Hello all, and welcome to my stop for the Sunday Street Team! Below you can read an awesome interview I have with the author of The Way to Game the Walk of Shame!
Interview:
1. Are any of the characters based off of people you know?
None of my characters are based off of people I know, but there are quirks here and there that I give my characters. Like Taylor’s habit of making tuna when she’s stressed. And Evan naming his car Rudy. Although Oreo is totally based off of my own dog, Noodle.
2. Any advice for aspiring or young writers?
It seems cliche, but definitely write what you want to write. Trends come and go, but if you write something that your heart is into just because you think it’ll sell well then you won’t go very far. You’ll spend ages working on this book, talking about it, and selling it. You have to be its biggest cheerleader and if you don’t love it, then it’s going to be a hard road to handle.
3. What were some of the things that provided inspiration for Taylor's story?
I’ve mentioned before that the whole idea for a love contract/fake relationship came from a korean drama. I can’t remember which one because it’s been years, but I just thought it would be so much fun to have the characters bicker and pretend to be all lovey dovey. Some of the other small details did come from my life such as the pizza date. My husband bought me pizza when we first started dating and the aquarium is based off the aquarium downtown where we used to go on dates.
4. What made you decide to write YA fiction?
It just came naturally with my writing style. I experimented with a bunch of genres and age groups (MG, adult, historical, thriller, fantasy, etc) and I realized that YA contemporary romance fit me the best.
5. In five words or less, what can readers expect from The Way to Game the Walk of Shame?
A fun and heartfelt romance.
6. What do you hope readers take away from the book?
That you can’t plan every single part of your life. Things happen. And good or bad, you just have to deal with it the best way that you can and grown stronger because of it. And who knows? Something that you thought would ruin your life could end up being a blessing in disguise.
Synopsis:
Taylor Simmons is screwed.
Things were hard enough when her single-minded dedication to her studies earned her the reputation of being an Ice Queen, but after getting drunk at a party and waking up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seems intent on tearing Taylor down with mockery and gossip.
Desperate to salvage her reputation, Taylor persuades Evan to pretend they’re in a serious romantic relationship. After all, it’s better to be the girl who tames the wild surfer than just another notch on his surfboard.
You Can Find it At:
Jenn Nguyen fell in love with books in third grade and spent the rest of her school years reading through lunchtime and giving up recess to organize the school library. She has a degree in business administration from the University of New Orleans and still lives in the city with her husband. Jenn spends her days reading, dreaming up YA romances, and binge watching Korean dramas all in the name of 'research'. The Way to Game the Walk of Shame is her debut novel.
None of my characters are based off of people I know, but there are quirks here and there that I give my characters. Like Taylor’s habit of making tuna when she’s stressed. And Evan naming his car Rudy. Although Oreo is totally based off of my own dog, Noodle.
2. Any advice for aspiring or young writers?
It seems cliche, but definitely write what you want to write. Trends come and go, but if you write something that your heart is into just because you think it’ll sell well then you won’t go very far. You’ll spend ages working on this book, talking about it, and selling it. You have to be its biggest cheerleader and if you don’t love it, then it’s going to be a hard road to handle.
3. What were some of the things that provided inspiration for Taylor's story?
I’ve mentioned before that the whole idea for a love contract/fake relationship came from a korean drama. I can’t remember which one because it’s been years, but I just thought it would be so much fun to have the characters bicker and pretend to be all lovey dovey. Some of the other small details did come from my life such as the pizza date. My husband bought me pizza when we first started dating and the aquarium is based off the aquarium downtown where we used to go on dates.
4. What made you decide to write YA fiction?
It just came naturally with my writing style. I experimented with a bunch of genres and age groups (MG, adult, historical, thriller, fantasy, etc) and I realized that YA contemporary romance fit me the best.
5. In five words or less, what can readers expect from The Way to Game the Walk of Shame?
A fun and heartfelt romance.
6. What do you hope readers take away from the book?
That you can’t plan every single part of your life. Things happen. And good or bad, you just have to deal with it the best way that you can and grown stronger because of it. And who knows? Something that you thought would ruin your life could end up being a blessing in disguise.
Synopsis:
Taylor Simmons is screwed.
Things were hard enough when her single-minded dedication to her studies earned her the reputation of being an Ice Queen, but after getting drunk at a party and waking up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seems intent on tearing Taylor down with mockery and gossip.
Desperate to salvage her reputation, Taylor persuades Evan to pretend they’re in a serious romantic relationship. After all, it’s better to be the girl who tames the wild surfer than just another notch on his surfboard.
You Can Find it At:
Jenn Nguyen fell in love with books in third grade and spent the rest of her school years reading through lunchtime and giving up recess to organize the school library. She has a degree in business administration from the University of New Orleans and still lives in the city with her husband. Jenn spends her days reading, dreaming up YA romances, and binge watching Korean dramas all in the name of 'research'. The Way to Game the Walk of Shame is her debut novel.
You Can Find Her At:
Thanks for participating! :)
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