The Unflinching Ash by Angela Armstrong

Released: 12 July 2021

Published by: Norsou Books

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 353

Amazon | Author Website | Goodreads

In a world like ours, Mystics once ruled the night. Well, so long as they were men. On Ash’s day of naming, she chose the Mystic path nonetheless. The same illusions that garner gasps of awe from the lamp-lit crowds earn her scorn from the basilica. There is only one way forward: a perilous quest – earn the Queen’s Seal, a badge of honour, and immunity. She’ll simply have to avoid being hanged, burned or drowned first.                                                                                                   

When one of my favourite authors of all time, Rachael Craw, put this book on my radar I knew it must be something special! It's clear that Angela Armstrong knows how to pull together a YA-crossover-fantastical story with a strong female lead, healthy dose of humour and key message echoed below that "there isn't one right way to forge a brave path". Read on for more!

Author Interview with Angela Armstrong

Firstly, a big congratulations on publishing The Unflinching Ash! How did the experience of writing this book compare with the novelettes you have released in the past?

The writing experiences for the Gen2K novel and novelettes and The Unflinching Ash had a surprising amount in common. Both were written in answer to disappointment, and then asking, “What if..?”. The Gen2K stories were born of my own infertility crisis, and the discovery of little-known consequences for undertaking IVF treatment.  I then asked, “What if after millions undertook this treatment, the worst happened?” For The Unflinching Ash, I left an international magic show with my three daughters, frustrated by their uncertainty about whether they could aspire to be a magician or only a magician’s assistant. I then asked, “What if there were more renowned female Illusionists?”

While the impetus for writing in both worlds was similar, my approach for each was very different. The Unflinching Ash was written for a long time with an excellent editor from one of the big houses giving me feedback – it was always intended as my chief commercial debut. The Gen2K pieces were what I wrote while I waited. As most people know, busy editors don’t always reply right away. So I could giddily send 15K words of new Ash materia and watch my Inbox, but it would be some time before the editor would come back with notes on what had become a new version of a 100K manuscript. So I filled my back catalogue, did next to nothing to promote it, and waited for the next set of directives for Ash. This allowed me to always be writing, and hopefully offers any keen readers who devour Ash the pleasant surprise of finding more by this author, if they go looking.

What drove you to write in the genre of YA fantasy and what's it like as an author coming up with worldbuilding elements as well as portraying characters which readers can relate to?

A double-barrel! Like a fair share of other writers, I was once a High School English teacher.  I also reviewed screeds of YA ARCs and interviewed YA authors for publishers such as Walker and Hachette for a decade. So I know a little about this age group, the YA market, and the coming-of-age characters populating it. I love YA. While it’s never too late to discover the magic of reading, so many life-long readers’ devotion is earned during those crucial years, and that’s something I want to be a part of. There is a lot of discussion right now about YA no longer being for YA. I lament if this is true!  I hope that instead of striving to push any adults who are reading YA out, we do our best to reclaim any young adults no longer in. For me, one of the most beautiful things about strong YA, is that those stories appeal beyond the young adult years. How incredible if a book keeps being good, as you grow older? Thus, I hope bookstores will file The Unflinching Ash as Cross-over Fiction – great for ages 15+, or confident younger readers. I’m hoping adults will read Ash alongside the young people in their lives. 

You also might find it in the Alternative History, Historical Fiction or YA sections.  Ash is often dubbed as Fantasy, but strictly speaking, I’m not sure it’s fantastical. This is a story about the magic and mystique drawn from within, rather than the magic a mage might conjure with a wand. It’s about illusions, mentalism and showmanship rather than spells.  I hope in it you’ll find a world like ours, but different, with a sassy heroine worth rooting for.  I thrilled in re-imagining our dark ages a little brighter for having Ash in it.

What are some of your favourite and also most challenging aspects of writing that people may not always recognise or talk about?

One of my favourite things about writing is re-reading my own stuff after I’ve set it aside for a while to work on something else. It’s a treat to return to something with fresh eyes and have you sneak up on you. 

I have always backed myself – I know I can write.  But self-promotion is hard. I want readers to know I can write, but I’m no peacock. Finding a way to say, “Do you see my feathers?” without fanning them out is proving difficult.  

