Q&A with Susane Colasanti discussion

This discussion is starting before KEEP HOLDING ON's May 31 pub date, but you can get a feel for the book by reading the first chapter. You can also watch a video I created about my inspiration for writing this book. Both can be found on my website.

For now, we can start by discussing any of my previous books. Feel free to ask about anything - characters, plot, setting, those quirky details I adore...it's totally up to you! Or if you've read an advance copy of KEEP HOLDING ON, you can ask about it (no spoilers, please).

Yes, what IS a cootie catcher, exactly? I was reading about them all through Keep Holding On but I never did figure out exactly what they were. :)

Ha! I guess 20 is too young to know the magic of the cootie catcher. You should Google them for images. Basically, a cootie catcher is a folded piece of paper that you label with different numbers, colors, and fortunes. But you really have to see one to get how they move and unfold. If you're interested in making one, these instructions are good: http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/Arts...

I'm fifteen and i know what those are XD But i refer to them as fortune tellers lol

Why did you decide to write a book about bullying?
It is something that is not talked about enough and I think it is wonderful that someone has deared to go down this road...

Question about Waiting for You: What inspired such a great character like Nash? He's so unique, and his name...how did you come to pick the name "Nash"?

I need to read that book

Melissa wrote: "I'm fifteen and i know what those are XD But i refer to them as fortune tellers lol"

Interesting! I guess fortune tellers is a regional thing.

Stephanie wrote: "Why did you decide to write a book about bullying?
It is something that is not talked about enough and I think it is wonderful that someone has deared to go down this road..."

Keep Holding On was inspired by my own experiences with bullying. I was tormented all through junior high and high school. I know what it's like to be afraid to go to school, to dread eating lunch in the bathroom, to be nervous all day that one of the kids who picks on you will start in again. Unfortunately, there are so many teens dealing with those same issues. My goal in writing this book was to reach out to them and help them feel less alone. I want my readers to know that there are things they can do right now to help make their lives better. And that the most important thing is to never give up.

Natalie wrote: "Question about Waiting for You: What inspired such a great character like Nash? He's so unique, and his name...how did you come to pick the name "Nash"?"

Like most of my boy characters, Nash is my ideal boy in a lot of ways. I've always loved sensitive, angsty boys. The nerd appeal is a big plus, too. His name came to me when I was listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I've been a fan of their music for years.

Moira wrote: "Susane wrote: "Ha! I guess 20 is too young to know the magic of the cootie catcher. You should Google them for images. Basically, a cootie catcher is a folded piece of paper that you label with dif..."

Oooh, chatterboxes! That sounds so much better than cootie catchers. I wonder how many different names they have?

Susane wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Why did you decide to write a book about bullying?
It is something that is not talked about enough and I think it is wonderful that someone has deared to go down this road..."

K..."

Bullying is something that is very real for too many children and it has become a major problem in my neighborhood this past year. It breaks my heart when I hear about how unnecessarily mean kids can be to one another! hearing a young boy say "he deserved to be punched in the face." made me so upset! Something / anything needs to be done to stop bullying because these children have taken it to a another level. There is only so much a person can handle before they reach their breaking point and my heart goes out to my neighbor and his family. And all bullied victims out there....

They're called fortune tellers around here.

I'm from Venezuela and those are called "Saca Piojos" it's so funny how the name changes.
And I really didn't experience bullying itself, but always felt like an outcast, like I was a plus, like I didn't belong. So I can't wait to read the book and see all the wonderful thing it will brings me!

I have a question about Take Me There, which is my favorite of your novels so far. It has a very interesting structure, and I wanted to know what your experience was like writing a novel like it, from different POVs, in which all the puzzle pieces don't really all come together until the end. I think it's a truly brilliant book.

I haven't read Keep Holding On yet, but I was wondering if you came up with the title? And if you did, why did you pick that as your title? (LOVE it, by the way.) :)

♥Jessica(:

I've read so far three of your books; Take Me There, Waiting For You, and When It Happens. Each of those are written in multiple different character views. Where did you come up with the idea? Do all your books have that?

I read the excerpt for Keep Holding On and I am so glad that bullying is seriously frowned upon at my school. But I also understand that bullying can be so much worse in many other parts of the world, so I am glad that you are helping to spread awareness as well as giving hope to those being bullied. Bullying is such a horrific thing.

