In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun this year as well! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2020 debuts and chat with them. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats and more!
At the end of 2019, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. We ended up finding Jessica Goodman and her novel THEY WISH THEY WERE US, and we have been interested in it ever since. We are so excited to have Jessica on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
Jessica Goodman is the op-ed editor at Cosmopolitan magazine. They Wish They Were Us is her debut novel.
Jessica: Aw, thanks Bratz! Excited doesn't begin to cover it. It's been a long road to publishing THEY WISH THEY WERE US and I'm just so pumped to finally get it into the hands of readers so I can hear what they think about these characters and this story.The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?
Jessica: Nothing feels as good as writing "THE END" (even though those words never actually make it into the book!). After that happens, I usually walk away from the draft for a few days—or even weeks!—before going back to start revising. Looking at a draft with fresh eyes always helps me make it better. But the hardest is tying together all the loose ends in a plot, especially in a thriller. The best thrillers keep readers guessing and make them think "how the hell will this all come together?" They also have endings where everything makes perfect sense and storylines click into place at the last second. That's what I try to do in my stories.
The Book Bratz: Where did you get the inspiration for THEY WISH THEY WERE US?
Jessica: I grew up on Long Island and was always so interested in the hyper-specific socioeconomic issues that come with living in the shadow of New York City. Plus, I've always been obsessed with prep school stories and murder mysteries. Combining them seemed like a no-brainer.The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Jessica: The answer to both is Jill, my protagonist. She's torn in so many directions and feels so much pressure to succeed and be perfect. When we meet her, she's still unsure of herself and who she is in the context of the world around her. All of those characteristics felt so authentic to the teenage experience to me. But—sorry Jill!—I also made her suffer quite a bit. She has a long and winding character arc with so many ups and downs, and all of her relationships are put to the test. Jill doesn't always do what you want her to do, but I hope readers enjoy being along for the ride.
The Book Bratz: What sort of tips and tricks do you have for writers who want to write mystery stories?
Jessica: Read so many different kinds of mysteries! Adult, YA... anything! If you need some suggestions, try reading anything by Tiffany D. Jackson (MONDAY'S NOT COMING is one of my favorites of all time) or Megan Abbott (start with DARE ME!). Other mystery writers I adore include Lamar Giles, Jessica Knoll, Kara Thomas, Andrea Bartz, Megan Miranda, Karen McManus, and Gillian Flynn. Learning from the masters is never a bad idea and can help inspire you in your own writing.
The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from THEY WISH THEY WERE US?
Jessica:I hope they learn that no matter what social situation they're in, or how powerless they feel, they can always find their own strength to stand up for themselves, their friends, and what's right.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of THEY WISH THEY WERE US in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?
Jessica: I'm currently working on another standalone thriller that will come out in Summer 2021. No spoilers, but let's just say you can expect some serious twists and turns that had one early reader texting me, "OH MY GOD WHAAATTTT!" (in a good way, I promise!).
Title: They Wish They Were Us
Author: Jessica Goodman
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: August 4th, 2020
Summary: In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems. Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on. Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player--a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it. But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.
Thank you so much to Jessica for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about THEY WISH THEY WERE US and can't wait for it to be out in the world on August 4th -- we're ready to be kept up late with scary thrills!
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