Novelist Marissa Meyer writes “up” to readers, not down. She believes in us, so we’ll do the same.

What is her debut novel Cinder? It’s a fascinating blend of the past and future. This cinematic author has me lining up for the arrival of Book Two.

Marissa, what’s right right now about children’s literature?

Children’s literature is a jumble of genres and mash-ups, which makes it a fertile ground for imagination and encourages today’s youth to experiment with their reading material – something that too many adults shy away from. We’re currently seeing books that combine steampunk with mythology, sci-fi with horror, dystopian with paranormal, and any number of unexpected combinations. Some may sound wacky, but many writers are pulling it off, making for a genre that has become brilliantly creative and full of surprises. It’s great for writers, who may not want to be pigeon-holed into any one type of story, and it’s great for readers, as there is a book out there for every taste and preference. Any reader willing to look around is bound to find something that strikes their fancy.

What can be done to make that “good” better?

As both readers and writers, we can choose to continuously move beyond our comfort zone. It’s easy – too easy – to consider ourselves “mystery” readers, or “fantasy” readers, or “contemporary” readers. We know what we like, so why not stick to it? But it’s those books that we may never have thought to pick up that can surprise us the most and teach us about craft, about genre, about the basic art of storytelling. By exposing ourselves to new tropes and ideas, we’re filling the creative well and allowing our own muses to fuse new and unusual connections. By falling in love with great stories well-told, not just the genres they fall in, we’re contributing toward a rich and diverse market of children’s books. It benefits not only ourselves, as readers and writers, but also the next generation of readers who are just now discovering all the potential worlds and adventures that fiction books have to offer.
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Marissa Meyer is the New York Times bestselling author of Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and an MS in Publishing from Pace University. Cinder is Marissa’s debut novel, which gives a futuristic twist to the classic Cinderella tale. It tells the story of 16-year-old Cinder, a girl who’s part-human, part-machine. Become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/lunarchronicles.

Learn more at http://marissameyer.livejournal.com or follow Marissa on Twitter at @marissa_meyer.