Night Sky by New York Times-bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann and first-time novelist Melanie Brockmann hits shelves on October 7. The title is set in the not-too-distant future in which the US economy is decaying and everyone has trouble finding a job and supporting a family. Skylar Reid’s life is turned upside down when the little girl she babysits is violently kidnapped. The disinterested police blame a domestic dispute, but Skylar knows there is something more sinister going on. When she is rescued from a berserk drug addict by a mysterious girl on a motorcycle named Dana, Skylar begins to believe the online rumors about Greater-Thans. With more access to their brains’ infinite power, Greater-Thans can move at super speeds, see the future, and in some cases, move objects with their minds. Readers may recognize Suzanne Brockmann’s name as the author of over 50 books for adults. She has teamed up with her daughter to write their first young adult series. SLJTeen caught up with this busy pair just before the release of Night Sky (Sourcebooks) to talk about their writing process and super powers. Suzanne, was this the first book you wrote with a coauthor? How did that change your process? Did it help that you know her very well? I’ve collaborated on other projects, but Night Sky was the first book I cowrote. And I have to admit that after writing over 50 books by myself, it was a little scary knowing that this one was going to be created completely differently. But once Mel and I got started, it quickly became clear that just because it was different, it didn’t mean it was going to be less enjoyable. For one thing, the outlining process turned from solitary note taking and staring off into the distance (while the dogs looked at me and wondered if I had turned into a statue), to a lot of fun conversations with my daughter that started, “Wouldn’t it be cool if …” And once the actual writing got started, Mel handled much of the first draft. Which made it the easiest first draft I ever wrote. What has surprised you about the publishing process or what has been your favorite part of it so far? This is my first novel!  And I am truly excited to be published. I’m not sure what my favorite part about the whole process has been so far. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure if reality has even truly set in yet. I would say that my favorite moment so far was when I held the first ARC in my hands. Something about seeing my name on the cover of an actual book really made me feel proud. A lot of this experience has been much different from what I had anticipated. For instance, I had mistakenly assumed that once a book is finished and the author has typed THE END on to the last page, that the work on the author’s part ends. Boy, was I wrong!  There are conferences, interviews, meetings with editors and publishers, and decisions to be made about a variety of things. I’m not complaining, though—this book is like my baby. I love talking about it, and I love working on it. And I also can’t wait for the second book to be released. (Mom and I are writing the sequel as we speak, so stay tuned!) As a veteran author, Suzanne, have you had a chance to relive your first publishing experience through Melanie? What has changed since your first book? One of the real pleasures of writing Night Sky with Melanie has been witnessing—and vicariously experiencing—the thrill of going through each step of the publishing process for the first time. Interacting with an editor, reading the first reviews, holding a book—a real book—in your hands, and seeing your name on the cover. As a parent, and as a fellow author, it’s hard to describe the pride I felt as I watched (and felt) Melanie go through these moments. And while many of the details of publishing have gone through amazing changes since my first book was released (everything was done on paper; imagine how much money we all spent overnighting everything from contracts to cover proofs to manuscripts back and forth across the country!), the bottom line remains the same—you put in the work, and the end result is this wonderful product—a book. I noted a few fitness and nutrition tips scattered throughout the book. Melanie, how did your experience as a personal trainer affect your experience as a writer? Writers often pull from their own personal experiences in order to create a more realistic experience for the reader, and, yes, I certainly added some fitness and nutrition-related content into Night Sky.  I’ve been training now for about seven years, and during that time I have had the unique and wonderful experience of working with a variety of people, and watching many individuals transform themselves. I am of the belief that the most authentic, three-dimensional characters are ones who experience a personal transformation throughout the course of the story they are telling. And I wanted my characters to transform in very special ways. Skylar Reid, the reluctant heroine of Night Sky, begins her story as a teenage girl with typical feelings of self-doubt, angst, and the desire to fit in. Skylar finds, as the story progresses, that she is capable of some very awesome things. Some of them are extremely athletic; for example, Sky can run a mile in less than four minutes .As Sky’s abilities are unveiled to her—and to readers—her confidence begins to increase. And she realizes that many of the parts of her that she had previously viewed as flaws are actually traits that make her unique ... and also Greater-Than. So, in a sense, Sky’s transformation is much more internal than external. But she learns a lot about how capable her body really can be. I knew, also, that if I was going to write a novel for teenage girls, I wanted to deliver the message that strong is beautiful. Dana, another important player in the story, has a very ripped, muscular physique, and she eats ... a lot!  