1. Were any of your characters based on real people you knew? Is there anyone in particular that inspires you the most when you write?
My characters may start out as people I know, but then they turn into themselves, and I forget who they started off as.

2. Was Zane’s death always planned?
No, because Zane wasn’t planned. He started off as just the leader of the Crims, someone for Tally to impress. But then they hit it off . . .

3. When you first started writing the series, did you imagine it going in the direction that it did? Or was it going to turn out completely different? What could have happened?
Lot’s of things were different. For example, when I outlined the series, I didn’t know about Special Circumstances. But then they appeared early in Book 1, and that changed everything, obviously.

4. What is your favorite piece of technology that you have invented for the series, and why?
I wouldn’t say that I invented very much. Hoverboards have been around a while, but that’s what I’d most want. I guess the water purifier/heater is the most original thing. It certainly would make travel in the wilderness much easier.

5. Were Tally’s experiences as a teenager inspired by yours in some way?
I did climb a lot of stuff, and I think that was about becoming bubbly.

6. Do you have any favorite actors for the roles? Tally, Shay, David…
I think they should all be unknowns, because we all know that movie stars are PRETTY. But maybe Tilda Swinton for Dr. Cable.

7. Which of your characters were most difficult to develop? Conversely, which did you feel came the most naturally?
The Uglies characters all came to me pretty easily. In my new series, Leviathan, the main girl character, Deryn, came to me easily as well. She’s a bit like Tally in that she’s tough, ornery, and likes to fly. But Alek (the boy character in Leviathan) was a bit trickier, because he starts out the series quite sad. (But he gets better.)

8. Have you always wanted to be a science fiction writer? If not, what else did you imagine yourself doing?
I think it would be fun to design games for a living. I was a software designer briefly, and that was kind of cool.

9. What has been your favorite experience as an author?
Two things:
1) The part where I have no idea what’s going to happen next, and it’s driving me crazy, and then suddenly it comes to me.
2) Meeting you guys when I get to go on tour!

A huge thank you to Scott Westerfeld for letting us interview him!