A Conversation With Julie Prestsater

Author of the Young Adult Novel, 'So I'm A Double Threat'

Sep 20, 2009

Julie Prestsater's first novel features a smart high school freshman who's in love with a senior football player.

A native Southern Californian, Julie Prestsater is a high school teacher and author of the young adult novel, So I'm a Double Threat. In this interview, she talks about her novel, her creative process, her working habits and favorite authors, among other things.

Thanks for being my guest, Julie. Tell us a bit about your book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

So I'm A Double Threat is a goofy story about a high school freshman, Meg, who is this honors kid with kick-butt grades, but she isn't your typical geeky girl. She's in love a hot football player, who's a senior, and she likes to hit the party scene. Meg will often trade in her notebooks for red plastic cup, if you know what I mean. Overall, it's a real story about real teens. I think it's pretty realistic, although some people might not like to believe it.

I chose to write about teens because I loved high school. It was a lot of fun for me. I also work with high school kids every day. It's what I know.

How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

It's kind of funny. I wrote the last paragraph of the novel first. I had this idea in my head where I wanted Meg to end up. I knew exactly what I wanted her to say and feel at the end. I had no idea how I was going to get there, but I just knew how I wanted it to end. How naive of me. As soon as I started typing, my plan fizzled. It was more stream-of-consciousness writing, and I couldn't stop. It sounds so cliché but really, the characters just took on a life of their own. It was like a movie playing in my head, and I would react. One of the boy characters did some not-so-nice things, and I got angry with him. It was pretty funny. Here I am getting angry with a fictional character I created. What a dork I am. The process is nuts. The emotions are not limited. It's crazy.

Describe your working environment.

Sitting on the sofa, with my laptop in my lap, with the TV on, or headphones in my ears. I really should get a desk with a nice chair. I don't know how long my hands can take it like this.

How do you divide your time between taking care of a home and children, and writing? Do you plan your writing sessions in advance?

Since I work during the day and the kids are at school, the time we have together is limited. So when we get home, it's mostly about homework, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed. Once I say goodnight, I hit the laptop.

Who are your favorite authors?

Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is one of my favorites. I gobbled up her books so quickly. I talk about her characters all the time. Reading them makes me want to jump on a plane to Miami, even though I can't stand flying. Make Him Look Good was hysterical. The main character reminds me of myself just a tiny bit. She has this crazy obsession with a hot singer. She's the president of his fan club and wears Ricky t-shirts any chance she can. As for me, I've been in love with New Kids on the Block for over twenty years. And I have to admit, I still have all my old gear from my NKOTB telephone to my posters right down to my fanny pack. I even have all their new stuff since they came back.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Well, I'm going to sign up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I'm so excited. I have all these ideas floating around in my head. I don't want to cheat, so I haven't written anything down. But I'm ready! This novel is going to be about a young girl's struggle to find her place in a world where she's not Mexican enough and she's not American enough. As a teen, it drove me nuts when someone would tell me I acted "White". What the heck does that mean? I knew what they were trying to say and it bugged me. I still hear kids being told that same thing today and it's doesn't irritate me any less. So I'm anxious to see where this one takes me.

Thanks for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here!

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