Ask An Author: Talking with Tyler Feder, Author of Dancing at the Pity Party [Contributor: Megan Mann]

During college, I took a course that featured graphic novels. At the time, I was still of the belief that not only was YA not real literature, but that graphic novels were scarcely more than longer comic books. Readers, I can assure you that I was not only wrong on both fronts but now spend most of my time reading as many YA and graphic novels (half of the time a delicious crossover of the two!) as I can get my hands on.

So, you can imagine the happiness that welled inside of me when I found Tyler Feder's Dancing at the Pity Party on my doorstep!

This beautiful, insightful, poignant graphic novel details the relationship shared between Tyler and her delightful mother, the difficult journey her family found themselves on once her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and the long, winding road that they walk in grief after her passing. It's a story that anyone who has lost a parent should read, yes; but it's also an important read for those of us who need to better understand how to help those who are struggling with loss.

I got the chance to talk to Tyler about the importance of her book.

Congratulations! Dancing at the Pity Party is finally available! How does it feel?

It feels surreal!  I’m so proud of the book and so excited to share it with the world, and it’s definitely strange to be releasing it during a pandemic.

What made you decide to write a graphic novel about losing your mom during college?

It was more of a full-body urge than a real decision. This story has been weighing on me for a decade, and I felt like I needed to put it into some kind of big creative project before I could fully explore other topics in my work.

Was writing this a cathartic, emotional, or a heavy mixture of the two experiences?

All of the above! There were many emotional moments and times of catharsis, but also it was hard just in the way that writing a BOOK is hard — deadlines and hand cramps are real even when the topic is so personal!

What I loved about it is that you tie in such levity to such a dark situation. All of the chapter ends were so funny. I think, without sounding too much like Sirius Black or Dumbledore, that we really can’t have the light without the dark. Is that what you were going for?

Yes, absolutely.  In my experience, levity and grief are so tied, and it would have felt weird and wrong to include one without the other.

Something else that I think is super important is not only highlighting how difficult it is to lose a parent, but how the Jewish faith grieves their dead with Shiva. For some, that’s not common knowledge. Do you think that process helped when you lost your mom?

I was just talking to my sisters the other day about how nearly all my memories of the Shiva are positive ones. It was so healing to be stuck in a house for a week with so many people I love, an abundance of comfort food, and lots of familiar smells and sounds. Highly recommend!

Sometimes people tend to keep difficult subject matter, like an entire novel about losing a parent, at a distance because of what it might bring them. Do you hope readers find some sort of healing in your work?

Yes, of course! I think being open and honest can make difficult subjects more approachable and less scary. If I can bring comfort to any number of people in a similar situation to mine, I consider that a win.

I think my favorite parts were the pages that were entirely dedicated to what you should and shouldn’t say to someone who is grieving, and how your own grief is a very complex process and different from everyone else’s. Which of those resonates most with you?

I think people have a tendency to use euphemisms when they talk about death and grief, but I find it much more comforting when people acknowledge just how bad things really are. To me, an “I’m so sorry you have to go through this” is way better than a “She’s in a better place.”

What do you hope readers, whether they lost a parent or not, take away from Dancing at the Pity Party?

I hope that readers who haven’t experienced loss get a better understanding of what goes on “behind the scenes” and learn how to better help the grieving people in their life. For readers who have lost someone they love, I just hope they feel seen and know that they’re not alone.

Okay, let’s move to graphic novels. How do you feel about the wider reach of graphic novels now?

Both as a creator and consumer of graphic novels, I love it!

What would you tell someone who doesn’t see graphic novels as “real books”?

First I would give them a giant eye roll, but then I would remind them that graphic novels are not just the funnies in the newspaper! They can have just as much depth and complexity as any traditional novel! They just develop that depth in a different way.

Did you always know this would be a graphic novel?

Yes I did! It’s easiest for me to express myself with a combination of words and pictures, and this book actually started as a four-page graphic essay for a Creative Nonfiction class I took in college a year or two after my mom died. I can’t believe that essay is now a real live book!

Since this is a hard time for writers to get the word out about their work, what are some other books that are coming out during the pandemic that you want people to know about?

I am so excited to read Madame Clairevoyant’s Guide to the Stars!  The author, Claire Comstock-Gay, writes the most beautiful and moving horoscopes for The Cut, and I’m sure her book will be just as lovely. Also, although the incredible Samantha Irby definitely doesn’t need a shout-out from little old me, I read an excerpt of Wow No Thank You and I can’t wait to gobble the rest of it up!

What books are you looking forward to in 2020?

My art friend Beth Evans’ book Hi, Just a Quick Question comes out in August! We’ve worked on our books together at many coffee shop art dates, and it’s going to be so cool to see the finished product!

What are you reading now?

I treated myself to ordering two of Lisa Hanawalt’s books (they haven’t arrived yet) and I’m particularly looking forward to reading Coyote Doggirl.

Guys, I cannot stress enough how much I immensely enjoyed this book. I laughed, I cried, I found new ways to help those who are dealing with something beyond my own comprehension. Dancing at the Pity Party is a lesson in empathy and understanding, of loss and of hope, and is a must-read for everyone.

We want to thank Tyler Feder for talking with us about her incredible new book Dancing at the Pity Party out NOW from Penguin Teen! Follow her on Twitter and Instagram and pick up your copy today! (Preferably from an independent bookstore of your choice, as they need your help!)

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Ask An Author: These Witches Don't Burn’s Isabel Sterling [Contributor: Megan Mann]

(Image credit: Penguin Teen)

In modern-day Salem, tourists come from around the country to learn the history of the witch trials and visit one of the many shops dedicated to the occult. One such shop, Fly By Night Cauldron, has a specialty though: Hannah, who is an Elemental Witch. No one knows that she's a witch since it's against coven rules to let the Regs — non-magic folk — know about their powers.

Hannah's recent breakup and the possibility of a new relationship are hard for her to focus on when things start to go sideways in Salem. First, Hannah thinks a Blood Witch has come to kill her, but the coven discovers a witch hunter is in town ready to take them out. How will Hannah figure out who it is? Is it Detective Archer or her arrogant classmate Nolan? What about her newest coworker Cal? Can she trust anyone anymore?

In Isabel Sterling's latest release, These Witches Don't Burn, romance, intrigue, action, and the occult weave together to form a fast-paced ride that will keep the pages turning until the very end.

Here's what Isabel had to say about her fantastic new book!

Congratulations on the release of These Witches Don’t Burn! How does it feel?

Thank you so much! It’s been such a wonderful experience so far. I love hearing from readers who connect with Hannah’s story (it’s honestly the best feeling), and it’s been really cool to hear about all the places TWDB is showing up around the world. Most recently, I heard from readers in Paris and Manila!

I absolutely love the idea of the witches still being in Salem. What was the catalyst for the modern-day Salem witch?

I’ve been fascinated with the Salem witch trials since I first learned about them in middle school. When Hannah’s character walked into my life, she was a “real” witch working at an occult shop and highly annoyed with the so-called wannabes who shopped there. I knew immediately it had to be set in Salem.

Right off the bat, you let the audience know that Hannah is a lesbian. I absolutely love that there’s no fanfare when she comes out to her parents. It was the same when Morgan explains telling her parents she was bi later on. In some cases, that’s how it goes. Did you want to make it super easy to let readers know that they don’t have to fear coming out to their families?

Coming out is such a complex, and ongoing, experience, and I’d never want to prescribe for someone whether it’s safe or easy for them to come out (sometimes it’s really not). Everyone should have the space and freedom to come out in their own time.

I open the book with Hannah’s nonchalant coming out to let readers know right away that this is a story where being part of the LGBTQ community is both accepted and celebrated. I wanted to signal right away that this wouldn’t be a book with queer pain. At the same time, I wanted to include some of the small realities of being openly queer. That’s why we see Gemma’s parents treating Hannah differently. That’s why we see Hannah decide whether to come out to her new co-worker, Cal. With each scene, I was actively trying to balance the challenges of being queer in our society while creating a fun story where LGBTQ characters can just be.

I loved the double mystery happening in the book. Hannah is chasing the mystery of what’s going on and readers are chasing the mystery of how everything happened in New York to make Hannah so edgy about the idea of a Blood Witch coming to Salem. How did that dual intrigue come about?

I’m so glad you enjoyed that! The entire NYC mystery didn’t come to me until after I’d signed my book deal, actually! I needed a more concrete reason for Hannah to be afraid of the Blood Witches, and I actually wrote myself a little prequel story about how Hannah and Veronica broke up. The entire NYC situation evolved from there.

