Janet Gurtler Author Interview

Photo Content from Janet Gurtler

A Rita Award Finalist and Crystal Kite Award Finalist, Janet Gurtler's young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Okotoks Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce.

        

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (April 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402277946
ISBN-13: 978-1402277948

Praise for HOW I LOST YOU

"The all-too-relatable tale of two inseparable best friends, Grace and Kya, as they struggle when their relationship begins to fall apart. It's a cute summer read, perfect for any girl who's faced tough times with her own BFF." ―Entertainment Weekly

"Gurtler gracefully negotiates the powerful emotions that accompany a changing friendship and brings the game of paintball to life with fascinating detail. Readers . . . will understand the difficulty of moving on from a toxic relationship that once felt like it would last forever." ―Publishers Weekly

"This is a relatable story about nurturing a friendship, and it's not every day that teens will have the chance to read about paintballing. The lesson that Grace learns is a good one, and the strong female characters are a plus. " ―School Library Journal

Was there a defining moment during your youth when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
My grade six teacher was pretty instrumental in getting me excited about story writing. He praised me and I ate it up and finally found like I’d found my “thing”.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
I love storytelling because it takes us away from the stresses of everyday life. While we’re reading we’re immersed so fully in another world. Storytelling also gives us a chance to explore concepts we might not either wise face. I think storytelling really teaches us a lot about who we are in the world, and who we want to be.

Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?
It’s really hard for me to pick favorites, because I read so much and love so many. VERA DIETZ, BEFORE I DIE, THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE, SPEAK, LOOKING FOR ALASKA. Those are a few.

My favorite book outside my contemp genre would be UNWIND by Neil Shusterman.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
Not everyone is going to get your magic, and that’s okay. This was from Jo Beverly, a romance author.

In your new book; How I Lost You, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it and why they should read your novel?
How I Lost You is the story of Kya and Grace, two girls who have been best friends forever. It’s the summer before their senior year, and they’re trying to figure out where they’re heading in their relationships and in their lives and ultimately with each other. I think readers will enjoy the emotional journey of Grace and Kya as they struggle to find their own way and whether or not they can find a way to stick by each other. Plus, there’s hot boys. And paintball action!

What part of Grace did you enjoy writing the most?
I love that Grace is a strong but caring character who’s been kind of living in the shadow of her best friend. I love that in this story, she is starting to discover her own identity and starting to look after her own needs instead of always putting others before herself.

For those who are unfamiliar with Kya, how would you introduce her?
Kya is a troubled teen who’s been traumatized by an event in her past. She has a lot of darkness in her soul and is angry and striking out at a lot of people. To me she’s a lost little girl inside. She has a lot of potential, but she has a long way to go before she overcomes her past. She has to learn to love herself, before she can learn to love others.

If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
Well, Grace may be in some need of new friends, so I would love to introduce her to Jaz from If I Tell. I think they’d click and Jaz’s boyfriend, Jackson and Levi would also get along so it would make for great double dates!

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
How much do you weigh. My weight has fluctuated my whole life, and even when it’s on the lower side, I’ve never been comfortable revealing it to anyone.

What's the most memorable summer job you've ever had?
I never really had a summer job, because I had jobs from the time I was 14 and up. I worked during school and during the summer.

Who was your first boyfriend?
Wow. That’s hard to answer. My first mature, real boyfriend didn’t happen until I was in my late teens. Frank. He was 29 and I was 19. Kind of ew now that I think about it. I had boyfriends in Junior High that would last a week or so, and lots of crushes in high school. I was madly in love with a boy named Rich in grades 10-12. I don’t think I would call him a boyfriend though because we weren’t mature enough to date and talk to each other like normal human beings. Plus he had other girlfriends most of the time I was worshipping him ha ha.

Tell me about your first kiss
Sixth Grade. On the side of a hill. We pressed our lips against each other for a while and I wondered what all the fuss was about.

When was the last time you cried?
Watching Perks of Being a Wallflower. On the plane. Yes. I was weeping on the plane watching it!

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
True love with heartbreak.

What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a teenager?
I would love to be a teen now because I would have LOVED the Internet. (But with better self-esteem than I had back in the 80’s when I was one!)

There are a few things Grace Anderson knows for sure. One is that nothing will ever come between her and her best friend, Kya Kessler. They have a pact. Buds Before Studs. Sisters Before Misters. But in the summer before senior year, life throws out challenges they never expected. And suddenly the person who's always been there starts to need the favor returned. Grace and Kya are forced to question how much a best friend can forgive. And the answer is not what they expected.

Grace and Kya are the true meaning of what best friends are. The pair does everything together, shares each other’s inner thoughts, and made it known that nothing will ever come between them. When their friendship presents an unexpected challenge, they began to question just what their friendship means and what it means for their future. Janet Gurtler’s very powerful story, How I Lost You, details the events of what extent a friend will do for another friend and the selfishness one friend can be towards the other.

The friendship that Janet describes in this book is something that many of us can relate to. It is something that everyone holds dear to their heart. We all have that one friend, or former friend, that we shared our deepest secrets to, the one we can always trust, and the first person we think of when help is desperately needed. That is the exact path that Grace and Kya’s friendship was heading and it seemed to be unbreakable. The moment the bump-in-the-road rocked their world, their friendship steers into a complex story when a friend is wronged by a friend.

There were so many surprising factors in this book. All the instances of friendship and the struggles Grace and Kya faced were realistic that it made the reading very gripping. The details that Janet gives readers are simply amazing. Each scene is described in great detail that is paints a clear picture and it becomes easy to picture yourself into the story. How I Lost You is an insight to how friendship develops when one friend changes. It will uplift the reader and gives life situations a new outlook.

You can purchase How I Lost You at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you JANET GURTLER for making this giveaway possible.

 2 Winners will receive a Signed Copy of How I Lost You and Swag by Janet Gurtler.

1 Winner will receive One poster, One Bookmark, and
 One button of a Surprise Art by James Vallesteros.

10 Winners will receive One bookmark of a Surprise Art by James Vallesteros.

WEEK ONE

APRIL 17th WEDNESDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

APRIL 18th THURSDAY Sassy Book Lovers REVIEW

APRIL 19th FRIDAY TTC Books and More TENS LIST

APRIL 19th FRIDAY Ever and Ever Sight REVIEW

APRIL 20th SATURDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace REVIEW & PLAYLIST

APRIL 21st SUNDAY Beneath the Cover REVIEW

APRIL 21st SUNDAY Tsk What to Read GUEST POST

APRIL 22nd MONDAY Annie Brewer Writes REVIEW

WEEK TWO

APRIL 23rd TUESDAY I am a Reader INTERVIEW

APRIL 24th WEDNESDAY Book Passion for Life REVIEW

APRIL 25th THURSDAY Chapter by Chapter SPOTLIGHT

APRIL 26th FRIDAY Alluring Reads EXCERPT

APRIL 27th SATURDAY Ya-aholic REVIEW

APRIL 28th SUNDAY Candace’s Book Blog REVIEW

APRIL 29th MONDAY Rose’s Book Corner FAVORITE THINGS

APRIL 30th TUESDAY Book Haven Extraordinaire REVIEW

MAY 1st WEDNESDAY James Vallesteros ARTWORK

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Janet Gurtler Author Interview

Photo Content from Janet Gurtler

A Rita Award Finalist and Crystal Kite Award Finalist, Janet Gurtler's young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Okotoks Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce.

        

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
Our imaginations are what make us who we are. I believe in the magic of stories, especially when we’re young, but throughout our entire lives. Story telling stimulates our minds and allows us to free think and so many things become possible. It helps us discover things about ourselves, how we feel about certain subjects. Story telling really puts us in touch with the person we truly are and not the person we have to present to the world sometimes. We feel our truest emotions and allow ourselves to be swept up in possibilities. It is important for nurturing our souls.

What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
I kind of feel like I’m an open book, no pun intended. Okay maybe it was a little. Hmm. They might be surprised to know how much I LOVE peanut butter on toast. Of course, with my son’s allergies I don’t keep it in the house or eat it around him. But get me in a restaurant or in a place when he is not there and I’ll savor that peanut butter on toast like it’s sinful heaven. And then automatically wash my hands after!

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?
I learned so many wonderful things at school, but the greatest thing I think I learned was who I was as a person. What I liked and what I didn’t lie. Not what my parents or siblings thought about things, but what my own thoughts were. School teaches us who we are in so many, many ways.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
Not everyone will love your work. And that’s okay. (I am such a people pleaser by nature so I struggle, but it was top advice)

Can you tell us when you started Who I Kissed, how that came about?
It was an ah ha moment. Here I was with all this experience dealing with a child with a severe allergy. And whenever there was something on the news about a peanut allergy it really hit home. I’d heard a story about a teen couple who kissed and one had an anaphylactic reaction when my son was little, but of course it stayed with me. Honestly for years I’ve joked with him that before he kisses a girl he has to ask her what she had for lunch.

