“Would You Rather” Blog Tour: The Conjurer’s Riddle

Today we’re a stop on the blog tour for THE CONJURER’S RIDDLE by Andrea Cremer. We’ve got a great interview and “Would You Rather?” round with the author below. Make sure you check out the other stops on the tour, where you can read guest posts, interviews, and even enter to win your own copy.

In this sequel to The Inventor’s Secret, Charlotte and her companions escape the British Empire, but they haven’t left danger behind. In fact, if they go against the revolutionaries, they face even greater peril.

Charlotte leads her group of exiles west, plunging into a wild world of shady merchants and surly rivermen on the way to New Orleans. But as Charlotte learns more about the revolution she has championed, she wonders if she’s on the right side after all. Charlotte and her friends get to know the mystical New Orleans bayou and deep into the shadowy tunnels below the city–the den of criminals, assassins and pirates–Charlotte must decide if the revolution’s goals justify their means, or if some things, like the lives of her friends, are too sacred to sacrifice.

This alternate-history adventure series asks the questions: What would have happened if America had lost the Revolutionary War? And what would people be willing to do to finally taste freedom?

Questions with Andrea Cremer:

What inspired you to write The Inventor’s Secret and The Conjurer’s Riddle?

Two very different sources of inspiration lead to this series. The first: my background as an historian. Before becoming a full-time writer I was a history professor and my area of specialization was early American history. One of the most pivotal pieces of that time period is (obviously) the American Revolution. I became fascinated by the idea of what would happen if that singular piece was removed. What would fill the vacuum? How would history be changed? How would the idea of liberty and revolution be changed?

The second was a trip to the optometrist. During that exam, the doctor used this insanely antiquated (at least it looked that way) contraption that he pulled down in front of my face. It was brass and cover in levers and switches and lenses that flipped. I couldn’t believe such a device was still in use in the 21^st century – it reminded me of something that belonged in a mad scientist’s lair. And suddenly I wanted to write about lots of things that belonged in a mad scientist’s lair. Steampunk offered the perfect opportunity!

If you could have lunch with one of the characters from The Inventor’s Secret or The Conjurer’s Riddle, who would it be and why?

I’d have lunch with Linnet. She’s my favorite character in the series – a spy, a con-artist, and an incredibly resourceful person. Not only would there be witty banter at the table, but she’d also have all the juiciest gossip, and offer great tips for sleuthing.

Would You Rather…?

Would you rather live in our modern world or Charlotte’s fictional world?

The modern world, mostly because of medical advances and women’s rights. In Charlotte’s world women couldn’t own property nor could they vote or hold political office. Also, if you’re wounded it’s not the injury that’s likely to kill you, but an infection that can’t be treated because no one knows how.

Would you rather be an author or an inventor? 

I think authors are inventors, because we create worlds. In THE INVENTOR’S SECRET trilogy I was also able to invent lots of nifty gadgets and weapons.

Would you rather lead a revolution or live unhappily in a world with peace?

It depends. Why am I unhappy? Am I unhappy because the peace only exists due to a totalitarian regime? If so, I pick revolution. But if I’m unhappy just because I think peace is boring, I need to get over myself and find a hobby.

Would you rather be invisible or be in love with someone who is invisible to everyone but you?

I would rather be in love with someone who was invisible to everyone but me (maybe this is why I wrote Elizabeth’s POV in INVISIBLITY!). The burden of invisibility isn’t something I would handle well. When people pick invisibility as the super power they’d want to have, I’ve never understood why.

Would you rather have the ability to change the past or see the future?

Change the past. When it comes to seeing the future I have an OEDIPUS attitude – trying to avoid a prophecy only makes you inadvertently fulfill it.

Would you rather have one of your books turned into a bad movie adaptation or have no movie at all? 

This might seem strange, but I’d pick the bad movie adaptation. Here’s why: even a bad movie is an incredible advertisement for your book, it will bring more readers to your book than any other type of advertising could. And despite the bad film at least people will know the book was good once they’ve read it (I hope!!!) One more thing: a bad movie isn’t always the final word. Take Buffy the Vampire Slavery (my all-time fave tv show). The movie adaptation was terrible, but the tv show was amazing. There can be new incarnations of a book-adaptation after the bad movie.

Would you rather be an author and never read another book or read as many books as you’d like but never write again?

Who are you? Why are you doing this to me??? *jumps through window, shattering glass *runs away*

Thank you to Andrea for her great answers! Make sure to check out the rest of the blog tour:

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