Shana Norris’ Troy High Interview + Giveaway

Posted September 1, 2009 by shooting in Uncategorized / 92 Comments

Interview with Shana Norris

by: Lauren

1. Did you have to read Homer’s Iliad in school or did you read it on your own? What made you want to do a re-telling?

I had to read The Odyssey in school, but never had to read The Iliad. I read the The Iliad on my own later, because I fell in love with Greek mythology while reading the The Odyssey and learning about the gods in school. And because I’m just a huge dork! I’ve always loved modern day takes on old stories and I knew I wanted to do a retelling of a story from Greek mythology. For a long time, I thought I’d eventually write about Persephone, since her story is one of my favorites. But years later, when I was rereading a website about Helen of Troy, the idea for TROY HIGH struck and I couldn’t let it go!

2. If you could re-tell any other story (even if a ton of people have already done it!) what would it be and why?

The Taming of the Shrew would be a great one to retell–although I’d feel intimidated trying to equal the greatness of 10 Things I Hate About You. Also, a retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream would be really fun to write.

3. I love how on your website you have Questions I Made Up underneath your biography. (I find myself singing Hanson a lot as well, it’s okay). If you could make up another wacky question, what would it be and what’s the answer?

I’m glad to hear I’m not alone in my Hanson karaoke! 🙂 Here’s another wacky question:Q: Would you like to be hit in the face with a pie?A: Of course! That’s always been one of my biggest secret wishes. I was always so jealous of the people on that show Double Dare when I was a kid because they got to be hit by pies!

4. When do you start working on a new book and are you currently writing anything now?

I always have ideas floating around in my head and I have a notebook where I jot down ideas, bits of dialogue, or character descriptions for new books as I’m working on something else. I generally don’t like to start writing a new book until I’ve finished the first draft of the book I’m working on because I find it hard to divide my writing attention between two stories at the same time. But once I have the first draft of one book completed, I’m eager to dive into something else! Right now, I’m working on a proposal for what I hope will be my third book. It’s a really fun YA with a main character who is so different from me in outlook on life and beliefs about love that I’m enjoying stepping into her shoes and seeing things from her point of view. I also have a few other ideas percolating in my head that are waiting for their turn to have some attention.

5. Who would be at your ideal party (dead or alive)?

Hmm…I would have to say Meg Cabot because she would make the party fun, Jane Austen so she could teach us how to do those dances people used to do, Joan Jett so we could rock out (while doing the dances Jane Austen taught us), and Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, and Channing Tatum so there would be some hot guys to dance with!

Giveaway-

To Enter: What is your favorite story that was a re-telling of something, or what would you like to see be re-told in a modern setting?

Open To: U.S. and Canada

Prize: a copy of Troy High

Ends: September 11th

EXTRA- Leave a NEW comment for each

+1 follow

+1 post somewhere

+1 comment on guest post

92 responses to “Shana Norris’ Troy High Interview + Giveaway

  1. I would like to see Peter Pan retold… with Wendy and Peter Pan falling in love. When I was little I always pretended that they did… of course, they might have to be a bit older than in the original… 🙂

    Thanks for the contest!
    grochowskis@hotmail.com

  2. I wonder what translation Shana prefers. I like Fagles myself, especially for the Illiad.

    I would love to see a retelling of As You Like It, even though it would require a lot of work on the part of the writer.

    I am a follower.

    inbedwithbooks AT yahoo DOT com

  3. Oooh, I want to read this book so badly! And it's funny, because we are just starting the Odyssey in school….joy. (:
    I love the Sisters Grimm books by Michael Buckley, which involve characters from the original Brothers Grimm fairytales, except different from what you'd imagine in a modern-day setting. To say in the least, they rock!

    Thanks!
    ebcella AT comcast DOT net

  4. Liz

    Ooh! It would be really cool to see Peter Pan retold! Peter and Wendy falling in love! That would be cool!
    -Liz

    liztapioka14[at]yahoo[dot]com

  5. One of my favorite re-tellings is The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines. It's Cinderella, but Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are major characters as well. 🙂

    bacarleton(at)gmail(dot)com

  6. I would really like to see a modern re-telling of either 'East o'the Moon, West o'the Sun' or 12 dancing Princesses. I love those two stories a whole lot!

    Lexie.Cenni(@)gmail.com

  7. I really enjoyed My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison. She retold, well both Cinderella and Snow White in parts, because as the title kind of clues you in, the Godmother was only fair at what she did.
    Troy High looks great!
    JHolden955 (at) gmail (dot) com

  8. Beth

    My fav retelling is West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet. Thanks for the great giveaway. Please enter me.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

  9. I'm a big fan of retellings, well told. Lisa Klein's "Ophelia" (Hamlet) is one of my favourites, and I also loved "Enter Three Witches" (Macbeth) by Caroline B. Cooney. Robin McKinley's "Beauty" (Beauty and the Beast) is one of the best retellings I've ever read.

    Stephanie
    leia_3720@hotmail.com

  10. Rue

    I've always enjoyed West Side Story, the retelling of Romeo and Juliette.
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    ruthann (dot) francis (at) gmail (dot) com

Leave a Reply

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.