A big thanks to Janci Patterson for stopping by to answer a couple of questions about her debut novel, Chasing the Skip. You can check Janci out at her website, Facebook, or Twitter. You can find information about Chasing the Skip on Goodreads.
1. Tell us a little bit about your book, Chasing the Skip.
Ricki’s dad has never been there for her. He’s a bounty hunter who spends his time chasing parole evaders—also known as “skips”—all over the country. Ever since Ricki’s mom ran off, Ricki finds herself an unwilling passenger in a front-row seat to her father’s dangerous lifestyle. Ricki’s feelings get even more confused when her dad starts tracking seventeen-year-old Ian Burnham. She finds herself unavoidably attracted to the dark-eyed felon who seems eager to get acquainted. Ricki thinks she’s ever in control—the perfect accomplice, the Bonnie to his Clyde. Little does she know that Ian isn’t playing the game by her rules.
2. Can you describe your road to getting published?
In a word, it was long. I wrote nine novels over twelve years. I racked up in excess of a hundred rejections. Somewhere along the line I learned to revise, and started getting much nicer rejections. I started working with an agent, and compiled those rejections faster than ever.
In seriousness, I started writing books because it was what I wanted to do, and I sent them out because I didn't want to reject myself, even though my early work was far from publishable. But I kept writing, and once my skills were where they needed to be, CHASING THE SKIP sold rather quickly.
3. What qualities do you like most in Ricki?
Ricki's having a hard time, but she wants very much to make things better, even though she has no idea how. That doesn't keep her from trying (and failing, and trying again.) Her persistence is probably my favorite thing about her.
4. What's your favorite book of all time, and has it had any impact on your writing?
I can't pick just one. But my favorite book in the contemporary YA genre is SPEAK, by Laurie Halse Anderson. That book is pure brilliance. I'd like to say it's had an impact on my writing, but I wouldn't dare suggest that my work even leans toward something as beautiful as SPEAK. Maybe someday. It's good to always have things to aspire to.
5. Do you have anything new in the works?
Always. As a writer, the only thing I can control is whether or not I'm working on the next book. I have several more books finished, but nothing under contract yet. And, of course, I'm writing a new one. The future is always uncertain, but hopefully you'll get to read them all in the not-so-distant future.
Ricki’s dad has never been there for her. He’s a bounty hunter who spends his time chasing parole evaders—also known as “skips”—all over the country. But now since Ricki’s mom ran off, Ricki finds herself an unwilling passenger in a front-row seat to her father’s dangerous lifestyle.
Ricki’s feelings get even more confused when her dad starts chasing seventeen-year-old Ian Burnham. She finds herself unavoidably attracted to the dark-eyed felon who seems eager to get acquainted. But Ricki thinks she’s ever in control—the perfect manipulator. Little does she know that Ian isn’t playing their game by her rules. (From Goodreads)
Best Bits: Ricki's had it rough. Her father hasn't been a part of her life, and now her mom has gone off to meet some guy she met online. If that's not the setup for abandonment issues I don't know what is. I enjoyed watching the buildup of tension between Ricki and her father, and the confrontation where Ricki finally gets the answers she's looking for. It's clearly difficult for both of them to be in this new situation...and to add skips (people who've missed their court dates) into the mix adds to the trouble. I would say that this book is less about romance, as the synopsis makes it seem, and is more of a contemporary family drama. So, go into it without expectations of true and undying love.
Nit Picks: There were a lot of ends left open, and I wanted more resolution. This doesn't mean that I found the end of the book unsatisfying, I actually enjoyed it. It just felt like many of the different portions of Ricki's story had a little more to explore than the reader gets to see. Patterson is definitely one to watch, but I feel like this book needed a couple more chapters just to round the story out.
Chasing the Skip
By Janci Patterson
240 Pages
Published by Henry Holt and Co.
Received for Review
Rating: C
Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This weekly meme shares the upcoming books that I'm most excited about.
Chasing the Skip by Janci Patterson
Ricki’s dad has never been there for her. He’s a bounty hunter who spends his time chasing parole evaders—also known as “skips”—all over the country. But now since Ricki’s mom ran off, Ricki finds herself an unwilling passenger in a front-row seat to her father’s dangerous lifestyle.
Ricki’s feelings get even more confused when her dad starts chasing seventeen-year-old Ian Burnham. She finds herself unavoidably attracted to the dark-eyed felon who seems eager to get acquainted. But Ricki thinks she’s ever in control—the perfect manipulator. Little does she know that Ian isn’t playing their game by her rules.
Published by Henry Holt & Co
Release Date: October 2, 2012
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