Girlfriends Cyber Circuit Presents Stacy DeKeyser

Yay, it really seems to be fall. I had to put on a jacket when I went to the grocery store this morning. I've stocked up on soup-making supplies.

I also made some good progress on my rewrites, and I'm eager to get back to it. Which means it's a good time for a Girlfriends Cyber Circuit entry. My guest is Stacy DeKeyser, author of the novel Jump the Crack. A 15-year-old girl is accused of kidnapping when she finds an abandoned child on a train and then hides him from his abusive father. Soon she's on a cross-country journey with the boy, as each "right" decision gets her deeper into trouble -- and farther away from home. Victoria has vowed to protect the little boy no matter what. But can she keep that promise?



Now, the interview:

What inspired you to write this book?
As they say in TV and movie trailers, it was "inspired by a true story." While riding the train from Connecticut to New York, I saw an incident very similar to the one my main character, Victoria, sees in the opening scenes of the book. The incident upset me, and I couldn't forget about it, so I decided to write about it.

Describe your creative process.
Pretty much by the seat of my pants. As I mentioned above, I start with a premise. When I get an idea that I absolutely can NOT stop thinking about, that's how I know it'll become a novel. I might have an idea of the ending. But as for in between -- I never really have any idea until the words come out on the page.

Do you have any writing habits or rituals?
I can work almost any time of the day as long as I have a couple of uninterrupted hours. I like early morning, but it's usually not my most productive time. I always seem to have a mug of coffee or a glass of Coke on my desk. One desk drawer is pretty much dedicated to naughty snack foods -- potato chips, M&Ms, etc.

Soft background music helps -- intrumental Celtic folk, or classical baroque (nothing with a really noticeable melody). I stare out the window a lot. I tend to get busy writing when I decide I ought to get other stuff done.

How much, if anything, do you have in common with your heroine?
I think Victoria and I have similar opinions about most things, but I was much more shy than Victoria is. I don't think I would've had been as brave as Victoria is. Or as impetuous. But I like those things about her.

Chocolate: dark or milk?
This is a trick question, isn't it? Both, please.

What are you working on now?
I've just finished an upper midgrade novel about a girl who's hearing voices. Which is kind of a problem, but then again, she really LIKES the voices.

(The voices can be our friends!)

Is there anything else you'd like to say about this book or the process of writing it?
If you read the book, and like it, tell your friends!!

For more info, check out Stacy's web site. And you can order the book from Amazon.