Mundie Moms

Monday, January 10, 2011

Interview with Lilly Collins and City of Bones Movie Update

Lilly Collins revealed in an interview on MTV News that "City of Bones" filming is starting in April. And the question of who will play Jace is still unanswered. I know, Mundie Moms have inquring minds and that is the one thing we want to know!

Here's a snippet of the interview:
MTV: Let's talk about "Mortal Instruments."

Collins: That is going to be a whole new world for me. When I found out I was cast, I found out that people were tweeting about me getting cast as their heroine. I know that I'm playing a character in a book that is very popular, but I forget that books have so many fans, that if they don't agree with the casting, it could go terribly wrong. I was so grateful that all these people were tweeting like, "Oh, we're so excited. We totally see her as Clary, and we can't wait to see what she'll do." I don't know what I would have done if people responded negatively.

MTV: Tell me about the audition process.

Collins: Actually, this was the first time I actually didn't audition. They offered me the role. I had just done "Priest," which is from Screen Gems and directed by Scott Stewart, and this project is being directed by Scott Stewart at Screen Gems. So the role I did in "Priest," if the movie does well and goes to a sequel, there are many of that character's traits that I can also find in Clary. I guess they felt passionate that they saw certain characteristics as well, and they felt confident and really believed in me. I'm in still in awe. When I got that call, I was like, "Wait, are you talking about an audition?"

MTV: Is that the next thing you're filming?

Collins: Yeah, I'm supposed to start this in early April. There are other things we're in talks for, but that's my next big project.

MTV: Of course, first you guys have to cast Jace Wayland? Do you have anyone in mind for the part?

Collins: Jace is an interesting one. He's incredibly charming. He's savvy in that he knows he's charming and he works that charm, and he knows he's attractive and can work his way into any situation. But at the same time, he does have insecurities. A lot of actors may not want to show a side of themselves being insecure. That's what Jace does, and I feel a lot of people can relate to him. A lot of guys do feel insecure, but don't want to admit it. A lot of the fans has been tweeting that [they want] Alex Pettyfer. I don't know the process.

MTV: Do you think he'd be a good fit?

Collins: Yeah! He's also going to have a great 2011. The fans of a series like this have such a strong opinion on who they feel would be great as a character, and I feel that's very backed up because they know the characters in and out. I trust a lot of the fans in their opinions. I don't know if there are going to be auditions or anything. I've heard Logan Lerman thrown out for Simon. These are from fans, and I'm excited to see their points-of-view. I've also heard about actors I may never have heard of, because they're more on the independent side. That brings a whole other thing, because an unknown doesn't bring in a whole lot of background. You don't want a new character like this to have people think, "Oh, they've done that already," or, "I can only see them as this kind of character." So I hear that and go, "Wow, maybe an unknown could bring more to this role." Hey, I was an unknown not too long ago, and I was like, "Let me do it! I can prove it to you!"
We adore Lilly already. She is definitely our Clary -- intelligent, sweet and passionate. So, Mundie Moms, what do you think about April's potential start date?

Author Interview with Stephanie Dray


We are thrilled to have author Stephanie Dray with us today and to be the next stop in Lily of the Nile blog tour.


Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for allowing us to interview you.

I’m so thrilled to be here!


How would you describe your book, Lily of the Nile?

Lily of the Nile is the first of a planned trilogy about the extraordinary life of Cleopatra’s daughter, Selene. In terms of market, it’s historical women’s fiction with YA crossover appeal and a dash of magic realism.


Which character did you enjoy getting to know the most and why?

Selene was orphaned at the age of ten when her parents committed suicide and two of her brothers were murdered. She was then raised by her parents’ enemies and had to hide her feelings in order to survive. What touched me about her story is that she never forgot her heritage or her lost loved ones. When she finally escaped Augustus and Rome, she honored her mother on coins and made statues of her dead relatives. That she was without a voice for most of her life, and that history has denied her a voice, made it an honor for me to give her one.


What inspired you to have Lily of the Nile's setting be during the Roman rule?

The Augustan Age was a period of great political and social transition. It was a turning point for all of Western Civilization. That Cleopatra Selene lived during these times and influenced her world, and our own, really inspired me!


Who was one of your favorite authors growing up?

I had so many favorite authors when I was growing up (much like now), but I’m going to name one that I think influenced me in writing this book and that is VC Andrews. When I was a teenager, I read Flowers in the Attic and I was very disturbed by it. One of the things that stayed with me was the haunting way in which abused children were so very broken.

When I wrote this book about Selene and her brothers, one of my writing instructors reminded me to think about how messed up these children really would have been. Selene survived terrible tragedies and a precarious childhood in which her life was always in danger. Combine that with a sense of legacy and faith in a forbidden religion and you have the recipe for a child whose psyche is on the edge. Selene can only rely on her brothers and she is afraid to love anyone else for fear of losing them. She’s also an avenger, and when I think of her, it’s hard not to think back to VC Andrews’ Catherine Doll.


What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

I train my fluffy cat Butterscotch to shake paws, sit up, high five and other tricks. We’re working on getting him to jump through a hoop at the moment but I think it offends his sense of feline dignity.


Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

You have just helped me set my five year plan! Five years from now, I would like to have at least ten books in print, have taken a trip to Rome and Egypt, and have sparkling wood floors in my house. I should give this a lot more thought, shouldn’t I?



Thank you Stephanie for being with us today!

_______________________________________


* Stephanie Dray is the author of a forthcoming trilogy of historical fiction novels set in the Augustan Age, starting with Lily of the Nile: A Novel of Cleopatra's Daughter. Before she wrote novels, Stephanie was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the transformative power of magic realism to illuminate the stories of women in history and inspire the young women of today. She remains fascinated by all things Roman or Egyptian and has–to the consternation of her devoted husband–collected a house full of cats and ancient artifacts.She is currently sponsoring the Cleopatra Literary Contest for Young Women, the deadline for which is March 1, 2011, but join her newsletter now for updates and a chance to win a free copy of Lily of the Nile and additional prizes.

Book Review- Star Crossed

By Elizabeth C Bunce
Published by Arthur A Levine Books
Released on October 1st, 2010
Source- Scholastic
4 Stars- It's A Great Read, Go Pick It Up

Digger thrives as a spy and sneak-thief among the feuding religious factions of Gerse, dodging the Greenmen who have banned all magic. But when a routine job goes horribly wrong and her partner and lover Tegen is killed, she has to get out of the city, fast, and hides herself in a merry group of nobles to do so. Accepted as a lady's maid to shy young Merista Nemair, Digger finds new peace and friendship at the Nemair stronghold--as well as plenty of jewels for the taking. But after the devious Lord Daul catches her in the act of thievery, he blackmails her into becoming his personal spy in the castle, and Digger soon realizes that her noble hosts aren't as apolitical as she thought... that indeed, she may be at the heart of a magical rebellion (quoted from Goodreads).

Star Crossed is a fantastic book that blends together fantasy with the Renaissance era, and throws together action, a little romance, secrecy and betrayal. From page one, Star Crossed pulled me into the story with it's action scene. The story's main character and heroine Digger is on the run from the Greenman, a group of guards who work for the King and are highly feared as they have banned all magic. Digger and her best friend/boy friend Tegen have stolen something from the King. Digger barely escapes the Greenman, but she's left behind the only person she's ever loved or trusted, Tegen, who's now at their mercy. Digger is a trained thief, someone who's lived on the streets and on her own since she was 11. Now at sixteen, she's mastered the art of stealing to survive. Digger is an bold, independent character who harbors a secret- she can find Magic.

Escaping Gerse, Digger finds herself welcomed among a group of nobleman and quickly finds that her life will be ruled by the lies she continues to weave in order to survive, but what she doesn't except to find is loyalty and trust in other people. Star Crossed has a fantastic cast of characters, who like Digger are ones I grew to love more and more as the story progresses. I was thrown for a loop more than once while trying to figure out which characters were traitors and what some of their motivations really were. Digger to me is one that I think many readers will like. It's all about survival for her, but when she becomes Celyn Contrare, the lady in waiting for Lady Merista, I was able to see Digger's character evolve so much more. She's caught between loyalty to the noble family who takes her in, finding a way to free Tegen, finding answers to what's really happening with the noble families and the neighboring countries (which make for great plot twists), and being black mailed by the oh so evil Lord Daul.

I really enjoyed the beautifully described settings where Digger's adventures take place. From the cobblestone streets that lay in the city of Gerse, to the beautiful surrounding mountains where the castle of Bryn Shaer sits, which is where much of the story takes place. It was really easy for me to picture these places in my mind while I read the story. I felt the setting and the plot were well written. The plot has a lot of richly detailed history of war, and magic that is woven into the story. I also liked how Tegen is introduced at the beginging of the story and only brought in at various times through Digger's remembering things they've done. I really enjoyed Lady Meri and Wierolf's characters and if I say much more I'll give too much away.

I was hoping to get to see more of a few characters who made brief appearance, but my guess is that they'll be back in Digger's sequel, Liar's Moon, which I can't wait to read. I would highly recommend this fabulous read for fans of fantasy. It's a great clean cut read that even older middle graders could read. Star Crossed was an engaging read, and one who's great plot twists, fabulous characters and history completely intrigued me and let me wanting more.

Mundane Monday #68

"You're still Simon."

He half-closed his eyes as if in relief, and as his eyelashes lowered, she saw how angular his cheekbones looked. He had lost weight, she thought, and was about to say so when he leaned down and kissed her.

She was so surprised at the feel of his mouth on her that she wend rigid all over, grabbing for the edge of the draining board to support herself. She did not, however, push him away, and clearly taking this as a sign of encouragement, Simon slid his hand behind her head and deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his. His mouth was soft, softer than Jace's had been, and the hand that cupped her neck was warm and gentle. He tasted like salt.

She let her eyes fall shut and for a moment floated dizzily in the darkness and the heat, the feel of his fingers moving through her hair. When the harsh ring of the telephone cut through the haze, she jumped back as if he'd pushed her away, though he hadn't moved. They stared at each other for a moment, in wild confusion, like two people finding themselves suddenly transported to a strange landscape where nothing was familiar.

- City of Ashes, pages 25-26

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