In 2019 our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and spread the word about their debut novels. Follow us this year as we pick the mind of the 2019 debuts and chat with them. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats and more!
Over the summer of 2018 we had Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books and L.D. Crichton responded with her novel ALL OUR BROKEN PIECES, and we have been interested in it ever since. We are so excited to have L.D. on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
About L.D. Crichton!
L.D. Crichton is a coffee devotee and lip gloss enthusiast whose infatuation with music is truly astonishing. If she’s not reading, writing, or checking her horoscope for signs from the Universe, you can find her by the water in search of mermaids because they're real. ALL OUR BROKEN PIECES is her first young adult novel.
Interview!
The Book Bratz: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a debut author?
L.D.: Thank you! It feels thrilling, and surreal and exciting. But it also feels terrifying and nerve-wracking and extremely emotional, all at the same time. I feel like every single emotion I have is heightened!
L.D.: I wrote Emma Fletcher originally on the platform, Wattpad. So as I wrote each chapter, I had readers commenting and cheering me on the entire way and I pumped the words out, on time, posted, and that was that. It took about 4 months. All Our Broken Pieces was the strangest, most cathartic experience I’ve had as a writer. Weeks would go by and I’d get a few pages at most and then I’d get this urge, lock myself in a room for a weekend and write 10,000 words. Then my mind would be radio silence for another week or so, followed by another productive burst. The book took much longer to write than Emma Fletcher.
The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what is the easiest part of the writing process? What is the hardest?
L.D.: The easiest part is getting excited about an idea. It ends there though, because ALL of it is the hardest part. For me, personally (particularly with this book) the parts that came out as Lennon and Kyler in their most raw, truest forms were a reflection of my own thoughts/feelings so fictionalizing them on paper without losing their authenticity was tricky.
L.D.: I want to have some epic story like it came to me in a dream. Honestly, I was just brainstorming ideas and I thought pairing someone with mental illness (scars inside) with someone who had scars on the outside to see what would happen.
The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write in ALL OUR BROKEN PIECES?
L.D.: I honestly couldn’t pick one! From our star-crossed lovers, Lennon and Kyler, to Jacob the superhero, or even Levi James Linderman...there's a special place in my heart for them. But if someone was FORCING me to choose—probably Kyler. Because he makes me think but he also makes me laugh.
The Book Bratz: Why did you choose to write a book that focuses heavily on OCD and mental illness? What do you hope that readers can take from this story?
L.D.: I have an anxiety disorder that I take daily medication and see a therapist regularly to manage. Lennon and I share a lot of similar fears, so writing about OCD (I thought at the time) would allow me to explore that in a relatable way but also ‘remove’ me enough as the creator of Lennon and Kyler’s world. As soon as I started to research and learn as much as I could about OCD I began to question if my mother had it. She passed away 13 years ago, so I can’t confirm, but two of her siblings agree that this is probably not untrue. Several of the things Lennon does in the book came from routines I was taught as a child (putting away pantry cans/organizing clothes) so the more research I did about the disorder, the more personal it became. When Lennon came out on the page, things got really personal. We have more things in common than not---and I hope for that reason—she is real to the readers, especially anyone who struggles with mental health. What I hope readers can take away from the story is this. Don’t minimize any one person’s struggle with ANY mental health issues because you don’t understand them. If someone you love struggles with mental health, do everything you can to learn about it (ask them) and understand it. Be patient. Be kind. If YOU struggle with mental health, surround yourself with people who understand and don’t treat you any differently (trust me, they exist). Always strive to do better and be better and grow as a human but don’t let that take away from learning to love yourself EXACTLY as you are. Normal is boring and no one is perfect. You’re still freakin’ awesome.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on revisiting the world of ALL OUR BROKEN PIECES in the future, or do you have other story ideas in mind? Is there anything you can tell us about them?
L.D.: I would LOVE to spend more time in Kyler and Lennon’s world if ever given the opportunity. If I were to revisit it though, I think it may be cool to see what Macy and Silas are about! I could also write Lennon and Kyler all over again, I’m sure! I am working on another contemporary YA that has yet to find a home and I have been brainstorming a few more ideas!
About ALL OUR BROKEN PIECES!
Title: All Our Broken Pieces
Author: L.D. Crichton
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: May 7th, 2019
Summary: Lennon Davis doesn’t believe in much, but she does believe in the security of the number five. If she flicks the bedroom light switch five times, maybe her new L.A. school won’t suck. But that doesn’t feel right, so she flicks the switch again. And again. Ten more flicks of the switch and maybe her new step family will accept her. Twenty-five more flicks and maybe she won’t cause any more of her loved ones to die. Fifty times more and then she can finally go to sleep. Kyler Benton witnesses this pattern of lights from the safety of his treehouse in the yard next door. It is only there, hidden from the unwanted stares of his peers, that Kyler can fill his notebooks with lyrics that reveal the true scars of the boy behind the oversized hoodies and caustic humor. But Kyler finds that descriptions of blonde hair, sad eyes, and tapping fingers are beginning to fill the pages of his notebooks. Lennon, the lonely girl next door his father has warned him about, infiltrates his mind. Even though he has enough to deal with without Lennon’s rumored tragic past in his life, Kyler can’t help but want to know the truth about his new muse.
Thank you so much to L.D. for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about ALL OUR BROKEN PIECES and can't wait for it to be out in the world on May 7th! We read this book already (you can read our review here!), and you guys are going to totally love this.
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