The Breakdown
What We Learned:
>>REVELATIONS is the third book in the Blue Blood series. It will be released in FALL of 2008.
>>A short story, called SHELTER ISLAND, will be released in FALL 2007. It is told from a Red Blood point of view, and will feature Dylan.
>>Duchesne is pronounced [doo-shen]
>>Schuyler is pronounced [sky-ler]
>>There will be a prequel about Allegra & Charles' relationship
>>If Jack breaks the bond between Mimi and himself, he will suffer consequences. A catatonic state like Allegra's is a possibility, but not certain.
>>Melissa hopes for 3 sequels after REVELATIONS, and a 3-book prequel in graphic novel form, with her husband illustrating.
>>The Blue Bloods series is in VERY early stages of a possible television series.
>>Allegra must have the life force that comes with the act of a Sacred Kiss, so a blood transfusion will not wake her
>>The title REVELATIONS is a biblical reference and reference to something that will be revealed in the book
What Will Soon To Be Revealed:
>>The cover of REVELATIONS. Melissa says:
But I am thinking it will have the skyline of Sao Paolo, since most of the story takes place in Brazil, With the Jesus statue silhouetted in the cover. I think we will most likely have a girl's neck with the Mark of Lucifer tattooed on her neck. But it will be the back of the neck.
>>Allegra's catatonic state, specifically in reference to her warning to Schuyler
>>Why Kingsley believes that Bliss is Mimi's enemy
>>The death of Stephen Chase (Schuyler's father) & the history of the Chase family
>>Maggie Stanford's presence: alive? possible BB?
BLUE BLOOD REINCARNATION: How It Works (as directly from Mel):
THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION OVER THE REINCARNATION PART... WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS THAT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE CLONES OF THEMSELVES... YOU CAN CLONE FROM ONE DROP OF DNA, SO ALL YOU'D NEED IS ONE DROP OF BLOOD TO CREATE A CLONED EMBRYO.
FOR IVF, THEY TAKE THE SPERM AND THE EGG AND MAKE AN EMBRYO AND PUT IN A WOMAN'S UTERUS TO MAKE THE BABY. REDBLOODS MAKE NEW LIFE, BUT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE JUST REINCARNATED CLONES OF THEMSELVES. I HATE TO USE THE WORD 'CLONES' SINCE THAT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. THEY KEEP GETTING REBORN, THEY DON'T CREATE NEW LIFE.
(THAT'S WHY SCHUYLER IS SO SPECIAL. SHE IS THE FIRST HALF HUMAN HALF VAMPIRE. AND THE VAMPIRES THOUGHT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE... SO HOW IS SHE POSSIBLE? )
FOR THE BLUE BLOODS, THEY JUST TAKE THE CLONED EMBRYO OF THEMSELVES AND THEN PUT IT IN SOMEONE ELSE. BUT THE BLOOD THAT CREATED THE EMBRYO CONTAINS ALL THEIR OLD MEMORIES, THEIR LIFEFORCE, ETC. SO ONCE YOU'RE DRAINED OF ALL YOUR BLOOD, YOU CEASE TO EXIST.
THE SILVER BLOODS ARE CRAZY BEINGS - THEY HAVE ALL THE MEMORIES OF ALL THE BLUE BLOODS THEY HAVE CONSUMED, SO THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE IN ONE BODY - THEY ARE SCHIZO, OR HAVE PERSONALITY DISORDERS...
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS FIGURE OUT BLUE BLOOD REASONS FOR HUMAN PROBLEMS, LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIA, MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER...
>>REVELATIONS is the third book in the Blue Blood series. It will be released in FALL of 2008.
>>A short story, called SHELTER ISLAND, will be released in FALL 2007. It is told from a Red Blood point of view, and will feature Dylan.
>>Duchesne is pronounced [doo-shen]
>>Schuyler is pronounced [sky-ler]
>>There will be a prequel about Allegra & Charles' relationship
>>If Jack breaks the bond between Mimi and himself, he will suffer consequences. A catatonic state like Allegra's is a possibility, but not certain.
>>Melissa hopes for 3 sequels after REVELATIONS, and a 3-book prequel in graphic novel form, with her husband illustrating.
>>The Blue Bloods series is in VERY early stages of a possible television series.
