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/.