Without giving too much away, is there a particular quote or moment in the book which is particularly meaningful to you?

This quote comes from when we meet Ash’s sister, Grete:

Grete wore caution like a crown.  Although Ash and Grete were both born from the same Mapa and Papal, the sisters were antipodean enchantresses.  To Ash the Mysteries had dealt passion, grit and tireless intent, which she carried like a loaded quiver on her strong, lithe frame.  Grete’s appeal was no less, but instead came by way of caution, calm and censure – an attractive safe harbour expressed in her soft edges and soft speech.  Both young women had thick dark hair and the blessing of symmetry on their side.  Both could sneak.

This quote is particularly meaningful to me because it introduces an essential paradigm for the story – these two are both strong, impressive women, but they have responded to trauma and plotted their course in very different ways, and that’s okay – there isn’t one right way to forge a brave path.

If there were three key messages you'd hope readers would be able to take away from The Unflinching Ash and bring into our world, what would they be?

1) There isn’t one right way to forge a brave path. Find yours and take it, allows others to choose their own. 

2) Don’t let the haters get you down.

3) Confidence does not make a woman a b*tch. 

Can I say that?

After this impressive release, could you give us a hint at what you're working on next?

Kind. I'm already elbows deep in a contemporary middle grade magical realism novel set in New Zealand.

About the author

Before writing books, Angela studied English and Film at the University of Otago, taught full-time in schools, owned an art gallery, and reviewed books for trade publishers. She lives with her husband Haki in Northland, New Zealand, where she devotes her non-writing hours to home-schooling three chatty daughters who have inherited a fierce love of words from their mother.

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Review & Author Interview: Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker

Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker

Released: 1 March 2021

Published by: Allen and Unwin

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Source: Publisher

Pages: 396

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

QBD | Booktopia | Goodreads

What if Juliet Capulet met someone who made her doubt true love? What if Wuthering Heights was a message to a time traveller? A cosmic reimagining of Romeo and Juliet and homage to two literary classics in a compelling novel about fate, love and time travel from an award-winning author. YEAR: 2083. LOCATION: LONDON. MISSION: WAKE ROMEO. It's the end of the world. Literally. Time travel is possible, but only forwards. And only a handful of families choose to remain in the 'now', living off the scraps that were left behind. Among these are eighteen-year-old Juliet and the love of her life, Romeo. But things are far from rosy for Jules. Romeo is in a coma and she's estranged from her friends and family, dealing with the very real fallout of their wild romance. Then a handsome time traveller, Ellis, arrives with an important mission that makes Jules question everything she knows about life and love. Can Jules wake Romeo and rewrite her future? A highly original mashup that delights as it disorients ... and asks what would have happened if two great literary love stories were somehow intertwined. 

Six years ago I read an amazing book by a debut Aussie Author - In the Skin of a Monster. This year Kathryn Barker is back with another equally captivating read, and wow did it deliver. I'm calling it - Waking Romeo is the most unique book I'm going to read this year! Full of mind-bending twists, super clever links to classic literature and a message on love and life that is both delicately and fiercely told, all I can say is...read it. You won't be disappointed.

Author Interview with Kathryn Barker

Firstly, congratulations on another stunning release. In the Skin of a Monster has still stuck with me 6 years after reading it and Waking Romeo is just as captivating! How did the idea for this new book come about and what were your biggest motivators to release a second book?

Thanks so much for your kind words - I’m trilled that In the Skin of a Monster and Waking Romeo resonated with you! As for where the idea for Waking Romeo came from… I suppose it was from contemplating love stories and the romantic ideal. I read both Romeo & Juliet and Wuthering Heights when I was in high school, and (as a hopeless romantic) I was captivated by the love stories. But when I got older, I realised that the examples they set weren’t exactly healthy - especially when it came to the women. I wanted to deconstruct those two classics and imagine a story where the girl had more agency. 

As for my biggest motivators to release a second book… the simple truth is, I love writing. I also find that it helps me understand my truths, the world and my own experiences. 

Was there a particular person or influence in your life at the time of writing Waking Romeo which made a special contribution to your writing process for the book in any way?

