Isabel Sterling
asked
Lillian Clark:
Ooh, I love hacker stories, and the college tuition struggle is very relatable. How did you decide to pair up those elements?
Lillian Clark
I love this question! Thanks, Isabel!
My first thought for this book was that I wanted to write a heist, one with room for humor alongside some seriousness, and one that hinged on the trust and devotion of a group of friends. But I also wanted something (reasonably, ha…please don't try this at home!) realistic and relatable. Less Ocean's 11 and more about issues teens regularly deal with today, such as how to pay for college and navigate complex parental relationships. And answering the question of how to pay for Bellamy's tuition after she loses out on funding thanks to her wealthy estranged father with 'well, then take it from him!' makes sense to the characters in the book. And with so much of our lives, private and professional, lived online and one the five narrators, Nari, a white hat hacker, well… I'll just say Nari adds two plus two and comes up with a full ride, haha.
My first thought for this book was that I wanted to write a heist, one with room for humor alongside some seriousness, and one that hinged on the trust and devotion of a group of friends. But I also wanted something (reasonably, ha…please don't try this at home!) realistic and relatable. Less Ocean's 11 and more about issues teens regularly deal with today, such as how to pay for college and navigate complex parental relationships. And answering the question of how to pay for Bellamy's tuition after she loses out on funding thanks to her wealthy estranged father with 'well, then take it from him!' makes sense to the characters in the book. And with so much of our lives, private and professional, lived online and one the five narrators, Nari, a white hat hacker, well… I'll just say Nari adds two plus two and comes up with a full ride, haha.
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