Kristin F. Cast is the coauthor of the House of Night series for young adults with her mother, P.C. Cast. She graduated from Broken Arrow Senior High in 2005. In November 2008, Variety reported that producers Michael Birnbaum and Jeremiah S. Chechik had obtained an option to acquire the motion picture rights in the House of Night series. On October 8, 2010 it was announced that Kristin was working on her first solo novel.
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» All Author InterviewsMerry meet! Thank y'all so much for your questions! I'll pop over periodically to answer more as they come in!
FYI - The final book in the House of Night series, REDEEMED is now out. I'm also working on a solo series.
I'll be starting at 2:00pm ET...and since you like proof, here you go
In the first book it is mentioned that Zoey has a brother and sister. After Zoey's mom died what happened to Zo's brother and sister? Did they stay with their step father? And what did they think of Zoey after she had been marked?
I'm pretty sure Zoey's sister went off to college. Her brother stayed with the stepfather and really didn't care about what was going on with Zoey. Actually, neither of them cared because they would have come back into the story if they did. Zo and her siblings just grew apart after she was marked.
Why didn't you and your mom make more books in the series?
It seemed like the last couple, including some novellas, were rushed and you could have gone into a lot more detail.
Also what span of time is the whole series? A few months?
We plotted out the story arch, and it naturally ended with twelve books. We also had a per book word count we had to follow, which is why our books aren't as long as other YA novels. However, I don't think anything was rushed. It was all planned from the beginning, and was executed amazingly!
Neferet is such a tragically flawed character. Her backstory made her more sympathetic, even though her choices are horrid. How much of her actions in REDEEMED, and previous books, is a result of her trying to overcome her past?
I think that all of her actions are because of her past, but not because she's trying to overcome it. If she really wanted to overcome it and move on, she would have channeled her energy in a more positive way instead of seeking vengeance and power.
But I will always have a special place in my heart for the poor, innocent, young Neferet.
I have a bit of an unconventional question.
When I was in high school, your mother taught my creative writing class (which I should have gotten out of after your mother warned us about who would not do well in the class.) I remember you graded a lot of our stories. So, my question is, what were some of the best stories you read through the experience?
The only assignments my mom ever let me grade were multiple choice or spelling tests. In high school I was definitely not qualified to grade creative writing assignments, and would have never been trusted with that responsibility. But I do remember all of the awesome posters and shadow boxes that y'all made. They were super fab!
Who was your own personal favorite character out of the books? I honestly don't think I could choose myself, if I did, maybe it would be Aphrodite. Her character growth in the entire series was so enjoyable. Oh, and of course, I love me some Nyx!
EDIT: Having the vampyres get tattoos when they change is one of the best things that makes HoN my favorite series.
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the tattoos! They're so beautiful!
My absolute fave character has to be Damien! If her were a real live person, I think we would be best friends. We'd gossip and have lunch and go shopping. It would be perfect!
OH MY GOD, they were supposed to be naughty novels? That would have been pretty amazing too!
I know, right! Maybe an adult HoN book will come in the future...
Any chance on a HoN tour in Europe?
I wish! We love going to Europe to see everyone!
Hello, Europe?
Please bring us over so we can meet all of our fans!
Thanks, Kristin
When Jack died, i sobbed. I called my mother (who just finished reading that book) and we cried together. I connected with these books deeper than expected and own all of them hard backed and kindle.
If you were to have an affinity, what would it be and what would your tattoos look like?
I totally feel your pain! I snot cried so much when Jack died!
I would love to have an affinity for spirit so I could help soothe and uplift people. It would be so beautiful if I had very delicate tattoos that looked almost like lace. But I'd ultimately want Nyx to decide!
What pizza do you recommend from Andolini's pizza shop?
I love me some of the vegetarian pizza! But I'm not super big on adding meats to pizza. I feel like it ruins it. If you go to Andolini's you totally have to get their fried mozzarella! They make it fresh and it is to die for.
Excuse me while I wipe away my drool...
Where would your main inspiration come from?
From our fabulous agent Meredith Bernstein. She told my mom/PC Cast that she should write a book about a vampire finishing school. Meredith wanted some kind of kinky and nasty college age s&m novel, but my mom was teaching high school at the time and wanted to write something in the young adult genre. Mom wrote the first three chapters, and that's how the fledglings and vampyres were born!
what process do you and your co-author use to collaborate? any special writing software that's intended for group-writing?
For the House of Night series, Mom/PC Cast wrote the entire first draft and I served as her front line and teen voice editor. However, during the first novel we did not have that method down yet. She would write a chapter or two and send it to me, but we quickly realized that didn't work.
But in the new series we're working on, we are writing it together from alternating points of view. I should check out some of the writing software you mentioned. It may make my life a lot easier. :)
Do you think the whole Vampire fad has become a little cliche?
The whole vampire thing has been around for hundreds of years, and I don't think it's going anywhere. In my opinion, stories/characters only become cliched if they don't evolve and I see the vampire myth constantly changing and growing.
