Q & A with Marie Lu, author of Legend and Prodigy

So first of all, if you ever get a chance to meet Marie Lu, you should take it in a heartbeat. She is super cool, and even in a panel full of hilarious and slightly loud-not that loud isn't good, of course-she managed to shine. Marie Lu, the author of Legend and the upcoming Prodigy, which releases January 29, spoke of fighter pilot dreams and video gaming jobs Not only are her books fantastical and incredibly inspiring, but to top it off, Marie Lu took the time to answer some questions from a newbie stalker/blogger. On her site, a lot of basic questions are answered. I tried my best to ask questions that I hadn't heard the answer to from her before. Her replies are really interesting; Check it out:

Hi Anna,1. June, Day, and Metias are all interesting names. What were the inspirations behind them?     June's name was inspired by the fact that her personality seems fairly close to a Gemini's personality, so hence naming her after the month. Day's street name symbolizes his outlook on life, as mentioned in the book, and how he believes that "every day is a new twenty-four hours. Every day, everything is possible." And Metias (pronounced "Meh-TAY-ahs"), well....his was a name I just made up and liked. :) It came from an old fantasy manuscript I once wrote.
*2. What academic path would you suggest for the aspiring writer?    I really don't think it matters what academic path you take if you're aspiring to be a writer, although of course many writers do have English or Creative Writing degrees. I, on the other hand, studied Political Science and Biology in college. The thing is, everything you learn will help your writing, no matter what it is (political science certainly crept into my stories--as did a little biology!).
*3. You have said that readers are often concerned about Ollie's welfare in the rest of the series. What role will Ollie play in Prodigy?    My lips are zipped on what happens to Ollie! But I can say that I love how much people care about June's dog, because Ollie is based on my childhood dog, a White German Shepherd. :)
*4. What's an everyday type of day like in the life of a successful author like yourself?    My writing life (and probably the lives of most writers) is composed of long stretches of hermit-y, solitary writing, followed by occasional bursts of OMGEXTROVERTACTIVITIES like Comic-con and BEA. It's a very bipolar lifestyle. :)
*5. Have you ever gotten any funny/crazy fan mail?    I did have one person ask me, quite seriously, to buy her a house. That was probably the weirdest email I've gotten!
*6. Who would be your top choices of actors for Day if Legend were to become a movie?    I see Day in a particular way in my head, so it's a bit difficult for me to cast him! I'm sure the casting directors will do a fabulous job, though. :)
*7. Metias acts as a mentor and role model to June. Who would you say has inspired you throughout writing Legend and Prodigy?    All of my favorite books inspired me. For Legend in particular, it was Les Miserables and Ender's Game. I'm also constantly inspired by other writers, and love reading about their successes and writing habits. It inspires me work harder on my own writing.
*8. What's your favorite color?    Blue!
*9. How would you describe yourself in one word?    Geeky

*10. How did you come up with the phrase, "walk in the light?"    "Walk in the light" was a phrase that just came to me when writing about Day, as it seemed like a perfect slogan for his character. I wanted to find a phrase that symbolized both seeking out the truth as well as doing the right thing (even when you're surrounded by darkness), and that one just fit.
*Thanks!~m