For todays Ask the Author I'm bringing you the marvelous Dahlia Adler, author of Just Visiting and other amazing YA and NA novels. I'm incredibly happy that she agreed to answer eleven of my questions for you guys. I think her answers are brilliant and only made me want to read her books more. Hopefully you'll feel the same!
Here is Just Visiting and her awesome answers:
Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler
Published: November 17th 2015 by Spencer Hill Contemporary
Number of Pages: 348 Pages (Paperback)
Series: No
Reagan Forrester wants out—out of her trailer park, out of reach of her freeloading mother, and out of the shadow of the relationship that made her the pariah of Charytan, Kansas.
Victoria Reyes wants in—in to a fashion design program, in to the arms of a cute guy who doesn't go to Charytan High, and in to a city where she won't stand out for being Mexican.
One thing the polar-opposite best friends do agree on is that wherever they go, they’re staying together. But when they set off on a series of college visits at the start of their senior year, they quickly see that the future doesn’t look quite like they expected. After two years of near-solitude following the betrayal of the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart, Reagan falls hard and fast for a Battlestar Galactica-loving, brilliant smile-sporting pre-med prospective... only to learn she's set herself up for heartbreak all over again. Meanwhile, Victoria runs full-speed toward all the things she thinks she wants… only to realize everything she’s looking for might be in the very place they've sworn to leave.
As both Reagan and Victoria struggle to learn who they are and what they want in the present, they discover just how much they don't know about each other's pasts. And when each learns what the other’s been hiding, they'll have to decide whether their friendship has a future. (goodreads.com)
Interview with Dahlia Adler
1 – Describe Just Visiting with a haiku.
two girl BFFs
road tripping to colleges
much s*** hits the fan
2 – What sparked the idea for Just Visiting? The simple idea of a friendship between two completely different girls or something entirely different?
It was that simple idea, yeah. I read a whole rash of YAs where every BFF was more like a frenemy, and then I read one called Confessions of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway, and I realized I'd been bracing myself the entire time for a nasty moment between the friends that never came. And I was horrified that I expected terribleness to arise, especially since half that friendship pair was in a position of power. And I knew then I wanted to write a book where the friendship took center stage.
3 – What was the most challenging about writing Just Visiting and which scene was the most fun to write?
A bunch of things were really challenging because everything was outside of my lane - Kansas, poverty, being Mexican-American, Deafness/ASL...even college visits; I only went on one! But for me, hurting my characters emotionally with things that are really beyond their control is the hardest, so that first scene between Reagan, her mom, and a neighbor was particularly hard. As for the most fun... my favorite scenes to write are always romantic ones, so there's a tie there between my favorite one of Vic's with a guy she meets on a visit and my favorite one of Reagan's, which I won't spoil but I imagine anyone who's read it can guess.
4 – Throughout the novel you discuss many different and important topics. Which are they and why do you think it’s important to talk about them?
There's a lot I think we don't talk enough about in YA, especially when it comes to girls and their control over their own choices and bodies. I wanted to acknowledge how much power is actually out there for them, what they might not realize is or should be in their grasp, whether that's financial options for college, or alternative plans to college, or all matters of consent and contraception and sexual ownership... I hate that we're so silent about these things in YA, because they're all things that give teens power, and that's something I firmly believe YA should do.
5 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?
Ha, it's a very dangerous road for an author to go down to think about what they'd do differently. But the truth is, I am happy with how it turned out. And glad to be able to say that.
6 – Like many of us you stand behind the fact that we need more diverse books. Why do you think diversity is so important especially in YA?
Everyone needs to see themselves in stories, to see that they have a place in the world and experiences worth knowing. I think we've been underestimating the value in that for too long, and the power diverse books have not only to increase empathy but to make people who might've seen like they're from a different world more familiar. Less Othered. People's bigoted opinions often do a total 180 as soon as they learn how that opinion actually affects someone close to them. Get them close to a book character who isn't like them as a teen, and maybe they don't grow up to be an adult with that bigoted opinion. It's worth a shot.
7 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by thousands of people and how do you feel now, years later, before your next book will be released? Did the feeling change or is it still the same?
It was really, really nervewracking in ways I didn't expect, when my first book came out into the world. When you've been writing your whole life, but no one has any idea what you're actually working on, people either assume it's amazing, because they like you, or it's amateurish, because they know you. Either way, they're finally seeing inside your head, and that's terrifying. Less so now that I've published four books, sure, but still.
