Author Interview: Lisa Burstein author of Pretty Amy

Pretty Amy
 
 “A coming-of-age story without the comfort of padding…a relatable and compelling character [with] a lot of wonderful snark.” —New York Journal of Books

Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

Well, I have always loved writing, ever since I was a little kid. It's something I've always known I wanted to do, but it took me a long time to be able to write a full-length book. When I started my MFA program, the longest short story I had written was ten pages long! It took a while to realize the work and time that goes into writing a novel.


Can you tell us a little about your debut novel Pretty Amy?
 
It centers around Amy, who is arrested on prom night, but the real story lies in everything that happens after that night when she is forced to look at her life and the people in it and make some tough decisions.
 
 
Where did you get the idea for Pretty Amy?
 
I was arrested during my senior year of high school, not for the same reason Amy was, but that was where the kernel came from. I also knew I wanted to write a "shocking" book from a teenage girl's point of view. I feel like you can get away with your character being a murderer, or a jerk, or just a smart ass more easily if your book isn't contemporary and I wanted to try to break that mold with PRETTY AMY. I also wanted to write a contemporary YA book that was about what real teens go through. I feel like teenage girl's lives are complex and I hoped to show that in PRETTY AMY
 
 
How does it feel to have you book out there for everyone to read. Excited/Nervous??
 
:) Both, amazing and terrifying.
 
I like the cover of Pretty Amy, who designed it and did you have much say in the designing process?
 
It was all my publisher, Liz Pelletier.
 
Why should we read Pretty Amy in one sentence?
 
Because it's real.
 
PRETTY AMY IS AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW!
 

3 comments

  1. Thanks for the great interview!!

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  2. I really love your cover. Your interview gave away almost nothing, so I'm dying to know what happens to Amy!

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