We were delighted to interview Carrie DiRisio, author to the newly released Brooding YA Hero - a new guide written by Broody McHottiepants himself on what it takes to be a Main Character (and have all the authors wanting you to star in their book).
Have you ever wished you could receive a little guidance from your favorite book boyfriend? Ever dreamed of being the Chosen One in a YA novel? Want to know all the secrets of surviving the dreaded plot twist?
Or maybe you're just really confused about what "opal-tinted, luminous cerulean orbs" actually are?
Well, popular Twitter personality @broodingYAhero is here to help as he tackles the final frontier in his media dominance: writing a book. Join Broody McHottiepants as he attempts to pen Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) as Awesome as Me, a "self-help" guide (with activities--you always need activities) that lovingly pokes fun at the YA tropes that we roll our eyes at, but secretly love.
As his nefarious ex, Blondie DeMeani, attempts to thwart him at every turn, Broody overcomes to detail, among other topics, how to choose your genre, how to keep your love interest engaged (while maintaining lead character status), his secret formula for guaranteed love triangle success, and how to make sure you secure that sequel, all while keeping his hair perfectly coiffed and never breaking a sweat. [x]
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As huge fans of the Twitter account @broodingYAhero, we loved that you poke fun at tropes from YA books that we both love and hate. How did you come up with the idea?
The twitter account sprang from a night of binge-watching a few too many cheesy movies, and then reading some YA books... and seeing the same trope in both. I made up the account as an inside joke for a few friends. I had no idea it would go viral?
Brooding YA Hero started out as a twitter sensation. Was it easy transferring the wit and snark to a book?
It had its own challenges, to be sure. Broody exists in all different genres, which made picking one a bit of a challenge. Luckily, I had a very talented editor, (Alison Weiss) who really gets Broody's humor, and helped me shape the book!
Is this book a standalone or can we expect more of Broody McHottiepants's adventures in the future? Do you already have any ideas of future projects you may be working on or would just love to tackle?
As of right now, Broody's adventures stand alone. I'm currently working on a YA fantasy, inspired by my recent trip to Paris.
What are your favorite books at the moment? Do you have books and writers that you can always go back to?
I just finished reading an arc of REIGN OF THE FALLEN By Sarah Marsh and I LOOOOOVED IT. As for books I can always go back to, every winter, I re-read the Dark is Rising. Currently, I'm on my third re-read of Les Miserables
How did you get into writing?
Honestly, I cannot remember a time I WASN'T writing. Even my earliest diaries mixed fact with fiction.
Brooding YA heroes always need a soundtrack to their life. What's yours (or what did you listen to while writing!)?
Normally, I listen to a lot of rock and punk music when writing. The Clash is my all time favorite band. However, for Broody, I listened to "4 hour spa mix" on loop. It's a free playlist on Youtube. Highly recommend
We have to ask, whose your favorite YA hero?
Broody, of course! ;)
What are yours (and Broody's) favorite ya tropes? What is your least favorite?
My favorite trope is enemies to lovers! I really adore the tension it causes. I dislike any trope that pits one girl against another, as I think that's really toxic, and sadly too common in fiction.
Carrie Ann DiRisio is a YA writer and creator of @BroodingYAHero. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA with one large fluffy cat, and is currently pursuing her masters in Digital Marketing, although her true dream is to become a Disney Villainess, complete with a really snazzy gown.
In addition to writing and plans for world domination, she also enjoys running, coffee, Krav Maga, and knitting. [x]
Author’s Website | Email | Broody’s Twitter | Carrie’s Twitter | Instagram
