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Title:
The Summer of Crossing Lines
Author:
Julie Musil
Release
date: August 19, 2014
Category:
Young Adult (YA)
Genre:
Contemporary Mystery
Description: When her
protective older brother disappears, sixteen-year-old Melody loses control of
her orderly life. Her stuttering flares up, her parents are shrouded in a
grief-induced fog, and she clings to the last shreds of her confidence.
The only
lead to her brother’s disappearance is a 30-second call from his cell phone to
Rex, the leader of a crime ring. Frustrated by a slow investigation with
too many obstacles, and desperate to mend her broken family, Melody crosses the
line from wallflower to amateur spy. She infiltrates Rex’s group and is
partnered with Drew, a handsome pickpocket whose kindness doesn’t fit her
perception of a criminal. He doesn’t need to steal her heart—she hands it
to him.
With each
law Melody breaks, details of her brother’s secret life emerge until she’s
on the cusp of finding him. But at what point does truth justify the
crime?
Roadmap to a Contemporary YA Novel
by Julie Musil
by Julie Musil
With the
success of John
Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, there’s been a lot of
talk about contemporary novels being “in.” But contemporary novels have never
been out. They’ve quietly lurked in the background all along. Contemporary is
my favorite genre, so naturally that’s what I gravitated toward as a writer.
How do
writers capture a contemporary story? Here’s my process.
•
Pluck
ideas from the news.
For my recent release, The Summer of Crossing Lines, the original
story seed came to me while watching the news. A high speed car chase was
happening on our Los Angeles freeways. No surprise there. But what did surprise
me was that a teen guy and girl ended up sprawled out face down on the freeway.
Guns and ammunition were found in the truck. My writer brain kicked into high
gear. Who were these teens? How did they end up face down on the freeway? Why
were they carrying guns and ammo? A scene was born.
•
Connect
current issues to teens’ concerns.
Thankfully, I have three teen sons in the house which helps with character
development. But even if I didn’t, I’d rely on my own teen experiences to
capture teen worries. Sure, times have changed and some of my former worries
are antiquated. But some teen issues remain the same--the need to fit in, self
esteem, insecurities, friendships, fractured families, etc. If we put ourselves
back in that time, back when we had pimples, a fresh driver’s license, and
curves in new places, we can capture what today’s teens are going through and
create a meaningful theme.
•
Create
characters who will struggle most within the plot. I usually come up with plot
ideas first, then work to create characters who will struggle the most within
that plot. In The Summer of Crossing Lines, the main character Melody searches
for her missing brother and infiltrates a theft ring. Who would be out of place
in that situation? A lot of people. But Melody stutters and she’s insecure.
Instant conflict.
•
Beware
of “dating” your material.
Technology changes faster than we can update our iPhones. In my opinion, it’s
best to keep these references vague or give them new names. Instead of saying
“Facebook,” come up with your own name. Sarah Dessen calls a similar site
UME.com in her novel, Lock and Key. Who knows how long before
Facebook goes the way of MySpace? In my recent release, I simply used the
phrase “wall page.”
Books
about real characters living in the real world and tackling real issues make
compelling stories that current teens can relate to. Do you write contemporary
novels? How does your process compare? Any tips you’d like to add?
Thank you for joining us, Julie!
Thank you for joining us, Julie!
