First up is Kirsten Hubbard, a 26-year-old travel writer and young adult author, represented by Michelle Andelman. Her YA debut, LIKE MANDARIN, will be published by Random House/Delacorte in March 2011.1. Tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
In the wind-battered town of Washokey, Wyoming, Grace finds beauty not in her mother's pageant ideals, but in Mandarin Ramey: the town slut.
2. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you?
Never! Although, there have been moments I thought I might have to look into getting my English teaching certificate, or seeking full-time employment at a non-profit. Travel writing (my "day" job) is volatile, and unless you are traveling & writing non-stop, it doesn't pay all the bills, all the time. I've never really been a shark about pitching publications, either. Mostly because fiction owns my heart. I have never doubted I wanted to be an author above all else -- but sometimes the goalposts appeared farther than other times.
3. What has been the hardest part of your road to publication so far?
When a series of setbacks -- specifically, full rejections for my first book -- made me feel discouraged, it was hard to open that Word document every morning. But the best antidote to writerly gloom is to get excited about another book. In my case, that book became LIKE MANDARIN. And my last book? I just finished overhauling it. It's so many times better, and it wouldn't have been if I'd clung to it, instead of writing that next novel. Letting go of a book can be the hardest thing in the world, but if it's a great story, you'll come back to it -- in the future, when you're a much better writer.
4. Super secret bonus question: Twizzlers or M&Ms?
M&Ms, because wax is not a food ;)
How's that for inspiring? Well aside from all that Twizzlers not being food nonsense. We ALL know they're the practically a food group unto themselves.
Anyways, be sure to check back every day this week for even more author porn. And we're not the only ones spreading the love. Check out the blogs below to read more amazing author success stories.
P.S.
MAJOR props to Elana Johnson for organizing this bad ass event and for letting us ride on her coattails. She ROCKS!
P.S.
MAJOR props to Elana Johnson for organizing this bad ass event and for letting us ride on her coattails. She ROCKS!
47 comments:
SWEET interview LiLa. I'm prepping my questions for you, btw...
Great interview!
What a great interview!! Congrats on your success. Letting go of your baby is sooo hard--right on!
Elana does rock! thanks for the interview L&L and thanks for the inspiration, Kirsten. It's great advice to 'keep writing'.
Great fun this week ladies! Oh and that sounds like a fun book!
Excellent interview! Letting go IS painful. But her philosophy impresses me. Thanks!
What a great idea for blog posts AND for the book!! It sounds fascinating!
And I never get tired of reading interviews with authors. :)
Loved this line:
I have never doubted I wanted to be an author above all else -- but sometimes the goalposts appeared farther than other times
Great interview.
Great interview. Looking forward to hearing from all these different new authors! :D It gives me hope... ;)
This is an awesome event! I love being able to see the person behind the name. Great interview!
I'm loving this! I've already been to Elana's and read Natalie's interview.
Like Mandarin sounds like a great story - I love the 140 word summary! :-)
Great interview! I think it's especially inspiring that Kirsten's first novel was rejected, but instead of giving up she wrote another one instead.
This is so awesome. And I'm still in the throes of massive cover envy after all this time, Kirsten. :)
Okay. I'm DYING to read this.
And, seriously?? Wax is not food? Is this true??????
sf
Fun interview - thanks for posting all the links too! :)
Oh a very interesting storyline! Loved the interview, always so fun! =D Can't wait to see the rest!
Thanks for hosting me, Lisa & Laura -- and thanks to everyone who commented!! <3
Kirsten is beyond wise. I love how she says she never doubted, just that the goal posts are in different places sometimes. Brilliant.
:)
I concur on the wax sentiments. And also on the "this book is awesome" sentiments.
I totally agree: wax is not a food. M&Ms for the win. And Kirsten, I think what you said about not clinging to a book is important. If it has lasting power, it will last until you can come back to it. And if it doesn't...well, then it's probably good you let it go.
Also: great interview, guys! :-)
Awesome interview! Can't wait to read LIKE MANDARIN!
And I so agree with choosing M&M's over Twizzlers.
What Kate said – wax over chocolate? SERIOUSLY??? M&Ms FTW!
And Like Mandarin is as stunning as its author. :)
This is SUCH a great interview! Can't wait to read all the others. You guys rock.
And now I can't wait to read this book! Hurry up March 2011 (though can I get the book WITHOUT having to get so close to turning 30?) :)
Great interview.
But I love twizzlers.
I can't wait for Like Mandarin to be out because it is amazing.
Awesome interview. I can't wait to read Like Mandarin!
Awesome interview! Like Mandarin is definitely on my "Must Read" list. I can't wait to see what else you have in store for the week. :)
This was such a great interview! I can't wait to read Like Mandarin! <3
Elana rocks indeed! I'm loving this series. Thanks for introducing me to Kirsten!
The goal posts analogy is perfect. Great interview -- thanks for sharing your experience. :)
Hahaha, M&Ms FTW! Can't wait to read your book, Kir--oh, wait, let me rephrase:
YOUR BOOK IS AWESOME!!
Thanks for the interview, Elena!
So true about the best antidote for the the gloomies being a SNI!
btw, if you'd asked me, I'd have picked M&Ms too, even though I just ate some Twizzlers, like, 5 minutes ago.
Great interview and the book sounds fab. I agree that wax isn't food, but sometimes it tastes good.
This is great! Love the author interviews and makes me feel so much better to know that others have struggled.
I also love M&M's.
Awesome interview :))
I saw your YouTube vlog over on Frankie's blog (http://frankiediane.blogspot.com/2010/03/most-epic-youtube-video-ever.html for anyone who hasn't seen it!) -- OMG you two are so fun to watch! I was cracking up. Trust me, when (using "The Secret" here!) I get to meet you girls face-to-face, I'll flip out more than Libba did!
Have a fab evening:)
I love the Twitter-size blurb! Nice! And great links to more fab writers!
Great interview! Love that you guys are part of this! I'll be on Beth's blog this week and I'm so excited.
Just watched your hilarious vlog! New follower for sure! You rock.
Great interview! More inspiration for when the path gets long and difficult. Kirsten is awesome, and I don't say that because we're both Californians. I'm inspired by how productive she is, with her great blog and her travel writing. Can't wait to read her book.
That is all so nice to hear. Thanks so much for sharing Kristen's trials with us. I so love hearing stories like hers. Knowing all these writers taking so many journeys towards become authors. It is really wonderful!
This is such an awesome idea!
I adore the description of the book - and the cover is fabulous!!
Keeping at it is the key - thanks for the interesting interview ladies!!
Great interview! Kirsten, I get you get so much inspiration and great anecdotes from all of your travels :)
im loving this week!
im really enjoying these interviews. and i can take or leave twizzlers or m&m's. What I cant resist are whoppers malted milk balls. those are real food. :)
...sometimes the goalposts appeared farther than other times: what a great way of looking at things.
Great interview - thanks so much for sharing!
I love the food question! :)
Awesome interview, thanks ladies!
YAY KRISTEN! Can't wait until Like Mandarin comes out at the bookstore--WOOT!
Thanks for posting this! (and pssst! Red Vines kick Twizzler BUTT! :D
This is one book I'm dying to read. And not just because of the kick ass cover. Thanks for the awesome interview, girls. I hope you let me interview you for my blog one day.:D
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