8 – What do you think about the cover for Just Visiting?
I absolutely love my cover; I think everything about it is perfect. It's fun and friendship-y, rural and hopeful, golden and open, and I love the road trip detailing. My critique partner Maggie Hall is obscenely talented, and the fact that she can write books as well as she does and make covers this beautiful astonishes me to no end. I'm so lucky to have her.
9 – What are your five favorite reads of 2015 so far?
I am really, really awful at answering this question, especially because I think 2015 has been a particularly phenomenal year for books, especially debuts. But five YAs that are definitely contenders are All the Rage by Courtney Summers, Making Pretty by Corey Ann Haydu, The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, and Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert.
10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?
Don't do this professionally if you're not willing and wanting to learn and grow at all times. You can't shut everyone and everything else out; it's just not a profession that exists in a vacuum. If you don't respect the advice and edits of other people, and you aren't interested in ever reaching outside your comfort zone, this is going to get really unpleasant for you, really fast. And boring, too.
11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Teleportation. My closest author friends live all over the country (and in the case of one, in The Netherlands!) and while the Internet is great, a few hours spent talking books over drinks or at Barnes & Noble is even better! Plus, you know, no driver's license.
About the Author
Dahlia Adler is an Associate Editor of Mathematics by day, a blogger for B&N Teens by night, and writes Contemporary YA and NA at every spare moment in between. She's the author of the Daylight Falls duology, the upcoming Just Visiting, and Last Will and Testament, as well as over five billion tweets as @MissDahlELama. She lives in New York City with her husband and their overstuffed bookshelves.
I am obsessed with food, and so it shows up, in more or less degrees, in every book that I write. In Forget Tomorrow, for instance, Callie dreams of becoming a Manual Chef -- meaning a chef who prepares food by hand, as the majority of food in Eden City comes straight from the Meal Assembler.
Here are ten different foods that show up in Forget Tomorrow:
1. Roast chicken and green beans with cloves of garlic. A meal fit for the New Year, prepared in honor of Callie's Memory's Eve. Everything has the slight plasticky taste of food that's been prepared in the Meal Assembler.
2. Chocolate cake. Handmade, misshapen, one side higher than the other. Callie is touched by this cake because her mother makes it in honor of Callie's dream to become a Manual Chef.
3. Peppermint tea. Callie's family drinks this tea around the eating table when they are talking, simply being together, or remembering the past.
4. Glop in prison. Disgusting, and it makes Callie want to turn her stomach inside out. But it is one of the few possessions Callie has, and so she offers it to her neighbor Sully as a bargaining chip. Sully, not surprisingly, turns it down.
5. Pot roast. When Jessa was a baby, Callie made this for her school project because the carrots and potatoes were soft enough for her sister to eat.
6. Rice in the woods. After running away from civilization, Callie boils rice from a canteen hung over a fire, using broad green leaves as a plate. This simple act of cooking makes her feel more like herself again.
7. Guacamole. Some people said Callie's guacamole was unbalanced, but Logan loves that extra punch of lime. (He might or might not be a little biased. Lol.)
8. Venison stew. The first dish Callie prepares for the community of Harmony, after she watches Zed skin a deer. Logan feeds Callie bits of the stew with his fingers, and she feels the tingle all the way to her toes. For a recipe of Callie's venison stew, check out this link: http://www.entangledteen.com/foodie-friday-callies-venison-stew-with-pintip-dunn/
9. Fish stuffed with diced veggies. Callie and Logan catch and scale the fish themselves, and as she looks at the fish's googly eyes, she feels like she can make a home in the wilderness.
10. Spaghetti squash. Another Meal Assembly specialty. Logan, being the gentleman that he is, waits for Callie to start, and then they dig in, the crunch of the noodles overtaking any need for conversation.
And there you have it! Ten foods that appear in Forget Tomorrow! What are your favorite foods? What special memory do they call for you? Please share!
Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn
Expected Publication: November 3rd 2015 by Entangled TEEN
Number of Pages: 400 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #1
Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided...by your future self.
It's Callie's seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she's eagerly awaiting her vision-a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they're meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.
Or in Callie's case, a criminal.
In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo-a hellish prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn't spoken to in five years, she escapes.
But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all-Callie, herself. (goodreads.com)
About the Author
Pintip Dunn graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. She also published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,”
Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.
She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at:
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.
The book:
Shade me by Jennifer Brown
Expected Publication: January 19th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
Number of Pages: 448 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #1 in the Nikki Kill Series (?)
Nikki Kill does not see the world like everyone else. In her eyes, happiness is pink, sadness is a mixture of brown and green, and lies are gray. Thanks to a rare phenomenon called synesthesia, Nikki’s senses overlap, in a way that both comforts and overwhelms her.
Always an outsider, just one ‘D’ shy of flunking out, Nikki’s life is on the fast track to nowhere until the night a mysterious call lights her phone up bright orange—the color of emergencies. It’s the local hospital. They need Nikki to identify a Jane Doe who is barely hanging on to life after a horrible attack.
The victim is Peyton Hollis, a popular girl from Nikki’s school who Nikki hardly knows. One thing is clear: Someone wants Peyton dead. But why? And why was Nikki’s cell the only number in Peyton’s phone?
As she tries to decipher the strange kaleidoscope of clues, Nikki finds herself thrust into the dark, glittering world of the ultra-rich Hollis family, and drawn towards Peyton’s handsome, never-do-well older brother Dru. While Nikki’s colors seem to help her unravel the puzzle, what she can’t see is that she may be falling into a trap. The only truth she can be sure of is that death is a deep, pulsing crimson. (goodreads.com)
My thoughts:
This book sounds amazing and so unique. The idea of seeing emotions as colors was definitely the first thing that caught my attention about this book because I've never seen it in a book before. The fact that it's a suspense one only made me want to have it more, probably like yesterday, since I have an undying love for all things suspense/thriller.
The cover is so pretty, even though it's relatively simple, so maybe that's why it stood out to be. The font looks really unique and eye-catching. The tagline beneath the title is on point: White lies never fade to black. Yes!
All in all it sounds like a fascinating read that I cannot wait to get my hands on. I wish I could get an ARC for it but the chances are unfortunately rather slim so I'll have to wait until January along with you guys.
Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!
A couple of weeks ago I've read and absolutely loved (why have I not written a review yet? Beats me) The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine so of course I had to write her an e-mail asking for an interview. To my surprise she actually said yes! So today I am bringing you her wonderful answers to my questions.
The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine
Published: April 28th 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Number of Pages: 384 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No
Madison Parker is on fast-forward. Working toward a scholarship for a summer art program, she already has her future figured out. But when a visit from a family friend turns her life upside down, everything she thought she knew becomes blurred. All she wants is to stand still for a moment.
Jesse McMann is stuck on repeat. Reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band, Jesse divides his time between working as a barista and trying to find the inspiration to write music again. All he wants to do is move forward.
The night Maddie strolls into Jesse’s coffee shop after yoga class, the last thing on his mind is hooking up, but her smile and witty comebacks are hard to ignore. The spark between them is undeniable, but once-a-week flirting is hardly the stuff of epic romance.
Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett. When Jesse discovers that Gray’s girlfriend is also Maddie’s best friend, he invites Gray to join his band as their new drummer, hoping this connection will give him more time around Maddie. Slowly but surely, Jesse and Maddie forge a friendship, but do they have what it takes to make their relationship truly sync? (goodreads.com)
Interview with Robin Constantine
1 – Describe The Secrets of Attraction with a haiku.
Warm drinks and kisses
A song played from the heart
Jesse gets the girl
2 – What sparked the idea for The Secrets of Attraction? Was it the simple idea of girl meets boy or something else entirely?
When my publisher acquired my first novel, The Promise of Amazing, my editor asked me if I would be interested in writing a companion novel from Madison’s point of view. I loved the idea! Madison is such a different character from Wren (the female protagonist in PoA) and it was fun fleshing out her story. I also always wanted to write a band book – great potential for tension and playful scenes, so that’s how Jesse and Yellow # 5 came about. My husband plays guitar and was in numerous bands, and I took a lot of inspiration from that as well!
3 – What do you like most and least about your protagonists Madison and Jesse?
Madison: I love Madison’s fashion sense, her daring and what a fierce friend she is to Wren and Jazz. What I think she can work on is thinking before acting (instead of avoiding things altogether). Some of the ways she avoids Zach are a little sneaky.
