We chat with author Kelsey B. Toney about The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday, which follows Delia Bridges who is striving to become the compassionate doctor she’s been unable to find in her journey to diagnose her excruciating period pain–but when a single rule-breaking incident jeopardizes her future, she must find a way to reclaim her dreams in this funny, period-positive novel.
Hi, Kelsey! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Of course! I’m Kelsey, and I’m so excited to be able to connect with you and your readers. I often call myself a professional enthusiast because it seems like I’m constantly wildly excited about a dozen things at a time. I love fall, early mornings, coffee, karaoke, and video games. I have lived in D.C. for the past year and a half or so with my family and my cat, Captain Fuzz Lightyear.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Like a lot of authors, I always loved creating and communicating, but my earliest compositions were usually songs and poems rather than stories. (I am still completely enamored with rhythm and rhyme.) I was reading chapter books by kindergarten, so I found myself doing a lot of time in the library. Libraries are still some of my favorite places on Earth.
That said, I didn’t really start writing longform projects until I was in my early twenties, when I started teaching. I taught in public middle and high school for 17 years, and will never run out of memories that inspire fun story ideas.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: My favorite book during middle school (that I read about a million times) is A Ghost in the House by Betty Ren Wright
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Fault in Our Stars—being a fan of John Green as a person rather than an author made me realize that authors are people just like me.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I’ll probably never stop thinking about Sadie by Courtney Summers
Your latest novel, The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday, is out June 17th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Mistakes. Embarrassment. Confidence. Resilience. Endometriosis.
What can readers expect?
This book is honest. Really honest. It’s about periods, bleeding, bodies. It’s embarrassing—cringe causingly embarrassing. But it is also funny (really funny, if I can say so myself). And hopeful.
Where did the inspiration for The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday come from? Why did you want to bring the topic of endo to a YA audience?
I lived with undiagnosed endometriosis for years, and there are dozens of my own experiences all through this book. My own period absolutely destroyed parts of myself and my life for a very long time. It’s unreal, honestly, when I think about how much I missed because my period kept me home. And I saw so many doctors who ignored my pain, or who told me it was all in my head. I wasn’t a very good self-advocate as a teen, but I hope this book will help young people feel more comfortable standing up for their medical autonomy.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really love dialogue and voice, so writing long talking scenes is always really fun for me. I especially loved writing the character Ruby. She was the girl that I wish I could have been when I was in school. Bolder and more confident than me, for sure. It’s always nice to use characters as a way to have experiences outside of your own in real life!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I was writing and then editing this book during some of the (separate, but) most tumultuous times of my entire life. This is one of those books that felt like a best friend everytime I sat down with it, and I’m so proud of the story I’m bringing to the world.
What’s next for you?
I do have an unannounced project in the works that I hope to tell you all about this fall! I can just say that it will be funny, swoony, and full of big choices, big consequences, and big mistakes.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
The Extra by Annie Neugebauer is a novella about a 10 person backpacking trip that inexplicably has 11 people when the morning comes… but everyone remembers everyone else. Someone is the Extra. I also loved Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, Under the Surface by Diana Urban, OH! And I’m really looking forward to reading Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven.