Something that I really appreciated about the book was how seamless it was to go from mystery hunting to magic to romance and back around again. It’s one of the few times where I’ve read the mind of a teenager so realistically. Did you mean to show that teenagers can compartmentalize things differently in terms of attention and emotion?

Ooh, that’s an interesting question! I’m glad it resonated. People (including teens!) are really complex, and we often have to juggle so many competing priorities. I remember being a teen and being stressed about finals and band practice and a million other things, but there was always time to talk about crushes with my friends.

Instead of keeping it within the town, you added a collection of new people to Salem as everything started to go down. It made Hannah, Veronica, and the coven question first outside people before looking in. Was the addition of new people in town to make it harder to figure out the identity of the blood witch?

It was! Creating several viable suspects was an important part of crafting the mystery. I wanted readers to feel like no one was completely innocent until all the twists played out.

When you were writing These Witches Don’t Burn, did you plan out the surprises or were they surprises to you too?

The main villain was the same in every draft, though the reason for their villainy did deepen and evolve over time. A lot of the ways the villain goes after Hannah and her friends did change a lot through revisions with my editor though!

I recently asked author Camille Perri this question and I’d love to hear your opinion on it. It seems like LGBTQIA+ stories and authors are becoming more common on the shelves and bestseller lists. These Witches Don’t Burn has several different LGBTQ characters (including a lesbian, a bisexual girl, and a queer trans guy). Do you think we’re finally moving forward? When do you think stories like this will be less labeled and seen as regular stories?

While there’s been progress made over the last decade (and the last few years in particular), there’s still a long way to go, especially with trans characters and characters of color within the LGBTQ communities.

As far as book “labeling,” I actually think there’s a lot of value in being explicit about LGBTQ rep in books; I think it’s important for queer and trans readers to be able to easily find characters like themselves. Though it may not be done with this intent, when LGBTQ books are marketed with zero hint of their identities present, it can feel like the publisher was purposefully burying that information to “protect” sales. LGBTQ identities shouldn’t be a dirty secret that readers only discover after picking up the story or intense online research.

All that said, I do understand the need for “under cover” LGBTQ books for teens, especially since not everyone can safely bring openly queer content into their homes.

What was the researching aspect like for this one? It’s a fun book, but you have to get your facts straight.

Well, as Hannah would say, I don’t do anything “straight.” (Sorry, I had to!) The most fun aspect of research was visiting Salem with my wife! We went to Salem in between my first draft and my initial big revision, and walking the streets helped the feel of the town come alive for me.

What is it about magic that you think readers are perpetually drawn to?

I think there’s something undeniably fun about magic. Especially for those of us who might not have a lot of power in our own lives, the thought of having an inner power manifest in such a real and undeniable way is alluring for a lot of us.

The book was released just a few days shy of Pride Month. What are some of the best LGBTQIA+ books you recommend?

So many! Some of my recently released favorites include:

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan
• We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia
• Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins
• Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy

Finally, and I feel as if this is the most important, what kind of witch would you be? Elemental, Caster, or Blood Witch? What would be the best part of having magic?

Hmm, if I could choose one for myself, I'd want to be an Elemental. Being able to control the elements would be so cool. But if I’m going based on my personality, I think I’d probably end up a Caster Witch. I’m definitely a nerd, and keeping a journal of potions would be very much my thing.

These Witches Don't Burn, as well as Hot Dog Girl and Her Royal Highness are available now from Penguin Teen! And follow Isabel on Twitter.

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The World of Dystopia: A Review of The Voyage of Poe Blythe [Contributor: Megan Mann]

(Image credit: Penguin Teen)

Years ago young adult literature was leaving the world of vampires and werewolves behind. The mythical creatures and their love stories were on the way out, making room for a new genre: dytospian fiction. Yes, dystopias took the world by storm with books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Selection by Kierra Cass, and Matched by Ally Condie.

It was a genre that focused on the future rather than the past. Dystopias ask the questions, “What if everything goes south? What would that world look like? Would the human race survive, or tear each other to pieces? Does our past influence what comes next when the world is unrecognizable?”

While some of these novel’s landscapes are unfathomable to us, they also aren’t exactly out of the realm of possibility either. That’s what allows writers the freedom to create a future that’s just enough to make you wonder, “Is this possible? If so, would I survive?”

And Ally Condie does just that. In her dystopian trilogy that began with Matched, Condie showed a future where we meet our life partner at seventeen years old in a tightly controlled society. In her latest dystopian take, the focus is less on believing that you’re in a Utopian society and instead discovering its seedy underbelly. This book is about knowing exactly where you stand in a future where you have to do what you can in order to survive.

That’s exactly what Poe Blythe intends to do: survive and seek revenge.

At the beginning of The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe, we meet Poe and her best friend turned boyfriend, Call, as they sail down the river in a mining ship. It’s a less-than-desirable job since there are often Raiders lurking on the shores waiting to rob the ship of whatever gold it dredges from the river. It’s a dangerous journey, but Poe believes not as important for Raiders anymore as there are less and less outlets willing to trade in gold.

Poe and Call have a plan: they’re going to set sail as if they are going on a regular mission but instead of turning around and heading back to the Outpost, they’re going to keep sailing and see what the wilderness has in store for them. It could change their lives for the better and they’ll be together in this new adventure. As they talk about their escape plan during an excursion, Poe’s help is needed inside the ship. When she comes back on deck with two other crew members, she can immediately tell that something is wrong.

Raiders.

As the Raiders take over the ship, she notices that Call is missing. Poe hopes that he’s simply hiding and didn’t have time to raise the alarm letting the rest of the crew know they were in trouble. But when they bring him up to the deck, she knows with certainty that Call is dead. Her hopes, her dreams, her heart is shattered in that moment. The Raiders take the ship and allow the rest of the crew to leave with a message to the Outpost that the Raiders, or drifters as they call themselves, will no longer allow them to take the gold from the rivers. As the group makes the long trek back to the Outpost, with the ship exploding in the distance, Poe feels the fire ignite in her.

“I make them a promise, as their smoke and fire blot out the stars. I will make you nothing too.”

Over the next two years, Poe does seek revenge on the Raiders. Through dreams, she sees Call creating armor to protect the mining ships and sets to creating it. Ever since she brought the dream to life, the last remaining ship has yet to be raided and its gold taken. This has allowed Poe to move up at the Outpost and live in her own apartment while working with the Admiral. But her need for revenge has not yet been quelled. When the Admiral tells her that she will be making another voyage, this time on a river that has yet to be mined by the Outpost, Poe isn’t sure how to feel. However it’s not an option; it’s an order.

It’s been two years since she had been on a ship and now as Captain, she’s unsure how to feel. She wonders about the crew and whether or not they can be trusted. She wonders if they will have a problem with being lead by someone who is just 17 years old. She wonders why the Admiral wanted her on this voyage in the first place. The ship fills her with memories and also suspicion. This is surely going to be the voyage that Poe was not anticipating.

Dystopias have to draw me into a version of our future while keeping me grounded in something relatable in order to be good. They have to make you believable in the relative impossible while keeping you glued to the page. The story has to be intense with great plot and action sequences because if you have to fight to survive, it better be a good fight. As a writer, you have to build the suspense and make the reader feel like they can’t put the book down.

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe did all of that and more for me. It kept me guessing and wondering what was going to happen next. It was a story of survival, sure, but it had so much heart as well. It was, as somehow most dystopias are, a coming of age story set against an impossible backdrop. Being the captain of a ship where your boyfriend was killed and dead set on revenge at such a young age is a lot grapple with.

I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story as well. Since Poe doesn’t know what all of the mining is for, we don’t know and you’re constantly wondering along with her. There are little tidbits here and there throughout the plot that come back around brilliantly. I love when writing brings small things back around and proves they were actually big pieces to the story.

If you’re looking for a story that is going to pull you in and keep you guessing, The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie is the perfect read for you. It’s a fresh take on the pirate story that will have you racing through the pages trying to figure out the mystery of it all. It’s fresh, exciting, and it’s the perfect summer read just waiting for you to dive into!

Get your copy of the book today!

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Ask an Author: The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky’s Jana Casale [Contributor: Megan Mann]

With her debut novel, Jana Casale tells a story that is more identifiable than most literature. Instead of relying on literary tropes to tell a story about a woman as she navigates life, Casale instead looks to the realities a woman goes through. It's a relatable read and it's a book that, unlike Noam Chomsky, you won't just purchase and never read.

So what does Jana Casale think of her book? Keep reading to find out!