Jesse: I love his passion for his music, and how conscientious he is when he’s making Madison’s hot chocolate! I do think his ego can get in the way when it comes to the band and sometimes he takes his friend Tanner for granted.
4 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?
Wow – this is a great question! First – I stand by the book as it is but I’m sure I could open to any section and get that desire to revise! I think that’s the nature of being a writer – you can always see ways to improve your work. At a certain point in the process you have to trust the choices that you’ve made and stick with them because you can drive yourself crazy since there are literally infinite roads to take in any story. In a much earlier version of The Secrets of Attraction, Madison was interested in Leif, the yoga instructor, and made advances toward him (which I’m glad I switched up!). The book was also slightly more tragic at one point, but then I made the decision to keep it light and fun and focus on the romance between Madison and Jesse, which is my favorite part to write!
5 - How long does it usually take you to finish a story? How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal?
This varies and depends if I’m working on deadline or not. If left to my own devices, I’m not sure how quickly I’d write a book. There’s a lot of staring into space during my process. My first novel length work (unpublished) took me three years to write (including multiple revisions). Ideally, a first draft for me can take anywhere from six months to a year, but I’ve written drafts in as little as three months. The Promise of Amazing took just under two years – it went through numerous revisions with my agent – and it sold about two weeks after being on submission. But to answer your second question –I wrote my first novel length story in 1998 – so it took me close to fourteen years to land a publishing deal. Perseverance is key.
6 – What do you think about the covers for The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction?
I adore my covers. I really lucked out. I think each cover captures the essence of the book. And I love the typography. Bravo to the design team!
7 – Where do you like to write the most?
Very boring answer – at my home office. I have my desk and my creature comforts and an unlimited supply of coffee. I think I’d be too distracted to sit at a coffee house! Also I hate the feeling of someone looking over my shoulder as I write.
8 – What lead you to writing and wanting to be an author? Is it the way you imagined it would be?
Reading. I was (and still am) a voracious reader – books, magazines, blog posts, news, etc. but mostly books. The book that really inspired me to become an author was Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume. I’m not sure why it captured my attention the way it did, but I loved that book – I think because it was so relatable and funny and Judy Blume is a Jersey girl too!
It’s everything I imagined and nothing I imagined. I love writing and creating and I love meeting readers – those are the fun parts. The business side – branding, social media, book sales, writing under deadline – is a little trickier. Yes it’s nice to have a dream come true, but it’s also a lot of hard work. The difference for me between being published and not, is that if I’m on deadline I need to write – even when the words aren’t flowing that easily. That can be tough.
9 – What is your favorite genre and why?
I’ll have to say contemporary romance because it’s an escape! Sometimes though when I’m writing, I need to read something completely different from what I’m working on and then I turn to paranormal or thrillers!
10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?
Don’t be in such a rush to send your work out – make sure you’ve gone through it, thoroughly, which means it’s imperative to have first readers. People you can depend on, not only to lift you up but to show you where you need improvement. I wouldn’t be where I am now without my writing group. If a group doesn’t work for you at least find a critique partner. Even one outside opinion can help. Find what you love about writing – this way when it gets difficult, you can remind yourself of that. There is always rejection at every stage, so just embrace it and persevere.
11 – If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
I think I’d love to fly – the ability to get somewhere fast would be really handy!
About the Author
Robin Constantine is the author of The Promise of Amazing and The Secrets of Attraction. A born-and-raised Jersey girl, Robin likes to spend her days dreaming up stories where love conquers all, eventually, but not without a lot of peril, angst, and the occasional kissing scene. She loves swoony books, flip-flops, dark chocolate and the full moon.
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.
The book:
The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens
Expected Publication: November 3rd 2015 by HarperTeen
Number of Pages: 336 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No
Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.
As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past. (goodreads.com)
My thoughts:
Last year I've read and loved Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens, even though it wasn't an easy story, so I immediately knew that I would read any and all books she's going to put out. The Lies About Truth sounds amazing and the cover is stunning so I cannot wait to finally read it and see it standing on my shelf. Courtney is an amazing author so I'm positive that this book will be just as good as Faking Normal.
Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which books you're waiting for this Wednesday!
Cover Lust Friday is a weekly meme that's all about covers. Pick a cover that stands out to you, add your reason why you've chosen that particular one or what you like about it. Let's have fun with it and share the love for our favorite covers.
