Now that you’ve finished your series, can you believe the success of it? Did you ever dream of it?
The success has been beyond even my top expectations. I’m thrilled and excited and thankful. But I believe that the release of the third book will actually take it to a new level, which will be fun to watch.
How does it feel being done with the series?
Being done is definitely bittersweet. I’ll miss this world and these characters, but I’m also chomping at the bit to work on something new.
As the final book in a trilogy, did you feel any pressure for “The Death Cure” to live up to the success of “Scorch Trials” and “Maze Runner”?
I felt a ton of pressure. Especially with this kind of story where there are a lot of mysteries and questions. But I feel very proud of the final installment, something that I worked very hard on with my editor.
All of your books have some pretty amazing and complicated twists in them. What is your process to map them out?
A lot comes to me as I’m writing. I always do a simple outline, but things usually change along the way. And then there’s always work after the initial draft where you make sure all the pieces fit together properly and make sense.
Did “The Death Cure” and the trilogy as a whole turn out the way you initially thought it would?
Mostly. The ultimate ending was tweaked a bit, but a lot of my original vision stayed the same.
Looking back would you change anything about the books or your writing process?
I would’ve done a little more work in the beginning to make sure I had everything worked out about the world and the consequences of all the bad stuff that has happened to it.
How has your writing evolved from when you first started until now?
I think my writing has a lot more depth to it now. In the beginning I was very impatient, hurrying to get to the next scene. Now I take my time more and ensure that we’re feeling all five senses and developing the story at a pace that makes sense.
The last time I spoke with you, you were in talks with FOX for a film deal. You told me that off the record you had a deal. Any updates?
It’s pretty public knowledge that Fox has optioned it, written a script, and is looking for a director. But other than that, even I don’t know much!
Why do you write for young adults?
Because that age defines my love of reading. There’s just something magical about that time of life and the joy you can get from an awesome book. This is my way of staying in that time period.
Who is your favorite character in the Maze Runner trilogy? Why?
I’d say Minho. He’s a smart aleck, a little reckless, but obviously a genuine, true friend to Thomas.
What were the challenges working on “The Death Cure”? The highlights?
It was a challenge to make sure we wrapped up every single loose end. And that the ultimate end was satisfying yet realistic. The book went through quite a few revisions. The highlight was writing the climax, something I’d been planning for years.
When we last spoke you were in the planning stages for a new series and in talks with Random House. Are you working on that now or something else? Can you tell me a little bit about it?
All I can say is that I have two projects in the works that will be announced this fall. Sorry! 🙂