Kathleen Glasgow, author of GIRL IN PIECES, on writing as a way to reach out to others

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re excited to have Kathleen Glasgow here to give us more info about her debut novel GIRL IN PIECES.

Kathleen, what book or books would most resonate with readers who love your book—or vice versa?

If books like All the Rage, Speak, Wintergirls, All the Bright Places, The Serpent King, The First Time She Drowned, Thirteen Reasons Why, What We Saw, Asking for It, or Girl, Interrupted were books that tore your heart and earned a place in the library of your soul, then Girl in Pieces is for you. Like those books, I don’t pull any punches when I talk about the hard stuff of growing up, or what it feels like to be lonely. But also like those books: there is hope, there is laughter, there is a ladder out.

What was your inspiration for writing GIRL IN PIECES?

I realized I was going to write the book I didn’t really want to write when I saw a girl on the bus with scars like mine and I didn’t reach out to her. This book is me reaching out to her, and to all the boys and girls with scars inside and out.

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

I find writing rituals endless fascinating. Each and every time I sit down to write I think about how Colm Toibin writes in a really, really, really hard and uncomfortable chair—the lack of comfort makes him work harder, and on a different emotional level. I don’t do that! I write in a variety of places. I have a desk at home with a thrift-store rolly chair, but I also write in libraries at least twice a week. They are my home. Books are my friends. I like looking around and seeing them, everywhere. Also, libraries are great for people-watching. And for stumbling upon weird stuff in the stacks that somehow make it into your books. Like, um, llama farms. Not that I would know anything about that. No. Not me.

Is there a scene that you particularly love?

I had THE BEST time thinking up the song lyrics for all the bands and singers in the book. I had to think up lyrics for coffee shop punk bands, a strong young female singer in a tattered dress, and for Riley’s band, Long Home. The name of Riley’s band is a nod to one of my favorite writers, William Gay. Also! Writing about the music video of Riley’s band and trying to imagine what that would be. (Hint: checkered shirts and girls in Daisy Dukes and pickup truck.)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Girl in Pieces
by Kathleen Glasgow
Hardcover
Delacorte Press
Released 8/30/2016

For fans of Girl, Interrupted, Thirteen Reasons Why, and All the Bright Places comes Kathleen Glasgow’s debut novel about a girl who has lost everything—almost even herself.

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

A deeply moving portrait of a teenage girl on the verge of losing herself and the journey she must take to survive in her own skin, Kathleen Glasgow’s debut is heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest. It’s a story you won’t be able to look away from.

Purchase Girl in Pieces at Amazon
Purchase Girl in Pieces at IndieBound
View Girl in Pieces on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen Glasgow lives in Tucson, Arizona and writes for The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor, which means she could probably entertain you for hours with quirky tidbits about the lives of dead writers. She likes Tyrion and Shireen, musty old paperbacks from used bookstores that have cats wandering the aisles, cheesecake, coffee, and the Isle of Skye. Visit her on Twitter (@kathglasgow), Instagram (misskathleenglasgow), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/KathleenGlas…) or her website (www.kathleenglasgowbooks.com).

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Have you had a chance to read GIRL IN PIECES yet? Have you written a book you didn’t want to write? Do you think writing in an uncomfortable chair would help your work? 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 4, 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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