Fangirl Friday: An Interview with Pitch Warrior Christy Little!

Today I'm thrilled to welcome my #PitchWars second runner-up, Christy Little! Her YA contemporary BACKLASH, immediately hooked me with its timeliness, her multifaceted main character, and her spot-on sense of humor. I've really enjoyed helping Christy get her manuscript nice and shiny for the agent round next month. Here's a little about the author and her book baby!

Tell us a little about your writer's journey so far: 

After working with teens as a high school teacher, I’d love to write for them, too. During my 10 years as a journalist, I edited more than I reported, but years of following current events piqued my interest in writing topical, contemporary YA.

Okay, let's hear your Twitter Pitch! (140 characters or less.)

When her locker room pic of an enemy goes viral, Nina vows to win back the respect of friends & family and fight the label of sex offender.

What inspired you to write this book? How is it a book only you could write?

I watched my students struggle with the consequences of their mistakes, but that was before a tweet or a text could permanently catapult them into the spotlight. I wanted to create a flawed character who suffers the consequences of that split-second temptation to hit “send.”

What's your favorite thing about writing?

I’m all in once my characters start telling me what they would say or do differently, and I obey them.

What's your least favorite thing?

I have a few beloved characters I keep cutting out of final drafts because they deserve better roles than as shiny background objects. I’ll eventually find homes for them.

Now it's time to brag a little--What do you love most about your book?

The voice. Nina, my protagonist, is a composite of my former yearbook and newspaper staffers — confident and witty social observers who knew how to stand up for themselves.  They certainly weren’t bullies, but they handled mistakes with intelligence and grace.

Okay, now a little about you. (And yes, I stole these questions from In the Actor's Studio with James Lipton.)

I’m career-oriented and deadline-driven. In those color-based personality profile workshops, I’m in the gold group; I like my trains to run on time. My favorite YA author growing up was Christopher Pike. I chain-read Agatha Christie novels, and right now I’m reading Mark Danielewski’s Only Revolutions. Next up is The Fault in Our Stars. My trivia specialties are horror movies and cringeworthy music. I have an incurable case of jazz hands.

What is your favorite word?

Pronoia.

What turns you on?

Serendipity.

What profession, other than your own, would you most like to attempt?

I worked in print journalism’s last heyday. I couldn’t ask for more.

Finally, what's the one question you've always wanted to answer in an interview? (And of course, you have to answer it!)

Favorite virtue? Benevolence.

About the Author

Christy Little is a former high school teacher and journalist living in Lawrence, Kan. She graduated with a degree in secondary education from Kansas State University and has taken creative writing courses at the University of Kansas. She likes swimming, yoga and meditation, listens to classical music, and loves college football and horror movies. BACKLASH is her first novel. She can be found on Twitter, WordPress and Tumblr.