Stacey Kade, author of FINDING FELICITY, on the rarity of college-set YA

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re delighted to have Stacey Kade stop by to chat about her latest novel, FINDING FELICITY.

Stacey, what was your inspiration for writing FINDING FELICITY?

When I was a nervous high school senior, I was desperate for stories about going to college. High school was not an awesome experience, and I feared that college would be four more years of the same. Only with more beer and roommates. I wanted a book that would reassure me that geeky, awkward people like me could find a place to belong. But that kind of book didn’t exist then. And even today, college-set YA is fairly rare. So, as an adult, I wrote the book that I’d needed at 17.

Was there an AHA! moment along your road to publication where something suddenly sank in and you felt you had the key to writing a novel? What was it?

I’m not sure there’s ever one thing that’s the key to writing a novel because in my experience every book writes a little differently. 😀 As my critique partner Linnea Sinclair says, “Just because you can ski doesn’t mean you’ve skied this particular mountain.”

That being said, I can definitely point to one moment that made a HUGE difference in my understanding story and story structure. I’m totally a pantser. Or, I was, until I started having contracts and deadlines. So, I struggled when I first started writing because I would simply write down what I saw in my head. I could tell you what someone was doing, but not why or how it connected to anything else in the story. Which meant I got stuck a lot, and I had to revise/rewrite huge portions of my draft. Then I learned about Goal, Motivation, & Conflict and it was like a light bulb went on over my head. Basically, just the idea that the character needed to have a goal, something they were trying to accomplish through the course of the story as this huge eye-opener for me.

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

So many lessons came with this one, and in the way of most life lessons, they were not exactly pain-free. 😀

1) It is more difficult for me to write a story that deeply and personally relates to my own experiences. I get caught up in “it wasn’t really like that for me” instead of focusing on what the story needs.

2) On a related note, I struggle with writing characters who are too similar to who I am in real life (ahem, Caroline). I, strangely enough, seem to do better at conveying characters who I don’t outwardly have much in common with (hello, Alona Dare!) I suspect that’s because I’m forced to put more work into understanding those characters and that, in turn, helps me bring them to life on the page for others more easily. Which is not to say that real-life experience doesn’t help–just that “write what you know” isn’t the be all, end all.

3) Thank goodness for editors! Which, by the way, is a sentiment I have always felt, but I definitely realized it anew this time. Sometimes you really can’t see what your book is missing. My first editor on this book, Christian Trimmer, was the one who suggested that we needed to see Caroline trying to fit in, taking chances to make friends, etc. I argued against that–stupidly–because, to me, it felt like the revelation that she needed to do things differently was enough. Nope, he was right. I just couldn’t see it at the time.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Finding Felicity
by Stacey Kade
Hardcover
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Released 3/20/2018

Caroline Sands has never been particularly good at making friends. And her parents’ divorce and the move to Arizona three years ago didn’t help. Being the new girl is hard enough without being socially awkward too. So out of desperation and a desire to please her worried mother, Caroline invented a whole life for herself—using characters from Felicity, an old show she discovered online and fell in love with.

But now it’s time for Caroline to go off to college and she wants nothing more than to leave her old “life” behind and build something real. However, when her mother discovers the truth about her manufactured friends, she gives Caroline an ultimatum: Prove in this first semester that she can make friends of the nonfictional variety and thrive in a new environment. Otherwise, it’s back to living at home—and a lot of therapy.

Armed with nothing more than her resolve and a Felicity-inspired plan, Caroline accepts the challenge. But she soon realizes that the real world is rarely as simple as television makes it out to be. And to find a place where she truly belongs, Caroline may have to abandon her script and take the risk of being herself.

Purchase Finding Felicity at Amazon
Purchase Finding Felicity at IndieBound
View Finding Felicity on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The daughter of a minister and a music teacher, Stacey Kade grew up reading Harlequin romances on the sly in the basement. Kade is the author of two young adult series (The Ghost and Goth trilogy and the Project Paper Doll series). Her first adult contemporary romance, 738 DAYS, was released earlier this year.

Prior to writing full time, Kade worked as an award-winning copywriter for several Fortune 500 companies. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and their two retired racing greyhounds.

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Have you had a chance to read FINDING FELICITY yet? Do you use goal, motivation, and conflict in your writing? Do you find it easier or harder to write characters who are similar to yourself? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Jocelyn, Halli, Martina, Charlotte, Anisaa, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

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: Mar 24, 2018

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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