Author life, When the Echo Answers, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YALit, Young Adult Cami Author life, When the Echo Answers, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YALit, Young Adult Cami

Road to Echoes: 4 Lessons I Learned Writing Maxwell Wallace

I learned a lot about myself writing Maxwell Wallace.  I’ve mentioned before that my ability to write female characters has been difficult and why that is (here), but Max is the first female character I’ve written fully formed without having to do much of anything. That was new for me, and I think a testament to the power of who she is as a character. So real. So alive. 

When the Echo Answers is a companion novel to In the Echo of this Ghost Town

When the Echo Answers is a companion novel to In the Echo of this Ghost Town

In honor of her, here are 4 things I learned from Max while writing this book:

Speak your mind

I grew up with the “be a good girl” lessons rooted in white, patriarchal, Christian home.  I’m not disparaging my experience. I had a wonderful childhood with amazing parents and family, but this “good girl” expectation didn’t serve me when I walked out into the world without the safety net of my loving family. My naivety opened doors to major mishaps. If I’d been taught that my voice mattered equally, I wonder how things might have been different.

Cal, Maxwell’s dad, has taught her that her voice matters. That her voice is equal to everyone else and she doesn’t have to be “the good girl” but instead just a smart one. Maybe, on some level, this is the kind of girl I’d wished I’d been. Maybe Max can empower a young woman to find her voice, know her worth, and speak up (even when the expectations are to be a “good girl”). What I would tell that girl: You are still a good girl even when you speak up. SPEAK UP!

Don’t Apologize

Asking forgiveness is a good thing. That’s not what I mean when I say “don’t apologize.” Instead, this is referencing those apologies for existing, for having an opinion, for being different, or using your voice to care for yourself.  It goes back to speaking up, but not feeling like your voice matters so you need to somehow disparage it by offering the “I’m sorry…”

Max doesn’t apologize unless she should. Goodness.  Cal has taught her that she matters. And as she says in the book, “My father has shown me that everyday.”  This!

Be Rude

One of my favorite podcasters—Crime Junkies—say this all the time. “It’s okay to be rude. Be rude. Stay alive.” Max is “rude” but maybe it isn’t so much as rude as assertive, confident, and self-assured.  She knows her worth (even if she struggles sometimes, because don’t we all), but the lessons from her father lead her to the path of trusting herself.  She says, “One of dad’s lessons: trust your instincts.”

I’ve gotten better at this, especially when it comes to my art. There’s this really great book I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to all creatives and especially women, and for women in general. Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD. It’s a dense read, but ultimately, the idea is that as women we have shut down our intuition (due to all sorts of cultural and societal factors), but we need to reconnect to it. It is in our innate knowledge that we find the truth of our identity, our power, ourselves. It’s beautiful.

Don’t Hesitate. Just sit down

In the scene at the beginning when she sits down with Griffin outside the convenience store, Max says, “I leave the confines of the store and approach moody boy like he’s a wild animal in the zoo. Okay, too tentative. I actually just sit down. I don’t do too much with hesitancy and never have. Hesitancy hasn’t gotten me much, and besides, there isn’t time for it. Lessons from my father haven’t been about hanging back or blending into the background.” 

 I love this. 

This lesson has so many applications. Whether it’s putting myself out there as an author with local bookstores, submitting that query to an agent, offering insight on my latest blog, or teaching a webinar, I can’t be hesitant. Sure, there’s a time to ponder and reflect to find the best plan of action, but then it’s time to commit. To step forward. To put myself on the line. 

Max does this.  I love it. I love her.

I hope you do too.

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Road to Echoes: Tropes

Examples of the Love-Triangle trope

Examples of the Love-Triangle trope

Tropes—or the plot-situational cliches found in stories—are unavoidable and don’t equate to “bad writing.” It’s more accurate to recognize that tropes exist because every story has already been written. Tropes are a product of the human condition, or our own journey to understand it, so as readers we cling to these familiar and comfortable constructs. The chosen one trope allows us to explore our own journey, grappling with our own self worth and importance to our own narrative; the authoritarian government who steals freedom trope offers readers a place to wrestle with the constraints in their own lives; the love-triangle trope creates the opportunity to understand our own needs for our own various relationships. The trick for writers is to recognize the trope, discover a way to retell it to make it new again, all while remaining truthful. 

In the Echo of this Ghost Town and When the Echo Answers (both available for preorder) are full of familiar tropes. I thought I’d take this blog to explore four of the tropes you’ll find in these two stories, and explore how I tried to twist the device to make it fresh.

Misfit Trope.png

  1. The Misfit

As a trope, the misfit (the “I’m not like other girls” or the “I’m so misunderstood”) has been overdone. Is it a surprise that it comes up over and over with YA fiction? Seriously. Didn’t we all feel like we didn’t quite belong as teenagers and were working overtime to try and find our tribe. It isn’t a shock to me to see this one come up over and over. All people, especially teens, are working through their sense of identity in relationship to others. But this trope has worn reader patience thin (I have some theories about this) but guess what, it's in both In the Echo of this Ghost Town and When the Echo Answers.

