First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut Novel Day
by Dave Amaditz and
Marcy Collier
As summer is winding down, Marcy and I still have a
lot more on our reading list. If you’re looking for a terrific debut novel,
check out our post today for a book we couldn’t put down.
lot more on our reading list. If you’re looking for a terrific debut novel,
check out our post today for a book we couldn’t put down.
Welcome to August’s version of – First Friday – Five Favorite Things – Debut
Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a
debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the
novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into
the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the
author’s answers in a follow-up post.
Novel Day. In this monthly series, we ask five simple questions about a
debut novel that will hopefully entice anyone reading this post to pick up the
novel and read it themselves, and/or give them at a glance some insight into
the author’s writing style and voice as well as how some of the characters
might think or act. We do this by presenting, first, answers to our Five Favorite Things, followed by the
author’s answers in a follow-up post.
This month we’re pleased to highlight debut YA novelist,
Tess Sharpe and her novel, Far From You.
To describe the story in one word… Wow! To describe the story in a few
sentences… It’s a love story, a murder mystery, and the quest for a young girl,
Sophie, to begin the search for who she is – – without the help of her best
friend, who has been murdered.
Tess Sharpe and her novel, Far From You.
To describe the story in one word… Wow! To describe the story in a few
sentences… It’s a love story, a murder mystery, and the quest for a young girl,
Sophie, to begin the search for who she is – – without the help of her best
friend, who has been murdered.
1) What is your favorite line or paragraph from the novel as it relates to
the main character’s development and/or growth?
the main character’s development and/or growth?
Dave – As with Marcy (see her
answer below) I chose a mantra that is repeated throughout the novel. To me,
this is another thing that helped define Sophie… who she is and what motivates
her.
answer below) I chose a mantra that is repeated throughout the novel. To me,
this is another thing that helped define Sophie… who she is and what motivates
her.
This section comes from early in the
novel when Sophie is riding with her aunt, Macy, a bounty hunter. Mina is the
name of Sophie’s best friend who was murdered.
novel when Sophie is riding with her aunt, Macy, a bounty hunter. Mina is the
name of Sophie’s best friend who was murdered.
Macy taps her fingers against the steering wheel. She’s itching
to get going, to chase down that guy and put him in jail where he belongs.
to get going, to chase down that guy and put him in jail where he belongs.
I know that feeling, that drive for justice. All the women in my
family have it. Macy’s is wrapped up in the chase, in the hard and fast and
brutal judgment, and Mom’s is wrapped up in rules and laws and juries, the
courtroom her chosen battlefield.
family have it. Macy’s is wrapped up in the chase, in the hard and fast and
brutal judgment, and Mom’s is wrapped up in rules and laws and juries, the
courtroom her chosen battlefield.
Mine is wrapped up in Mina, magnified by her, defined by her,
existing because of her.
existing because of her.
Marcy – This mantra is repeated
over and over (days and months changing and increasing) throughout the novel.
For me, this helped carry Sophie and her story through the book. If she focused
on how long she had been drug-free and stayed clean, she might be able to get
through all of the awful things that were happening in her life.
over and over (days and months changing and increasing) throughout the novel.
For me, this helped carry Sophie and her story through the book. If she focused
on how long she had been drug-free and stayed clean, she might be able to get
through all of the awful things that were happening in her life.
Six months. Five days. Ten hours.
That’s how long I’ve been clean, and I repeat it over and over
to myself. As long as I focus on that, as long as I’m committed to making that
number rise, minute by minute, day by day, I’m going to be okay. I have to be.
to myself. As long as I focus on that, as long as I’m committed to making that
number rise, minute by minute, day by day, I’m going to be okay. I have to be.
2) What is your favorite chapter ending or cliffhanger?
Dave – I think I could’ve listed
every chapter ending because they were all so tense and they all made me want
to keep reading. Plus, there were so many cliffhangers throughout the story
that made me sit on the edge of my seat. And yes, I had on my list the one
Marcy picked below, so I won’t list that. And I won’t list the one that was my
very favorite because it’s at the end of the book and will give away the story.
