The Story is About   +  Tina Ferraro

Tina Ferraro is the author for this Thursday's Author Tales. Tina is the author of three Young Adult Novels; Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, How to Hook a Hottie and the soon to be released The ABC's of Kissing Boys. You can fine more information about Tina and her novels at: http://www.tinaferraro.com/index.html

Well, I wasn’t actually drawn...it just sort of arrived in my subconscious, and I heeded the call! Allow me to explain...

I had been mulling over the idea of a girl whose teammate-friends got promoted to varsity without her, and how horrible it would be. Especially if she knew she was a better player than some of them, and if, despite promises of support, she suddenly found herself shunned and alone.

From there, I started brainstorming titles. And since I tend to have “self-help” type titles, I started playing with words like “why” and “when” and then colors and numbers and letters.

That’s when it hit me: A-B-C. I started thinking, “The ABC’s of...” But the primary elements of my story didn’t fit. What kept charging into my head was “Kissing.” (Kissing???) Which didn’t make ANY sense...or did it?

I e-mailed my critique partner, author Kelly Parra, and the next thing I knew, I had the basics down, and was setting off on my strange journey into learning everything I could about kissing...

Did you have to do any specific research for the subject?

Lucky for me, it was winter, and in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, bookstores had whole displays about love and kissing! So I bought a couple books, as well as surfed the internet.

Parker is subjected to multiple scenario; losing a spot on the Varsity soccer team, losing her “friends”, dating a younger guy. Why did you think it was important to present these in your novel?

Well, losing what matters most to you--your friends, your social standing--and having to risk what little you have left--your dignity--for a shot at getting back what is rightfully yours was extremely appealing to me. So it wasn’t so much the specifics of these themes as much as the fact I felt they ratcheted up the conflict of the storyline.

That said, people have told me that Tristan is the “hottest” hero I’ve written, and I’m hoping to help lift the stereotype that just because a guy is a grade or two younger doesn’t mean he isn’t worth a girl’s time...

What might young readers take from this book and apply to their own lives?

What I hope they take away from it is the true value of friendship, to surround oneself with friends who will be there for you in good times and in bad. And while you can’t always avoid the ones who will turn on you, not to take them too seriously.

Who or what inspired you to become a writer?

I’m told I started writing stories as soon as I could hold a pencil. The hard part for me was gathering the courage to start submitting. That came in my early 20’s after devouring much of the New Releases section in my local library, and realizing that there was a market for all kinds of voices. I didn’t have to be a literary genius to sell...I just had to figure out what I had going for me and how to best apply it.

Why write for Young Adults?

My joke is that I must have missed some stages of maturation because half the time, I still feel sixteen. Like I’ll be in Starbucks and I’ll pick up some snippet of conversation between a couple teen girls, and I’ll want to jump in with a, “Totally! And did you SEE Sawyer’s bod on LOST last night???” Then I remember...dang, I can’t do that. I’m old!

In fact, I am the mother of teenagers. My agent likes to call me “a hip mom, the kind you wished you’d had,” but when my 15 year-old son heard that, he rolled his eyes so hard we thought he’d need surgery to correct them. I’m really just a normal mother who has temporary maturity losses.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

I have lots of favorites, but right now I’m reading a lot of humorous books, so I’ll name three adult authors who fit that mold, Janet Evanovich, Sophie Kinsella and Harlan Coben, and three YA authors, Stephanie Hale, Tera Lynn Childs and John Green.

Any advice for aspiring writers out there?

Focus on conflict. I do a fair amount of contest judging of unpublished manuscripts, and more often than not, the problem areas revolve around a lack of conflict. I mean, it’s great if the hero and heroine are both running for senior class president, but establish not only why they both will do just about anything to win, but what they fear losing if they don’t! Then you’ve got the groundwork for a solid story.

Are you working on any other novels? And can you tell us a little bit about it?

Yes! I recently turned in the first draft of When Bad Flings Happen to Good Girls, which is scheduled for release in the spring of 2010. Here is a blurb:

It took 17 years for Brandy to get her life the way she wanted it--and about 17 seconds for it to fall apart. Her well-intending friends tell her it's time to stop working so hard and "get a life." By this, they mean a boyfriend, and they give her the summer to find one, or they're going to go hunting the halls themselves. Not realizing that adding a boyfriend to her hectic AP and robotics team schedule, she'd have zero for them.

Away at her uncle's cabin, she sets out to find a guy who will "break her heart," so she can return from summer in need of her friend's TLC, rather than matchmaking skills, and then can resume her well-planned life.

She quickly finds the perfect candidate. But hooking up with the user/loser lifeguard proves harder than she can imagine. Even with the help from his nice-guy friend who seems to have his own reasons for getting them together--and keeping them apart...

What are you currently reading?

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison, who is another of my favorite authors for her clever use of humor while taking us on a rollercoaster ride.