>>Allegra must have the life force that comes with the act of a Sacred Kiss, so a blood transfusion will not wake her
>>The title REVELATIONS is a biblical reference and reference to something that will be revealed in the book
What Will Soon To Be Revealed:
>>The cover of REVELATIONS. Melissa says:
But I am thinking it will have the skyline of Sao Paolo, since most of the story takes place in Brazil, With the Jesus statue silhouetted in the cover. I think we will most likely have a girl's neck with the Mark of Lucifer tattooed on her neck. But it will be the back of the neck.
>>Allegra's catatonic state, specifically in reference to her warning to Schuyler
>>Why Kingsley believes that Bliss is Mimi's enemy
>>The death of Stephen Chase (Schuyler's father) & the history of the Chase family
>>Maggie Stanford's presence: alive? possible BB?
BLUE BLOOD REINCARNATION: How It Works (as directly from Mel):
THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION OVER THE REINCARNATION PART... WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS THAT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE CLONES OF THEMSELVES... YOU CAN CLONE FROM ONE DROP OF DNA, SO ALL YOU'D NEED IS ONE DROP OF BLOOD TO CREATE A CLONED EMBRYO.
FOR IVF, THEY TAKE THE SPERM AND THE EGG AND MAKE AN EMBRYO AND PUT IN A WOMAN'S UTERUS TO MAKE THE BABY. REDBLOODS MAKE NEW LIFE, BUT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE JUST REINCARNATED CLONES OF THEMSELVES. I HATE TO USE THE WORD 'CLONES' SINCE THAT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. THEY KEEP GETTING REBORN, THEY DON'T CREATE NEW LIFE.
(THAT'S WHY SCHUYLER IS SO SPECIAL. SHE IS THE FIRST HALF HUMAN HALF VAMPIRE. AND THE VAMPIRES THOUGHT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE... SO HOW IS SHE POSSIBLE? )
FOR THE BLUE BLOODS, THEY JUST TAKE THE CLONED EMBRYO OF THEMSELVES AND THEN PUT IT IN SOMEONE ELSE. BUT THE BLOOD THAT CREATED THE EMBRYO CONTAINS ALL THEIR OLD MEMORIES, THEIR LIFEFORCE, ETC. SO ONCE YOU'RE DRAINED OF ALL YOUR BLOOD, YOU CEASE TO EXIST.
THE SILVER BLOODS ARE CRAZY BEINGS - THEY HAVE ALL THE MEMORIES OF ALL THE BLUE BLOODS THEY HAVE CONSUMED, SO THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE IN ONE BODY - THEY ARE SCHIZO, OR HAVE PERSONALITY DISORDERS...
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS FIGURE OUT BLUE BLOOD REASONS FOR HUMAN PROBLEMS, LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIA, MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER...
Q & A
Amanda: Melissa should be signing on in approx. 8 minutes. You may post questions but make sure you consider the fact she needs time to think and reply.
Vivian: Can you tell us anything more about Number of the Beast?
Ella: Do you plan on continuing the series?
Melissa: Hello everyone! So happy to be here. Okay... first off, Number of the Beast: 666 is NOT the new Blue Bloods book. It is a horror anthology from Scholastic, and there is a SHORT STORY there, that involves one of the Blue Bloods... the story is called "Shelter Island". The book is coming out this fall. The new Blue Bloods book is called REVELATIONS and comes out NEXT fall - Fall 08.
Alyssa: ok can i post now? i was wondering if she already knows what the cover will most likely look like; second question is if bliss's dad is an adoptive parent or if he actually had a relationship w/ allegra????
Melissa: I do not know what REVELATIONS will look like yet. But I am thinking it will have the skyline of Sao Paolo, since most of the story takes place in Brazil, With the Jesus statue silhouetted in the cover. I think we will most likely have a girl's neck with the Mark of Lucifer tattooed on her neck. But it will be the back of the neck.
But don't take my word for it! Those are just my ideas for the cover..sometimes they have some other idea that is better than mine and they go with that. But I *think* most likely it will be that. Btw, I want to say Hi to Amanda! And so glad you survived our BEA crazy-motorized-wheelchair accident! And Hi to everyone! This is so cool! I will try to stop by more often! In answer to your second question...You will find out in REVELATIONS!!!!
Vivian: How do you pronounce Duchesne and Schuyler?
