Name: Alexandra Bracken
Age: 31
Title: New York Times Bestselling Author
Married/Single: Single
Kids: One Dog-child
City you live in: Phoenix
A typical day in my life includes…
subjecting my characters to terrible and amazing things, too much coffee, playing with my tyrant of a tiny dog, and a general unease that there are scorpions hiding somewhere in my house.
I was born…
in the hallway of St. Joseph’s Hospital. No joke.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
the diversity of its people and landscapes.
I’m listening to…
fifteen different true crime podcasts, the audiobook of Bad Blood by John Carreyrou, and Florence + The Machine’s new album High as Hope.
My family…
is an incredible team, and could definitely survive a zombie apocalypse together.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
my dad. I miss him so much.
One thing I cannot live without…
I’d like to give an example of something deeply meaningful here, but it’s probably caffeine. Or books! Let’s go with books.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
an author of children’s books! In case you were wondering, got here by sheer determination and a dash of hopeful delusion.
I’m inspired by…
getting out of my comfort zone and traveling to somewhere I’ve never been before.
The one person who motivates me is…
myself. The hardest thing about being a writer is the self-discipline it takes to finish a project. That, and deadlines.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
the neglect and ill treatment we show to the most vulnerable members of our society and our planet.
The perfect day would be…
an unexpected road trip to somewhere I’ve never been with a bag of Shake Shack at my side—and, er, some friends. But I would pick up the Shake Shake first.
My first job was…
mopping up people’s sweat off tanning beds at a tanning salon/smoothie bar. 0/10, do not recommend.
My favorite escape…
is anywhere with a beach and little to no internet access.
My life…
is chaotic and creative and involves signing a lot more sheets of paper than I ever imagined.
I’m currently working on…
two different books and finding a hobby, because I definitely need one that’s not just baking cookies for myself.
Always…
tip, say thank you, and try that thing you’ve been dreaming of doing for years.
Never…
listen to the voices in your head that tell you that you’re not good enough, or undeserving.
Favorite Quote…
“Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl
Biggest Dream…
to be able to do this thing I love so much forever, and keep meeting amazing readers.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
loud chewing and people who don’t move aside to let people on and off elevators.
More about Alexandra…
Alexandra Bracken was born and raised in Arizona. The daughter of a Star Wars collector, she grew up going to an endless string of Star Wars conventions and toy fairs, which helped spark her imagination and a deep love of reading. After graduating high school, she attended The College of William & Mary in Virginia, where she double majored in English and History. She sold her first book, Brightly Woven, as a senior in college, and later moved to New York City to work in children’s book publishing, first as an editorial assistant, then in marketing. After six years, she took the plunge and decided to write full time. She now lives in Arizona with her tiny pup, Tennyson, in a house that’s constantly overflowing with books. Alex is a #1 New York Times bestselling and USA TODAY bestselling author. Her work is available across the world in over 15 languages.
