thehosters

*Please Note, these are just Q&A's from signings and so forth that Stephenie has done, I just found them at places like her website*

 What inspired the idea for The Host?

The kernel of thought that became The Host was inspired by absolute boredom. I was driving from Phoenix to Salt Lake City, through some of the most dreary and repetitive desert in the world. It’s a drive I’ve made many times, and one of the ways I keep from going insane is by telling myself stories. I have no idea what sparked the strange foundation of a body-snatching alien in love with the host body’s boyfriend over the host-body’s protest. I was halfway into the story before I realized it. Once I got started, though, the story immediately demanded my attention. I could tell there was something compelling in the idea of such a complicated triangle. I started writing the outline in a notebook, and then fleshed it out as soon as I got to a computer. The Host was supposed to be no more than a side project—something to keep me busy between editing stints on Eclipse—but it turned into something I couldn’t step away from until it was done. 

 

 

Did you approaching writing The Host, your first adult novel, differently than your YA series?

Not at all. Like the Twilight Saga (this is probably the only way The Host is like the Twilight Saga!), The Host is just a story I had fun telling myself. My personal entertainment is always the key to why a story gets finished. I never think about another audience besides myself while I’m writing; that can wait for the editing stage.

 

 

You have referred to The Host as being a science fiction novel for people who don't like science fiction. Can you explain why?

Reading The Host doesn’t feel like reading science fiction; the world is familiar, the body you as the narrator are moving around inside of is familiar, the emotions on the faces of the people around you are familiar. It’s very much set in this world, with just a few key differences. If it weren’t for the fact that alien stories are by definition science fiction, I wouldn’t classify it in that genre.

 

There is a lot of internal dialogue between Wanderer, the narrator and invading "soul", and Melanie, the human whose body Wanderer is now living inside. Each character has her own distinct voice and internal struggle. Was it a challenge to have the two characters, who essentially take up one body, stand on their own?

Wanderer and Melanie were very distinct personalities to me from day one; keeping them separate was never an issue. Melanie is the victim—she’s the one that we, as humans, should identify with; at the same time, she is not always the more admirable character. She can be angry and violent and ruthless. Wanderer is the attacker, the thief. She is not like us, not even a member of our species. However, she is someone that I, at least, wish I was more like. She’s a better person than Melanie in a lot of ways, and yet a weaker person. The differences between the two main characters are the whole point of the story. If they weren’t so distinct, there would have been no reason to write it.

 

Did any of the characters surprise you while writing?

I am constantly surprised by my characters when I write—it’s really one of my favorite parts. When a character refuses to do what I had planned for him or her, that’s when I know that character is really alive. There were several characters who caught me off guard with The Host. One in particular was slated for a bit part as the wingman to the villain. Somehow, he knew he was more than that, and I couldn’t stop him from morphing into a main love interest. 

 

 

Your Twilight series has had a lot of crossover appeal for adult readers, do you think The Host will also appeal to your younger readers?

I’ve had a great deal of interest from my YA readers about the release of The Host. I have no doubt that they will continue to make up a core part of my readership. I love blurring the lines between the different genres and categories—because in my head, a good book won’t fit inside the lines. I hope that The Host continues to do what the Twilight Saga is doing: showing that a good story doesn’t belong to any one demographic.

 

How do you feel about the enormous success that you’ve had with the Twilight series? How has it changed your life?

I am continually shocked by the success of my books.  I never take it for granted, and I do not count on it in my expectations of my future.  It’s a very enjoyable thing, and I’ll have fun with it while it lasts. I’ve always considered myself first and foremost a mother, so being a writer hasn’t changed my life too much – except I do travel a lot more and have less free time.

 

What adult authors do you read?

I’ve been reading books for adults my entire life. Growing up I was an avid reader—the thicker the book, the better. Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, The Sword of Shannara, Jane Eyre, Rebecca, etc. I’m a huge fan of Orson Scott Card, and Jane Austen-- I can’t go through a year without re-reading her stuff again.

 

What’s next?

I’m currently finishing writing the fourth book in the Twilight saga, Breaking Dawn, which will wrap up Bella and Edward’s story. I plan to then write Midnight Sun, which is Twilight told from Edward’s perspective. After that, I may write some sequels for The Host, or a may pull another outline from my files to play with. I won’t stop writing; there are too many stories I want to tell.

