Today I'm hosting Bridie Hall for Indie Fall Fest!
Don't forget to drop by the kick-off post and enter our HUGE giveaway!
And stop by Kira Adams' blog where she's featuring Shane Morgan!
Don't forget to drop by the kick-off post and enter our HUGE giveaway!
And stop by Kira Adams' blog where she's featuring Shane Morgan!
Interview by Tiana Warner
Describe My Summer Roommate in 140 characters or less.
A cool girl and a hot boy end up being roommates and their romance leads to a feverish summer finale.What’s your favorite thing about My Summer Roommate?
My favorite thing are both main characters. Chloe, because she’s complex and so self-aware, and Chris because he’s so utterly sweet and charming. How could Chloe ever say no to him?
They were so much fun to write, I enjoyed every second of it.
What was the hardest part about writing it?
The hardest parts to write were the angsty scenes towards the end. Chris and Chloe breaking up right after they finally gave in to their feelings was heartbreaking to write. I felt so sorry for Chris (even though I was the one who made him suffer). Interestingly enough, the parts that were the hardest to write are also my favorite parts of the book.
Do you have a writing routine?
Not really. I improvise a lot, because I have little time to write so I try to take advantage of every free moment. This means I’ll write whenever and wherever I can, so there’s no place for a routine.
What is your favorite genre to read?
I’m a voracious reader and I love to read everything from young adult, mysteries, romance, biographies, to crime stories and horror ... I can’t choose just one favorite genre. I’ll give anything a try and if it’s well-written I’ll probably like it.
What book has had a major impact on you?
I honestly can’t choose one book; there have been so many that stayed with me. Funnily enough, it wasn’t any particular book that made me want to become a writer, it was a movie. My first writing attempts were fanfiction based on Tequila Sunrise, if you can believe it.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
I’d love to be invisible to be able to spy on people. ;-)
What would you be doing with your life if you weren’t a writer?
I’d still be working in the publishing business as a translator and editor (which is actually my day job). But the time I now spend writing I’d probably dedicate to reading, cooking or sewing.
If you could spend a day with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?
I can’t decide between Zadie Smith because I think she’s a phenomenal writer, or a surfer (any surfer) because then I could spend a day on the beach and discuss the ocean and surfing and the laid-back life of beach bums ...
Are you working on another book, and if so, what is it?
I’m currently working on two young adult novels. I’m editing a story about a girl who goes off to Paris to study fashion design. She has a lot of unresolved issues with her mother but she’s going the wrong way about solving them. And I’m also finishing the first draft of a story about grief and guilt. It’s about a boy and a girl who end up in an unhealthy relationship as they try to console each other after a tragic loss of a loved one.
Chloe needs a place to crash for the summer before
college. When Chris offers, she moves in with him. It’s
just for two months, no biggie. But soon she realizes she may have made a mistake. He is too perfect; a former snowboarder, laid-back and kind to boot, and he’s smitten with her. But she’s got trust issues and a relationship feels daunting. When he keeps trying to win her over, the temptation becomes overwhelming.
Just as she gives in and decides it’s not worth fighting their feelings anymore, Chris reveals he’s made a stupid mistake which might ruin Chloe’s trust in him and tear them apart.
I will admit, one of my guilty pleasures is romance stories that I can read quickly and swoon over in the process. My Summer Roommate - written by Bridie Hall - is a sweet Young Adult contemporary romance that did just that.
My Summer Roommate is broken into two separate character viewpoints: Chloe and Chris. I loved the structure of this book because it gave me the opportunity to see the romance from both sides. The story itself flowed very well between these two character perspectives, but what amazed me most about Hall's writing is that she captivated me.
I will admit, I have a hard time reading a story in present tense, so I was hesitant when I began to read this book. However, after a few paragraphs, I became so wrapped up in the story, I didn't even notice. To me, this is the mark of a great writer because she was able to immerse me into her world within minutes.
The world is set in modern day, and there is a spark between the two main characters that is noticeable from the start. I loved how Hall let us see the romance develop. Her characters are flawed, which made them more realistic instead of the usual perfect mate scenario often found in YA fiction today.
There wasn't really anything I didn't like about this book. The story itself was realistic, the romance was sweet, and Chris was a guy any reader could find herself falling for. My Summer Roommate is a perfect read for anyone looking for a little romance, some drama, and the pleasure that comes from reading a very well written book.
Inspiration and Writer's Block
by Bridie Hall
I’m terrible when it comes to organizing things and sticking to plans. In short, I don’t do that. Right now, for example, I’m supposed to be finishing a first draft of a YA contemporary novel that should be done by the end of November. Am I doing that?*insert a minute of crazy laughter*
You probably guessed the answer is no. I’m revising a different manuscript, thinking about writing a novel for Nanowrimo, and pondering an idea for another story.
This is mostly the result of me not being able to resist starting a new project until I finish the current one. Whenever I get a new idea, I become obsessed with it and I can’t stop thinking about it and that leads to me envisioning scenes and characters and all sorts of stuff that needs to be written down. like. right. this. second. Inevitably, it leads to a whole lot of confusion, looming-deadline panic, me pulling my hair out etc.
But this also has a positive side: if you want to be inspired, you have to write. You may think I got that backwards, but the truth is that your brain needs to get used to the act of writing. Your mind must think about writing in order to send you ideas for what to write about. So, every time I’m working on a project, I’ll get two or three new ideas. I let them develop and grow in my mind for a while (usually one sleepless night is enough). Some, I soon discard. With the promising ones, I start jotting down ideas, names, quotes, scenes … Before I know it, I’m already in the thick of it and there’s no turning back.
And sometimes, yes, I do experience a writer’s block with a story. Luckily, I don’t find it all that frustrating because I have other things to write while I let that one problematic storyline sort itself out. Because while I’m working on something else, in the background, my mind will come up with a solution for the problem. The projects can be completely unrelated stories, but it’ll do the trick nonetheless.
It is sort of a cyclical process. In order to get ideas, you need to write, and you need ideas to write about. You just need to start somewhere; it’ll be rough at first, you’ll feel uninspired and hopeless, but it just takes one spark for the flame to be born. Just watch out once it starts to blaze.
Great interview, looks like a fun book!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Thanks, Missie!
DeleteThanks for hosting me today. I had a lot of fun with the interview and guest post. :-)
ReplyDeleteYay! I loved having you on, Bridie! :)
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