The Cover:
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
Published: June 4th 2013 by Atria Books
Number of Pages: 434 Pages (Paperback)
Series: No
I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.
Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay.
All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.
Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery
she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to.
The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.
Please Note: This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language. (goodreads.com)
The Reason:
This is the second ever Cover Lust Friday posts I thought I simply have to talk about my favorite YA/NA Contemporary book and it's gorgeous covers. I say covers because there are two, as you can see above. The first one is the current cover it has under Atria Books and the second one is the old cover which it had under Antisocialite Press LLC.
Back when I first stumbled upon this book the cover, the old one, caught my eye because of its simplicity and the beautiful font. It's remarkable how well the cover fits with the slow and tranquil atmosphere of the story. And there's also something intriguing about the new cover, which now stands proudly on my shelf. On one had it's there two silliest of faces looking at each other and on the other spilled while paint. I absolutely love these two covers and the book itself.
* * *
Want to join in? No problem! Just follow the 'rules' below:
- Write a blog post about a cover you love.
- Add your link in the comment section of the original post (click here) so we can have something like a list going on.
- And if you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
- Check out other posts, and have fun!
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine in which we discuss our most anticipated upcoming releases.
The book:
Underneath Everything by Marcy Beller Paul
Expected Publication: October 27th 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No
Underneath Everything is a seductive, gorgeously written debut about two girls bound by an obsessive and toxic friendship, perfect for fans of Lauren Oliver and Courtney Summers.
Mattie shouldn't be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason. But now Mattie is a senior, and she's sick of missing things. So here she is. And there's Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know—she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson.
But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can't figure out where Jolene's life ends and hers begins. Because there's something Mattie hasn't told anyone: She walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left. (goodreads.com)
My thoughts:
This book sounds absolutely amazing. I mean, a toxic friendship and an LGBTQ undercurrent, what more could you ask for? The cover is also really pretty, nice and simple with a interesting light blue font. I cannot wait to dive into this one, especially since I've had my eye on it for months now. Can it be October 27th already? Please?
Let me know in the comments below or via twitter (@Alice_Reeds) which book you're waiting for this Wednesday!
For this weeks Ask the Author I'm bringing you the wonderful Tammara Webber, author of Easy, a book I read and enjoyed last year. I got the chance to ask her a couple of questions which is super exciting, since here answers are detailed and interesting.
Here's his book and his A's for my Q's:
Easy by Tammara Webber
Published: November 6th 2012 by Penguin Berkley
Number of Pages: 321 Pages (Paperback)
Series: Yes, #1 in the Contours of the Heart Series
When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she's single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.
Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex's frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night - but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.
When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy. (goodreads.com)
Interview with Tammara Webber
1 – Describe Easy with a haiku.
contours of the heart
though flawed, inconsistent, are
tensile… connected
2 – What sparked the idea for Easy? Was it the simple idea of girl meets boy or something else entirely?
Jacqueline began telling me her story. I woke up with it in my head on multiple occasions. As a rape survivor, I wasn’t too keen on the idea of writing it at first. I wasn’t opposed to writing about a serious issue, but that subject wasn’t something I ever thought I’d tackle—certainly not in a romance book. It wasn’t until she began showing me more of Lucas and I saw the possibility for a relationship between them that I put aside the book I was working on at the time (the final book in the Between the Lines series) to write Easy.
3 – What do you like most and least about your protagonist Jacqueline?
In a way, characters are like their creator’s offspring; they’re real to us, connected but separate from us. I don’t judge my characters harshly, because then I’d want to make them more “perfect”—and real people aren’t perfect. They are who they are, and I want to respect the choices they make, whether or not I agree with or even understand them. The thing I like most about Jacqueline is that she doesn’t give up. No matter what happens, even if she becomes dejected or scared, she keeps on. Our stories and personalities are very different, but I understood her underlying fear, and I admired her perseverance.
4 – What do you think makes Easy stand out?
I write coming-of-age books that feel very YA but feature characters who are older than typical YA books. As I wrote and published my first series, I was working with university students every day as an academic advisor. Many of my students came to college unprepared for the new power they had over their lives and futures. No one becomes an adult overnight, and most of us don’t know who we’re going to be or how we’re going to structure the rest of our lives when we’re eighteen or nineteen, even if we have dreams and goals in mind. I’ve been fascinated with that 17-24 stage of life for a long time, and it’s all I wanted to write about, but publishers—at that time—turned away stories about college students. It was self-publishing that pushed the category now called New Adult forward, and Easy—self-published in May 2012—was one of those front-runners.