Melissa: Duchesne is pronounced Doo-shen. It's a French name. I went to a high school that was founded by Marie Duchesne. And Duchesne is based on my snooty private high school. Except we didn't have boys in our high school. So I had to imagine what it would be like if there were cute boys in our classes.
Schuyler is pronounced Sky-ler.
Melissa: You guys!!! The cards are LOVELY. I seriously have tears in my eyes. You guys ROCK so hard!! Readers like you make it all worthwhile!
BlueStar: Why did Lawerence say that Allegra chose not to hear in Masquerade when he was talking to Charles Force
Melissa: LAWRENCE IS REFERRING TO WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ALLEGRA AND CHARLES THAT LED ALLEGRA TO GO INTO THE CATATONIC STATE. YOU WILL FIND OUT IN THE PREQUEL I AM WRITING THAT IS ABOUT ALLEGRA AND CHARLES' RELATIONSHIP!
BlueStar: Was Schuyler simply dreaming that her mother told her to be careful or "beware" or is something else happening?
Melissa: THIS WILL BE MADE CLEARER IN REVELATIONS, BUT I THINK SOMETHING ELSE IS HAPPENING...REMEMBER, THEY'RE VAMPIRES... SO MAYBE ALLEGRA IS NOT AS CATATONIC AS SHE APPEARS TO BE, HMMM?
BlueStar: If Jack were to forsake his bond with Mimi, would he be put into the same catatonic state as Allegra's mother?
Melissa: THAT IS THE RISK HE IS TAKING...BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. CERTAINLY, SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO HIM IF HE BREAKS THE BOND. WHEN YOU GO AGAINST HEAVEN, BAD THINGS HAPPEN... MIMI IS TRYING TO PROTECT HIM...
BlueStar: Why does Kingsley think that Mimi's enemy was Bliss?
Melissa: THIS WILL BE REVEALED IN REVELATIONS!
Ella: Do you plan on continuing the series after revelations?
Melissa: YES. I'M HOPING TO WRITE ANOTHER THREE BOOKS AFTER REVELATIONS AND THEN I HAVE PLANS FOR A 3-BOOK PREQUEL. I'M HOPING TO DO THE PREQUEL AS A GRAPHIC NOVEL. WE'LL SEE. MY HUSBAND IS AN ARTIST, AND WE DO THESE BOOKS TOGETHER, SO IT WOULD BE A WAY FOR US TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER, WHICH WOULD BE SO FUN.
Ella: Has there been any talk of a movie?
Melissa: RIGHT NOW, IT IS BEING DEVELOPED AS A TV SERIES NOT AS A MOVIE. BUT IT'S VERY EARLY YET, SO THERE IS STILL NO REAL NEWS.
Ella: And if there was do you have anyone who you really picture as the characters?
Melissa: I WAS KIND OF INSPIRED BY MARY KATE OLSEN, HOW SHE DRESSED. BUT SHE IS NOT SCHUYLER. AND WITH OLLIE, I WAS KIND OF THINKING OF HOW CUTE SETH ON THE O.C. WAS, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST INSPIRATIONS... I LIKE TO IMAGINE CHARACTERS ON MY OWN, SO YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE YOUR OWN VISION OF WHAT SKY, JACK AND OLLIE LOOK LIKE. AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT.
Ella: and i know its not blue bloods related but...
What is happening with the au pairs? Do have any plans to continue it? and is there any possibility of a movie or tv show because ive heard rumors but obviously you would actually know?
Melissa: THE AU PAIRS IS BEING DEVELOPED AS A MOVIE BY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING GOSSIP GIRL TO THE TV SCREEN THIS FALL. HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE MORE NEWS ON THE MOVIE SOON, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF BUSY WITH GOSSIP GIRL RIGHT NOW, SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL LAUNCH AND THEN THEY'LL BRING THEIR ATTENTION TO THE AU PAIRS.
kieshara: Why can't Allegra be awoken with a simple red blood transfusion?
Melissa: BECAUSE THE LIFEFORCE COMES FROM THE CAEREMONIA OSCULOR, IT'S THE RITUAL THAT BRINGS THE BLUE BLOODS TO LIFE--THE ACT OF TAKING A HUMAN. A BLOOD TRANSFUSION WON'T HAVE ANY OF THE LIFEFORCE, NO MEMORIES, NO SPECIAL SOMETHING-SOMETHING.
kieshara: How did you come up with the idea for the Blue Blood novels?
