1. What got you into writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.  I feel like I was born with the impulse to tell stories.  When I was a kid, I would handwrite everything; I filled up dozens of yellow legal pads and notebooks with scenes and short stories.  Once I got a computer as a teenager, I wrote my first full-length novel.  To me, typing is a lot more fluid and natural than writing by hand.  I can edit as I go along, play with the order of paragraphs and sentences, etc.  It feels very organic.
 
2. Where did the idea for MINDWALKER come from? 
I’ve always been fascinated and disturbed by the idea of memory modification.  There’s a quote from Gregory Maguire that I like—“Memory is a part of the present. It builds us up inside; it knits our bones to our muscles and keeps our hearts pumping.”  The power to alter someone’s memories is the power to change their identity.
 
I started thinking about how people might use memory modification to forget past traumas, like war and abuse.  But I wanted to take the idea even further and explore the larger social ramifications.  What happens to truth when we can manipulate what we remember?  How might institutions use this power to control public perception?  What happens to human rights, especially for vulnerable minorities, when technology can trespass so freely in the most private sphere—the mind?
 
3. Who are some of your favourite authors? 
It’s really hard for me to pick a favorite.  I like Lev Grossman’s The Magicians and its sequels, as well as Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy.  When I was a teen, I read a lot of fantasy and science fiction by Mercedes Lackey and Andre Norton.  I’m also a fan of Stephen King’s earlier work, particularly his dark fantasy.
 
4. Who inspires you? 
Temple Grandin.  She’s an animal scientist and autism activist, and she got people thinking in different ways about a lot of issues.  I’m inspired by anyone who challenges the dominant paradigm, who defies categories and labels or shatters prejudices.
 
5. What do you do when you're not writing?
I read, watch movies, daydream, and spend time with the people I love.  A lot of my hobbies are indoor things, so I make an effort to get out into the world every so often and remind myself that there’s a universe beyond the screen and the page.  I go for walks in the woods.  I visit museums and aquariums.  I’m fascinated by nature and living things.

WHAT IF YOUR PAST COULD BE REWRITTEN?

It is the future. There is no war, no social unrest, no painful memories…and no freedom. The government maintains peace and tranquility by brain-wiping all disturbing experiences.

At just seventeen, Lain Fisher is the youngest therapist at the Institute to master the art of Mindwalking – using a direct neural link to erase her clients’ traumatic memories. But when a troubled classmate asks for her help, Lain’s superiors warn her that Steven’s scars are too deep, the risk is too great. Yet as she defies their warnings and explores Steven’s memories, it becomes clear that something is very, very wrong. Is the Institute really an organisation of healing, or one of manipulation and state control? And is there more to Lain’s father’s suicide than meets the eye?

Meet Lain, and follow her into a dystopian world of memory modification, and a society of surveillance, stigma and secrets.

BUY HERE!

1. Where did the idea for this series come from?
 The Pact came out of a creative workshop organised by Bastei Lübbe, the series' publisher. The day's topic was "international", and I was instantly captivated by the idea of highly gifted 20-somethings from around the world recruited to become secret agents.

 2. What do you do when you're not writing?
 I'm not only a writer, but also a classical musician, often playing in diverse orchestras or chamber music groups. When not working, I enjoy cooking, baking, springboard diving, and spending time with friends.



 3. What authors or people have inspired you?
 I'm inspired through and through by Anne Lamott and Alan Bradley for one simple reason: their faithfulness to character. I believe characters carry your plot, and the best way to let your story unfold is to quiet your mind and let your characters speak. Anne explains this beautifully in Bird by Bird, and Alan's genius creation, Flavia de Luce, is my favorite current literary example.

4. If you could be any character in your series who would you choose and why?
This is a very tough—and very good—question. Though I certainly identify with each of my characters, I'd pick Paul Leclerc; I'm a fan of his brilliant memory. And though he may come across a bit calloused due to many years at sea, he's got a gentle heart which almost always prevails. 

5. Are you working on anything at the moment?
I'm currently developing my next series, a romantic comedy set at a private university in the United States. I've already fallen in love with the characters and all of the hilarious situations in store for them. I can't wait to see how they'll react!! 

Eleanor Wood is the author of My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend.  She lives in Brighton, has a Leonard Cohen tattoo and would like to get a dog.

Blog: http://eleanor-wood.blogspot.com

Twitter: @eleanor_wood

1. Where did the idea for My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend come from?
It came from a few real-life events.  I’ve always wanted to write a book involving a music festival.  When I was 18, a friend and I went to Reading Festival dressed in full wedding outfits we got from a charity shop – we ended up getting our picture in loads of newspapers, so my parents thought I had actually got married at Reading Festival.   It was such a funny story, I always liked the idea of working it into a novel somehow.  Then a couple of years ago, a pop star I’d had a huge crush on when I was a teenager started messaging me on Twitter and reading my blog – and the idea of the story went from there.

2. Who inspires you?
Women who are doing great stuff in all media: I love Lena Dunham, I’m currently a bit obsessed with Jenny Slate, Viv Albertine, Emma Forrest, Miranda July, Carrie Brownstein, Kathleen Hanna – people like that, the list goes on.  Also, all my friends who are doing great things – and all the funny and brilliant people of Twitter.

3. If you could be any character from any book who would you choose and why?
Definitely Topaz from I Capture The Castle (one of my all-time favourite books).  She wears crazy outfits, lives in a castle and is awesome.

4. What are some of your favourite books?
It’s a cliché but my all-time favourite book is probably The Bell Jar.  I also love Namedropper by Emma Forrest and Girl by Blake Nelson, plus anything by Rainbow Rowell.  Recent books I have loved include Remix by Non Pratt and The Dark Light by Julia Bell.  Plus the new Judy Blume, obviously, and anything by Jilly Cooper.

5. Are you working on anything at the moment?
I’m working on the follow-up to My Secret Rockstar Boyfriend.  It’s in the early stages so I can’t say too much, but it’s about girls in bands, friendship and feminism.