Word Out 2012

We had questions, and Ally Carter was kind enough to provide us with some great answers! 

The topic: her sensational novel, Uncommon Criminals which is our featured fiction work of the week. If you loved the book like we did the following questions should capture your interest and also give you a sneak peak for what Ally has in store for us in her next Heist Society novel…Perfect Scoundrels.

Q: As the title implies, Katarina Bishop is not your regular criminal, nor does she commit crimes for the usual reasons. How did you come up with the idea for such an unlikely yet captivating heroine?

Ally: Thank you!  The idea actually came to me when I was listening to an audiobook that had the line “I was like a cat burglar in my own house”.  Instantly, I knew I had to write a book about a girl named Kat who was a burglar.  That was the origin, but I knew that to be a loveable heroine she had to do these bad things for good reasons.  I’ve always been fascinated with the story of lost Holocaust art, and I thought that the best way to steal something would be to re-steal and what better items to go after than those that were originally stolen by the Nazis.

Q: In the early stages of the book Gabrielle suggests Kat plans and executes elaborate thefts for the thrill of the heist itself. However, it also seems she has a strong and moral sense of self belief, and her choice of heists indicates she is interested in correcting previous wrongdoings. How much would you say the exhilaration provided by the jobs themselves factor into Katarina’s decision to continue to be a teenage thief?

Ally: Kat is absolutely driven by her desire to do the right thing and recover these lost pieces, but how she goes about it… Well, there is something to be said for the thrill of the chase.  When Uncommon Criminals begins Kat is on a very hot streak.  She’s pulled some good jobs and, frankly, she’s gotten a little lucky (and cocky).  This is the story of her getting taken town a notch and figuring out exactly what makes her special.

Q: Do you believe in curses such as the one rumored to be associated with the Cleopatra Emerald?

Ally: Oh, I don’t believe in them, but I do think there are some great ones out there.  When I first started researching the famous gems of the world, that was one of the things that struck me—how many of them come with amazing stories and legends and…yes…curses.  And I knew that was one of the things that had to make the Cleopatra Emerald one of the most famous emeralds in Kat’s world.

Q: Kat begins her story with a solo art heist in Moscow, which Hale critiques her about for doing alone. At this stage in the book would you say Kat is being too reckless and overconfident? It seems near the end of Uncommon Criminals Kat develops a greater appreciation for her friends and the talents that they collectively bring to the table.

Ally: Yes.  That is absolutely Kat’s arc for this book, realizing exactly how important her family and friends are for both her “career” and her life.

Q: Has your research uncovered that there actually are families of thieves that are separate from organized crime syndicates? Are large scale cons and plots orchestrated by such families more common than we think?

Ally: Well, I don’t know how accurate my research is, but from what I can gather con/thief families are very much like the one depicted in the book.  Many people forget that aside from Kat and her cousin, uncle, and father the members of Kat’s family don’t actually share any blood.  It is very much the family that you choose, and that (I believe) is how it works in the real world.

Q: How did you become interested in the world of large scale thefts and cons? Was there a particular historical event, movie or other inspiration that piqued your interest in this subject?

Ally: I’ve always been interested in this genre, ever since I first watched THE STING with my father when I was a kid.  There’s just something so fun about a heist story—people being smart and sly and clever.  It is probably my favorite genre for film, and I had to wonder why it isn’t done much in books.  I’m trying very hard to change that.

Q: Do you plan on writing another Heist Society novel? If so do you have a timeline for its release, or a planned setting that would make for the perfect heist?

Ally: Yes!  I actually just finished Heist Society 3 today!  It’s called PERFECT SCOUNDRELS and it should be available everywhere on February 5, 2013.

Q: A common undercurrent throughout your book seems to be the relationship between Hale and Kat. Will their mutual interest in one another see more focus in your next Heist Society novel?

Ally: Perfect Scoundrels is definitely the most Kat-Hale-centric novel yet.  I’m very pleased with how it turned out and I can’t wait to see how readers react to the changes in their relationship and all the troubles and triumphs that come with it.

Huge thanks to Ally Carter for gettin' down to the details with our questions!  We can't wait for Perfect Scoundrels! 

Here's the trailer for Uncommon Criminals:

and the first of the series, Heist Society: