Sunday Brunch: A Chat with Authors Julia Lynn Rubin and Kim Neville

Aurora: What was your inspiration behind your most recent novel? 

Julia Lynn Rubin: I’ve always been a big cinephile, and Thelma & Louise has been one of my favorite movies for years. It has such a Sapphic subtext, and I thought, it would be so cool to tease that out and turn it into an angry, unapologetic YA novel about two teen girls. I volleyed the idea around with some writer friends and all of them were extremely excited about it, so I decided it was going to be my next project. 

What character in this novel do you most relate to and why?

I relate most to Trixie, in part because I wrote her voice directly, and while she’s very different than me, a lot of her thoughts, feelings, observations, and grievances are ones that I share. As for a minor character, I also really relate to Lizzie. I almost feel like that’s who I might’ve been in another life…or at least the kind of character I’d love to imagine I’d be.

Why do you feel novels with powerful and unique characters are so popular and have such a voice right now? 

I honestly think that this has always been true to an extent, but right now, I think people are really craving connection. Togetherness. A sense of shared humanity. Novels with fascinating characters draw us in and hook us and make us really feel. We get attached to them like they’re our own friends or family, and that can be addictive and powerful. I think we also see ourselves in these characters to a large extent; like Lizzie for me, they’re who we imagine we would be if we were born in a different time and place. They say the things we secretly want to say and the do the things we long to do. They live out our fantasies.

Please describe the content of your latest book and what can readers expect from it. 

My latest book is dark, unflinching, honest, and often hard to stomach. I have a content warning at the very beginning which states that Trouble Girls explores themes of sexual harassment, assault, racism, sexism, and the like. There’s also some violence and blood. While it can be brutal at times for some readers, it’s also full of anger and drive and intense, burning love…and a dash of hope.

What’s next for you in the bookish world? 

I have another YA novel coming out with Wednesday Books next year. I can’t say much about it now, but I can tease that it’s a Sapphic horror story, and I pull no punches.

Who is your current favorite writer? Why? 

I would have to say Tiffany McDaniel. Her first two books blew my mind in ways you only dream about as a voracious reader and book lover. They were like the books I’d always wanted to read. They made me cry, like really cry, and they swept me away with their gorgeous prose and incredibly real characters. After I finished her second book, Betty, I sent her this really personal email about my reactions to it, and her response was so warm and lovely and engaged. We ended up chatting back and forth and I hope we keep in touch. She’s fantastic. I also kind of admire her absence from social media.

Any writing advice for aspiring writers? 

Read a lot. Read in the genre you write it and outside of it. You don’t have to read what you don’t like or enjoy, but read widely, and pay close attention to techniques the authors use that you notice and like. Jot them down and try and replicate them or write your own version of a chapter or story. Imitation is honestly how you learn, and it’s how you begin to develop your own style. It’s how I learned to write, and how I developed my voice.

Up next, author Kim Neville!