This month’s Twitterview is Kat Rosenfield, whose debut novel Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone blew me away. Kat was more than thrilled to not only talk to me about the book, but she offered up a peak into what else she writes and a glimpse at her skills as an artist. Oh, and a Mick Jagger reference and a reference to lint. Bonus: I’m giving away a finished copy of this fantastic book at the end, too.
Without further ado, Kat.
Pitch Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone in 140 characters.
Two girls meet at a crossroads of sex, shameful pasts, and small-town secrets. By the time you read this, one will already be dead.
What inspired Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone?
A trip to my hometown. It’s small, insular. I thought: “What would happen if, one day, there was just a dead body on the side of the road?”
What should readers walk away with from Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone?
The urge to peek into their neighbors’ windows.
This is a story about a small town with secrets. Any personal experience with either one?
Both! Good thing the character limit keeps me from telling you about this guy who dressed up a garden gnome in lingerie and… well, anyway.
Becca’s a girl with dreams and big goals for herself after high school. What was your “big dream” for yourself post-high school?
I wanted desperately to be a lounge singer. Stop laughing. It’s not a joke!
Do you believe there are clear cut good/bad characters in your story and if so, who falls where?
Nope, no absolutes here. AMELIA is all shades of gray; good people do terrible things, a vile one dies a martyr and becomes a saint.
If you had to give your book a “____ meets _____” pitch, what two (or three! or four!) books/films/shows would Amelia Anne be a meeting of?
Oh no, I’m awful at this. It’s like… Lovely Bones meets Turtle Moon meets Gilmore Girls meets a piece of lint? Or something.
My main gigs are writing news/gossip on MTV’s Hollywood Crush and an illustrated column on SparkLife.
Who or what do you write for?
Everything I write, I write in the hopes that Christopher Walken may someday read it and want to be my friend. EVERYTHING. #everything
What was your most influential read as a teenager?
I wasn’t quite a teen yet, but THE SHINING. Amazing book, and it scared me so badly that I’m still irrationally terrified of bathtubs.
Who are your top three writing influences?
Stephen King (for plot), Megan Abbot (for language), and Dorothy Parker (for sparkling wit and brass balls.)
Who do you believe is breaking ground in YA right now?
John Green. I’m convinced he has a direct line into the YA brain. Whatever’s happening, he’s always right there. Maureen Johnson, too.
What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
I was annoyed about a bad review; my husband said, “If Mick Jagger wouldn’t give a shit about it, then neither should you.” Good advice.
What’s your best writing advice to give?
Read, read, read. Oh, and also, practice safe sex. Writing is a lot harder when you have herpes.
What is your writing routine?
On good days, I do freelance work in the morning and write fiction in the afternoon. (On bad days, I write nothing, eat Cheetos, and cry.)
What gets you jazzed to write?
Everything! But particularly: a winter afternoon, an empty apartment, and a couple of really good beers.
Do you have a writing soundtrack? Care to share a bit?
I’m like a lot of writers in that I can’t work to music. I can, however, work to Law & Order reruns. DUN-DUN!
What’s next for you?
Long-term, I’m working on a new book. Short-term, I should probably put some pants on. #justkidding #orami
Favorite ice cream?
The kind that has chunks of cookie dough, chunks of brownie. Chunks of anything, really. I just love chunks.
Your deepest, darkest secret?
Every night, I put on a bear suit and do an interpretive dance to the Batman theme. …What do you mean, “That’s not a secret”?
Oooh! This is probably the new book that's already out (one of my many book categorizations) that I'm most excited to read–and this interview piques my interest even more.
Also, "Writing is a lot harder when you have herpes," seems like very sound advice.
I was already excited to read this (I love small town settings since I was born and raised in a COUNTY with 2 stoplights. The whole county. Anyway, now I'm considering tossing the laptop (figuratively) and watching some Law & Order re-runs myself. And I think my husband brought home some chunky ice cream…. Great interview. 🙂