Let's say your parents had a lot of money. You had the best of everything and ruled the school. Now, let's say your father ran off with your friends' parents money and you had to leave town in disgrace. Imagine having to return to that town and finding out the guy who lives in your former residence—and now has all of your former friends—is someone that you might actually want to date.
That's sort of the set-up for She's So Dead to Us, the riches to rags and rags to riches story of Ally Ryan and Jake by Kieran Scott. He's So Not Worth It, the second installment of this contemporary fiction trilogy, released earlier this summer just in time for a trip to The Shore.
Indigo Teen Blog: What books are you looking forward to reading this summer?
Kieran Scott: I have so many books on my list it’s ridiculous, but the two I’m most looking forward to reading are the final books in two of my favorite trilogies, Jenny Han’s We’ll Always Have Summer and Maggie Steifvater’s Forever. I’ve also wanted to read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See for a while. The sequel just came out so I’ve really got to get to the first one already! Maybe when I hit the shore later in the summer.
ITB: What's been your most memorable summer read and why?
KS: I distinctly remember reading Maeve Binchy’s Scarlet Feather on the beach a while back. I loved the characters so much I couldn’t put it down. I think I got a sunburn reading it because I forgot to re-apply sunscreen! I also read Confessions of a Shopaholic for the first time over a summer and it inspired me NOT to go clothing shopping in the fall. Binchy and Kinsella are two of my favorite authors. I read everything they write.
ITB: Describe your ideal summer day?
KS: I would definitely be on Long Beach Island—my favorite place on the Jersey Shore and where He’s So Not Worth It is set—with my family. We’d get up and ride our bikes to our favorite breakfast place and eat outside while the world came slowly to life around us. Then we’d spend the rest of the day playing, reading and dozing on the beach. We’d stay until the lifeguards quit for the day and everyone started to pack it in, so we could watch the beach get really quiet. After the sun went down we’d go out to dinner and for ice cream and maybe catch a good summer movie (something with superheroes or romance—or both), then fall asleep with the windows open listening to the surf. Hmmm... Can you tell I’ve thought about this a bit?
ITB: Summer eats/treats you can’t live without?
KS: Sweet New Jersey corn on the cob is a must. I also love it when blueberries and strawberries are in season. But let’s be honest here, I’m all about the ice cream. Every year I get a Chipwich or two on the beach. And hot dogs at Yankee Stadium, of course.
ITB: Why did you choose to write the She’s So Dead to Us trilogy from both Ally and Jake’s POVs?
KS: I love writing first person, so that was a no-brainer, but what really intrigued me was writing from a guy’s point of view. I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could get inside the head of someone so different from me. I’ve also always loved books from different points of view in which you can really hear the different voices. Jennifer Weiner’s great at it, Maeve Binchy as well. Dean Koontz and Anne Rice were big favorites of mine as a teen and I think it’s because they had that ability to make different POV’s so unique and genuine. I hope I pulled it off, too!
ITB: I have to ask since you’re from New Jersey… Is the Jersey Shore at all a true representation of your state?
KS: Um, no. I actually have an idea to do a commercial about New Jersey where I just go around to all the awesome, down-to-earth, smart, creative, athletic, inspiring, intelligent, successful people I know and have them look into the camera and say “I’m New Jersey.” Because the people on that show are not representative of this amazing state I live in.
ITB: Can you tell us a little bit more about the @AnnietheNorm twitter?
KS: I had this idea to give Annie a twitter account because in the books I’m always referencing how much she loves to dish about the Cresties on twitter and facebook. So I started it up, all excited, but then let it go because I couldn’t figure out what timeframe she would be tweeting in. But THIS summer, I’m taking it to a whole new level because He’s So Not Worth It came out at the beginning of the summer and really takes the reader from June to September, so I now have a timeline to follow. Annie’s going to be tweeting inside info and secrets in “real time” along with the timeline of the book this summer. Look for lots of tweets around major events in the book, like July Fourth weekend and the end of summer bash at Faith’s, but there will also be so juicy tidbits about Will, Chloe, Jake, David, Marshall, Shannen and Faith in between.
Thanks to Kieran for answering our questions and our friends at Simon & Schuster Canada for arranging the interview.
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