Today on the blog we are continuing our NYNB2016 tour (Click here to see all the tour posts from various bloggers) we are interviewing Heather Hobbs. She's the author of "The trouble with Family," which is a young adult novel that will be published on March 3rd, 2016. I am so excited to share this exclusive interview with you all prior to the release!
In "The Trouble with Family" we meet Molly Anderson.
"Molly Anderson just found out her dad is getting married to a woman she’s only met once.
Fourteen-year-old Molly had planned to spend the summer before high school reading books, eating junk food, and napping. Instead, she’s forced to spend her days juggling four new family members, a grumpy older brother, a crazy grandmother, and Max, the new boy next door. Having lost her mother in a car accident a year before, she’s not sure how many more changes she can take before she hits her breaking point.
Based on an award-winning short story, The Trouble with Family tells the tale of a girl trying to make the most of her summer, not just survive it."
Ama et Bemma: Where are you from?
Heather: I’m originally from Michigan (Ann Arbor to be exact – Go Blue!) but currently live in Colorado. My book, The Trouble with Family, is set in a fictional small town in Michigan called Oak Lake.
A:What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example.
H:All of my work experience has been book-related in some way. When I was younger I volunteered in the school library and also worked as a bookseller for Walden Books. While working on my English degree at Eastern Michigan University, I worked at Borders Books in Ann Arbor, which I absolutely loved. Between working at a bookstore and constantly reading books for my Lit classes, I was really able to expand my knowledge and interest in various genres and writing styles. After college I worked for a company that published textbooks before getting a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Michigan. I feel lucky to currently work as an Archivist in a public library. So needless to say, I'm a big fan of reading, writing, and all things books!
A:What do you like to read in your free time?
H: I'm a big fan of Young Adult books but I also enjoy Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Non-Fiction. Recently I've read: The Duff by Kody Keplinger, Outside by Nicole Sewell, Gone Baby Gone by Dennis LeHane, and The Witches: Salem by Stephanie Schiff. Basically, if it sounds interesting, I'll read it!
A: We all need a hero! Tell us about your protagonist?
H: Molly Anderson is a fourteen-year-old girl that lives with her dad, older brother Ben, and grandmother in a rural Michigan town. She gets the shock of her life when her widowed father announces that he's getting remarried to a woman Molly has only met once (and didn't particularly like.) Her new stepmother is also bringing along her three teenagers: Joseph, Clara, and Sam. The book takes place over the summer before Molly starts high school. I would describe her as intelligent, funny, shy, and curious.
A: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
H: I really enjoyed writing the interactions between Molly and her neighbor Max. Max and his family are unlike any of the other Oak Lake residents she knows. She isn't quite sure what to make of Max so I was able to have a lot of fun with that. I also loved writing all of Ben's scenes just because he's so sarcastic and (hopefully) funny.
A: Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?
H: Change can be a really scary thing and Molly is dealing with one change after another. I'd like the readers take away that change can be scary but, in many cases, it can also be a really good thing; it can be something to learn from, and grow from.
A: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
H: As far as the tone of the book, I do want to note that while the situations Molly deals with are serious, there is a lot of humor throughout the book as well. Also, The Trouble with Family is the first book in a series but it can be read as a standalone title. While Molly's journey will continue in future books, there isn't a huge cliffhanger. So if someone wants to read this without committing to a series, they can do that. The eBook is going to be $0.99 until March 3, when it's released so I recommend per-ordering if you'd like to save a few bucks!
A: A good villain is hard to write. How did you get in touch with your inner villain to write this book?
H: This story doesn't have a flat-out villain. I think what's interesting about this book is that, depending on the character, the "villain" changes. For Molly, her new stepsister Clara is certainly her nemesis. For Clara, the bad guy would be Ben. How you view yourself and how others view you can be so completely different.
A: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
H: I had a great time writing this book. Writing is a passion and an escape for me. I enjoy stepping into other people's shoes and I get to do that when I write. I look forward to continuing to write about Molly and her family.
A: When and why did you begin writing?
H: Before I could write I would dictate tales to my mom and she would write them down. So I've been coming up with stories since a very young age. Once I learned to write I would create short stories about all sorts of things! I can't recall a time when I haven't enjoyed writing.
A: What projects are you working on at the present?
H: I'm working on a novel called Spark at the moment. It's a YA book that's darker in tone thanThe Trouble with Family but still focuses on real life issues that teenagers deal with. After that's finished, I'm going to get working on the second Molly Anderson book.
A: What do your plans for future projects include?
H: I am planning to release the second book in the Molly Anderson series in 2017. It will be titledWooden Nickels and Elevator Passes and follow Molly through her first year of high school. All of the characters from the first book will return, as well as some new faces.
A: What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with your or follow you?
H: I'm on Goodreads (https:www.goodreads.com/heather_hobbs), Twitter (@HeatherHobbs01), and I have a blog (heatherhobbsblog.wordpress.com.) I check all three very frequently so please feel free to contact me!
Many thanks to Heather for doing this interview! I hope that you enjoyed it. Please pre-order her book online through Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.
Also, the raffle is still going on! Enter below!
Much Love, Peace and Blessings
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Thank you for hosting this! It was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a part of this, Heather! I look forward to many more amazing things from you!
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