The good news is that you won’t see the phrases “I’m not like other guys/girls”, or “I’m so misunderstood” in either novel. Rather, the trope is in the circumstances and the emotional baggage of it that both Griffin and Maxwell carry. Griffin’s friends have abandoned him—at least that’s how he sees it—so he’s alone. Not only that, his friends have broken the bro code which makes Griffin see his perspective as the “right one.” On the other hand, Maxwell, by necessity, hasn’t ever had the opportunity to find her tribe. Instead, she’s moved so much with her single dad, that her misfit status has been an act of geography and situation instead of carting around the perceived social stigma. Her understanding of herself has been developed in her relationship with her father and a myriad of temporary relationships she’s had a long way.

Friends-to-Lovers Trope.png

2. Friends to Lovers


Friends to lovers is rather obvious. As a trope it hits the mark of realizing that through friendship, stronger and deeper feelings have the potential to develop. A great classic example of this trope is Emma by Jane Austen. I love to write the friends-to-lovers trope, and I suppose it is because it adheres to the nature of relationships in my brain. So in both Ghost Town and the Echo Answers, this trope takes center stage. It is situational to Griffin and Max’s experience. They begin as strangers (more on that later), become proximity acquaintances, develop a tentative camaraderie, until that deepens into friendship and then crosses into love. The journey to that happening in opposition (or reinforcement) to both character’s wants is what is at stake.

3. The Dysfunctional Family & the Absent Parent


A common (and legitimate) complaint about YA books is the “missing family”, the “orphan”, and the “dysfunctional family” tropes that are common in the category. My theory about the pervasiveness of this trope is because there is a need for the protagonist to develop a sense of self. An easy way to put them into a vacuum is to make them an orphan, remove the family, or create a family that is nonexistent in their lives. This choice, however, isn’t consistent with real life. Adults exist in teens’ lives, and they are formative in the development of a teen’s identity. This has created a need in the book category to characterize families (of all kinds). Thankfully, I’ve seen a lot more of this in recent years.

In both Griffin’s and Max’s stories, families are important. While In the Echo of this Ghost Town does explore the idea of a “dysfunctional” family, rather than keeping them removed from Griffin’s life, the story explores how one might rebuild relationships rather than keeping them distant. In Max’s case in When the Echo Answers, her dad, Cal, is integral to her life. He hasn’t been absent and instead has been a wonderful mentor, but Max will have to face the emotional consequences of her mother leaving them when she was a child. My hope, then, wasn’t to keep the family removed, but rather explore the ways these relationships impacted the characters, and then how the characters face these relationships as they form their identities.

4. A Meet-Cute

The Meet-Cute is a common romance trope in which the couple will meet for the first time by being thrown into a “cute” or interesting situation. An example is in the Adam Sandler movie 50 First Dates with Drew Barrymore. The entire movie is based on the idea of a meet-cute over a stack of pancakes. This trope is often a favorite. It’s the idea of being forced into a situation that raises the stakes often with obstacles and allows the protagonist(s) of the story to showcase their personalities.

I wouldn’t call the face-to-face meeting of Griffin and Max so much a meet-cute as I would a meet-weird. Griffin is sulking and Max calls him out on it by calling him a serial killer. They never exchange their names thinking they will never see one another again, but of course another meet-cute occurs, though meet-cute might be too sweet. Maybe a meet-surprise!

So there they are, four tropes you’ll find in my upcoming releases In the Echo of this Ghost Town and the companion novel When the Echo Answers. Are there more? Yes. (One of my favorites: the “there’s only one bed” situation. Hahahaha).  


Next Week: When the Echo Answers

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The Road to Echoes: Loud Characters

Sometimes there are characters that pop off the page. I call these “loud” characters which perhaps mischaracterizes them. I’m referencing those characters that connect to the audience in a way that in many respects is intangible. But we know people like this, right? People who feel larger than life. Those humans that somehow speak to our hearts without saying a word, or those souls who seem to connect with us in a way that is powerful beyond words. That’s the kind of character I’m referencing.

DA9627AD-541D-4801-97F2-7FF69F2495C6.png

Tanner in The Stories Stars Tell was like this for me. I had assumed Stars would be Emma’s story (and half of it is), but then Tanner jumped off the page whenever Emma interacted with him, and I wasn’t able to keep him from telling his version of events (and is the reason The Stories Stars Tell became a dual perspective story). It’s also why he’s an important part in Griffin’s story. Tanner is just… is it weird to say that when I think of Tanner my heart does a little dance in my chest? Yeah. Probably. But it’s the truth.

Maxwell in The Echo of this Ghost Town did the same thing. She’s freaking amazing!! Every time I think about her, I grin. She’s strong and opinionated. She’s gutsy but vulnerable. She doesn’t have it all together, but she’s trying to figure it all out. Plus she’s got Cal (who is another of those amazing characters). When she showed up in Griffin’s story (completely unplanned and randomly stopped to talk to Griffin), I did a double-take (just like Griffin). Here’s that scene that took me by surprise:

“Hey.”

I look up at the sound of a voice, grateful to be jerked from the train of my thoughts.

The girl. She’s standing on the other side of the table in her dark t-shirt and cutoff shorts, her back to the gas pumps and road. The light from the store illuminates her, and I think she’s cute, but obviously not all there if she’s talking to a stranger.