Melissa: I WAS READING SOMETHING ABOUT HOW ALL THESE FAMOUS AND RICH AMERICANS CAN TRACE THEIR HISTORY TO THE MAYFLOWER. NOT JUST PRESIDENTS LIKE ROOSEVELT AND BUSH, BUT ALSO MARILYN MONROE, ALEC BALDWIN, HMM..LOTS...EVEN OPRAH I THINK CAN TRACE HER ANCESTRY TO THE MAYFLOWER. SO I STARTED THINKING, WHAT IF ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE IN POWER AND REALLY WEALTHY BECAUSE THEY ARE VAMPIRES???
THEN OF COURSE SINCE I WRITE FOR TEENS, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO HAVE A GROUP OF TEENS WHO LEARN THEIR DESTINY WHEN THEY'RE FIFTEEN, WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND THEIR BODIES ARE CHANGING...
kieshara: Will the photo Schuyler and Jack took come out in an ad or something?
Melissa: THE PHOTO THEY TOOK WAS JUST FOR AN EDITORIAL SPREAD IN THE MAGAZINE. NOT AN AD.
Alyssa: which blue blood will be featured in the short story???
Melissa: IT IS DYLAN WHO IS IN THE SHORT STORY. YOU FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HIM. SORT OF. AND IT'S WRITTEN FROM THE POV OF A REDBLOOD GIRL. WHICH WAS FUN TO WRITE.
Neen: while writing Blue Bloods and Masquerade were you leaning towards any certain person with Schuyler? Or are you going for more of an involved love triangle
Melissa: I'M NOT LEANING TOWARDS ANYONE, I HAVE TO SAY SOME DAYS I AM A JACK GIRL AND SOME DAYS I AM AN OLLIE GIRL. SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHO SHE'LL END UP WITH. I CAN'T SAY! I THINK THE STORY WILL REVEAL ITSELF AS I'M WRITING IT, AND ALSO, SCHUYLER HAS A MIND OF HER OWN... I HAD NO IDEA SHE WOULD MAKE OLIVER HER HUMAN FAMILIAR! I THOUGHT, THAT'S A BAD IDEA, SKY, DON'T DO IT! BUT SHE DID IT ANYWAY.. IT COMPLICATES THINGS, DOESN'T IT?
Valentina: How does the cycle work? With them getting reborn, especially before there was modern medicine to collect the blood.
Melissa: I LIKE TO THINK THE BLUE BLOODS WERE ALWAYS AHEAD OF THEIR TIME. LOL. ACTUALLY MY IDEA WAS THAT THE BLUE BLOODS INVENTED THE IVF METHOD (IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION) BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY USED TO REINCARNATE FOR YEARS, AND IT TRICKLED DOWN TO THE REDBLOOD WORLD ONLY IN MODERN TIMES. AND I THOUGHT THE SALEM WITCHES WERE BLUE BLOOD MIDWIVES OF SOME SORT...HELPING TO AID THE REBIRTH OF THE BLUE BLOODS. I ALWAYS FOUND MIDWIVES KIND OF CREEPY, SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD FIT.
Nikki: How did Sky's dad die?
Melissa: THIS WILL BE REVEALED IN A LATER BOOK. I ACTUALLY WROTE THE WHOLE HISTORY OF THE CHASES, (SKY'S DAD IS STEPHEN CHASE) AND THEIR DARK, TRAGIC, HUMAN PAST. I HOPE TO USE SOME OF THIS IN THE LATER BOOKS.
Nikki: Who are your favourite and least favourite characters to write about?
Melissa: I LOVE THEM ALL. I HAVE TO SAY MIMI'S VOICE COMES EASIEST TO ME FOR SOME REASON. (SCARY!) AND SCHUYLER IS THE HARDEST BECAUSE SHE IS THE CLOSEST TO ME... SHE'S HARD TO WRITE FOR SOME REASON. IT'S ALMOST LIKE WRITING ABOUT YOURSELF, EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT HER, SHE HAS A LOT OF MY INSECURITIES.
Nikki: Which character do you find most interesting?
Melissa: I DO LOVE BLISS. I THINK SHE'S SO FUN AND GREAT. AND SHE'S VERY COMPLICATED.
