Owl's Eye View with Caragh M. O'Brien

Welcome to the final installment of Owl's Eye View.  Today I am very happy to present an interview with the author of one of my favorite series, Caragh M. O'Brien.  I had the chance to talk with Caragh about The Vault of Dreamers, writing, and, of course, books.  I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I did giving it.

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Marla: Hi, Caragh!  Welcome to Starting the Next Chapter.  Readers may know you for your Birthmarked series, but they may or may not know that you have a new book coming soon.  How would you describe The Vault of Dreamers in 140 characters or less?  

Caragh: First, Marla, let me thank you for having me by! As for The Vault of Dreamers in brief, here goes: At her new arts school, film student Rosie spends 12 hours daily on a reality show and 12 hours sleeping, until she skips her sleeping pill.   

Marla: How did the experience of writing The Vault of Dreamers differ from that of writing the Birthmarked trilogy?  

Caragh: Writing The Vault of Dreamers involved working in 1st person rather than 3rd, and because the novel has layers of what can and cannot be seen at different times, it was tricky to balance what Rosie, the main character, could discover.  It’s fair to say that writing The Vault of Dreamers was more complicated for me to write, but I hope it reads effortlessly.   

Marla: This one is for all of the writers out there.  Where is your favorite place to write and what do you like to have surrounding you?  

Caragh: I write most often on a comfy couch in my library, with my feet up on a coffee table and my laptop against my knees.   

Marla: How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Caragh: I tell stories.   

Marla: How did the idea for The Vault of Dreamers come to you?  

Caragh: It wasn’t one idea in particular or one event that sparked the novel.  Instead, I was playing with a mix of ideas about teaching, creative students, the arts, security cameras, reality TV, and dreams, and I came up with Rosie.  The story really evolved around her.   

Marla: What are you reading and how would you describe it in a sentence?  

Caragh: I’ve just finished Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, which was fascinating and thought-provoking.  It’s about how a teenage tragedy can shape a boy’s life, and how he can be wildly self-destructive and still grasp at joy.   

Marla: I'm always looking for new bookish places to visit.  What is your favorite bookish place?  

Caragh: I like the UConn Coop Bookstore in Storrs, CT and Books of Wonder in NYC, but then, who doesn’t?   

Marla: We'll soon be meeting your new main character, Rosie.  What's your favorite thing about her?  

Caragh: I like the way she sees things, real and imagined.  As a film student, she has an exquisite relationship with cameras, and it affects how she sees the world, even when she isn’t filming.   

Marla: Last question: If your life were to be televised, what show would you rather appear on?  

Caragh: One of my favorite shows is Nashville, so I’d appear on that as a back-up singer wearing really cute boots.  I love to imagine the confidence that would take, and what fun it would be to sing harmony.  Thanks again, Marla, for having me by!  All best to you and Starting the Next Chapter!

Thank you, Caragh!  To find out more about Caragh's books, just click this link: Goodreads


About the Author

Caragh M. O'Brien is the author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS, both from Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ms. O'Brien was educated at Williams College and earned her MA from Johns Hopkins University. She recently resigned from teaching high school English in order to write young adult novels. For more information, visit http://www.caraghobrien.com.

Follow Caragh on Twitter