Hello! I'm so thrilled to be hosting author Clare Davidson on the release day of her latest novel, BROKEN BARGAIN, and giving you a chance to win some awesome goodies through the rafflecopter at the end of this post.
Having known Clare online for quite a while, I know she gives excellent guest post, so I asked her to write about how she keeps in touch with her teen self, and how that impacts on her writing. Here's what she had to say...
When Kat first suggested this title for a
guest post, my initial reaction was, “ace, I can cheat and say ‘I never grew
up’ and include a cool quote from Neil Gaiman.”
I’m sure you’ll agree that
would have been a short and lame guest post. It took me around thirty seconds
to come to the same conclusion.
So I had to sit down and think about it. I
mean, really think about it. How do I keep in touch with my teen self?
The truth is I’m not sure I do.
I didn’t really enjoy the majority of my
teen years. I was bullied at school and almost changed high schools during my
exams. I would have done, if I hadn’t decided to put my future ahead of a bunch
of bullies. Exams were hard, first G.C.S.E.s and then A’Levels.
University was supposed to be a fresh
start, but I spend my first year horribly home sick. Looking back
retroactively, my biggest impression is that I was easily overwhelmed, overly
emotional and desperate to conform to what other people wanted me to be. Yes,
even those bullies. I even tried to be friends with some of them in high
school. More fool me.
I was actually pretty happy to stop being a
teenager and to start acting like an adult.
However I DO keep in touch with teen
trends.
First of all I read (and enjoy) teen
fiction. I actually prefer a good teen read to a novel aimed at an adult
audience most of the time. I also watch movies and TV shows aimed at teens.
Again, I enjoy them and I’m not afraid to admit it.
I’d listen to my pupils when they told me
the hobbies they enjoyed, their aspirations and what they found hard about
being a teen.
One of the reasons why teaching is so rewarding
is because you get to watch your pupils grow and mature from children into
young adults. It’s a progression that I aim to show in my novels, because it
isn’t always easy, but the end result is pretty much always amazing.
As a closing note, I’m going to go out on a
limb here and say I disagree with Neil Gaiman. Growing up ISN’T overrated. Sure
it’s hard, but being a child and then a teen is just the start.
Thank you, Clare, for the great guest post!
You can connect with Clare via her website, on twitter, on facebook or goodreads. You can also sign up to her new releases mailing list. Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below...
You can connect with Clare via her website, on twitter, on facebook or goodreads. You can also sign up to her new releases mailing list. Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below...