From Where I Watch You

by Shannon Grogan

This past Friday, December 4, 2015, Marcy and I posted our answers to Shannon’s debut novel From Where I Watch You. Today, you get to read Shannon’s favorite's. 

As a special holiday treat, our debut novelist, Shannon Grogan has offered to give away one copy of her novel! All you have to do is leave a comment below with a way for us to contact you (Email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). If you mention this contest on social media (mention this in the comments), we give you an extra entry. Leave a comment no later than December 11, 2015. We will pick a name out of our Santa hat and the winner will get the gift of an awesome book! Good luck!

Terrific answers, Shannon! We can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their favorites, too. 

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?

My favorite paragraph is between page 270 and 271, when my MC Kara, who has spent the whole story resentful and angry with her mom, finally ‘sees’ her mom-- comforting her café customers. Kara realizes how the changes in her reflects her dealing with her own grief:

My mom loves these people.

They are like family. And this is what she does with her family—she feeds them dinner, and asks them about their new project at work, and if they passed their math test, and if they’re speaking to their best friend anymore. She asks them about the best part of their day, and she bribes them with dessert so they’ll finish dinner. She rubs their backs when they are tired, and offers a tissue when their hearts can’t take it anymore. She does this because she doesn’t have her whole family—me and Dad and Kellen—all together to feed anymore.

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

At the end of Chapter 28 when Kara receives the most disturbing and threatening note yet, revealing to her who she thinks her stalker is.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

My favorite secondary character is Kara’s best friend Noelle because she’s such a terrible best friend, meaning she’s really not there for Kara when she needs her. Yet, behind her barbed-wire armor, she’s all heart to the few who can get close enough. She’s dealing with her own unstable home life, and her defenses and on-the-edge behavior reflects that. She cares so much about Kara, but doesn’t know how to show that she cares. The thing I love the most about her is how she defends Kara against her former best friends, and against anyone who intends Kara harm in any way. So if anyone so much as looks at her the wrong way, Noelle will use her sharp tongue to slice right through them.

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

My favorite paragraph of description is on page 5 when Kara is hiding in the yard of her beloved childhood home, smoking weed and missing her old room and her old life:

On my old front porch, a pile of U-Haul boxes sag from the damp Seattle weather. The boxes haven’t budged since the new family moved into my house, so there’s no room on the porch for a nine-year-old to sit and paint her toenails while her Barbies watch. No room to pretend to do homework while wishing for her crush to ride by on his bike, or to watch a summer thunderstorm and wonder if she should tell her best friends about that terrible secret she’s keeping.

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Truly my favorite line of dialogue is on page 227, something said by Noelle, but it might be too distasteful for your blog! So I am going with my second choice, for it’s creepiness, on page 170 when Kara has snuck away, from Seattle to San Francisco for the baking contest. She’s alone there, and is staying in university dorms, when the RA comes to talk to her.

“Miss McKinley, I’m sorry to bother you but I just wanted to let you know that a boy your age stopped by downstairs a few minutes ago. He claimed to know you?” She tilts and shakes her head a little. “He said he came here with you, but I’m sure I remember you told me you came alone, from out of state, right?”

The exchange goes on a little more between the two of them, and the RA gives her the number for campus security if she needs it, and Kara realizes her stalker probably followed her to the contest, and she’s all alone.

‘From Where I Watch You’

YA Thriller, Soho Teen, August 4, 2015

Links:

Website:  http://shannongrogan.com/

Blog:  http://shannongrogan.com/blog/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Shannon-Grogan-489098367871308/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/Shannywriter

Instagram:   http://instagram.com/iamdavidarnold

Tumbler:  https://www.tumblr.com/login?redirect_to=%2Fblog%2Fshannywriter

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/shannywriter/

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/From-Where-I-Watch-You/dp/1616955546

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-where-i-watch-you-shannon-grogan/1120723915?ean=9781616955540

Good Reads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18978515-from-where-i-watch-you

Soho Press:  http://sohopress.com/books/from-where-i-watch-you/

Don't forget to leave a comment below. Shannon has generously donated one book for one of our readers. Good luck!