“Yeah?”

She sits down with a Slurpee, and I look at it longingly but also wish I had some vodka to spike it with. I conjure Danny’s words from the night before. I’d told him I’m always drunk. What had he said back? “Yeah. Maybe that’s the fucking problem. It’s time to grow up, Griff.” What if I do have a problem? Then I’m annoyed by the stupid thought—of course, I don’t. What the fuck? Can’t this weird girl tell I’m busy sulking?

My face must screw up because she says, “I’m not carrying any diseases.”

I take a sip of my water, not sure what to do about this stranger who’s sat with me at a table outside of Custer’s. I glance to check if someone is playing a joke on me, but all my friends have abandoned me. So yeah, there’s that. I look at her. She’s got a round face, but it’s smooth and pleasant looking. Brownish hair, I think, because it’s pulled back in a bun or something off her face. Black eyeliner. Black T-shirt with the words Def Leppard inside a Union Jack.

She pinches the straw and moves it around the slushy. It squeaks. “Decide I’m not a serial killer?” She smirks, and my eyes are drawn to her blunt black nails at the end of her long fingers holding the red straw.

“Jury’s out.” I look away and take a sip of my water, annoyed but kind of curious.

“Why’s that?”

I shrug. “What if I’m the serial killer?” I can’t look at her, though I’m not sure why. It isn’t like I’m nervous, even if she’s a little unnerving. Why have I said that? The idea of being compared to a killer takes me backward. Griff Nichols, son of a murderer, when I’d been alone, but I’d shed that persona with my crew. I shove the reminder aside.

“It’s a distinct possibility.”

When Maxwell arrived on the page of Griffin’s story with her powerful character voice, I anticipated  that I would write another dual perspective tale.  So, as is part of my methodology,  I took the above scene and wrote it from her perspective:

Ignoring all the lessons my dad has given me that translate to talking to strangers outside of convenience stores in the middle of the night, I leave the confines of the store and approach moody boy like he’s a wild animal in the zoo. Okay, too tentative. I actually just sit down. I don’t do much with hesitancy and never have. Hesitancy hasn’t gotten me much, and besides, there isn’t time for it. Life lessons from my father haven’t been about hanging back or blending into the background. His lessons are, “go after what you want.”

Do I want this boy? Hell no, but I wouldn’t mind helping him smile. Maybe if I pay it forward, I’ll receive it in the future, you know? Like Cassie in fifth grade, who approached my lunch table where I sat alone. She sat down with me.

“Hey,” she’d said and smiled.

I’d smiled back, and it was like kismet.

I channel that moment when I sit down across from wild-animal guy. “Hey.”

He looks at me like I have two heads, his upper lip curling, and his eyebrows scrunching together. He has really nice eyes, a mix up of colors: green, gray, gold, brown. “Yeah?” Even as unattractive as that sneer is, he’s actually cute.

“I’m not carrying any diseases,” I say and draw an incredibly sweet pull of Slurpee through my straw. Strawberry, my favorite, though in a pinch I’ll drink cherry. I hate any other flavor. This delicious goodness is my secret vice. Since I’m always harping my dad about his soda habit, I can’t let him know I’m being a hypocrite with this diabetes slushie.

The guy looks around like someone might be pranking him, which makes me smile around the straw. Then he looks down at his water bottle and swirls it around a little, as if he isn’t sure what’s happening, and the water is the one place where reality exists.

I’m wondering why I haven’t done this before. His reaction is super entertaining. Then again, I don’t know him, and he could be a serial killer in training or something.

I move the straw around in the Slurpee cup so that I can sip up more of the magical unicorn goodness. It squeaks loudly, and I look at the guy. He’s just watching my movements and maybe assessing if I’m safe, which makes me say, “Decide I’m not a serial killer?”

He lifts the water bottle to his mouth, and is it terrible that I think he has a very attractive mouth? God. Upper lip has this beautiful bow shape, and the bottom is full. I imagine he’s probably a good kisser and realize I’m being creepy.

“Jury’s out,” he says.

I like his voice. Full, kind of melodious, like a ballad with one of those amazing kitschy pop riffs, but deep. Not baritone or bass deep. More like a low tenor. I wonder if he sings.

“Why’s that?” I ask.

He shrugs his sharp shoulders under his dark t-shirt. “What if I’m the serial killer?”

“It’s a distinct possibility.” I smirk at my cup.

4EA1C647-2627-444F-87F3-F47BEBE4C3C4_1_201_a.jpeg

Max’s voice on the page was so flamboyant and powerful that it was a joy to write scenes for her, but when the narrative of In the Echo of this Ghost Town swelled to 190,000 words, I knew I had to cut, and the easiest answer was to create Max’s own story. That is how When the Echo Answers, as a companion came to be. While there are scenes common to both stories, the narrative is uniquely Max’s because Max was a unique character with her own story to tell.

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The Road to Echoes: Research to Understand Griffin

The picture of this young man is a photo I took from a fragrance ad (I wish I could remember which one. Maybe one of you know?!?). I saw him and thought: He could be a Griffin. I’d love to know who this model is so that I could give him credit.

The picture of this young man is a photo I took from a fragrance ad (I wish I could remember which one. Maybe one of you know?!?). I saw him and thought: He could be a Griffin. I’d love to know who this model is so that I could give him credit.

