Trish Lundy wanted to explore how people process messy emotions as young adults, so that was one of the reasons why she wrote "The One That Got Away With Murder."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
A sad, mysterious boy who volunteered at a hospice center is the first image I had for this book. I was intrigued by him and wanted to know how he found himself in that environment at such a young age. I also had the voice of a girl in my head who had just left a very traumatic relationship behind, and so these two young adults kind of collided together and the beginning of the story was born. I also wanted to write a book about what it means to be a teenage girl, really. Part of coming of age is realizing even the boys and men you trust, especially the ones you trust, can betray you and hurt you, and it’s very upsetting, and it’s a shock.
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
Reading stories that uplift you, that make you feel good, that challenge you in a healthy way, that make you laugh, that make you cry, that make you gasp; that make you feel the best parts about being human. A story that makes you feel seen in all the ways you need to be seen, and the ways in which you didn’t even know you needed to be seen.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
Books are a reflection tool for our humanity. They help us understand what it means to be human. How to be human. They help us develop empathy. They help us process our feelings and relationship with the world. It’s critical that our unique identifiers — age, gender, race, sexuality, nationality, etc. — are reflected in such a touchstone of human creation.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
My young adult self is very special to and accessible to me, and I write books that she would deeply love. That’s really the first place I write from. I wanted to explore how we process our messy emotions as young adults. What happens if we decide to kiss the “wrong” person? What happens if we ignore our instincts? What happens if we learn how to let people in again after we’ve been hurt?
I grew up being taught about “stranger danger” and while, of course, it’s good to be weary of people whom we know nothing about, it’s the ones with the most access to us that are most likely to do harm to us. I don’t think I was prepared for that as a young adult. I wanted to explore a bit of that theme in this book.
What can fans expect from your book?
They can expect a lot of angst, romantic tension, small town secrets, betrayal, gasps, maybe very non-threatening heart palpitations, and healing.
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
I’m working on a new young adult thriller with a main character who has a passion for jewelry making, and this love lands her in a very troubled situation from which a years-long mystery comes to light.
