Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.
Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?
Jessi Kirby is the author of Moonglass, published in May 2011 by Simon and Schuster. She is also a wife, mom, English teacher and former librarian, beach bum, runner, and lover of Contemporary YA, strong coffee, and dark chocolate.
Let's meet her and hear more about her new book, shall we?
Q: Please tell us what your new book is about and what inspired you to write it.
Jessi: IN HONOR is a road trip story that begins with a pair of concert tickets and a mistaken last request, and ends with truths discovered on the road.
Q: If there was a soundtrack for your book what are five songs that would be on it and how do they relate the story?
Jessi: Theme song of the entire book: Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift
And a few more: Long Trip Alone by Dierks Bentley, Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty, Fans by Kings of Leon, and Where Are You Going by Dave Matthews
Q: Who were some of your inspirations to become a writer or the inspirations that keep you writing? Feel free to include other authors, teachers, parents, or people in other creative fields, whoever is an inspiration to you!
Jessi: Judy Blume was my very first inspiration. I first read her books when I was in 3rd grade, and that’s when I decided I wanted to be a writer. Along the way I’ve found so many amazing writers, all of whom inspire me every time I read their work: Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Sarah Ockler, to name a few!
Q: Even though music plays in so heavily into my storytelling, I rarely can actually listen to it while I'm writing. Can you? How does music fit into your writing process?
Jessi: I can’t listen to music while I’m writing either. I need quiet. But I do make playlists for each book, and usually I listen to those while I’m running, before I sit down to write for the day.
Q: What is next for you? What are you working on now?
Jessi: Right now I’m working on revisions for my 3rd novel, GOLDEN, which is another contemporary YA due out in 2013. And of course I’ve got a few new story ideas percolating.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment