Rookie Wednesday: Dina Nayeri, co-author of Another Faust

This week's newbie author is Dina Nayeri Viergutz, co-author of Another Faust which was officially released last Tuesday!

What's one random tidbit about yourself?

I have a tattoo.

What were you doing the moment you found out that Another Faust had sold?

Well, there was more than just one moment because first you have the moment when the first offer comes in, and then you put the book on auction and have the closing day. But for all the major moments, I happened to be watching TV with my husband.

What's the best book that you've read over the past six months?

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie.

Was the process of writing and publishing your first novel what you expected it to be?

Not at all. Daniel and I had to relearn everything we knew about writing in order to work together. When you write alone, the process is so different, so solitary, and you don’t have to please anyone else. With this book, we had to fulfill both of our visions and we’re very different in terms of working style. We got into a lot of sibling spats. Here’s a video of one of them! But in the end, it was good because we learned how to work with each other, and how to meld two sets of ideas into one really great work!

http://www.danielanddina.com/site/2009/04/daniel-and-dina-co-writing-madness/

What has it been like writing with your sibling?

Wonderful. Again, I point you to the video. I’ve learned a lot from our many many MANY fights. Most importantly, I’ve learned how to win tiny, unimportant concessions, and how to grind tranquilizers into Daniel’s food. :)

Give us one embarrassing author moment:

My shiny face at our BEA book signing. I wish someone had told me to bring powder!!

What would you most like potential readers to know about you and/or your book?

Well, the cover is very sexy and even though we have a really awesome story, this is actually a very smart book that works on many levels. It’s full of satire and literary references and metaphor. There are many levels on which you can understand the book. We hope smart kids don’t turn away because of the sexy cover :)

List 3-5 characters from The Hollow and do word associations.

Valentin – Liar
Christian – Thief
Victoria – Cheater
Bice – Traveler

What's your favorite thing about Another Faust?

I love the epigraphs before every chapter. I personally fought for them to stay, and they’re cryptic and mysterious and cool. They span the ages and some of them take some thought to figure out. In fact, some of them are famous people in history whom we have not named because we want YOU to figure out who they are. They add a level of mystery and creepiness to the novel that challenges the reader’s imagination, and I love that.

What projects do you have in the pipeline?

Our second book, Another Pan, is coming out a year after the first. It takes place at the Marlowe School with some of the same characters. Our entire series, ANOTHER SERIES is focused on retelling classics in a cool modern way in the Marlowe School. So right now, as we’re finishing Another Pan and starting to conceptualize our third book, we’re reading some of our favorites for inspiration!

Any final comments?

Come to our website and tell us what you think of the book! And we’d love to hear what classic works you think we should retell: http://www.anotherfaust.com

Thanks for the great interview Dina!

Another Faust synopsis from Amazon.com:

A devilish debut by a brother-sister team invites us into the world of the elite Marlowe School, where some gifted students are having a hell of a year.

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the sideeffects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary reimagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

Visit Dina and Daniel's website for more info about them and their work.

Check out the book's trailer!