I wrote one scene in which both Sky and Dana are devouring a pizza. Dana instructs Skylar that, in order for both of them to be able to kick so much butt, they need to have the proper energy from food sources.In our society, unfortunately, women are taught to fear carbs and calories, and I want to dispel this silly myth. We all need to eat! I’m an avid runner myself—although I average a slightly slower pace than Skylar—and I have learned, through trial and error, how to properly nourish my body. I wanted to create characters who can be role models for other young women out there—females who take care of themselves and treat their bodies like the temples that they are. What has it been like to write a book together? What are the benefits of having your mother or daughter as your writing partner? Are there any drawbacks? Suzanne: Having my daughter (as opposed to someone not related to me) as my coauthor made it easier. We have a lot of shared history, we already know each other’s likes and dislikes—it’s just simpler to share ideas when that kind of foundation is already in place. Melanie: Writing with my mom has been a unique experience. I was nervous when we first decided to give it a try—mainly because I didn’t want to place both of us in a position where someone might get her feelings hurt. We know how to be mom and daughter (and that relationship even took a while to figure out).  But taking our personal relationship and adapting it so that we could both effectively coauthor? It was like learning a new language. I wouldn’t do anything differently. I’ve had a blast writing with my mom. We have very similar writing voices, and we’ve discovered a writing process that works for both of us, one that allows us to create what I believe is a very seamless finished product. The best part about writing with my mom? I get to send her scenes that I think will make her laugh.  And I get to hear back from her right away.  It’s interesting (and sometimes nerve-wracking) to show another person your work before it’s completely done. But my mom offers great feedback. And we both know now how to receive constructive criticism without taking it personally. As for drawbacks—I think the only potential drawback is our current geographic situation. Mom spends part of her time in Massachusetts and I’m in Florida full-time. So a lot of our collaborating at the moment happens long-distance via email and phone calls. And—to be honest—I miss her. I also think it’s much easier for us to write efficiently when we’re in the same state. Considering our current circumstances, we’re still writing great books together. Can you describe your writing process? Did you each take a chapter, a scene, a character? Melanie: Mom and I had a very specific process when writing Night Sky, and we’ve continued to use this process as we write the sequel. We brainstorm together. If possible, we put our heads together in the same room. Mom has a pen and legal pad, and she jots down every idea. It’s kind of a free-for-all “What about this?!” and “How about he does that?!” Then, after we’ve both blurted out all of our awesome scenarios, we organize and pick and choose. We figure out what needs to happen in the book, what can wait for a later installment, and then Mom goes to work. She organizes all of the notes and turns it into a detailed outline. All of our big, broad story arcs get chopped into smaller segments, until we have a very clear idea of what’s going to occur in every single chapter, and then, breaking it down even more, in every single scene. Then the writing starts—once I know what I need to write, I’m unstoppable! I love plunging forward with the action. Mom is great at paying attention to details. She’s amazing at revising. We both have our strengths and weaknesses, and we know how to help each other to get the book written. Where did the idea for Night Sky come from and how did you decide to write it together? Suzanne: I’d been interested in working with Mel for quite a long time. I knew that she was a very talented writer, and a voracious reader. I just didn’t have the right subject until I wrote Born to Darkness (Ballantine), my first mainstream paranormal. I got the idea that Melanie’s brilliant, youthful writing voice would really work for a young adult novel set in the same world as Born to Darkness. And when I asked her if she wanted to co-write a YA book, happily she said yes. In Night Sky you have a diverse cast of characters. Have you been following the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign? What do you think we can do to foster a diverse range of characters and authors in young adult literature? Suzanne: I am aware of (and I love!) the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign, but the idea for the diversity in the cast of characters in Night Sky was independent of any outside influence. Mel and I both believe that good fiction—especially fiction that incorporates paranormal elements—is strengthened when the world created by the authors has authentic ties to the “real” world. And for Melanie and me, the real world contains people of different races, physical abilities, religions, sexual orientations—you name it. For us, a diverse cast of characters wasn’t a choice, it was a must. Can you give us any hints on the second book in the series? The second book in the series is called Wild Sky. And sorry—it would be impossible to talk about it without revealing spoilers in Night Sky. But I can tell you that Sky and her friends (Dana, Milo and Calvin) will be back for more exciting and dangerous adventures. I can also say that it’s a blast spending time in this world again, especially with Melanie. If you were a Greater-Than, what abilities would you want? Suzanne: I have to admit that when I’m asked this question, my answer changes depending on how I’m feeling at that moment. About seven weeks ago, one of my two miniature schnauzers—her name is Little Joe—suffered a serious spinal injury, and lost all feeling and movement in her hind legs. Thanks to wonderful veterinary care and hard work, she has regained the ability to walk, but she is still very weak in one of her legs. So if I could choose a super power, I think I’d choose the power to heal others—and I’d start with Little Joe. Melanie: A lot of people have been asking me lately about which ability I would choose if I were a Greater-Than. I have to say that my answer changes daily, too. Today, I also wish that I had the ability to heal others. My boyfriend has a whopping headache, and I think it would be very convenient if I could fix that for him. I also think that Dana and Skylar’s self-healing powers are equally awesome.