We chat with author Lily Anderson about Demonology for Overachievers, which is a YA novel, where a determined high school senior strikes a bargain with a demon to win a coveted scholarship—only to discover her rival has made the same deal.
Hi, Lily! Welcome back! What have you been up to since we spoke last year for Showstopper?
I feel like I’ve been writing nonstop! I wrote DEMONOLOGY FOR OVERACHIEVERS, another unannounced book in a new-to-me genre, a third very special [but equally unannounced] book, and a new epilogue for SHOWSTOPPER, which is included in the paperback release. And (tying back to my theatre-horror novel, SHOWSTOPPER) I got to see the Phantom of the Opera touring cast and I’ve been on cloud nine ever since. Isaiah Bailey will go down in history as one of the great Phantoms.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I was always reading. In class. At the dinner table. At family holidays. I was the kid with a book. Then I hit the same wall that many readers do, where you’ve read so much that you start looking for books that don’t exist. Even with new books coming out every week, there is, in fact, a finite number of stories that have been published. There’s a point where you’re waiting for a book for long enough that you just have to write it yourself. Every book I’ve written is a book I was looking for and couldn’t find.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Little Red Hen
- The one that made you want to become an author: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: East of Eden by John Steinbeck is on track to be my favorite book this year. I’ve been haunted by it since I read the last line. What a whopper.
Your latest novel, Demonology for Overachievers, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Gifted kid burnout turns deadly.
What can readers expect?
I’ve seen readers call the book “Final Destination meets The Breakfast Club” and I think that’s very fitting. Expect banter, kissing, bats, good friends, and a pretty nasty demon.
Where did the inspiration for Demonology for Overachievers come from?
Oh, I’m always mad about how prohibitively expensive college is and how that impacts the way kids plan their futures. Then, large scale student loan forgiveness was dangled in front of us and taken away and I got even more mad. I wanted to write about debt and making deals you don’t understand that can impact your entire life. And, being a huge theater nerd, that made me think of Doctor Faustus and his deal with a demon.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really loved writing the relationship between my main character, Merritt, and her grandmother. I hadn’t originally intended this to be such a grandma book, but before I started writing this book, both of my grandmothers passed within 6 months of each other. So much of who I am was shaped by my grandmothers. Part of grieving their loss was writing about a girl who was raised by her grandma and the many ways she felt like she could never repay her grandma for the sacrifices she’d made.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This was the first book that ever completely changed genres on me. I had initially envisioned it as an urban fantasy. In the outline, the kids were all interning at a magical library. My publisher felt strongly that it should be contemporary and not fantasy. Thankfully, it was in the concept stage and not after I’d written the whole book!
So, I took out all the magic except for the demon. That ended up changing all the characters and all the set pieces and really transforming the story into something brand new. (Someday, I’ll get to write about a magical library.
What’s next for you?
I wish I could tell you! I’m not allowed to say… yet. There will be more Lily Anderson books, so stay tuned!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I dipped a toe into middle grade and really enjoyed MYSTERY JAMES DIGS HER OWN GRAVE by Ally Russell, a paranormal mystery about a girl who can smell ghosts. I can’t wait to read the sequel. I have preorders in for Madeline Bell’s adult romance MUCH ADO ABOUT EVERYTHING (I adored her debut and I am such a sucker for a Shakespeare retelling) and Maddie Martinez’s THE HAUNTING OF LADY DEATH (a bisexual Phantom of the Opera retelling!!).
