Today’s post is another exciting interview because we’re featuring Sierra Elmore on the blog! Her debut novel releases later this year, and its cover has just been revealed last week. So, if you’re not already excited about a book that’s described as sapphic Mean Girls crossed with It’s Kind of a Funny Story, then get ready to be! You can check out the gorgeous cover (and an excerpt!) here.
And don’t forget, too, that you can follow Sierra on twitter.
Have you always known you wanted to be a writer? How old were you when you wrote your first story?
I’ve always known! I don’t even remember when I wrote my first story, but I do remember that it was called “The Worm Family.” Which. It was about a family of worms. I don’t know why I did that.
What are your favourite genres to read and write, and are there any genres or tropes you wouldn’t write?
I love reading and writing YA contemporary and thriller. I’m also a huge fan of adult thriller, and hope to write in that genre someday. I don’t think I’d be good at romance—my romantic subplots often need a lot of development before they’re ready for readers, and I joke that I don’t know how to write a healthy relationship because I haven’t been in one.
When you close your eyes and imagine an apple, what do you see? An actual apple, a sketch of one, a blackness? Do you think that impacts your writing process?
I imagine a green, Granny Smith apple. I think this does impact my writing process—I like to envision scenes in my head as I write, even if I only have a vague idea of what my characters look like.
Which three authors would you say influenced your writing the most?
Courtney Summers, Dhonielle Clayton, and Laurie Elizabeth Flynn. They’re all such strong writers who write about girls facing extremely important social issues.
When you’re building your world, what do you focus on? How do you try to make it come to life?
I really focus on the locations and places and giving those context. My first novel is set in Central Pennsylvania, where I grew up, so that was very easy as far as worldbuilding and adding in those little details. My second book, The Art of Congressional Love, that I’m working on right now is harder because it’s set in Washington, D.C. I’m conducting a lot of research on D.C., politics, and what it’s like to live there.
What projects are you currently working on? Can you share any details yet?
Yes! I have four books coming out next year, actually. The first is slated for May. The Art of Congressional Love, a YA version of Scandal where a lesbian has to hide her girlfriend’s father’s life-altering secret. The second is a trilogy called Gorgeous, slated to begin in August or September, follows a bisexual girl (are we seeing a pattern here?) as she enters a boarding school and a world full of glitz, glamour, and murder.
Three images that capture the aesthetic of your book?
Three songs you would put in your book’s soundtrack?
“Brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Nightmare” by Halsey, and “Gravel to Tempo” by Hayley Kiyoko.
What would be your dream project?
I would LOVE to write a queer adult thriller that’s dark, deep, and really creative. Something in the vein of Gillian Flynn or Samantha Downing.
Which of your characters would you most want to fight a zombie apocalypse with?
ABBY. She’s fierce, funny, and fabulous, and she knows how to get things done. She has no qualms about doing what she has to do for her own survival.
You’re stuck on a desert island and you’re allowed only three (LGBT) books. What are you taking?
Nooooooo this is a tough one! I’d pick The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli, and Flip the Script by Lyla Lee.
You can collaborate on anything with anyone in the LGBT community: who would it be and why?
I would love to work with Camryn Garrett on a YA that’s Black and fabulously bisexual!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sierra Elmore writes YA contemporary and thriller novels about girls wreaking havoc while fighting trauma. Her work has won the YoungArts merit award and was selected for the Author Mentor Match program.
Elmore earned a BA in Sociology from Arcadia University. She’s conducted research on the representation of mentally ill women in media, as well as relational aggression amongst adolescent girls.
Elmore lives in New York City, where she explores independent bookstores, volunteers for the Crisis Text Line, and goes to as many concerts as possible.
Follow on Goodreads | Preorder Death by Society
One Comment
Pingback: