Guest Post || Books and Places

Hi everyone!

Before I give the blog over to Therese to start with her guest post,let me say a huge hello to you all!You might be wondering why I suddenly disappeared from the internet this past week.Well,I've been terribly sick since I returned from my camping trip last weekend.I am feeling a bit better now,and thanks for bearing with me guys!

Okay,now,let me introduce you all to Therese Gilardi,the author of the upcoming novel Narvla's Celtic New Year.She's here to promote her book as well as discuss about settings and places in YA books.

I thought I’d talk about books and places since I’m a big believer that places shapes story and story reflects place. Two of my favorite YA writers who link place and story are Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins.

I love the island beach community Sarah Dessen has created. It’s featured in a lot of her books, especially my favorite “Along for the Ride.” When I read “Along for the Ride” I felt like I was pedaling along the boards, past the bike shop, down to the laundromat. The taste of saltwater was in the air and the sense that anything could happen, even the most unlikely of friendships, was possible. Although the story obviously could have happened elsewhere, the idea of an island made the sense of intimacy stronger for me. Additionally all of the characters were literally bound together even tighter by the fact they lived on an island. I love that!

Of course you can’t mention places in YA fiction without mentioning Stephanie Perkins. Ms. Perkins is also a master at developing a story that is dependent upon place. Although “Anna and the French Kiss” would have been an appealing read no matter where the story occurred-since the characters are so likeable,-Anna and St. Clair’s story was much more compelling because it featured a protagonist who was on foreign soil literally as well as in her new relationship.

Ms. Perkins is my YA idol. I hope that my book, “Narvla’s Celtic New Year”, the story of an American step dancer who spends her senior year in Dublin after her mother is named U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, conveys some of the surprise, joy and frustration that comes from living abroad. And the romance! Having married an Irish man myself, I know there is something to be said for that charming Emerald Isle:)

Thank you Mishma for having me as a guest on your blog!

Therese's book is expected to be released on the 6th of April.I am currently reading it,and enjoying it quite a lot.Check it out below!

Narvla’s life is as precisely choreographed as the routines that have made her a national step-dancing champion. She has a loyal best friend, a devoted boyfriend, and a lock on admission to her dream college, the University of Notre Dame. Until her mother is named U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, and her life unravels. First Narvla receives a disturbing picture of her boyfriend and her best friend. Then she struggles to qualify for the Irish elite step-dancing squad, and her grades plummet. 

But the biggest obstacle in Narvla’s new life is Dublin Boy, a cheeky musician with a disdain for academics and a distrust of Americans. Although Narvla is upset when she’s paired with Dublin Boy for the most important semester of her life, her real concern is the growing attraction she feels toward him. As the Celtic New Year unfolds, Narvla is pushed to abandon her lifelong need for control and embrace the charm of the unexpected.

What is your view on different settings and places in YA books?Do you like them?

Is there any particular place where you'd like a book to be set in?