Q&A: Second Chance Summer Author Morgan Matson

Thanks everyone who participated in the August YA Book Club. If you missed the get-together, you can still post your review here. And if you haven’t read the book, Second Chance Summer, check out all of the great reviews!

So, like many of you I loved Second Chance Summer, and because she is nice and sweet, author Morgan Matson agreed to my interrogation interview. Here’s what she had to say about her writing process, Second Chance Summer, and her summer favorites:

The book touches on the importance of second chances, with which I couldn’t agree more. (I, for instance, am pretty thankful I gave calamari another go despite the fact that it looks like battered and fried sea monsters.) Is there a time when you took another chance on a person, thing, event, etc. to find you were glad you did?

Oh man, this makes me want to rethink my stance on calamari and give it a shot! I find that I tend to make immediate, snap judgments about people and they are almost ALWAYS wrong. But I know that about myself, so I’m aware that I’m doing it. I’ve had to learn not to trust my first impressions, since I’m apparently really bad at them. But one of the biggest examples was a girl I met in school. I just didn’t like her, no idea why, something about her just bothered me. One day, she e-mailed and asked if we could go to lunch. We had a great time, and she’s now one of my best friends. That revelation was really one of the things that made me rethink a lot of my first impressions. 

I hear you returned to the lake that you vacationed at when you were young before writing this book. Any ex-boyfriends show up? Kidding. Why did you decide to immerse yourself in that real-life setting versus creating the world from memory and research? Is this your typical method?

My friend Jessi Kirby (an amazing writer) calls me a “method writer” and it’s really true. I especially find it hard to write about places I haven’t been to. For my first book, which is a cross-country road trip, I traced the whole path across the country that the characters visited. And I just find it really helpful to go to the place I’m writing about and soak up all those sensory details it’s hard to get otherwise. And even though I’d grown up spending summers in the Pocono Mountains, I needed to go back—to remember how it felt, the visceral sense of it.  (I should note my mother thinks this is just an excuse to take vacations, and she might be right.)

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Did you write the book there, or just visit for research purposes?

I had written the first draft already, mostly in Los Angeles, where I live, in the winter, which wasn’t helpful. I rented a house in the Poconos for two weeks, intending to revise there. But my notes were late, and I only got them the day I left. But it was actually perfect, because it meant I had two weeks to just live up there and soak it all in. I spent a lot of time by the lake and ate a lot of s’mores and ice cream, and I actually think it was more helpful than if I’d been trying to work while I’d been there. 

Obviously family is a huge part of this book. If you could adopt any of the Second Chance Summer characters into your own family, who’d it be and why?

Oh wow, I love this question! It might have to be Murphy the dog, only because I am desperate to get one right now! Puppy fever, big time. But in all seriousness, I had a soft spot for Warren. I could have written a whole book about him. I loved writing the guy who thought he had all the answers realizing he didn’t actually know much after all—but rather than running from that revelation, or shutting down (like his sister) embracing it and being willing to change. 

What was your favorite scene to write?

I loved writing the slumber party scene. It was a later addition—it came in the second revision, I think—but it was a blast to write. I liked being able to write an homage to the years of sleepovers I had growing up.

Which scene was the most difficult to write?

I found the last flashback scene—when you find out what Taylor did, and runs away—really hard. Those flashbacks were also getting tweaked late (originally there had been a whole different thing Taylor did) and by the time I was writing them, Taylor in the present story had grown so much—it was hard to write her making all these terrible mistakes.

Are you the heir to the Kleenex empire?

Ha! No, I swear! But I was talking with my editor about shrink-wrapping a mini pack to each book.  Let people know what they’re in for, right? J

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I love the romances in your books, this as well as Amy & Rodger’s Epic Detour. How do you create believable chemistry?

Thank you so much! I’m glad you think I have! With A&R, it was very helpful to have two strangers trapped together in a confined space. I feel like so much of writing is getting people in rooms together—and with that, half my job was done. With them, I was also consciously thinking about opposites—about who would be the best person to put with Amy in that car. And who would be the best person for Roger, and his ex-girlfriend turmoil.

With SCS, the fact that there was a built-in (and contentious) history made Taylor and Henry really fun to write. It was almost like you could go from zero to 60, because when they first meet on the dock, they’re not meeting for the first time, and neither of them are happy about it. That scene was a lot of fun to write because of that.

What’s your writing process like?

I’ve found that it changes with every book! I used to proudly say I was an author who eschewed outlines, and figured it out as I went, but the book I’m finishing now ended up going through an outline process—so I’m not sure how to answer that any more! I tend to write pretty quickly, and I don’t go back and revise when I’m writing the first draft. I just power through to the end, and then see what I’ve got—and it’s usually a waaaaay too long draft that doesn’t entirely know where it’s going. But I always know at least some of the characters, the vague shape of the story, and one or two scenes I just can’t wait to write. If I have all that, I dive in, because I might just have a book (and sometimes I’m wrong about that).

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What are you working on now?

