Author Interview - Mandy Hubbard (You Wish)

Today for the August Blogger Birthday Bash, I have the pleasure of introducing the author of YOU WISH, Many Hubbard, who is stopping by for the event to do an interview!

Her new YA book YOU WISH, came out yesterday on August 5th!

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ABOUT MANDY HUBBARD
Mandy Hubbard grew up on a dairy farm, where she was more likely to be seen in mismatched rubber boots than couture high heels. Under duress, she’ll admit that she stepped in some cowpies a time or two, and perhaps fell into some mud puddles. She devoured all kinds of books, though her favorite was any book featuring a horse. Once, she wrote a twenty-page epic about a bubble-gum chewing runaway pony, even though the assignment was only two pages. Despite the obvious, it did not occur to her that she enjoyed writing.

In 2003, while searching out fanfiction of The
Backstreet Boys (that is a story for another day), Mandy ended up at a site called Fictionpress.com. Once there, she became addicted to the stories told by novice writers and eventually decided to try writing one of her own. A semi-biographical horribly melodramatic tale was born. Although it was quite a bad attempt at fiction, Mandy became enamored with writing. She wrote several more novels over the next few years. In 2005, she read a book called THE BRIDE’S NECKLACE by Kat Martin, a romance set in regency England. The hero was an earl. His friends were dukes and barons. Mandy fell in love with all of them. She wanted to wear dresses and hang out in ballrooms. Instead, she wrote a novel set in 1815, and began querying agents. She would eventually realize that a writer had to research a novel set in a different time period.

To avoid doing so, she decided to write a contemporary YA novel. Again she queried agents, this time with more luck. In January 2006, she signed her first agent, and when that didn’t work out, she got a different one that September. In October 2006, after three years of writing, her first work went out on submission. Rejections poured in. Later that year, her second attempt at publication, PRADA AND PREJUDICE, went out on submissions.

In June 2008, after nine drafts and twenty-six rejections, Mandy sold her debut novel to Razorbill books in a two book deal.
She was 25 years old. It hit shelves on June 11, 2009. Although no one threw her a parade, she was still pretty excited.

Her second young adult novel with Razorbill books, YOU WISH, released August 5, 2010. A complete book list is available on her website. She has also written articles which have appeared in DISCOVERY GIRLS magazine and THE WRITER.

In addition to writing, Mandy joined D4EO Literary in 2010, and is representing authors of middle-grade and young-adult fiction.

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Visit Many Hubbard on her website(s):

-Website
-Twitter
-Facebook
-Livejournal


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*INTERVIEW*

Q) What is your favorite fictional hero of all time?

A) Oh, man, how can I say anyone but Mr. Darcy? He's just... swoonworthy.

Q) What historical person do you most identify with?

A) Hm. Hard to say. I dont think I indentify with her-- at all!--but I am completely fascinated by Anne Boleyn. I wish there was some way to get inside her head and figure out what she was thinking, and if she really thought she could live happily ever after as Queen.

Q) Are you doing anything special in August?

A)A scene, near the beginning of the book, takes place in the Flaming Geyser state park. The main character, Kayla, and her BFF are swimming at the river there. So, that's what I plan to do on release day, if its hot out-- go relax for once and have fun swimming! Later in August, I'm flying down to Los Angeles to talk with a writer's group.

Q) Do you have a favorite Birthday memory?

A) When I turned 16, I got my license. And I remember driving around with like, 4 friends, all crammed in the tiny little coupe (I was the oldest, thus the first to get a car/license!) and how amazingly awesome it was. The first taste of freedom!

Q) If you were to bake a cake what kind of cake would it be?

A) Man, I am so lame at baking. Which is sad becuase my hubbs LOVES baked goods. Like, he told the pastor during out required premarital counseling that if he could change one thing about me, it would be that I would "bake more pies." So I'd probably make a chocolate cake from the box, wtih german chocolate icing. You know, the yummy cococonut stuff.

Q) What is your most treasured gift that someone has given you?

A) Oh gosh! Hard to say. The most recent that comes to mind was from C. A. Marshall, a friend and freelance editor. She made me a bracelet (by hand!) that has little pink charms that look just like the YOU WISH book cover. It's beautiful!

Q) If you could chose one of your characters to come to life and celebrate with-who would be at the top of your list?

A)Alex, from Prada & Prejudice! He's an English Duke, and I'm a sucker for a british accent. Plus, I really want to try out one of those ridiculous dances they did.

Q) What are some of your favorite books you've read this summer?

A) SLEEPLESS by Cyn Balog is pretty awesome. About to pop open ONE NIGHT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING by Lauren Barnholdt-- CANNOT wait to read it.

Q) What is your favorite saying or motto?

A) "A published author is an amateur who didn't quit. Don't quit."

Q) What is the one thing you wish people would ask but never do?

A)"Do you want to go to Olive Garden?"
Ha, sorry, I am totally enamored by Olive Garden. But nobody ever says, "Hey, let's go!"

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BOTH AVAILABLE NOW!

Get YOU WISH now in stores at:

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Book Depository