Waking Romeo was written at a time when I was reconfiguring what love meant to me, and who I was as my own person. That experience clearly reflected in the book...so perhaps the 'significant influence' was my own personal growth and revolution.

As a time travel novel, there are so many different plot points and significant moments which you've woven so cleverly together - what was it like writing a book with such an interconnected storyline that makes use of bending timelines?

It was a challenge! Getting the plot right was enormously tricky, especially since I didn’t want it to detract from the characterisation. Having said that the Universe is full of beautiful coincidences, and so often connections would just land in my lap. When that happened, it reinforced the feeling that I was on the right track, which was wonderful.

The characters in this book were so vividly portrayed, and I especially enjoyed how the classic literary references had influence in a way I've never seen before. What were some of the most challenging/enjoyable aspects of mixing genres in this way?

Thank you so much! I suppose the biggest challenge was finding the right balance between respecting the source text/ characterisation, while giving myself permission to explore something new without feeling constrained. The most enjoyable aspect was definitely getting to dip into Shakespeare and Bronte! Getting to incorporate some of their incredible words/ worlds/ characters into my story was such a gift. 

Without giving too much away, is there a particular quote or moment from the book which means a lot to you personally?

The final page of the book is my favourite, because it encapsulates both Jules' truth and my own.

For young and older readers alike picking up Waking Romeo, is there a particular message to think about you hope they can gain from it? For me, it was definitely the focus on living each moment fully and appreciating the present, while also gaining insights on how to build on a better future.

Yes - investing in the ’now’ (rather than focusing on the past or on the future) is a big one for me too, as is caring for our environment. However, I think one of the core themes that underpins Waking Romeo is the idea of challenging romantic ideals and our concept of what love is. I hope to give readers the space to consider the ‘epic romances’ in stories like Romeo & Juliet and Wuthering Heights and think about how that stacks up against more modern ideals. 

Is there anything you can share with us on what you're currently working on/doing outside of writing?

With Waking Romeo, I really enjoyed delving into classic works of literature and then finding an angle for a modern retelling. I’m working on a new story which explores that territory again…  but the threads haven’t woven themselves together enough yet for me to explain it coherently! 

As for what I’m doing outside of writing… I’m planning a camping trip, because I want to sleep under the stars!

 

About the author

Kathryn Barker was born in Canberra, started primary school in Tokyo and finished high school in the woods outside Olympia, Washington State. In the years that followed she went to university, became a lawyer, completed her masters in film production and worked in television. She currently lives in Sydney with her family. Kathryn's first novel, In the Skin of a Monster, was published to high acclaim and won the Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, was short-listed for two Davitt Awards and was a CBCA Notable Book. Waking Romeo is her second novel.

Author Interview: Before the Beginning by Anna Morgan

Before the Beginning by Anna Morgan

Released: 29th September 2020
Published by: Hachette

Genre: YA Contemporary

Source: Publisher

Pages: 235

Author website | Booktopia | Goodreads

The story of four friends, a mysterious stranger, and the week when everything changed. For fans of We Were Liars. Schoolies week: that strange in-between time when teenagers move from school into the adult world. It's a week when anything is possible, and everything can change. Grace is questioning everything she thought about herself, and has opted not to join her clique of judgemental friends for schoolies, instead tagging along with her brother Casper and his friends. Casper, an artist, is trying to create the perfect artwork for his uni application folio. Overachieving, anxiety-ridden Noah is reeling from a catastrophe that might have ruined his ATAR result. And Elsie is just trying to figure out how to hold their friendship group together. On the first night of the trip, they meet Sierra, a mysterious girl with silver-grey hair and a magnetic personality. All of them are drawn to her for different reasons, and she persuades them to abandon the cliched schoolies experience in favour of camping with her on a remote, uninhabited island. On that island, each of them will find answers to their questions. But what does Sierra want from them? An empathetic and suspenseful coming-of-age story from the author of All That Impossible Space.

Equal parts suspense and coming-of-age novel, Before the Beginning is a unique offering in the YA contemporary space exploring the time between school ends and the future beyond. 

Author Interview with Anna Morgan

How did the writing process for Before the Beginning differ from the experience coming up with the plot for your first novel All That Impossible Space?