So I’ll pick another. I think you’ll like it, too.
every chapter ending because they were all so tense and they all made me want
to keep reading. Plus, there were so many cliffhangers throughout the story
that made me sit on the edge of my seat. And yes, I had on my list the one
Marcy picked below, so I won’t list that. And I won’t list the one that was my
very favorite because it’s at the end of the book and will give away the story.
So I’ll pick another. I think you’ll like it, too.
A click. It’s familiar. Dread surges through me. I’m blocking Trev.
Maybe I can save him, like I should’ve saved her. I spin around, instinctually,
toward the noise, and for the second time in my life, I’m looking down the
barrel of a gun.
Maybe I can save him, like I should’ve saved her. I spin around, instinctually,
toward the noise, and for the second time in my life, I’m looking down the
barrel of a gun.
Marcy – Usually I go for the cliffhanger
ending, but this time, I chose the tearjerker. I won’t go into details. You’ll have
to read the novel to find out!
ending, but this time, I chose the tearjerker. I won’t go into details. You’ll have
to read the novel to find out!
I curl my fingers around the ring so tightly, I’m surprised the
word stamped into the silver doesn’t carve its way into me the way she did.
word stamped into the silver doesn’t carve its way into me the way she did.
3) Who is your favorite secondary character and why?
Dave – There are so many great
secondary characters in this story. All have such strong personalities. All are
so believable in everything they do. I went back and forth between picking Mina
and Trev (as well as Rachael for a while, too). In the end, however, I settled
on Mina. I hope this short passage helps to explain why.
secondary characters in this story. All have such strong personalities. All are
so believable in everything they do. I went back and forth between picking Mina
and Trev (as well as Rachael for a while, too). In the end, however, I settled
on Mina. I hope this short passage helps to explain why.
“Oh, Soph.” Mina practically deflates. She sits down next to me.
“What happened to you was horrible,” she says. “Beyond horrible. And it isn’t
fair or right that Trev and I came out of it fine and you…” She trails off.
“But gross?” She presses her hand against my heart. Her thumb brushes up
against the edge of the scar on my chest. “This isn’t gross. You know what I
think when I see this?”
“What happened to you was horrible,” she says. “Beyond horrible. And it isn’t
fair or right that Trev and I came out of it fine and you…” She trails off.
“But gross?” She presses her hand against my heart. Her thumb brushes up
against the edge of the scar on my chest. “This isn’t gross. You know what I
think when I see this?”
I shake my head.
Her voice drops. She’s whispering, a secret for just the two of
us: “I think about how strong you are. You didn’t stop fighting, even when your
heart stopped. You came back.”
us: “I think about how strong you are. You didn’t stop fighting, even when your
heart stopped. You came back.”
Marcy – I chose Rachael as my
favorite secondary character. Rachael is the one who finds Sophie after she
witnesses the murder of her best friend Mina. Rachael is an offbeat character
who genuinely wants to help Sophie. She always believes her new friend and is
never judgmental. This scene takes place when Sophie comes to Rachel’s house
and asks for help in solving Mina’s murder. These two paragraphs show how
Sophie sees Rachael.
favorite secondary character. Rachael is the one who finds Sophie after she
witnesses the murder of her best friend Mina. Rachael is an offbeat character
who genuinely wants to help Sophie. She always believes her new friend and is
never judgmental. This scene takes place when Sophie comes to Rachel’s house
and asks for help in solving Mina’s murder. These two paragraphs show how
Sophie sees Rachael.
She smiles, a big stretch that shows all of her teeth, so genuine
it almost hurts. I don’t think I can even remember how to smile like that.
it almost hurts. I don’t think I can even remember how to smile like that.
There’s a determination in Rachael that I’ve never seen before.
She has conviction. In herself, in what she wants, in what she believes. I want
to be like that. To be sure of myself. Rachel had stuck around when she didn’t have
to. When everyone else, everyone who’s know me forever, had turned their backs.