The story of Samantha came to me in a slightly different form. I don’t think I could have written Alex’s story from the point of view of his family. It was be too hard and too scary. Writing this story seriously freaked me out in enough ways, trust me. It’s a scary thing to have a child who is threatened by something that is part of many people’s lives. I am much more diligent about making sure I carry and epi-pen. I feel so incredibly fortunate he goes to a school that is nut free. High school worries me. My son is really, really good about asking about peanuts and nuts before he eats anything, but the cross contamination thing is a huge, huge concern.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Samantha?
I love Samantha’s character. I think the most surprising thing is how badly I felt for her and how far she was willing to go to punish herself for her deeds. I was surprised to see how much she learned from her experience, how much it changed her life. Surprising was the ways it actually made her life better. Horrible. True.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your readers. What would it be?
Wow! I could go so many different places with that. To teenage readers I want to say what I wish someone would have told me. “Treasure who you are. It’s okay to be the person you are meant to be. You do not need to mold yourself to fit other people’s standards. Like yourself. Embrace yourself. BE YOURSELF.”

If you could introduce Samantha to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
Well, if you’ve read my other books, you might see that I do introduce Samantha to a few characters from IF I TELL. I introduced Samantha to Ashley, a character I loved from IF I TELL, and in my mind these two girls will be friends in their futures. Haha. That just made my head pop a little when I thought about it. But they’re both girls who are swimmers and they are both overcoming very different but very real obstacles in their lives. In fiction land they are great friends.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?
My weight. Always. Oh man, except when I went on a helicopter ride and had to give my weight and I was afraid that if I lied I’d end up crashing the helicopter by throwing everything off balance. Still. I wanted to lie. I really did.

Where is the best place in the world you’ve been?
On a Cruise ship when I was single. It was amazing for so many reasons.

What's the worst summer job you've ever had?
I loved my summer jobs when I was a teen. I worked in a couple of different restaurants and that’s where my social life was, so I can’t really say I’ve had a bad summer job.

When was the last time you told someone you loved them?
I tell my son I love him almost every day and my husband and I often tell each other we love each other, so I’m going to say today.

When was the last time you cried?
I cry. I cry when I read books, I cry when I watch movies. I cried when I watched The Odd Life of Timothy Green a couple days ago. The last time I cried about real life though…..hmmmm. I honestly don’t remember. I’m very very grateful that my family life has not given me too many reasons to cry lately.

What would be harder for you, to tell someone you love them or that you do not love them back?
This definitely changed for me when I got older. When I was in my teens I would have had a really really hard time telling someone I loved them. I preferred to write it down or use cards. Now I would find it really hard to tell someone that I don’t love them back, though at my stage of life, married with child, the only people who tell me they love me are people who I love back, so it’s not really an issue anymore.

What's the loveliest thing you have ever seen?
My son’s smile when he was a baby. It was the most delicious sight of my entire life. And every other baby smile since then, when they’re still little lumps and they stare at you and then all of a sudden their eyes twinkle and their toothless little mouths open. God. I get tears in my eyes and my heart explodes.

Samantha didn’t mean to hurt anyone. She was just trying to fit in…

And she wanted to make Zee a little jealous…

But now things will never be the same unless she can find a reason to start living again.

Praise for WHO I KISSED

"Gurtler demonstrates sensitivity toward her characters and insight into their emotional responses . . . the characters breathe with life." ―Kirkus

"It's a story that includes first kisses, the first kisses you wish you got, new romances, hope, hate, bullies, crushes, family relationships, and so much more. Most importantly it's book about forgiving and moving one." ―Mundie Moms

"Not only was Samantha likable and relatable, she felt authentically real." ―JeanBookNerd

"Readers . . . will be immersed in her unique and disconcerting situation and will be absorbed in her struggle for personal redemption, self-acceptance, and hope." ―School Library Journal

"Without excess heavy-handedness, Gurtler weaves a tale of collective responsibility as several teens reflect on their actions that one fateful night. A well-crafted story about a student's fight to feel normal again when a community of peers turns on her." ―Booklist

Janet Gurtler’s Who I Kissed is the remarkable story of Samantha who accidently kills a boy by kissing him. When Samantha wanted to make another boy jealous, she kisses Alex. He is highly allergic to peanuts and it just happened that Samantha just ate a peanut butter sandwich. Alex’s allergic reaction went into full blast that ultimately took his life while he was on his way to the hospital. Living with this tragic event, she must face all of her peers in shame for accidently killing Alex, a well-liked boy in school.

The story is more than about a boy who dies from an allergic reaction to peanuts, Samantha’s story about having to deal with its aftermath is the other part. Readers witness the reactions of her peers and how she deals with it and how her life did a full 360.

The writing style in this book is simply incredible. Janet has a way of putting words together that just clicks to her readers. Not only was Samantha likable and relatable, she felt authentically real. The story may sound far-fetched, but allergies to peanuts are very common. Not only is the story highly gripping and intriguing, it is also informative. Peanut allergies are on the rise and there is a research on ways to fight it. Who I Kissed is like three stories into one. There’s Alex’s story, how one single event can totally change your life, and the awareness of peanut allergies.

You can purchase Who I Kissed at the following Retailers:
          

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you JANET GURTLER for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler.

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