I write about young men a lot: Seth, Gabe, Tanner, and now Griffin. For some reason I connect to male characters more thoroughly. I have a theory about this. First, I was raised among boys. My sister and I were the only two girls in a family full of boys, and since my younger sister is special needs, my boy cousins were my playmates. This gave me access to boy culture and the inner workings of boy life. A second factor is the patriarchy, and I don’t mean this in a political sense but a cultural one. The boys in my family had full access: sports, attention, time, fun. I remember hearing: “Leave the boys alone. They don’t want you around.” In my formative, childhood mind, this meant that boys must be better than me—a girl— which began the journey of shutting down my femininity (Yes. I know this is tragic; don’t be too worried for me, I’ve spent my adulthood reconnecting). This factor has led to me writing much better male characters than female ones because I have had to rediscover and re-empower the feminine part of me. So there you have my theory about why.

But I can’t say that my personal experience with male culture and my anecdotal understanding meant that I’m equipped to write male nuances. I am still a woman, after all, and we all know how awful lots of men write women. I sure as hell didn’t want to do that. When Griffin’s character insisted that I write his story, I knew I was going to have to fill in some gaps in my knowledge. I needed a better grounding in the why of Bro Code (which is introduced in The Stories Stars Tell). 

Why take the time? I have lots of reasons,  but ultimately, I think it comes down to being a responsible storyteller. I don’t want anything I write to mischaracterize, nominalize, or misrepresent another group of people. 

So to the experts I went… Here’s a list of books I read on the topic.

Boys and Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity by Peggy Orenstein

The Man They Wanted Me to Be by Jared Yates Sexton

A Better Man: A (Mostly) Serious Letter to My Son by Michael Ian Black

Masterminds and Wingmen: helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World by Rosalind Wiseman

Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Dan Kindlon, Ph.D., and Michael Thompson, Ph.D.

There were other topics important to this story that I had to research which I can’t identify here because... spoilers… 


Next week:  The Story’s Structure — Putting the Narrative Together


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The Road to Echoes: Writing Difficult Characters

I had a conversation with my friend Misty early in the drafting stage for In the Echo of this Ghost Town during one of our writing sessions. Note: she’s been a huge advocate for The Stories Stars Tell from the beginning and even featured me in a lovely conversation for her podcast Rainy Day Collective where we discussed purity culture (here’s a link if you’d like to listen to it). 

During that writing session she asked what I was working on, and when I revealed I was writing a book about Griffin, she said “What the hell for?!?!” I laughed at the time because I understood her incredulity. Seriously. Griffin was horrible in The Stories Stars Tell. Toxic as toxic can be. Now, I feel warmth in my bones because she’s read In the Echo of this Ghost Town and asked me “I don’t know how you can get me to go from hating a character to loving him. How do you do that?”

I’m not sure. I remember telling her during that same writing session that I was really struggling to develop Griffin because he was so freaking unlikeable. Look, I know this isn’t selling you on his story, but please stick with me. I think you’ll fall in love with Griffin as much as I have. And ultimately, this is a post about how sometimes we have to look closer at those difficult characters. 


While I don’t have a magic bullet, here are five things I did to excavate Griffin as a difficult character.

  1. First, I had to let go of my bias. I hated him. In The Stories Stars Tell he was such a jerk and so disrespectful to… well, everyone. There’s a scene in that book that solidified my dislike of Griffin. Tanner wrote a poem about Emma in his notebook, and Griffin makes fun of him for it. Not only did it break my heart for Tanner, but it sealed my dislike and informed every other scene moving forward with Griffin.

  2. I had to use what already existed in The Stories Stars Tell to begin to understand Griffin’s perspective. While these clues were superficial at best, they offered some perspective about Griffin’s world view. For example, Tanner mentions Griffin’s dad being in prison. He also indicates that his older brother has left. There’s a scene when Tanner arrives at Griffin’s house at noon, and Griffin is just getting out of bed. Then there are all of the moments Griffin opens his mouth and tears things apart.

  3. I started with a pivotal moment for both Tanner and Griffin—the fight. It was already drafted from Tanner's perspective, so I changed it to Griffin’s to see what would happen. My understanding of him began to shift. It made me wonder about hitting rock bottom and what would happen to someone who’s lost everything?

  4. Next I had to dig a little deeper. I started with asking questions about his family. Who were his mom and dad and brother? What was their family dynamic, and if the father was in prison, why was he there? How did that impact the family? Griffin? And what about his brother? What would it feel like to think he felt like he’d been abandoned by both his dad and his brother? How might that inform his behavior? His motives? His wants? And if his mom was never around because she was trying to hold the family together financially, how might that impact his teenage perspective? What did Tanner mean to Griffin, and how might the fight have impacted him? This exploration made me begin to see Griffin in a new light, one that made me empathize with—though not excuse—his choices.

  5. Next, because I saw a theme emerging in the character development, I began doing research about male culture, toxic masculinity, and abandonment. I’ll write more about my research in a future post, but for now, I knew I needed to ground myself in being respectful about these topics.