Book Giveaway & First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz &
Marcy Collier

Welcome to December’s version of - First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day.

In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.

This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist, Shannon Grogan and her novel, From Where I Watch You. Kara dreams of becoming a professional baker. When her teacher selects her to participate in a competition for a national baking competition, she realizes her dreams could become reality. The prize – a full scholarship to a prestigious culinary school in California. But her past, including the death and betrayal of her dead sister casts a shadow on a bright future.

As a special holiday treat, our debut novelist, Shannon Grogan has offered to give away one copy of her novel! All you have to do is leave a comment below with a way for us to contact you (Email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). If you mention this contest on social media (mention this in the comments), we give you an extra entry. Leave a comment no later than December 11, 2015. We will pick a name out of our Santa hat and the winner will get the gift of an awesome book! Good luck!

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?

Dave – There is a memory, a single event that is playing on Kara’s mind. I believe this passage is spot-on in describing what those feelings have done to her.

Time has moved on. Kellen died, unforgiven, but I’m still thirteen, stuck in that memory. I’ve forgotten so much about that period of my life, but not that day. Not that night. It’s still razor sharp. Every detail, like it happened yesterday.

Marcy –  At this point, I feel like Kara is changing. She is hesitantly peeking out of her shell when it comes to Charlie. She realizes her dreams and doesn’t want anything to get in her way.

I lean against a wall, deciding if I should go back in because I’ve been such a bitch and Charlie’s been nothing but kind to me. But really, what does he know about problems? I mean, his parents always had money, and if they can afford Kennedy then he definitely still has it. If I had money I’d move far from here and find a way to get into La Patisserie.

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave - There are quite a few great chapter endings that left me dying to know what happened, but in the end I chose one from earlier in the novel, the tension it left me with unmatched by any other.

I can’t see the color, but I know the shapes of bloody droplets and the careful writing of my name. Two in one day.

Marcy – I won’t ruin this cliffhanger with any spoiler backstory.

But one memory is all it takes. “You know what you did. Leave me alone.”

Kellen’s gone.

Secrets buried.

In her place, a blue-gray envelope with droplets of purple and bloody red fibers sits on top of my counter.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Dave – I went back and forth about who to pick as my favorite secondary character because I liked so many of them. In the end, I chose Charlie because he has gone through so much in his life and handled it so well. This particular line of dialogue shows how he uses his lighter side to deal with tension. He has caught Kara, whom he nicknamed Sprinkles, smoking a stash of her sister's marijuana.

“God of thy glorious grass, we offer you back your wares, in the coffin of a tampon box, and ask your forgiveness. Sprinkles no longer requires the fruit of your weedy goodness, as I will show her the way to get high on life itself. For this we pray, amen.”

Marcy –  Justine works as a cashier with Kara and definitely tells it like it is in a hysterically, sweet kind of way. Below is a conversation between Justine and Kara at the store.

There’s just something I want more than anything in the world, and I know my mom’s going to say no.”

“Tell me,” Justine leans over. “What? A piercing? A tattoo? Bigger tits? Not that yours aren’t just precious.” With that she cups both of hers, frowning and shaking her head at them.” Good Lord, what’s a girl to do with these? Love to get me down a cup or two.”

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave – I chose this particular passage in part, because it rang true with me from when I was little, and also, because it describes well the fear Kara feels at being pursued.

When I was little, I used to stand in the doorway to my room and estimate the spot on the floor I needed to jump from to get on my bed without the imaginary monster grabbing my ankles and pulling me into his giant maw under the bed. Now there’s a real monster, and he waits for me around every dark corner.

Marcy –  Loved this paragraph and this is so Kara’s mom.

