Please help me give a big Hoosblog welcome to Amy Trueblood!
Amy Trueblood grew up in Southern California only ten minutes from Disneyland which sparked an early interest in storytelling. Fueled by iced tea and a good Spotify playlist, you can often find Amy settled in a quiet corner at her local coffee shop plotting her next book. Her debut, Nothing But Sky, was a Spring 2018 Junior Library Guild selection. Her second novel, Across a Broken Shore, was a Winter 2020 JLG selection.
Amy is one of my few writer friends who first I met in person and THEN connected with online. We sat next to each other during an all-day editing intensive workshop at the SCBWI Winter Conference in 2016, and let’s just say that by the end of the day, we were friends! I hope to see her in person the next time my husband and I visit his family in Arizona!
Tell us about your book.
In 1936 San Francisco, eighteen-year-old Willa MacCarthy is bound for the convent. But when she discovers her love of medicine, she will defy her family and work with a female doctor to care for those building the Golden Gate Bridge.
Recently picked by the American Library Association for the 2020 Amelia Bloomer List for best Feminist Fiction in children’s literature and received the 2020 Gold Medal for Historical Fiction in the Independent Publisher Book Awards.
Buy Across a Broken Shore:
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository
Now for the fun stuff!
What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?
I love thrillers and mysteries, and I’m beginning to love fantasy (because a lot of my friends write it!). I read pretty much every genre, but love to write YA Historical and Contemporary.
A lot of my friends write adult mysteries but I read so many of those when I was younger that now I rarely pick up an adult book. Although I have read more this year.
What’s your favorite part about writing?
I love the promise of a new idea. Of creating an outline and then realizing it can become a real book.
That first spark of a new idea is so exciting!
What’s the hardest part of writing for you?
I hate first drafts. For me it’s a struggle sometimes to get the story out of my head and onto the page in the right way. My first drafts are ALWAYS super messy, and I think they should be that way!
I admire those of you who actually enjoy edits. 😛
What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?
Yoga. I’ve only been doing it for a year, but I love that I can rest my mind for a short period of time every day.
I took up yoga at the beginning of last year and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s helpful to give your brain a break!
Who’s your biggest cheerleader?
My family. From the very minute I told them I wanted to write a book, they have been behind me all the way.
That makes such a difference! My family is also very supportive and I’m so grateful.
Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!
Introvert or extrovert? Extrovert
Morning or night person? Morning
Coffee or tea? Coffee – IV drip please (LOL!)
Sweet or salty? Salty (potato chips are my downfall!)
Eternal summer or four seasons? Haha. I live in Arizona so I feel like I get eternal summer. I’d like four REAL seasons though.
Mountains or beach? Beach – This is the required answer if you grew up in Southern California! 🙂
Dogs or cats? Dogs
Over 5’5” or under? I’m a total shortie! 5’2” on a good day!
Left or right-handed? Right
Hoodie or yoga pants? Yoga pants!
Every now and then my husband asks if I’ll consider moving to Arizona but I could NOT handle that heat! I need my seasons as well.
Amy, thank you so much for spending this time with me and my readers. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
When I go to book events, or I’m on panels, almost every writer will say they’ve been writing since they were young. I did not decide I wanted to write a book until I was much older. If your dream is to write a book, please do not think that it is ever too late!
I love this! When I talk to kids about writing, I try to emphasize that everyone is different and it doesn’t matter HOW you get to The End, just that you try!
Readers, you can find Amy at these links—and be sure to check out Across a Broken Shore!
Website | Twitter | Instagram
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository
If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.