Developing characters is already challenging, but I find it always comes down to the question: why?  The more you’re willing to ask that question of your characters, the deeper they will take you into their motives, the roots of their own why. For the author, this only helps writing their stories. Difficult characters are no different, as long as we’re willing to ask those questions. If you’re familiar with The Cantos Chronicles, you know that I’m not a stranger to writing the difficult, morally gray character. Seth from The Ugly Truth was a villain in Swimming Sideways and The Bones of Who We Are.  So, I guess I find difficult characters interesting and challenging.

Next time: Writing Secondary Characters


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The Stories Stars Tell: It's Here!

The Stories Stars Tell has published!

The Stories Stars Tell has published!

After 16 months of work, The Stories Stars Tell is here. I’m so excited to hand it over to you.

Here’s what I can’t wait to see from you:

  • Honest reviews (post one on Goodreads, amazon, or any other book platform)

  • Pictures of you reading or of the book (be sure to tag me or send them to me)

  • To know how the story inspired you.

  • Who were your favorite characters?

Look for a giveaway and a read-along in November (my birthday month!)

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This-Then-That: YA Contemporary Edition

A Staircase worth of YA Contemporary.

A Staircase worth of YA Contemporary.

Another week. Another installment of THIS-THEN-THAT. For all of you who commented either here or on Instagram, and in the IG Story for this week’s installment, thank you! Let’s do this again.

A reminder. THIS-THEN-THAT is a game that uses this format: If you liked THIS title, THEN you might enjoy THAT one.

This-Then-That.

The theme this week is YA Contemporary, which I have discovered is probably one of my favorite categories right up with YA fantasy. I didn’t realize it until I started pulling titles from my shelf and watched the stack take shape. So many good stories…

Same format as last week. Left side are the THIS titles and the right side are the THAT titles.

Here we go. . .

This

That

For your consideration (because I write YA Contemporary. :) . . .

Earlier this year, a bookstagram friend on IG, Lavinia (@instaraygram) who helped with last week’s post read The Cantos Chronicle (the books I wrote). She said she loved them . . . and asked me if I’d read Brigid Kemmerer? She said, “Your style reminds me of hers.” I hadn’t, but I was immediately intrigued. So I scooped up all of her titles and FELL IN LOVE with her (so what an honor to be compared to her!) So one more This/That . . .

THIS

THAT

Finally . . . Join me on my IG Story (@cl.walters) to help with next week’s theme: YA Sci Fi and Dystopian. I need your help.

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Reading Wonderland Interview: Piper Bee

Joy’s Summer Love Playlist looks to fit in nicely within the YA RomCom category.

Joy’s Summer Love Playlist looks to fit in nicely within the YA RomCom category.

The thing about Alice — which I think all of us remember — is that when it came down to the adventure, she found she was much more accepting of reading about it after living it. Perhaps that is true for some of us homebodies (uh, what are you trying to say with that eyebrow raised in my direction? So it’s true, I do prefer to be at home, curled up on the couch, reading a book. What of it?). And when you think about the archetypal hero’s journey, it is always about returning home (albeit changed and better).

Romantic Comedy is a genre of story that offers that adventure into exploring love with rich, compelling characters, fun plots, the tingles of falling in love, and enjoyable laughs. The story’s action is most often set in the contemporary world making this an accessible genre for someone who doesn’t often read, wants a quick escape, or loves to laugh. The Romantic Comedy in the Young Adult world also offers the joy of not only falling in love, but also discovering truths about self that earmark the hero’s journey of a YA novel. Joy’s Summer Love Playlist, by Piper Bee, is a brand new YA RomCom available NOW! (It was released last week).

College-bound singer Joy has never been all that graceful, never been in love, and never really lived for herself. But when she’s suddenly free from her overbearing brother, Joy dreams of living out a summer full of music, sunshine, and an empty schedule.

There's just one catch...

Joy's hilarious duet partner, Cale, needs her to be his fake girlfriend so he can attract Lena, Joy's unattainable best friend. Cale’s plan is a tad crazy, but if Joy knows anything about Cale, it’s that he can make crazy work in his favor. 

But when Lena’s long-time crush, Jin, returns home for the summer, Joy realizes Cale’s chances might be impossible. Jin is nothing short of perfect. Easygoing, charming, and insanely good-looking… Joy has to find a way to even the odds without jeopardizing the friendships she’s worked so hard for.

Things get complicated when Joy falls head over heels for the boy that was “off-limits.” Just when she thinks her first love might be the real deal, her controlling brother—and her family’s dark past—get in the way. Joy could lose a lot more than a carefree summer.

Piper Bee — an independent author —  graciously agreed to answer some questions about Joy’s story. I’m so excited to share this interview with readers and potential readers, me being one of them.

CLW: Joy’s Summer Love Playlist released in Paperback May 20th (ebook drops June 20th). As an independent author (and the current climate notwithstanding) what has surprised you as you embark on the journey of telling the world about your debut novel? 

 Piper Bee: The most surprising thing has been all the work I had to do after I finished writing the book! From implementing beta feedback to marketing to metadata. There's a lot to know. I'd say I was also surprised at how to effectively convey the story without spoiling it (and I realllly wanted to)! And I was majorly surprised by all the support I've been getting! Since I don't even have a book out yet, I'm very humbled by all the love I've gotten from strangers.

