Catching up with ‘THE 100’ author Kass Morgan


Today, Olivia is chatting with Kass Morgan about her debut novel, THE 100, now a hit show on CW!

 

The 100 coverIn the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth’s toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland… before it’s too late.

Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they’ve only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they’re haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust – and even love – again.


Olivia with YA­Mag: Kass, welcome to the Young Adult Magazine!  We’re here today talking about your novel THE 100, which premiered March 19th as a hit new show of the same name on CW!

Kass MorganYA: So let’s talk about how you met your protagonists!  Who was the first to start talking: Clarke, Glass, Bellamy, or Wells?  What stood out about each to you?

Kass Morgan: Hello, Olivia! I love this question because characters definitely “talk” to authors, albeit in very different ways. For instance, I could always hear Bellamy’s voice in my head. He’s a brash, cocky character who takes pride in telling it like it is. In fact, whenever I wrote a line in his POV that didn’t quite ring true, I could practically hear him sniggering. That’s how I knew when a passage needed some more work, because I could sense my character mocking me.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have a character like Clarke who keeps her cards so close to the vest that it takes some time to figure out what’s really going on inside her head. As a writer, it was both fascinating and challenging to sort through all the layers as I tried to distinguish between what she says, what she thinks, and what she feels—all different things when you have terrible secrets and major trust issues.

However, Clarke was actually the first character to emerge when I started sketching out the story. I was struck by the heartbreaking irony of her situation—how her parents were killed for knowing too much about Earth, and then, as punishment, their daughter becomes the first person to set foot on the planet in 300 years.

 

YA: What made these teenagers stand out as “the” characters to follow as opposed to any of the 90 or so others?  What about THE 100 makes their different takes a necessary piece of the puzzle?

KM: The four POV characters are driven by incredibly strong motivations.  While the other 96 kids had no idea they were being sent to Earth, the main characters either took desperate measures to join the mission, or risked their lives to escape. This distinction gives them a bit more agency than the other characters, and raises the stakes. The reader knows why they got themselves arrested and sent to radioactive planet (or at least, the reader thinks she knows . . .) which, I hope, makes it easier to feel invested in their journey.

 

The 100 quoteYA: What sets Clarke and crew’s story apart from other YA sci-fi tales, like the ACROSS THE UNIVERSE series by Beth Revis or Pamela Sargent’s EARTHSEED series?

KM: I haven’t read EARTHSEED but I’m a fan of Beth’s! A big difference between THE 100 and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is that my characters are all criminals who’ve been sent to Earth because they’re viewed as expendable—kind of like the British sending convicts to colonize Australia.

It’s interesting, because although the premise is somewhat fantastical, the characters’ lives aren’t so removed from that of my readers. Contemporary teens are under a great deal of pressure to succeed, but are also placed under enormous scrutiny. They might not have bracelets transmitting their vital signs, but everything else in their lives is monitored, analyzed, and criticized. I think that’s part of the fun of THE 100, as once the kids land on Earth, they’re completely on their own. No adults. No one to tell them what to do.  It’s Lord of the Flies, but with sexier characters and more skinny dipping.

 

YA:  What non-­book influences helped spark THE 100’s story?  Any specific songs or shows?
KM: LOST was a huge influence, obviously, and there are shades of everything from Battlestar Galactica to The Walking Dead. I’m not sure how much I was influenced by music, but I did write much of THE 100 while listening to the Mumford & Sons album, Babel, and played “Below My Feet” over and over again. I love that song so much, and while I probably completely misinterpreted it, to me, it feels like it’s about inherited memory, and the stories that might be stored in the world around us.

 

YA: THE 100 only hit shelves last September but it already has its own television series.  How was the fast pace turn-around for you?  What has been the biggest positive for you about getting a tv series and what has been the most difficult?
KM: It’s been crazy! After the show was announced, the publication date for Book 2 was moved up and I had to go into insane writing lockdown. At one point, the barista at my favorite coffee shop threatened to cut me off. She claims it’s not healthy to have five shots of espresso in one day.

It’s incredibly exciting, though, and there’s nothing more surreal than seeing your characters walking and talking like real people! I’ve been watching the show with a group of friends every week, and it’s been tons of fun watching them react. I had no idea they’d be so invested in something that came out of my twisted imagination!

 

YA: It has been a long time coming for great new sci-fi shows and books.  In fact, sci-fi is experiencing an upswing in YA right now.  What was your path to publication like in the pre-sci-fi craze and working with Alloy Entertainment?

KM: Working with Alloy is a dream. They approached me with the seed of an idea (100 juvenile delinquents sent to Earth hundreds of years after nuclear war) then let me run with it. I created a cast of characters, then came up with fun ways to get them into trouble. I don’t think any of us ever said “we think sci-fi’s going to be the next big thing.” We’re just all big nerds who grew up reading sci-fi and loving shows like Battlestar Galactica.

