Introducing Brooding YA Hero: The Novel!

Today we're here with Carrie, the mastermind behind the amazingly hilarious Twitter account @BroodingYAHero! She sat down and answered some interview questions for us, and she also gave us some info on her new book, inspired by the Twitter feed itself, which will be out later this year!

First, The Interview!

So, what exactly is @BroodingYAHero?

Brooding YA Hero is... complicated! He started as a Twitter account, which shows the thoughts and opinions held by Broody McHottiepants, the character archtype behind all of those brooding, swoony, heroes we love (and love to hate) in YA fiction.

Broody isn't any one character. He's been a football superstar, a mysterious paranormal being, and a hot young rock star.  Because of that, he has thoughts on many different YA stories, and is impossible to describe... too much.

He's also the star of the book! In Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a Main Character (almost) as Awesome as Me, Broody decides he's going to write his own book. So, the novel is full of his helpful tips on how to transform yourself into a main character. But at the same time, his evil ex is plotting to steal Broody's secrets to change herself into a heroine. Will she succeed? You'll have to read it!

What made you want to start that Twitter account in the first place? And what made you keep it going for this long?

Mainly, I started it to make my friends laugh! And since it seemed to be working, I kept going. I love being able to make people from around the world crack up with a Tweet.

Where do you come up with all of the content for the Twitter account? Do you ever run out of ideas?

They come out of the magical and strange place known as my brain. I've yet to run out of ideas. Sometimes, they even hit me when I'm doing something totally unrelated to writing. All of my friends have seen me scribble down a tweet idea while we're out to dinner, for example.

When/why did you finally make the decision to branch off and write a book based off this experience? 

It just seemed like the right time. Broody as a character has a lot to say, and it was so fun giving him an entire book to be himself. Plus, I think we could all use a little more laughter this year.

What's been your favorite part of the writing process for this book and why?

Well, I have to say for this book, it's seeing the illustrations!

Linnea Gear has done an amazing job capturing Broody's personality, and the book's sense of humor. Her art is here, (linneart.tumblr.com) and if you're lucky, she might post a sneak preview of some Broody art!

Do you think you'll be writing more books in the future, including ones that aren't based off of @BroodingYAHero?

Absolutely. In fact, I'm working on something pretty awesome right now. Stay Tuned. ;) 

About the Brooding YA Hero Book

Title: Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) as Awesome as Me

Author: Carrie DiRisio

Illustrations: Linnea Gear

Publisher: Skypony Press

Publication Date: October 3rd, 2017

Kindle Book

Summary: Have you ever wished you could receive a little guidance from your favorite book boyfriend? Ever dreamed of being the Chosen One in a YA novel? Want to know all the secrets of surviving the dreaded plot twist? Or maybe you're just really confused about what "opal-tinted, luminous cerulean orbs" actually are? Well, popular Twitter personality @broodingYAhero is here to help as he tackles the final frontier in his media dominance: writing a book. Join Broody McHottiepants as he attempts to pen Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) as Awesome as Me, a "self-help" guide (with activities--you always need activities) that lovingly pokes fun at the YA tropes that we roll our eyes at, but secretly love. As his nefarious ex, Blondie DeMeani, attempts to thwart him at every turn, Broody overcomes to detail, among other topics, how to choose your genre, how to keep your love interest engaged (while maintaining lead character status), his secret formula for guaranteed love triangle success, and how to make sure you secure that sequel, all while keeping his hair perfectly coiffed and never breaking a sweat.

Amazon / Goodreads / Twitter

About The Author

Carrie Ann DiRisio is a YA writer and creator of @BroodingYAHero. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA with one large fluffy cat, and is currently pursuing her masters in Digital Marketing, although her true dream is to become a Disney Villainess, complete with a really snazzy gown.In addition to writing and plans for world domination, she also enjoys running, coffee, Krav Maga, and knitting. 

Personal Twitter / @BroodingYAHero / Website / Instagram

***INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***

One (1) lucky winner will be receiving this awesome and adorable tote from @BroodingYAHero! Open internationally; information & link/widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We'd like to once again thank Carrie for being so awesome and talking with us and stopping by the blog today! If you aren't following @BroodingYAHero on Twitter yet, you definitely need to be -- it certainly gives you plenty of laughs!

And it pretty much goes without saying that if this book isn't on your TBR already, it definitely should be, because it's going to be a hilarious time for all readers involved. We're definitely looking forward to it!