Pen Friends, Welcome YA Author Lorie Langdon as she talks about her new book, Olivia Twist, an historical retelling of a loved classic! 

SP: Congrats on your latest release, Olivia Twist!

Thanks so much!

SP: Can you tell us how you got the idea?

Like all the best stories, this one began when I was a child. After my Grandma took me to see a rerelease of the movie musical Oliver!, I became obsessed with the story and would sit in my room and listen to the double album soundtrack for hours, making up new stories about the characters. In my favorite daydream, Oliver had been born a girl and was disguising her true gender as a safety measure. This way, I could imagine myself as the heroine of the story and the Artful Dodger as the hero. In my childhood fantasies, the two would have endless adventures and eventually fall in love and escape from poverty. I blame this train of thought on the actor Jack Wild, who played Dodger in the film and became my first celebrity crush! 

As a teen, I devoured every bit of historical fiction I could get my hands on, including the classic Dickens’ novel, Oliver Twist. I quickly realized two things: The Artful Dodger was not the hero I’d envisioned, and the film had missed a major character; Oliver’s half-brother, the villainous Monks. When I began writing my own books, the dynamic duo of Jack and Olivia would not leave me alone, and a mash-up of the original novel and the film began to solidify in my mind.

SP: How long did it take you write Olivia Twist?

I began the first draft of Olivia Twist in 2011. I continued to work on it in-between writing the DOON Series and finally finished it in 2013. Sadly, the young adult publishing world wasn’t ready for a historical novel without steampunk elements or vampires, so I received rejection after rejection. But I didn’t give up hope. After four years of being on submission to publishers, it sold to Blink YA Books. Now, it is receiving strong reviews and is my first book to be sold in Target stores across the US!

SP: The ever popular DOON series (who’s rights recently sold to a TV studio!) is also a retelling of Brigadoon. Do you think retellings are your thing?

I really do love writing retellings. I wrote a YA thriller, GILT HOLLOW, which is a contemporary mystery with all original characters. (Gilt Hollow just released on audiobook!) But I do enjoy reinventing classic stories and giving those characters fresh life for a new generation.

I’m currently working on a top secret spin-off of Olivia Twist that features the orphan leader Brit a few years in the future, and it is a retelling of sorts.

SP: Do you see any parts of yourself in Olivia?

Like Olivia, I’ve learned that perseverance is the key to accomplishing my goals. Despite the constraints that society puts on females of her time, Olivia finds ways to overcome obstacles in order to help others. Her selflessness actually inspires me to want to be a better person!

SP: When writing and crafting Jack- did you have a person we might know in mind?

I did have a physical character model for him…the actor Matt Lanter. You might know him from Timeless or the remake of 90210. The characters I’ve seen him play have that indefinable rakish quality that fits perfectly for The Artful Dodger. Not to mention he has the straight dark hair, ice blue eyes, dashing smile of Jack!

SP: If Olivia and Jack were living today, which cause do you think they would go after?

Child hunger and homelessness for sure! It isn’t an epidemic in the U.S. as it was in Victorian England, but nevertheless, they would fight to eradicate it!

SP: Now, fun stuff — if you could be any character in Olivia Twist, which one would you be?

Of course, Olivia! Because Jack… ;-D

SP: You will also travel to Asia to do an International Writing Workshop — which part are you most excited about? Teaching? Exploring?

I have a heart for educating and encouraging aspiring authors, so the workshop is what drew me originally. But now, I can’t wait to meet readers and writers at our various visits in China! The exploration is the icing on the cake!!

SP:  In May, you will also help judge a Travel Writing Contest in which the winner can win a free trip to TIBET! And last year you were in Ireland– so, what is your DREAM adventure and where and if you could take one fictional character with you, who would it be?

Oh my, that’s a tough question…so many possibilities! I think I would chose to visit Alloway, Scotland and the real Brig o’ doon with Vee and Kenna. We’d stay at Aunt Gracie’s cottage (which is based on an actual cottage you can rent there), visit Poet’s Corner Coffee shop for cinnamon hot chocolate, and perhaps find our way to the mythical kingdom to meet a couple of kilt-wearing princes!

SP: That sounds soooo nice. Can I come?

Thank you, Lorie!!

 

Nova, signing off!