I don’t read a lot of contemporary realistic fiction. I’ll admit it. I like my elves and my spaceships. But I also love characters with heart and wit who pop off the pages, and that perfect mix of side-splitting humor with real emotion, and the sharp perfection of well-done banter. And I love good voice. It’s what I adore about books like Dairy Queen, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart, and the book I’m here to talk about today: A Match Made in High School, by Kristin Walker. I read MATCH back in May of 2009 (it was originally slated to release last year) and I still remember the characters fondly (even the ones I thought I would hate). I loved the mixture of humor and emotion, the sharpness and determination and very human flaws of the main character Fiona (who reminds me a bit of Veronica Mars as she deals with the High School experience, the ins and the outs, the yearnings and the humiliations). I’m so excited it is finally out in the world, so other folks can have the fun of reading it. Note: it is YA, and there’s some colorful language.
So today, here’s Kristin to talk a little about her debut!
Q: Tell us about a scene or character from your novel that was especially easy (or especially difficult) to write.
A: Sam’s character was really easy for me to write, probably because I’ve been around kids pretty consistently for the past 15 years.
Q: What is your favorite (or one of your favorite) myths or fairy-tales, and why? Or alternately, what fairy-tale or myth do you dislike, and why?
A: The Seven Chinese Brothers is one of my favorites. I’ve always liked the theme of people using their separate, specific talents to work together toward a common goal.
I also love the Maori folktales about Maui. I have a special affinity for all things New Zealand, since I lived there as a child.
Q: So, what has been the most exciting part of selling your book(s) and getting published so far?
A: Besides getting the offer of representation from my agent, and getting the offer of a sale from my publisher, I’d say it was holding the ARC of MATCH in my hand for the first time. Then later, seeing them lined up on a shelf. That made it all tangible and real.
About A Match Made in High School
When a mandatory marriage education course forces Fiona to “try the knot” with super-jock Todd Harding, she’s convinced life could not possibly get any worse. Until moments later, when her long-time crush is paired with her arch-enemy (otherwise known as Todd’s obscenely hot, slightly sadistic girlfriend). But that’s nothing compared to her best friend’s fate – a year with the very shy, very goofy, very big Johnny Mercer.
A series of hilarious pranks and misunderstandings leave Fiona wondering: is there something her supposed “best friend” hasn’t told her? Could there be more to Johnny Mercer than a deep voice and an awesome music collection? And perhaps most intriguing of all, is it possible that Todd Harding could actually have a heart – and a brain – beneath his pretty-boy exterior?
About Kristin Walker
Kristin Walker grew up roaming the Pennsylvania countryside. She finally landed at Penn State, where she earned a BA in Theatre Arts. In addition to being actor, Kristin was many things on her way to becoming an author, such as a lifeguard, a nanny, a beginning ballroom dance instructor, a library circulation clerk, and very nearly a nurse. A Match Made in High School (Razorbill/Penguin Group) is her first novel. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Ladybug, Wee Ones, and two Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Kristin lives in a Chicago suburb with her husband and three sons.
Learn more about Kristin at her website.
A Match Made in High School is available now! I encourage you to shop at your local independent bookstore!
Tags: debs blog tour
