Lianne Oelke's new young adult novel is Nice Try, Jane Sinner.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for your novel, and for your character Jane Sinner?--Marshal Zeringue
A: I struggled with depression in university, and keeping a journal helped me deal with all my negative thoughts. When I re-read what I wrote, I didn't like the person I was. I started typing up the journal entries so I could take out things I didn't like and add things that made me laugh.
Eventually I realized that I was writing about someone like me, but different. Bolder. Someone with a cool name, like Jane Sinner. I weaved in a plot to tie everything together (I was watching a lot of The Bachelor at the time, so reality TV was a natural choice).
Once I decided I was writing a novel, it took about three years to finish a draft I was reasonably proud of.
Q: What do you think the book says about the role of reality TV in today’s world?
A: Reality TV--just like social media--has done so much to open up personal lives to the world. Anyone can share anything, and it's both intimate and alienating.
Part of the appeal of putting yourself out there is that it....[read on]