We chat with author Ellen Hopkins about Sync, which is a new heartbreaking young adult novel in verse about twins separated in the foster care system and the different paths their lives take.
Hi, Ellen! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a poet and former journalist, turned nonfiction books for kids writer, become the NY Times bestselling author of fifteen young adult novels-in-verse, two middle grade verse novels, and four novels for adult readers. After six decades in the west (split even-steven between CA and NV), packed up 33 years in one house to move to a log cabin on five acres of Missouri woods with my extended family and two spectacular German Shepherds.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
As soon as I knew how to spell. My mom instilled a love for literature and encouraged my early haikus.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Uncle Wiggly Long Ears
- The one that made you want to become an author: The Godfather
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: All the Light We Cannot See
Your latest novel, Sync, is out August 27th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Heartbreaking. Heart-stopping. Surprising. Unputdownable. Hopeful.
What can readers expect?
Storm and Lake are twins, connected so deeply they can read each other’s thoughts—their sync. As young children, they are removed from their abusive home and placed in foster care. Sync follows them through a series of placements, one of which separates them. Storm’s anger lands him in lockup a couple of times, but he has finally found a decent “dad” and amazing girlfriend. Until . . . Lake has likewise found love with Parker, but that relationship is in danger because of their uber-religious foster parents, so the two run and wind up on the streets. Then each gets one last chance. Through it all, the twins struggle to find their way back to each other and regain their sync.
Where did the inspiration for Sync come from?
Over the years I’ve worked with a number of foster and aged-out foster kids. Their stories were eye-opening, and I wanted readers to come away with an understanding of a system designed to benefit them, with varied success. There are bad actors there, but also many people who genuinely want to help young people who find it hard to accept that help.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Secondary characters often become favorites, and there are three or four supportive adult characters who readers will love. My favorite is Teddy, a homeless man who finds Lake and her girlfriend Parker living in an abandoned car, with very little money or prospects. Parker has a beautiful voice, and when Teddy hears her singing he taps on the window, offering to leave a few bucks under the windshield wiper if she sings some of his favorite songs. Eventually, the car gets towed. By then, Teddy has become something of a friend, and he takes them to live in a homeless camp, where they’re at least a little safer. He’s got quite the backstory, too.
Can you tell our readers a bit about your approach when it came to exploring foster care and juvenile incarceration?
As I said, I’ve worked with foster kids, and also with kids in lockup. So I’ve had some personal experience. I also spent hours watching videos of foster kids, and foster parents, sharing their stories. And to round things out, I lobbied my readers for their stories and to get the details of juvenile detention correct. It was a lot of research, and I think it shows.
You’re the “most-banned” American author. As someone who is based in Australia, what’s with the book banning and why are your titles considered to be so “alarming”?
The current book banning hysteria is a political drive aimed at crippling our public school system. They’re targeting not only books, but teachers and librarians, driving many from their careers. Books are easy targets. Mine have been labelled “sexually explicit,” and while there is some content, it is written with a young adult audience in mind. They also have LGBTQ characters, and characters of color, both of which are targeted content for removal. Apparently real life is “alarming” to these people.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently writing another middle grade, Finding Olivia, about an adopted 13-year-old girl seeking her identity, both external and internal.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed so far this year and are there any that you can’t wait to get your hands on?
I’ve revisited some old favorites (mostly Stephen King, as I’m considering plunging into horror). Probably my favorite recent book was The Collectors, the Printz-winning anthology. Looking forward to Pick the Lock, which looks to be a very strange book indeed by A.S. King.
