tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post5183439658819681120..comments2023-11-25T09:39:23.246-08:00Comments on Finding Bliss in Books: Once We Were Blog Tour: Interview with Kat ZhangBlythe Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09017061225288032634noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-59403394026470408512013-09-29T18:21:41.075-07:002013-09-29T18:21:41.075-07:00Awesome interview! I haven't read her series y...Awesome interview! I haven't read her series yet, but it looks really good! I'm definitely adding it to my TBR list!Arihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14103645009455156335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-84725740484891436992013-09-24T02:27:59.819-07:002013-09-24T02:27:59.819-07:00I haven't read What's Left of Me just yet ...I haven't read What's Left of Me just yet o.O. I was kind of put off by the summary just because I didn't know whether the philosophy of the novel would be handled as well as I'd like, but with your rec and so many others, clearly that assumption was wrong.<br /><br />A kind of "othered" people. "But human beings have always tried to draw lines between "us" and "them," for various reasons" <-- very true. And I could relate to the fact that she didn't start off thinking of them that way, but started with an image of those characters and then built the world around that. I've read a lot of the best writers who've done something similar, like C.S. Lewis and his fawn with Lucy before he made the story into the Gospels Retold. <br /><br />I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH HER DOING THAT AS A COLLEGE STUDENT. I had to take a break in my blog -- posting only once a week -- because the work load was just too much to handle! I tried to write, but I can't imagine writing 2 full length drafts and managing college. And being a perfectionist. "There was a lot of waking up early/staying up late to write (...I won't tell you how many scenes were drafted at 3am in the morning...)." <-- Ahh, like I am now lol. Trying to catch up with my favorite blogs early, early in the morning. You either give up your sleep, your social life, or your grades in college; I guess it was the first for her :D.<br /><br />Reading a lot has changed the way I write so I also really identify with the advice she gave. Do you write too, Blythe?<br /><br />So very true. I imagine it's really, really hard to get all the back stories of the side characters into the plot - I really marvel at how JKR was able to manage such a huge character cast. Most YA novels don't have that large of a cast anymore.<br /><br />"I get questions a lot about how hybrids can possibly have relationships because isn't it just incredibly weird for everyone involved? Well, yes, it is for our main characters, because they (like us) were raised in an environment where relationships are supposed to work a certain way, and bodies are supposed to work a certain way, and the idea of family, and relationships, and life, have been formed around this "way." But if everyone were hybrid? Well, then, society would have developed entirely differently. What we see as "weird" wouldn't be weird at all." <-- I really like this response. I like how she takes into account how we're socialized into a lot of our beliefs. It's an incredible thing to consider, and now I'm wondering how much of that is addressed in the novel or if it's left as metaphor for us to decipher.<br /><br />Pronoun choice to show character development? And to explore the world and the philosophy - that's some intricate plotting there. Admirable how so few words could change the entire tone and development of the novel.<br /><br />Oooh, okay! So even if I don't get on the Hybrid Chronicles soon, there's always a chance of reading Kat Zhang's work in the future :). It always make me a bit happy to hear that writers are constantly working on their next project.Christina Reads YAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14937783114868207494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-5412949550722737692013-09-20T21:58:31.247-07:002013-09-20T21:58:31.247-07:00Thanks for the interview!! I'm amazed that she...Thanks for the interview!! I'm amazed that she wrote both books as a college student--as a college student myself, I can't even imagine adding that to my workload!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00490587759527905983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-44919052783379910422013-09-19T23:00:36.571-07:002013-09-19T23:00:36.571-07:00I really loved What's Left In Me but I never k...I really loved What's Left In Me but I never knew that Kat was in college when she wrote it! Woah... talk about genius. <br /><br />Thanks for sharing and it's great to see you around again, Blythe!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16558450870084656429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-70315365328730734592013-09-17T18:39:20.989-07:002013-09-17T18:39:20.989-07:00I'm so excited about this sequel and I am so g...I'm so excited about this sequel and I am so glad she has some other ideas she is working on. If they are anywhere near as good as What's Left of Me, count me in!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06869912926768194358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-2901415172999896862013-09-17T16:52:37.934-07:002013-09-17T16:52:37.934-07:00this sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing!this sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing!erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10905574606129534214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-79594609483774426062013-09-16T13:14:09.991-07:002013-09-16T13:14:09.991-07:00I'm a big fan of this series and of Kat's,...I'm a big fan of this series and of Kat's, so I'm excited to hear she has future projects in the works. Love the interview, sincerely, you ladies covered a lot of great ground.<br /><br />And it's nice to see you back, Blythe!<br /><br />Wendy @ <a href="http://www.themidnightgarden.net" rel="nofollow">The Midnight Garden</a>Wendy Darlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13471461156849725177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-32027667234075520922013-09-16T12:55:23.905-07:002013-09-16T12:55:23.905-07:00I keep hearing a lot about this book and now I'...I keep hearing a lot about this book and now I'm dying to read the first one and the sequel! I hope I get to soon! :)BookOwl93https://www.blogger.com/profile/00275953487038247428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-25729492062083739582013-09-16T10:31:40.226-07:002013-09-16T10:31:40.226-07:00Read the first book and liked it. Looking forward ...Read the first book and liked it. Looking forward to the second book. Hoping for lots of action and get to know both hybrids personalities better.Tammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15904710528365734086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-55473725286826742752013-09-16T07:04:48.116-07:002013-09-16T07:04:48.116-07:00Great interview! I finally got to read What's ...Great interview! I finally got to read What's Left of Me recently and I really enjoyed it. Can't wait to get my hands on Once We Were. :)Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02765948193057148769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8646664861833035183.post-67565564871954310472013-09-16T04:33:56.072-07:002013-09-16T04:33:56.072-07:00I haven't yet read What's Left of Me, but ...I haven't yet read What's Left of Me, but it has been on my TBR list for quite a while. And I really admire how Kat wrote the first draft while she was a student! Thank you so much for the giveaway and I really hope to read What's Left of Me and Once We Were soon!Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148445337748806826noreply@blogger.com