I feel a pang, albeit a small one, of missing Mom. If she was here now, and I had her blessing, she’d close her eyes and raise her hands to heaven before she’d wave them over my station. I can almost hear her, asking for the Holy Spirit to come down and bless my butter.

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Dave – My favorite line of dialogue is from Justine, one of the minor characters in the novel.

“Don’t apologize for being the way God made you.”

Marcy –  Charlie catches Kara smoking her sister’s stash of pot. There were many lines that are hysterically funny, but this one takes the cake (pun intended).

“So you’re writing about baking stuff while you’re baked?

To read more about Shannon Grogan and her debut novel, From Where I Watch You, please go to:

Website:  http://shannongrogan.com/

Blog:  http://shannongrogan.com/blog/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Shannon-Grogan-489098367871308/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/Shannywriter

Tumbler:  https://www.tumblr.com/login?redirect_to=%2Fblog%2Fshannywriter

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/shannywriter/

Don't forget to leave a comment below. Shannon has generously donated one book for one of our readers. Good luck!

Damage Done

by Amanda Panich

This past Friday, November 6, 2015, Marcy and I posted our answers to Amanda’s debut novel Damage Done. Today, you get to read Amanda’s favorites!

Great in depth answers! We can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their favorites, too.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?

When Julia thinks, "Lucy Black, rest in peace. She'd lived a quiet life, and she'd fallen in love, and then she'd disappeared like she'd never been."

Up until this point, Julia's been living under a false name, living a false life, pretending she wasn't the girl whose brother had killed eleven people. Here, she's finally realizing that she can't hide anymore. She has to confront her past head-on.


2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

My absolute favorite chapter ending is the last line of the book, but I don't want to spoil anything! My second-favorite chapter ending is the last line of Chapter 6:

"She was the only person who knew that, at the time of the shooting, exactly zero of the eleven kids [who died] in the band room had been my friend." It's clear throughout that Julia isn't the most reliable narrator, but this is where it gets driven home that hey, she's really hiding something big.


3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

I grew to quite like Dr. Spence - Ryan and Julia's psychologist - as I wrote and rewrote the novel. His role changed and developed into a far more significant one once my agent suggested I include his case notes and journal entries throughout. 


4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

There's one line early on that has stuck with me whenever I think about telling secrets: "I wasn't going to be one of those people who stretched out and yawned and let all their secrets float away like dandelion fluff."

Julia knows that, once you tell a secret, you can't control where it will end up and where it will grow - or what it will grow into.


5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Is it cheating to choose a conversation? I especially like the conversation Julia has with Jenny, the prying reporter, at the end of Chapter 2.

She tells Jenny all these details about the shooting, and then thinks, kind of offhandedly, "I just hoped she didn't ask me to repeat myself. I'd lied so many times over the course of our conversation I was having a hard time keeping track of all I'd said." 

This is the place where we learn that Julia's a pro at lying, and that just because she says something happened doesn't mean it actually happened the way she said.

Congratulations to Amanda on her debut novel, Damage Done. To read more, please go to:

Website:  http://amandapanitch.com/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/amandapanitch

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Damage-Done-Amanda-Panitch/dp/0553507494

Good Reads:   http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19542831-damage-done

First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz & 

Marcy Collier

Welcome to November’s version of - First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.

This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist, Amanda Panitch and her novel, Damage Done. Julia Vann’s brother goes on a shooting spree killing everyone in her music class but her. She starts a new school in a new place as Lucy Black. With a fresh start all goes well for a while, but she cannot run from her darkest secrets.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?

Dave – In this scene, Lucy is talking with her friend, Michael, a boy who has treated her well and one with whom she actually feels she might be able to love. I think the choice of words gives us, as a reader, the idea of the internal struggles that Lucy faces.

I’d enjoy watching him try to make me whole. It wouldn’t work-I was a jigsaw puzzle with a piece long lost under the couch. There’d forever be that empty space in the stretch of blue that might have been a bird or a plane or a bomb.