Congratulations! Your debut, The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky, is now in paperback! How does it feel?

It feels many different things, but overall I feel incredibly grateful and very humbled by all the amazing things that have happened to my little book. 

What was the catalyst for this story?

I was in class at Emerson College and a student was giving a presentation on Noam Chomsky. The professor asked her, “Have you read any of his work?” and she said, “No, but I’d like to when I have more time.” And I thought, "That’s never going to happen." Nothing against that young woman or course, it just seemed like one of those things in life you hope to do but never get to.

I found myself identifying with a lot of this book (especially when Leda’s mother said, “Dreams first, boys second”). Were you hoping that female readers would identify with Leda in one way or another?

I felt that there was a real gap in literature in terms of representing much of the female experience, and I really wanted to write something that was as vulnerable and honest as possible. I think when you do that you run the risk of alienating people because you’re usually talking about very specific, very personal things. But without being that open and raw about your own experiences, I think you are unable to really give your reader something to fully connect with. It’s thrilling when I hear that women do see themselves and can relate to my character because that was really my hope with this novel. I wanted women to feel a little less lonely when reading it.

Including Rochelle’s rape story may be too much to handle for some readers. But for many women, this situation occurs far more than it should. Was that what made you want to include it?

I really appreciate this question because this chapter to me is such an important one in the novel. I didn’t think it was right to write a book about womanhood and the female experience and to not talk about rape. Rochelle as a character was a way for me to be frank about the violence women face and the way that violence is just part of so many women’s lives. To some degree Leda acts as a mirror to the way society does and turns her back on Rochelle, which is why that final image of Rochelle at the end of the chapter is so important. It’s a complicated chapter, but I feel very proud of it. And even though it’s not essential to Leda’s narrative, I think it is incredibly essential to the narrative of the book thematically.

The difficulties of friendship segued into Leda’s spiral into depression about upending her entire life from Boston to San Francisco for John’s job. This left her entirely without aspects of her identity: friends, family, job, school. This is more common than ever now. Why choose for them to uproot their lives for him instead of her?

Part of what I wanted to do with this novel is talk about the ways in which women get so much self-worth from having men in their lives. In reality Leda is so happy with having John [that] she is willing to make that sacrifice for him and move to California. We see later on that having a great boyfriend in and of itself is not fulfilling enough for her, but the initial decision is based very much around that. And I would suspect the reason they don’t leave is because John does not feel the same sense of accomplishment by having a partner as Leda does and so is likely less motivated to make a big change just for her. To be fair it was also a smart financial decision for them and life, I think, just gets away from you very often when you make a big move like that, so that was part of it as well.

Something that I think is so important for you to bring up in this story is how social media has turned motherhood into a competition. It’s also creates this insidious world of mommy shaming. Do you think mothers reading this will scream “YES! THIS!” when reading your novel? 

I hope so! I find social media to be so depressing in my own life, and I think very often it feeds into the worst of ourselves and our relationships with other people. Women can be so hard on each other, and I hate the way all too often we use each other’s faults and failures to feel better about our own lives. The good thing about social media is that it’s very useful for writing. So many interesting and complicated human interactions happen through it, and because it’s all written, it really lends itself to the medium of prose. We’ve all seen those scenes in television and movies where they try to integrate texting or social media, and it really doesn’t work but it’s absolutely perfect for books.

I think we’ve all had the experience in the dressing room with the bathing suits. (Except for maybe Kendall Jenner.) Instead of creating a story that’s clear-cut, you created a story that’s realistic and messy. It makes it easy for the reader to identify at some point. What made you want to tell a straightforward story that didn’t rely on the themes we generally see in fiction?

The bathing suit scene is the one most frequently brought up to me which isn’t surprising because every woman (probably even Kendall Jenner!) has gone through something similar to that. Hating our bodies is so intrinsic to the female experience, but it’s almost never discussed. Honestly, so few protagonists you read about seem to struggle with many of the experiences women struggle with in their lives, and I think the reason is that many writers write in a way that is more derivative of art than of reality. I really wanted to write something that was not built on women that I’ve read about but built on women that I’ve known, and so I tried to be as messy as possible. And what’s messier than bathing suit shopping?

Okay, so here’s a few fun questions! If this were to become a Netflix series, who would you cast?

Believe it or not I never think about this kind of thing! I think I’d just want Leda to be played by someone with a sense of humor.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on my second novel which is about three different women who are in love with terrible men. It’s tentatively titled, How to Fall Out of Love Madly.

(Megan’s note: I’m here for it. Very excited for this already!)

What’s the best writing advice you received during this process?

To think about your career holistically and to only publish what you really want out in the world. 

What are you reading right now?

I just finished Mary Laura Philpott’s book of essays called I Miss You When I Blink. It’s coming out this spring and it’s amazing. So hilarious. So touching. I highly recommend!

(Megan’s note: This book is, in fact, incredible and I also think everyone should read it.)

And last, because I have to ask, what’s a book you bought and then never read?

Honestly, there are too many to name! I love books, which means I over buy in a big way. But I did read Noam Chomsky!

The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky is available now in paperback! And find Jana on Instagram!

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Ask an Author: Rabbit & Robot's Andrew Smith [Contributor: Megan Mann]

When it comes to dystopia, readers have a pretty concrete idea of what the genre means. The world has experienced some cataclysmic event that has lead to society become the worst version of itself. There's usually a purge of human life and if there isn't, society works completely differently than the reader is used to. (Like how America turned into Panem, or how zombies have taken over the world, or how girls are given the chance to win the prince's love on a Bachelor-type show, how radiation has poisoned the world and the outlawed children on a space station are sent back to earth, or how the country has been divided based on personality traits.)

But what about if America is just constantly at war — both civil and global — and kids are encouraged to basically be either a never-ending soldier, or a coder in this great technically advanced future? What if space is no longer the final frontier and is easily accessible to anyone with the money? What if A.I. is as commonplace as a gallon of milk, and the futuristic version of Adderrall is passed out like candy?

Enter Andrew Smith's newest YA novel, Rabbit & Robot. With the dystopian sub-genre of YA fiction so saturated these days, this novel was a refresher. It was interesting and different, but never shied away from grounding itself in reality. The character, Cager, is trapped in space, but worried that he'll never use a can opener or kiss a girl. It's easy to see and understand the reality within the unknown.

How does Andrew Smith describe his newest book? I asked him about that and much more. Here are some of the greatest answers I've ever received in an interview.

Congratulations! Rabbit & Robot is finally out! How does it feel? Does the feeling ever change with each publication? 

Andrew: To be honest, it feels a little scary and strange. I took three years off between my last book and Rabbit & Robot, so I felt more than a bit nervous and apprehensive about getting back into the THING. But I always feel nervous and apprehensive whenever a book comes out.

When I read the description, it reminded me slightly of Grasshopper Jungle. Then when I started reading it, I realized the two could not be more different. Could you explain where the idea for this story came from? 

Back in 2015, one day I found myself trapped inside this massive machine hurtling through space, surrounded by thousands of insane robots that were eating each other. Then I realized I wasn't inside a machine with cannibalistic insane robots — it was only Twitter. So I decided to write a book about it.

(Megan's note: Best answer ever?)

When did you start writing this? It almost feels as if the election in 2016 was an influence on the 30 wars. 

I actually started writing the book in early 2015, well before the election and associated campaigns lost their bearings. But geez! who knew I would create robots that pretty much acted exactly like Brett Kavanaugh during his hearings?

Do you see the story as somewhat prophetic? It doesn’t seem that unlikely that technology is heading in the way of artificial intelligence — or, as you call them, "cogs" — and that this sort of technology has the ability to completely backfire?

I'm more concerned about the likelihood of public education being conquered by corporate interests, and then programming kids into predetermined (and very narrow) pathways to the JOBS OF THE FUTURE! Kids, you don't have to be Rabbits or Robots, just in case you were wondering.

Speaking of cogs, was it fun to write the cog dialogue? Their emotions are all over the place. 

I had fun writing the cogs. There was lots of material out there for me to draw from by just looking for the archetype manifestations on social media.

What about Dr. Geneva? How much research went into his soliloquies? It almost feels like you found the most random stuff to Google and thought, "Yeah, this will work!"

Dr. Geneva was a labor of love, and he's also one of my characters whom I would most like to punch in the face. He is a tribute to every never-shutting-up mansplainer I have ever encountered.

And yeah, mansplaining is exhausting, research-wise.

Not only is technology moving in the way of artificial intelligence, but there’s a new version of the space race on our hands. Was the Tennessee a reflection of that? 