Alyssa (several others also expressed confusion)): sorry to press you about this but how does the reincarnation work though? when the blue bloods have their baby do they transfuse the blue blood in them or what??
Melissa: THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION OVER THE REINCARNATION PART... WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS THAT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE CLONES OF THEMSELVES... YOU CAN CLONE FROM ONE DROP OF DNA, SO ALL YOU'D NEED IS ONE DROP OF BLOOD TO CREATE A CLONED EMBRYO.
FOR IVF, THEY TAKE THE SPERM AND THE EGG AND MAKE AN EMBRYO AND PUT IN A WOMAN'S UTERUS TO MAKE THE BABY. REDBLOODS MAKE NEW LIFE, BUT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE JUST REINCARNATED CLONES OF THEMSELVES. I HATE TO USE THE WORD 'CLONES' SINCE THAT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. THEY KEEP GETTING REBORN, THEY DON'T CREATE NEW LIFE.
(THAT'S WHY SCHUYLER IS SO SPECIAL. SHE IS THE FIRST HALF HUMAN HALF VAMPIRE. AND THE VAMPIRES THOUGHT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE... SO HOW IS SHE POSSIBLE? )
FOR THE BLUE BLOODS, THEY JUST TAKE THE CLONED EMBRYO OF THEMSELVES AND THEN PUT IT IN SOMEONE ELSE. BUT THE BLOOD THAT CREATED THE EMBRYO CONTAINS ALL THEIR OLD MEMORIES, THEIR LIFEFORCE, ETC. SO ONCE YOU'RE DRAINED OF ALL YOUR BLOOD, YOU CEASE TO EXIST.
THE SILVER BLOODS ARE CRAZY BEINGS - THEY HAVE ALL THE MEMORIES OF ALL THE BLUE BLOODS THEY HAVE CONSUMED, SO THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE IN ONE BODY - THEY ARE SCHIZO, OR HAVE PERSONALITY DISORDERS...
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS FIGURE OUT BLUE BLOOD REASONS FOR HUMAN PROBLEMS, LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIA, MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER...
Alyssa: Is maggie stanford still alive??
Melissa: PERHAPS! AND PERHAPS SHE IS ONE OF THE BLUE BLOODS! THIS WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT BOOK!
Alyssa: does kinglsey have a british accent, for some reason i thought he did...
Melissa: KINGSLEY HAS AN INTERNATIONAL ACCENT, HE WAS BORN IN THE UK BUT GREW UP IN SINGAPORE, AFRICA, ETC. I DID THINK HE HAD A BRITISH ACCENT AT FIRST, BUT THEN IT DIDN'T WORK WITH ONE PART OF THE STORY (I FORGET WHICH) SO I HAD TO CHANGE IT.
----
AND I HAVE TO GO, BUT HERE'S WHAT I CAN SAY FOR WRITING TIPS:
With the Blue Bloods, I wrote a huge outline covering lots of stuff, enough for nine books. (They signed me to a 2-book deal at first and then re-upped to 4.) It was always my idea to do a trilogy, and hopefully a second trilogy and then a prequel. I have yet to discover some stuff in the story, and some of the stuff I already know cold.
Writing is a process - the more you work on your story, the more it will reveal itself to you.
Revelations is based on the Biblical reference, and also because it reveals something.
I listened to a lot of StellaStar while writing Masquerade.
Okay, this has been SO MUCH FUN!!! And I promise to come back again and chat, but right now my nanny is leaving and I have to take care of my baby.
Bye and kisses to everyone!!!
xxoooooxxx
Mel
Vivian: Can you tell us anything more about Number of the Beast?
Ella: Do you plan on continuing the series?
Melissa: Hello everyone! So happy to be here. Okay... first off, Number of the Beast: 666 is NOT the new Blue Bloods book. It is a horror anthology from Scholastic, and there is a SHORT STORY there, that involves one of the Blue Bloods... the story is called "Shelter Island". The book is coming out this fall. The new Blue Bloods book is called REVELATIONS and comes out NEXT fall - Fall 08.
Alyssa: ok can i post now? i was wondering if she already knows what the cover will most likely look like; second question is if bliss's dad is an adoptive parent or if he actually had a relationship w/ allegra????