Valeria wrote: "I'm from Venezuela and those are called "Saca Piojos" it's so funny how the name changes.
And I really didn't experience bullying itself, but always felt like an outcast, like I was a plus, like I ..."

Happy reading! I hope this book helps you in some way.

Susane wrote: "Valeria wrote: "I'm from Venezuela and those are called "Saca Piojos" it's so funny how the name changes.
And I really didn't experience bullying itself, but always felt like an outcast, like I was..."

Thank you very much Susane!

Vicky wrote: "I have a question about Take Me There, which is my favorite of your novels so far. It has a very interesting structure, and I wanted to know what your experience was like writing a novel like it, f..."

Thanks, Vicky! Writing Take Me There was a very involved process. It's structurally the most difficult book I've written. I had Post-it notes in rows on my wall during revisions. Each of the three main characters had their own color. I arranged the Post-its in columns for each day of the week from the book. It wasn't easy to make sure all three story lines matched up. But I'm all about the details, so it was fun to add clues or information that was intentionally left out from the same scene in another character's section. I will probably try writing from three POVs again. It's really fun working with timelines when more than one POV is involved.

Jessica wrote: "I haven't read Keep Holding On yet, but I was wondering if you came up with the title? And if you did, why did you pick that as your title? (LOVE it, by the way.) :)

♥Jessica(:"

Yes, I came up with the title. At first I thought it was too obvious. As I brainstormed other titles, I came to realize that Keep Holding On not only perfectly describes key themes of the book, but also what I want readers to take away. The title came to me while I was watching the Glee ep with that song :)

Penelope wrote: "Just to add my penny in, I'd like to say that I've been bullied ever since the day I went to school. Though, it was because of racial reasons, and sadly, it's still happening today. I'd love to get..."

It's a shame how the negative people in our lives tend to overpower the positive ones. And it breaks my heart that you've been bullied for so long. But I'm happy you've realized that you do have people in your life who care about you. Never forget that. Please rely on them when you need support. Your people are there for you!

Verbal/emotional abuse can have longer lasting affects than physical abuse. "I wish emotional bruises healed like physical ones." That's a line from Keep Holding On.

Tiffany wrote: "I've read so far three of your books; Take Me There, Waiting For You, and When It Happens. Each of those are written in multiple different character views. Where did you come up with the idea? Do a..."

When It Happens and Take Me There are the only two books so far told from multiple POVs (Waiting for You is just one POV). I started out using that technique because I wanted to show the boy's point of view. When I was a teen reading the limited amount of teen fiction available back in the day, I was always frustrated that every book was told from only the girl's perspective. I was dying to know what the boy was thinking, what he was telling his friends, if he really liked the girl...just everything. I promised myself that if I ever wrote a teen novel, I would tell the story from both the girl's and boy's POV.

It was my intention to do that with every book. But while I was writing Waiting for You, I realized that including the boy's POV would have given too much away. Same for Something Like Fate and So Much Closer. But! My seventh book, which I'm revising now, is told from both the girl's and boy's POV, like When It Happens. I'm stoked :)

Abigail wrote: "I read the excerpt for Keep Holding On and I am so glad that bullying is seriously frowned upon at my school. But I also understand that bullying can be so much worse in many other parts of the wor..."

Thanks, Abigail <3

Susane, I would love to know how you came across the idea of crumbling families for Waiting For You. I read it at a time when my own family life wasn't too good, and while reading the book, I almost felt like you were writing about ME and not Marisa.

So, yeah, where do you get the wonderful ideas from?

Susane wrote: "Jessica wrote: "I haven't read Keep Holding On yet, but I was wondering if you came up with the title? And if you did, why did you pick that as your title? (LOVE it, by the way.) :)

♥Jessica(:"

Y..."

It's funny, because the song is why that title jumps out at me so much. I love that song! So now I'm that much more excited to read :)

♥Jessica(:

Susane, why do you pick to write stories on kids in high school? It's funny because I call COOTIE CATHCHERS, fortune tellers. ♥ making them!For the book SOMETHING LIKE FATE does astrology really interest you? If so, then what zodiac are you? (i'm a scorpio)
p.s. I think you write alot like Sarah Desson!!

i noticed this book was a little bit darker than some other ones you've written and dealt with some heavier stuff. Is there a reason for this shift?

