I am beyond excited today to be able to have this conversation with author, Becca Fitzpatrick. Becca wrote the YA book hush, hush and she has agreed to take some time and join me here.
Please welcome Becca Fitzpatrick!
So Becca, thank you for taking the time to share a little with me and my readers about you and your wonderful book hush hush. This being your first book, what was the idea that brought this story line together?
Becca: I started writing HUSH, HUSH in 2003, after my husband enrolled me in a writing class for my birthday (I should add that he’s very creative when it comes to gifts). For one of the class assignments, my instructor asked me to write a scene “showing, not telling, humiliation.” Typically for these assignments, I wrote fictional pieces, but with this particular assignment, I was struck by the memory of something that happened to me in my tenth-grade biology class. My teacher had asked me, in front of the whole class, to name characteristics I’d want in a mate. It was really embarrassing. For those who’ve read HUSH, HUSH, you can probably guess exactly which scene in the book was the result of this writing assignment! Over the course of five years, that scene expanded into a chapter, then several chapters, then an entire book – HUSH, HUSH.
That is such a great memory! Describe that feeling when you first knew your book is going to be published?
Becca: *Laughing* I’m having a really hard time finding the words to describe the shock and euphoria of achieving a dream! Even supercalifragilisticexpialidocious seems to fall a little short. After what probably amounted to close to one hundred rejections for HUSH, HUSH, I thought it would be a miracle if the book was published. And maybe it was a miracle. I find the whole thing was pretty miraculous!
Oh my gosh – that is fantastic. You hear of so many authors that are rejected tim eand again and it just s takes that one person… well, here you are! The title hush hush is fantastic. How did you come up with this title and why is is in small letters?
Becca: I’m not sure why it’s in small letters. You’ll have to ask Lucy Cummins at Simon & Schuster, the creative mind behind HUSH, HUSH’s cover design. I can say, however, that I love it! When I was searching for titles, I stumbled across the definition of the word hush in the dictionary. It means “to keep concealed.” I thought that was a perfect description of Patch and Nora’s relationship in this book. After all, he’s keeping quite a few things from her.
That is perfect! To me the small “hush hush” makes me think of quiet…. like a secret. What advice would you give someone who would like to write a novel?
Becca: I highly recommend keeping a journal, and writing in it daily. You never know when your own life experiences will inspire a story. Try not to procrastinate. Sometimes it can be tempting to think and plan and plot the novel, but never actually sit down to write it. The crazy thing is, most of the time, the plot and characters evolve during the writing process. And while this might seem a little repetitive, it bears repeating. READ. Read, read, read. It’s brain candy 🙂
Every Author I chat with I ask them to share one little known fact about themselves.
Becca: I played the clarinet in my high school marching band. After the halftime performance, I always sneaked off and went home. School spirit, right here!
That is seriously awesome! I think that right there is a great scene for a book. You are filled with great material! Is there anything new and exciting coming up?
Becca: Lots of exciting things coming up! I’m going on tour for HUSH, HUSH during January and February. I’ll be in Texas, Arizona, and California. For a full lineup, visit my website at beccafitzpatrick.com
Well Becca I am excited for the second book that is due out fall 2010! Thank you so much for stopping by and hanging out with us here at One Persons Journey Through A World of Books!
Great interview! I really enjoyed this book.
Thanks Zia! I enjoyed it too!
Great interview! I’ll be on the lookout for her next novel!
Hi Lydia! I am looking forward to it too!
Great review Sheila. I look forward to reading this book.
It is a wonderful read Alexa.
100 rejections! Wow,. there is hope for us all. Great interview Sheila.
LOL Vivienne, I keep thinking of JK Rowling… turned down at least that many times. I think the message here is do not get discouraged! 🙂
Great interview Sheila! How exciting to be able to talk with Becca! Have this one in my TBR pile, but haven’t gotten to it yet.
Thanks Alexia! Get to it soon – it is good!
Great interview. Hush Hush will definitely be on my shopping list.
Excellent blog by the way. A treasure trove for book lovers!
Thank you Wendy! I appreciate that!
Excellent interview! I am even more interested in reading Hush, Hush now.
Oh good Stephanie – Becca is wonderful and so is her book!
Great interview Sheila! Love the new layout too!!
Thanks Julie J – I am pretty excited about the layout too!
This sounds like a really compelling book! Thanks for sharing with us.
BTW, I go away for a few hours and come back to your totally revamped site!
Wow! How did you get the background colors? I know places where I get backgrounds for Blogger, but I haven’t run across any for Word Press.
Hey, I like your new button, too!
Hey Laurel, I upgraded for the CSS and then the powers that be at Bloggiesta walked me through it. 🙂
Once I figured out how to do it, it went fast but still havent found the right one to change my tabs to a darker color so they can be seen!
Love, love, love the chat and love what you’ve done to your blog! The colors are fabulous and so is the Q & A!
Thanks J Kaye – I appreciate your kind comments!
Great interview with a fantastic new writer. I can’t wait till the next book comes out.
I am with you Ryan!
Wow-I like the new green look.
Thanks Esme! 🙂 Part of the Bloggiesta clean up of my blog!
Nice interview. Since I started blogging I’ve been a bit inimidated by interviews. My goal for 2010 is to take the plunge and do one so it was great reading yours. I really enjoyed “Hush, Hush” when I read it last fall.
Thank you Jill! It is really a lot of fun! 🙂
This was one of my favorite 2009 readsand I’m so excited for Cresendo! Thanks for the interview Sheila & Becca 🙂 Wow, 100 rejections, crazy!
I really liked it too Mel!
Great interview! I must read this book!!!!!
Thanks Jeannie – yes read the book! 🙂
Very interesting interview. I’ll have to put this one on my list.
Natalie I am so surprised you havent read this one! You must!
That is really neat how the book started with a writing class as a gift from her husband. I really like that idea. Sounds like she has really enjoyed the ride of writing the book and then it being published.
Amazing! Thanks for the great interview.
Meliisa – yeah I love that too. I want a writing class gift….LOL
I have heard nothing but good things about this book. It is at the top of my wish list for our library. (Hopefully we’ll get some book money soon!) The number of quality YA books that have come out in the past year or so has been wonderful. It is great to have good books to put out there and recommend to our teens.
Pat this is a wonderful comment – how exciting to think that there is a waiting list for this book. I had always hoped to be an author (a dream still unfulfilled) and that just excited me to think of people waiting for a book!
I wish I had pushed myself earlier to write. At my age, it is a little late to try and start. I’ll spend my time encouraging others to read more and write if they want to. Encouragement was something I never go.
Pat I agree – I wish I would have been more committed earlier on to my writing. Life happens and suddenly you are like, “what happened to that dream?”
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