Ultimate YA

Danielle Joseph is active online and can be found on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter!

Fans of Shrinking Violet and Indigo Blues should be sure to check out their respective facebook fan pages. They can be found here (SV) and here (IB)!

Danielle also does school and library visits! For those who want more information, visit her school visits page to find out more!

Feel free to drop her a line and email her! She would love to hear from you! :)

Last but not least…check out her website! It has everything from book playlists, her back-story, her blog, and much more!

Thanks again to Danielle Joseph for being our October FA!

9.)    What is the best thing about being an author? What’s the most challenging?  The best thing about being an author is hearing from readers. At my book signing the other day a teen came up to me and said she wanted to be me when she grew up. That was awesome. The most challenging thing is helping to make sure that our bookstores stay in business, especially our indies.  

10.) While researching Pure Red, I came to discover that you are really great at using the internet to connect to readers. You have a website, a blog, a twitter account, a facebook, myspace, etc. As an author, what role does the internet play in your profession? How do feel the internet has changed the bookindustry?  I think being connected is very important for authors, not only to reach our readers but also to stay tuned in with what’s going on around us. The internet has provided people with so many resources, and allowed readers to obtain books with a simple click. I love technology but nothing beats holding a real book in your hand.

11.) Disney Chanel will soon be airing Radio Rebel (based on Shrinking Violet). Can you tell us what the experience of having your book adapted was like? And what can fans of the book expect from this adaptation? It has been an amazing experience and I feel very blessed to have a dream come true. I’m a huge movie fan so this is definitely a meeting of my two loves. There are some changes to the story but I was very happy with the script. The movie is definitely for all ages and you will be amazed by the talented cast.

12.) I love your book covers (I think Shrinking Violet may be my favorite though)! How much input did you get to have in choosing a cover?  Thanks! I did not have any input for Shrinking Violet but was asked for some input for Indigo Blues and Pure Red. I can honestly say that I am very happy with all my book covers.  

13.) I was reading about how you worked at different radio stations. Do you feel like your experience with radio has influenced or aided you in any way? Well, working at a radio station definitely helped me to write Shrinking Violet since Tere aspires to be a DJ. I also conducted a lot of interviews as a DJ and that is a very important skill to have, whether you are on either side of the interview table.

14.) Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Yes, never give up. Follow your heart, join a critique group so you can build upon your writing and read tons. It may sound corny but luck will only take you so far, the rest has to be passion!  

15.) Do you have any book recommendations for our readers? There are so many books to recommend but some of my favorite authors as a young adult were Judy Blume, Lois Duncan and Robert Cormier.  

16.) What are you working on now and what can we expect from you in the future? I am working on another young adult contemporary fiction novel with a color title and also a quirky middle grade.

1.)    How did you get the idea for Pure Red?
 I really enjoy art and started to wonder what it would be like to be the daughter of a successful artist. Then I started thinking about how hard it could be to find your own passion when you have a parent that is so talented. From there Cassia was born and of course there had to be a love interest to throw her off from her goal of finding her passion.  

2.)    Did you always know you wanted to be an author? If not, how did you come to chose the occupation? Yes, I always wanted to be an author ever since I wrote my first book in first grade. I had many other interests growing up but I never lost sight of my writing.

3.)    What main message or theme do you want readers to take away from Pure Red?? I want readers to know that it’s okay to follow your heart and go after your passion. Life is a kaleidoscope. There are so many colors to see.

4.)    Which of the characters in Pure Red were you able to most relate to and why? I think I am a combo of Cassia and Graham. I have Cassia’s interest in trying different things and I see things in a positive light like Graham.

5.)    Your protagonist, Cassia, refers to her object of affection (Graham) with the flattering nickname, “Cutebutt”. When you were her age, did you also give your crushes nicknames of the same nature? Yes, I loved giving people secret nicknames, crushes or not. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever grown out of that stage! I still give people nicknames!

6.)    Your first book is called Shrinking Violet, the second Indigo Blues, and the 3rd Pure Red. You know I have to ask now….what’s your favorite color? And why did you decide to have all three books named after a color?
My favorite color fluctuates. I’m partial to purple but am sporting a red pedicure now for Pure Red’s release! The color names for the books actually happened by accident. Even though I wrote Pure Red first, I sold it last. Shrinking Violet was actually originally called Dead Air but Indigo Blues was always, Indigo Blues. And now that I have three color books, I’m working on a fourth!  

7.)    What for you is the most exciting part of the book process? Starting the book, finishing the book, the editing, getting the cover, the release day, etc.? Why?
I really enjoy the whole process but selling the book is definitely a highlight!  

8.)    How often did you encounter writer’s block while writing? And how did you deal with it?
I sometimes encounter writer’s block but mostly I face I don’t-have-enough-time block. When I get writer’s block, I take a break, consult critique partners or just try to write through it, get the words on the page.  

1. I have never watched a daytime soap opera.
2. I love pickles and recently made my own!
3. I used to skateboard in high school.
4. I’ve always dreamed of being a guest on Sesame Street.
5. I was born in Cape Town, South Africa.
6. My favorite non-chocolate candy is Hot Tamales.
7. I am the oldest of five children.

Danielle Joseph was born in Cape Town, South Africa, she grew up in Boston, MA and now lives in Miami, FL. She is the author of three contemporary teen novels, Shrinking Violet (MTV Books/2009), Indigo Blues (Flux/2010) and Pure Red (Flux/2011). Watch out for the movie Radio Rebel (based on Shrinking Violet) to be aired on the Disney Channel in early 2012! When Danielle is not writing, you can find her listening to music, chasing her kids around or swimming in her pool.