It was very different! I wrote All That Impossible Space over about four years of writing and redrafting (much longer if you count all the years the story was growing in the back of my mind). I wrote the first draft of Before the Beginning in about six months, so it was much faster. With my second book I knew from the start the specific characters and themes I wanted to explore, and I knew I wanted to set it over one week from different perspectives: having that structure in place helped focus the writing process. Since I was working with my publisher from the beginning, I had editors involved from much earlier in the drafting process. That was a little scary at first for me, but it made the book SO much better and I feel very grateful to have shaped the story with their guidance from those early stages. Oh, and I had more confidence in myself as a writer the second time around, since I knew I'd done it once and could do it again.

What drew you to exploring the coming of age period of time just after high school in this book?

One of my favourite aspects of YA novels is that in-between feeling of transformation and change, that is such a classic teenage experience. Schoolies week - that week just after school finishes - is an especially intense time for this feeling. It's after exams, but before your results, after school, but before many teens know what they are going to do next. It can bring up a lot of anxieties for people too since it's such a pressure-cooker setting - lots of emotional issues can bubble up to the surface, but there's also such a sense of energy and possibility over the week.

Was there a favourite character out of the group which you found was easier to make come to life on the page?

It's impossible to choose a favourite! I love all my characters and am frustrated by them in equal parts - even though all four are very different, they are all based on aspects of myself and they experience versions of what I went through in my teens and early twenties. I've had unreasonably high expectations of myself like Noah, or had a worldview that didn't fit with my experiences any more like Grace, I've struggled with creative blocks like Casper, and I've underestimated myself like Elsie. I did find that Noah's section flowed particularly well as I was writing - and every time I re-read it I just want to give him a big hug! - so I do have a soft spot for him.

What are some of the main messages you hope teens in the same position as some of the characters in this book will be able to reflect on?

The end of school was such an anxious and all-or-nothing time for me, and it is for some of my characters - the main message I want to pass on is that it is okay to change, it's okay to be unsure, and you will figure it out. It's much more important to figure out who you are and what you want from your future than it is to chase a perfect score or to get into the best course. I know this year's school leavers in particular have shown incredible resilience as they deal with the upheaval of 2020, and I hope they can take some comfort from the upheaval my characters go through - even if nothing goes to plan, you will get through to the other side.

Could you give us a sneak peek into what you may be working on next?

I really loved all the research I was able to do around setting for this book - I set the novel on a fictional version of an island I love off the South coast of NSW and I learned so much about all the wildlife and plants that live there. It was also a place under threat by the fires this January, which emphasised to me even more how important it is to celebrate this land in literature and how much we need to protect it. So that might be working its way into my next book - possibly looking at climate action and young people growing up in regional Australia. But don't hold me to that because it could completely change!

About the author

Anna was born in Sydney, but spent most of her childhood surrounded by mountains in Nepal and Tibet while her parents were part of an international community of health professionals. Navigating this cross-cultural life made her a curious observer of people, although most of her time was spent reading Enid Blyton and dreaming of going to boarding school. This did not cushion the shock of shifting from home-school in Tibet to an all-girls high school in Melbourne when her family returned to Australia. ALL THAT IMPOSSIBLE SPACE explores some of the intense and convoluted friendships that thrive in this setting. Anna completed a MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University in 2015, and now lives in Melbourne with her husband. She works as a bookseller.

Review & Author Interview: The Long Distance Playlist by Tara Eglington

The Long Distance Playlist by Tara Eglington 

Released: 30th December 2019

Published by: HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pages: 424

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads | QBD | Booktopia

Told primarily in instant messenger conversations, Skype, emails and texts, this is Jaclyn Moriarty's Feeling Sorry for Celia for the modern teen.

Taylor and Isolde used to be best friends - before THAT FIGHT, 18 months ago. It's been radio silence ever since - until Taylor contacts Isolde to sympathise with her breakup: the breakup that she never saw coming; the breakup that destroyed her confidence and ended her dreams of joining the National Ballet School. Taylor's had his own share of challenges, including a life-altering accident that has brought his hopes of competing at the Winter Olympics to a halt. Isolde responds to Taylor, to be polite. But what starts out as heartbreak-themed Spotify playlists and shared stories of exes quickly becomes something more. And as Taylor and Isolde start to lean on each other, the distance between them begins to feel not so distant after all ...

