Interview with Amy Reed

www.amyreedfiction.com

Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I knew I wanted to do something creative since I was very young, probably around 13 when I first read the poetry of Anne Sexton and started listening to indie music. Sometimes I wanted to be a writer, sometimes a musician, sometimes a filmmaker (I even ended up getting my bachelors degree in film). I tried pretty much everything, but I’d always come back to writing. Words were always my favorite materials to work with.

Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?

I started taking my writing seriously when I decided to get my MFA in my mid-20’s. I published a couple of short stories in small literary journals, one of which ended up being the inspiration for Beautiful. The first half of Beautiful actually ended up being my MFA thesis, and I finished it less than a year after graduating. Then I started the agent search, but I wasn’t thinking of it as a YA novel yet because I really had no idea the genre existed. Just as I was starting to get discouraged from so many “I really liked it, but it’s just not a good fit” emails I was contacted by a very high-profile agent who read my short story “Under the Wall” in Fiction Magazine (this also happens to be the short story that inspired Beautiful). He asked to see my manuscript, and ended up saying that he really liked it but he doesn’t represent YA, but that it was exactly the kind of gritty, realistic novel that editors are looking for. That was really my big “Aha!” moment—I started researching the YA genre and devouring all the books I saw recommended. The books I remember that blew me away were Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Story of a Girl by Sarah Zarr, and Luna by Julie Anne Peters. This may sound cheesy, but I felt like I found my home. So I queried a couple YA agents, quickly got an offer from the marvelous Amy Tipton, and within a month had two offers from big time publishers. I decided to go with Simon Pulse because they wanted to publish it in hardcover, and not only did they seem to care that it would sell, but they really seemed to believe in my book and in me as a writer. I feel so grateful to have found a home at Simon Pulse because they’re a bunch of great, talented folks who really believe in my work.

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?

Beautiful is my debut novel about a new girl at school who decides she’ll do anything it takes to fit in with the cool, dangerous crowd. I guess I’d say it’s a very raw, gritty story of a girl’s descent into a living nightmare. Intrigued?

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

Honestly, most of my stories are inspired by my own experiences as a teenager. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of material. My life now is pretty boring in comparison.

Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!

I think thrilled is an understatement. Although my dad made his living in business, he always had a dream of being a musician, so he’s incredibly proud that I followed my dream and succeeded at what I love doing. My mom says she knew I was creative at a very young age, so she put me in every art, dance, theatre, etc. class she could find, and I guess writing’s the one that stuck. I think she’s convinced half of Seattle to buy my book, including her doctor, hairdresser, and dog groomer.

Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?

Homemade mac and cheese, cheeseburger and fries, ice cream--pretty much anything full of cheese, carbs, sugar, and grease, which of course are all the things I’m not supposed to eat.

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?

When I’m being good, I exercise first thing. Otherwise, it’s just the boring stuff like brush my teeth, take a shower, and get dressed. And playing with my dog is usually in there somewhere.

If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?

I have a ton of camping supplies in my basement. My husband and I are very outdoorsy.

Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?

Probably green, because that’s the color I associate with life and growth.

Which cartoon character is most like you?

Definitely Lisa Simpson. I’m an obsessive, high strung know-it-all. But add a few tattoos and more interesting clothing.

If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?

Probably Paris during the French Revolution. I have such a romantic view of this period being full of passion and new ideas and the birth of democracy.

So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?

I like all kinds, mostly of the indie variety. I’ve heard the kind of music I like referred to as Freak Folk, which is a pretty stupid name if you ask me. Basically, I like pretty melodies with an indie feel and deep lyrics that tell a story. A definite plus if you add a non-rock instrument like a cello or accordion. Some of my favorite artists of the past and present are Elliott Smith, Cat Power, Iron & Wine, and Ida. I don’t listen to music when I write because it effects my mood too much, and I want my mood free to go wherever it needs to go with the story.

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

My favorite shows tend to be ones that get canceled, like Arrested Development, Freaks & Geeks, and My So Called Life. I don’t usually like reality TV, but I have a strange love for Project Runway and So You Think You Can Dance. The movie I’ve seen more than any other movie is Heathers. I know every line by heart. If you haven’t seen it, you must stop everything you’re doing and watch it now! The last movie I saw in the theatres was The Lovely Bones, which is based on one of my favorite books. I was disappointed because I found it to be nothing like the book—I thought the main character was totally cast wrong, and the mood was just not right. Speaking of movies made from my favorite books, I thought the movie Precious, based on the amazing book Push, was brilliant because it completely captured the heart of the book, and the casting was just perfect.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?

Above everything else, stay true to yourself. Don’t let anyone take your power from you.

One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?

I’m three chapters away from finishing the first draft of my next YA novel, tentatively titled The Walls, which is the story of five teens in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction.

Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!

Thank YOU!