 

Where did you come up with your idea for the other planets, and where did you come up with the idea of alien souls and the characteristics they have?

I always have a bunch of crazy roles in my head, I happen to let my imagination go crazy, like, let’s see, what if we had a world of blind creatures that could sing and fly, or what if they were plants that were stuck in the ground with a million eyes, that’s pure fun for me and I don’t have to work at it; so it’s hard to give advice for that. If your mind works that way, then maybe science fiction is for you, but if it’s harder, then maybe something more human might be the way.

 

 

What was the most memorable thing about writing the host?

That would be Ian. My favorite characters are the ones who decide for themselves who they want to be. It’s the characters who stop doing what you want that make the story feel special and out of your imagination, something that seems to exist on it’s own, and that’s an interesting experience. With Ian in the beginning drafts, Ian was Kyle’s backup guy, but the first time Ian spoke he was curious why Jeb didn’t kill Wanda instantly, and his curiosity set him apart, and then he spoke with Jared and thought about what was going on because Jared refused to.

 

 

How old is Ian?

About twenty-five, and Kyle is thirty.

 

 

Is Melanie Stryder an anagram for your name?

No. Our initials are the same. She’s named after a cousin of mine, I was looking for an ordinary earth name that wouldn’t stand out a lot, I wanted hers to sound human. I didn’t realize it sounded close to my name.

 

 

Are you going to write a sequel and when will it come out?

I don’t know. I don’t know. I’d like to, but I’ve been working on the Twilight saga and it takes a while. (Screaming cheers) I’ve been doing a lot of editing, which isn’t my favourite thing, but the Host was finished months ago so I haven’t been in that world for a while. Now that I’ve been on tour and answering questions, it makes me excited about the sequel. People want Midnight Sun first, so I’ll get that one done first. The Host eventually, it takes a while, though. So it’ll be years, not Months.

 

 

Who is your favourite character in the Host and why? (This was my question!!!!)

 Ian, but I’m really fond of Jeb because he was himself from day one. I don’t know anyone like him. He was another character that when he fit in the outline he didn’t deviate from that. He was a voice in my head that I didn’t know. I liked Doc a lot, he’s like my little brother, Seth, from my website. He’s a very cool guy and a very tall guy as well.

 

 

About the covers:

A lot of people think that’s my eye. It isn’t. It’s a model’s eye. The hands on the Twilight cover aren’t mine either.

 

 

How do you feel about your book being turned into a movie?

I’m pretty excited. If I was out there, I’d be cheering too. It’s pretty exciting. I see things visually, and when I was writing Twilight, I saw it as a movie in my head. You guys have all seen movies based on books that are bad and one or two that are decent, so I struggled with it. I had a brush with that, we had a different movie company, and I got to see the other scripts: the first one was like Vampire CSI. They could have called it anything else but Twilight and no one would know that they were the same. I lucked out on the second time with a movie company who wanted everyone to be happy. They have great actors and a great director and lots of dedicated people. It’s not going to be the same, if people go in with their books and are like: "Wait, on page 234 they didn’t say that." They’re not going to have a great experience. This is a different medium, it has a different feel. But everything that is in the movie could happen, like with the tree controversy, Edward could do that, so I’m cool with it. But I think people that come out of it will have a cool experience.

 

 

Do you have any advice for young writers about publishers?

First, if your book isn’t done, forget the publisher part. Work on the story. You have plenty of time for that. Keep yourself happy and write. Don’t think about what other people want. Don’t think about people looking over your shoulder, that has a stage fright experience. I had a hard time with New Moon, because I knew people were going to read it. I didn’t have that problem with Twilight because it was all mine. But with New Moon I knew there were fans and editors with red pens. I got online and researched stuff. When you find a publisher, follow their rules. Do what they say and they’ll be more likely to publish your books. But don’t get discouraged, keep trying. Someone will read your books; don’t feel like it’ll be lost in a void. Believe in yourself, if you love it, other people will too.

 

 

Do you write everyday?

Almost. When I’m working on a book I work all day and night. I’m editing right now, and I really miss writing. A true test of a writer is if you cannot go a week without writing. If you don’t miss it, then maybe that isn’t your calling. I miss it a lot.