The Tennessee is a combination of several things. First, it's a tribute to "Anecdote of the Jar," a poem by Wallace Stevens. Furthermore, it serves as a big heaping plate of my disgust for imperialism, and the wastefulness of obscene wealth. Like many people, I'm pretty much over Elon Musk. And anyone who shoots a sports car into space just because he CAN... well, how does that move us forward as a species at all?

The book almost feels like it takes place in two parts: pre- and post blue people. As a reader, they show up and you realize you have so much of the story left to go! Was that your intention? 

The blue people — Queen Dot, King Carlos, and their teenage sons — are really like the creators of the universe: God, in effect. I didn't want to write an entire book about "God," since I understand it's already been done. But I did want them to pop in just to mess with the few human beings left in the universe, and to let them know how woefully wrong we've been about everything since the dawn of time.

It almost feels like you’re saying, “Look, the theory that we’re all just a simulation and they want to see how long it takes us to totally destroy each other” is true. Would you agree or disagree? 

I think we're progressing much more slowly than any "intelligent" species has a right to, but I don't believe we're observable entertainment for anyone out there. And Queen Dot does lament what human beings have done to her favorite place in the universe, which is a beach in Mexico.

I think one of the most surprising aspects of the story is by the end, Cager says “Love and hope are what make us who we are.” While that’s clear in retrospect, — as he realizes that he has a version of love with Rowan and Billy and a potential greater love with Meg — it’s not what sticks out when you’re reading the story. Why the layering? 

Cager is a kid who was basically raised in a petri dish. He has no clue at all what it really means to be a human until he gets trapped in this hopeless situation on the Tennessee, and then all the opportunities (missed and otherwise) that come with being a human are entirely overwhelming to him. But yeah, love and hope. They all have hope at the end, don't they?

Okay, now to the fun stuff! It was recently Banned Books Week. What are some of your favorite banned books? 

I was on tour for Banned Books Week, and I even went to the city in Oregon where my book Stick was banned in a school district earlier in 2018. So let me start off with these: The Chocolate War (I wrote about this book being banned in Grasshopper Jungle), The Satanic Verses, and Slaughterhouse Five.

(Megan's note: Stick is one of Andrew Smith's best works specifically because of why it's banned. It's an incredible, and difficult, read.)

What’s your writing process like? 

I sit down at my messy desk, turn on my computer, and press little keys with letters on them. I don't think I have a "process." I don't draft or outline. I think about an idea for a long time (maybe six months to a year) until that idea becomes so concrete in my head, and then I just write it. I've been thinking about a thing for a while now, and I am just about to let it come out.

Could you see any of your work ever becoming a movie? What would a Rabbit & Robot movie look like? 

There are a few things that are in various stages of development. But I have also said NO to some of my stories being made into films. I would love to see Rabbit & Robot turned into a film, but it would have to have the right people behind it, and I have no desire whatsoever to write a script. I don't think I could ever turn one of my novels into a script.

And finally, what are you reading right now? 

I just finished reading Less, by Andrew Sean Greer. I loved it so very much!

Rabbit & Robot, an A.I. infested dystopian that will have you constantly thinking, questioning and laughing out loud, is out now through Simon & Schuster. And just read all of Andrew Smith's work, okay?

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The Universal Story: An Interview with Tight Author Torrey Maldonado [Contributor: Megan Mann]

(Image credit: Penguin Random House)

When was the last time you sat down with a book and reading it felt like reading an intimate conversation? Has it been a while? If you are looking to dive back into this kind of reading experience, look no further than Torrey Maldonado’s newest release, Tight.

Tight follows Bryan as he navigates the Brooklyn projects where his dad reigns supreme. He’s a quiet kid who likes hanging out at his mom’s office and keeps to himself — that is, until his parents decide he should befriend the new kid named Mike across the street. What starts out as a fun friendship full of comic books and banter turns into a test of who Bryan really is, and a lesson in standing up to a bully.

The story that Tight tells is a universal one, and it is one that I think a lot of people need to read. So I discuss this, the writing process, and the great battle between Marvel and DC with Torrey Maldonado!

Congratulations on Tight! How does it feel to have it out?

Torrey Maldonado: Thank you. It feels like Tight being out answers so many questions. I wondered, “Can I overcome the sophomore slump?” Another question that I got from everyone since my debut of Secret Saturdays was, “When will we see your next book?”

So I feel good — James Brown good — to get to finally say: “Tight is out!” And people feel Tight is tight, so YES!

What was the inspiration behind Bryan’s story?

Elizabeth Bird of A Fuse # 8 Production, a School Library Journal blog, told me that she wants to steal a phrase of mine: the bully spectrum. My whole life, and my two decades as a teacher, have taught me that there is a spectrum of bullies.

I want readers to finish Tight and plot the bullies of their lives on a spectrum like: “Okay, the one who pushes people against a wall goes here,” and “I’ll plot the one who is like Mike who steals your heart over there.” I hope that through Tight, my students and other kids learn that there is a mix of bullies on the bully spectrum so that they can better respond to that mix in their lives. And I definitely hope they see the hero Bryan as themselves.

If readers know that they can be heroic like him, then that’s a win.

What I really enjoyed about the book was that it felt like someone was telling you a story. It didn’t feel like a book, in a way, which made it such a great book to sit down with and get through. Did you want to make the language and the references timely? If so, why?

Dang. You said, “It didn’t feel like a book, which made it such a great book to sit down with and get through.” Can I turn your praise into a cup of coffee and drink that daily? I appreciate you saying that. Yours is high praise because many kids I write for are allergic to books. Since they aren’t feeling books, I hoped Tight wouldn’t feel like one.

About the language and references, I see books set in New York that don’t feel like New York. I’ll read books with tween dialogue and tweens don’t talk that way. Those books are off. I’m glad you feel Tight is on-point. As a tween, I needed timely accurate books that were both windows and mirrors so I that’s what I write.

What’s great is that while Bryan’s culture is evident, his story of doing things he doesn’t want to do in order to impress someone else is entirely universal. Was that dichotomy important to you?

Jay-Z has a rap line: “He’s got skills but he’s not real.” As a writer, my goal is to make a book so real and accurate that I get reviews like the one that I just got for Tight. Someone said, “You had to live this book to write it.” So, it’s a mirror book. Now, as a middle school teacher, I know that it is a universal theme that the middle school years are “crossroad years” where tweens spend a lot of time trying to impress others. So I wanted to craft a window into that universal struggle. I appreciate you saying I achieved that dichotomy because I want Tight to sit on shelves with other books that are both mirrors and windows.

Why did you want Bryan to always feel like he had to be tough instead of “soft” and that he couldn’t show his emotions?

Since before the 1960s when Frankie Valli sang “Walk Like a Man”, males have been told to “man up” and to hide their emotions and not be “soft.” In tough neighborhoods, toughness is admired and tweens like Bryan need tough friends like Mike who protect them. Mobb Deep, the rap group, has a lyric: “We livin' this til the day that we die / Survival of the fit only the strong survive.” In my Brooklyn hometown where I was born and raised — and in lots of neighborhoods — urban Black/Brown boys who don’t project toughness get called “soft” and get bullied. It happened to me. Through Byran we see the pressure boys feel trying to balance their emotions with a survival skill of showing toughness.

On the flip side, Mike is Bryan’s exact opposite. He acts nice until you get to know him, and then he’s more concerned with being the baddest kid on the block. What was the thought process behind making them both such polar opposites while still sharing interests?

The stereotype of enemies being total opposites is so cliché and overdone. I wanted to Mike to be real. In real life, we deal with ambiguous friendships and people. We all know that likable, interesting person with great qualities who is nice until you get to know them. Then we learn that everything that glitters isn’t gold. With Mike, I show the truth — people who are like each other tend to like each other and we tend to get hurt by those in our circle.

The story essentially showcases how your environment and your upbringing can influence who you become and how you react to certain things. Would you say that’s true?

Yes, Tight is about what your environment presents and how you react. And, the book acts as a timely version of the Robert Frost poem The Road Not Taken. Bryan knows what’s tight, in good ways, for him but two roads diverge in his hood and he’s in a tight squeeze. He has a choice — take the road less traveled, which will make all the difference, or follow in the footsteps of toxic masculinity.

Okay, let’s move on to some fun questions. What’s your writing process like?

Listening to music makes writing so much better. It has to be the music that my students and I love, but the instrumental versions. Otherwise, the song’s words mess with my typewritten words. I wrote a chapter while listening to Childish Gambino’s lyrics and I almost typed “This is America” over and over.

