Author Interview: Estevan Vega

Hi everybody! Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Today I'm here with Estevan Vega, author of the great YA book, Arson.

~~~~~~~~~
TBP: Describe yourself in nine words.

EV: Writer. Movie-watcher. Book-reader. Concert-goer. Lady killer.

TBP: Tell us a little bit about Arson.

EV: Arson is a story about the struggle of existence. Existence as a boy, a girl, a psychotic grandmother, spouses trapped in a dysfunctional marriage, growing up...oh, and starting fires with your mind. It's got more than your average novel. Don't go into it thinking you have all the answers. Have an open mind and become a part of their world.

TBP: What inspired the idea behind Arson?

EV: Arson came from a part of me that was just fed up with dealing with life. I was seventeen, thought I had life sort of under control and figured out, and then my family gets torn apart in a matter of months, and with it, my world. I felt like a splintered piece of glass. I love the supernatural and fell in love with X-Men and Spider-man at an early age. Loved all those comic characters. I wanted to explore a similar world, but to add in my own creepy, realistic twist. Funny how much your experiences play into what you create.

TBP: What is it like to be published at so young an age?

EV: It's all I've ever known, so not sure what it'd be like if I were fifty and it happened. Stoked it happened this way, though, to be honest. When I started, my goal was to be famous before prom, so all the hot chicks would want to date me, but I wrote and published Servant of the Realm and it was just kinda there. I ended up driving to the prom in the pimp mobile- my 4runner. The GPS ended up taking my date and me through some off-road woods. I thought I stumbled into Tolkien's world. Whoa...really big tangent. But I guess to answer your question, I love being a young writer. Sure, there are the nay-sayers who are apprehensive about giving my books a shot because of my age, but they're only nay-sayers until they become converts.

TBP: There will be a sequel to Arson right? Any thoughts on a title for it yet?

EV: Of course. I think you're the thousandth person to ask me that. YES, world. Sequel's coming, and it's gonna be awesome. I've been working on it for a while. As for titles, it's likely going to start with the letter A. Get stoked. Hope to have it out sometime in 2011. Check http://www.estevanvega.com/ often for updates.

TBP: Both Arson and Emery are from very dysfunctional families. If it isn't too personal, was any of that based on your own experiences?

EV: Um...yeah. Out of my three novels, Arson is the most personal I've ever gotten. I felt it was really important for this story to explore the root of humanity, love, and the world. For me, that meant striking close to home so the story could feel realistic. Plus, it helped me get through some of the hardest years of my life.

TBP: If you could be any superhero, who would it be and why? Any supervillian?

EV: I loved Wolverine and Spider-man as a kid, and I think they're still my favorite. Wolverine's a badass. And Spider-man gets to kiss chicks upside down without feeling the need to vomit or for his head to explode. Oh, and the fact he can swing from tall buildings helps.

TBP: Who is another author that you would love to co-write a book with?

EV: Ted Dekker. Robert Liparulo. Richard Matheson. I'd say it'd be fun to write a book with King too, but I feel like in the thousand-paged epic he'd write I'd be lucky to get a sentence in. Matheson, though, is the freakin man. He's written so much killer stuff in his lifetime, one of which is I am Legend, that it'd be an honor to write something with him. Liparulo is just plain awesome and a friend of mine. And I think Ted Dekker's audience and my audience are very similar. I'd be down to write a book with any of them.

TBP: What is it that you want most out of life?

EV: Love. Family. Lots of books that I've written that you've read.

TBP: Anything else you'd like to add?

EV: Go read Arson, and then spread the fuego! Sequel's comin, amigos!
-E

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Estevan, for letting me interview you. I hope all of you enjoyed getting to learn more about Estevan and his YA book, Arson. If you want to know more about Arson, you can read my Review.

Thanks for stopping by everyone and remember, I luvs reading your comments. :D