Let's be real guys, I came up with most of these questions myself. But, ummm... Q&As are fun so oh well! :D
What inspired you to write Autochromatic?
The idea itself was born from a desire to write about that seemingly perfect high school couple - the one that gets together early on and stays together for years. Then the texting thing sort of fell into place. On the day-by-day level, I got lots of help from listening to music. By the end, I was inspired the most by the main character, Riley. She's a real live person to me, in a slightly creepy way. She helped me through the whole process!
After lots and lots of revising, editing, query drafts, research, and general growing up, I queried Suzie the Amazing through email. She read the manuscript and offered representation soon after. It was whoa. If you want, you can read about the query that got Suzie's attention here!
You finished the first draft of Autochromatic at 16. What advice do you have for teen writers?
Look for mentors. Read and write as much as you can. If you're trying to get published, I'd say make sure you're doing it for the right reasons - because doing it out of anything except passion will most likely end badly. Don't worry, like I did, about making milestones by a certain age or time - "the race is long, but in the end, it's only with yourself" is one of my favorite quotes on this subject. Above all, have fun! (I sound like an overly cheery camp counselor, but oh well.)
What do you do besides write?
I eat a lot. And dream about future travel/backpacking trips. College work is a big thing, although I like to think I've mastered the art of denying its existence until the last possible minute. Other favorite activities include reading, drawing, web design, and ranting about various politicians!
How do you pronounce your name? And who is the real Emilia Plater?
It's: ehmeeleeuh playter. I kind of like that spelling better. The real Emilia Plater is this fine woman, who was basically the Joan of Arc of Poland. Please visit her Wikipedia page a lot so I don't overtake her in Google results. That would be awful, considering how much more awesome she is than me.
What is your favorite fruit/cartoon character/movie/animal/comfort food/musical/color/flavor of fudge?
Apples/Iroh from Avatar: Last Airbender/Catch Me If You Can/ocelot/Cheetos/Les Mis/electric purple/cookie dough. Whoooo!