 CLW: What inspired this story? 

 PB: There are three main things that inspired it. Originally, it was a dream I had that took place in the summer. There was a group of friends with some intriguing intersections in their relationships, so I built off that and the intense feelings I got from it. After that, I'd say my own experiences as a carefree teenager in the PNW summer. Lots of the settings come straight from memory. And finally, the music, of course! I can tell you a number of scenes that were influenced by specific songs. That's basically why I went with songs for chapter titles.

CLW: Five songs we should listen to while we read Joy’s Summer Love Playlist?

PB: Um, ALL of them, but here are some important ones: 1) Definitely: Rainbow Connection! The original is by Kermit the Frog, but my favorite is by Gwen Stefani. 2) Take on Me by Weezer 3) Forever Young by UNDRESSD (Yes, these are all covers so far!) 4) Grip by Seeb & Bastille 5) Young and In Love by Ingrid Michaelson

CLW: Tell us a little bit about Joy and what we should know about this protagonist. 

PB: Joy's main concern is preserving the good things in her life and not rocking the boat, which is immediately evident with her unstable brother, Carson. Despite that, though, she is true to herself in certain ways, such as singing. She's not shy about who she really is. I love that she is unapologetic about how much she loves food, probably because I'm the same way, haha!

CLW: Based on the cover, I might assume there’s a bit of love triangle trope. What do I need to know walking into this story about the romance in this story? 

PB: There is a love triangle (and fake dating also), but I tried to put my own twist on it. One thing you might like to know before going in is that Joy has never fallen in love before, so she's a bit clumsy at figuring out her honest feelings, which I personally find adorable.

Buy here

Buy here

CLW: What is your favorite romance trope to read? 

PB: I love so many tropes! Enemies to lovers is one of my favorites because I love the redemptive aspect of it. It's totally swoonworthy when someone realizes they were wrong and it ends in romance!

CLW: Do you have a favorite #otp that isn’t one, your own and two, Lizzy and Darcy? 

PB: Okay, you got me! I'm a huge P&P fan! A bookish couple I love is Katniss & Peeta because they were kind of unlikely but also needed each other. I love Katara/Aang from Avatar. Anime/Manga fans will recognize Tohru & Kyo from Fruits Basket! Love them! I'm sorry, I can' choose one. I can't.

CLW: Let’s play a little If… Then. I’ll give you an “If you’ve read (insert a book title) you respond with a “Then you should read (insert a book title)” Got it?

If you’ve read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, then you should read: Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

If you’ve read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, then you should read: The Matched series by Ally Condie

If you’ve read the Harry Potter Series, then you should read: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

If you’ve read City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, then you should read: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (OMG I love this series - CLW)

If you’ve read A Fault in Our Stars by John Green, then you should read: The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

CLW: When your audience closes Joy’s Summer Love Playlist, sets down the book and walks away, what do you hope is the lasting impression (without spoilers)? 

PB: I certainly hope they have some warm, fuzzy swoons to take away, but beyond that, I hope people see from Joy's journey that happiness isn't just about keeping the peace. Sometimes you have to stand for your own happiness in order to set things right.\

CLW: Which authors or specific books - YA and otherwise - have inspired your own author’s journey? 

PB: That author that made me want to write originally was Libba Bray with the Gemma Doyle series (mentioned above). Later on, I took a class taught by Christi Krug and loved her wildfire writing method. Scott Westerfeld's wild imagination impacted me also. And, I'm not just saying this to flatter you Cami, but you really helped me decide that it was worth it to pursue being and indie author!

CLW: The theme is favorite YA Romances/RomComs. What makes your top-five list in no particular order?

PB: 1) The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, 2) The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, 3) The Caraval series by Stephanie Garber, 4) Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson, and 5) Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

 CLW: Can you give us any hints about your next project? 

PB: I'm working on a princess-centered epic fantasy series that definitely has a romance element to it. It involves a quest to find a magical tree that can help save the kingdom from corruption, but it turns out there's a much bigger threat. I have released some prequel short stories, which you can read if you sign up for my newsletter.

CLW: Where can readers find you online? 

PB: I am most active on Instagram (@piper.bee) and I have a website: piperbeeauthor.com where you can find my other channels. I would love to chat about writing and fictional romance and food!

Piper Bee, Indie Author

Piper Bee, Indie Author



Thank you so much for your time, Ms. Bee! Good luck and I’m looking forward to reading Joy’s story.

Next Week: A Little This or That . . .

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Books for Teens, Fiction, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YALit Cami Books for Teens, Fiction, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YALit Cami

Reading Wonderland Interview: Nancy Richardson Fischer

TheSpeedofFallingObjects.jpg

Alice’s escape down the rabbit hole really was about one thing: ADVENTURE. She wanted her own adventure instead of reading about it.

This quintessential idea brings to mind one of my favorite quotations in a fantasy book series I recently finished called The Shades of Magic trilogy by V.E. Schwab (if you like edgy fantasy - a MUST read! The series begins with A Darker Shade of Magic). Lila, one of the central characters told another, “‘I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.’” And isn’t that, in many ways, a truth for all of us?

