#112 YA Summer Cringe Fest

So this is a pretty exciting post! On Thursday the final date in the YA Summer Cringe Fest with Stephanie Kate Strohm, Beth Garrod and Simon James Green took place at Waterstones Deansgate in Manchester. 
The event itself was chaired by the lovely Beth from Words from a Reader but before hand myself and Jonna had the chance to interview Stephanie, Beth (Garrod) and Simon! 

Did you always want to write for a YA audience?

Stephanie: I did, I always did! I've never really written any fiction for any other age group or genre! When I was a teen I loved reading so so much and I still really do, but I think that was like the time in my life where I read the most! So um, so much awkward but also fun stuff happens when you're a teenager and like it's really fun to write about those moments!

Beth: I wrote a book by accident, I didn't mean for it to be a book it was just something I enjoyed doing and since getting a book deal I thought about it loads and I never used to think "oh I read YA" they were just the books I really enjoyed!

Simon: Yeah, I did actually! I've always loved coming of age stories, writing about teenage characters, writing for teenagers, love it! Always have! Find adult stuff, if I'm being honest, a bit dull!

If you could have a crossover with any other YA character, who would you pick?

Stephanie: Well, we've been talking about kind of what if Avery, Bella and Noah were all in a book together, that's the crossover I'm really interested in right now!

Beth: You know what I'm not just saying this because he's right here, I really love Noah in Noah Can't Even and I really love that Noah is really full of himself and thinks he's really good at life and Bella is the opposite! And I feel like together they would be a perfect storm especially with him struggling with his sexuality and Bella not ever knowing what everybody's thinking! I feel like that could be a whole world of pain, like beautiful beautiful pain!

How much do you relate to Avery/Bella/Noah

Stephanie: I actually don't relate to Avery very much! Um, because you know Avery has always had a boyfriend, she's considered this really hot, popular girl in her school and that is not what I was like in school at all! I would say that the ways I do feel like I relate to Avery is that she's kind of bossy and I'm also pretty bossy and she does like a lot of activities which I also did a lot of activities when I was in school. So I relate to her sense of wanting to take charge and make things happen because I also want to be in charge but her dating and romantic history I don't relate to at all.

Simon: Totally! I never used to admit that really but the truth is he is more or less exactly like I was at school and still am to a large extent! 

I was so nervous about the interview, having never done anything like it before, so thank you again to Stephanie, Beth and Simon for being so easy to talk to (and very funny)


To celebrate YA Summer Cringe Fest, myself and Jonna are holding a giveaway to win the cringe fest book bundle, for one lucky winner!
☆ It's Not Me It's You, Stephanie Kate Strohm
☆ Super Awkward, Beth Garrod
☆ Noah Can't Even, Simon James Green

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to everyone who enters!!