Q&A with Brent Hartinger
Brent Hartinger loves writing for teens, but admits that it isn't always easy getting their attention. "I like to say that, in writing for teenagers, my competition is X-Box and Britney Spears humping a couch!" he says.
Hartinger's latest effort at attracting the attention of teens is Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies and Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies, a second sequel to his 2003 gay teen bestseller, Geography Club.
Hartinger, a three-time Book Sense Pick, spoke to us from his home near Seattle.
Q: Why another sequel to Geography Club?
A: When I wrote Geography Club, I always envisioned that it would be the first in a series. The day I turned the first book in, I naively said to my editor, "I think I'd like to write a sequel!" He sort of laughed and said, "Why don't we wait and see how the first book does, okay?" I guess I didn't understand that they only publish sequels to successful books. Ha!
But the first book did very well, so I did eventually get to write The Order of the Poison Oak, when Russel and his friends go to summer camp. And that book did well too. So I ended up in that incredibly rare situation where I really enjoy writing books that a lot of people seem to really enjoy reading!
Q: This new book may have the longest title in the history of publishing.
A: Yeah. Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies and Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies. It's a mouthful, isn't it?
It takes place the autumn after the events in The Order of the Poison Oak, when Russel, Min, and Gunnar get jobs working as extras on a horror film being filmed in their area. But it's actually two complete books bound together as one, which explains the long title.
The first book is called Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies, and it's the story from Russel's POV; the second book is called Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies, and it's the same period of time told from Min's POV.
But even though the books cover roughly the same events, they're completely different stories: in Russel's story, he finally comes out as gay to his parents (and they end up being not unlike the soul-sucking zombies in the movie he's working on!), and in Min's story, she starts a romance with a new girlfriend (whose status-conscious friends are soul-sucking zombies of a different sort). Kevin, Em, and Otto are all back too.
Q: Two books in one. Interesting idea. How did it come about?
A: I actually pitched it to my publisher as two complete, separate books published simultaneously. Partly, I really, really liked the idea, but partly I was thinking I could fulfill two books off my contract and get paid twice! Alas, my editors quickly saw through my ploy and suggested instead publishing the two books bound together as one, back-to-back and upside-down. I reluctantly agreed, even as I admitted to myself that their suggestion actually made the idea stronger. Made it a good bargain for readers too.
Q: What made you want to write from differing perspectives?
A: I had just finished writing a book called Grand & Humble, which also plays with the idea of point-of-view, and which got a really positive reaction from readers. I think people like their minds bent a little, especially teenagers.
In the case of Split Screen, I wanted to go one step further and sort of make the point that point-of-view isn't just a question of one person noticing the clouds and another person noticing the birds; sometimes it's a question of completely different realities, and how those realities create completely different stories. I could call it Rashomon for teens, except very few teens would actually get the reference!
Q: Which book should I read first?
A: I recommend Russel's story, Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies.
Q: Did you like writing from Min's perspective?
A: Like I said, I really liked the idea of the "dual" points-of-view. But then I started writing the first book in Russel's voice, which I always have fun doing, and I was really dreading writing Min's story. I adore Min, but I was thinking that it would be really hard to put myself in the shoes of a sixteen year-old bisexual Chinese-American. I'd have to do actual research, you know? Ha! What can I say? I'm still a teenager at heart in many, many ways.
But then I interviewed a few Asian bisexual teenagers, and I started writing the book itself, and I struggled for about a day. Almost immediately, I found Min's voice, and then I really started having fun there too. I loved writing her book as much as I love writing Russel.
Q: Why Min?
A: Truthfully, I never imagined that I would write a book from Min's POV until I had the actual idea for these new books. I always assumed I'd write a book from Kevin's POV (and I still might, but not for a while).
But Min has a very passionate fan base. I think it's because there are so few characters like her in gay teen lit: bisexual and Asian. And because she's a person of such clear principles, I think that speaks to a lot of readers too.
Many, many people have written to me and said, "I want to know Min's story!" So I told it-or at least one part of it.
Q: Speaking of Kevin, he plays a very interesting role in the two books, doesn't he?
A: Yeah, Kevin and Gunnar are the two "glue" characters, the characters who figure prominently in both stories and sort of tie them together. Kevin especially. In a way, this is the story of three characters: Russel and Min, who have their own emotional journeys in their books, but also Kevin, whose whole emotional journey you won't know unless you read both books together.
One way to look at this project is that it's Kevin's story told from the point-of-view of two other people!
Q: I'm told your books are frequently challenged and banned.
A: Um, yeah. In fact, Book Sense just named Geography Club as number two on their
Fall 2006 Banned Books Book Sense Top Ten Picks, which is a list of the banned books that independent bookstores most like to sell. I came in after To Kill a Mockingbird, but above Brave New World. How ridiculous is that?
Honestly, people say I should be flattered, because I'm in good company, or that book bannings are really good publicity. But I gotta say, you really have to hate or fear a book to want it removed from a library, school curriculum, or bookstore, and it feels really lousy to be the object of that hate. I used to try to respond to hate email, to try to open a dialogue. Now I almost always just delete the emails, especially if they start out quoting the Bible. I'm sure some of these people are sincere. But I'm here to say that some of them are just plain nuts.
