Living out her dream

FANS of American fantasy novelist Sarah J. Maas got the chance to meet their favourite author in person at Borders at The Curve in Petaling Jaya, recently.
Maas, 30, is the mind behind the ­internationally-­acclaimed Throne of Glass series – Throne of Glass, Crown of ­Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of ­Shadows, Empire of Storms (which is due out later this year) and the supposedly last book due next year.
The New York Times bestselling author wrote the first incarnation of this series when she was just 16.
­Today, her debut series has been ­translated into 23 ­languages and sold in 15 countries.
Maas also wrote a prequel to the Throne of Glass series called The ­Assassin's Blade, which is a collection of five novellas released as ebooks and featuring the series' protagonist, the female assassin Celaena Sardothien.
The author has since come out with a second series, a planned trilogy entitled A Court of Thorns and Roses. The first book of the same title in the series was published in May last year.
Maas was here in Kuala Lumpur recently as part of her Asia tour to promote this latest series.
Close to 100 fans turned up to meet the famed writer, with some waiting in line for more than two hours.
Much to her fans' ­pleasure, Maas gave a sneak preview of the Thorns and Roses' ­sequel, A Court of Mist and Fury, which is planned for a May 3 ­release, ­promising that the book would be "as long as the Queen of Shadows".
Maas also said that the Throne of Glass series has been ­optioned for a ­television show, adding that it is "­currently in the early stages" of ­production.
Though she disclosed that she has just sold the film rights for A Court of Thorns and Roses to a production company, Maas said she "doesn't get any say with the ­casting".
But she added that she doesn't have any specific preference.
"In terms of a dream cast, I ­actually don't have anyone in mind – for me, the only thing that would really matter is if the actors and the cast can actually convey the ­spirit of the ­characters.
"The only time that looks are ­important to me is if the ­character is a ­person of ­colour, then they should stay as a person of ­colour.
"I hate the white ­washing that goes on in ­Hollywood, so I'm very adamant about that."