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
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Okay I completely messed up my first comment…
My favorite retelling is A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn a retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
Kelsey
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Kelsey
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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!
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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.
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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!
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Ooh! It would be really cool to see Peter Pan retold! Peter and Wendy falling in love! That would be cool!
-Liz
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-Liz
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I follow. (Didn't realize I needed to do it in a separate comment.)
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. 🙂
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I would like to read a retelling of The Little mermaid!
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I would like to see Peter Pan Redone. I know a lot of people have said that but I agree it would be cool.
Jordan
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I linked it in my sidebar
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+1 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? I would love to see The Little Mermaid retold in a modern way, I think it would be interested =)
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-Eleni
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My favorite retelling would be Beauty and the Beast retold into Beastly by Alex Flinn.
Dani.
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Dani.
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I loved the retelling of Romeo and Juliet in West Side Story.
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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!
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Lexie.Cenni(@)gmail.com
Hmm…
I would like to see Rapunzel in a modern setting. It's quite an old story, but it's one of my favourite fairy tales 🙂
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Oh, sorry!
Forgot my email address:
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The Little Mermaid NEEDS to be retold in a modern setting. I would love it so much.
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+1 tweeted contest: http://twitter.com/xbellaxmiax
And here's my email:
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🙂
I'd like to see Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs retold in a modern setting.
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I am a follower of your blog.
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I like the movie "A cinderella story" (that's retelling in a way, right?)
sara
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sara
I commented on Shana's guest blog
I would like to see a live action version of Mulan. I loved the Disney animated movie when I was kid.
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I really really liked Ella Enchanted and Ash, both retellings of Cinderella. 🙂
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I think a modern Little Mermaid would be really cool
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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!
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My current favorite retelling is Ash by Malinda Lo.
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I tweeted about it here:
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I'm not a big fan of retellings.
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My fav retelling is West Side Story/Romeo and Juliet. Thanks for the great giveaway. Please enter me.
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My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast…I know there are several retellings of it and I would like to read them!
belle2211(at)yahoo(dot)com
And I blogged about the contest here.
I commented on Shanna's guest blog
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
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I LOVED Malinda Lo's ASH, which is a retelling of Cinderella.
Thanks for the wonderful contest.
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My favorite re-telling story would by Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine which are Cinderella stories!
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I love the retellings of Alice in Wonderland. It is always interesting to see what kind of new twists can be done.
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My favorite retelling is West Side Story.
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I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Betty
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I'm a follower. 😀
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I posted about your contest here: http://randomcontests.blogspot.com/2009/09/contest-over-at-shooting-stars-mag.html
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I really like the modernization/retelling of the Sweet Valley High Twin series! 😀
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I've always enjoyed West Side Story, the retelling of Romeo and Juliette.
Thanks for the chance to win!
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i always like the mulan disney movie, it would be so cool, if that was made over in a modern way. that would be awesome!
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Ashley
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+1 I follow U.
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I've always loved Ella Enchanted, but not the movie, which was completely butchered.
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please count me in..thanks
i would want snow white retold..
thanks
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I would love to see Romeo and Juliet in a modern setting!
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I would like to read a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast!
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I liked the movie: "A Cinderella Story" that Disney did a few years ago that starred Hilary Duff.
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I loved Shes the man- from twelft night!
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