My new book, Since You’ve Been Gone, is coming out in May 2014. It’s about friends, which was something I hadn’t really written about yet, and wanted to tackle.

What’s your best summer memory?

SO hard to pick! Most of them seemed to make their way into SCS in one form or another—so many of my best summer memories happened in the Poconos (which was probably the reason I wrote about it).

What are your favorite summer reads?

I always like to read Sarah Dessen books in the summer—and if she doesn’t have a new one, I’ll re-read an old favorite. I also love my friend Jenny Han’s books, and I always love reading a funny chick-lit like Sophie Kinsella.

Keep up with Morgan via her website, Tumblr, Facebook, or Twitter. And I promise she didn’t ask me to write this, but if you haven’t read her books yet, go buy them! They’re seriously good.

Q&A with Wanderlove Author Kirsten Hubbard

If you missed it, we discussed this month’s book club pick, Wanderlove, on Friday. Well, I thought it would be cool to bring the author, Kirsten Hubbard, into the discussion. She was kind enough to answer some of my questions about the novel and her escapades abroad. AND, because she’s more than cool, passed along some photos she took while traveling. Enjoy!

Tracey: When did you catch wanderlove?

Kirsten: I think it was threefold. First, arriving in London the summer before my senior year of high school, totally jet-lagged (I’m from California) after an overnight flight. It wasn’t that different from the United States—and yes, SO different. Every minute was filled with discovery. Then, a little over a year later, I left for college in San Diego, and walked over the border to Tijuana, Mexico, for the first time. It was an entirely different kind of other; the first true poverty I’d ever seen, but also so lively and colorful and sensory. Lastly, the experiences from friends who’d backpacked before me, including my boyfriend (now husband.) Every story made me more determined to backpack myself—which I finally did at age 20: six weeks in Central America that afflicted me for life!

Starling, Rowan, and Bria all have their own definitions of wanderlove. What does it meant to you?

Although in Wanderlove there’s a huge element of running from one’s past, I don’t think that has to be part of it. For me, Wanderlove is about sheer, vibrant, heart-bursting passion for travel and everything that comes with it: beauty and frenzy and shock and camaraderie and discovery. It never goes away—it only grows. It’s not an itch, like wanderlust—it’s a deep, constant longing.

The book is filled with the different characters’ travel philosophies. What’s yours?

Writing Wanderlove was definitely an experience in working through my own philosophies: things like respecting how other people choose to travel, even if I’d never be comfortable at a Sandals resort myself; being okay with how well-traveled I am (which never seems well-traveled enough!); accepting that first-world guilt is something to acknowledge and consider, but not a reason not to travel, if that makes sense. Especially since money from tourism has the potential help revitalize struggling, undertraveled regions. Argh, I could write an essay on this stuff. (Or a couple more novels…)

One thing I try to remember is that my travel philosophies aren’t for everybody—they’re personal, for myself, and the way I choose to travel. However, I do feel very strongly about responsible tourism, respecting the communities and cultures you’re visiting, and doing your research before you go anywhere. Those are for everyone.

One of my favorites surprises about the book was the illustrations you did. Are you an artist as well as a writer?

Not really! I always thought I’d be, but then there’ve been huge gaps in the last ten years where I did little or no drawing. One thing that always stands in my way is, as an adult, I have trouble creating art for art’s sake; just for fun, for the thrill of it. Without an attainable-seeming end goal, all my insecurities get in the way. Illustrating Wanderlove worked fantastically—Bria finding her art was concurrent with me finding my own art.

I have to ask (because I loved her so much), is Sonia a figment of your imagination or based off of someone you met while traveling?

I made her up! However, I’ve spent a decent amount of time in Belize, and I tried to gift her some of the qualities (Belizean slang included) of a few amazing, mildly ferocious people I met.

Author Kirsten Hubbard in Black Rock City, Nevada

I’m of the opinion that if you’re doing it right, you should leave a place different than when you arrived. We know that traveling helped Bria find herself and gain confidence. How has traveling changed you?

Well, first, it’s burdened me with an incredible, interminable sense of longing. I’m homesick for a dozen places, at all times.

Traveling in the third world has definitely made me less materialistic—I’m not a monk by any means, or even a Starling, but I often find myself mentally rebelling against Stuff Culture. (I just made that up.) When I haven’t traveled for six months or a year, I start to forget, and slip into everyday superficialities. Travel reminds me what’s truly important.

There’s another story here—between Bria and Toby, her ex-boyfriend, who we learn, little by little, emotionally abused her. What made you choose this instead of, say, physical abuse?

As a matter of fact, in the very first version of Wanderlove, Toby was physically abusive. (He was also her swim coach.) It made Bria’s past very, very dark, and was a much larger thing to overcome; it made the contrast with the joy of Bria’s traveltastic present too dissonant. It was like two different books. When I decided to change it, I found emotional abuse just as interesting a concept to explore narratively; it’s more subtle, and often overlooked or shrugged away, but can be so hugely damaging.

One of the things Wanderlove does so well is infect the reader with wanderlust. How did you, as a writer, accomplish that?

