KidLit Alert!
Grier Cooper
WISH
Once upon a time, Grier Cooper and I were in a critique group together. I have watched her writing morph and evolve into something you won't want to put down!
Grier is passionate about writing and ballet and it pours through her work. Below are the questions I asked her about her debut novel, WISH.
- You’re releasing your debut novel on Dec. 2nd. How are you launching?
WISH will be available in paperback and digital
formats so I am planning to launch using a few different methods. There will be
a blog tour beginning December 2nd and a number of guest posts and
interviews on several sites that focus on ballet and young adult literature.
I'm doing a countdown on my blog with posts covering different aspects of the
book. I regularly use social media, primarily Twitter and Facebook, to reach
readers across the globe. In early January I will host a book launch party and
then begin a local tour promoting the book through author visits and book
talks/signings.
- Who did the cover? How did you find them?
LJ
Anderson of Mayhem Cover Creations made the cover for WISH. I discovered LJ
through Joel Friedlander's blog and liked her work. I took the photograph of
the ballet dancer (I worked for more than 15 years as a commercial photographer
before turning to write full-time). LJ took it and did her magic, adding
colors and layering in additional elements.
- What makes WISH something YA readers should read?
Dance has been one of the few constants in my life and
my dance life has shaped who I am in the world today. Many people don’t get to
experience this world firsthand and I wanted to give readers an insider’s
perspective.
I also feel strongly about the difficulties of growing
up in a dysfunctional family. I know the long-term implications from personal
experience: my mother was an alcoholic. You learn to distrust your instincts
and feelings, to play small, and to stay quiet when you know you should speak
up.
Young adulthood is a time of huge transition and change
even when there are healthy family dynamics. It’s a time to find your voice, to
clarify who you are and who you want to be in the future. It’s not an easy road
to navigate. I wrote WISH to give readers hope, to show them a path to
self-empowerment, and to help them understand they can create change in their lives.
- How long did it take you to write this book? Revise?
I began writing WISH several years ago, in between
writing a bunch of other things. The first draft took me a little over a year
to write because I wrote in very short bursts. As we all know a first draft
needs a lot of editing. I spent a lot of time combing through my novel and
polishing it, then worked with a group of other YA writers to get feedback. My
critique partners asked a lot of questions, often about things that I hadn’t
thought about.
Even after the work I’d done revising and implementing
some of their suggestions my novel still wasn’t quite there. I tinkered some more;
focusing on the parts I felt needed more work. I'd say all totaled it took me
2-3 years.
- What made you choose to self-publish?
The publishing industry is changing so much and
independent publishing is really growing. In today’s market it’s the author’s
name that sells a book; we writers are our own brand. All writers have to do
the work of growing that name through marketing and promotion, whether they are
traditionally published or self-published. That is the reality. I realized if
I’m going to do the work anyway, why not do it on my terms?
I also didn’t want to wait years to see my book on
shelf. I have many other books in the pipeline and I wanted to keep moving
forward. I’ve enjoyed maintaining my creative freedom and having the ultimate
say on things like cover design. I also like knowing that after all I’ve put
into it my book won’t expire or go out of print.
I’ve found the world of indie publishing to be
incredibly giving and supportive, which has been a nice surprise. I’m really
grateful to the other indie writers out there who share their knowledge and
expertise so willingly.
- Why did you choose the name Indigo Stevens as your main character?
A lot of people have asked
where the name Indigo came from. It’s an unusual name, I’ll admit, and there’s
a story behind it. Before I tell the story, humor me and guess which of the
following is true:
a. Indigo’s mom is an interior designer who
named her daughter after her favorite wall accent color.
b. The name is a secret identity.
c. It’s a family name.
If you guessed a or c then you failed this
pop quiz (kidding). The real answer is b, the name Indigo is a secret identity.
Specifically, it is my secret identity, but only for a few weeks each
year when I am a summer camp counselor. Don’t ask me why the counselors all
have alter egos – this mysterious practice has never been fully explained to
me, even though I’ve been working at this camp for five years now. All I know
is the first day I showed up for training I was told to pick a name – although
there were certain rules: I couldn’t pick a name that was already being used by
another counselor and the name had to fit on the name tag.
Mostly this secret identity thing works
really well, except for a few random encounters with other counselors outside
of camp. At that point I always feel a little awkward because I’ve worked elbow
to elbow with these people and I still don’t know their names. It feels a
little funny to say, “Hey, Bluebird, how’s it going?” anywhere outside of camp.
But then again, they’re stuck in the same
awkward name conundrum that I am, and when they say, “Hey, Indigo, how are
you?” I just smile.
- This book is set in and around a ballet studio. What do you know about ballet?
- Which character is most like you in WISH?
I’m a bit like of many of my characters. I have aspects
of Indigo’s emotional sensitivity, Miss Roberta’s work ethic and perfectionist
tendencies, and Becky’s supportive nature. I wish I had more of Monique’s sass
and Jesse’s laid back attitude.
The cool thing about creating characters is that even
though I come up with the initial vision they eventually take on a life of
their own. I’m often surprised by some of the things they say or do and I’ll
think to myself wow, I never would say that to someone. Which is strange since
the idea came out of my head. But it’s what the character would do, not what I
would do.
- How difficult or easy is it to self-publish?
I'd advise anyone who is considering self-publishing
to develop a solid plan before starting. This process is not particularly
complicated but there are a lot of details to manage so organization is key.
It's a process I've thoroughly enjoyed although it's been a lot of work.
Essentially you're doing the job of four people when you self-publish. I've
written and edited the work, researched and hired professionals to help me
create the finished product and I've done all of my own marketing and
PR....which means I wrote another novel's worth of content! Oh yes, I also
built and maintain my own website. However, I think it's amazing that today's
technology makes these things possible.
- Where should your fans send mail? Email?
The best way to find me is by email: griercooper@gmail.com. You can also
find me on Twitter (@griercooper) and Facebook.
- Is there a sequel in the making?
I'm happy to say that this is a planned trilogy, and
it's already in the works.
- Coffee? Tea? Chocolate? Or all three?
I enjoy all three...although chocolate is a rare
treat, and I drink tea during the winter. When I was younger, I never thought I'd
get into coffee. A friend told me that would change once I became a parent. She
was right... but I stick to one cup in the morning.
- Is it difficult to put your work out there?
It's a little nerve-wracking because you never know
how well it will be accepted. A famous musician friend once told me she never
pays much attention to what people say about her work because she always does her absolute best. There's peace of mind that comes along with
knowing you've done your best. You can't do any more than that, right? So you
put it out there, let it take flight, and move on to the next project.
Great Interview, Grier!
You can find Grier at her healing website: GrierCooper.Com
