Scott
Blagden worked in real estate after being shown the exit door when a college
prank found the
wrong audience – apparently humor wasn’t in the offering that
semester. Today, he lives on Cape Cod, is still in the real estate biz, is the
father to two teenagers, and, he has just seen his first book published.
“Dear
Life, You Suck” isn’t standard fare in any genre, let alone Young Adult (YA).
The main character, Cricket Cherpin, is a young man growing up the hard way;
without parents in a Catholic group home where he’s the oldest ward and on the
verge of turning eighteen. One way or another, ready or not, Cricket is about
to be unleashed into the world. The thing is, Cricket is well aware of the
limited choices he’s facing because he’s been engaged in many of the darker
activities for some time. And it is the clash of those worlds he lives in that
has created Cricket’s unique persona and outlook.
“Dear
Life, You Suck” is filled with blunt, creative, often profane, occasionally
laughable language as Cricket walks a wobbly balance beam between protecting
the younger wards in the home and dealing with the drugs, drug dealers, and
many other vices and people he encounters outside the nuns’ umbrella of safety.
Cricket isn’t quite like any character readers have encountered before, and
that’s what helps transcend this book beyond the YA genre.
This
is a book destined to be talked about. The characters and settings Scott has
created are not going away. Why? Because they are very real. We’ve met these
people, read about them in the news, seen them on the street corners, and maybe
raised one or two in our own families. Cricket isn’t foolproof. He doesn’t have
all the answers, but needs those answers – right now! He’s seventeen and
subject to mood swings and ever changing outlooks as the circumstances around
him buzz in and out of his grasp and understanding. “Life sucks” is his mantra,
as it is with many teens who find themselves alone and standing on the brink of
adulthood, until that one chance, that one person enters their life, and they
discover what they thought was their future may come with a fork in the road.
Parents
who believe ‘their’ teens would never drink, smoke a joint, curse, or
take a dip in the darker side of life won’t like this book. But, their kids are
going to love it.
Q)
The obvious question: What inspired this book?
A)
Actually, the inspiration was the utter failure of my three previous novels. I
wrote those novels with the goal of getting published as my main objective. I
was trying to write something I thought would be popular, something I thought
would sell. Around the time my third novel received its three or four hundredth
rejection letter, a profane and hilarious character popped into my head. I
started writing down his thoughts, never thinking I could use such outrageous
stuff in an actual novel. But the more I wrote about this angry, wounded,
distrustful young man, the more I realized there was a story beneath the
crassness. A story that might never see the light of day publishing-wise, but a
story that needed to be told nonetheless. I basically said “screw it, I’m not
getting published anyway” and decided to write Cricket’s story. I was writing
it more for myself than anyone else, and looking back on that time now, I
realize that’s what made all the difference. My “I don’t care what anyone
thinks” attitude enabled me to tell Cricket’s story honestly in his true voice.
Q)
You opted to give Cricket a language that is at times all his own. Where did
his unique words come from?
A)
I’ve heard about actors “getting into character” before performing, but this is
the first time it’s happened to me when writing a book. After I really got to
know Cricket, I “became him” every time I sat down at my computer. And once I
was “in character,” his words flowed out of me like water through a busted dam.
Some of the language came naturally and some needed a great deal of editing
during the revision process. The finished draft definitely did not just “flow”
out. I probably did two or three hundred revisions before finishing the
manuscript.
Q)
“Dear Life, You Suck” has been likened to “The Catcher in the Rye” in its
portrayal of life. I see traces of Mark Twain’s subtle humor that requires a
second look to fully comprehend. While the comparisons are complimentary, they
do tend to take away from the fact this story is solely the product of your
imagination. How do you feel about the comparisons being made so early in the
book’s release?
A)
Yes, the novel is purely a product of my imagination, but like all stories,
deep dark traces of the author leak out onto the pages. It’s overwhelming and
surreal to be compared to writers I worship, and I haven’t really been able to
get my mind around that yet. I try not to think about it too much because it’s
very possible that my unstable, self-esteem-strained brain will trick me into
believing I’m something more than a tenacious hack with a twisted imagination.
Struggling with my second novel helps keep me grounded. Also, I never forget
that I have a genius editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Adah Nuchi, and she’s
responsible for much of the book’s success. She’s brilliant, passionate, and
stubborn - the perfect combination for a YA book editor. Especially with a
client who tends to write a great deal of outrageous nonsense.
Q)
What were your teens’ reactions when they learned dad was writing a book about
a teenager’s life instead of a murder mystery?
A)
I have 17-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. My son’s read the book, and he
loved it. He admitted he was nervous about reading it because he was afraid he
might not like it, and he knew he’d have to be honest and tell me. He did say
it was weird reading Dad’s thoughts about teen life, especially the “romantic
stuff.” My daughter hasn’t read it yet because she’s been real busy with school
and work, but my guess is she’s just not ready to glimpse dad’s warped mind.
And I’m fine with that. She can read it when she’s ready.
Q)
This book will be a hard act to follow. So, will your next project be on the
same artistic plane, or will you take decidedly different course?
A)
The good reviews have definitely heightened my level of anxiety about book two.
I don’t want to disappoint readers who like Dear Life. I'm intentionally going
in a very different direction, and it’s a challenging story, so I’m taking my
time. My editor’s been telling me for the last year and a half not to worry
about pub dates for book two and to take as much time as necessary to get the
story right, and I finally understand where she’s coming from. I want to make
sure it’s as good as it can be (with her assistance) before sending it out into
the world. Especially since it’s sure to be compared to Dear Life. My next
novel is about a 17-year-old track star with “father-issues” and a full-boat
college scholarship who suddenly finds himself caring for a five-month-old
infant he’s recently learned is his daughter.
Q)
Any parting thoughts for soon-to-be fans?
A)
For readers, my hope is that they will give Cricket a chance. It's risky to
write a character honestly from page one because a reader might write him off
before discovering the real him (just like in real life), but I think it's a
writer’s responsibility to present characters as they truly are, not as society
thinks they should be. For writers, my advice is “never give up.” It may take
five or ten or twenty novels before you get published, but if you concentrate
on becoming a better writer instead of becoming a published writer, you’ll get
there.
DA Kentner is an
award-winning author www.kevad.net
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