| A.E. Albert: A Writer's Blog

Author Interview: Best Friends…Forever? (Landry’s True Colors Series) by Krysten Lindsay Hager
by A.E. Albert

Title: Best Friends…Forever? (Landry’s True Colors Series)
Genre: A clean reads young adult book

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a writer?

I was always making up stories as a kid and even entered and won a writing contest in first grade, but it was in fourth grade when I started to imagine how amazing it would be to be a writer. At that time, I thought Ann M. Martin (author of The Babysitters Club) had to have the most exciting job in the universe.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I wanted to write the book I wished had been around when I was that age. A book that dealt with self-esteem issues, friend drama, and trying to figure out where I fit in as opposed to where I thought I should fit in. It seemed like so many books had unrealistic things in them where things wrapped up to neatly at the end and that’s not real life. Teenagers don’t wake up with all the answers and suddenly know how to stand up to people and if they do—the people they need to stand up to don’t always back down. So I wanted a book that reflected what girls really feel and how they handle tough situations and confrontation.

What have you written?

I’ve written the first two books in the Landry’s True Colors Series and am currently working on the third book called, Landry in Like.

Is there a message in your book and/or books?

There’s a message about being yourself and not just who you think you should be or who your friends want you to be. Landry deals with self-image and self-esteem issues and trying to find where she fits in best. She sees these popular girls who seem like they have it all together, but also is beginning to see the ones who have her best interests at heart and are true, loyal friends.

Is there anything in your book and/or books based on real life experiences?

I have used some experiences from my real life. I did some modeling at Landry’s age, so I use my feelings on that and issues with friends, frenemies, and stress over school and crushes. Oddly, while working on the third book, a friend forwarded me an email a man we know wrote her and it was so passive aggressive and I thought, “Wow, he’s a grown man and yet this emails fits when I just wrote for a teen story. That’s crazy!” So a lot of these issues don’t go away over time. People grow up, but that doesn’t always mean they mature.

Who is your favorite character from one of your stories?

My favorites are: Landry, Ashanti, and Peyton. I love how the Peyton and Thalia characters are so sure of themselves and not worried about what people think. I also love how grounded and loyal Ashanti is as a friend.

What actor do you see playing them in a movie?

I picture Vladi as Ross Lynch from “Austin and Ally.” When I began writing the story years ago, I pictured LeToya Luckett as Ashanti. I see Ciara Bravo as Thalia, and originally when writing the story, I saw Ashlee Simpson back when she had that reality show on MTV. I also see Jennifer Lopez as Talisa Milan. I have a Pinterest board and a character board on my website so people can see how I imagine everyone from Landry’s parents to her teacher, Mrs. Kharazzi here on my website: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/

What books and/or writers have influenced you the most?

My Mother Was Never a Kid by Francine Pascal. I love the humor in it. Also, The Great Mom Swap by Betsy Haynes inspired me to want to write as a kid. Other writers who have inspired me are: May Sarton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina is a favorite of mine), Charlotte Bronte, Sylvia Plath, Edith Wharton, Margaret Mitchell, and Jane Austen.

What is your favorite book?

I love Goodbye Glamour Girl by Erika Tamar and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

How do you conquer writer’s block?

I take a break and watch movies and TV shows. That always kick starts some brainstorming. Reading helps as well. I also go through files I keep of pictures that have inspired the setting/plot/characters and sometimes that can really bring me back into the story.

What has been your greatest challenge when writing?

I often write scenes separately and then have to piece them all together. So far that hasn’t been an issue for the Landry’s True Colors Series, but it has with other work of mine. I often write too many scenes that the readers don’t need to see because they don’t further the plot along, but that I love and hate to cut because of what it shows about the character.

How do you rejuvenate after a writing session?

Listening to music helps. Also, I find doing laundry really relaxing. I can’t explain it, but there’s something about folding nice, clean laundry that I enjoy.

What is your funniest experience in writing?

Sometimes I use real people as the physical models for the characters. I don’t use their personalities, just the faces and it’s funny because sometimes I write something and then the exact same thing happens to that person in real life. I used an athlete as a physical model for a character and then wrote something happening and the entire scene played out in real life. My critique partner said to me, “Please write something good for this character because you’re ruining this guy’s life.” Haha!

What are you working on right now?

I am working on the third book in the Landry’s True Colors Series as well as another young adult book and an adult novel.

What have you learned and do you have any advice for other authors?

I always say to take literature classes to learn from the best on how to put a story together. If you don’t read and learn how to take apart literature to find out how and why it works, then it’s impossible to write well.

What famous person would you like to meet? Why?

I would love to meet Marlo Thomas and Mary Tyler Moore. I love how groundbreaking their shows were for the time and how they inspired so many women. I also have a lot of great memories of watching basketball with my grandpa. The Pistons were our home team, but we also watched the Spurs and the Bulls in the playoffs. Ron Harper and Toni Kukoc were our favorite players at the time and so I’d love to meet either one of them. Just thinking back to watching those games with Grandpa brings back so many good memories.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I’ve always wanted to go to England because so many of my favorite writers are/were from there. Also, Poland because my great-grandparents were from there and so is my cover model!

What is your favorite book quote?

This is the quote that brought me to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work, "Writers aren't people exactly. Or, if they're any good, they're a whole lot of people trying so hard to be one person."—The Love of the Last Tycoon.