5 – In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?
I’m happy with it as is and would not change the story. If I had the opportunity to revise anything, it would be minor writer quibbles—word choice, recurrence and the like. I’m learning the power of letting go and moving on to the next project.
6 - How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal?
Before 2007, I wrote three shelf novels (publishing-speak for “a manuscript that will never see the light of day”). In 2009, I began a fourth manuscript: Between the Lines. After a year of query letters and pitches to agents at writing conferences, I self-published (May 2011). I’d already completed the second book in the series, and I wrote the third during 2011. Easy was my seventh manuscript, and in May 2012 it became my fourth self-published book. It hit the NYT bestseller list its second week, and agents began emailing me. Under the guidance of the agent I chose, I accepted an audiobook offer, a UK-rights offer (Penguin Razorbill), and several translation offers during the summer of 2012. I also turned down four US offers. A couple of months later, Penguin made a US offer to publish Easy under an adult romance imprint (Berkley) while assigning me to a young adult editor. I accepted, and Easy was republished by Penguin Berkley in October (digital)/ November (paperback) 2012. To date, it has been translated into 24 languages.
7 - How did you feel when you first realized that this story you had written would soon be read by thousands of people and how do you feel now, years later, before your next book will be released? Did the feeling change or is it still the same?
I wrote Easy knowing it would be read by at least the readers I’d gained from the first three books of the Between the Lines series. I wrote Between the Lines in total obscurity, worrying more about what my mother and non-writing friends would think about it than readers—which I had no idea of at all. Since the publication of the second BTL book, I’ve felt increasing internal pressure to write the perfect story for my readers. I still strive to improve as a writer with every book, but I knew while writing Easy that it would be the definitive work of my career. I have no problem with that, and I never will.
8 – What lead you to writing and wanting to be an author? Is it the way you imagined it would be?
I began writing stories and making construction paper “books” as soon as I could write. By age twelve, I was writing poetry and journaling. I kept the poetry (not haikus, however, as is probably obvious by my attempt to answer question 1) and progressed to writing essays as a teen, and blogging once blogging was invented. By nineteen, I knew I wanted to be a novelist; it took over two decades to become one. I considered pursuing journalism at one point, but decided I was more interested in developing ideas through fiction than reporting facts.
When I was growing up, even highly successful novelists moved through life in an anonymous way. We seldom knew or cared what they looked like and never saw them in person; the books they wrote were all that mattered. Getting “in touch” with one of them required tracking down their editor’s New York address and posting a letter that had slim hopes of ever being answered. I imagined that being an author meant having a book on a shelf in a bookstore, period. I didn’t think I’d be interacting with readers on social media and through email, let alone in person at huge signings with dozens or hundreds of other authors. As an introvert with social anxiety issues, it’s been a difficult adjustment to be known and judged by strangers in such accessible ways. I don’t read reviews of my work, not because I don’t care what readers think – I definitely do – but because I can only write in the voice and with the style I’ve developed over my lifetime. I take the position that reviews are for readers, and I write stories I would want to read, because that’s the only way to ascertain my personal best work.
9 – Paperback or hardcover?
I buy hardcover when possible.
10 – What advice could you give aspiring authors?
Realize that writing is a skill. Don’t fall for the idea that instant success is required. It’s completely possible to slow-build a writing career. At the same time, never be satisfied with your first draft of anything – even if it’s fabulous, it isn’t your best work. Revision is where you’ll find and connect the emotional thread to your stories. Read authors you want to emulate, authors who inspire you to write better, and never, ever plagiarize another writer’s words.
11 – If you were forced to participate in The Hunger Games, as female from District 12, what would be your strategy? Fight or flight?
My strategy would be hiding and observing! I would only fight if I knew I could win, or if I was trapped. Otherwise, BYEBYE.
About the Author
Author of the CONTOURS OF THE HEART series and the BETWEEN THE LINES series.
I'm a hopeful romantic who adores novels with happy endings, because there are enough sad endings in real life. Before writing full-time, I was an undergraduate academic advisor, economics tutor, planetarium office manager, radiology call center rep, and the palest person to ever work at a tanning salon. I married my high school sweetheart, and I'm Mom to three adult kids and four very immature cats.