What would you say is your best advice to any aspiring writer who feels like they’re stuck or faces writer’s block?

My best advice to any aspiring writer who feels like they’re stuck or face writer’s block is to replay the ending of the last episode of season two of Daredevil on Netflix. Karen Page has writer’s block and her journalist boss tells her to write something new and different that only she can write. He tells her to write her truth — all of it and everything she’s been through and not to pull any punches. He tells her to tell people something they don’t know. That unstuck me so many times with Tight.

What are you reading now?

Right now, I’m following the advice of writers who have published way more books than me. They say keep writing so a book comes out each year. That means I have a list of what I want to read once I’ve caught up to publishing all of the stories I feel need to be told.

What are five books you would recommend?

The five books that I would recommend are:

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
2. Night by Elie Wiesel
3. A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
4. The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
5. The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker

Lastly, since it was so heavily discussed, are you DC or Marvel? Who would you be and why?

Ha! You know Tight like the back of your hand. Fist bump to you. Mike asks Bryan the same question. I’m like them, but I won’t pick their heroes. Their “who” changes and so does mine. So I’ll list the top five powers I want. From Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ghost’s power to turn myself and any objects I touch invisible or intangible. From Wolverine, Logan’s regenerative healing ability. From Professor X, his incredible ESP, psychic, telepathy, and mental-manipulation powers. Fourth, the ability to control air the way Magneto controls metal. And finally, the fastest Flash’s speed.

Tight is available now through Penguin Kids. It’s a great read!

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How Jacqueline Woodson's Harbor Me Perfectly Depicts Adolescent Friendship [Contributor: Megan Mann]

(Image credit: Penguin Random House)

"Once there were six of us. Once we circled around each other, and listened. Or maybe what matters most is that we were heard."

Within the first few pages of Jacqueline Woodson’s stunning new novel Harbor Me, Haley lets us know that back when she was in fifth grade, everything changed. After being placed in a specific class with five other kids, their teacher, Ms. Laverne, takes the children into the old art room and tells them that every Friday, the group would meet for the last hour of school and talk. Just talk. The subject matter was irrelevant, but they had to talk. When Haley gets the bright idea to bring a recorder and to capture what’s said within those walls, the group opens up and realizes that without that room, their lives would be different. Without each other, they would be different.

Being an adolescent is tough. Anyone who’s been through middle-school and experienced rapid change knows that those were not the greatest years of our lives. You worry that people will judge you and believe that no one wants to hear your story — that no one wants to know what’s going on with you. You hide parts of yourself you would rather not talk about. You’re worried about being too different and just want to be “normal.”

This notion — this thought process of just wanting to be “normal” — is perfectly exemplified in Harbor Me. The six students come together in this defunct art room, now renamed ARTT (A Room to Talk), and realize that they don’t know where to begin. What do we talk about that won’t make the others look at us funny? they wonder. But when Esteban steps up and talks about how immigration has taken his undocumented papi, the conversation opens the floodgates.

Amari talks about the scrutiny that young African-Americans suffer from and how his dad recently talked with him about no longer being able to play with his Nerf guns outside of the house. This opens a dialogue about racism in America that it takes Amari’s best friend Ashton time to fully understand. Tiago opens up about how fearful his mother is when she’s speaking in Spanish, since someone has yelled at her to go back to her country. He says that having to “learn American” is hard, but that the group makes him feel like he’s more than just the language he speaks or the color of his skin.

Ashton talks about being bullied, which leads the group to banding together to protect him from attack by a trio of eighth graders. He also discusses how hard it was to move from Connecticut to Brooklyn when his dad lost his job. Holly admits to hating that people call her “rich girl” when the money is her parents’, not her own. She also confesses that she wishes she didn’t have such a big mouth and wasn’t always so fidgety.

While everyone talks, Haley sits and soaks it all in. She waits to tell her story until the very end. She doesn’t want others to make assumptions about her when they find out that her dad is in prison for vehicular manslaughter. She has all of these memories stored up and is afraid of how they might see her after she spills them.

But what each of the kids learn is that these stories — all of these things that make up who we are and how we view the world — these things are what link us. Sharing their stories draws the group even closer together. Because the stories we share with each other, the memories we create, and the shoulders we lean on help us realize that we’re not that different. If we open up and let go of the fear of judgement, we discover bonds we might not have known were possible.

Friendship is crucial at a time in life where change is inevitable. For tweens and teenagers, this is even more important. Jacqueline Woodson makes it clear that isolating yourself isn’t worth it in the end. What matters is finding your tribe and relying on them to understand you and hear you when you need it most (which Haley brilliantly points out at the beginning of the book). When friends act like a safe harbor, it’s easier to walk through life’s hardest moments and share in its best moments.

A story like Harbor Me reminds readers to pay attention to those around us, and those that we hold close. Each of us is going through something and we need to find our own anchors. This book proves that friendship is important at every stage of our lives. As Jacqueline Woodson says: “Always remember, when you are with your people, you are home.”

That’s something we can all believe in.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson is out now from Penguin Kids.

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Finding Your Voice: A Review of The Book of Essie [Contributor: Megan Mann]

I watch a lot of TV. Most people can say that, but really, I watch a lot of TV and I would say almost half of it is reality television. (I once told my cable provider that the package wouldn't do unless it involved Bravo.) So when it comes to the books that I read, I try to keep reality TV out of the binding as much as possible.

And then I made an exception for The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir.

The book follows Esther Hicks — Essie, for short — who is a member of the Six for Hicks reality show that has been airing since before she was born. Her father is a famous preacher and her mother is the quintessential matriarch. She's polished and fraudulent in ways that only those behind the scenes can understand. But Essie has a secret: she's pregnant, and she needs to figure out how to work the situation to get exactly what she wants.

What follows is a story that is constantly surprising you and leaving you guessing about what's going to happen next. It twists and turns and has multiple points of view in order to give you a full picture of what's really happening.

In short, what you think is not what's really true.

I absolutely loved The Book of Essie. I thought it was truly spectacular in how it frequently threw me for a loop and was never boring. I definitely did not find the plot to be dry. While there are times that the pacing is a bit more intentional and slow, it didn't ever feel like it was stalled. In that sense, the book's pace was perfect, drawing you in and making you want to know what was going to happen next.

Generally speaking, I can usually figure out what's going to happen in a book, plot-wise, or what the big reveal is going to be. But with The Book of Essie, I had no idea what was going to happen as the story unfolded. What the author does is give you, the reader, the basics and never really elaborates on  certain elements so that when the reveal comes, you're shocked and blown away. It's fantastic.

Another thing that's really great about this book is how it takes the idea of reality television and flips it on its head. It breaks down the barrier created between the editing room and our screens. And it demonstrates the idea that while we're getting reality from a "reality show," it's only a version of reality. It's not a whole picture, though it's usually enough to give us an idea of who those people are. When you look behind the camera into what's really going on, you realize how easy it is to create a facade and become an image — a brand. It tarnishes the idea of honesty and I loved that about this book. It's that facade that allows the events of this story to take place.

The Book of Essie is a story about finding your voice and standing up for yourself, even when the consequences might be devastating. It's about getting away from a situation that no longer benefits you and finding peace and happiness. It's a story about a girl who is ready to break free of the facade that has held her captive for her whole life.

The Book of Essie is a fantastic read and one you should pick up today!

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The History of Jane Doe: An Interview with Author Michael Belanger [Contributor: Megan Mann]

First love can be equal parts incredible and heartbreaking, all in the extremes. Extreme highs and even great lows. What can complicate things is that person being gone to you forever. Then, the sorrow is all the more difficult to navigate.

This is the fate that has befallen history nerd Ray. He thought life in his small town was okay, but only the history truly excited him. That is, until Jane came blowing into town and changed his life. The mysterious new girl took a shine to Ray for his witty commentary and the two quickly formed a relationship where Ray found himself enamored by Jane.

... Which makes what happens later even harder on Ray. Told between the before and after, Ray narrates the story of first love, first loss, and all that happens in between. He realizes that maybe history isn't as cut and dry as he thought it was, and that the parts of us that we don't share as our personal history are what really make us.

I was lucky enough to get in touch with Michael Belanger and ask him just a few questions about what it's like to release his debut novel, as well as how history has many facets to it.

Congratulations on your debut! How does it feel to finally have the book hit the shelves?

Thanks! It feels exciting, scary, awesome, and surreal — which should really be a whole new emotion, although I imagine the corresponding emoji would be somewhat frightening.

