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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Author Interview!



Hey, guys! Today in honor of Utah Book Month I have the great pleasure to interview author Becca Wilhite. I'm so excited because I loved both her books. Thank goodness, right? ;) I tease, I tease! Becca is the author of Bright Blue Miracle and My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions which I reviewed just last week here.
Now on to the interview, shall we?

I have to ask. What are some of your favorite books?
 I am a compulsive re-reader. If I love a book, I'll read it over and over. This year's favorite is, hands down, John Green's "THE FAULT IN OUR STARS" which I've already read twice in six months and talked about obsessively. It's gorgeous. Every sentence I read makes me (think I'm getting) smarter. I breathe in his words and live in envy of his brilliance. And his humor. And the romance, the pathos, the tragedy. (Are you convinced that you should try it?) Other books I've read till pages fell out and I had to buy new copies? "THE BOOK THIEF," "THE POISONWOOD BIBLE," "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE," "PEACE LIKE A RIVER," "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD," and "LES MISERABLES."


I was very excited to discover that My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions was about a college student, not a high school student. It's hard to find books with college aged characters. Was there a reason you chose to make Sarah older?
I wanted to write something for the kid I once was - the girl ready to move toward the next step. In this case, college. I had heard about "new adult" books (not much since I wrote this one, though) -- books aimed at the age group between YA and adult fiction. I love that age. I loved being that age. But I remember (all too well) the angst of insecurity. (Incidentally, editors apparently say there's not a market for this age group. They may be right, but I'm not sorry to have put Sarah and Ben in college.)

I really love the covers of your books! I know authors don't often have a say on what their covers look like. Did you? And what do you think of the covers?
I cried when I saw them. Tears of worry. I got over it, both times. :) With "Bright Blue Miracle" I wondered who would ever pick up a book with feet on the cover. I mean, FEET? Come on. But I did get over it before too long. About the time I bought all the blue OPI nail polish I could find.

And with MRRO, I gasped at that beautiful, thin, long-necked redhead. In my head, Sarah is ... rounder. A lot. And she has wicked black curls. But then this willowy Sarah started to grow on me. So even though I'm not actually a fan of humans on covers, I have come to love it. Both of them.
I didn't have any say in the covers, but the publisher did send me digital mock-ups a few months before the books were printed. It was perfect -- just enough time for me to learn to LOVE them. :)

When you're not writing what else do you enjoy doing?
I have a really great husband. And 4 kids. So I do a whole lot of family-ness. I have a part-time job. I teach writing classes. I love to cook. And eat. And read books. I take walks and mow the lawn and clean a fishbowl (because I don't do furry pets. Or furry-green glass fishbowls.)

What's next? Are you working on anything new?
I signed with an agent (Meredith Kaffel with DeFiore & Co) this spring. She's terrific. She's very editorial, and is holding my hand through a rash of revisions. Hopefully I'll be ready to submit this YA fantasy masterpiece this fall. :) (I'll let you know.)


Thank you so much, Becca. I'm so excited to hear more about this new book coming out. 



My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions

My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions


Sarah Howard's first year at the university is everything and nothing she expected especially when a very cute boy named Ben in her Art History class starts to show interest in her.

Sarah feels like she's an average, normal, everyday girl. So, when Ben (to whom she secretly refers as Adonis because she thinks he could be a Greek god) begins to take interest in her, Sarah is in denial. For one thing, last year she was deeply crushed and humiliated by Jesse James a guy who she thought liked her.

