Today I'm happy to welcome GCC sister Daisy Whitney, celebrating the release of her new book, THE MOCKINGBIRDS.
The author:By day, Daisy Whitney is a producer, on-air correspondent, podcaster and expert in the new media business. At night, she writes novels for teens. When Daisy’s not inventing fictional high school worlds, she reports for Beet.TV, produces conferences for iMedia and provides strategy consulting to businesses on online video.
The book:
Some schools have honor codes.Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.
Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.
The interview:
What inspired you to write THE MOCKINGBIRDS?
I’ve always been intrigued by boarding school and also by the potential teens have to take a stand for what’s important. THE MOCKINGBIRDS - an underground student-run justice system - was born from those twin thoughts as a way to look at what it takes to stand up for yourself and for others.
Have you ever had to speak up for yourself, even when it wasn't easy?
Yes. When I was date raped my freshman year of college I pressed charges at my university and that’s a big reason why I believe in the power of speaking up to heal.
If you could hang out with any literary character, who would you choose and why?
My fictional idol is Frankie Landau Banks in THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANK because she is a total kick-ass smart girl who challenges the system.
What songs would make the playlist for THE MOCKINGBIRDS?
The Ninth Symphony by Beethoven, Wake Up by Arcade Fire and Stop, Hey What’s That Sound by Buffalo Springfield.
What's one thing most people don't know about you?
Despite writing about fairly serious topics, I am a very happy go lucky person!
What's your favorite quote?
| "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle If THE MOCKINGBIRDS were made into a movie, who would you like to see in the role of ALEX? |
I adore Emma Stone and think she has what it takes to play my main character!
What kind of chocolate best describes you?
Dark chocolate with orange peels and earl grey flavoring.The freebie:
To be entered to win a copy of THE MOCKINGBIRDS, leave a comment below telling us about the last time you had to stand up for yourself (or wish that you had!) This drawing will remain open until Wednesday, November 10.
