We chat with author Natalie C. Anderson about That Kind of Girl, which is a gripping YA thriller and follows two girls from opposite worlds play a dangerous game of cat and mouse when a rich classmate is murdered and they become prime suspects. The race is on to find out which one is a killer.
Hi, Natalie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m one of those nomads who has the rare fortune of actually loving the place they come from. I live in Geneva, Switzerland now, but I grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina. It wasn’t your typical small southern town. Mountain people are fiercely independent, cantankerous and proud. Throw in a dash of old hippies and academics brought in by the natural beauty and the local university – it was only when I moved away that I realized most typical teenage weekends didn’t usually involve four-wheeling, analysing beat poetry and skinny dipping in waterfalls. That Kind of Girl is set in Asheville, NC, where my heart is.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always loved stories – not just books, but being told stories, watching movies, plays, commercials… I wasn’t picky! But of course, books were the best. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love flipping pages, especially mysteries. Luckily it was a love encouraged by my family, a few excellent teachers, and some very tolerant librarians. I come by it honestly. I remember my grandmother, a librarian, used to keep a book with her at all times, in case of emergency. She’d read in her car at traffic lights.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Pat the Bunny
- The one that made you want to become an author: Lord of the Flies
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Franny & Zooey
Your latest novel, That Kind of Girl, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Murder, riddles, mean-girls, revenge, lavish
What can readers expect?
A macabre treasure hunt, an Appalachian Veronica Mars, a murder mystery within a murder mystery spanning decades, a dive into the little-known history of how racism created the geography of the city of Asheville, girls not taking any s*it.
Where did the inspiration for That Kind of Girl come from?
I was a little bit obsessed with Nancy Drew as a kid. Was some of it terrible writing? Yes? Was it formulaic? Absolutely. Did I care? Nope. I loved reading about Nancy whipping around in her convertible, chasing scary people into dark basements. What a boss. Her place as the quintessential teen detective has never really been challenged (though I do love Veronica Mars). Writing this book was all about having fun writing a sleuthy character, but with an Appalachain noir twist.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I’m not going to lie, I had a lot of fun writing Inez’s character. She’s a sex worker who’s not apologetic about it, but at the same time who’s constantly examining who she is and how she got there and how she even feels about it. These are the characters that are really interesting to inhabit while you’re writing them – to think, okay, if I was in her shoes what would I be thinking? I love slipping into other people’s skins– it’s one of the best parts of being a writer. It’s liberating, especially when you’re pretending to be one of the darker characters.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I have all the bad habits of most writers when it comes to making myself actually put butt to chair and open my laptop. This book came fairly easily, but getting the book written is only 30% of the work. Then you start editing and you Just. Never. Stop. Editing. People love to ask how long it takes to write a book. It’s not the writing that takes a long time – it’s the fact that of the ten words you write, eight of them have to be rewritten. There is no solution except coffee.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a grown-up book! Even though I don’t feel grown and I seem to understand humans less and less every day. Which I think is a good sign that I’m probably middle aged now. It’s murdery and set in Switzerland. But I’m also toying with a follow up book to That Kind of Girl. (cue gleeful hand rubbing).
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
I read The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir basically without getting up to eat or go to the bathroom. And as soon as I finished it I promptly opened it back up to page one and began reading it all over again. All 1400 pages. If you haven’t read it, please stop whatever it is you’re doing and go sort yourself out. It scratched some feminist-queer-loveship-space opera-horror-climate collapse anxiety itch I didn’t even know I had. Tamsyn, I’m begging you: for the love of the Emperor, please finish book 4. Please. I’m also looking forward to having my heart crushed by Sabaa Tahir as only Sabaa Tahir can crush it in Heir.
