Rich world-building, enigmatic characters, and a breakneck pace mark Victoria Aveyard's debut, Red Queen (HarperCollins, 2015), as possibly "The Next Big Thing." Seventeen-year-old Mare lives in a world divided by blood color; Silvers have superhuman powers and rule over the commoner Reds. When the protagonist discovers that she doesn’t quite fit into either category, chaos ensues, and the whole kingdom—and her own life—hangs in the balance. SLJ caught up with Aveyard to discuss her inspiration for the epic fantasy/dystopian series. How long have you wanted to be a writer? I think being a writer was never really conscious choice on my part. It was meant to happen. As I kid I’ve always been in love with stories. From Jurassic Park to Indiana Jones, movies, books, and video games have always intrigued me because of the interesting stories they tell. Now, I’m lucky that I get paid for creating them. What inspired you to write Red Queen? I’ve always wanted to write a novel. I had made poor attempts in the past, but had left them midway and abandoned them. I studied screenwriting in college and was able to get an internship with the Writer’s Studio, a 20^th-century Fox studio lab. I was writing a bunch of screenplays, but then I began brainstorming. The first piece of Red Queen came to me—I’m a very visual writer—of a girl fighting in an arena who used lightning to cook her opponent in armor. That vision sat in my head for a while. I landed a meeting for my screenwriting career, and I mentioned that I wanted to write a YA novel . They encouraged me to write an outline, helped me get in touch with people in publishing, including my literary agent. Who are some of your favorite authors? J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and C.S. Lewis. Authors who created deep worlds and mythologies that exist beyond the page. Steven Spielberg informs a lot of what I do and has made me the storyteller that I am today. I’m a freak for sci-fi and fantasy—anyone who writes that, and I’m in. With rights sold in 19-plus countries and film rights snatched up by Universal, what do you think makes Mare’s story so universal? If I knew that for sure, I’d try to bottle it up and sell it. What I think appeals most about the story is how the main character’s abilities catapult her from being a nobody to being an absolute force of nature. [People] always think about becoming more than [themselves] and she gets to—and it’s fun going on the ride with her. Any other favorite characters? I’m really drawn to Farley, the leader of the Scarlet Guard who doesn’t have any powers, but really is one of the most powerful characters in the story. She’s a great gray character—middle of the road in in her morality. One of the few “normal” protagonists, but she commands respect. Evangeline [Mare’s rival and one of the Silver elite] is one of those characters that is fun to hate but awesome to write. We’ll find out more about what’s going on with her in later books. You’re also a screenwriter. What’s the biggest difference between working on a screenplay and a YA novel? By virtue the mediums are so different. Screenplays have so much more structure. They move in ways that books can’t. They are more visual and direct, because you don’t have the luxury of description. As someone who works in both mediums, I find that there’s something to love and hate in both, and in equal measure. Mare has to decide between love and protecting her family. Why do you think this struggle will appeal to young adult readers? This choice goes back to growing up and becoming your own person, themes that young adults in particular, are constantly dealing with. Mare is confronted with having to choose between her past and what she’s becoming. The conflict that she faces has a lot to do with her having to step out on her own and make her own decisions—sometimes they’re not always the right ones. What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in order to realize your dream as a writer? What advice can you give to aspiring authors? I’ve been really lucky so far on my journey. After I graduated, and I was ready to move forward with Red Queen, I was able to move back with my parents, giving me the opportunity to work on my dream. I had a sink or swim moment—you’re either going to let go or waste this opportunity. No one ever tells you how scary ending a book is going to be—you don’t have the book to lean on after you’re done. I would tell aspiring writers to power through your own doubts. They will try to stop you before anyone else. Also, it helps to be self-aware and to know your weaknesses and strengths.