Going Inside A Match Made in High School

Did you grow up watching Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink? Then you’ll love Kristin Walker’s debut novel, A Match Made in High School. Although it is written for young adults, I had a blast feeling like I was back in high school as I read it.

I have known Kristin for quite a few years (as well as her path to publication). After reading her novel, I really wanted to find out some of the inside details about A Match Made in High School. Kristin was kind enough to respond to my questions via email. Here is our cyber interview:


Give a one sentence summary of your book.

Seniors in high school get paired up for a course in marriage education to disastrous and hilarious results.

Who is your ideal reader?

A teenage girl. But if a teenage boy wants to read it, that’s cool. Adults, too. (I mean it’s okay for them to read it, not that they’re cool. *shudder*)

Who were you in high school?

Pretty much a dork. I think I was one of those people you don’t remember you ever went to school with. I was a cheerleader and I dated the captain of the basketball team for a while (he was new in school), and that was about the sum total of my high school social life. I occasionally was invited to parties and things. I was smart, but not exceptionally. I was insecure. But a snob, too. Good times! High school then was like high school now…a big, complicated, exciting, emotional mess.

What aspects of the main character are based on you in high school (Fiona’s dry wit, your thoughts on cheerleading, etc.)?

Well, I loved being a cheerleader, so Fiona and I differ there. But I certainly had her sarcasm and cynicism. Thank God I grew out of that. It often got me into trouble, just like it does for Fiona.

How many references to John Hughes’ movies were in your book? (I found Sixteen Candles—the scene at the end where a car moves and the guy is standing there in front of his car—your book p. 249)

YAY! I’m so glad you picked up on the car moving scene! That was my heartfelt homage to the great John Hughes. The world will miss him. I will miss him. And I’ll never get the chance to ask him why Billie Bird crouches down next to the car when they’re all getting in to go to the wedding. For years, I’ve wanted to ask him that. *sigh*

My book reflects some of The Breakfast Club, too. In both, opposites “types” are forced together and end up realizing that people aren’t always who they appear to be, or what they’ve been labeled.

Now that I think about it, there’s a bit of Samantha Baker and Andie Walsh in Fiona, some Del Griffith and Duckie Dale in Johnny, some Ferris Beuller and Steff McKee in Todd. Even some Claire Standish in Amanda. Hughes’s characters were always full and believable and lovable.

I think for me, the biggest influence from John Hughes just came from his sense of humor and comedic timing. And romantic timing, too. It seems that every time I see one of his films, I notice something new that he must have stuck in there just for viewers to stumble upon. Even though he’d stopped making films a while ago, his death made me very sad. I’m a bit of a fangirl, obviously. I could talk about him all day.


I know at one point you were ready to throw in the towel on your novel (as most authors are at some point). What got you back on track?

What makes you think that? Huh? Could it have been when I completely disintegrated in tears in front of you in a conference hotel room, perchance? Yes, I was ready not only to throw in the towel on the novel, but on writing altogether. What got me back on track was the support and encouragement of my writing friends, like you, and my family. (So thank you, dearest Nat.) I also really thought that this novel idea had a shot, despite the horrid reception the first few pages received at that conference. (Take note, fledgling writers…never, ever, EVER show anyone your first draft. EVER. That’s just my opinion, but DON’T DO IT! Trust me. You may not be as lucky as I was to have a compassionate friend there for hugs and reassurance.)

What is the biggest change you made from the original draft?

I have to say, the plot. During my first revision for Razorbill, I cut and re-wrote about a third of the book. The plot became more focused, thanks to my editor’s guidance. On the whole, my plots do tend to meander about.

What hasn’t changed that much from the original draft?

Fiona’s voice and character. She’s remained the same from the start. Same goes for Todd, Marcie, Johnny, and Amanda. All the characters, really. I just gave them slightly different things to do.

What feedback, that you’re willing to share, have you gotten on your book?

I’ve gotten a ton of positive feedback, which is great, of course. On the negative side, a lot of readers find Fiona unlikable and get sick of her. That’s understandable, since Fiona is definitely flawed. That’s one of the major transformations she undergoes—realizing that she’s partially responsible for the unraveling of her relationships. Her behavior in the beginning can easily be seen as jerky. But she does finally realize it, and changes.

Is there anything you wish you could change/add in your book (such as a character trait, a plot line, a reference to something)?

I would love to have been able to go deeper into the issue of gay marriage than I could. It’s such a weighty topic that it would’ve pulled too much focus from the main story, though. I honestly did try to address it with the parade, as well as with the Uncle Tommy subplot. Gay marriage really requires and deserves a book of its own.