<3 you, Susane!!!!

P.S. also, could you explain how your passion for New York was born? i know you often talk about how amazing the place is... did you always want to live there?

Wow....I have to read it! I love Avril Lavigne's song called Keep Holding On and your book being titled that really grabs my attention. I've only read Waiting For You, and I thought it was amazing! I seriously need to read your other books. -__- Perhaps your books can help me bear high school. I don't have a question, but I wanted to thank you and show support!

.

Yeah i know that song

Snigdha wrote: "Susane, I would love to know how you came across the idea of crumbling families for Waiting For You. I read it at a time when my own family life wasn't too good, and while reading the book, I almos..."

I love that you connected with Waiting for You so strongly. One of my goals in writing that book was to reach out to readers who were going through some of the experiences Marisa was. My own home life was a mess growing up. I know how painful that can be. So I wanted to help readers feel less alone by writing about that dynamic.

Ansareen wrote: "Susane, why do you pick to write stories on kids in high school? It's funny because I call COOTIE CATHCHERS, fortune tellers. ♥ making them!For the book SOMETHING LIKE FATE does astrology really in..."

I write teen novels because those are the stories I'm passionate about telling. My internal age is 16. That will always be true. Teens are my people :)

Yes, astrology has always interested me. I believe in fate and serendipity. And I am a classic Taurus!

Sophie wrote: "i noticed this book was a little bit darker than some other ones you've written and dealt with some heavier stuff. Is there a reason for this shift?

<3 you, Susane!!!!

P.S. also, could you explai..."

Keep Holding On is a book I'd been wanting to write for years. The story was inspired by my own experiences with being bullied in junior high and high school. Tragically, there are many other teens dealing with those same issues. I wanted this book to reach out to them and make them feel less alone. Telling this story was important to me because I hoped that the book would help readers in some way. I wasn't even sure this book would be published since it is darker than my others. But my next book is a fun romance, so the darkness is not a trend :)

I've been a New Yorker at heart my whole life. Explaining where that passion comes from is hard to do. The first time I saw the camera zoom in on the Twin Towers in the opening sequence of Late Night with David Letterman, I knew I was meant to live here. The energy of New York City is amazing. I wouldn't be happier anywhere else. The Knowing defies all logic, but it is undeniable <3

Mary wrote: "Wow....I have to read it! I love Avril Lavigne's song called Keep Holding On and your book being titled that really grabs my attention. I've only read Waiting For You, and I thought it was amazing!..."

<3 <3 <3

I JUST FINISHED THIS BOOK, IS AMAZING!! YOU MADE A GREAT JOB.

I don't know if i can still asking, but If Mrs. Scofield inspired in you?

I was imagining you like her in the whole book!!,like that awesome teacher who worries about her students.

I need to read that book

Araceli wrote: "I JUST FINISHED THIS BOOK, IS AMAZING!! YOU MADE A GREAT JOB.

I don't know if i can still asking, but If Mrs. Scofield inspired in you?

I was imagining you like her in the whole book!!,like tha..."

Thank you :D

Yes, Ms. Scofield was inspired by my students always asking me to create a teacher character like me. I even used some of my actual lessons in the book!

Hi Susane! I just finished this book, and I love it! It lives up to its title!! How did you inspire to wrote about bullying?

I found your book is really inspiring to people who is passing this, like a kind of "enough!"... personally, I have not gone through something like that, but I think it is a latent problem in the children who go to school, and even within the same neighborhood ... It is important that people report more on issues like this, to prevent these things happen. I know it's difficult, but we need to start with something. Before reading this book, I thought: how is it that people who suffer bullying do nothing to prevent it? And for now I think I can respond in several ways: by low self-esteem, by family problems, by financial problems, and because they not considered important enough.

Thanks Susanne for this book, I love it! I'll be waiting for more!

I have two questions.... First, how did you come up with all of the similarities shared by Jason and Lani in "Something Like Fate"? And second, how do you come up with the names for characters in all your books?

What made you write this book?