of people you know in real life into your characters?


Constantly. But they are so jumbled together and drawn "bigger than life" that I don't think anyone would ever recognize themselves.


Do you have any ideas on what you'd like the cover to look like? (And you can see her cover below!)


I'd love the cover to be extravagantly romantic with a hint of whimsy. Just don't ask me what that actually looks like!


What is one book you think every teenager should read?


This is so hard because I think different books will strike each person in just the right way, at just the time when they need it. So there's no right answer or perfect book.

When I was 13 I was going through a difficult time and very lonely. I picked up The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and for some reason it just clicked.

It was all about friendship and adventure and it transported me somewhere else, which is where I wanted to be at the time.

That said, I think The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a marvelous, transporting kind of story that would appeal to just about anyone.


Did you have to do any research before writing WARPED?


I researched Nordic mythology about the Norns- these are the equivalents of the Three Fates who spin and weave and cut the threads of life.

They make several appearances in my story- but I admit that I took many liberties in the telling!



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Thanks so much, Maurissa!

Click here to visit Maurissa' website!

3 comments:

  1. I've been on a slight unicorn hit since Diana Peterfreund's 'Rampant', so I'm very excited for 'Warped'! Definitely on my TBR list. :) And the cover is beautiful.

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  2. yes, beautiful cover. Sounds intriguing!

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  3. Sounds like a way to cash in on this teenage-Twilight-romantic craze. Books like this aren't art, and don't stand the test of time.

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