-Davey
Give us the Elevator Pitch for your
book.
Could we take
the stairs instead? : - ) It’s a little longer than your typical elevator
pitch, but here’s the book description:
Sometimes
finding love means taking the scenic route …
Living
with her faultfinding mother has taught Leslie not to ask for much. Just watch
your step, stay on the sidelines, and take what you can get. But she wants a
mom who thanks her for cleaning the kitchen instead of yelling at her for
missing a spot, and a boyfriend who does more than score her a seat at the
popular table—someone who actually notices her sitting there.
So when
Cain, the school heartbreaker, turns his Carolina blue eyes her way, Leslie
can’t help but be tempted, even if he’s her boyfriend’s best friend. Things get
even more complicated when Leslie strikes up unlikely friendships with
Meredith, Cain’s girlfriend, and Dennis, a boy addicted to cigarettes and
solitude. Despite his tough exterior, Dennis seems to understand Leslie in a
way that no one ever has, and to need her as much as she needs him.
For the
first time in her life, Leslie feels like she could belong. She’s just not sure
where.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was working
on my library degree when I took a course in young adult literature and remembered
how much I love it. There’s something about that time of life—everything is so
emotionally charged. I wanted to try and capture that on the page.
A lot of the
inspiration from this particular book came from my own life. For instance, I
ended up falling for a guy I was close friends with in high school, though for
the longest time, I thought I wanted his best friend. There’s a little bit of
that dynamic in the book, with Leslie being drawn to the high school “it” boy
as well as the boy who listens to her problems and shares his with her.
What is one thing you want the reader
to walk away with after reading your book?
What I want most
is for the characters I created to be as real and complex for the reader as
they are for me. If I succeeded there, the reader should walk away with the
understanding that even people who might seem cruel or unfeeling often have
their own problems that determine the way they interact with others. And even
people who seem to have it all can have their hearts broken and their worlds
shattered.
How did you write your book? Did you
outline then write or just jump in and begin writing?
I’m
definitely a planner. When I started this book, I wrote out some basic
character outlines and then started a Word document where I just brainstormed my
ideas, from character backgrounds to plot scenarios to themes that I wanted to
carry throughout the book. A lot of the details changed as the story unfolded,
but the core of the story didn’t. I also kept the motifs I started
with—holidays and car accidents for instance—as well as the theme of difficult
family relationships.
What do you do when you aren't
writing?
Read. Though
I have to be careful because I can easily go on reading binges that keep me
from getting my own writing done! When I first became a librarian, for
instance, I went through a period of reading almost a book a day. I’m also a
real Netflix junkie and love to discover new series. I think writers can learn
a lot from watching well-written TV shows. Plus, it’s fun : )
Why did you choose to write and become
an author?
I didn’t have
cable TV growing up, and there was no Internet. So I kind of learned to create
my own entertainment, which involved lots of reading as well as making up
stories I’d act out with friends, though I didn’t start writing things down
until later. I also used to go to bed every night running different scenarios
in my head—of course, a lot of them involved me being courted by my favorite
actor at the time, but you get the idea.
The first
time I seriously thought about becoming a writer was when someone in school
pointed out that I was good at it. And something clicked—I knew that was what I
wanted to do. It took me a while to discover that I wanted to write fiction
though, so most of my early writing involved journals filled with poetry that
nobody but me could understand. I still write poetry sometimes, but fiction is
my true love.
What do you like to read when not
writing?
Lately,
message boards, blogs, and books about writing and publishing! But as far as
fiction goes, young adult contemporary is my favorite. Sara Zarr, E. Lockhart,
and Sarah Dessen are some of my favorite writers there. I also really enjoy new
adult, especially work by Jessica Park and Tammara Webber, who showed me that
there was real talent in the self-publishing world. Right now I’m reading Openly Straight, a YA contemporary by Bill
Konigsberg, and No One’s Angel by
Kelly Walker, a talented fantasy and new adult author as well as my cover
designer.
How do you deal with writers block?
Different
ways. Sometimes I force myself to sit in front of the computer and reread what
I’ve written until I can get a few words out, even if I’m not thrilled with
them. Sometimes I take a break from the actual writing and just work through
things in my head. I’ve often gotten myself unstuck while driving, grocery shopping,
or drifting off to sleep, for instance. Sometimes I work on another writing
project, and other times I skip the scene that’s giving me trouble and work on
a different part of the story.
Where can people find you on the Net?
And Accidents & Incidents is available from
these online retailers:
What is one question you have never
been asked but have always wanted to answer?
The question:
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
My answer: Try
not to compare yourself to others. I still struggle with this. Even when
visiting discussion boards about writing that are generally helpful, I can work
myself into a real funk if I start comparing my own productivity and sales with
others. So instead, I’m trying to learn from their success while at the same
time realizing that what works for them may not work for me. We all have to
find our own way.
Here is a Little Bit More About the Author and Your Chance to Win a Copy of Accidents & Incidents:
Riley Graham is a high school
librarian and writer who lives in North Carolina with her husband, two dogs,
two cats, and an embarrassing number of dust bunnies. She’s currently at work
on her second novel, another young adult contemporary.