That was my evil plan, muahaha. Really though, I just set out to tell the truth. I was as honest as I could possibly be about all aspects of travel; the nasty parts, but more importantly, the parts that made me fall in love with it myself.  

Let’s talk about setting. You’ve given us links to spots (here and here) where you describe the process you use to create a living setting, but why is setting so crucial for your writing?

Oh, I love setting. I love thinking up a premise and placing it in a location that enhances every aspect of the story. On a smaller level, I love thinking of the best place to stick each scene, so the backdrop interacts with the characters, their thoughts and words and actions. I can’t imagine I’ll ever write a book where setting isn’t important in some way.

What was the hardest scene or section of this book to write and why?

I think it was the travel philosophy conversation Bria and Rowan have while sharing a hammock in Belize. It was so important to me to get it just right—to represent what my characters would say, what they believed in their heart of hearts, even if I felt a little differently myself. It had to show growth, and not be offensive, and all kinds of things. My editor was a HUGE help here. I remember I received my manuscript back from her, and those couple pages were packed with comments and questions in the margins. She got me thinking even more deeply, and the result is one of my favorite scenes in the whole book.

So I hear you’re interested in writing a couple companion novels to Wanderlove. Which characters do you have in mind (Starling, pretty please)? And would they also take place in South America or are you considering other locations?

RUMOR HAS IT. Unfortunately, I am going to keep all that secret for now, because publishing is so tricky, and there’s very little guarantee I’ll get to write these stories. But I hope I will.

Hubbard in Nicaragua

ON TRAVELING

What’s your most favorite destination on Earth? (And just pick one—no cheating!)

Black Rock City, Nevada. For sure.

What’s one place you’ve never been but are dying to visit?

I’d say the two that I’m wanderlusting after the most right now are India and Colombia.

Name three items you’ll never travel without.

Ooh, good one. Let’s say I’m backpacking, not just visiting my twin in San Francisco:

1. Earplugs are an absolute necessity and nobody should travel without them.

2. A towel. I have a cheap, crappy Panama towel that rolls up super small. I bring it everywhere.

3. An unlined journal or sketchbook. They’re full by the end of each trip.

What’s your favorite travel-inspired novel, and why?

Well, my favorite book of all time is Lolita, and it includes travel. Same with Watership Down. Those bunnies travel very far, on a bunny scale. In YA, I adore Stephanie Perkins’s Anna and the French Kiss, and I really enjoyed Morgan Matson’s Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour. In a tone and discovery sense, they’re the closest thing I’ve found to Wanderlove. Also my friend Kristin Halbrook’s 2013 book Nobody But Us is a fantastic and heartbreaking road trip book.

What are the top five backpacking tips you’d give someone who isn’t familiar with the beauty of backpacks, hostels, and off-the-beaten-path tourism?

I’m working on a long article about this now, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to condense it too well. Basically:

1. Research every place as deeply as possible.
2. Write everything down, including the name of that hostel your found on Google and are sure you’ll remember.
3. Don’t be afraid to ignore or even be rude to aggressive cab drivers/peddlers/tour operators, because they don’t have your best interest at heart.
4. Keep an eye on your stuff at all times.
5. And most of all, TRUST your instincts. If a situation (or person) is pinging your spidey sense, get the hell out of it, even if you don't know why at the time.

Lake Atitlan, which Bria visited in Wanderlove.

RAPID-FIRE ROUND

Thinking back on your travels:

What is your favorite food?

These itty bitty (like, half-dollar sized) pancakes made with corn and coconut milk I bought from a street cart in Phuket, Thailand and have never seen again.

Where’s the best place to read a book?

On the Kindle I left on my plane home from Costa Rica. Delta isn’t responding to my lost & found contact form. As for an actual place—well, nothing makes a bus ride go faster than a good book.

Which city is the easiest to get lost in?

In a scary sense, probably Bangkok. In an “on purpose” sense, I could have wandered around Budapest forever.

Which country has the friendliest people?

Thailand, for sure. I think you can always judge a country’s friendliness by the kids. Some places, they glare at you. Others, they burst into waves, giggles and grins. That’s Thailand.

Where’s the best place to let loose?

I tend to avoid the crazy party spots, like Cancun and Cabo and places like that. Personally, I always feel like the best party is when you’re traveling with a friend or two, and you’ve been in one destination long enough to get to know other backpackers. So much fun.

What’s something you’ll never forget?

The time I was traveling in the rainforests of Livingston, Guatemala, and my ankle inexplicably swelled up the size of a football. I still wonder what bit me. 

Thank you, Kirsten, for chatting!

Guys, if you want to hear more from Kirsten, keep an eye on YA Highway this month. The awesome ladies over there will be revealing a pretty cool feature, which will focus more on Wanderlove and culminate in a video chat. And that’s all for now.

Kirsten Hubbard is a travel writer and the author of Like Mandarin (Random House/Delacorte,  March 8, 2011) and Wanderlove (Random House/Delacorte, March 13, 2012). You can find her online, on her blog, on Facebook, or on Twitter as @kirstenhubbard.