One amazing adventure story I wanted to share with you is The Speed of Falling Objects written by Nancy Richardson Fischer (her novel When Elephants Fly has been nominated for the Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Literature). It is not only a survival story but also an incredible coming-of-age tale swirling with family drama and new love.

Danielle (Dani) Warren, the daughter of a TV reality survivalist, is nothing like her brave father. After an accident that takes her site in one eye, she’s learned to compensate for that change, but that isn’t the only thing she’s compensating for; she wants to make everyone else happy, especially her mom, but it’s beginning to feel like it’s at a cost to her own. When her dad, who she hasn’t seen for years, calls to invite her on a trip to the Amazon to film the next episode of his TV show, she jumps at the chance to prove she can be the daughter he’s always wanted. But nothing goes as planned. When their small plane crashes in the Amazon and a terrible secret is revealed, Dani must face the truth about her parents, about her own happiness, and find the strength to survive the deadly rainforest to find her way home.

I loved this story, and over the last several months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to get to know Ms. Richardson-Fischer through Instagram (give her a follow @nanfischerauthor). She so graciously agreed to answer my questions as a contributor to the Reading Wonderland:

CLW: The Speed of Falling Objects is a survival story set in the Amazon. I have read on several occasions your aversion to reptiles and creepy crawly things. What on earth inspired this story?

NRF: I’ve always been fascinated with stories of survival—sinking sailboats and months lost at sea, climbers who help each other crawl down mountains after brutal injuries—there is no better way to figure out who people are, at their core, then to witness them struggle and see who retains their humanity, survives and thrives. Usually, it’s the person you least expect that digs deepest and surprises!

Originally the plane crash in this novel was going to happen on a snow-covered mountain. I’ve spent time winter camping, used to rock climb, and understand that world. But while doing research, it became clear that nothing would push Danny toward growth more than the Amazon.

There are 3,600 species of spiders in the Amazon Basin, 2.5 million insects, and seventeen types of highly venomous snakes. Plus, there are so many ways to die! If the plane crash doesn’t result in devastating injuries, a bite from a wandering spider can kill in less than twenty minutes. The fer-de-lance, an aggressive pit viper, has venom that leads to gangrene, amputation and death. Even the frogs exude a toxin that can cause fatal heart attacks. There are bullet ants whose bite feels like a gunshot, bloodthirsty leeches and electric eels that can unleash over 600 volts …

All of which I studied with shudders (Danny and I have that in common) as I squinted at photos, read first-person-accounts and watched survivalist videos. Choosing to create a character that has similar fears, at least in the creepy crawly realm, allowed me to identify and empathize with Danny and tap into my own very real fears to make hers more believable.

CLW: When writing this story, what was the scariest thing you researched and how did you get through it?

NRF: The scariest things were the spiders! Seriously, I am less afraid of a plane crash, broken bones and other injuries, sleeping in the jungle, even scorpions and snakes, than I am of a spider. But spiders came with the story and over time I was able to not just read about them but look at them so I could realistically describe their furry, terrifying bodies. For the record, in real life I’m still petrified of them.

CLW: There are a lot of things I loved about this book, but here are two: the way you delved into family relationships and its impact on identity, and the real way teens have feelings (especially with respect to sex and relationships) and how you didn’t shy away from either. Can you comment on what helps you explore those kinds of heavier topics with depth and realism?

NRF: The best way I know to explore heavy topics is to do the research. I read about dysfunctional families, used my own experiences in that realm, talked to teens, watched videos, read other books that dove into dark subject matter and then did my best to respectfully explore all the issues that Danny faces.

CLW: The Speed of Falling Objects is your fourth book and the follow up to the YA, When Elephants Fly. Having been through this publication process, going to book signings, interacting with readers, what was the most surprising thing(s) you have learned going through the process?

NRF: The Speed of Falling Objects is actually my eleventh published book! My first eight were sport autobiographies that I co-wrote with athletes like Monica Seles, Nadia Comaneci and Apolo Ohno. I also wrote three Junior Jedi Books for LucasFilm and then wrote When Elephants Fly followed by The Speed of Falling Objects. There have been a lot of surprises along the way. First, it was a much longer process getting to the point where I could write my own fiction than I imagined. Second, I’m surprised at how much I love the editing process—that’s where the real magic happens! Third, interacting with readers, doing books signings and meeting other authors has been both a joy and much needed. Writing is a solitary process so hearing from readers who love my books feeds my soul and talking with other authors provides a much needed group of friends who both support each other and help ease the rough patches along the road to publication.

CLW: Which is the favorite book you’ve written, and why is that the case?

NRF: I really don’t have a favorite!  I loved writing Lily and Swifty’s stories in When Elephants Fly and the chance to educate people about the plight of elephants, but then along came Danger Danielle Warren in The Speed of Falling Objects… Each book I write is my favorite of the moment. And then I move on and give my heart to the next story.

CLW: What is your favorite genre to read, and do you have a recommendation for readers?

NRF: My reading is all over the place. I love all of Tana French’s mysteries—she’s a poet at heart and creates incredible characters. I can’t put down Stephen King’s novels and am dazzled by his imagination and the way he makes me care. And Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale has stayed with me for life.

CLW: Favorite classic read?

NRF: For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway.