Marcy –  Lucy’s parents assume she would not be interested in pursuing band again given the trauma of her brother’s killing spree in the band room. Her reaction shows her development in the story when she tells them she wants to continue to play in the band.

“Well, as usual, they were wrong. I couldn’t be any more traumatized than I already was. If anything, the band room was a sanctuary. Sure, it had music stands identical to the one I’d hid behind. But it also had music, complicated music that took all my focus to stay on top of. It didn’t give me time to think about anything else.

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave - I chose this one sentence, this one line that occurred during a conversation with her former psychologist, Dr. Spence, because it was the bombshell I’d been waiting for as a reader, and without spoiling the story I’ll simply say…… Has something to do with her brother, the shooter, who had put a gun to his own head and fired the weapon.

“He said to tell you he loved you.”

Marcy – The narrator is a somewhat unreliable one. Up until this point in the story, the reader assumes that Julia’s (a.k.a – Lucy’s) brother is dead until this powerful chapter ending.

“I had lied to her. I had lied to myself. My brother wasn’t dead.”

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Dave – I would have to say that Michael is my favorite secondary character. He is such a nice guy and has fallen for Lucy. I worried for him throughout, however, because I was afraid that he would be blinded by his love and do something that would eventually lead to him being hurt, both physically and emotionally.

Marcy  - I would have to say that Alane is my favorite character. She is such a great friend to Lucy and cheers her on every step of the way, especially when it comes to encouraging Lucy to talk to Michael like in the line below.

“How do you expect to fall deeply in love and have his babies if you won’t even talk to him?” she said, pouting.

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave – I picked this short segment because I believe it says so much about how Lucy was raised, and how that may or may have not affected how she turned out in later life. Lucy is with her friend Alane, who is comforting her with a massage.

She rubbed circles into my back the way her mother would do. Not my mother, of course, but maybe a different mother, to a different child.

Marcy –  Lucy sees Michael as a fixer, but she thinks he can’t fix her.

“I’d enjoy watching him try to make me whole. It wouldn’t work – I was a jigsaw puzzle with a piece long lost under the couch. There’d forever be that empty stretch of blue that might have been a bird or a plane or a bomb.”

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Dave – Lucy is talking with her friend Michael. She is in band and he is a swimmer. He is waiting for her outside the band room with his eyes closed.

“Did we bore you that badly?”

His eyes flew open. “I was listening,” he said indignantly. “Trying to hear your… um…”
 

I worked an eyebrow. “This is a clarinet.”

“Exactly. The clarinet is my favorite instrument,” he said.

Marcy –  Lucy had dinner with Michael’s family. Michael’s mom is concerned because it’s late.

“You should get home, Lucy,” she said. “I’m sure your parents are worried sick.”

I didn’t say, sure if by worried sick you mean having no idea I’m even gone. “Yeah,” I said instead.

To read more about Amanda Panich and her debut novel, Damage Done, please go to:

Website:  http://amandapanitch.com/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/amandapanitch

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/Damage-Done-Amanda-Panitch/dp/0553507494

Good Reads:   http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19542831-damage-done

First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day

by Dave Amaditz &

Marcy Collier

Welcome to October’s version of - First Friday - Five Favorite Things - Debut Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into the author's writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the author's answers in a follow-up post.

This month we're pleased to highlight debut YA novelist, Adam Silvera and his novel, More Happy Than Not. After his father’s suicide, Aaron Soto tries to find happiness again with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his Mom. But when he meets Thomas, he feels true happiness again and reveals his romantic feelings for Thomas. Since Aaron can’t hide from his feelings or his past, he turns to the Leteo Institute to alter his memories and make him straight.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?

Dave – in this particular scene, Aaron turns to one of his favorite activities as a stress reliever because he does not feel he can talk to anyone.

I have something I want to talk about but it’s not the kind of talk I can just have with anyone. It has to be the right someone, but that right someone is the reason I need to talk in the first place. I draw instead because putting thought to page helps, it really does.

