Darcy Woods, author of SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS, on figuring out your definition of success

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Darcy Woods join us to share more about debut novel SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS.

Darcy, what was your inspiration for writing SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS?

It was a dark and starry night… No, really. It was! Nearly all of my stories spring from that magical moment when I first glimpse my main character. SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS was no exception. So there I was, stargazing while swatting away mosquitos the size of caribou, when I had a thought: If the stars could speak, what would they say? That’s when Wilamena Carlisle crash-landed in my imagination and whispered, I speak the language of the stars. I can tell you. Well, one look at her cateye glasses, finger waves, and 40s vintage dress, and I knew–this girl had a story to tell! Wil was simply a FORCE from the moment I “saw” her.

What book or books would most resonate with readers who love your book–or visa versa?

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins (for funny and swoon)

TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han (for motherly loss and swoon)

THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Jennifer E. Smith (for fate and swoon)

Yes, ladies and gents, you will note there is a common denominator of SWOON here. But in addition to the romance, there are also elements of hilarity, poignancy, and questioning your lifelong beliefs. (Plus there’s a questioning of choice in underwear in chapter 1, but I digress.)

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

My advice is to seriously ponder this question at a marrow level: What is your definition of success? Because for the vast majority of writers, you will hear the word “no” an insane amount of times. In some cases *cough* over *cough* 200. So success to me has nothing to do with contracts or money or New York Times bestselling lists (although that all sounds mighty fine). It is in the ability to protect the fire that blazes in your writer soul from being extinguished. And then in the face of whatever your adversity…you manage to burn brighter. THAT is success to me.

What do you hope readers will take away from SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS?

When readers turn that last and final page, it’s my sincerest hope that they find a smile on their face. And in their heart. The world can feel so full of darkness. It was my intention to create something that offered light. An incredibly wise man (yep, I’m about to quote Gandhi) once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I choose to do this through the stories I tell. And if you happen to snort-laugh while reading, all the better. 🙂

ABOUT THE BOOK

Summer of Supernovas
by Darcy Woods
Hardcover
Crown Books for Young Readers
Released 5/10/2016

Fans of Jennifer E. Smith and Jenny Han will fall in love with this heartfelt and humor-laced debut following one girl’s race to find the guy of her cosmic dreams.

When zodiac-obsessed teen Wilamena Carlisle discovers a planetary alignment that won’t repeat for a decade, she’s forced to tackle her greatest astrological fear: The Fifth House—relationships and love.

But when Wil falls for a sensitive guitar player hailing from the wrong side of the astrology chart, she must decide whether a cosmically doomed love is worth rejecting her dead mother’s legacy and the very system she’s faithfully followed through a lifetime of unfailing belief.

Purchase Summer of Supernovas at Amazon
Purchase Summer of Supernovas at IndieBound
View Summer of Supernovas on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Young adult author Darcy Woods had three big loves in grade school: Reading, writing, and pizza day. Some things never change. She lives in Michigan with her madly supportive husband, two tuxedo cats (who overdress for everything) and a closet full of neatly organized shoes. Once upon a time, she served in a US Army aviation unit and threw live grenades. Now she throws words.

Darcy’s Golden Heart®-winning debut YA romance, SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS, comes out from Random House/Crown May 10, 2016.

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Have you had a chance to read SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS yet? What is your definition of success? Do you burn brighter in the face of adversity? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy reading,

Jocelyn, Shelly, Martina, Anisaa, Sam, Erin, Susan, Lindsey, Sarah, and Kristin

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: May 14, 2016

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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