As a writer for Hollywood Crush, most of my work for MTV involves keeping tabs on Justin Bieber's love life, compiling ridiculous listicles in honor of new movie releases and trying to find something nicer to say about Cam Gigandet's new hair than, "Well, at least it's not a mullet!" But today, with approximately ten bajillion amazing YA novels hitting the stands, my editors invited me to shed my Bieber-stalking mantle and write something about my other job, as a YA novelist. And so, today, I am proud to present an interview with myself!
...Featuring questions by, um, myself.
Q: Hey, self, you've got a hell of a nerve calling yourself a YA novelist when your book isn't even published yet.
A: Ohmigod, I know, right? I'm such a SAUCY MINX. You should slap me.
Q: So, when is your book coming out? And what's it about?
A. My first novel, which is not yet officially titled, will be published by Dutton Children's Books in summer 2012. It's a half coming-of-age story, half murder-mystery about a girl in a small town, her brooding-sexy boyfriend and a dead body. Isn't that exciting? (Oh dear lord, please let someone think it's exciting.)
Q. Why did you become a YA novelist instead of writing for adults? Is it because you're grossly immature?
A. Yes! But also, YA is where it's at. It's the literary land of gossip girls, vampire diaries, werewolf love affairs and gladiator games where teenagers fight to the death on live national television. It is the best place to be in publishing, hands-down. (Although on the downside, everyone knows that if you disappoint the YA audience, they will use their digital-kid internet skillz to slam you on blogs, eviscerate you on Twitter and generally make you wish you had forgone your writing career entirely and just taken a nice job at the cat litter factory. And that's before they kill you with knives. Which is to say, I love my job but also find it deeply frightening.)
Q. How did you sell your first book?
A. It was actually completely unplanned and not at all by the book. (HAHAHAHA! See what I did there?) A very sneaky person (also known as my husband) burgled my first-draft manuscript and showed it to an editor at his then-job. She thought the book was promising and, after getting me to write a revision, decided to buy it.
Q. You should be shot for making that pun.
A. I know.
Q. Okay, last question: any advice for aspiring writers?
A. Read lots of books, write every chance you get, and if you ever think one of your ideas is too ridiculous or far-fetched to make it into print, remind yourself that we live in a world where a thinly veiled abstinence parable about sparkly vampires is currently a worldwide phenomenon. Oh, and also, use condoms. Not while you're writing; just in general.
Q. Thank you, self. And may I say that you look very pretty today.
A. Awwwww, self.
Got a question about the YA writing process that wasn't covered here? Tell us in the comments or on Twitter!
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