Lisa Brown Roberts, author of THE REPLACEMENT CRUSH, on the importance of a strong critique group

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Lisa Brown Roberts swing by to give us the scoop on her latest novel THE REPLACEMENT CRUSH.

Lisa, 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?

I really love the “grand finale/grand gesture” scene, and early readers and reviewers have let me know they love it, too, which makes me so happy. I had so much fun writing to it and creating the build-up to it. But I can’t say much else because of spoilers!

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

Probably other YA romances by authors like Kasie West, Kelly Oram, Morgan Matson, and Marnie Bates.

What do you hope readers will take away from THE REPLACEMENT CRUSH?

That romance novels are nothing to be sneered at; rather they’re stories of transformation with powerful heroines in charge of their own journeys. That real heroes are partners- funny, smart, and thoughtful, and willing to take on the bad guys if necessary. Also the importance of friendship- Vivian is surrounded by supportive women, including her mom, her book club, and her best friends.

How long or hard was your road to publication? How many books did you write before this one, and how many never got published?

The Replacement Crush is my fourth published novel. Before I published my first book (How (not) to Fall in Love), I wrote two other novels that shall never see the light of day, and that’s for the best! Participating in a critique group of published authors who mentored me made all the difference, and I highly recommend that. But you need to find knowledgeable, constructive critiquers who know their stuff, not people who tell you everything you write is good, or people who tear apart everything without valid reasons and suggestions for improvement.

I joined the critique group in 2004 and my first book was published in 2015—so yeah, a long journey, but much of that had to do with a lot of personal life crises I was going through at the same time. I credit my author friends for getting me through all of it, because I believed that if I stopped attending group meetings, my chance at making it as an author was probably over. So even when I wasn’t writing I still attended meetings and learned from what everyone else was working on.

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

I typically get up between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. every day and get in at least two hours of writing before seeing my son off to school and heading to my day job. I’m a morning person, so this works for me, and I love writing in the early hours when no one else is stirring. I brew a pot of coffee, then queue up my book’s music playlist to put me into the groove of the story, then I write.

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

Everything changed for me when I decided I didn’t want to look back on my life and regret not writing. Something clicked for me internally, and it was like a match to kerosene. There were other life circumstances that impacted me too, but I think everyone can tap into this deep passion and desire. If you want to write, you will find a way and make the time.

Also, I’m a firm advocate of writing every day. Some days I might only make notes on future projects, but most days I’m generating word count. I’ve discovered writing is like any other muscle and the more you use it the stronger it gets.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on several other YA romances for Entangled Teen that will be releasing over the next couple of years, both print single title books and e-books for their Teen Crush imprint. I’m excited about all of my projects. I never get tired of watching my characters fall in love, with lots of funny banter and swoony kissing along the way.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Replacement Crush
by Lisa Brown Roberts
Paperback
Entangled: Teen
Released 9/6/2016

True love can’t be strategized.

After book blogger Vivian Galdi’s longtime crush pretends their secret summer kissing sessions never happened, Vivian creates a list of safe crushes, determined to protect her heart.

But nerd-hot Dallas, the sweet new guy in town, sends the mission and Vivian’s zing meter into chaos. While designing software for the bookstore where Vivian works, Dallas wages a counter-mission.

Operation Replacement Crush is in full effect. And Dallas is determined to take her heart off the shelf.

Purchase The Replacement Crush at Amazon
Purchase The Replacement Crush at IndieBound
View The Replacement Crush on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn’t recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life’s painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.

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Have you had a chance to read THE REPLACEMENT CRUSH yet? Do you have a knowledgeable and constructive critique group? Do you tap into your deep passion to write? 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 11, 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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