Melissa: I do not know what REVELATIONS will look like yet. But I am thinking it will have the skyline of Sao Paolo, since most of the story takes place in Brazil, With the Jesus statue silhouetted in the cover. I think we will most likely have a girl's neck with the Mark of Lucifer tattooed on her neck. But it will be the back of the neck.
But don't take my word for it! Those are just my ideas for the cover..sometimes they have some other idea that is better than mine and they go with that. But I *think* most likely it will be that. Btw, I want to say Hi to Amanda! And so glad you survived our BEA crazy-motorized-wheelchair accident! And Hi to everyone! This is so cool! I will try to stop by more often! In answer to your second question...You will find out in REVELATIONS!!!!
Vivian: How do you pronounce Duchesne and Schuyler?
Melissa: Duchesne is pronounced Doo-shen. It's a French name. I went to a high school that was founded by Marie Duchesne. And Duchesne is based on my snooty private high school. Except we didn't have boys in our high school. So I had to imagine what it would be like if there were cute boys in our classes.
Schuyler is pronounced Sky-ler.
Melissa: You guys!!! The cards are LOVELY. I seriously have tears in my eyes. You guys ROCK so hard!! Readers like you make it all worthwhile!
BlueStar: Why did Lawerence say that Allegra chose not to hear in Masquerade when he was talking to Charles Force
Melissa: LAWRENCE IS REFERRING TO WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ALLEGRA AND CHARLES THAT LED ALLEGRA TO GO INTO THE CATATONIC STATE. YOU WILL FIND OUT IN THE PREQUEL I AM WRITING THAT IS ABOUT ALLEGRA AND CHARLES' RELATIONSHIP!
BlueStar: Was Schuyler simply dreaming that her mother told her to be careful or "beware" or is something else happening?
Melissa: THIS WILL BE MADE CLEARER IN REVELATIONS, BUT I THINK SOMETHING ELSE IS HAPPENING...REMEMBER, THEY'RE VAMPIRES... SO MAYBE ALLEGRA IS NOT AS CATATONIC AS SHE APPEARS TO BE, HMMM?
BlueStar: If Jack were to forsake his bond with Mimi, would he be put into the same catatonic state as Allegra's mother?
Melissa: THAT IS THE RISK HE IS TAKING...BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. CERTAINLY, SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO HIM IF HE BREAKS THE BOND. WHEN YOU GO AGAINST HEAVEN, BAD THINGS HAPPEN... MIMI IS TRYING TO PROTECT HIM...
BlueStar: Why does Kingsley think that Mimi's enemy was Bliss?
Melissa: THIS WILL BE REVEALED IN REVELATIONS!
Ella: Do you plan on continuing the series after revelations?
Melissa: YES. I'M HOPING TO WRITE ANOTHER THREE BOOKS AFTER REVELATIONS AND THEN I HAVE PLANS FOR A 3-BOOK PREQUEL. I'M HOPING TO DO THE PREQUEL AS A GRAPHIC NOVEL. WE'LL SEE. MY HUSBAND IS AN ARTIST, AND WE DO THESE BOOKS TOGETHER, SO IT WOULD BE A WAY FOR US TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER, WHICH WOULD BE SO FUN.
Ella: Has there been any talk of a movie?
Melissa: RIGHT NOW, IT IS BEING DEVELOPED AS A TV SERIES NOT AS A MOVIE. BUT IT'S VERY EARLY YET, SO THERE IS STILL NO REAL NEWS.
Ella: And if there was do you have anyone who you really picture as the characters?
Melissa: I WAS KIND OF INSPIRED BY MARY KATE OLSEN, HOW SHE DRESSED. BUT SHE IS NOT SCHUYLER. AND WITH OLLIE, I WAS KIND OF THINKING OF HOW CUTE SETH ON THE O.C. WAS, BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST INSPIRATIONS... I LIKE TO IMAGINE CHARACTERS ON MY OWN, SO YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE YOUR OWN VISION OF WHAT SKY, JACK AND OLLIE LOOK LIKE. AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT.
Ella: and i know its not blue bloods related but...
What is happening with the au pairs? Do have any plans to continue it? and is there any possibility of a movie or tv show because ive heard rumors but obviously you would actually know?