To be honest, I’ve already gone to my local bookstore a few times just to see it on the shelves. I’m really not that great at social media, so I’m thinking about making that my main marketing strategy — go to every bookstore I can and casually tell people how great the book is. And if someone notices my resemblance to the picture on the jacket sleeve, I’ll just claim to be the author’s evil twin brother.

What made you decide to write this story? What was the catalyst?

The book began with Ray’s voice. I wrote a chapter from the perspective of Ray describing Burgerville and after that I couldn’t stop. Gradually, everything started to come together. As I continued to write weird stories about Burgerville, the other characters naturally became part of the landscape: Jane Doe from the other Williamsburg, fan of folk music and conspiracy theories. Simon Blackburn, obsessed with vampire fiction and milk. Their stories were an integral part of the strange world of Burgerville, they just needed someone to transcribe them — a historian, so to speak.

As a high school teacher, I’m well-versed in the issues teenagers face each and every day. Their struggles gave me the sense of urgency to write this book. Not to mention, I used to be a teenager myself. I think somewhere, deep down inside, there’s still part of me trying to come to terms with my high school life — the pain, the confusion, the unwavering devotion to nineties alternative music (that part never left). I wish I could give that kid a hug. Or, because high school Mike wasn’t good with physical contact, a nice old-fashioned high five.

You’re a history teacher by day. Is that why you made your main character a history buff?

Definitely! It was a long and winding path to becoming a writer, and I’m grateful for all of the different life experiences that have shaped how I see the world, and in turn, shaped my characters. Writing isn’t only about putting words, sentences, and paragraphs together in a way that sounds good — you also need to have something to say. Coming from a background in history and teaching high school for almost a decade has had a profound impact on my writing. I’m a big proponent of writing what you know, and even though the world of Burgerville doesn’t exist, my background in history gave me a deep well to draw from — or a big cut of steak, if you will.

What I find interesting is that Ray believes knowing history gives us all of the answers, but that there are always details that are left out — that some people are ashamed to admit. Were you conscious of the idea that as humans, our histories are much more complex than a presentation of facts?

I’m so happy that those concepts and ideas came through! We all interpret our lives according to our own worldview, and I loved the idea of applying a historian’s lens to a person. I’ve been really influenced by revisionist historians who’ve challenged traditional narratives of American history. But could this approach work on a person? How can we challenge the stories we tell ourselves? 

As Ray delves into Jane’s history, he begins to realize the limits of the historical approach. Sadly, life can’t always be explained by cause-and-effect patterns. Not every event has a clear why. Sometimes it’s on us to make our own meaning, to ignore logic and embrace the unknown — which sounds way more New Age-y than I meant. Though to be clear, I have no problem with the New Age community, so please, no angry tweets. I guess what I’m trying to say is that life can’t always be lived according to certainty. Sometimes you have to find solace in the uncertainty.

The History of Jane Doe is a coming-of-age story. It’s a concept that has gotten more attention recently with movies like Lady Bird and books like Turtles All the Way Down dominating in their markets and having crossover appeal. What do you think draws readers of every age to the idea over and over again?

First off, I love Lady Bird and Turtles All the Way Down! I think we’re all still coming-of-age in our own ways, and the journey of a teenager is filled with so many rites of passage that it strikes a chord in everyone. One that probably never stops reverberating.

For teenagers, it’s cathartic to see themselves reflected in books and movies. It creates an archetype for teenagers to follow. Take Turtles All the Way Down, for example. I wish I could’ve had that book in high school to help me make sense of my anxiety and OCD. We read books to escape reality, but they can also help us escape in a more literal sense; a good book can offer us a path out of our troubles.

One of the most common themes in reviews thus far has been your wit and comedic timing. Is heartache and loss easier to deal with through humor?

It’s great to hear that people are responding to the humor. I love books, movies and TV shows that mesh humor and drama. I think it’s more reflective of our everyday lives. Even during the darkest times of my life, I’ve been lucky enough to find some light. And one of the things therapy has taught me is to focus on that light. Let it grow brighter. Humor can help with that. Laughing during times of great sadness is a very human thing to do.

I’ve also always been drawn to writers like Kurt Vonnegut who find a way to be both funny and serious. There’s a blurb on the back of one of Vonnegut’s books from the Los Angeles Times Book Review that says, “[Vonnegut] is either the funniest serious writer around or the most serious funny writer.” Not only does that quote perfectly describe Vonnegut, it’s also a pretty great description of humans. We’re either the funniest serious species around, or the most serious funny species. And because we’re talking Vonnegut, I’ll extend that to include aliens too.

Mental health is finally starting to slightly push away its stigma. Do you think that a story involving it makes it easier for the work to resonate with audiences?

I think it’s really important for everyone to see mental health portrayed honestly in pop culture. People have to stop punishing themselves for having anxiety and depression. That only adds another degree of difficulty onto getting better. There’s something so liberating about seeing mental illness as exactly that — an illness, something you can manage and recover from.

I remember feeling so ashamed of my depression and anxiety in high school. I wouldn’t talk about it with anyone. It made me feel weak, weird, strange. But by having characters in books openly confronting their mental health conditions through therapy, medication, and talking to friends and family, I’m hoping teenagers will more readily speak about their own struggles.

A lot of our readers are aspiring writers. What’s your writing process like?

I try to write an hour before work and another hour when I get home. The whole full-time job thing tends to get in the way of my process. And when class starts, I can’t exactly tell my students to just sit quietly while I finish a scene. As a teacher, a Lord of the Flies-type scenario is always just one bad lesson away.

With that being said, it’s important for me to stay excited about writing too, so I don’t sweat it if I need to take a day off, whether because I have a lot of grading to do, my cats are demanding attention — and if you have cats, you know when I say demand, I’m not exaggerating — or I just want to watch a show on Netflix. Like life, writing should be filled with joy. Don’t make it a drag!

How do you deal with writer’s block? Or, like Neil Gaiman, do you not suffer from it?

My philosophy is to always write even if I feel like my writing really sucks. I just want to get words on the page so I can feel accomplished. Before: a blank page. After: words assembled together in a mildly coherent way. Success!

For me, writing has always been a game of volume. I need to write a lot of words so the world will believe I’m a writer. The funny thing is, when you go back and revisit your pages, you’ll often realize they’re not that bad, or maybe there’s one amazing idea or paragraph. And that’s enough to demolish the wall of writer’s block, which you’ll find never really existed in the first place. Just the idea of writer’s block. Uh oh, I’m sounding New Age-y again.

As someone who just released their debut, what advice do you have for aspiring writers when it comes to putting their work out there?

Find a community of writers whose feedback you can trust. Understanding your strengths as a writer — and working on your weaknesses — will give you the confidence you need to get your work out there. After that, it’s just a game of numbers, which as a history person, I was never really all that comfortable with. But the message is simple enough, even for someone who failed math senior year (I technically withdrew, but whatever Mom!):

submissions = ­ responses

time + experience = better responses

time + experience + x = getting published

In this equation, x = your unique voice as a writer, that indefinable something that’s impossible to describe, like trying to explain the glory that is pizza. It just is. You’re just you.

Finally, what would you like readers to know about The History of Jane Doe?

The History of Jane Doe is a deeply personal story in a lot of ways, but its themes are universal. Ray talks about alternative dimensions throughout the book, and depression can make you feel like you’re living in your own alternative dimension, a world where nothing ever seems to work out so why even bother? But it’s important to remember that the good dimension is always one little step away, just like Rich, Ray’s therapist, is always saying.

There are plenty of people who can help you take those steps: friends, family, teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, librarians, and mental health professionals, just to name a few. If you don’t know who to turn to, you can also call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). Don’t be afraid to reach out.

And if someone reaches out to you, do your best to reach back, or at least point them in the direction of someone who can.

You can purchase The History of Jane Doe today.

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The Rules of Me is An Abstract Look at the Human Experience [Contributor: Megan Mann]

When you were a little kid, did you have an imaginary friend? I assume that I did, as I was an annoyingly theatrical child and loved making things up. The idea of an imaginary friend is as common as kids wanting to play in the sandbox or refusing naps. Usually it’s a phase and kids move on pretty quickly.

But what if they don’t? What if instead of moving on and finding real friends, they find it hard to do so and they’re now a teenager who still relies on their imaginary friend? What if that person was much more tangible than just an idea? What if they’re as real as you are, but no one else can see them besides you?

