Kat Spears, author of THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER, on always improving craft

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re excited to have Kat Spears join us to share more about her latest novel THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER.

Kat, what was your inspiration for writing THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER?

THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER is loosely based on the old John Wayne western, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE. The movie is a bit cheesy (okay, a lot cheesy), but the underlying story idea is an interesting one. Luke, the main character, becomes a hero in the eyes of his classmates, because of a lie, or rather an unspoken truth. So, he’s not really appreciated for who he is at all. Which I guess is somewhat true for all of us.

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 final confrontation between Luke and Grant was really difficult to write. I rewrote it several times before deciding that really the story isn’t about Luke confronting Grant. The story is about Luke confronting himself. Once I got over that hurdle, the final version came pretty easily.

The scene from GRANT PARKER that I love the most is when Luke goes to the hospital to find out if Grant is alive or dead. It was probably one of the easiest scenes to write because dialogue is always easy for me to write and in this scene Luke is carrying on a dialogue with his inner voice. I love Luke’s inner voice. It’s my own voice injected into the story.

How long did you work on THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER?

I always work on a story in my head for a few months, and describe the proposed plot verbally to friends or random strangers who sit at my bar as I work through a mental outline. I start putting words to paper about six or eight months after hatching the idea. The writing process itself takes about nine months to a year, including the work I do with my editor to finalize the nuances. All told, from concept to finished work, it took me about 18 months to produce THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER.

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

As ever, writing this book reminded me that no matter how much I practice, my craft could always be improved. That’s a good thing. Writing is the only job I’ve ever had that gets harder the longer I do it. It’s the only job I’ve ever had that hasn’t become boring after six months.

What do you hope readers will take away from THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER?

If everyone who reads THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER just gets a few good laughs out of it, that would make me happy enough.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a manuscript called 87 DAYS. It’s a love story. Sort of. I call it a “comedy of depression.” It should be out in September 2017, again from St. Martin’s Griffin.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker
by Kat Spears
Hardcover
St. Martin’s Griffin
Released 9/13/2016

Luke Grayson’s life might as well be over when he’s forced to go live in rural Tennessee with his Baptist pastor father. His reputation as a troublemaker has followed him there, and as an outsider, Luke is automatically under suspicion by everyone from the principal at his new school to the local police chief. His social life is no better. The new kid in town is an easy target for Grant Parker, the local golden boy with a violent streak who has the entire community of Ashland under his thumb.

But things go topsy-turvy when a freak accident removes Grant from the top of the social pyramid, replacing him with Luke. This fish out of water has suddenly gone from social outcast to hero in a matter of twenty-four hours. For the students who have lived in fear of Grant all their lives, this is a welcome change. But Luke’s new found fame comes with a price. Nobody knows the truth about what really happened to Grant Parker except for Luke, and the longer he keeps living the lie, the more like Grant Parker he becomes.

Purchase The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker at Amazon
Purchase The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker at IndieBound
View The Boy Who Killed Grant Parker on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I write about beautifully flawed people, because those are the people I know. If you want only happy endings, then I’m definitely not the author for you. I am a novelist, bartender, mother of three freeloading kids, and, apparently, the only person on the planet who reads in the shower. I am the author of SWAY and BREAKAWAY. The forthcoming THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER will be released in September 2016, also from St. Martin’s Press. Follow me on Twitter at katwritesbooks and Instagram at katwrites or follow my playlists on Spotify at katbooks.

—

Have you had a chance to read THE BOY WHO KILLED GRANT PARKER yet? Have any of your stories been inspired by a movie? Do you find that writing gets harder the longer you do it? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy reading,

Jocelyn, Shelly, Martina, Anisaa, Sam, Erin, Susan, Michelle, Laura, 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: Sep 17, 2016

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

Welcome to Transmedia Mutts

Yellow origami dog on a teal background

Unleash your creative bark!

Shout out to AYAP!

Logo for Adventures in YA Publishing

Thank you to the women who started Adventures in YA Publishing and ran it for years. AYAP and TMM have merged to form Adventures in PUPlishing, and the legacy AYAP posts are now part of TMM. Click here to learn more about the earlier AYAP team.

Click to Join our Facebook Group

Share advice, practice pitching, celebrate successes, and support each other through writing and publishing adventures.

← Previous: Zan Romanoff, author of A SONG TO TAKE THE WORLD APART, on all writing being in some way autobiographical Next: Marina Budhos, author of WATCHED, on learning to find your own particular way of seeing things →

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.

Dog holding a sign that says Pupdates!

Sign up for our newsletter for pupdates and publishing advice