Jamie
asked
Patty Blount:
I know that it is common to ask and most likely annoying at times, but what was your inspiration towards writing the amazing "Some Boys"? This book truly had me reading until my eyes hurt at 1 o'clock in the morning (in a good way)! Hopefully you decide to write the sequel that you may self publish...? I would absolutely love to dive deeper into Grace's or maybe even a new characters journey!
Patty Blount
Hi, Jamie,
Not annoying! I love talking books and love even more to talk about my own books because I still can't believe this is my life now. :)
To tell you about the Some Boys inspiration, I have to back up even more to Send's inspiration, because it began there. You see, I'd wanted to be an author for many years. I was writing a contemporary romance series. Book 1 was finished and I'd gotten about six chapters into book 2 and had book 3 all plotted out when I began imagining this teenage boy character.
I had no story; just him. I'd gone through a tough time with my oldest son being bullied and at work, my boss asked me to learn Twitter. Discovering how people use Twitter led me to also discovering how they abuse it and other social networks for bullying. And that gave birth to this new character.
He became so real, so life-like, I abandoned my series idea and started writing his story. I saw him as this conflicted, guilt-ridden kid who was branded a bully, but really just made a huge, un-un-doable mistake (sorry; I know that's not a word, but it's how he thinks.) I wrote the book that became SEND and it became my first published novel, making my life-long dream come true.
And then I floundered for a long time, looking for my next idea. At this time, the news was full of stories about a rape case in a town called Stuebenville. It appalled me when the media suggested we should all feel sorry NOT for the victim, but for the four boys accused of her assault because they'll never get their football scholarships. The more I read about this case, the angrier I got. And then I learned similar cases were happening in Maryville and in Canada, where Amanda Todd and Rehtaeh Parsons committed suicide when it happened to them.
And suddenly, a new character was born -- a teenage girl. I saw her as a girl that was misunderstood. A girl a lot of people think isn't so 'good' and maybe even ASKED FOR IT (I really, really hate this!) and so, Grace was born.
Dan in Send and Grace in Some Boys became alive to me and I had to write their stories to see what becomes of them. But I also wanted to write it in such a way that people who may have once looked at a girl's clothes or behavior and called her a slut or blamed her for getting raped would close the book and say instead that it's NEVER the victim's fault. Ever. I wanted boys who read the book to recognize themselves in Ian or other characters and change their behavior. Maybe they won't cat-call girls they don't know, or assume that just because a girl can't say no, it means they can do whatever they want to her.
I'm working on a sequel now, as well as a companion story that approaches the same subject matter in Some Boys but from a different angle -- specifically, how an entire family learns to heal. Grace and Ian will make appearances in this book, providing some much-needed advice to the new characters.
Not annoying! I love talking books and love even more to talk about my own books because I still can't believe this is my life now. :)
To tell you about the Some Boys inspiration, I have to back up even more to Send's inspiration, because it began there. You see, I'd wanted to be an author for many years. I was writing a contemporary romance series. Book 1 was finished and I'd gotten about six chapters into book 2 and had book 3 all plotted out when I began imagining this teenage boy character.
I had no story; just him. I'd gone through a tough time with my oldest son being bullied and at work, my boss asked me to learn Twitter. Discovering how people use Twitter led me to also discovering how they abuse it and other social networks for bullying. And that gave birth to this new character.
He became so real, so life-like, I abandoned my series idea and started writing his story. I saw him as this conflicted, guilt-ridden kid who was branded a bully, but really just made a huge, un-un-doable mistake (sorry; I know that's not a word, but it's how he thinks.) I wrote the book that became SEND and it became my first published novel, making my life-long dream come true.
And then I floundered for a long time, looking for my next idea. At this time, the news was full of stories about a rape case in a town called Stuebenville. It appalled me when the media suggested we should all feel sorry NOT for the victim, but for the four boys accused of her assault because they'll never get their football scholarships. The more I read about this case, the angrier I got. And then I learned similar cases were happening in Maryville and in Canada, where Amanda Todd and Rehtaeh Parsons committed suicide when it happened to them.
And suddenly, a new character was born -- a teenage girl. I saw her as a girl that was misunderstood. A girl a lot of people think isn't so 'good' and maybe even ASKED FOR IT (I really, really hate this!) and so, Grace was born.
Dan in Send and Grace in Some Boys became alive to me and I had to write their stories to see what becomes of them. But I also wanted to write it in such a way that people who may have once looked at a girl's clothes or behavior and called her a slut or blamed her for getting raped would close the book and say instead that it's NEVER the victim's fault. Ever. I wanted boys who read the book to recognize themselves in Ian or other characters and change their behavior. Maybe they won't cat-call girls they don't know, or assume that just because a girl can't say no, it means they can do whatever they want to her.
I'm working on a sequel now, as well as a companion story that approaches the same subject matter in Some Boys but from a different angle -- specifically, how an entire family learns to heal. Grace and Ian will make appearances in this book, providing some much-needed advice to the new characters.
More Answered Questions
Raegan Dean
asked
Patty Blount:
Hi My name is reagan and i really enjoyed your book Send. This is the first book i have read by you and i will enjoy reading more of your books hopefully be as pleased as i was by this one. I enjoyed your book so much i was trying to see if you were ever thinking of making a series of this book because i would love to know more about what happens in the end like with julie and ken? So please consider this, Thank you.
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