RuthAnne Snow, author of WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS, on trashing a draft

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re delighted to have RuthAnne Snow join us to share more about her debut novel, WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS.

RuthAnne, what was your inspiration for writing WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS?

There were a lot of different elements that inspired me to start writing WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS. A big one was reading THIRTEEN REASONS WHY and wishing it had focused more on mental health. I think that book is good at a lot of different things, but it doesn’t really explore the “one reason” that most people experience suicidal ideation and exhibit suicidal behaviors.

I also really wanted to write a friendship book about girls who support and love each other even when they challenge and frustrate each other. And I decided to throw in a lot of LITTLE WOMEN Easter Eggs while I was at it.

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 scene where Elin is found and saved. I can’t be more specific about that without spoilers, but I love it a lot.

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

My first editor, Rachel Stark, first said that my book was like THIRTEEN REASONS meets PAPER TOWNS, which I think is pretty accurate. I also think it would appeal to people who enjoy voicey, serious-funny friendship books like Jeff Zentner’s THE SERPENT KING, which I absolutely loved. I think the mystery piece of it will appeal to fans of Kit Frick’s SEE ALL THE STARS, which you should definitely read if you haven’t yet.

How long did you work on WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS?

About nine months of drafting followed by 4-5 months of revising.

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

It taught me to let go of my first vision for things when it no longer works. The book has two different timelines – Elin’s senior year before her suicide attempt, and then the night of prom for her three friends. But both timelines basically proceed chronologically.

My original idea for the book was to take both timelines and basically put them in a blender—the story being told forwards and backwards and upside down. I had this really “arty” idea that this would serve to illustrate the complex nature of mental illness, but honestly it was just a disaster and confusing and it got in the way of readers connecting to the characters. So I trashed it and never looked back, which had been something that was hard for me before. I can be a bit of a stubborn writer.

What do you hope readers will take away from WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS?

That it’s ok to ask for help, whatever your problems are.

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

Hmm. Are we ever supposed to talk about that? Ha. Well, WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS is the fourth book I wrote and I had to wait a reaaaaally long time before announcing my deal, which was hard. I’d been trying to be published for years and I’d actually had a book deal for the third book I’d written but it ended up falling apart. I’d like to self-publish that one someday, but we will see.

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

I usually write at home, either on the couch with a laptop or in my home office. I like music playlists and tend to listen to the same 10 or so songs over and over again. I like drinking something fizzy (La Croix and Red Bull and Diet Coke are my go-tos) and eating something chewy, usually licorice.

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

Just stick with it. Everyone has a unique perspective, unique voice, and your stories are worth telling.

What are you working on now?

A few different things, but honestly, I am kind of a superstitious writer. I feel like when I talk too much about WIPs, they lose a little magic so I keep them to myself until I’m ready to share with CPs and betas.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When the Truth Unravels
by RuthAnne Snow
Hardcover
Sky Pony Press
Released 1/8/2019

Last month, Elin tried to kill herself.

She knows she’s lucky that her parents found her in time. Lucky to be going to prom with her three best friends, like any other teen. Like it never happened. And if she has anything to say about it, no one but her best friends will ever know it did.

Jenna, Rosie, and Ket will do anything to keep Elin’s secret–and to make sure it never happens again. That’s why they’re determined to make prom the perfect night. The night that convinces Elin that life is worth living.

Except, at prom, Elin goes missing.

Now it’s up to her friends to find her. But each of the girls has her own demons to face. Ket is being blackmailed by an ex. Rosie is falling in love for the first time. And Jenna . . .

Jenna is falling apart.

And no one, not even her best friends, knows why.

Heart-wrenching and utterly impossible to put down, When the Truth Unravels follows four friends as they confront their greatest hopes and darkest secrets during one life-changing night.

Purchase When the Truth Unravels at Amazon
Purchase When the Truth Unravels at IndieBound
View When the Truth Unravels on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RuthAnne Snow was born and raised in Kaysville, Utah. She was a sorority girl in college and social activities director in law school―which was a lot like being back in the sorority. She loves traveling, watching horror movies, and baking. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and dogs. WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS is her first novel.

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Have you had a chance to read WHEN THE TRUTH UNRAVELS yet? Do you put Easter Eggs into your writing? Have you had to let go of a vision that wasn’t working? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Jocelyn, Halli, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, and Kelly

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: Jan 12, 2019

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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← Previous: Brenda Drake, author of ANALIESE RISING, on staying on your path Next: Karen M. McManus, author of TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET, on boiling your book down to its briefest essence →

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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