A boy. A girl. A one-of-a-kind friendship. Cross-country convos and middle-of-the-night playlists. With big dreams come even bigger challenges.

I've been a fan of Tara Eglington's work since her first book, and it's been such a joy to see her work grow since then. In The Long Distance Playlist, there is the same sense of realism and exploring what it is to be a teenager with hopes and dreams, tempered with a multi-modal narrative style and storyline that is so much fun to read!

It can be difficult to balance the activities of the main characters within the wider scope of their lives to create a holistic plot, but here it is achieved with ease. There is so much to learn about not only Isolde and Taylor as they navigate recent challenges and rekindling their friendship, but their families moving through different phases as well. Friendship is also a dominant theme here, which brings some hilarious banter into the mix and great examples of support networks that can make all the difference in an adolescent's life.

The feelings of self-doubt and questioning whether Isolde's dreams of pursuing ballet are worth the effort are definitely ideas teens will relate to. Looking back on all our pasts it's inevitable that we've all gone through these sorts of growth phases which shape us into the people we are today. Taylor's own challenges in his personal life and recovery from injury also highlight the qualities of resilience and courage while still showing that there are times where the 'light at the end of the tunnel' seems far away. It's these balanced and multifaceted characters that are brought to life on the page as their whole selves, which makes this book shine. I also really love the part where Taylor describes some of the golden moments of joy in a family, speaking of seeing his mum where 'the smile goes right up to her eyes'. The message of appreciating the small moments in life that reach right to the heart of our connections with friends and family is something really special in The Long Distance Playlist.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Tara Eglington's unique narrative style depicting realistic and entertaining dialogue alongside themes which are always relevant to teens, is sure to make this book a hit with all YA audiences. Full of heart, hope and a central theme of appreciating those close to us - this is going to be a favourite on my shelf for years to come!

Author Interview with Tara Eglington

Firstly, congratulations on releasing your fourth novel! What were the similarities and differences between writing The Long Distance Playlist and previous works?

Thank you! Of my four books, The Long Distance Playlist is the one that is closest to my heart – probably because I had carried the idea for it around in my mind ever since I was fifteen years old!

In terms of process, and similarities in process when it comes to my books - each one of my novels has been inspired by something personal, but this one – a story about a boy and a girl who are oceans apart, but closer than anything – was especially close to home!

Twenty years ago, there was a boy on the other side of the world, who sent me letters and emails across a four-year period. He was the first boy to call me beautiful, to make me jewellery, to read my short stories and songs, and to MSN Messenger chat (2000 much?) with me for hours about my hopes, dreams and fears. What started out as pen-pals - a boy from a land of frozen lakes and snowy skies, and a girl, from the beaches of Byron Bay – became something much more, as we navigated our way through a myriad of experiences in our late teen years.

The years that I spent writing to this boy, became part of my story, and I always knew that one day, I was going to write a book about a boy and a girl, who lived miles apart, but had a very special connection.*

The difference in process between my previous novels and this one, was probably how I approached the form of the novel. I knew I wanted to write a semi-epistolary novel (a novel traditionally composed of letters or documents) but I also wanted the story to feel very modern – so instead of communicating via physical letters, my protagonists Isolde and Taylor use text, email, skype, IM’s, playlists, and Instagram DM’s to connect with each other. This allowed me to explore how these particular ways of bonding with each other online, can feel just as real, meaningful, and poignant as any in-person interaction or catch-up 

*Note from Eugenia: Tara just posted on her blog about this real-life inspiration here!

One thing I always find shines through in your books is how realistic the dialogue and narrative voices are for your teen characters. How do you go about developing what your main characters will 'sound' like? Does this come before your idea for how the plot will play out or do they run together from the start?

Thank you so much – that’s the ultimate compliment for a YA writer! The process of developing a character’s voice is a really interesting one, and it actually varies for me, with each book.

