Author on the Grill: Interview With Vanessa Garden Captivate Tour

You can read my review of Captivate by clicking here.

Captivate was a brilliant read that will transport readers into the dangerous, yet brilliant underwater world of Marin. When I had the opportunity to ask Vanessa to guest post, of course I jumped at the chance.

How the idea for Miranda's story come about?

Answer:

The first vision I had was of Miranda and Marko in a beautiful garden under glittering lights. I knew they were somewhere different, somewhere foreign, and from this one scene, the rest of the story unfolded. I knew right away that Miranda was facing issues in her real life that she'd rather run from. And also, from this scene, I could sense that she was afraid to love, that she'd lost loved ones in the past and therefore was afraid to form new relationships of any kind. In a strange way, it all unfolded rather organically after that.

What made you decide to set Miranda's story underwater?

Answer:

I liked the idea of Miranda being whisked away to a magical underwater city, where she might think at first (despite the new obstacles she faces) that she can escape all the issues she's been having with her sister and herself. Instead, Miranda's new situation, her captivity in the city of Marin, actually allows her to see the fractured relationship with her sister in a new light. She finds hidden layers within herself she never knew about, grows in confidence, and this changes how Miranda sees herself in the world.

How did the character of Marko come about?

Answer:

Marko, along with Miranda, appeared fully formed in that very first scene. He was the one character throughout writing Captivate whose motives never changed once. He was my favourite to write. He was so conflicted by what 'must be done' and what he wanted to do, that every scene he was in held some kind of conflict, making him very interesting to write.

What elements of Robbie's character did you enjoy writing most?

Answer:

Robbie's internal conflict. He is strong in a physical sense, and yet beneath all that muscle lies a deeply sensitive soul. It eats him up inside that he was the one who dragged Miranda from the sea and brought her to Marin. But it was his loyalty to Marko that caused him to carry it out. As his friendship with Miranda develops, poor Robbie is twisted up inside with guilt. He keeps trying to justify his actions, but in the end feels sickened by what he has done to this innocent, broken girl.

Who is your favourite secondary character from Captivate?

Answer:

It would have to be Damir. I love his psychoticness and the fact that he has this obsession with mermaids that formed in childhood from a story his grandfather told him. There is so much back story behind why he is the man he is and I loved exploring that while writing him. There is a lot more of Damir in book 2 (which I completed recently), and it has been so much fun working with a character who doesn't have your average aspirations.

Thanks for having me, Kelly.

About the author

A bookseller and Young Adult author, Vanessa loves nothing more than immersing herself in the exciting world of books. When she is not raving about her favourite reads with customers, or mentally casting actors to play the characters in her next novel, she enjoys hanging out with those she loves most.

You can find Vanessa via her Blog or follow her on Twitter