JENNIFER BARDSLEY INTERVIEW AND GENESIS GIRL GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Jennifer Bardsley here to talk about her YA speculative fiction book GENESIS GIRL that released in June. It sounds like a really thought provoking story about our addiction to the technical world.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-old Blanca has lived a sheltered life. Her entire childhood has been spent at Tabula Rasa School where she’s been protected from the Internet.

Blanca has never been online and doesn’t even know how to text. Her lack of a virtual footprint makes her extremely valuable, and upon graduation, Blanca and those like her are sold to the highest bidders.

Blanca is purchased by Cal McNeal, who uses her to achieve personal gain. But the McNeals are soon horrified by just how obedient and non-defiant Blanca is. All those mind-numbing years locked away from society have made her mind almost impenetrable.

By the time Blanca is ready to think for herself, she is trapped. Her only chance of escape is to go online.

Hi Jennifer! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

Jennifer: I’ve always told stories to myself before I fall asleep—which is probably why I suffer from insomnia. About ten years ago I finally wrote one of them down in a serious way. No agent wanted to represent me because that first manuscript was horrible, but several years later I wrote another book and that attracted the interest of my agent, Liza Fleissig. She helped sell Genesis Girl to Georgia McBride Media Group as a two-book deal.

2. Awesome how you stuck with it. Where did you get the idea for GENESIS GIRL?

Jennifer: Prepare to be disgusted. Genesis Girl was inspired by opera’s dirty secret. In the 1700s there were parents who would castrate their young sons in the hopes they would become famous singing superstars called castrati. Opera fans adored castrati because they could hit the highest notes.

In the futurist world of Genesis Girl, parents castrate the digital identities of their children in the hopes they will become famous members of the Vestal order. Vestals like my main character Blanca, never go online and don’t even know who to text. They are blank slates, and their digital purity makes them valuable.

3. What a story! What tips do you have for other writers wanting to write speculative fiction?

Jennifer: There’s a big debate happening right now in the YA world and it’s whether or not YA Sci-Fi books can sell. Hopefully Zenith by Lindsay Cummings and Sasha Alsberg has proved once and for all that yes, there is a market for YA Sci-Fi. But speculative fiction also includes everything from YA Fantasy to YA Paranormal. Basically, anything that isn’t Real with a capital R. My tip for writers wanting to write speculative fiction, would to follow your heart and see where your imagination takes you.

4. Share a bit about Blanca as a character and what surprised you about her character

development.

Jennifer: When people ask me to describe my main character from Genesis Girl I tell them that

Blanca is like a Sci-Fi Amish girl, No, she’s not actually Amish, but she does shun all forms of modern technology such as texting and the Internet. She won’t even let her picture be taken because she’s afraid it will be posted online. Blanca is a Vestal, and she and the rest of her Brethren are an elite community that hides from the outside world. They wear white as a symbol of their purity.

The clash between Blanca’s strict upbringing and her entry into the real world was fun to write about, but it was also a struggle. I had to think of all the ways Vestals would protect themselves from accidentally having their pictures taken. I also had to deal with a character who only wore white. One of my beta-readers kept pointing out to me “Strawberries? Shrimp? Wouldn’t that be messy?”

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the way Blanca’s characters develops from a sheltered teenager who believes what her teachers tell her to believe, into a young adult who can think for herself, was my favorite part of writing the book.

5. That's such an interesting world. I read that your manuscript went through 22 revisions before you submitted it to your agent.What did you learn from the revision process?

Jennifer: I learned that I revise differently on the computer versus reading on my Kindle, or holding printed out copies in my hand. Each format helps me think about improving my words in new ways. I killed a lot of trees printing out hard copies, but I also utilized technology. Sending drafts as word documents to my Kindle was convenient because it meant I could edit five minutes here, five minutes there while I was waiting to pick up my kids from school.

6. Yes, many authors say looking at the printed version is different. Your agent is Liza Fleissig. How did she become your agent and what was your road topublication like?

Jennifer: When I began writing in earnest I joined The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. They provided me with what’s called “The Book,” a gigantic resource of agents, publishers, and other paths to publication. As soon as my young adult manuscript was complete, I queried agents I discovered via SCBWI. Liza Flessig of the Liza Royce Agency was willing to take a chance on me. She brokered a two-book deal for “Genesis Girl” with my publisher. Signing the contract was just the beginning. It took another two and a half years to see my book in print.

7. You’ve written several articles giving advice on creating a Facebook author page. Share some

of your tips on creating a good Facebook author page and using it to promote your book.

Jennifer: The way Facebook works is that the more likes, comments and shares a post gathers, the more people see it. The algorithm rewards popular posts, and punishes things the community finds boring. The trick is to post something really exciting that everybody loves.

Using my own page The YA Gal as an example, with 20,000 followers sometimes I get 1,000 people viewing a post, sometimes 40,000, depending upon the engagement. Early, immediate engagement seems to make a difference, so I keep track of popular days and times for my audience. Sometimes I schedule posts in advance if I know I’m going to be busy. I use an app called Trackgram to make memes I think my audience might find share-worthy, and also post YA-related questions to spark discussions.

8. Wow! I didn't know any of that. Thanks. Since your book released several months ago, you’ve had some time to see what worked welland what didn’t work so effectively in marketing your book. Share some of your marketingexperiences and what you have learned from them.

Jennifer: I wish I knew with 100% certainty what worked well and what didn’t but I have no idea. My publisher did a blog tour through Chapter by Chapter, and I did a boosktagram and booktube tour with Grace from LovingDemBooks. But what exactly boosted sales (or did not boost sales) is still a mystery.

I will share my pet-peeve though. If you look up the #GenesisGirl hashtag on Instagram you’ll find pictures of my book from all over the world. You’ll also find pictures of cars posted by proud Hyundai Genesis owners. It’s really annoying! Every time I see a car picture pop up in the #GenesisGirl feed I want to tear off my shirt and turn green.

9. I know the Chapter and Chapter blog and like it. What are you working on now?

Jennifer: Damaged Goods, the sequel to Genesis Girl, is with my publisher right now. I can’t wait for readers to find out what happens to Blanca next!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Jennifer. Ways you can find Jennifer:

Website ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Facebook ● Goodreads

 http://JenniferBardsley.net

https://twitter.com/JennBardsley

https://www.instagram.com/the_ya_gal/

https://www.facebook.com/TheYAGal

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5755219.Jennifer_Bardsley

Jennifer generously offered a paperback of GENESIS GIRL to one winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through October 1st.  If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This in an international giveaway wherever the Book Depository ships for free.

Here's what's coming up:

Next Monday I have a special treat. Our follower and my friend Kristin Lenz is debuting as a YA author. I'll be interviewing her with a giveaway of her YA contemporary THE ART OF HOLDING ON AND LETTING GO.

The following Monday Natalie Lorenzi will be doing a guest post with a giveaway of her MG historical A LONG PITCH HOME.

The Monday after that follower and debut author Sheri Larson will be here with a guest post and a giveaway of her MG fantasy MOTLEY EDUCATION. 

The following Monday debut author  Ellie Swartz will be here for an interview and giveaway of her MG contemporary FINDING PERFECT.

Hope to see you on Monday!