Thursday, May 3rd Chat Session with Judy Gregerson
11:30-12:25 Central (9:30-10:25 am Pacific)
**THIS SESSION HAS ENDED**
How much would you be willing to lose to expose a lie?
Destiny has a secret. She’s been told not to tell anyone what happened to her, her little sister, and her mother at Crater Lake. Or that her mother is mentally ill and hits her little sister. If she does, it could ruin her family.
But the secret is killing her and every day she remembers the bad thing she did at Crater Lake. Every day, she pays for it. Her life is a nightmare and her boyfriend, Joshua, and best friend, Chloe, don’t understand. When she pulls away from them, and refuses to leave the house that summer, they don’t realize that she’s trying to fix the horrible mistake she made. They only know that she’s slipping away from them.
But trying to hold her family together doesn’t work. Destiny feels a darkness in the house and when Mom gets out of the psychiatric hospital, it takes over. First it attacks her little sister, and then it comes for her.
Destiny has to choose whether to expose the lies and the darkness or tell the truth about what happened at Crater Lake. It could ruin her mother and father and she might never see her little sister again. It could be the end of her life.
Can the truth really set her free? Or will she remain what her mother has always called her–a bad girl?
Bad Girls Club coming July 2007, Blooming Tree Press. See the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngOBf6d_IlI
About Judy Gregerson
During my teen years, I worked as a scallop and an oyster shucker, a waitress, and a chambermaid. I also spent time in the A&P produce department, weighing and putting up fruits and veggies. I ran my father’s fish store on weekends and cleaned houses for rich people.
At eighteen I took refuge at SUNY Oswego and later transferred to SUNY at Stony Brook.
Life began after college. I had some interesting jobs
–a stint as a copy writer trainee at the Syracuse Post-Standard, a seasonal job in the NY Times advertising department, and a very boring time at Viking/Penguin in the marketing department. I got an ulcer working at an advertising agency but while working there, Doubleday published my first book, SAVE ME!. Thus ended my days in NYC. That year I was listed in Who’s Who in America.
I fled to the West Coast and began a new life in Seattle. I’ve been here a long time now.
I worked on THE BAD GIRLS CLUB for over seven years, did multiple rewrites and revisions, and sold it to Blooming Tree Press in 2005.
I am still working on my other novel, CRACKING NORMAL.
For more information, visit Judy’s website at www.judygregerson.com
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How and where do you get these ideas to write about teenagers? Does it help to bring up ideas when the mood/situation around you changes? For example: seeing other teenagers having problems, where you live, and etc.
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can you tell me what happened at crater lake that was so bad?
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The next book is called CRACKING NORMAL because the girl’s parents (in the trailer park) want her to act normal, not like a rebel.
And yes, ideas do pop to mind. But I don’t get a lot of ideas. I coudln’t write a book a year. maybe one every 2-3 years. Some writers have files of ideas. I don’t. But I only write what really speaks to me and if I have something to say.
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Is your next book based on a true story?
If not what made you think of it?
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The hardest part of writing for me is the first draft. I hate first drafts. I revised my book about 21 times. That’s 21 times going through 250 pages and revising, rewriting, editing, thinking, tightening, making sentenses stronger.
But I love revising.
And I can’t tell you what happened at Crater Lake. That would be a spoiler!!!
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When you were little, i noticed you were a hard worker. Did your parents make you work or did you just want to. How old where you when you started wroking. Did you have a good childhood?
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I tend to read fictional epics, so converting to real-life drama is kinda a big step for me. What books should i read that pertain to real-life drama??
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plotster or a panster — what does that mean? I’m a little slow today.
I do get ideas from teens. I love people. I talk to people wherever I go. Everyone has a story to tell. I try to get them to tell me their story because I find people fascinating. I could listen to people’s stories all day. And teens have GREAT stories about their lives, their struggles, the things that are important to them.
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Do you outline your book from start to finish or do you just sit down and start writing???
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And my book about the girl in the trailer park came about because for a while I sold used trailers in a trailer park and I found the people there fascinating. They told me many stories about their lives. And that book comes out of those stories, what it’s like to fight to belong, what it’s like to be the underdog, how bad it feels to think that maybe you’re not as good as someone else because of wher eyou live or how much money you have. I wanted to show that no matter where we live or how much $$$ we have, we all have value. Tremendous value. I wanted to express that to teens.
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What other things interest you? As a writer, what are your hobbies?
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Do you prefer American Literature or European? and why?
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In my family, there was a strong work ethic. We all worked. My dad had a family business, so when I was 8, I started working for him, opening scallops. Having a good work ethic has really helped me in my life, it’s made me appreciate the value of work, of working with people, of being a part of something, of being connected. And the money part is good too!
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Have you read Speak?
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Judy:
Our chat time is drawing to a close; thirty minutes passes so quickly.
If there are questions still in the queue, if you have time to answer and shoot me an email, the kids would appreciate it!
Again, thanks for your time with us!
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ok well nice talking to you Mrs. Judy. hopefully we can talk again sometimes. Hope your next book turns out great. ttyl.
THANK YOOOu.
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Well Mrs. Allen just said it was time for us to go. So thank you Judy for spending your time with us =) and answering our questions ^__^. hehehehe Bye Bye Judy!!
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What influences you to write to teens and what intrigues you about it?
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I like stories about families. That is what really interests me. I came from a very dysfunctional family, so I love to study families. I don’t outline, generally, but I am for my next book, which is a family story with a 17 year old girl AGAIN who tells the story about this extended family and what happened when their grandpop died. For real life stories, I’m not sure what to recommend off the top of my head.
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Thank you for chatting with us =]
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thanks for answering our questions today
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Thanks for talking to me. Yes, I loved Speak.
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Thank You Come Again
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Thanks to everyone who participated. This session is officially over.
If you would like to know how to arrange for a guest author to come an speak with your class or institution then visit
http://www.yacreativewriting.blogspot.com
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I enjoyed talking with you today. If I ever get back to Lake Charles, I’ll come visit you!
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We read it in Mrs. Allan’s class. It was great. I figured you’d like it since you said you liked stories about teenage girls.
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Bye everyone!!!
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Judy -
Thank you so much for coming and chatting with us here.
Patrizia will be in contact with you. She will send you the transcripts. Any questions you could not answer, you can answer there and we’ll send it to Ms. Allan.
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Speak was a BIG book for teens. It really hit with a splash the year it came out. Keep reading! Keep writing!
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Ok, I tried to catch them all, two at a time sometimes. LOL
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Judy–You’re a terrific multi-taker in answering questions!
christa
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bye.
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OOps–meant multi-tasker—-
so much for all those typing classes–
have a great day!
christa