Melissa: THE AU PAIRS IS BEING DEVELOPED AS A MOVIE BY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING GOSSIP GIRL TO THE TV SCREEN THIS FALL. HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE MORE NEWS ON THE MOVIE SOON, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF BUSY WITH GOSSIP GIRL RIGHT NOW, SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL LAUNCH AND THEN THEY'LL BRING THEIR ATTENTION TO THE AU PAIRS.
kieshara: Why can't Allegra be awoken with a simple red blood transfusion?
Melissa: BECAUSE THE LIFEFORCE COMES FROM THE CAEREMONIA OSCULOR, IT'S THE RITUAL THAT BRINGS THE BLUE BLOODS TO LIFE--THE ACT OF TAKING A HUMAN. A BLOOD TRANSFUSION WON'T HAVE ANY OF THE LIFEFORCE, NO MEMORIES, NO SPECIAL SOMETHING-SOMETHING.
kieshara: How did you come up with the idea for the Blue Blood novels?
Melissa: I WAS READING SOMETHING ABOUT HOW ALL THESE FAMOUS AND RICH AMERICANS CAN TRACE THEIR HISTORY TO THE MAYFLOWER. NOT JUST PRESIDENTS LIKE ROOSEVELT AND BUSH, BUT ALSO MARILYN MONROE, ALEC BALDWIN, HMM..LOTS...EVEN OPRAH I THINK CAN TRACE HER ANCESTRY TO THE MAYFLOWER. SO I STARTED THINKING, WHAT IF ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE IN POWER AND REALLY WEALTHY BECAUSE THEY ARE VAMPIRES???
THEN OF COURSE SINCE I WRITE FOR TEENS, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO HAVE A GROUP OF TEENS WHO LEARN THEIR DESTINY WHEN THEY'RE FIFTEEN, WHEN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND THEIR BODIES ARE CHANGING...
kieshara: Will the photo Schuyler and Jack took come out in an ad or something?
Melissa: THE PHOTO THEY TOOK WAS JUST FOR AN EDITORIAL SPREAD IN THE MAGAZINE. NOT AN AD.
Alyssa: which blue blood will be featured in the short story???
Melissa: IT IS DYLAN WHO IS IN THE SHORT STORY. YOU FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HIM. SORT OF. AND IT'S WRITTEN FROM THE POV OF A REDBLOOD GIRL. WHICH WAS FUN TO WRITE.
Neen: while writing Blue Bloods and Masquerade were you leaning towards any certain person with Schuyler? Or are you going for more of an involved love triangle
Melissa: I'M NOT LEANING TOWARDS ANYONE, I HAVE TO SAY SOME DAYS I AM A JACK GIRL AND SOME DAYS I AM AN OLLIE GIRL. SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHO SHE'LL END UP WITH. I CAN'T SAY! I THINK THE STORY WILL REVEAL ITSELF AS I'M WRITING IT, AND ALSO, SCHUYLER HAS A MIND OF HER OWN... I HAD NO IDEA SHE WOULD MAKE OLIVER HER HUMAN FAMILIAR! I THOUGHT, THAT'S A BAD IDEA, SKY, DON'T DO IT! BUT SHE DID IT ANYWAY.. IT COMPLICATES THINGS, DOESN'T IT?
Valentina: How does the cycle work? With them getting reborn, especially before there was modern medicine to collect the blood.
Melissa: I LIKE TO THINK THE BLUE BLOODS WERE ALWAYS AHEAD OF THEIR TIME. LOL. ACTUALLY MY IDEA WAS THAT THE BLUE BLOODS INVENTED THE IVF METHOD (IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION) BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY USED TO REINCARNATE FOR YEARS, AND IT TRICKLED DOWN TO THE REDBLOOD WORLD ONLY IN MODERN TIMES. AND I THOUGHT THE SALEM WITCHES WERE BLUE BLOOD MIDWIVES OF SOME SORT...HELPING TO AID THE REBIRTH OF THE BLUE BLOODS. I ALWAYS FOUND MIDWIVES KIND OF CREEPY, SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD FIT.
Nikki: How did Sky's dad die?
Melissa: THIS WILL BE REVEALED IN A LATER BOOK. I ACTUALLY WROTE THE WHOLE HISTORY OF THE CHASES, (SKY'S DAD IS STEPHEN CHASE) AND THEIR DARK, TRAGIC, HUMAN PAST. I HOPE TO USE SOME OF THIS IN THE LATER BOOKS.