CLW: Stephen King wrote that “Books are distinctly portable magic.” What was the last book you read that transported you?

NRF: Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow changed me forever. Then I read her follow-up, Children of God, and I was changed again.

CLW: Which specific authors or specific books - YA and otherwise -  have inspired your own author’s journey?

NRF: Too many to name so I’ll just list a few of the authors I love… Misa Sugiura, Jennifer Longo, Jennifer Mathieu, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Stephen King, Peter Straub, Rebecca Makai, Mark Helprin, Sara Blake, Diana Gabaldon, Barbara Kingsolver…

CLW: The theme is YA Contemporary books. What makes your top-five list in no particular order?

All the Bright Places [by Jennifer Niven]

A List of Cages [by Robin Roe]

The Outsiders [by S.E. Hinton]

The Hunger Games [by Suzanne Collins]

Lord of the Flies [by William Golding]

CLW: What are you working on now?

I’m working on my second adult novel! It’s an exciting new world and I hope that the readers who loved When Elephants Fly and The Speed of Falling Objects will take a chance and give my next novel a try!

CLW: Where can readers find you?

Readers can find me on Instagram and Twitter @nanfischerauthor and can write me at: nancyrichardsonfischerauthor@gmail.com. For all requests, please contact my agent, Stephanie Kip Rostan, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency.

So much thanks to Ms. Richardson-Fischer and the time she offered to share with us!

Next Week: Piper Bee and her upcoming release,

Joy’s Summer Love Playlist

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Book Marketing, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Cantos Chronicles, Books to Read, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Independent Author, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, Writer's Life, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YA Series, YALit Cami Book Marketing, Books for boys, Books for Teen Boys, Books for Teens, Cantos Chronicles, Books to Read, CL Walters, Coming of Age, Independent Author, Swimming Sideways, Teen Books, The Bones of Who We Are, The Ugly Truth, Writer's Life, YA Contemporary, YA Fiction, YA Series, YALit Cami

Indie Author Marketing: Road Trip Wrap Up

On Sale today, where ever books are sold. Hooray!

On Sale today, where ever books are sold. Hooray!

We did it. We made it to the finish line, and The Cantos Chronicles are out in the world today. How we did remains to be seen, but here’s the feedback on our journey:

  1. Followers LOVE the new covers!

    This was the first thing that was mentioned as a ”stand out” in terms of marketing these books. This doesn’t surprise me (and probably doesn’t anyone else either) which reiterates the point that authors (indie authors, specifically) should budget for a cover as part of your marketing strategy. How the product appears matters. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, right? Case in point: Look at the two Swimming Sideways covers (pre-rerelease and post). Which one do you like better?

The black and white was the second cover. It’s a Canva stock image and clearly an inexperienced Indie move. It isn’t the wisest choice when trying to “stand out” in a competitive market. The new cover is designed by a trained graphic artist, Sara Ol…

The black and white was the second cover. It’s a Canva stock image and clearly an inexperienced Indie move. It isn’t the wisest choice when trying to “stand out” in a competitive market. The new cover is designed by a trained graphic artist, Sara Oliver Designs, and is original to Swimming Sideways!

Um. Yeah. The new cover is hands down better than the other (thank you, Sara!)

2. Followers enjoyed getting to know me (the author).

Shocking - I know - baring who I am isn’t comfortable - naturally introverted, but adaptably extroverted. That means I’m a freaking chameleon. No. Actually, it doesn’t, but I’d like to think it is a super power. Okay. In all seriousness, while being more in the “spotlight” doesn’t feel comfortable, it is a part of building a relationship. There is a give and take between people. What’s your favorite color? Mine is… This must occur, right for that reciprocal relationship building. This doesn’t stop even in a social media world which means we have to put ourselves out there.

What made this difficult for me (besides the whole discomfort of being in the “spotlight”) is the belief that I don’t think I’m all that interesting. I’m just ordinary Cami. Here I am feeling like my brain might be boiling over trying to figure out what’s interesting, and I’m thinking “there’s nothing worth sharing.” Perhaps this is a lie I tell myself because people expressed: I liked getting to know you. Hmm. Who knew? The lesson then: I can’t be afraid to put myself out there; I can’t worry about if what I have to share is interesting or not because I can only be myself; and I can’t be afraid to share my truth.

3. Followers liked getting to know the characters in a different way.

The methods mentioned were sharing the music playlists, sharing the book lists, and the new content snippets that helped readers feel more connected to the characters. That’s cool (and I wish I could share with you how cool these people are in my head… still!)

4. Followers liked being able to “talk” with other followers about the books while reading.

One IG follower said that being able to talk about the books with other readers while reading was a little like a “social media book club.” Bookstagrammers have this on lock and are very prolific in this regard. It’s a great tool (though I won’t pretend I’ve figured out how to generate more engagement with this; I think it will continue to be time and consistency).

Well. Here we are fellow road trippers. We’ve parked the van in the garage. We’re popping the champagne. Let’s toast to nine weeks of bumping along this Indie Marketing Road to a job well done. Thank you for being on this journey with me.

What’s next? Not sure. I’m going to take a couple weeks to finish my current book and figure myself out.

Now, I have to figure out how to look at the “after publication” marketing. :)


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