Meet the author

Meet Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare is the bestselling author of the 'Mortal Instruments' series. Her latest book Clockwork Angel, is the first of the 'Infernal Devices' series and is a prequel to 'Mortal Instruments'.

In Clockwork Angel, 16-year-old orphan Tessa Fell’s quiet life is thrown into turmoil when her older brother Nathaniel vanishes. Tessa's search for him leads her into London's dangerous underworld, where warlocks throw masked balls for half-demon Downworlders and supernatural folk stalk the gas-lit streets. Clockwork Angel will be released 31 August.

Good Reading talked to Cassandra about her new book and the Shadowhunter world:

Do you think after the 'Infernal Devices' trilogy and The City of Fallen Angels you will move away from the Shadowhunter world?

That’s hard to say. It depends what idea grips me at the time. One of the things I enjoy about writing in the Shadowhunter world is that it’s so flexible. I can write from the point of view of a Shadowhunter, a werewolf, a mermaid, or an ordinary human being and have it still be part of the Shadowhunter world. I could write a Gothic mystery set in the American South and touching on voodoo and have it be part of the Shadowhunter world. On the other hand, I’ve always liked the idea of writing high fantasy in a world that’s not our own, so there’s always the chance I’ll want to do that.

What inspires you to come up with new ideas for your stories?

Everything. Songs, books, overheard snatches of dialogue, newspaper stories, bits of history or personal stories people tell me. It’s all grist for the mill.

Did you spend a lot of time in London researching the setting of Clockwork Angel?

Yes, over the course of two years I travelled there two or three times every year, each time bringing with me a list of research questions and locations I needed to visit. You haven’t gotten lost till you’ve tried to navigate the streets of the city of London using a map printed in 1868.

You use a fair bit of steampunk technology in Clockwork Angel. Are you interested in writing a pure steampunk novel in the future?

I just finished writing a pure steampunk story for an anthology called Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories which is coming out from Candlewick Books this fall.  It’s a love story, and also involves flying airships and creepy mechanical talking dolls. Between that and Infernal Devices I may be steampunked out for the moment.

How did you go from being an aspiring writer to a published one? What tips can you give to young writers trying to get published?

My road to publication story is very dull. I met my agent (Barry Goldblatt) because he represented a friend of mine, and she introduced us, and told him I was writing a book that so far she was enjoying — that was City of Bones. He gave me his card, and I queried him, and he took me on as a client in early 2004. He helped me shape and polish the book for submission, and then we submitted it in late 2004, and Simon and Schuster offered on it and bought it in early 2005. So from finding an agent to landing a book deal took about a year. Then another two years for the book to be published. Publishing is slow!

As for advice, first I have a whole compendium of writing advice on my website:

Second, I abide by the famous Writer Mantra: BICHOK. It stands for Butt in Chair. Hands on Keyboard. It means write every day, set yourself goals (I will write 500 words every day) and stick to them, don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Writing is hard work.  As Leonard Bernstein said: 'Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time. The wait is simply too long.'

You and Holly Black are friends. Will you ever co-write a story together?

We just finished co-writing a story called 'The Perfect Dinner Party' for an anthology of young adult vampire stories called Teeth. Look for it next year!

You’ve mentioned in previous interviews that you like to write in cafes and restaurants. Has the success of the ‘Mortal Instruments’ series made it difficult to stay anonymous?

Nobody knows what writers look like! The only time I have ever been recognized is once when I did a TV appearance in Ireland and then flew out that afternoon, the woman patting me down for weapons at security recognized me from television.

You make a lot of references to classical literature and poetry in Clockwork Angel. How do you find the right poem or reference to suit each chapter? Are they ones you’ve read before or did you make a point of researching specifically for the novel?

One of the reasons I wanted to set a book during the Victorian period was because I love the literature and poetry of that period. Whenever I come across a quote from a poem or a book that I like, I write it down. So I was able to pull most of the quotes and references from my notes.

We get to meet some exciting new characters in Clockwork Angel. I’m particularly fond of Henry, whose bumbling nature is really quite endearing. If you had to choose, who would be your favourite new character?

I would say my favorite new character is probably Jem — he’s such a contrast to Will, in that he’s very transparent, good-hearted and good-natured. Despite this terrible thing that happened to him in the past he’s determined to carry on and is probably the most optimistic of all the characters. Wheras Will’s past trauma has left him very dark. Henry is also a lot of fun to write — any character who comes to dinner with his clothes on fire and doesn’t notice is a treat to write.

If you were going to be a type of Downworlder, which would you be? Why?

Oh, probably a warlock — I’m very keen on the eternal life issue, who wouldn’t want to live forever, but the only other option there is becoming a vampire and blood makes me feel faint!