Meet the Newbies is a blog event created and hosted by Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books. It is dedicated to introducing you to the “newbie” published debut authors. In this event, expect to learn more about the authors, their books, and silly fun facts! You can find out more here!
Hi guys! I'm very excited to have Robin Reul, author of My Kind of Crazy, on the blog today with some fun things to share with you. Find out more about her book down below and don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end!
My Kind of Crazy
by Robin Reul
April 5, 2016
336 pages
Goodreads Summary:
Despite the best of intentions, seventeen-year old, wisecracking Hank Kirby can’t quite seem to catch a break. It’s not that he means to screw things up all the time, it just happens. A lot. Case in point: his attempt to ask out the girl he likes literally goes up in flames when he spells “Prom” in sparklers on her lawn…and nearly burns down her house.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Peyton Breedlove, a brooding loner and budding pyromaniac, witnesses the whole thing. Much to Hank’s dismay, Peyton takes an interest in him—and his “work.” The two are thrust into an unusual friendship, but their boundaries are tested when Hank learns that Peyton is hiding some dark secrets, secrets that may change everything he thought he knew about Peyton.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Peyton Breedlove, a brooding loner and budding pyromaniac, witnesses the whole thing. Much to Hank’s dismay, Peyton takes an interest in him—and his “work.” The two are thrust into an unusual friendship, but their boundaries are tested when Hank learns that Peyton is hiding some dark secrets, secrets that may change everything he thought he knew about Peyton.
Author Most Likely To Come Up with the Most Creative Excuses to Get Out of Gym
Nickname: Snarkles
First Day of School: April 5, 2016
Homeroom: Sourcebooks Fire
Grade: Young Adult Contemporary
Extracurricular Activities: reading, writing, cupcake eating, iced coffee drinking, ABBA listening
Favorite Class: I would say lunch, but it’s technically not a class so I will go with English. (Except for the pesky grammar part.)
Favorite Quote/Motto: Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you’ll miss it.” Ferris Bueller
Interview
1. Where did you get the idea for MY KIND OF CRAZY?
I’d long wanted to write a story about a unique friendship between two teens and their struggle to move past their life’s circumstances and help each other find the light in the darkness. Though not the actual events, that general idea is very much drawn from my own life experience, having had a friend who really did that for me when I was at an emotional crossroads. I learned that the things that happen to us are part of our story but not our whole story, and sometimes we need to be reminded of that so we don’t get lost. I’ve long been looking for a vehicle to share that story, and I found it in Hank and Peyton. I was actually revising an entirely different book at the time Hank’s voice just showed up in my head and I dropped everything and just wrote that entire first chapter in one sitting.
2. Which part of the story was the hardest for you to write? Why?
I don’t want to give too much away here because it would rob the reader of the twist of the story and it’s emotional impact, but I would say the moment where the truth of Peyton’s situation is revealed was truly heartbreaking to write. As was Hank’s reaction. At that point in the writing, I am so emotionally invested in both these characters, and to write something that stood to tear them apart was gut-wrenching. Let’s just say I went through some Kleenex while writing those scenes.
3. What character do you most closely identify with? How come?
There are pieces of me in all of them, but I most closely identify with Hank. We both wear our humor as an armor to cover up much that goes on under the surface. We have both clung to the stories in our heads, true or not, and allowed it, at times, to shape our sense of self-worth. We have both experienced grief and profound loss and through the help of friends who took the time to listen instead of try to fix or run because it was uncomfortable, we transcended and were able to move forward. We both try and see the good in people and hold fast to the belief that tomorrow is another day and anything can happen.
4. In My Kind Of Crazy, Hank uses sparklers to write his message. Is there a particular reason you chose this method?
Sparklers just seemed like such an innocuous, fun, device that perfectly suited the idea of spelling out Prom in an eye-catching way. But because the sparklers were shoved in a pile of highly flammable mulch, the potential for disaster has now been introduced, and that can make for some great humor.
5. What do you find is the most exciting/interesting thing about being a writer?
Hands down, hearing readers talk about my characters as if they were real people. Falling in love with them, wanting to know more about them. It’s kind of the coolest thing ever. And also, the incredible friendships I have cultivated along the way with fellow writers. This can be a tough business and sometimes you need sometime to remind you that comparison is the thief of joy. At the end of the day, we are a pretty small, tight-knit, supportive community, and we all get each others’ crazy.
Thank you so much for sharing all this with us today! I'm very excited to meet Hank and Peyton! Please excuse me if I start sending you fangirling tweets XP (Also, I'm going to make sure I prepare myself some Kleenex when I read your book.).
Author the Author
Robin Reul has been writing since she was in early elementary school, when she used to make her own book club flyers for her classmates and then pen them original stories. Though she grew up on movie sets and worked for many years in the film and television industry both as an actress and in motion picture development, she ultimately decided to focus her attention on writing young adult novels. She likes to write the same kinds of stories she loved as a teen: the ones that give her with butterflies in her stomach and are filled with quirky, memorable characters who stay with the reader long after the story ends. When she’s not writing, Robin can be found singlehandedly driving up the profit margin of her local Starbucks and indulging her love of baked goods, particularly those in the key of pumpkin. She lives in Los Angeles suburbia with her husband, son and daughter.
Robin Reul has been writing since she was in early elementary school, when she used to make her own book club flyers for her classmates and then pen them original stories. Though she grew up on movie sets and worked for many years in the film and television industry both as an actress and in motion picture development, she ultimately decided to focus her attention on writing young adult novels. She likes to write the same kinds of stories she loved as a teen: the ones that give her with butterflies in her stomach and are filled with quirky, memorable characters who stay with the reader long after the story ends. When she’s not writing, Robin can be found singlehandedly driving up the profit margin of her local Starbucks and indulging her love of baked goods, particularly those in the key of pumpkin. She lives in Los Angeles suburbia with her husband, son and daughter.
Giveaway
Thank you for this interview! I'm really looking forward to this book.
ReplyDeleteI hope you love it!
DeleteI'm really excited about this book! Fingers crossed I win!
ReplyDeleteGood luck :)
DeleteSuch a lovely interview! I adore MY KIND OF CRAZY and Robin is wonderful. Thank you for sharing! ^__^
ReplyDeleteBrittany @ Brittany's Book Rambles
Yayy! And it's my pleasure to share this <3
DeleteBeautiful interview! This book is a must be in my TBR, I won a swag pack and can't wait to receive them and celebrate.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! This sounds like a wonderful book!
ReplyDelete