She's determined not to get burned again. But in her heart of hearts, what she really wants is a Jane Austen kind of romance. Ridiculous, right? That kind of romance doesn t exist anymore . . . or does it? Sarah is smart and fun to be around and even pretty, despite her Medusa-like red curls. She even plays the guitar. (So does Ben!) Yes, Sarah is everything Ben has wanted. He's crazy for her, but Sarah is just not getting it. She's playing hard to get, and if she s not careful, she s going to lose a real hot gentleman -- her 21st-century Mr. Darcy. (From Goodreads)



Bright Blue Miracle

Bright Blue Miracle


Seventeen-year-old Leigh Mason is not sure she's ready to share her mom, her bedroom, and her little sisters with her new stepsister, Betsy. And she's definitely not ready to share her best friend, who happens to be a boy! Coping with a blended family is not easy for either Leigh or Betsy, especially during their senior year in high school. Each step brings them nearer to a crisis that will either send them running in different directions or bind them firmly together (which, let's face it, would take a miracle).
Bright Blue Miracle is a new young adult novel that has everything a girl wants: a hero (more specifically, a really cute boy), a villain (who happens to be a stepsister), comedy, despair, pedicures, ice cream, love, hate, tennis, revenge, and, of course, a couple of surprises that might send you for some tissues. (From Goodreads)

22 comments:

  1. I've been hearing more and more about this "new adult" genre. I actually think it might pick up after all. Here's hoping. Can't wait for the new book! Awesome!

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    1. I really hope it takes off too. I don't know why publishers think there isn't a market for it. Apparently they haven't been to our college ridden state. ;)

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  2. I *love* that she picked a John Green book, considering your feelings about his writing. :)
    I would think there'd be a big market for new adult books, especially considering how many adults read YA. Most YA characters act like they're college-aged anyway. And when they don't they get labeled immature or annoying...

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    1. LOL! Yeah, I'm thinking I better give TFIOS a try. But if I don't like that one either...I'm done. ;)

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  3. Uh. Wow. Becca's (I feel like I can call her that now that I know all about her) list of favorite books is almost IDENTICAL to mine. Perhaps we need to be BFFs. :)

    Lovely review, Jenny.

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    1. Wow, you should be BFFs. The fact that The Book Thief is on there makes her a-okay in my book. :)

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  4. I talked to Bree Despain about the New Adult genre (a while ago) and she also said that editors and publishers don't think there's a market for it. I'm sad because I think there is. I'd love to read about college-aged kids.

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    1. There is so a market for it! They're just being overly picky...or something. ;)

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  5. I LOVE coming across characters who are in college; it's an age that isn't written about very much, but definitely needs to be! Great interview!

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    1. It does need to be written about more. At least we have this book, right?

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  6. Nice interview! I love your question about the cover. I'm always interested in stuff like that.

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    1. Me too. I know some people could care less but I always want to know stuff like that.

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  7. Nice interview! Becca's such a nice, fun person and we have several favorite books in common, so yay! Also, funny enough, the reason I bought BRIGHT BLUE MIRACLE was because of the bright, whimsical cover :)

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    1. I LOVE the cover of Bright Blue Miracle. It's funny that she was so worried. There was no need.

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  8. I hate when they models on the covers don't match the descriptions of the characters they are supposed to depict. It drives me crazy - especially the whitewashing and the skinny-washing (is that a word?)

    You and I have been saying for a while that books need college-aged protagonists. I find it hilarious that publishers don't think there's a market for this. What about all the teens dreaming of going to college, or the college kids who want to read about characters they can relate to in that way? Or what about every adult that reads YA lit?

    Anyway, I hadn't heard of Becca before, but she seems adorable. Her honesty was refreshing re the covers!

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    1. Yeah, I think it should be required that cover artists should have to read a book before designing its cover.

      There is totally a market for "New Adult"! Maybe we bloggers should talk it up!

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  9. Nice interview! College characters are more interesting to read about than teenagers. I hope the "new adult" books become a success and more people decide to write them.

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    1. I think college aged kids are more fun to read about too.

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  10. Enjoyed the interview! Think I really need to read The Fault In Our Stars after reading Becca's rave review! And I like that she grew to love her covers after the initial hesitation. And I think the "new adult" genre is a great idea, so hope publishers give it a chance!

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    1. Yeah, I'm not a big John Green fan but I really ought to read TFIOS because everyone is raving about it.

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  11. She loved the Poisonwood Bible! More people need to love that book!

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    1. I've yet to read it. Sounds like I should.

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