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Author Interviews, Book Reviews, Young Adult · June 4, 2019

Meet the Author: Kristina Forest (I Wanna Be Where You Are) + Bite-Sized Review

Kristina Forest is the author of the forthcoming YA novel, I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE. Meet the author who thought she’d be a dancer, but loved writing more. Kristina Forest loves music, Beyoncé, and love stories. We discuss why she chose to write YA, the story behind her book title, and the best advice she received about writing. She also shares more about her novel, with a sprinkling of writing advice for anyone with a 9-5.


author Kristina Forest of YA novel I wanna be where you are

Hi Kristina! I’m pleased to be interviewing you. Please tell us about yourself.

 Hi! My name is Kristina Forest. Aside from being an author, I work in Subsidiary Rights at Random House Children’s Books. My upcoming debut novel, I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE will publish on June 4, 2019!

Fun facts: my favorite color is turquoise, my favorite singer is Beyoncé, and my favorite stories are love stories.

Congratulations on your forthcoming debut! I’m excited to read I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE. What is about, and why did you decide to write about the subject matter?

Thank you! Here is the official synopsis for I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE:

When Chloe Pierce’s mom forbids her to apply for a spot at the dance conservatory of her dreams, she devises a secret plan to drive two hundred miles to the nearest audition. But Chloe hits her first speed bump when her annoying neighbor Eli insists upon hitching a ride, threatening to tell Chloe’s mom if she leaves him and his smelly dog, Geezer, behind. So now Chloe’s chasing her ballet dreams down the east coast—two unwanted (but kinda cute) passengers in her car, butterflies in her stomach, and a really dope playlist on repeat.

I wanted to write a fun love story starring a Black girl because it’s the kind of book that I always wanted to read as a teen. I also did ballet for many years, which is why I decided to make Chloe a ballerina.

How long did it take to write I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE? What’s the story behind the book’s title? I have a feeling it’s from a song! Is it?

It took ten months to draft and revise I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE before I queried it with agents.

The title is based on a song! Music plays a major role in this story. Chloe makes playlists for everything, especially when she’s dancing. She and Eli also decide to make special playlists for their road trip. So naming the book after a song felt like the best choice. I chose I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE because I love the Jackson 5, of course, and also because I feel like that title speaks to the story in many ways. Chloe is on a journey to achieve a goal and also discover more about herself. At the same time, she’s falling in love along the way. When I suggested this title to my team and everyone loved it, I was really happy!

Did you always want to be a writer, and why? Why YA, and at what point did you realize you were ready to write a book?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. In middle school and the beginning of high school, there was a time when I thought I might be a professional dancer, but writing was something I always loved and enjoyed, so I ended up enrolling in college as a writing major.

Kristina Forest bookshelf

I read a ton of YA when I was a teen and when I was in college. It’s still my favorite genre now as an adult, of course! I hadn’t even considered writing in another genre besides YA, so when I applied to the New School’s MFA writing, I applied for the Writing for Children concentration. It was during my time in the MFA program that I realized I was ready to write this story.

What is your most challenging aspect of writing in general, and writing YA specifically? What does your writing desk look like? Do you have any writing rituals?

Overall, the most challenging aspect has been finding the time to write!

I like to write YA, specifically, because I think there’s something really special about stories featuring characters who are experiencing things for the first time. Be it love, grief, an adventure, etc. YA stories are always so fresh and full of possibility.

My writing desk is a large dark brown desk that was gifted to me by my mom’s church, so I’m very thankful for it! On my desk is my laptop, my notebook, sticky notes, a cup of pens, and usually whatever book I’m reading at the time. On weekends, I write at a local coffee shop. So when I’m there, I usually have mint iced tea and a pastry beside my laptop.

I don’t have any writing rituals, necessarily. The only constant is that I have to be wearing comfortable clothes.

Kristina Forest writing space

How did you make time to write an entire book while working a 9-5 in publishing? Do you have any tips for writers trying to find more writing time?

Because I work full time, I have a pretty strict writing schedule. I write Tuesday – Thursday (sometimes Friday) from 7:30 pm until about 10-10:30 pm. And I write on Saturday and Sundays too.

My main tip is definitely to create a writing schedule and stick to it. Treat it like it’s another job, because it is!

[bctt tweet=”Wanna-be writer with a 9-5? @KristinaForest has a tip: Create a writing schedule and stick to it. Treat it like it’s another job, because it is!” username=”afomaumesi”]

What is the best writing advice you’ve received?

Always be reading.

Every writer is a reader — how often do you read? Who are some of your favorite authors to read?

I used to read about two to three books a week, but sadly, now I just don’t have the time! On average, I read about one book every two weeks for pleasure. I have to read a lot of books for work, so I still feel like I’m constantly reading.

Some of my favorite authors are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jacqueline Woodson, Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Zadie Smith.

Who do you hope will read I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE? What do you want readers to come away with?

I hope everyone and anyone who loves stories about love and adventure will read IWBWYA. I hope Black and POC teens who’ve wanted to see themselves as leads in a rom-com will read my book too.

Overall, I hope my book encourages readers to follow their dreams.

