Word Out 2014

As the author of the book "Dorothy Must Die" we asked Danielle some nail biting, riveting questions. Here is what she had to say:

1. Vanilla or chocolate?

Chocolate!

 2. Why Oz?

Munchkins, and Witches and Flying monkeys, oh my! Oz is a writer’s and a reader’s dream. It’s a big sweeping, epic world that explores Good, Evil, and Loyalty.

 3. How do you feel about adding some darkness to what is traditionally seen as a "Family friendly" book series?

The gorgeous technicolor of the movie makes us forget that there has always been darkness in Oz. Look at the Flying Monkeys and the Wicked Witches. A house lands on the Wicked Witch. I just dialed it up another notch. I hope Baum wouldn’t mind too much.

 4. Other books have tried to re-write the Oz history (Wicked, etc) but you have created a whole new story line, what was the inspiration for this?

I adore Wicked and Return to Oz. I think there’s a part of me that always wondered what it would be like to get to go to Oz myself. This is as close as I’m going to get.

 The jumping off point for me was what happened to Dorothy when she returned to Kansas after her first adventure in Oz. Wouldn't she miss it? Wouldn't she want go back to that magical place where she was a hero? Out of that longing a new Dorothy began to form for me. And once she changed, everything else began to shift for me. As she turned darker, so did all of Oz.

And introducing Amy Gumm, a girl from our time who is much tougher than Dorothy was in the original story, felt like the right entry point into Oz. Her journey mirrors Dorothy’s in some ways, like finding friends and finding her strength along the way. But Amy faces a changed Oz, the other Wicked Witch is dead and Amy has to face an evil Dorothy.

 5. Why did Dorothy become so sexual and sexualized?

Dorothy’s obliterated the innocent girl that we loved in the original Oz and literally torn up the gingham dress and put it back together again with a shorter hemline and cleavage. Romance and sexuality are largely absent from the Wizard of Oz. Apart from her Wickedness though, my Dorothy has grown up. Time works differently in Oz and she is now in a kind of perpetual adolescence. And like any teen, she’s testing out her limits and finding that she has none. Only she has all the magic of Oz at her disposal. And a magical closet.

 6. What is your favourite sport? To watch and to play?

Tennis. I adore watching. There is so much poetry in two opponents facing off on the court. I love the epic rivalries like Nadal and Federer–and now Nadal and Djockovich. And epic victories like Andy Murray finally winning Wimbledon. I am a total Rafael Nadal fan. And Serena Williams! Love! As for playing, I am not a natural athlete, I need to take some lessons.

 7. Who is your favourite author?

I can never pick just one! I love the classics. Austen, Dickens, Faulkner. Right now I’m in love with Donna Tartt. And for YA, I am obsessed with Leigh Bardugo.

 8. What inspires your writing? What inspires you to write?

Everything and everyone. I find stories everywhere. I may be writing about a dystopian Oz, but real life is filled with its own magic and struggles and I try and draw from that.

 9. Have you ever wanted to make changes to a piece of writing after it has been published?

Yes, I am eternally wanting that “one last pass”. I love the way the first book turned out, but I always want a little more time with my characters. Luckily, it’s a trilogy so I get to go back to Oz.

 10. If you did not write novels, what would you be doing instead?

I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I started out in television. I absolutely love writing scripts, too. But if I had to choose something else, maybe an actor. Digging into a character, being able to tell a story from the inside out would appeal to me.