Sonia Gensler grew up in a small Tennessee town and spent her early adulthood collecting impractical degrees from various Midwestern universities. A former high school English teacher, she now writes full time in Oklahoma. So far, her husband and cat are putting up with this. The Revenant is her debut novel.

Why and what interested you to write, The Revenant, a young adult historical and paranormal fiction?
I always wanted to write a historical novel set in a boarding school for girls – the 19th century was an exciting time for female education because educators finally began to understand that girls could handle the same intellectual challenges as boys. When I learned about the Cherokee Female Seminary in Tahlequah, OK, I knew I had a unique setting and a fascinating historical context. The paranormal element came last, but it was partly inspired by ghost stories that surround the seminary building to this day.

Do you believe in the supernatural/paranormal?
I like to be open-minded about these things. I’ve never had a truly paranormal experience thatconvinced me ghosts were real, but I’m still very intrigued by the possibility. To be honest, however, I’d prefer to experience ghosts through fiction. The thought of one actually haunting me is pretty freaky.

How long did it take you to write The Revenant and get it signed? Was it tough?
I wrote the first draft of The Revenant during NaNoWriMo ’08 and sold the book in May of ’09, if memory serves. To some that might seem fast, but the first book I had with my agent did not sell, and that really shook my confidence. It also pushed me to take my game up a notch and write something that would sell.

Did you struggle at any point in writing The Revenant?
The first draft is always a struggle for me. The blank page is so intimidating, even after I’ve worked up a very detailed outline. Once I have a draft, the revision goes a little easier. However, I did have to delete one of my favorite scenes during the revision process with my editor, and that was a bit of a struggle. (See below)

After finishing The Revenant, did you go back and change or take out any parts of the book (like deleted scenes in movies)?
I’d written a scene where Eli comes to Willie’s window in the middle of the night and ends up carrying her down to the river. It was sort of scary and sexy at the same time, but in the end it wasn’t moving the story and characterization forward like it should, so it had to go. I might have cried a little over that loss.

Now that The Revenant is published, would you write any other YA books in a different genre? Why/why not?
I already have a lot of genres going on in The Revenant – historical, mystery, paranormal. I definitely want to continue with all those themes. However, someday I might just surprise everyone and write a contemporary story!

If you could write a book with another author, who would it be?
I’d love to write a gothic historical with Saundra Mitchell, author of the The Vespertine. But she would probably run screaming if I proposed the idea to her. That’s okay – I’d run from me, too.

Do you like Starbucks? If so, what’s your favorite drink?
I LOVE Starbucks! My favorite drink is a grande, nonfat, no water Chai Tea Latte. Yum.

Thanks for the interview, Sonia!