[bctt tweet=”I hope everyone … who loves stories about love and adventure will read IWBWYA. I hope Black and POC teens who’ve wanted to see themselves as leads in a rom-com will read my book too.” username=””]

I know it’s soon to ask, but do you have anything lined up after I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE? Do you intend to stick to YA, or any chance middle-grade/adult lit is in your future?

I am contracted for a second book. I can’t talk much about it at this point, but I can say it will be YA and in line with I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE.  I do intend to stick to YA, but I’d also really like to branch out into romance novels as well. Like I said earlier, my favorite stories are love stories!


Kristina Forest, Author of I wanna be where you areKristina Forest loves to dance and thought one day she’d go on tour with Michael Jackson. But then she decided she loved writing more. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children at The New School and works in children’s books publishing. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with two huge bookshelves. I Wanna Be Where You Are is her first novel.

Connect with Kristina on Twitter and her website.


You can order her book here. Just look at that stunning cover!
img_5232


Thank you so much, Kristina!


Before You Go… A Bite-Sized Review

I wanna be where you are

I read and enjoyed this young adult novel. I Wanna Be Where You Are is a heartwarming contemporary young adult novel about friendship, dance, the power of dreams, and redemption. I loved meeting Chloe and Eli, and while it took a while to warm up to Eli, he ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book. His character growth and determination (followed by action) to change certain parts of his life impressed me. I also enjoyed the entire road trip and all its associated hi-jinks. If you’re looking for a book about road trips, parental pressures, or just one full of heart, you’ll enjoy I Wanna Be Where You Are.

[bctt tweet=”If you’re looking for a book about road trips, parental pressures, or just one full of heart, you’ll enjoy I Wanna Be Where You Are.” username=””]

Want more author interviews? See:

  • This one with poet, Esther Edoho on trusting the process and not waiting for external validation.
  • Alicia D. Williams, author of Genesis Begins Again on writing as therapy.
  • Tiffany Schmidt on writing retellings of famous classics.

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Posted In: Author Interviews, Book Reviews, Young Adult

About the Author

Afoma Umesi is the founder and blogger at Reading Middle Grade. She's a writer and editor with a deep love for children's literature. Her favorite genre is contemporary realistic fiction, but she'll never say no to a graphic novel. Read More…

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Comments

  1. Kumari says

    June 4, 2019 at 9:20 am

    Great interview! I’m excited to read this one!

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      June 4, 2019 at 9:44 am

      Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it when you do 🙂

      Reply
  2. Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says

    June 5, 2019 at 10:27 am

    I’ve had my eye on this book. Glad you enjoyed it so much! And thanks for sharing the interview!!

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      June 5, 2019 at 2:00 pm

      My pleasure! I hope you enjoy it too! I look forward to your review 🙂

      Reply

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🕵️‍♀️ a new mystery for spelling bee fa 🕵️‍♀️ a new mystery for spelling bee fans

If you’ve been looking for more high-stakes mysteries for tweens, let me introduce you to THE WINTERTON DECEPTION! Meet 13-year-old twins Hope and Gordon. They’ve just found out that their dad was Brandon Winterton (of the wealthy dictionary magnate family). Unfortunately, Hope can’t stand rich people, especially since the twins and their mom are barely making ends meet and living in a motel. But their fortune is about to change.

When Gordon enters the family into the Winterton Bee, they’re thrust into into the midst of family’s secrets, with a deadly enemy, and a scavenger hunt set up by the family’s dead matriarch. 

This is a fast-paced mystery with plenty to gnaw on between the twin relationship, family drama, character development, and flashbacks that help readers learn more about the Winterton family.

So happy that more and more mysteries are coming out for readers in the 6th-8th grades. This one does touch a bit on addiction and there’s a scene where the kids’ lives are in danger but all ends well!

It’s out at the end of October! 🤩

#mysteriesforkids #middlegradebooks #bookstagram
👯‍♀️ TWINS in middle grade literature 💕 

I love seeing more twins in middle grade books. For a long time, the only twins I knew in middle grade lit were the Sweet Valley High girlies. Then, I got a glimpse of twin life with Issa and Jessie in @karinaisreadingandwriting’s THE VANDERBEEKERS. 

Since then, we’ve seen more depictions of twins, including Varian Johnson’s TWINS (a graphic novel about twin sisters Francine and Maureen entering 6th grade), MIRROR TO MIRROR by Rajani LaRocca, and Hope and Gordon in THE WINTERTON DECEPTION (review to come)!

And of course, these two books, TWIN CITIES and SAVING SUNSHINE (which I just started and am loving)! While these stories will appeal to twins, I think everyone who’s ever been curious about twins will love getting a glimpse into what life feels like as one half of a whole. 

Which middle grade twin stories have you read and loved? 😍 

#middlegrade #twinbooks #mglit #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks
📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the 📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the truth 

This stunning graphic novel follows Cinzia, Avvisi writer’s apprentice living in sunny Sianerra. Cinzia and her mestra write news stories/pamphlets to the city, but not everyone likes when they tell the truth. 

