In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and to spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun for years to come! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2021 debuts and chat with them about their writing process and what it's like to be a new author. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats, and more!At the end of 2020, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. We ended up finding Halli Gomez and her novel LIST OF TEN, and we have been interested in it ever since! We are so excited to have Halli on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
Halli Gomez teaches martial arts and writes for children and young adults. She has written several stories with neurodivergent characters including her young adult novel, LIST OF TEN (Sterling, March 2021) When no one is looking, she sock skates through the house and talks to dogs like they are human. When people are looking, she enjoys reading, outdoors, and breaking out of escape rooms with her family. Halli lives in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and two dogs.
The Book Bratz: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a debut author?
Halli: Thank you! Being a debut author feels unreal. Like, is this really happening? But when I see my cover and people talk about release date, it feels like a dream come true.
The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?
Halli: The best part of the writing process is the idea stage. When that first spark hits and there are so many possibilities in terms of characters and plot lines. The hardest part is the first revision. My first draft feels like it flows coherently and smoothly, but when I begin to tackle revision one, I really see what a mess I’ve written and how much work I need to do on it.
The Book Bratz: Where did you get the idea for LIST OF TEN?
Halli: The idea for LIST OF TEN is loosely based on my childhood. I have Tourette syndrome so my high school days were pretty similar to the main character Troy’s. The idea of structuring the plot as a list came from an idea while on a walk. That’s usually where all my ideas start.
The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Halli: My favorite character to write was definitely Khory. I love her determination and positive attitude. I want to be like Khory when I grow up! Troy was definitely the hardest character to write in this book, and all my books. Writing his life and feelings hit a little too close to home.
The Book Bratz: This book deals with a wide range of important topics, from illness to mental health. What do you hope that readers who resonate with this will take away from this book?
Halli: This book definitely deals with a lot of tough and important topics. I tried to not shy away from any of them because real life doesn’t. I do hope that readers who are struggling with these or similar issues will find hope in this book and realize they are not alone. For all readers, my goal is that they find understanding and compassion. We’ve all met people who are having a difficult time for one reason or another. How we treat them can go a long way.
The Book Bratz: What kind of research goes into writing a book like LIST OF TEN, which involves so many different diagnoses?
Halli: Because this book is loosely based on my life and diagnoses, I have personal knowledge. Of course no two people are the same and these diagnoses affect everyone differently so I researched a lot of information from national and local organizations, read a lot of others personal stories, and talked to people about their experiences.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of LIST OF TEN in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?
Halli: This question really started me thinking about the world I wrote about. I hadn’t planned on returning to these characters, but if readers are interested, it would be fun to see what happens when they graduate and start college. Troy and Khory have dreams for their futures, I’d like to see the path they choose. As for other projects, of course I’m always writing. My newest work in progress is a young adult thriller inspired by an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
Title: List of Ten
Author: Halli Gomez
Publisher: Sterling Children's Books
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Summary: Ten: three little letters, one ordinary number. No big deal, right? But for Troy Hayes, a 16-year-old suffering from Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the number ten dictates his life, forcing him to do everything by its exacting rhythm. Finally, fed up with the daily humiliation, loneliness, and physical pain he endures, Troy writes a list of ten things to do by the tenth anniversary of his diagnosis—culminating in suicide on the actual day. But the process of working his way through the list changes Troy’s life: he becomes friends with Khory, a smart, beautiful classmate who has her own troubled history. Khory unwittingly helps Troy cross off items on his list, moving him ever closer to his grand finale, even as she shows him that life may have more possibilities than he imagined. This is a dark, intense story, but it’s also realistic, hopeful, and deeply authentic.
Thank you so much to Halli for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about LIST OF TEN and can't wait for it to be out in the world on March 2nd!
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