In Melanie Moyer’s The Rules of Me (yes, our Melanie Moyer) the idea of imaginary friends is not only challenged, but entirely flipped on its head. Gabe seems like a normal person. His best friend is Danny and they’ve been friends since she was young. But Gabe isn’t normal. He popped up one day in the sandbox and has stuck by Danny ever since — without knowing where he came from or if he actually counts as a real person if only Danny can actually see him.

He never really thought much about it, but he does keep lists. Gabe keep lists about what makes him a real person — he can speak and learn things — and what doesn’t... like the fact that he’s invisible to everyone else and can’t cry. Then when Danny gets to high school, things start to change. Danny begins to find other friends and not need him as much. He starts to question, really question, what life means for him and — if he just clutches her a little harder — would Danny let him stay forever?

When things go haywire in Danny’s life, the relationship also begins to unravel between the two long-term friends. She snaps at Gabe more, and he wanders off and leaves her alone. As things become harder for Danny to deal with, she relies on Gabe less and it starts to take a toll on him as well. Does that mean he can feel anger? That he can feel sadness? Does that make him real?

Gabe was as real as ever to Danny, but she’s the tether that kept him there. If she stops believing in him, what happens next?

The Rules of Me is a testament to friendship and challenges the ideas of what makes us human, even though we can feel our hearts beating. It’s a story about love in its many forms and how dealing with tragedy is different for everyone. It had drama, it had humor and — most of all — it had heart.

What I really loved about this book was not just that it was almost abstract, but that it’s different. Finding a book about an imaginary friend that isn’t in the picture book section is rare and for it to be good? That’s even harder to find. It was a story that made you think, gave you pause and made you wonder, “Am I real because I can cry or am I real because I know I can?”

I thought that, regardless of whether or not others can see Gabe, it was the story of two friends realizing that maybe they didn’t need each other as much as they thought they did and that sometimes drifting apart is inevitable. It’s as real as any friendship one might have in their lives and that’s what, I think, is the core of the story. Not whether or not Gabe is real, not that Danny blossoms and starts to figure out who she is. No, the core of the story is realizing that friendships shift and change shape and that we all have to figure out how to deal with that.

I really did enjoy this book. It had a lot going on, but you never felt overwhelmed by the story. It was different and sets itself apart. It was a great read by Melanie Moyer and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

The Rules of Me is available now!

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The Right Reasons: What Happens Behind the Scenes in Bachelor Nation [Contributor: Rebecca]

(Image credit: Dutton)

The second I saw a photo of journalist and former Bachelor Nation insider Amy Kaufman’s new book Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure floating around on the Twitterverse, I knew I had to read it.

Kaufman used to write reviews of The Bachelor and its spinoffs, and her reviews garnered enough views and online conversation that ABC producers began inviting her to all kinds of Bachelor-related events — the Women Tell All and After the Final Rose live tapings, charity functions produced or emceed by former cast members, and all kinds of private parties and happy hours. After some time, though, ABC’s publicity department informed Kaufman her coverage “was ‘too negative’ and [they] no longer wanted [her] near any show-sponsored events.” Of course, Kaufman’s reviews weren’t so much “negative” as they were snarky (after all, Kaufman writes, “Who doesn’t hate-watch The Bachelor?”). But it didn’t matter — her ties with those holding the power in Bachelor Nation had been severed.

Bachelor Nation boasts interviews with current and former producers and directors, such as Elan Gale, Michael Carroll, and Duan Perrin, but we’re all reading to get the scoop from the contestants themselves — and Kaufman does not disappoint with the star-studded ensemble she managed to snag for interviews. She speaks with loads of contestants, including Sharleen Joynt (Juan Pablo Galavis), Chris Bukowski (Emily Maynard, and an array of other franchise spinoffs), and Eric Bigger (Rachel Lindsay); and even some former showrunners themselves like Nick Viall (season 21) and Ben Flajnik (season 16).

Marketed as a juicy, gossipy tell-all that ABC and the producers definitely did not want her to write, Bachelor Nation does not disappoint. Some of the stuff isn’t surprising — like the fact the show is absurdly scripted — but other stuff blew my mind, like the fact creator and executive producer Mike Fleiss fostered a workplace culture that consisted of getting high during meetings and insane parties where staff would get blackout drunk.

We also get the inside scoop on the absolutely insane application process. Not only is there is a lengthy form to fill out (either on paper or online, but either way you also have to send in a video of yourself), but prospective contestants have to shut themselves in a hotel room if they make it through to the in-person interview round, undergo intense psychological testing, get grilled by producers, and have a medical examination (you’d be excused right then and there if you tested positive for sexually transmitted diseases).

But perhaps the most frightening thing about the application process is the waiver that you have to sign before going onto the show: “I understand, acknowledge and agree that producer may use or reveal personal information which may be embarrassing, unfavorable, shocking, humiliating, disparaging, and/or derogatory, may subject me to public ridicule and/or condemnation, and may portray me in a false light.” So... if you go on the show, you’re giving the producers permission to paint you in a false light — something many contestants complain about (think of our favorite villains — Courtney Robertson [Ben Flanjik], Krystal Nielson [Arie Luyendyk Jr.], and Corinne Olympios [Nick Viall]).

Bachelor Nation also takes us through what it’s like to live in the mansion (total seclusion and isolation), how those extravagant dates are planned, and how the show has evolved over the years (a lot less people going on there for the right reasons... hello Instagram #sponcon).

But what I liked the most is how Kaufman tackled the question of why women subject ourselves to something so inherently anti-feminist, something that psychologically damages some contestants, and something we know is scripted and the opposite of reality. The short answer: We just want “to understand the inscrutable, wicked, brilliant thing that is love.”

I had hoped to get a little more scoop from contestants about other contestants, and I was also hoping for some all out fury rants against the franchise, but I understand there are contracts involved to stay quiet about some of the show’s going-ons and all that, and that some contestants — even though they may have had a negative experience — don’t regret being on the show.

I definitely would recommend Bachelor Nation to those like myself that enjoy the show, but also want to educate themselves on how and why the franchise is problematic. All in all, it was an enjoyable, entertaining, and informative read — one that makes me even more excited for what the franchise has to offer in the future.

My rating: 4/5 stars

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Genuine Fraud is a Twisted Ride from Start to Finish [Contributor: Megan Mann]

Do you like intrigue? Murder? How about a story that starts at the end and works its way back to the beginning a la Quentin Tarantino? Do you like to feel like you’ve been jerked around and ultimately know nothing, read — what you assume is — the biggest twist in the middle, but actually discover that the most messed up parts of the story don’t come until the end?

Well, then I have the book for you! Genuine Fraud by e. Lockhart, much like her previous work We Were Liars, will have you screaming at every turn, but unable to tear yourself away from the page as you discover each wild twist that comes next.

Genuine Fraud opens with Imogen working out at a resort in Mexico, quickly throwing the reader into her world of secrecy and lies. An innocuous conversation with a woman at the gym is torn apart: was the woman merely being friendly, or is she an undercover cop tracking Imogen down? Instead of finding out, Imogen hatches a plan to escape, first slapping on a wig and heading to Vegas, where she steals wallets and a passport and then returns to Mexico — this time with a new identity.

And if that wasn’t enough, it turns out our duplicitous main character’s name isn’t really Imogen after all: It’s Jule, who constantly reinvents herself and steals from strangers without them noticing. She can memorize credit card information in seconds and retain information faster than she can greet you. But what is she running from?

As the story unfolds, we discover that Jule has fabricated her entire life story, and hey, remember how this book starts at the end and works its way to the beginning? Well it turns out there is a real Imogen: Imogen Sokoloff, Jule’s best friend, who’s started seeing through all the curtains surrounding the truth of who Jule is. Jule doesn’t want anyone to see the real her or know what she’s been through, so she instead creates a narrative that better suits her.

But as the book moves forward and we learn more about Jule (all of which just makes you wonder how little you actually know about her after all), more questions arise. Did Jule ever even go to school with Imogen? How did she find out who Imogen was? And how did everything wind up so twisted? And most importantly: did Imogen, a young, beautiful girl who has the world at her fingertips, really kill herself? Or was it something far more sinister?

Did Jule kill Imogen?

Listen, I was a mega fan of We Were Liars. For a while, it was the only book I would name when asked for suggestions on what to read next. It started in one place, then took you on a wild ride and just when you thought things couldn’t possibly get more insane, you realized you still had a hundred pages left. The book was entirely surprising and unpredictable, and e. Lockhart brought that same energy to Genuine Fraud. It was a rollercoaster of “OH MY GOD! and “Wait, WAIT?!” that had you glued to the book and made the words dance in front of you faster than you thought you could read them.