Taylor’s voice was so strong and clear from very early on in the process. Even before I started to write the novel, I could hear him talking in my mind – whole pieces of narrative would come to me whilst I was brushing my teeth or doing the dishes. Taylor has a real intensity about him – which is probably tied in with being an elite-athlete – but he’s also got this lovely playfulness, and a terrific sense of humour too. So that dynamic was already there, even in the initial sample chapters I wrote for my publisher in early 2018. And as the novel progressed, Taylor became even more real to me. When I was living in Queenstown, I often felt as if I might just to bump into him down on the shoreline, or while skiing at Cardrona!

It’s a funny thing to try and explain – you know, the whole, characters talk to me! quirk that is part of being a writer. Or even trying to pinpoint the sense of say - whilst writing a scene, knowing with full certainty that ‘No, Taylor wouldn’t say that!’ But I guess that’s how characters can drive plot – at a certain point, they kind of take over and start telling their story to you, rather than the other way around!

Sometimes it takes time to work characters out. Isolde was a little bit of a mystery to me for a while – and in that scenario, I often find that the best approach is to work on building up a profile of the character – their unique interests, their family dynamics, their backstory –  and this usually helps me to ‘work out’ who they are. Then the voice will start to trickle through more and more. 

In terms of how I plot my novels, my first book – How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You – was really heavily pre-plotted. When I sat down at the computer every morning, I had a detailed outline I was working to for each chapter.

With my other books, it’s been a bit more of an organic process. Usually I know the beginnings of a book, and some of the major plot points I’m writing to, but there’s also a great deal I’m uncovering and discovering as I go, which is really fun!

The influence of arts and culture are another unique element of your books which I really love! Your first book How to Keep a Boy From Kissing You featured a production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' in the storyline, and here there is Isolde's evolving dream of being accepted into the National Ballet School. What drives you to include these kinds of ideas in your works?

I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy these elements – I love weaving things like art, theatre, and music into my novels because these forms of creativity bring me so much joy! I was very lucky to attend a creative arts high school whilst in my teen years, and I think the way that we learnt, and the things we learnt, have had a big impact on my writing. Our lessons – even things like biology, mathematics, and history – were taught in such an engaging way – for example, say we were learning about medieval history – we would learn the facts and dates of course, but our teachers would be reading us Arthurian legends in English class in the middle of the day, and then in the afternoon, we might be learning metalwork, and making our own copper chalices, or swords. It was really immersive way to learn – I remember my sister’s class built an actual Viking ship!

So during those years, I performed in Shakespeare productions (which of course, found it’s way into How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You), learnt about Dante, Renaissance art and mythology (which you’ll find in My Best Friend is a Goddess) and got to attend the ballet and some opera performances (which forms part of The Long Distance Playlist)!

My family – who are all creatives – have also had a big impact on my books. My father (like Emily’s mum in Goddess) is an artist, and my sister was the youngest student (at the time) to be accepted into a full-time dance school. 

Aside from the slowly-blossoming romance, friendships, family structures and the relationships between teens and their parents are other areas explored really well in The Long Distance Playlist. It's great to see that the parents of Isolde and Taylor also have a role in this book. Did you always imagine the story being much more than a series of interactions between the two main characters?

Absolutely! For me, I loved the fact that Isolde and Taylor’s families have had a long-intertwined history – Isolde’s mum, and Taylor’s Dad dated once upon a time! The two families have spent a lot of time together over the years, and Taylor and Issy have been friends since they were tiny. I’ve always loved YA stories that incorporate family –so it was a delight to be able to explore this in the latest book.

I think sometimes there’s an assumption about parents in YA – i.e. their presence should be minimised because teens aren’t interested in anything outside of themselves etc (which is so wrong!). Our families – their dynamics and unique histories – are a huge part of our identities! When I look back on my teen years, I remember how much of an impact that family had on my life, and my friend’s lives – whether that was big stuff – like parents dying, divorcing, or remarrying – or the more subtle stuff, like the conversations we had with our Mums or Dads about our dreams, our identities, our futures – as we matured, and discovered who we were.

And it’s the same for Taylor and Isolde in the novel. Isolde’s life is hugely impacted by what’s happening to her parents. For Taylor, I really loved that he knew that he could go to his parents for support – as he says – The thing I love most about Mum and Dad is that they never make me feel like what I’m going through is ‘kid stuff’ – you know, less than, or not as valid as adult stuff. And they don’t jump in with ‘shoulds’ or ‘shouldn’ts.’ 

That’s what my Dad was like when I was growing up. I could go to him with anything and he would listen really intently, and try and help, without casting judgement. I know there’s a lot of kids who have that same dynamic with their parents, so I loved having a healthy example of that kind of teen-parent relationship in the novel.

Friendships also play a huge part in the book – and for me, that’s the heart of The Long Distance Playlist. Whether it’s Taylor and Isolde confiding in each other about their deepest fears, or most painful memories, or Finn and Taylor’s easy-going, no-judgement dynamic, or Ana cheering Isolde on with her dancing - these relationships are the place where the protagonists find strength, understanding and courage. 

The idea of including the email trails, messenger conversations (and of course the music playlists!) made the story even more vibrant. Is it more difficult to write in these different modes than just using prose?

Funnily enough I actually found these sections of the novel the easiest to write – I think because the forms (emails, texts, messenger conversations, DM’s, IM’s) are quite conversational in nature, and I’ve always found dialogue easier to write than prose!

I loved incorporating such modern forms of communication into the book. I think texts and DM’s and so forth have a real immediacy to them, and these types of interactions are such a part of our everyday lives – whether that’s texting a friend, skyping a family member, or DM’ing someone on Instagram. So for me, it felt like a really natural way to tell a love story that’s set in 2020.

I think the main challenge with the email and messenger conversations, was probably working out how to convey things like the characters backstories and histories, without falling into ‘telling’ – i.e. if Taylor and Finn are having a skype conversation about Ellie (the girl that Taylor had a crush on at the start of the novel) both boys already know who Ellie is, and are aware of all of the previous interactions Taylor has had with her, etc – whereas the reader doesn’t know any of this, and has kind of ‘dropped in’ mid-conversation! So you have to be quite clever in how you weave that essential information through each medium! 

Without giving too much away, is there a particular scene or quote from the book which is particularly special to you?

For me, the heart of the story, is in these words, by Taylor:

All I know is that there are no guarantees. Anything could change at any moment. The way I want to live is to grab on tight to the people that I love and things I love doing. I want to squeeze every bit of joy out of every moment I have with them. What will come will come. It’s how you live in the meantime that counts.

*Note from Eugenia: This is my favourite quote too!

What are some of the main messages you hope people will be thinking about after reading The Long Distance Playlist?

The Long Distance Playlist is for me, a celebration of friendship. Of the people in our lives, that we can call upon, in the middle of the night, in any time zone - and find understanding, empathy, comfort and love, waiting for us.  Issy and Taylor go through some tough stuff in this novel – but they are able to lean on each other for support. It was the same scenario for me in high school – it was my friends who helped me cope with a wide range of difficult and painful situations. I hope anyone who’s read the book and may be going through tough stuff of their own, is left with a feeling that they can reach out to someone who cares.

The other thing I hope readers might take away from the novel is a sense of hope – the sense that even though life might throw incredibly painful and difficult stuff our way - stuff that might turn every plan we have had for ourselves, upside down – we have the strength inside ourselves to adapt, and to redefine our lives. 

The setting, particularly the New Zealand sections, are so vividly described. When did you realise that this was a place you wanted the story to feature? (Travel recommendations are also welcome!)

It was such a joy to set the majority of the novel in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. I was born in NZ (although I’ve spent the last 30 years in Australia), and I introduced my husband Greg to Queenstown in 2014. We both fell head over heels for the place – it’s the most breathtaking town that sits on the edge of a vast lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains everywhere you turn! Greg and I have visited every single year since to ski, and even spent 18 months living in QT from 2018-2020.

Each location in the book has a very special meaning to me. The Queenstown shoreline, where Finn and Taylor hang out at the start of the book, was where I would take my lunchtime walk. Jacks Point – where the boys played golf – was actually where my husband and I lived, right at the foothills of the mighty Remarkable Mountains. Cardrona ski-field, where Taylor, an up and coming snowboarder, trains daily, is a mountain I’ve spent winter after winter skiing. So it was such a joy to write about these places, and to bring them to life for my readers. I’ve had some reviewers say that the setting of The Long Distance Playlist is almost a character in itself, and I love that!