That means more to me than anything.
She has conviction. In herself, in what she wants, in what she believes. I want
to be like that. To be sure of myself. Rachel had stuck around when she didn’t have
to. When everyone else, everyone who’s know me forever, had turned their backs.
That means more to me than anything.
4) What is your favorite line or paragraph of description?
Dave – Again, there are so many to choose from, but I picked this
particular passage from early in the novel because it says so much about the
conflicted feelings Sophie experienced. And for me, anyhow, and without giving
too much away, was a much more powerful passage once I read further into the
story. (Sophie is with Trev, Mina’s brother and close friend since early
childhood.)
particular passage from early in the novel because it says so much about the
conflicted feelings Sophie experienced. And for me, anyhow, and without giving
too much away, was a much more powerful passage once I read further into the
story. (Sophie is with Trev, Mina’s brother and close friend since early
childhood.)
I let myself be touched. Kissed. Undressed and eased back onto
the wooden floor scarred with the remnants of our childhood.
the wooden floor scarred with the remnants of our childhood.
I let myself feel it. Allow his skin to sink into mine.
I let myself because this is exactly what I need: this terrible
idea, this beautiful, messy distraction.
idea, this beautiful, messy distraction.
And if somewhere in the middle both of our faces are wet with
tears, it doesn’t matter so much. We’re doing this for all the wrong reasons,
anyway.
tears, it doesn’t matter so much. We’re doing this for all the wrong reasons,
anyway.
Later, I stare at his face in the moonlight and wonder if he can
tell that I kissed him like I already know the shape of his lips. Like I’ve
mapped them in my mind, in another life. Learned them from another person who shared
his eyes and nose and mouth, but who is never coming back.
tell that I kissed him like I already know the shape of his lips. Like I’ve
mapped them in my mind, in another life. Learned them from another person who shared
his eyes and nose and mouth, but who is never coming back.
Marcy – This powerful paragraph left a punch and a strong image in my
mind that haunted me until the end of the story.
mind that haunted me until the end of the story.
The second time, I remember everything. The beam of the car’s
brights. The shooter’s eyes shining at us through his mask. How steady his
finger is on the trigger. Mina’s hand clutching mine, our nails digging into
each other’s flesh.
brights. The shooter’s eyes shining at us through his mask. How steady his
finger is on the trigger. Mina’s hand clutching mine, our nails digging into
each other’s flesh.
After, I’ll trace my fingers over those bloody half-moon marks
and realize they’re all I have left of her.
and realize they’re all I have left of her.
5) What is your favorite line of dialogue?
Dave – This line, well,
actually two lines, are from the end of the novel. A short discourse between
Sophie and her mom.
actually two lines, are from the end of the novel. A short discourse between
Sophie and her mom.
“That can’t be an excuse,” I say. “There can’t be any excuses.
Every single therapist you’ve sent me to will tell you that. I’m an addict.
I’ll always be an addict. Just like I’ll always be crippled. And you’ve never
been okay with either. I am. It took me a long time, but I am. You need to be,
too.”
Every single therapist you’ve sent me to will tell you that. I’m an addict.
I’ll always be an addict. Just like I’ll always be crippled. And you’ve never
been okay with either. I am. It took me a long time, but I am. You need to be,
too.”
“I’m okay with who you are, Sophie,” she says. “I love who you
are. I love you no matter what.”
are. I love you no matter what.”
Marcy
– Sophie has a strained relationship with her mother and isn’t afraid to be
blunt sometimes when talking with her.
– Sophie has a strained relationship with her mother and isn’t afraid to be
blunt sometimes when talking with her.
“You
want me to play the gimp card?” I cut in, and she flinches like I’ve slapped
her.
want me to play the gimp card?” I cut in, and she flinches like I’ve slapped
her.
To read
more about Tess Sharpe’s debut YA novel Far From You please go to:
more about Tess Sharpe’s debut YA novel Far From You please go to:
Website: http://www.tess-sharpe.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tess.sharpe.16
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharpegirl