If you can remember; I did a review & giveaway for a copy of Willow (post can be seen here). I had the opportunity to do an interview with Julia Hoban and jumped on it. I didn’t wanna take up too much of her time, so I only asked a few questions. Keep reading to see what it is she had to say

Where did you get the idea for Willow? Was it from personal experience or from an outsider looking in (say, as if you were Guy)?

I got the idea for WILLOW because I wanted I wanted to write a book for all of us with self destructive urges, a book that would take one person from a place of self harm to a place of healing, and in doing so possibly make people question their own damaging behaviors. I chose to make Willow a cutter because it is a very dramatic and obvious form of self injury, but it could just as easily have been a book about overeating or doing drugs, or even something as innocent as watching too much television.  As to it being based on personal experience, I have never been a cutter, but I have certainly felt that kind of despair, that kind of isolation, that absolute inability to process feelings in an appropriate way. 

Your character “Guy”; I see in my husband. I felt like a project to him when we first got together 13 years ago; where did he come from? Is he a hero to you personally?

Guy is my husband too!!!  No really, I based the character on my husband, although I MUST stop saying this, as my husband is getting dreadfully conceited since so many people think Guy is a pretty terrific fellow! Yes, my husband is my hero, as is Guy, both of them exhibit infinite kindness.

I like how you gave it the happy ending or should I say beginning. Will the characters of Willow make another appearance in future books (as in a sort of series or is it done)?

Willow is a standalone book. You won’t be seeing the characters again. However…..In my very overactive fantasy life I imagine Willow and Guy breaking up, going off to college, but then meeting again and getting married in their late twenties. I’m quite sure that Willow becomes a writer…..

Is there any chance of this making it into a motion picture?  I think it would touch a lot of people and maybe open the eyes to some that are jaded on how deep the turmoil of teens, these days, really are. 

Fingers crossed!!!!!  Believe me, no one wants this made into a movie more than I do, well, maybe my agent, we’ll have to see…. In the meantime I’ll tell you who I think would be great in the roles: Mia Wasikowska, who was in In Treatment, and now is starring in Alice, as Willow, and Zachary Booth who plays Glen Close’s son on Damages.

Well I have to say that I would be completely stoked to see this turned into a movie. In fact I’d be there opening day. Like I said I kept it short for her cause she has to have a ton of other things to do. What she gave me in answers has helped me put my imagination to rest with Willow, especially about the book being a standalone and not the 1st of a series. Well thank you so much Julia for your time and I look forward to your future work and thanks to all Blogfully readers for coming along for the ride.