We chat with Kara all about her new novel Sidelined, which is an emotional YA romance about small town secrets, high school football, and broken hearts.
Hi, Kara! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello and thanks for having me! My name is Kara and I currently live just north of Atlanta, Georgia. I love singing showtunes to my dogs, hanging out with my family and adding to my really impressive pen collection!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I’ve always loved writing, but the first time I remember feeling like it was something I could actually do as a job, I was in third grade. I found a book on my elementary school library’s shelves that made me feel seen, and it was then that I realized that I could do that, too. The book was Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great by Judy Blume, by the way. That was also the year my teacher, Mrs. Frates, told me that I was a good writer, and that feeling stuck with me. I started filling spiral-bound notebooks with stories shortly after that and haven’t stopped yet!
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
- We Like Kindergarten (a Little Golden Book by Clara Cassidy with illustrations by Eloise Wilkin). A good friend recently gifted me an original copy of this and it’s one of my prized possessions.
- Otherwise Known As Sheila The Great by Judy Blume.
- Only one? (I’m going to cheat…there are two!) Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson and Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes.
Your new novel, Sidelined, is out September 21st 2021! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Texas, football, tradition, mums, love.
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect two boys with a complicated shared history, tons of Texas high school football madness, small-town traditions, homecoming mums, school dances, real friendships, cheese fries, and all the swoony feels I could squeeze in.
Where did the inspiration for Sidelined come from?
I lived in Texas for a few years and worked in a high school guidance office and later in the school library. I learned so much about the culture of high school football and homecoming, and just how important some of these traditions are to the students and honestly, the whole school community. I also had a personal wish to see more joyful stories with queer characters falling in love, feeling safe and respected in their neighborhoods, and being loved and celebrated by their families. These two things were front and center in my life when I began writing Sidelined.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
There were a lot of bumps in the road while I was working on Sidelined, both personally and professionally, but I think it’s that way for almost anyone who chooses a creative path. Writing stories or creating in general becomes a thing that we try to shoehorn into an already busy life, and sometimes it’s hard to feel like it’s okay to take the time to let a story steep and marinate. Learning that writing doesn’t always look like furiously typing a manuscript into the computer was definitely a challenge I faced while working through Sidelined! Sometimes writing looks like brainstorming, or journaling, or talking through sticky plot points. Sometimes it even looks like daydreaming or going for a walk outside. For me, leaning on writing and creative friends when things get difficult is key. Writing is a very solitary endeavor, but having a fantastic support system helps quell the loneliness.
Were there any favourite characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Other than my two main characters, Julian and Elijah, my favorite character in the book is Bucky! He was so much fun to write, and I know he has a really interesting backstory. Backstory for side characters rarely ever makes it into the final draft of a book, of course. But this time, it made me a little sad that I didn’t get to share that piece of Bucky with readers! Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line I’ll write Bucky his own story and share all the wonderful things I know about him with readers.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The worst I’ve ever received is that in order to be a “real writer” (whatever that means), you have to write every day. This is an impossible standard for a lot of writers for a ton of different reasons and not something we should be made to feel guilty about if we cannot meet it. The best advice is to give yourself grace. There is a lot of pressure to succeed, to produce huge word counts, to be charming on social media, and to always present the best pieces of yourself. Loading yourself up with that much weight can be debilitating. I’ve learned, through my own missteps and by listening to others, that it’s okay to have a fallow period. And I don’t just mean between projects. Sometimes you need to let your subconscious work through things while you step far away from your computer. Knit a scarf. Dig in the dirt. Draw something. Work with clay or play-doh! Keep your hands busy in some way that is not typing. Your story will almost always thank you for it. And your emotional health will be better for it, too.
What’s next for you?
I have a couple of (secret) YA projects cooking at the moment. I’m so excited to share details when the time is right!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Since the pandemic, I have been reading a ton of contemporary YA graphic novels and poetry. So. Much. Poetry. Some of my favorites of the past few months are anything at all by Tillie Walden, The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connel. Some amazing poetry I’ve picked up recently is Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson and Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes. Chlorine Sky by Mahogany L. Browne is a novel in verse that I just devoured. Gorgeous. Some things I’m looking forward to reading later this year are Things We Couldn’t Say by Jay Coles, Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson (You Should See Me in a Crown is one of my favorites), Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin and Both Sides Now by Peyton Thomas.