My friend loves your House of Night books... She wants to know are you going to start another series of books of this sort anytime soon?
Tell your friend I said thank you!
I'm actually working on the first book in a new adult (NA) paranormal series! It comes out summer 2015 and there will be at least five books in the series!!
Who is the most difficult character for you to write? Is there a character that you didn't like writing at all?
I only edit the House of Night books, so I didn't have the hard task of writing each of the characters. But from talking to my mom, I know that Neferet was the most difficult character for her to write. I think it's because she's so damaged... and also very crazy.
Is there something in your books that you would go back and change, if you had the chance?
There are a bunch of tiny things I would go back and change that wouldn't matter to the story, and that's just because I'm a habitual rewriter. Overall, I'm perfectly happy with what happened in the series!
You just came off of book tour for REDEEMED - how did it go? Did you see a lot of new faces?
It was absolutely amazing! We met so many new people, and we were also able to connect with fans who have come to our events over the years. Touring and meeting new people is definitely my favorite part!
Will this new series you're writing be similar to the HoN series? I'll be looking forward to it!
It's going to be different from the HoN. It's a paranormal/romantic suspense laced with elements of mythology and a young woman at the center of a battle between worlds.
I can't wait for you to read it!
How close are you to having any info on the HoN movies?
My mom has been working with Marc Haimes, the screenwriter, and he is excellent! They recently finished the treatment, which is like a long outline, for the first movie. Hopefully we'll have additional news soon. If you're tired of waiting, you can always contact Samuel Hadida, our producer with Davis Films, and tell him to hurry up!
Where did the inspiration come from for the people chosen in this books? Were they already chosen or are some of them based off your friends in real life? PS I Heart you
Thank you! I heart you too!
A few characters were loosely based on real people. Like Zoey, Damien, Dragon, and Anastasia. The others came from PC Cast's amazing imagination and years of writing other novels.
Where did your inspiration come from when writing your solo series and the HoN series?
The inspiration for the HoN series came from our wonderful agent, Meredith Bernstein.
The inspiration for my new series kind of came from my mom. She told me to write the book I wanted to read, and that's what I did!
I always wondered, why the tattoos?
As a way to enhance the vampyre's beauty, and also as a respectful nod to ancient goddess lore and Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
How did you feel finishing the series?
It has been really bittersweet. I'm excited to branch out and build a solo career, but I also really miss the HoN characters. I spent almost 10 years with them, and it's kind of like saying goodbye to close friends. What really makes me sad is leaving all of our fans. I hope everyone enjoys my new series, and we maintain the bond that we have.
How much of a say do you have in your book cover designs? I love them!
Thank you!
The excellent art team at St. Martins Press would come up with the designs and ask us for our input. They also sent us photos of people they thought represented the characters, and we would choose the model we liked most. It was their idea to have a poster on the inside of each of the hardback covers, which I think is totally genius!
Is there going to be HON movies?
My mom has been working with Marc Haimes, the screenwriter, and he is excellent! They recently finished the treatment, which is like a long outline, for the first movie. Hopefully we'll have additional news soon. If you're tired of waiting, you can always contact Samuel Hadida, our producer with Davis Films, and tell him to hurry up!
What are you reading right now? Are you reading any paranormal suspense?
Right now I'm reading Die for Me by Karen Rose. I frickin' love her novels, and I hope to be as fantastic as she in one day!
I also got to meet her at a conference and she signed my books! I almost fell over dead!
Who is the cute guy on the business cards you sign when you buy items from your website?
That cutie guy is The Boyfriend! He is so fabulous (and attractive) and let me force him into modeling clothes for the HoN clothing line.
Will you be updating the HoN website? I would love to see more official pictures of all the characters! Especially Kalona's new wing colors!! And will there be graphic novels done for every book in the series? I've seen a few but I haven't seen the majority of them if there's more than what I have seen.
We are not in charge of the HoN website, so I don't know if they'll be updating it or not. Actually, my mom just spoke to Dark Horse yesterday, so there may be more graphic novels in the future. I'll keep you updated via my social media and website. (Dark Horse is the company we worked with on the graphic novels)
How did you come up with a character like Aurox? Was it a way to bring back Heath?
PC Cast would be the best person to ask, (because she's the one who created him), but I'm going to try and give you the best answer I can. I know Aurox would have been created even if he didn't have a piece of Heath, but I also know how much my mom like to redeem (heehee) characters. So, I think it was sort of a way to bring Heath back.
I hope this kind of answers your question!
Are you a country or city kind of girl?
Sometimes I'm super country and want to ride four wheelers and go fishing. Other times I want to go out to a nice restaurant for lunch and get my nails done. I think a woman can be both. I certainly am!
I know your mom has tattoos... Do you have any? If not would you ever get one?
I have four, but they're all placed so I can cover them easily. My first tattoo was a triple moon goddess in honor of my mom, and I got it when I was 18. It was also YEARS before she ever got her first tattoo, so I totally started the whole tattoo trend in my family. :)
So you mentioned that the red fledglings were a result of a flaw in their systems, what are those flaws? At least in the main red fledglings.
It's a flaw within their DNA. A mutation from the original DNA markers that turn regular humans into fledglings.
What T.V. shows are your favorite at the moment? I think this is so neat!
Thanks, BugHugs92! I think this is neat too!
My fave shows right now are Doctor Who, Snooki and Jwoww, Extant, Real Housewives (all of them!), Orphan Black, Castle, Elementary, and I could go on and on!
Some have speculated that the huge surge of interest over the past few years in the paranormal romance/vampire fiction genre won’t last. What do you think?
As a fan of everything paranormal, I can't imagine the genre not lasting. I also think a good story is a good story, regardless of its genre. As long as authors continue to write good books, they deserve to and will be read.
My wife crazily addicted to your books. I have to buy them for her the day they come out. Any thoughts you'd could share with before reading the last book? Thanks!
Thank you for being such a great husband and buying your wife the books as soon as they come out! :)
Tell her that she should read KALONA'S FALL, (the final HoN novella), before reading REDEEMED. It'll add a lot to the book and won't leave her with unanswered questions.
What are your favorite sports to watch?
I am a huge MMA fan!! And I'll always enjoy a good football game!
I've been reading your books since I was 13 years-old and now I am 22 and getting a Master's degree in Boston, MA. Did you expect your series to have the tremendous outreach that it did in reaching across the U.S. and into different countries when you started writing the series? (p.s. I just finished the last book and my friends and I are so sad that the series from our teenage years has finally come to an end! Thank you for writing it!)
The worldwide response for the HoN series has been amazing! I never dreamed it would be as popular as it is. I can't even explain how blessed I feel to have been able to reach so many people. Like you, I grew up with this series and I'm also sad to see it end!
Good luck in school!!
Which character do you relate to the most? Also, how did you collaborate with your mother on this? Did you two switch off on the writing or were you together for the whole writing?
I relate to Zoey the most because she was loosely based on my when I was a teen. And when I say loosely based, I totally mean it. My mom and grandpa both taught at the same high school I went to, so no one ever wanted to date me. No one. Not ever. So I didn't have any of Zo's boy problems.
I served as the teen voice editor, so Mom would write the first draft and I would go through and cut, add, and edit the manuscript.
Does she still make chicken noises when she says "book?"
I think she will forever make chicken noises!
"Book! Book! Boo-gawk!"
What is the time span of the whole series?
It starts in October and ends the following spring.
You have boy problems now though, right? I'm sure the guys who also read this series are completely fawning over you!
I chose to make my life easier and stay away from the boy drama. I have the best boyfriend ever, and we have no plans of parting ways. We've actually known each other since elementary school and he had my mom and grandpa as teachers in high school. I like to think of it as my little fairytale.
What is the most played song on your itunes?
Massacre from the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack and also Work B***h by Britney Spears. They're both on the playlist that I listen to when I write, so they have hundreds of plays!
Would you ever consider writing your life as a fairytale? I'm glad you've found your Prince!
Thank you @kisalynx! I'm glad I have too!
That is a fabulous idea you just had! Maybe one day I will write my life as a fairytale.
Merry meet! When I said something in facebook about wishing there were more to the house of night, you suggested another series. Could you tell me where to find the series? I cannot find where you wrote it to me so I cannot give you a title but it must have been something like house of night for you to suggest it. Please give me some more books to read!
Merry meet! I don't read the same genre that I write, so I'm not sure what series I could have been talking about. Maybe I was referring to the novellas, comics, or non-fiction HoN essays. If you visit the official HoN Facebook page, fans have listed books that readers will enjoy!
Hello my name is Ashley and I have a 7 yr old daughter who had a hard time reading till we started the Hon novels. My question to u Mrs. CAST is why did they end I would've like to seen more we love themLove?
Thank you, Ashley! The ended at twelve, because that's how many books were needed to finish the Nerd Herd's story. It just naturally concluded at that number.
Hello My Name Is Emily.
So I have a question which may be kind of personal, are you and or your mother of a Pagan, Wicca Or Witchcraft practicing faith ?.
I ask because I am a Pagan Witch and I recognize a lot of things said in your Books, not just things said but reasoning and rituals as well.
Hi Emily! My mom does a lot of research, and many Pagan traditions influenced parts of the HoN series. There are some things that I keep private, and my religion is one of them. Thank you for your question!
Ohmygoodness, what in the bull poopie does a person have to do to be noticed? I'm a fan of the books but not the people behind them.
I'm trying to answer questions as quickly as I can. The live chat ended at 12:00p PST, so I'm not on here all the time.
I feel truly honored to have been able to impact so many people's lives in a positive way, and hope I can continue to do so.
Now that the HON Series is ending are you going to keep the HON Facebook open. ?
I'm not in charge of the HoN Facebook page (it's managed by St. Martins Press). But I do post on it every weekend and sometimes during the week. Even though I don't manage it, I know that it will continue to stay open!
So what ends up happening to Zoey?
You'll have to read Redeemed to find out. :)
