Girl In Pieces

Back in April, I stumbled across a book that quickly grabbed my attention. Girl In Pieces is a stunning book written by the lovely Kathleen Glasgow. The summary of this contemporary novel is right up my ally of favorite reads. I love the simple, pink cover. The way the words are crossed out and smeared! Just a cover that really drew me in

The Goodreads summary of the book is as follows"

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you. Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

I was so addicted to this book. I found it simply spellbinding and Kathleen did a beautiful job painting the characters in my mind.

In my life, I have gone through more than some other people, yet not as bad as others. I had a period in my life where I'd starve myself, and a period when I was so stressed out in my relationship that I would self harm by punching myself in my stomach.I am so lucky that I was able to stop doing that and never caused real damage, and maybe to some people that isn't self harm compared to cutting, but this book really touched my heart. Charlie was a character I grew to care for. I wanted her to succeed in moving on with her life. I wanted her to get well. Reading about her pain, about Blue's pain, about all their pain was honestly scary sometimes and yet, Kathleen didn't abuse readers emotions. Every scene, every line was filled with raw emotion that is so very very real.

As I read Charlie's story, I was so impressed. I wish I had the guts to pick up the pieces and change my life. Sure there were setbacks, things were not perfect and she made mistakes that she probably shouldn't have made but, she didn't give up.

I am so lucky that Kathleen agreed to answer a few questions for me. I have included the short interview below for all of you to enjoy.

1. Blue and Riley are also people who have demons in this story. Did you base them off of anybody in your life?

--Not on actual people no, since this is a fictional story. But in my travels, I've met many people who've been under the weight of addiction, whether it's a substance or self-harm. I wanted to portray Blue as a person who had a lifeline struggle with harm, yet had reached a point where she was unashamed of her scars or her mental illness, yet she, too, struggles with recovery and relapse. In Riley, I wanted to talk about drug and alcohol addiction specifically, and the ways that people excuse this behavior in artists, especially if they are male artists.

2. You and Charlie have self harm in common, besides that aspect, is there more of Charlie in you, or you in Charlie? How much exactly are you and the character connected?

--I like to say I gave Charlie my scars, but I gave her her own story. Charlie's story is her own, yet it also belongs to the reader. I get so many messages from readers who tell me they've never cut or harmed, but they identify with Charlie's loneliness and discomfort in the world. When I think of writing Charlie, I remember first and foremost wanting to talk about how hard it is to be a girl in this world, a world that often abuses and derides you simply for being born a girl.

3. Some people find topics like self harm, hard to read, how do you respond to those people?

--Yes, these things are hard to read about. And they should be, in some respects. But they should also be read, because the fact is that more than a million girls each year harm themselves, and that number grows every year, with more boys joining the pack. What are we going to do about this? Why are we not having this conversation about our teens and self-harm?

4. From what readers know about Charlie and her story, actually reading it would be amazing. Do you plan on writing the before story of Girl In Pieces? meaning will readers ever go through what Charlie and Ellis went through?

--Sometimes I think about that. I get a lot of requests from readers for a prequel or a sequel. One reason I kept some of Charlie's pre-story vague is that I want readers to attach their stories to hers, if that makes sense. They can insert parts of their lives into parts of her missing life, which can help them identify with her struggles. They seem themselves in Charlie. And I partly kept a bit of past oblique because there isn't just one reason a person harms. There are lots of reasons a person might harm. One size doesn't fit all.

5. If not going back to Charlie's story, what other wonderful stories do you have planned to share with the world? Please do not be a one book wonder!

--I have a second book coming out with Random House in fall 2018. It's another young adult novel, currently untitled, about a girl whose mother dies suddenly.

6. This book could be the next 13 Reason's Why on getting people to talk about hard problems like self harm, If you could, would you want Girl In Pieces to ever be a movie or maybe something on Netflix?

--I think that would be great, either way! What author wouldn't want to see her characters alive and walking around? I think a Netflix series would be great, because there are so many characters in the book you could focus on for different arcs, like they do in Orange is the New Black.

7. Are you a coffee or a tea drinker? What is your favorite drink while writing and or reading?

---Oh, coffee all the way, for everything! I have two kids and three jobs and boy, am I tired

I am sheepish to admit, but I actually had a couple more questions for Kathleen that I had meant to send. I am not sure why I sent only 7, but that is why the interview cut off so abruptly.

So Kathleen, I let you know that I published this, if you read this I just wanted to say thank you again. Thank you for this jewel of a book. It really is special and dear to me, and I am sure it is that for so many readers out there. Thank you everyone for your time.