Spotlight on Tricia Mills

Today I am excited to introduce you to Tricia Mills!  She is the author of highly praised Heartbreak River, which releases tomorrow!  Although it is her first YA novel, it is not her first novel to be published.  Tricia also writes adult romance novels under the name Trish Milburn.  You can find more information on Tricia and her novels at her website.  

Heartbreak River is your first YA novel.  What inspired you to switch target audiences?

I've always loved stories -- be they books, TV shows or movies -- that were about the teen years. It's the period in our lives that sees some of the most change, and that makes it great story material. I still write non-teen romances under my own name (Trish Milburn), but I love switching it up and going back and forth between the two types of novels.
How is writing for teens different than writing for an adult audience?
They're actually similar in that we deal with a lot of the same issues (love, family, illness, adversity) at all ages. The key to writing for teens is to deal with these things from their viewpoint. Dealing with parents when you're a teen and the parents still pretty much control your life and what you can and cannot do is different than dealing with parents when you're in their 30s. Then, the parents are beginning to deal with the problems associated with aging and sadly sometimes the child has to, in essence, become the parent.
Are any of the situations in your books modeled after events that you faced at some point in your life?
I think most writers put a bit of themselves into their characters. For instance, in Heartbreak River, my heroine, Alex, has developed a fear of the water and drowning. I have this same fear, though not for the same reason Alex does.
Your second YA novel, Ice and Desire, is set to release in Summer 2010.  Do you have plans to continue writing for teens?
Definitely! I LOVE the teen market. In fact, a big percentage of the books I read last year were YA novels. One of the best books I've read this year, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, is a YA novel.
What are your top 5 favorite books of all time?
Wow, that is nearly impossible to answer. But how about this -- I'll list some series I've really enjoyed: Harry Potter (you know that had to be in there), Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires, Libba Bray's that started with A Great and Terrible Beauty, Meg Cabot's Mediator series, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. And so many more.
What are you currently reading?
I'm actually reading a book by my friend Colleen Gleason -- the last in her Gardella Vampire Chronicles. This isn't YA, but it's a fantastic series billed as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer in Regency England."
Other than reading or working on your next novel, what do you do for fun?
I like going hiking, visiting national parks, watching TV and movies.
What is one thing about you that would surprise your readers?
Hmm, that I actually have no teens (or any children, for that matter) of my own. Part of me can't believe I'm actually old enough to have teens since it doesn't seem like that long since I was one myself.
Thanks so much Tricia for stopping by and taking the time to participate in the interview!  It was a pleasure having you!
So let Tricia and I know your thoughts and if you leave questions, I'll do my best to try to get them answered.  
*Remember you can earn an extra entry in my contest by leaving a comment below.