The most frightening thing to me is that there are huge swaths of this country right now in 2006, where librarians and teachers would never even consider buying any gay teen book. I'm not sure you can say that about too many other topics.
Q: There's a movie of Geography Club in the works, right?
A: Yup. I don't know exactly where they are in the process, but everything I've heard about these producers makes me feel cautiously optimistic. Before Geography Club was published, a lot of people said there was no market for a book like that. I'm sure a lot of people are saying right now that there's no market for a movie like this, and I'm sure they're just as wrong.
I've also written a stage version of Geography Club, which has had a bunch of readings at different theaters (all, ahem, very successful, I might add!). Now there are a couple of full productions in the works, with some other big theaters considering it. There's even a possible New York production in the works.
Q: What's your fan mail situation like?
A: Oh, man, it's overwhelming. And really humbling. I've talked to my gay teen lit author friends, David Levithan, Julie Anne Peter, and Alex Sanchez, and we all say the same thing. There's something about these gay teen books that connect with a lot of people. And not just gay teenagers. Male, female, young, old, straight, bi, gay-I hear from 'em all!
My theory is that there's a lot of discussion about homosexuality as an "issue," but people hunger to see the more personal side, the emotional side. And there's something about a book, even more than movie or TV show, where people make a very personal connection. Readers feel that they know my characters personally and intimately, and that, correspondingly, they know me. And in a very real way, they do!
Q: Will there be more books in the series?
A: Oh, definitely. I love writing these books, and I'll keep doing it as long as people want to keep reading them.
Contributor: Harper Collins
For further information about Brent, visit his web site www.brenthartinger.com.
Reviews
Geography Club
Brent Hartinger
Brent Hartinger's novel tells the story of a gay high school boy, Russell Middlebrook, who thinks he is the only gay person in his hometown until he discovers another gay teen from his school through an Internet chat room. They decide to meet, and Russell is shocked to discover that the person with whom he has been chatting is one of the most popular students at school, Kevin Land. When Russell confides in his best friend, Min, that he has recently met a gay student at their school, Min admits that she is bisexual, and this revelation allows Russell to also feel comfortable enough to reveal his sexual orientation. Min and her girlfriend, Therese, decide to meet Kevin and Russell for pizza after school. While getting to know one another, they decide to form a gay teen support group at their school, but they do not want people to know that the club they are starting is for gay teens. Thus, they decide to name their club something uninteresting to most students: the Geography Club. The rest of the book deals with the problems that arise when another student discovers their secret. This novel's honest portrayal of the fears that this young man experiences and the universal theme of high school students dealing with cliques help the reader understand that differences abound in high schools. The novel's depiction of teen problems helps the reader appreciate the unique qualities in others when we choose to look for the good rather than to judge. 2003, HarperTempest, $15.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Misty Kwiatek (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2003 Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States
Top 10 Youth First Novels, 2003; American Library Association-Booklist; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Children's Book Award Notable Book 2004 Young Adult Fiction United States
Lambda Literary Awards Finalist 2003 Children/Young Adult United States
Volunteer State Book Award 2nd Place 2006 Grades 7-12 Tennessee
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, 2006; Nominee; Washington
Rhode Island Teen Book Award, 2005; Nominee; High School Students; Rhode Island
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2004-2005; High School; Texas
ISBN: 0-06-001221-8
ISBN: 0-06-001222-6
Grand & Humble
Brent Hartinger
What does the student body president and the boy who runs the lights for the school musical have in common? This is a gripping novel about two high school students who could not be more different from one another. The book is about basic high school life, but is written so we understand the feelings and decisions that each boy makes when dealing with nightmares and premonitions. The secret they are trying to uncover is discovered at Grand & Humble. This book is well written and spellbinding. Brent Hartinger does a wonderful job of keeping readers in suspense while describing the emotional trauma that is going on in these two teenage boys' lives. While the book is well written, teachers and parents should be aware that two topics are discussed in the content of the book. One is an Ouija board. The second is the topic of sexual orientation (one of the friends of Harlan is openly gay). 2006, HarperTempest, $15.99. Ages 14 to 18. Reviewer: Nicole Peterson (Children's Literature).