Marcy –  This comes early on in the novel, but this insight by Aaron is compelling and thoughts like these will help him grow in to the character he becomes by the end of the story.

I have to push ahead with the people who don’t take the easy way out, who love me enough to stay alive even when life sucks. I trace the smiling scar, left to right and right to left, happy to have it as a reminder not to be such a dumbass again.

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

Dave - I chose this particular chapter ending because it’s at a particular part of the story where we the reader are finding out Aaron’s secret thoughts during a period of self reflection and discovery.

In my head, I play a round of One Truth and a Lie. I need Thomas to be happy. I need Genevieve to be happy. I can’t keep lying to myself about the truth.

Marcy – Terrific cliffhanger ending. I couldn’t turn the page fast enough.

There’s an explosion in the back of my head, a delayed reaction. Blood fills my mouth. This is what death feels like. I think. I scream like someone is turning a hundred knives inside of me, spitting up blood as I do. And I’m not crying because of the attack. I’m crying because there’s new noise in my head and it builds from a couple faded echoes into an uproar of jumbled voices – all the memories I once forgot have been unwound.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

Dave – I choose Thomas as my favorite secondary character. His self-confidence and calm nature allow Aaron to view life differently.

Marcy – There are many interesting characters, but Genevieve is probably my favorite. She is a constant in Aaron’s life and his rock. One of my favorite scenes is when they’re at a comic book store and Aaron doesn’t have enough money to pay for comic books.

She doesn’t even look at me when she reaches into her tote bag and pulls out a few bucks, which somehow makes me feel even worse. “How much is it?”

Gen, it’s fine, I don’t need these.”

She buys them anyway, hands me the bag, and starts talking to me about an idea for a painting, one where starving vultures chase shadows of the dead down this road, unaware the corpses are above their heads. I think it’s a cool enough idea. And as much as I want to thank her for the comics, her changing the subject so I didn’t have to feel shitty about myself was probably a better move.

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

Dave – I think this paints a vivid picture.

I’ve seen pictures of the Bronx district Leteo Institute before, but the unhappy rioters add an edge when seeing it up close. You’d think the Institute would look more futuristic, like the Apple store in Manhattan, but honestly, the Museum of Natural History looks more cutting-edge than Leteo does. The building is four floors high with bricks the color of ashes. Leteo is getting the bad rap of a good morgue with their body count. It’s still strange to me how hospitals never incite this sort of reaction when their guiltier of more cases of malpractice.

Marcy – There are many extraordinary lines in this novel. Here is one of my favorites.

From the shapes cast by the green paper lantern, you would never know that there were two boys sitting closely to one another trying to find themselves. You would only see shadows hugging, indiscriminate.

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

Dave – this line comes from the main character, Aaron.

“Maybe one day I’ll move away and send a postcard saying, ‘Hey, I like guys. Don’t worry, I never liked any of you because you all suck.’”

Marcy –  This line comes from Aaron’s friend, Thomas.

“This is what I like about you, Stretch. You care about what happens to you. Everyone else seems resigned to grow up and become nobodies who are stuck here. They don’t dream. They don’t think about the future.”

To read more about Adam Silvera and his debut novel, More Happy Than not, please go to:

Website:  http://www.adamsilvera.com/

Blog:  http://www.adamsilvera.com/blog/

Tumbler:  http://adamsilvera.tumblr.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AdamSilveraAuthor

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/AdamSilvera

Instagram:   https://instagram.com/adamsilvera/

Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/More-Happy-Than-Adam-Silvera/dp/1616955600

Good Reads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7577278.Adam_Silvera

ACCOLADES FOR MORE HAPPY THAN NOT:
— Kids' Indie Next List "Top Ten" Pick (Spring 2015)
— ABA Indies Introduce Debut Authors and New Voices title
— A Junior Library Guild selection
— Publishers Weekly Spring 2015 Flying Start

Conviction

by Kelly Loy Gilbert

This past Friday, September 4, 2015, Marcy and I posted our answers to Kelly’s debut novel Conviction. Today, you get to read Kelly’s favorites.

Great in depth answers and insight in to your characters, Kelly! We can’t wait for our readers to read the novel. And hopefully to give us a few of their favorites, too.

1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to the main character's development and/or growth?

There are so many demons Braden has to face down, and one that always haunts him is whether or not he's a good person, whether he's worthy of all the things he hopes and believes--and whether he's ever even known how to measure himself against any standard that wasn't his dad, what it means to be a good person when nothing is the world is what you always thought.  

Maddie was wrong, it turns out: in some ways, some of the worst ways, I am exactly like my dad.  

2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?

My favorite is the very ending!  But, to avoid spoiling the whole book, another is this scene leading up to the night when the officer died:

“I forgive you,” he said in my ear.  “All right?  That was a terrible thing to do, but I forgive you.  I love you, B.  I love you so much.  I’m sorry you got scared.  I’m sorry.  It’s just because I love you.  Because you scared me.” 

I didn’t move.  I don’t know if he even realized he was doing it but he was gripping my shirt in his fist like maybe he’d thought I was going to try to get away.  That’s the part I think about now, how he did that.  Because what did he think I was going to do?  Where else did he even think I had to go? 

I don’t know how long we stood there, him re-tightening his grip around me every time he started to relax.  I was starting to go numb, to not feel anything anymore at all.  And he told me again: he loved me more than anything, and he was sorry, and everything was fine.  And it was true, wasn’t it? All of that.  Because eventually he led me back inside, he heated up a pizza for me and scooped ice cream into a bowl and made me have seconds, he sat me down on the computer and told me to buy myself something, anything I wanted, and then we watched ESPN highlights until we both fell asleep on the couch and the cops went back to their own houses, I guess, and for that night everyone was fine.

3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?

He's been a somewhat polarizing character, but I'll put in a third vote for Braden's older brother, Trey.  I think it takes courage to come back to a place that nearly broke you, the way Trey does to avoid Braden being placed in a group home when their father is arrested, and I've always been compelled by the gap between the person Trey wants to be and the person he fears he actually is.  And, too, I'm always interested in what it looks like when a character hates himself and yet still has to wake up and somehow face himself day after day.

4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?

This passage when Braden's describing a time his father took him on a surprise trip:

He was so happy afterward.  And at the time I thought it was just that I got over something you aren’t supposed to be afraid of and that I did it because he asked, because I wanted to make him happy.  And that was part of it, maybe.  That meant something to him.  But I think even more than that, he was so happy because he felt the way you do you when you’ve put things right in the world around you, because he’d told me something that was as true to him as anything else had ever been.  Even at the time it felt like some kind of prophecy spoken over me, a truth I’d be bound by and owe something and belong to, the thing I would again and again come back home to.  

5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?

I have a soft spot for Braden's friends, who stand with him in their own way even as they can never really look outside their own perspectives:

Chase Singer goes off about how it’s going to be a bloodbath when we play La Abra this year, how I’ll need a bodyguard, and my catcher, Colin Sykes, smacks him and snaps, “Real sensitive.  Maybe try shutting up,” and tells me I have nothing to worry about, that I know they’re all behind me. 

Congratulations to Kelly on her debut novel, Conviction!

MY BIO:

Kelly Loy Gilbert is a fiction writer who believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is passionate about social justice, the San Francisco Giants, and organizing things by color. She studied writing at the University of California—San Diego and at San Francisco State, and enjoys serving on the NaNoWriMo Associate Board and teaching creative writing workshops. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family in a home teeming with books.

Website:  http://kellyloygilbert.com/Kelly/Welcome.html

Blog:  http://www.kathrynholmes.com/blog/

Instagram:  https://instagram.com/kellyloygilbert/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KellyLoyGilbert

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Conviction-Kelly-Loy-Gilbert/dp/1423197380

Good Reads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7244154.Kelly_Loy_Gilbert