What's Fresh with Elana Johnson's Possession!

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Hello, Elana! Thank you for joining us on YA Fresh. Could you please tell us a little about your writing background and how you made your first sale?

Elana: I have no writing background. I started writing as a way to get the negative emotions out of my life. It quickly spiraled into a full-fledged hobby, and the next natural step was to figure out how to get my book published.

That took considerably longer. I queried one book for 8 months. No one wanted it. I tried again. For 8 more months. I finally got an agent to take a chance on me and my book. When we submitted POSSESSION to editors, it sold very fast to Simon & Schuster (Simon Pulse).

Great! Readers and writers often like to get a behind the scenes peek of an author's writing routine. It would be great if you could please share your typical writing day schedule.

Elana: Oh, I don’t have a schedule. I do what I can when I can. That includes emailing myself a line or something I’ve seen on the side of the road. I’m not even kidding. However, when I’m drafting, I do try to write each night from 9 – 11 PM when my family is asleep.

Please tell us about your novel Possession and what we can expect from your characters.

Elana: My first novel is called POSSESSION, and it was released from Simon & Schuster (Simon Pulse) on June 7.

My main character, Violet, is a rule-breaking, don’t-boss-me kind of girl who isn’t afraid to get all up in your face. Most of the time. She does have a softer side too.

What's up next? Do you have another project in the works? If so, please tell us about it.

Elana: I do! S&S is interested in continuing the POSSESSION series, and a companion novel, FUGITIVE is scheduled for a June 2012 release.

Wonderful, Elana, good luck! Would you like to close with a writing tip?

Elana: My best writing tip: Allow yourself to write badly. Practice never hurt anyone.

Elana's debut novel, POSSESSION, is available from Simon & Schuster now!

She wishes she could experience her first kiss again, tell the mean girl where to shove it, and have cool superpowers like reading minds and controlling fire. To fulfill her desires, she writes young adult science fiction and fantasy.

She is the author of From the Query to the Call, an ebook that every writer needs to read before they query.

She runs a personal blog on publishing and is a founding author of the QueryTracker blog. She blogs regularly at The League of Extraordinary Writers, co-organizes WriteOnCon, and is a member of SCBWI. Visit her website, www.elanajohnson.com.