I recommend A Match Made in High School. It will really take you back to those days of boys, pep rallies, and partner work.

To find out more about Kristin Walker and to order her book, visit her website at http://kristin-walker.com/.

A Writer's Getaway

This past December, my husband was nice enough to give me the gift of time and privacy for my birthday by allowing me to have some uninterrupted writing time. So after spending the day packing, getting my 10-month old all set for my husband and mom to watch (including writing up directions), and cleaning the house for my mom, I was off. I drove across the Elgin border to St. Charles for a writing retreat at a hotel.

What I needed was a chance to read my work-in-progress novel without interruptions. With a baby, that’s next to impossible. Usually I read a couple of chapters and then don’t get a chance to look at it again for a couple of days. By then, it’s hard to remember little details of consistency: (What day of the week was the last chapter? Was X in this version or my last draft? Did I use Y expression already?) Staying in a hotel where I could concentrate seemed perfect.

I left on a Friday night and returned on Sunday. It was just the right amount of time to get through a middle grade novel. I would highly recommend doing this, even if you live alone. Being in a different environment can be inspiring, not to mention being excuse-free of reasons not to write (“the laundry’s piling up,” “let me just mop the floor, then, I’ll write,” “I haven’t made bread from scratch in a while,” etc.).

To save you some time, I’ve written up a list of what to bring, besides your basic packing stuff:

Writing Related

• notebook paper—Be optimistic: bring lots.


• a clipboard or other hard surface if you like to work on the bed instead of a desk like I do.


• different colored pens—I found it useful to write all the changes I wasn’t sure I wanted to make in a different color pen. That way, if I changed my mind, I could easily find those particular changes and remove them.


• Post-It notes—Good to bookmark pages when you flip back and forth between sections.


• different colored highlighters—I learned a terrific exercise by attending a conference by Darcy Pattison. You shrink your manuscript to a font small enough to fit your entire manuscript onto 32 pages (play with the margins and single space). You then use different colored highlighters to highlight whatever you want to examine for flow in your novel. You then lay out your novel on the floor and can see the entire thing in one look.


• laptop computer (Note: ask ahead of time whether the hotel AND YOUR SPECIFIC ROOM have wireless. My room must have been just on the cusp of wireless coverage. I got a good 30 min. of online time and that’s it. (It ended up being a good thing, as I didn’t have access to time-sucking Facebook).


• keyboard, mouse, etc.—It was worth it to me to have a mouse instead of using the touchpad of the laptop. I was fine with the mini-keyboard of the laptop, but if you’re not, keep that in mind. Nothing’s worse than having time to type and being uncomfortable.


• printer—Yes, you heard me correctly. I purchased a small HP printer from Walmart for $35 (color and black ink included). It was SO WORTH having with me. Sometimes I redo a page so extensively, I need to edit it a couple of times. It was helpful to be able to print it and write on a clean copy.


• printer paper


• flash drive—If you don’t bring a printer, you still may want to print. By bringing a flash drive, you can print in the hotel’s business center (or, you can always email yourself your manuscript and open it that way).


• scissors—in case you want to cut your story apart to lay out


• stapler or hole punch—I keep my novel in a binder. After I printed some new pages, I wished I was able to stick them in my binder.


• synopsis—If you change your novel, you may want to update this as well


• other drafts of the novel—I know I ended up referring to old copies of my novel for parts I had deleted from the most current version.
  

Non-writing Related

• snacks—Lots. Now’s not the time to worry about calories. Okay, I’m rationalizing the fact that I brought a jumbo bag of M & Ms, Red Vines, and Sun Chips, but let’s just refer to these foods as fuel for creativity.


• meal-ish Foods—I regret that I didn’t pack anything that could count as a meal. Because my hotel had a HUGE children’s chess tournament going on, the parking lot was packed. In an effort to not lose my great parking space, I refused to leave the hotel. That meant I had to eat at the restaurants at the hotel. Saturday morning, I spent $4 on a cup of Dannon yogurt and a microscopic box of Cheerios. I should have brought a couple granola bars, an apple, a box of raisins, etc.


• cooler—Again, for bringing your own food. My room didn’t have a refrigerator. If it had, I could have packed my own yogurt for under a dollar (can you tell I’m still bummed my yogurt cost $2.50?)


• water


• hand soap—Am I the only one that can’t stand how hotels still provide a bar soap instead of having a pump by the sink? I bring my own instead of using the slimy bar. A tip for any hotel stay.


• ipod and headphones, workout clothes, etc.—It was nice to take a break on the treadmill for a bit to clear my head. It also helped to work off about 4 M & Ms.