After an edition exposing the ruling family for extortion, cinzia and her mestra are arrested at night and she has to join forces with the princess to fight back against censorship. 

Besides the wonderfully imaginative and powerful storyline, loved the visuals and the diversity representation in this graphic novel. The main character has a bad leg and gets around with a walking stick, which is something rarely depicted in graphic novels (and it’s barely even discussed—it just is!).

Although, this book is closer to fantasy (but without magical elements), it’s set in a Renaissance-style Italian village, so it could work for lovers of realistic fiction too.

Look out for it in November! Have you read this graphic novel? Thoughts? Is it on your radar already?

#graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
🩰throwback Thursday - meet one of my favorites 🩰throwback Thursday - meet one of my favorites

Looking for an upper middle grade book about ballet, friendships, and body image? Meet TURNING POINT. 

This book focuses on Monique (Mo) and Rasheeda (Sheeda)’s friendship and how it changes over a summer when both girls are drawn into different pursuits. Mo is off at a ballet intensive with Mila, while Sheeda is stuck at church (with her church “friends”) feeling like she has no life.

At the ballet intensive, Mo comes face to face with her competitive attitude which is fueled by feelings of not “fitting in” with the mostly white, skinny ballet dancers. Even though she makes a couple of friends (who basically lovingly force her to befriend them), she’s insecure at times, afraid to be vulnerable because everything feels so different. On the other hand, Sheeda is desperate for something new. Unfortunately, she falls into a risky situation with Mo’s brother whom she happens to have a crush on.

Paula Chase is one of my favorite writers for this audience and this may be my favorite of hers so far. It’s in the same universe as two of her previous books, DOUGH BOYS and SO DONE but you don’t need to read them in order. 

I’d say her books are great for kids ages 12+
Have you read any books by this author? Which ones are your favorites?

#booksbooksbooks #mglit #bookstagram
🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides I’d seen this b 🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides

I’d seen this book floating around for ages but was never drawn to it (the cover maybe?) until I saw a review somewhere I can’t remember 🤪 I was pleasantly surprised!

Twins Luisa and Fernando find their paths diverging as they’re entering sixth grade. Luisa will be attending middle school in the US just across the border from Fernando’s school in Mexico. There, they come to face to face with different, but equally pressing challenges that threaten to tear them apart.

I really enjoyed this book. The side by side depictions of both kids parallel lives, the way the illustrations celebrate Mexican culture, living, and traditions, and the heartwarming way the twins find their way back to each other. 

I’d recommend this one to 6th graders and up (heads up for content warning: text mentions and depicts illicit drug use by a minor, although portrayed in a negative light) as a fascinating look into Mexican culture, life as a twin, and finding your own identity.

#kidlit #graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man An ♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man

Ant isn’t your average 10 year old. He loves a good game of spades and he and his best friend are planning to revamp their reputation after losing badly at the last spades tournament. But things are changing in Ant’s life. His dad is acting weird, asking him to hide things from his mom. There’s a new girl in class who Ant maybe likes and who plays spades better than many boys he knows. 

When his best friend is grounded, Ant teams up with Shirley, hoping to impress his father and finally be tough like Joplin men should be. But instead, he learns what it really means to be a man—and it’s not about never crying.

There’s SO MUCH going on in this story, but the author does a stunning job of keeping all the threads in place. I was very surprised by all the protagonist has to manage at his age and the fact that it all remains believable. The story is told by Ant’s ancestor, lending a touch of magic realism. There are also many details about playing a game of spades and I loved, loved the audiobook narrator.

If you’re looking for a meatier middle grade book perfect for kids ages 9-12 (and older, really—love the cover!) looking for books that balance levity and relatability with real issues like toxic masculinity, parental addiction, friendship issues, and crushes.

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❤️ a protagonist for the times Willow (Lolo) ❤️ a protagonist for the times

Willow (Lolo) Weaver’s summer is not going well. Her grandfather has recently died, her grandma isn’t herself and she’s given away her grandfather’s foster dog, Hank. Lolo’s mother is heavily pregnant and Lolo is in summer school because she didn’t do too well in her last exams. On top of that their lake town isn’t a lake town anymore because the lake’s been drained and smells awful now. 

Lolo wants to help her grandmother feel better and she’s convinced that getting back her grandfather’s dog will do the trick. The only problem is that the dog now belongs to someone else. So Lolo gets on Pop’s boat to steal Hank back—only to run into her summer school classmate, Noah (who’s the new dog owner).

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This book is perfect for family readalouds especially for kids in grades 3-5. Dog lovers and kids who like a good adventure with a sprinkle of mischief will love it too.

#mglit #summerbooks #booksforelementaryschoolkids #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram
🎸 believe the hype I was very nervous about re 🎸 believe the hype

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When Ross is diagnosed with a rare lacrimal gland cancer (in his eye), it’s like a new trial for his seventh grade existence. Add to that the fact that his mom died from cancer years before, he’s going blind in one eye, his best friend is moving away soon, and mean kids at school are making terrible memes about his illness and you have a dumpster fire of a year waiting to happen. Or is it?

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