Interview - Holly Schindler, author of PLAYING HURT

You may remember Holly Schindler from my August 11th post, when I interviewed her after she debuted with A BLUE SO DARK.  Holly has a new book out entitled PLAYING HURT, so I requested that she return to talk about herself and both of her contemporary YA novels.  Give Holly another warm welcome....

All writers procrastinate, doing something else when they should be writing.  What are some of your procrastinatory habits?

Confession time: I’m a terrible procrastinator.  TERRIBLE!  I really hate the feeling of being late…I don’t really work well under pressure.  I’m one of those people who always scrambles to have a job done ahead of schedule.

Writers work at home, so we eat.  What’s your favorite snack food when writing?

I’m a HUGE donut fan…Usually, I break mid-morning for donuts.  (Cherry cake with chocolate icing might just be my favorite…)

Many writers listen to music when writing and are inspired by it.  Do you have a PLAYING HURT playlist?

If I were to put together a playlist of songs that speak to the content of PLAYING HURT:

“Your Body is a Wonderland,” John Mayer (Because of the waterfall scene.)
“Waiting on a Friend,” Rolling Stones (Chelsea and Clint actually dance to this song.)
“Strawberry Wine,” Deana Carter (Great story song about first love / summer love.)
“Collide,” Kid Rock / Sheryl Crow  (I’m becoming an enormous Kid Rock fan…BORN FREE’s pretty amazing, start to finish…and though this song’s got a pretty different storyline than PLAYING HURT, it’s still about two people who have pasts coming together—which fits Chelsea and Clint.  I think about PLAYING HURT every time I hear this song.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

In real life?  Probably a literature professor.  In fantasy land?  A musician (wouldn’t we all, though?)

If A BLUE SO DARK were to be a movie, who would you want to play Aura?

My answer changes for this question all the time…I just saw some pics of Victoria Justice, and thought at the time she was pretty close to what I’d pictured when I wrote BLUE.

You seem to write standalone books when series are also popular these days.  Have you ever had an idea for a series that you’d like to pursue?

I've really got a what-if brain.  I can always imagine new scenarios for my characters, even after the last page is written.  I’d love the opportunity to invent a character and stick with him / her for a few books…I’d also really love to someday be able to write a book about some of my secondary characters, getting a chance to develop them the same way I've developed my protagonists…

Do you have any New Year's writing resolutions? 

I have about three more books I’d like to finish by the end of the year…Four, if I really push it.

What are your favorite ways to promote your work?

Making use of the blogosphere.  The YA book blogging community has been incredible to me—they’ve spread word of my work like no other.  It’s incredible, when you think about it—today, a writer’s fans don’t just buy an author’s books and enjoy them, maybe talk them up to a couple of close friends.  Now, fans are putting up reviews, interviews, telling hundreds of other readers all at once about a book they love.  Readers and bloggers now have a hand in helping to shape an author’s career, connect authors and fans.  It’s really wonderful….

PLAYING HURT Jacket Copy:

Star basketball player Chelsea “Nitro” Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone’s admiration in her hometown.  But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

As a graduation present, Chelsea ’s dad springs for a three-week summer “boot camp” program at a northern Minnesota lake resort.  There, she’s immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who’s haunted by his own traumatic past.  As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home.  Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?

A BLUE SO DARK Jacket Copy:

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura’s dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

Where to find Holly:
Blog
Website
Twitter