I also love the idea of my readers visiting Queenstown in the future! My tip would be to plan your trip for the end of August/beginning of September - the time of bluebird skies, when the mountains are at their most beautiful! Make sure you go for a stroll along the Queenstown shoreline, and up past the botanic gardens. Enjoy a famous fergburger, and then take a gondola ride up to the top of Bob’s Peak, to take in a sunset view of the entire town. Visit Arrowtown, an adorable little village with a fascinating gold-rush history. And a drive out to Glenorchy – just for the views – is something you shouldn’t miss.

I’d also suggest you try your hand at skiing or snowboarding – Cardrona skifield is amazing for beginners and the more advanced.

And if you can, spend a night or two in the Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park – it is absolutely breathtaking, especially from the air (try to do one of the scenic flights, you won’t regret it). 

What are some of your favourite things about writing in the YA genre? Are there any challenges related to writing for this audience?

I love writing YA. I love reading YA. I don’t think that will ever change, because that period of time – those teenage years - continues to be a fascination for me. There’s so much there to explore as a writer – whether that’s the intensity of the emotions, the magnetic force of those real ‘firsts’ – like the first time you fall in love, or have your heart broken, or lose a friendship, or realise your parents are just people, who sometimes make mistakes too – or the potent discoveries of that period  – working out who you are, and what you want to do with your life – it’s all amazing material.

Maybe my head and heart are still stuck there, in some way, because if I close my eyes, I can travel back to that period in a split second – and what I was feeling, thinking, or dreaming of back then, rises up again.

The challenges of the YA genre…. hmm. That’s a hard one. The only thing that comes to mind is that sometimes my characters want to swear, and that’s usually a no-no in YA! But it forces you to be more creative, which can only be a good thing! 

Could you give us a sneak peek as to what you might be working on next?

Ooh, I would love to share – right now I’m in the process of pitching a few different ideas (all YA) to my publisher. I know that’s a little vague (sorry about that!) but I’m hoping I will have some good news to announce in the near future (fingers crossed)!

About the author

Tara Eglington grew up in Byron Bay, New South Wales, wrote The Long Distance Playlist by the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, and now lives in Sydney. 

She is the author of four YA novels: How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You, How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You (titled Kissing Games in the USA), My Best Friend is a Goddess and The Long Distance Playlist, the third of which was a top-ten bestselling Australian YA title in 2016 and a notable for the 2017 CBCA Older Readers Book of the Year. 

Tara’s hobbies, when she’s not writing, include watching endless cat videos on YouTube, planning pretend holidays to the Maldives, and daydreaming about who would play Hayden Paris in the film-adaption of How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You.

Tara loves to hear from readers, so please say hello via contact@taraeglington.com, or @taraeglington on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Long Distance Playlist

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly prompt hosted by Breaking the Spine where the participants tell their readers about an upcoming release they are looking forward to. This week I've picked The Long Distance Playlist by Tara Eglington.

Told primarily in instant messenger conversations, Skype, emails and texts, this is Jaclyn Moriarty's Feeling Sorry for Celia for the modern teen.

Taylor and Isolde used to be best friends - before THAT FIGHT, 18 months ago. It's been radio silence ever since - until Taylor contacts Isolde to sympathise with her breakup: the breakup that she never saw coming; the breakup that destroyed her confidence and ended her dreams of joining the National Ballet School.

Taylor's had his own share of challenges, including a life-altering accident that has brought his hopes of competing at the Winter Olympics to a halt. Isolde responds to Taylor, to be polite. But what starts out as heartbreak-themed Spotify playlists and shared stories of exes quickly becomes something more. And as Taylor and Isolde start to lean on each other, the distance between them begins to feel not so distant after all ...

A boy. A girl. A one-of-a-kind friendship. Cross-country convos and middle-of-the-night playlists. With big dreams come even bigger challenges. 

I've been following Tara Eglington's books since she first got published with the fun and witty release of How to Keep a Boy From Kissing You (followed by its fitting sequel How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You). Then came the brilliant exploration of female friendship in My Best Friend is a Goddess, so I can't wait to see how this latest novel goes. If her track record so far is anything to go by, this is going to be something special - I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

Releasing 16th December 2019 from HarperCollins Australia