Two complete strangers do not directly cross paths but live very similar lives. Harlan is a well presented Senator's son. Manny works in the school play as the lighting guy and is from a single parent family. Both characters have a common element: they experience anxiety ranging from panic attacks and nightmares. Eventually, they both start to figure things out--separately. Harlan, being from a well-connected family, tries to pull it together. His friend, Ricky, ends up encountering Manny. Similarly, Manny's friend, Elsa, ends up involved in Harlan's life. In an effort to figure out reality, both of the boys end up downtown to find their answers at the intersection of Grand and Humble. Readers will be satisfied to the very end when they find out what the plot reveals in this psychological thriller full of twists and turns. With alternating character chapters, this book reads quickly and pulls in all readers who enjoy suspense. 2006, Harper Tempest/Harper Collins, $15.99. Ages 14 up. Reviewer: Kelly Grebinoski (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2006 Supplement, 2006; H. W. Wilson Company; United States
ISBN: 0-06-056727-9
ISBN: 978-0-06-056727-9
ISBN: 0-06-056728-7
ISBN: 978-0-06-056728-6
The Last Chance Texaco
Brent Hartinger
Lucy is a troubled teenager who has landed in a group home called Kindle Home, which she dubs "The Last Chance Texaco" because it is literally the last chance she will have before being sent to Rabbit Island, a high-security juvenile prison. Lucy's parents died in a car crash when she was young. Since then, she has been shuffled from foster home to foster home. Each time that she trusted someone or got close to another person, she was disappointed. Now, because of these negative experiences, she is suspicious of everyone who seems to care for her. In addition to severe behavior problems, she is addicted to OxyContin. Kindle Home turns out to be different, though. One of the counselors, Leon, was himself sent to Rabbit Island, so he knows what it's like to be in trouble. He genuinely cares about Lucy, but she cannot accept his caring. Add to this background a mystery: Who is setting cars on fire trying to get the group home shut down? Lucy finds herself in the middle of it all. The writing is crisp and fast-moving. The characters are completely believable. Hartinger is a full-time writer whose compassion and empathy for teenagers is apparent. The book is fun reading for anyone, and may be quite inspirational for a teen struggling with similar problems as Lucy and the others in Kindle Home. 2004, Harpertempest/HarperCollins, $15.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Kathy Egner, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2006; American Library Association-YALSA; United States
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, 2005; American Library Association YALSA; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2004 Supplement, 2004; H.W. Wilson; United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Beehive Award, 2005-2006; Nominee; Young Adult; Utah
Gateway Readers Award, 2006-2007; Nominee; Grades 9-12; United States
Iowa Teen Award, 2006-2007; Nominee; Grades 6-9; United States
Maine Student Book Award, 2005-2006; Nominee; Maine
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, 2006; Nominee; United States
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2005-2006; Reading List; High School Level; Texas
ISBN: 0-06-050912-0
ISBN: 0-06-050913-9
The Order of the Poison Oak
Brent Hartinger
Russel Middlebrook of Geography Club is back, facing the pitfalls of being openly gay at sixteen--"I mean, has there ever been a case of sticks and stones that didn't also involve at least some words?" In comparison with Goodkind High School, which emphatically is neither good nor kind, summer at Camp Serenity sounds positively appealing. What is more, Russel's best friends Gunnar and Min will be there, too. Gunnar's sworn off girls, and Min is bisexual-and-searching. Still, Russel expects it will be peaceful "completely non-gay R & R." The first group of campers he gets to deal with, however, come with an identity as much the outsider's as his own. They are 10-year-old survivors of burns, with issues of trauma and healing that predictably go along with those experiences. While Russel connects with the kids on unexpected common ground, his relationships with Gunnar and Min take a nosedive. Eventually he finds himself in a love triangle with Min and a gorgeous camp counselor whose motives are foggy at first, and then become rather too transparent. The first person narrative voice is vulnerable and convincing. In one scene where Russel, shocked into inaction, sees himself fall in the kids' estimation, Hartinger's prose is as delicate as crystal glass. All in all, drama and pacing keep the pages turning, even though the well-intentioned message sometimes feels in danger of overwhelming the story. 2005, HarperCollins, $15.99. Ages 12 up. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Book Sense Children's Picks, Summer 2005; American Booksellers Asociation; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2005 Supplement, 2005; H.W. Wilson; United States
ISBN: 0-06-056730-9
ISBN: 0-06-056731-7
Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies
and Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies
Brent Hartinger
Best friends Min and Russel are excited when they are cast as zombie extras in a movie. However, no experience is ever identical. In this unique format, Min and Russel each get half of the book to tell their side of the story. In Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies, Russel has his hands full when his parents discover he is gay, just before his boyfriend Otto is coming to visit. To further complicate matters, Russel's ex-boyfriend Kevin has just come out and wants Russel back. Russel's parents are far from accepting of his sexuality, even forcing him to talk to a priest. Russel must eventually choose between Kevin and Otto, and it is not an easy choice. Min has her say in Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies. She meets a very interesting girl named Leah, also cast as an extra. She and Leah begin to date, but Min soon notices that Leah is very different when around her friends from school. Min is shocked to realize that she is dating, of all things, a cheerleader. Leah intends to remain closeted until she goes to college, but Min has trouble understanding how Leah can take the relationship seriously yet hide it from her friends and family. Min also discovers something about the Russel-Kevin-Otto triangle that gives an entirely new spin on the events in Russel's story. Although a bit slow-moving at times (especially considering the gripping title), this is a nice dual look at relationships and how everyone gets something different from the same experience. It is a bit disappointing that reading Russel's story does not add anything more to Min's, while Min knows something that puts Russel's experience in a very different light. Still, a very entertaining high school romantic comedy. 2007, HarperTempest/HarperCollins, Ages 14 to 18, $16.99. Reviewer: Amie Rose Rotruck
ISBN: 0-06-082408-5
ISBN: 0-06-082409-3
ISBN: 978-0-06-082408-2
ISBN: 978-0-06-082409-9
Updated 03/28/07
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