Bywater Books Newsletter for April 2017

Featuring On a LARP by Stefani Deoul

Stefani Deoul’s On a LARP introduces readers to teen coder, Sid Rubin, a smartass (and super-smart) high school kid with a strong conscience and a knack for solving problems. This high-concept, frenetic ride dives into the fascinating world of interactive role-playing when Sid recognizes the photo of a murder victim during an AP field trip to a police station. What starts out as an Aha! moment soon finds Sid and her unlikely posse of friends chasing a dark web-killer through the middle of a live- action role playing game. Sid and the gang work to unravel a deeply encrypted mystery while simultaneously enduring pop quizzes, endless Ted Talks, teenage heartbreak, suspicious parents, cosplay, and the irresistible lure of the NYC Public Library.

On a LARP is Book One of The Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventures.

Author Spotlight: Stefani Deoul

Hi. My name is Stefani Deoul, and I am an author and a tv producer, and I’m thrilled to be here so I may personally introduce you to lesbionic brainiac Sidonie “Sid” Rubin, star of my new novel, On a LARP.

What authors and books have had the most profound influence on you as a writer? As a reader?

So much of the who/how/why of reading is the where/who I am in the moment, which is a long-winded way of saying there are so many different writers who have provided me whatever I seemed to emotionally need over the years, be that a laugh or a cry. But as I talk to people about On a LARP, I am “forced to admit” it’s the childhood books, the Nancy Drews, Happy Hollisters, and Hardy Boys that inspired it. And their inspiration has gifted me one of the most joyous writing experiences I’ve had.

In the same vein, I’d also like to add three other writer shout-outs:

First to Hanna-Barbera for Scooby Doo and particularly, Velma . . . self-explanatory I think :).

Second, to Ernest Cline, whose Ready Player One is nothing like On a LARP in plot or genre, but if I captured a fraction of his fun and games, I think I will have done very well.

And third, to JK Rowling for not only the magic of Harry Potter, but for her personal journey of triumph, which inspires us all, and her constant class and courage in success, which always inspires me.

When did you first, without hesitation, call yourself a writer?

Hmmmm . . . some days I still work on that one :) But my first writer’s conference, sitting at the cool kids’ table, was when it tangibly occurred to me I had a seat there too!

Is writing a job, or a vocation?

Both. I prefer to say it’s a necessity. Writers write. It’s what we do. If I am sitting at the computer with the manuscript, I’m certainly writing. If I am on location filming, I’m observing and making notes on comments, situations and life . . . and dashing incredibly illegible notes to myself to “remember for later on” which we know is fodder for the writing. And if you find me in a crowded place with lots of people, I am definitely chatting away in my head, trying to keep a phrase or moment alive. As the old t-shirt promises, “Careful, or you may end up in my novel.”

Describe your writing style in ten words or less.

For Writing Process: Tortured. Word-by-word. Sentence-by-sentence. Pain. OMG! It’s done. (Oops that’s 11 . . . hence, why I love my editor!)

For On a LARP: First person, fast-paced, ultra-contemporary, semi-snarky, logophile and FUN.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I am thinking my favorite part is all the conversations I get to have with all the “people” I am meeting. My happy moment is when the characters take on a life of their own and are speaking so fast I have trouble keeping up.

When you hear from your readers, what do they most often say?

Because my two books are exceptionally different in genre and tone, I hear two very different things. About The Carousel, I most often hear, “It reads like watching a movie,” which is lovely.

However, for On a LARP, it’s more along the lines of, “How do you think all that!!!” Which for me is kind of the best compliment of all. When Sid’s brain is having you charge through the book as fast as she thinks, it is my catharsis that you get every inch of her crazyfunkycool self.

Beyond that, there is a routine follow-up question, “Will Sid get a girlfriend in the next book?” My answer: “She hasn’t told me yet.” :)

One of the most challenging things authors face is getting their books into the hands of readers. If a potential reader asks, “Why should I read your book?” What answer would you give?

Because it’s fun. It’s current and diverse, and it reminds us all that smart is sexy, and this is a message we can all use and share. And, oh yeah, it’s fun.

What one question do you wish someone would ask about your writing, but no one has? What would your answer be?

Q: “Would you mind terribly if I gave a copy of On a LARP to Ellen (DeGeneres) to read?”

A: Uhhhh . . . YESSSSS!!! That would be really cool. Really. Cool.