 

YA: What is the story behind the title THE 100?

KM: Alloy’s creative team came up with title really early in the process, and even as the story grew and developed, THE 100 continued to work. We were really lucky in that regard.

 

YA: Coming next from you is the sequel, DAY 21.  Without any spoilers of course, what do readers have to look forward to in that next installment?  Will the CW show follow similar plot-lines or organically follow its own path?

KM: The show and the books diverge pretty early, which makes sense given the strengths of the different mediums.  And it’s good, because this way, no one will see any of the twists in DAY 21 coming! There’s a reveal at the end that’s so shocking, I didn’t even know if I could write it. But it’s in there now, and I can’t wait to hear what readers think about it.

 

YA: I usually ask authors about who they would cast for their Dream Film but you have a cast already!  So, instead, if you could choose a new medium up next for THE 100, which would you want and why?

KM: How about a musical? After watching the first episode of the show, I’m desperate to write a song called “We’re back, bitches!”

YA: Do you have a pet project you’re working on?

KM: Right now, my pet project is catching up on sleep! Then, I want to watch all the shows I’ve lied about having seen. (I was too embarrassed to admit that I’d never watched Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, or House of Cards.) And after that, I’m going to do my laundry. One can only keep buying new socks before it’s time to admit there’s a flaw in the system.

 

YA: Last one!  If you could spend one day with Clarke and crew, what would you do together?  What words of wisdom would you want to share with the gang while you visited?

KM: I don’t think I’d have any words of wisdom; they seem to know more than I do! Between the four of them, my POV characters can perform surgery, hunt mutant deer, build cabins, and have lots of secret love affairs. I should probably ask them for their time management tips!  

 

YA: Thank you very much, Kass! And once more from all of us at YA Mag, congratulations on all your success with THE 100!  We hope to see a lot more from you in the future!

KM: Thanks so much!


~*~

 

Readers, be sure to check out Kass Morgan at alloyentertainment.com/authors/kass-morgan.  Or follow her on Twitter @KassMorganBooks.

 

THE 100, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, is available at your favorite retailers and local independent bookstores!  Watch THE 100 on CW Wednesdays at 9pm EST!

 

Olivia Hennis is a transplanted New England girl dropped by a tornado into the magical Land of Jersey.  For more info, follow her on Twitter @OliviaHennis.

 

 

 

 

 

 


the-100-kass-morgan

Today, Olivia is chatting with Kass Morgan about her debut novel, THE 100, now a hit show on CW!

 

The 100 coverIn the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth’s toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland… before it’s too late.

Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they’ve only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they’re haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust – and even love – again.


Olivia with YA­Mag: Kass, welcome to the Young Adult Magazine!  We’re here today talking about your novel THE 100, which premiered March 19th as a hit new show of the same name on CW!

Kass MorganYA: So let’s talk about how you met your protagonists!  Who was the first to start talking: Clarke, Glass, Bellamy, or Wells?  What stood out about each to you?

Kass Morgan: Hello, Olivia! I love this question because characters definitely “talk” to authors, albeit in very different ways. For instance, I could always hear Bellamy’s voice in my head. He’s a brash, cocky character who takes pride in telling it like it is. In fact, whenever I wrote a line in his POV that didn’t quite ring true, I could practically hear him sniggering. That’s how I knew when a passage needed some more work, because I could sense my character mocking me.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have a character like Clarke who keeps her cards so close to the vest that it takes some time to figure out what’s really going on inside her head. As a writer, it was both fascinating and challenging to sort through all the layers as I tried to distinguish between what she says, what she thinks, and what she feels—all different things when you have terrible secrets and major trust issues.

However, Clarke was actually the first character to emerge when I started sketching out the story. I was struck by the heartbreaking irony of her situation—how her parents were killed for knowing too much about Earth, and then, as punishment, their daughter becomes the first person to set foot on the planet in 300 years.

 

YA: What made these teenagers stand out as “the” characters to follow as opposed to any of the 90 or so others?  What about THE 100 makes their different takes a necessary piece of the puzzle?

KM: The four POV characters are driven by incredibly strong motivations.  While the other 96 kids had no idea they were being sent to Earth, the main characters either took desperate measures to join the mission, or risked their lives to escape. This distinction gives them a bit more agency than the other characters, and raises the stakes. The reader knows why they got themselves arrested and sent to radioactive planet (or at least, the reader thinks she knows . . .) which, I hope, makes it easier to feel invested in their journey.

 

The 100 quoteYA: What sets Clarke and crew’s story apart from other YA sci-fi tales, like the ACROSS THE UNIVERSE series by Beth Revis or Pamela Sargent’s EARTHSEED series?