I think that’s what makes a book like this so special. So often, we run to books that have these moments of intensity that are there for shock value rather than actually build and strengthen the narrative. It’s what makes e. Lockhart’s stories so unique: they’re thrillers in a way that you don’t often find, in a genre dominated more by dystopias and supernatural than anything else.

I would absolutely recommend that everyone pick up Genuine Fraud. It has all of the crazy, Single White Female vibes you could want, but with a deranged 17-year-old. It’s a callback to the stories Imogen Sokoloff loved so much — Victorian novels that were dark and Gothic and mostly made orphans into heroes rather than gutter rats — with a modern twist. It’s everything you could want for a cozy read as the seasons change from scorching to cool and your nights are better suited to cozying up with a good book.

If you’re a fan of Victorian novels or action films such as The Bourne Identity, I would highly suggest you high tail it to your local store and pick up a copy of this magnificent new adventure. You’ll probably throw the book a few times or scream, “WHAT AM I READING?” But don’t worry — that just means it’s really well-written.

Genuine Fraud by e. Lockhart is in stores now!

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Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls Book Review [Guest Poster: Rebecca]

I had the privilege of meeting activist and blogger Jes Baker and receiving a signed copy of Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls book nearly a year ago when my college organization (The F-Word: Feminists Working on Real Democracy) brought her to our campus to give a lecture titled “Love Your Body, Change the World.” Drowning in a sea of homework, job obligations, and graduation stress, I told myself I’d read the book over the summer. Sure enough, summer brought along a whole new host of stress points, delaying my reading even further. But I’ve read it now, and I have SO many things to say about it.

Once my job search ended and I fell into a solid routine, the first thing I wanted to do was to get back into a reading habit. Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls (shortened, from here forward, to Fat Girls) was the first book that I opened — and it was well worth the wait. The humor, honesty, and realness that Jes projects in person transfers seamlessly into her writing. And reading the book feels like 200-something pages of listening to your best friend in the whole world give you the best pep talk in the whole world.

There is so much good information in Fat Girls, it’s hard for me to choose what to write about. The book’s primary goal is to educate readers on how the beauty industry is rooted in capitalism and the patriarchy — and why that’s complete crap. Jes gives us countless examples of how the media uses fat-shaming to perpetuate gender roles and to keep women subservient. She also gives tips on how to battle our insecurities to reach self-acceptance.

I especially enjoyed the chapter of the book that explored how the health industry helps perpetuate beauty standards. Jes makes sure we understand that fat bodies can be unhealthy and that fat bodies can be healthy. Oftentimes, doctors misdiagnose serious medical conditions because they become obsessed with the idea that if their patient would just lose weight, then their health problems would be solved — and this mentality is not entirely their fault. It’s such a fascinating chapter full with facts and figures.

Fat Girls also includes a host of guest essays from other established body positive activists. Virgie Tover dives into the dangers of diet culture, spoken word poet Sonya Renee Taylor discusses how race impacts body positivity, and Andrew Walen explores body image and insecurities in the context of masculinity. Each chapter written by Jes is followed by a guest essay, which serve to enhance and complement Jes’ words.

The pure, raw, honesty is my favorite thing about the book. Jes opens up about her own struggles with coming to love her body. She talks about activist work she has done to promote body positivity, such as combating Abercrombie & Fitch’s advertisements by doing a nude photo shoot with a conventionally attractive man, as well as calling out Victoria's Secret and Lane Bryant for only using hourglass-shaped plus-size women in their ads. (You can see photos from the campaign in this article penned by Huffington Post.)

There’s so much I love about this book, but my favorite quote has to be this:

"Today's body positivity focuses too much on affirming beauty and not enough on deconstructing its necessity."

Although we’ve made much progress, Jes still has qualms about society’s body positivity movement, and I do too. Jes believes we don’t put enough emphasis on the question “Why does our physical beauty need to hold as much stake as it does, not only just for how others see us but also in the way we perceive ourselves?” Fat Girls is a book that will make you think — like really, REALLY think — and that’s something we need.

Overall, this is an incredible book and I would encourage anyone of any size and any gender to check it out. You can read more of Jes’ work at her blog, The Militant Baker.

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The Fangirl Life Is A Fun, Engaging Look at What Makes a True “Fanwoman”

I often avoid using the word “fangirl” to describe myself or my behavior because I’ve always equated it with being juvenile. The women in my life who have displayed admirable qualities of being a fangirl are exceptions, but most of the women I’ve met who self-identify as fangirls have embodied the stereotypes and negative attributes — they’re shrill, blinded by their love for a character or ship that they’re unable to see reason, and care more about flailing than quality. But after reading Kathleen Smith’s book The Fangirl Life, I realized something crucial: I didn’t have to identify as a fangirl; I am a fanwoman.

The creator of fangirltherapy.com, Kathleen is a fanwoman who is also a licensed therapist which provides her book with a unique voice and style that has not been, nor will likely ever be, published yet. Because while The Fangirl Life is about OTPs, feels, and television characters, it’s also a really compelling look into why we behave the way that we do whenever our favorite pairings kiss on-screen. And that’s what a book about being a fangirl really needed — a look not just into the “what” but the “why” behind our behavior. She manages to examine the problematic behaviors of fangirling without being degrading or patronizing to those who might fall into the category. Kathleen recognizes that we are all passionate about something: whether television or comic books or sports. But she also recognizes that not everything is good for us, either. Some behaviors are healthy, and some are unhealthy. And in identifying the unhealthy behaviors and — more importantly — why we are behaving that way, we’re able to rectify our behavior and grow into fanwomen who love just as passionately but more maturely.

What is great about The Fangirl Life is that Kathleen Smith doesn’t just stop there by telling readers that certain behaviors are unhealthy: she actually provides examples of unhealthy behaviors and healthy behaviors to counteract them. For example, in her chapter titled “All the Feels,” Kathleen provides case studies of made-up fangirls whose obsessions interfere with their everyday lives and relationships, as well as questions as to how they can be passionate without obsessive. I love that Kathleen incorporates her knowledge of psychology throughout The Fangirl Life in a way that doesn’t feel forced or like she’s attempting to bolster the book’s credibility by inserting professional language. In fact, it feels rather natural that a book about what it means to be a fangirl and how to become a fanwoman would tie-in so seamlessly with psychology. Our mind dictates our behavior, and while Kathleen spends time lauding fangirls for their accomplishments and always advocates for being passionate about the things you love, she also is quick to point out that passion can turn into unhealthy obsession that takes over our lives one all-night Tumblr binge at a time.

And while this book feels universal, it also feels deeply personal. As someone who has been involved in fandom for over a decade, I see a lot of myself — and a lot of my friends — in this book. I see a lot of fandom’s flaws, and I see a lot of places where we can become more successful. I see a lot of the characters I’ve admired on television (y’all, Kathleen devotes an entire chapter to BAMFs and women with incredible hair) represented in this book, but I also see a lot of Kathleen Smith in this book. Why? Because she inserts her own personal stories. Whether it’s discussing her Emma Pillsbury-inspired wardrobe or her most intimate, grief-filled moments, Kathleen’s transparency is one of the reasons why she’s so engaging, to me, as the author of this book. I understood more about her and more about myself through her anecdotes and examples.

One of my favorite things though about The Fangirl Life is the practical life advice that Kathleen provides us with. “Courageous women,” she writes, “make decisions that do not cave t what is convenient or petty.” Kathleen is truly a motivator and champion for women, with exceptional female role models and practical advice to help us all, no matter our age, navigate female friendships, romantic relationships, and self-image. Later on I the book, when discussing the existence of haters and how to combat them, but also accept constructive criticism, Kathleen writes: “People’s hearts and minds are changed when they hear or experience a narrative that challenges their worldview. That process starts with listening to other people’s stories and allowing your own beliefs to be challenged and edited. If we don’t examine our own biases, then how do we even know we’re not the villains in our own story or someone else’s?” While a lot of this book is fun and feel-good, so much of it is also just as poignant and convicting. Kathleen Smith is intelligent, passionate, and provides sound advice throughout her book.

So yes, while a lot of The Fangirl Life is fun (just admire the adorable doodles created by artist Camilla Fiocci), it also explores what it looks like to become someone who is more than just a fan — someone with all of the admirable qualities and the self-awareness that comes with growth. Kathleen challenges us all to evolve from fangirls into fanwomen, and her book provides the perfect foundation for how to do just that.

You can purchase your own copy of The Fangirl Life on Amazon. And be sure to follow Kathleen Smith on Twitter, too!

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