Heather W. Petty, author of LOCK & MORI, on being a delicate flower when it comes to violence

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Heather W. Petty stop by to tell us more about her debut novel LOCK & MORI.

Heather, what was your inspiration for writing LOCK & MORI?

I read an article about nemesis relationships in literature that used the relationship between Sherlock and Moriarty as one of the examples. The writer pointed out that the only information we have about Moriarty from the canon comes from Sherlock, because no one else meets Moriarty, not even Watson. I hadn’t noticed that when I read the books and stories as a kid, so I went back and reread that story. I started to think, what if Sherlock lied to Watson for some reason? What if Sherlock and Moriarty had known each other in their past, had maybe even been close friends? What if something had happened in their past that turned them into enemies?

And, of course, that morphed and changed until it eventually became LOCK & MORI. But that article was definitely the inspiration!

What scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

Mori’s father is physically and verbally abusive in the story, and those scenes for me were the hardest to write. I can be a bit of a delicate flower when it comes to violence, especially violence against children. I luckily had a couple of friends who were generous enough to share with me their own experiences and who offered to look over the scenes. I’m so, so grateful for them.

My favorite scenes to write were probably all of the scenes that took place in rental boats out on the Regent’s Park lake. But the one that stands out the most is the scene where Lock asks Mori if she’s a feminist. Crafting her ideals and his reactions was really, really fun.

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?

I mostly write at home, though a change of venue can help if I’m feeling a little blocked, or like I’m not being as productive as I need to be. I always listen to music. I have a playlist for every project, and I need the noise to help me to tune out all the little distractions and focus in on the words. I don’t have much of a ritual. I basically just make sure I have something to drink and the music on, then open up my document and start writing. Swedish Fish, if I’m feeling indulgent. A cuddling cat or two, if I’m feeling anxious. Twitter, if I’m feeling slightly whiny. 😉

What are you working on now?

I’m working on Lock & Mori book 2 now!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lock & Mori
by Heather W. Petty
Hardcover
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Released 9/15/2015

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students, one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty, meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more.

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule–they must share every clue with each other–Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

Purchase Lock & Mori at Amazon
Purchase Lock & Mori at IndieBound
View Lock & Mori on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Petty has been obsessed with mysteries since she was twelve, which is when she decided that stories about murders in London drawing rooms and English seaside villages were far superior to all other stories. Lock & Mori is her first novel. She lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband, daughter, and four hopelessly devious cats. You can visit her online at heatherwpetty.com.

Have you had a chance to read LOCK & MORI yet? Do you have friends who share their experiences to help make your writing more authentic? Does a change of venue help if you’re blocked?

Happy reading,

Jocelyn, Shelly, Martina, Erin, Lisa, Susan, Jen, Sam, Lindsey, Sandra, Kristin, and Anisaa

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: Sep 20, 2015

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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