• swimsuit—A hotel with a pool was a must for me. I forced myself to make it to a certain page before I could take a swim break though.

Simple & Complicated

When I get stuck writing a novel, I like to turn to published middle grade novels for guidance. There is so much to examine in a book. Here are some things I’ve looked at to help my own writing:

• How many characters are there in the book?
• How long are the chapters?
• What’s the word count for the book?
• Is the problem presented in the first chapter?
• What’s the average sentence length?
  

What I’m pondering right now is how complex to make my plot and subplot. I wanted to look at books that are at both extremes, but I would love some help finding them.

When thinking of middle grade and young adult novels, what are some examples of books with very simple plots? What are some examples of books with very complex plots? Please post in the comments section.

Sled Dogs as Teachers

Teachers: need a fun topic to draw your class in? Especially during testing time?

This Friday (March 6) begins the Iditarod—one of the hardest, longest, and most well-known of the sled dog races that take place annually in the United States (there are over one hundred annual races, including ones in Arizona).

Being from Chicagoland, until recently, I had only heard the word Iditarod but knew nothing about the sport. After doing sled dog research for my book Famous Firsts (about the history of various sports in the U.S.), I was hooked (or ganglined!). I tried to learn everything I could about sled dog racing, including attending some local sled dog demos and an actual race in the Wisconsin Dells (highly recommended). There are great resources out there on the mushers and the races (but be prepared to want to mush yourself afterward).

Now, back to the teaching part. I’m personally bummed that I’m not currently teaching, as I’d love to get my class as excited about the Iditarod as I am. There are so many ways to tie sled dog racing into learning. The Iditarod’s official website has lots of resources for teachers, which I encourage you to check out: http://iditarodblogs.com/teachers/. Here are some I’ve come up with as well:

• Learning about the state of Alaska, including the geography, climate, and culture


• Learning about the history of sled dogs (before racing) and how dogs and sleds were used to transport people, mail, and, goods


• Reading online biographies about the mushers (on the Iditarod website, they also have information on writing to mushers—another good curriculum tie)


• The physics of a team of sled dogs pulling weight


• Using math to figure out percentages and fractions for comparing various numbers, such as number of mushers from Alaska vs. rest of U.S.; number of mushers from U.S. vs rest of world; number of veteran vs newcomers; and number of women vs men


• Creating organized data charts for information, such as dropped dogs or speed each particular musher goes to each checkpoint


• History of the race


• Exploring what materials would be best to stay warm out in the cold (science)


• Reading about and creating a Venn diagram on different types of dogs used for sled dog racing (and it’s not just Huskies and Malamutes)


• Inventing equipment for sled dog racing


• Writing a short narrative from the perspective of a lead dog, a point dog, a wheel dog, and the musher


• The Iditarod will also be using GPS tracking so you and your class can follow the mushers as they go along the trail. Although the race begins this Friday, you have plenty of time to get your materials together for this unit as it usually lasts ten to seventeen days.
  

Another excellent race to follow with your class (next year) is the Yukon Quest, which occurs each February. It is a 1,000-mile race that travels from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse in Yukon, Canada. It also has great coverage on their website, as well as through Facebook. The link for their official page is http://www.yukonquest.com/.

Here are some great resources I have read/watched:

• Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod (a Discover Channel documentary) I would think kids would really enjoy this as well. However, it’s quite lengthy (I think close to 6 hours?). You could show during lunch and recess for those interested. Be sure to preview first to make sure suitable.


• Cold Hands, Warm Heart: Alaskan Adventures of an Iditarod Champion by Jeff King (4 time winner of the Iditarod and 1 time winner of the Yukon Quest)


• Iditarod Country: Exploring the Route of the Last Great Race by Tricia Brown (for kids)
  
• My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen (for kids)


• Dashing Through the Snow: The Story of the Junior Iditarod by Sherry Shahan


• Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen


• Honest Dogs: A Story of Triumph and Regret from the World’s Toughest Sled Dog Race by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue


• The Iditarod Fact Book: A Complete Guide to the Last Great Race by Sue Mattson
  
• Backstage Iditarod by June Price


• Mush! A Beginner’s Manual of Sled Dog Training Edited by Charlene G. LaBelle


• The Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail by Debbie S. Miller (for kids)


• Coming out this month: The Lance Mackey Story: How My Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved My Life By Lance Mackey (3 time winner of the Iditarod and 4 time winner of the Yukon Quest)
  
  Here are the books the Iditarod recommends: http://iditarodblogs.com/teachers/iditarod-books/

Photo at top of page by Paul Retherford Photography, LLC. http://www.PaulRetherford.com