Mr. V meets Imaginary Oprah

Thanks everyone for all of the congrats and well-wishes about the book sale. I know I keep saying it, but it’s true – I really, really like what Flux is doing, and I’m happy to be a part of it.

Folks have asked a lot of questions about me, the novel, my agent, Flux, and just about everything else over the last week. I figured now would be a good time to answer some of those questions.

Imaginary Oprah: Congratulations on the novel. Can you tell us what it’s about?

Mr. V: Umm, didn’t you read the blurb on my last post?

Imaginary Oprah: Of course I did. Your blurb didn’t give much of a description about the book, though. What causes Rhonda’s life to be turned “upside down”? Why is she avoiding the in-crowd?

Mr. V: None of your business. You’ll get more answers as the publication date nears.

Imaginary Oprah: But –

Mr. V: I said to drop it. Don’t make me call Dr. Phil.

Imaginary Oprah (as she mumbles something under her breath): A lot of people were unhappy with the way you ended your first novel. Will this novel end in similar fashion?

Mr. V: No one buys the farm in this novel.

IO: That’s good to hear. Now, according to your blurb, this is your first YA novel. Is that correct?

Mr. V: Finally, a good question. My first novel, although written as a YA novel, was released as adult fiction. My publisher said that we would target both the YA and the adult markets for the novel. Unfortunately, I must not have gotten the memo where they decided to revise their marketing scheme.

IO: You sound bitter for someone whose novel made the Essense Bestseller list.

Mr. V: No, I’m not bitter. It’s just that for the past few years, I’ve felt like a YA author trapped in the land of adult fiction. I had spent all of my time and resources preparing for the YA market. The book hit the stores (well, some stores) and I wasn’t prepared for how to handle marketing and promoting an adult fiction book.

IO: Your new publisher, Flux, seems to focus primarily on teen fiction. How do you feel about that?

Mr. V: What kind of question is that? I’m happy about it, of course. I write teen fiction, remember?

IO (narrowing her eyes): You’d better be glad I’m a figment of your imagination, because if not, I’d reach through that computer screen and-

Mr. V: Save the threats for Stedman. Just keep asking questions.

IO: Sara Crowe with the Harvey Klinger Agency negotiated the deal. Do you have any comments on that?

Mr. V: Sara’s a great agent. She knows the market, and she knows what I need as an author. I’m lucky to be represented by her.

IO: Flux’s belief that YA is a point of view, not a reading level, is a great tagline. By any chance do you have a tagline?

Mr. V: Yeah. I make shit up.

IO (frowning): I thought you were a YA novelist. Shouldn’t you keep your language PG, for the kids?

Mr. V: What planet are you living on? Have you heard a teenager talk lately? They stopped keeping it PG in elementary school. But that’s a topic for another day.

IO (shaking her head): What do you Flux people call yourselves?

Mr. V: According to Christine Kole Maclean (who’s book, How it’s Done, is coming out next month with Flux), we’re either Flux-ians or Flux-onites. Personally, I think we’re a bunch of Bad Mother Fluxers.

IO (as she salutes me): Who’s a bad mother fluxer now?