Jessi Kirby, author of THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST, on writing being similar to long-distance hiking

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Jessi Kirby stop by to tell us more about her latest novel, THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST.

Jessi, what was your inspiration for writing THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST?

The original idea came from a video I saw that went viral, of a young woman who was insta-famous, who decided to quit social media because she felt it had taken over her life. She seemed so entirely lost in the video, and my heart just went out to her because I know how wrapped up in it people are these days—especially young people. She got a lot of backlash for the video, and from the Instagram community, and then she disappeared, which made me wonder where she went. When I thought about what I might do in that situation, I felt like I would have to remove myself completely, which gave me the idea for the hike.

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?

The end scene was so hard! I think because it’s one moment at the end of long, long journey, and it’s such an important one, I wanted to be sure to leave readers with an ending that felt earned and fitting.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

This book taught me SO much, and that’s because during the writing of it, I actually had the opportunity to hike Mt. Whitney. I was not an avid hiker before, so to do this, I had to train to make sure I’d be ready for Whitney. This meant that I went on many 20+ mile day hikes, and in that process, I learned how to push through discomfort, that I was stronger than I knew, could go farther than I thought, and that the feeling of reaching a summit is worth all of the pain it takes to get there. I also learned that long-distance hiking is so similar to writing a novel. It’s a long haul. You have to push past doubt and obstacles. You also are treated to beautiful moments along the way, and in the end, it truly is about the journey.

What do you hope readers will take away from THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST?

I hope it will inspire readers to want to be in the present moment. To be braver than they think they are. And to find beauty and stillness within themselves, and in nature.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Other Side of Lost
by Jessi Kirby
Hardcover
HarperTeen
Released 8/7/2018

Mari Turner’s life is perfect. That is, at least, to her thousands of followers who have helped her become an internet starlet.

But when she breaks down and posts a video confessing she’s been living a lie—that she isn’t the happy, in love, inspirational online personality she’s been trying so hard to portray—it goes viral and she receives a major backlash.

To get away from it all, she makes an impulsive decision: to hike the entire John Muir Trail. Mari and her late cousin Bri were supposed to do it together, to celebrate their shared eighteenth birthday. But that was before Mari got so wrapped up in her online world that she shut anyone out who questioned its worth—like Bri.

With Bri’s boots and trail diary, a heart full of regret, and a group of strangers that she meets along the way, Mari tries to navigate the difficult terrain of the hike. But the true challenge lies within, as she searches for the way back from to the girl she fears may be too lost to find: herself.

Purchase The Other Side of Lost at Amazon
Purchase The Other Side of Lost at IndieBound
View The Other Side of Lost on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Kirby is the author of six novels for young adults, including The Secret History of Us, Things We Know By Heart, and Moonglass, which was nominated for the ABA New Voices award. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers weekly, and have been published in more than twenty countries.

Jessi grew up in Mammoth Lakes, California and earned a degree in English from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She currently lives in Central California with her husband and two kids, where she spends her time enjoying her family, teaching, writing, reading, running, and trying to make the most out of every day.

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Have you had a chance to read THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST yet? Have you been inspired by a viral video? Do you have trouble with writing endings? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Jocelyn, Halli, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

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: Aug 11, 2018

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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