KM: I haven’t read EARTHSEED but I’m a fan of Beth’s! A big difference between THE 100 and ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is that my characters are all criminals who’ve been sent to Earth because they’re viewed as expendable—kind of like the British sending convicts to colonize Australia.

It’s interesting, because although the premise is somewhat fantastical, the characters’ lives aren’t so removed from that of my readers. Contemporary teens are under a great deal of pressure to succeed, but are also placed under enormous scrutiny. They might not have bracelets transmitting their vital signs, but everything else in their lives is monitored, analyzed, and criticized. I think that’s part of the fun of THE 100, as once the kids land on Earth, they’re completely on their own. No adults. No one to tell them what to do.  It’s Lord of the Flies, but with sexier characters and more skinny dipping.

 

YA:  What non-­book influences helped spark THE 100’s story?  Any specific songs or shows?
KM: LOST was a huge influence, obviously, and there are shades of everything from Battlestar Galactica to The Walking Dead. I’m not sure how much I was influenced by music, but I did write much of THE 100 while listening to the Mumford & Sons album, Babel, and played “Below My Feet” over and over again. I love that song so much, and while I probably completely misinterpreted it, to me, it feels like it’s about inherited memory, and the stories that might be stored in the world around us.

 

YA: THE 100 only hit shelves last September but it already has its own television series.  How was the fast pace turn-around for you?  What has been the biggest positive for you about getting a tv series and what has been the most difficult?
KM: It’s been crazy! After the show was announced, the publication date for Book 2 was moved up and I had to go into insane writing lockdown. At one point, the barista at my favorite coffee shop threatened to cut me off. She claims it’s not healthy to have five shots of espresso in one day.

It’s incredibly exciting, though, and there’s nothing more surreal than seeing your characters walking and talking like real people! I’ve been watching the show with a group of friends every week, and it’s been tons of fun watching them react. I had no idea they’d be so invested in something that came out of my twisted imagination!

 

YA: It has been a long time coming for great new sci-fi shows and books.  In fact, sci-fi is experiencing an upswing in YA right now.  What was your path to publication like in the pre-sci-fi craze and working with Alloy Entertainment?

KM: Working with Alloy is a dream. They approached me with the seed of an idea (100 juvenile delinquents sent to Earth hundreds of years after nuclear war) then let me run with it. I created a cast of characters, then came up with fun ways to get them into trouble. I don’t think any of us ever said “we think sci-fi’s going to be the next big thing.” We’re just all big nerds who grew up reading sci-fi and loving shows like Battlestar Galactica.

 

YA: What is the story behind the title THE 100?

KM: Alloy’s creative team came up with title really early in the process, and even as the story grew and developed, THE 100 continued to work. We were really lucky in that regard.

 

YA: Coming next from you is the sequel, DAY 21.  Without any spoilers of course, what do readers have to look forward to in that next installment?  Will the CW show follow similar plot-lines or organically follow its own path?

KM: The show and the books diverge pretty early, which makes sense given the strengths of the different mediums.  And it’s good, because this way, no one will see any of the twists in DAY 21 coming! There’s a reveal at the end that’s so shocking, I didn’t even know if I could write it. But it’s in there now, and I can’t wait to hear what readers think about it.

 

YA: I usually ask authors about who they would cast for their Dream Film but you have a cast already!  So, instead, if you could choose a new medium up next for THE 100, which would you want and why?

KM: How about a musical? After watching the first episode of the show, I’m desperate to write a song called “We’re back, bitches!”

YA: Do you have a pet project you’re working on?

KM: Right now, my pet project is catching up on sleep! Then, I want to watch all the shows I’ve lied about having seen. (I was too embarrassed to admit that I’d never watched Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, or House of Cards.) And after that, I’m going to do my laundry. One can only keep buying new socks before it’s time to admit there’s a flaw in the system.

 

YA: Last one!  If you could spend one day with Clarke and crew, what would you do together?  What words of wisdom would you want to share with the gang while you visited?

KM: I don’t think I’d have any words of wisdom; they seem to know more than I do! Between the four of them, my POV characters can perform surgery, hunt mutant deer, build cabins, and have lots of secret love affairs. I should probably ask them for their time management tips!  

 

YA: Thank you very much, Kass! And once more from all of us at YA Mag, congratulations on all your success with THE 100!  We hope to see a lot more from you in the future!

KM: Thanks so much!


~*~

 

Readers, be sure to check out Kass Morgan at alloyentertainment.com/authors/kass-morgan.  Or follow her on Twitter @KassMorganBooks.

 

THE 100, published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, is available at your favorite retailers and local independent bookstores!  Watch THE 100 on CW Wednesdays at 9pm EST!

 

Olivia Hennis is a transplanted New England girl dropped by a tornado into the magical Land of Jersey.  For more info, follow her on Twitter @OliviaHennis.