A2A Chat: Kristin Walker

Tip of the Day: Kristin's book releases on May 14th but you can pre-order it here.

At the risk of sounding like a complete gusher, Kristin Walker's Book, A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL is one of the funniest books I think I've ever read. I just spent the last five minutes trying to recall a funnier book and nope--can't do it. And the thing is, I didn't really know it was going to be that funny just from looking at it or reading the jacket copy. So you're just going to have to take it from me-- this is good, good stuff.

About the book (snagged from Amazon.com):

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer.

Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

And my interview with the lovely Kristin:

1) I absolutely adored your book! SO many times I was laughing, like really loud, and people were looking at me wondering what the heck I was reading. I was sad when the book ended so I've gotta know, what are you working on next? I know some people don't want to give away too much but maybe just a brief description?

Well, first of all, thank you for saying such nice things about MATCH. I'll never get tired of hearing that kind of stuff. As to what I'm working on now...ah...okay, yes it's secret. Top secret. Super top secret. So super-duper top secret, that even I don't know what it is. Seriously, I have no idea. I'm tossing around a few possibilities, but none seem to be staying aloft just yet.

2) Where do you get your ideas?

At the idea store. Har har. That's an old joke. Nah, actually someone bought me a membership in the Idea of the Month Club. Okay, okay, I subscribe to Great Ideas Magazine. No, wait, I have an Idea Detector and I take it down to the beach to look for ideas in the sand.

One of those. Or none of those. Or I don't knows. It seems to me that ideas come when they feel like it. I really have little control over them.

3) How often and when do you write?

I'm a "fits-and-spurts" writer. When I'm not working on something specific, I can go for long periods of time without writing (fiction, anyway). But if I'm in the middle of writing a book, I write pretty much every day. I got up before dawn each day to work on MATCH, which, if you know me, should floor you. I'm not a morning person. But I am a mom of three boys, so pre-dawn is pretty much the only quiet time around here.

4) Are there any MUST HAVES for you while you're writing (place, drink etc.)?

Solitude, definitely. Starbursts, frequently. Music, sporadically. Wine, occasionally. Caffeine, intravenously.

5) Are you a plotter or a plunger?

I am, unfortunately, a plunger. And just like the other kind of plunger, I tend to uncork a lot of crap that clogs up my storyline. I wish I were a plotter. And a good one.

6) How long did it take you from query to agent? Agent to sale? Sale to book? (rough guess of months is fine).

From my very first unsolicited-rhyming-picture-book-oh-God-kill-me-now-submission to the query that landed me my fabuloso agent...eight years.

From that query to her offer of representation...maybe 2 -3 weeks.

From agent to sale...about four months, I think. I had to do a revision first.

And from sale to book, one year.

So everything took forever to get going, and then went really fast. Kind of like going on ride at Disney World. Or planning a wedding. Or when you're stuck on the highway and you really, really have to go to the bathroom, but there's nowhere to stop, so you just keep driving and driving, and then finally you see a gas station, so you pull off the highway, screech into the parking lot, race to the ladies' room, and...er...I think you can take it from there. You get the idea. That kind of thing. Only without the greasy, germy toilet seat.

Thank you so much for visiting Kristin!!!

Thank YOU so much for having me. It's been a pleasure.

Kristina, Miss Delighted to Debut