So, I'm excited to bring you a little more about Mr. Christopher Waltz.
*Laughs* Hey Toph, thanks for taking time to let me interview you.
Are you ready?
I was bornready. (I hope everyone out there reads that in a very serious, action-movieway.)
What was your inspiration to becoming a writer?
What was your inspiration to becoming a writer?
I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. I rememberbeing in the second grade and writing a sequel to my then-favorite movie, Jumanji. I wrote it in a wide-ruled notebook and used half of each page for illustrations. I gave it to my teacher,Mrs. Fields, to read and she returned it with a note attached that said “Ican’t wait to buy your books in a book store one day!” I knew then I would continue writing the rest of my life.
Do you haveanything you "must have" forwriting? Like coffee, candy, music?
Do you haveanything you "must have" forwriting? Like coffee, candy, music?
I usually have a glass of Mountain Dew with me while I’m writing, but I’m trying to break that habit. Sometimes I pretend to be a health nut and Mountain Dew does not fit into that category, unfortunately. I definitely cannot write while listening to music because I get distracted too easily. Usually when I write, it’s just me and a quiet room.
What inspired you to write Ivy League? And how long did the process take from when you first started?
What inspired you to write Ivy League? And how long did the process take from when you first started?
I had a very good friend who I tell everyone is my brother. A few years ago, he got into some shady habits (much like Jamie in Ivy League) and the two of us lost touch until very recently. He cleaned up his life, something I’m so proud of him for, but I would be lying if I said he wasn’t an inspiration formy novel. I took one thing about him and exaggerated it into this novel about ateenager who sells drugs to pay for college. I was initially very worried he’dbe mad at me for using a darker period of his life for inspiration, but when Itold him, he thought it was awesome!
Who was your favorite character to write? And were any of your characters modeled after any friends in your life?
Who was your favorite character to write? And were any of your characters modeled after any friends in your life?
I want really badly to tell you the maincharacter, Jamie, was my favorite to write, but he wasn’t. In the story, Jamie meets another high school student, Gabe, who he assumes is from the wrong side of the tracks because people in their school have stereotyped him as this “bad guy.” Gabe was my favorite to write because he is very, very different from me.He has this attitude and whit about him I wish I could incorporate into mydaily life; he is completely unfiltered and generally just doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks about him, and I loved writing him.
I use a lot of my friend’s names in Ivy League, but I wouldn’t say any ofthe characters are actually based on them. A lot of the people in the story arejust generally bad. I took my friend’s names and turned them into horriblepeople, which was a lot of fun.
Jaime hassuch a wide range of friends, that sit with him at the table. From hisfriendship with Airic to his partnership with Gabe, what all do you think they have in common?
Jaime hassuch a wide range of friends, that sit with him at the table. From hisfriendship with Airic to his partnership with Gabe, what all do you think they have in common?
That’s a tough question to answer. I thinkJamie’s wide variety of friends (especially at his lunch table) shows how forthe past four years of high school, he’s really just been going through themotions. He admits none of these people, aside from Airic, really care abouthim, but hopefully you notice he doesn’t really care either. I feel hispartnership with Gabe really opens him up to who he really is and has beenhiding from the rest of the world and his friends for his entire life.
When you first hit that publish button and then saw your book for sale, what did that feel like?
When you first hit that publish button and then saw your book for sale, what did that feel like?
I was completely terrified. All I couldthink was “I’m not ready! I’m not ready!” but at the same time, I’d been working on Ivy League for two years and was honestly ready for it to be over. I had also been advertising throughmy Facebook page and Twitter account that it would be available for sale on12/12/12, but Amazon went ahead and released it early, so that was shocking as well. I had to go back and post updates to the release date, something I reallywasn’t expecting to need to do.
If Iremember right you said there is a book 2 in the works? When can we expect that out?
If Iremember right you said there is a book 2 in the works? When can we expect that out?
Ideally, I’d say it will be ready Decemberof this year. My goal is to kick it up a notch with the as-of-yet-untitledsequel and have it ready as soon as possible, but at the same time, I don’twant to rush it. Every chapter is planned and I’ve written about fifty pages ofthe story, but I’m just going to let it run its course naturally. It’s readywhen it’s ready. Hopefully the people who read Ivy League (I’m looking at you, Mom) will like it enough thatthey’ll be okay with waiting for the perfect sequel.
Is there anything else you are working on that you'd like to share with everyone?*pretends like I don't know*
Is there anything else you are working on that you'd like to share with everyone?*pretends like I don't know*
I constantly have new ideas popping into myhead, and I’d love to work on all of them at the same time, but that’s tough,what with working two jobs, plus writing, plus trying to maintain some form of a social life. However, I came up with the idea of a story called Nineteen, about an eighteen-year-old who is convinced he isn’t going to live to see his nineteenth birthday. The notes are just forming on this one, but it’s going to be about him trying to reconnect with people he’s left behind in his life and doing all the things he wants to do before he dies.
Okay, shallwe play a game? I'm going to give you a few words and you say what they makeyou think of, or your favorite of each.
Candy: SourPatch Kids
Music: Chiodos
Friends: Uhhh… is it weird I can’t thinkof anything for this one? Or I have too many thoughts?
Food: Hummus
Vacation: Chicago
Writing: Life
Ice cream: Vanilla (I’m boring)
Thank you so much for sitting down and answering my questions! This was fun! Now let's go get a red velvet milk shake shall we?
Okay, shallwe play a game? I'm going to give you a few words and you say what they makeyou think of, or your favorite of each.
Candy: SourPatch Kids
Music: Chiodos
Friends: Uhhh… is it weird I can’t thinkof anything for this one? Or I have too many thoughts?
Food: Hummus
Vacation: Chicago
Writing: Life
Ice cream: Vanilla (I’m boring)
Thank you so much for sitting down and answering my questions! This was fun! Now let's go get a red velvet milk shake shall we?
MILKSHAKE!
Woooo! I’m buying!
Woooo! I’m buying!
And here we are enjoying a post interview Milkshake! Thanks Toph! :)
About Christopher Waltz
BIO:
I am 25, grew up in Columbus, Indiana. Icurrently live in Indianapolis, IN. I have a degree in Secondary Education,with a concentration in English. When I’m not writing, I work with the RedCross and for a pharmacy. I have an insane love for movies and know ridiculousamounts of useless pop culture trivia. I like to cook, work out, run, go toconcerts, and plays... I have a pitbull named Theo. I went to New York to helpwith relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy in November”.
You Can Follow Christopher Waltz at the following places:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Christoph_Waltz
and his Blog:
I really enjoyed reading this interview. Great questions. What an awesome teacher to make such a positive comment on the Jumanji sequel. And I had the same panic attack right before clicking "publish."
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