Pintip Dunn, author of REMEMBER YESTERDAY, on realizing “I am a writer”

by Jocelyn Rish

REMEMBER YESTERDAY is the second book in the Forget Tomorrow series, and we’re excited to have Pintip Dunn stop by to chat about it.

Pintip, what was your inspiration for writing REMEMBER YESTERDAY?

REMEMBER YESTERDAY is a sequel, so I’ll talk about my inspiration for the FORGET TOMORROW series!

I had been writing seriously for years and was getting frustrated with the publication process, namely the rejections. My editor friend sent to me: “I wish I had a crystal ball. Then, I could tell you five years from now, you will definitely be published and you wouldn’t worry about it so much.”

A few days later, I was taking a nap with my toddler son and in that hazy state between being asleep and awake. “Wouldn’t it be great,” I thought, “if we could send memories to our younger selves? Then I could see myself as a successful author and know that all this sweat and blood and tears were worth it.” My next thought was: “Hey, that would make a great idea for a book!” And presto: FORGET TOMORROW was born.

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

I have wanted to be an author since I was six years old, and I have gotten many, many rejection letters. Between agent and editor submissions, I believe I received nearly 150 rejections, on five different books, before I got my first contract.

Rejection is hard, especially when it is for something into which you have poured your heart and soul. In the last fifteen years, I have wanted to quit writing many times. But an interesting thing happened a few years ago. I realized that no matter how the outside world responds, whether or not they like my books, I am a writer. That’s who I am. I can no sooner change that fact than I can change my skin color or my race. So rather than waste so much time thinking about quitting, I should just accept the fact as a given and move on. Coincidentally (or not), one year after I came to this conclusion, I received an offer for my first book. I then sold six more books in the next seven months and then a novella later on. Of all the books I have written, three of them will never see the light of day.

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

Persevere. The path to publication can be long and hard, but the difference between a published and unpublished writer is that the published one didn’t give up.

What are you working on now?

I am writing book 3 of the FORGET TOMORROW series, which is entitled SEIZE TODAY. This book will be released in October of 2017.

I’m also super excited about my YA contemporary thriller, which will be released in July of 2017. GIRL IN BETWEEN is about a Thai-American girl who is caught between cultural worlds, and what happens to her when a stalker comes in and tries to steal her identity.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Remember Yesterday
by Pintip Dunn
Hardcover
Entangled: Teen
Released 10/4/2016

The sequel to the sci-fi hit Forget Tomorrow is a twisting, turning roller-coaster ride—the perfect sci-fi futuristic read.

Seventeen-year-old Jessa Stone is the most valuable citizen in Eden City. Her psychic abilities could lead to significant scientific discoveries — if only she’d let TechRA study her. But after they kidnapped and experimented on her as a child, cooperating with the scientists is the last thing Jessa would do.

But when she discovers the past isn’t what she assumed, Jessa must join forces with budding scientist Tanner Callahan to rectify a fatal mistake made ten years ago. She’ll do anything to change her past — even if it means aligning herself with the enemy she swore to defeat.

Purchase Remember Yesterday at Amazon
Purchase Remember Yesterday at IndieBound
View Remember Yesterday on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When her first-grade teacher asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Pintip replied, “An author.” Although she has pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered. Pintip graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.

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Have you had a chance to read REMEMBER YESTERDAY yet? Have you been tempted to quit writing? What keeps you going? 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: Oct 9, 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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