Nikki: Who are your favourite and least favourite characters to write about?
Melissa: I LOVE THEM ALL. I HAVE TO SAY MIMI'S VOICE COMES EASIEST TO ME FOR SOME REASON. (SCARY!) AND SCHUYLER IS THE HARDEST BECAUSE SHE IS THE CLOSEST TO ME... SHE'S HARD TO WRITE FOR SOME REASON. IT'S ALMOST LIKE WRITING ABOUT YOURSELF, EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT HER, SHE HAS A LOT OF MY INSECURITIES.
Nikki: Which character do you find most interesting?
Melissa: I DO LOVE BLISS. I THINK SHE'S SO FUN AND GREAT. AND SHE'S VERY COMPLICATED.
Alyssa (several others also expressed confusion)): sorry to press you about this but how does the reincarnation work though? when the blue bloods have their baby do they transfuse the blue blood in them or what??
Melissa: THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION OVER THE REINCARNATION PART... WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS THAT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE CLONES OF THEMSELVES... YOU CAN CLONE FROM ONE DROP OF DNA, SO ALL YOU'D NEED IS ONE DROP OF BLOOD TO CREATE A CLONED EMBRYO.
FOR IVF, THEY TAKE THE SPERM AND THE EGG AND MAKE AN EMBRYO AND PUT IN A WOMAN'S UTERUS TO MAKE THE BABY. REDBLOODS MAKE NEW LIFE, BUT THE BLUE BLOODS ARE JUST REINCARNATED CLONES OF THEMSELVES. I HATE TO USE THE WORD 'CLONES' SINCE THAT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA. THEY KEEP GETTING REBORN, THEY DON'T CREATE NEW LIFE.
(THAT'S WHY SCHUYLER IS SO SPECIAL. SHE IS THE FIRST HALF HUMAN HALF VAMPIRE. AND THE VAMPIRES THOUGHT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE... SO HOW IS SHE POSSIBLE? )
FOR THE BLUE BLOODS, THEY JUST TAKE THE CLONED EMBRYO OF THEMSELVES AND THEN PUT IT IN SOMEONE ELSE. BUT THE BLOOD THAT CREATED THE EMBRYO CONTAINS ALL THEIR OLD MEMORIES, THEIR LIFEFORCE, ETC. SO ONCE YOU'RE DRAINED OF ALL YOUR BLOOD, YOU CEASE TO EXIST.
THE SILVER BLOODS ARE CRAZY BEINGS - THEY HAVE ALL THE MEMORIES OF ALL THE BLUE BLOODS THEY HAVE CONSUMED, SO THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE IN ONE BODY - THEY ARE SCHIZO, OR HAVE PERSONALITY DISORDERS...
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS FIGURE OUT BLUE BLOOD REASONS FOR HUMAN PROBLEMS, LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIA, MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER...
Alyssa: Is maggie stanford still alive??
Melissa: PERHAPS! AND PERHAPS SHE IS ONE OF THE BLUE BLOODS! THIS WILL BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT BOOK!
Alyssa: does kinglsey have a british accent, for some reason i thought he did...
Melissa: KINGSLEY HAS AN INTERNATIONAL ACCENT, HE WAS BORN IN THE UK BUT GREW UP IN SINGAPORE, AFRICA, ETC. I DID THINK HE HAD A BRITISH ACCENT AT FIRST, BUT THEN IT DIDN'T WORK WITH ONE PART OF THE STORY (I FORGET WHICH) SO I HAD TO CHANGE IT.
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AND I HAVE TO GO, BUT HERE'S WHAT I CAN SAY FOR WRITING TIPS:
With the Blue Bloods, I wrote a huge outline covering lots of stuff, enough for nine books. (They signed me to a 2-book deal at first and then re-upped to 4.) It was always my idea to do a trilogy, and hopefully a second trilogy and then a prequel. I have yet to discover some stuff in the story, and some of the stuff I already know cold.
Writing is a process - the more you work on your story, the more it will reveal itself to you.
Revelations is based on the Biblical reference, and also because it reveals something.
I listened to a lot of StellaStar while writing Masquerade.
Okay, this has been SO MUCH FUN!!! And I promise to come back again and chat, but right now my nanny is leaving and I have to take care of my baby.
Bye and kisses to everyone!!!
xxoooooxxx
Mel