Spotlight/ Author Interview: Julia Lynn Rubin

About The Author

Julia Lynn Rubin lives the writer's life in Brooklyn, where she has recently finished an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults at The New School. She received her BA in Anthropology & Film Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. 

She currently serves as a writing mentor for Girls Write Now, New York City's premiere writing program for high school girls.

​

She has been writing books, poems, and stories since first grade, and loves reading about everything from film analysis to psychology. Her short stories have appeared in publications such as the North American Review, Sierra Nevada Review, and The Lascaux Review, and she has written for a variety of online publications, including The Content Strategist, Wetpaint Entertainment and AllDay.com.

Julia is passionate about realism and diversity in teen literature. She hopes to one day own a French bulldog, pug, Boston terrier, or perhaps a mix of all three.

​She is represented by Saritza Hernandez at Corvisiero Literary Agency.

Twitter: @julialynnrubin
Tumblr: Julia Lynn's Thoughts on Things
Personal Tumblr: SwissBeauty

********************************************************

About The Book

Title: Burro Hills
Author: Julia Lynn Rubin

In a town like Burro Hills, you either figure out who you are or die trying.

Seventeen-year-old Jack has lived in the troubled California town his entire life. He hides the truth about his sexuality from everyone, including his best friend Jess and his childhood rival and drug dealing partner, Toby. Keeping your head down, Jack knows, is the best way to survive.

But when Connor, a fearless new arrival, enrolls at school, he sees right through Jack’s façade. Jack finds himself falling for Connor, and the feeling is mutual―but their relationship will set into a motion a series of events with lasting consequences. After a falling out with Jess, Jack is worried to see her growing close to the manipulative Toby. To make matters worse, Jack is becoming increasingly paranoid that Toby will expose his relationship with Connor.

As tensions rise and more secrets come to a head, Jack cuts off ties with Toby. Hungry for revenge, Toby comes after Jack, jeopardizing his budding romance with Connor and the life he’s tried so hard to salvage in Burro Hills.

Be sure to check out Julia Lynn Rubin astounding books!!! 

Also don't forget to get a copy of Burro Hills available for purchase on Amazon.
I reviewed Burro Hill not to long ago and you can check out my review HERE!!!

********************************************************

Author Interview 

1. To start off this interview I'm going to ask you the age old question, what inspired you to write Burro Hills? 
It wasn't one thing in particular, but I had this vision of a lonely, rundown Southern California town, and this mosaic of voices of all these teens who lived there. It sort of evolved from there. The book began as a multi-POV, changed to dual-POV, and eventually became Jack's story. At the time I was starting the book, I was also re-reading Janet Fitch's WHITE OLEANDER quite a bit, so I was fascinated with the way she described the climate and culture of Southern California.

2.  Diversity in books and the publishing industry is a huge topic so I'm curious  about your thoughts on it. Whose voices do we see? Whose voices do we need more of? How can authors address that? 
Teens absolutely want and need to see themselves represented in books, and written in honest, authentic ways. We definitely need more #OwnVoices books of all kinds, and they need to be given more push and support from the publishing industry. And when authors do  write outside of their lanes, they should do their due diligence and research and get sensitivity readers and second opinions. It's sort of like if you were writing a period novel, you wouldn't want to get the historical facts wrong or misrepresent a major event. So you'd do your research and talk to historians and read a variety of different texts on the subject to ensure you were being as accurate and nuanced as possible. Teens and young adult readers in general can tell when something is written inauthentically.

3.If you could spend a day with any fictional character from either a movie or a book who would it be and Why?
 I would definitely spend the day with Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks! He'd be hilarious and I'd love to pick his brain about dreams, the supernatural, and how it all relates to solving crimes. And we'd drink damn good coffee and eat cherry pie, of course.

4. Best advice you have received as a writer or just in general? 
Everyone is on their own journey in publishing, and there's no rush to the finish line. Focus on your own goals and path and worry less about what other writers are doing. It's a tough business, and envy and self-doubt can prevent you from moving forward.

5.What is your favorite childhood book? 
Two trilogies, if you'd call them that: Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz (with the original illustrations by Stephen Gammell, of course).

6. We have come to the end of the interview so my last question to you is, If you had to describe your book in 3 words what would it be?
 I'll cheat and borrow from Rebecca Christiansen, who did a blurb for me, and say: dark, dangerous, and beautiful.