Kissing Max Holden
Katy Upperman
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: August 1st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Kissing Max Holden was a terrible idea…
After his father has a life-altering stroke, Max Holden isn’t himself. As his long-time friend, Jillian Eldridge only wants to help him, but she doesn’t know how. When Max climbs through her window one night, Jill knows that she shouldn’t let him kiss her. But she can’t resist, and when they’re caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it’ll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea.
With a new baby sibling on the way, her parents fighting all the time, and her dream of culinary school up in the air, Jill starts spending more and more time with Max. And even though her father disapproves and Max still has a girlfriend, not kissing Max is easier said than done. Will Jill follow her heart and allow their friendship to blossom into something more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?
Interview with Katy Upperman
What inspired you to write KISSING MAX HOLDEN?
I had a
few different sources of inspiration. First, I wanted to write a story
involving the longtime-friends-become-sweethearts trope – it fascinates me in
all its variations! Second, I wanted to explore faithfulness and fidelity,
especially as far as high school relationships are concerned. At one point in
the story, my main character, Jillian, wonders if cheating is ever excusable,
particularly when genuine feelings are involved. I’m not sure there’s a right
or wrong answer to that question, but wrestling with it through Jill’s filter
was really interesting. And third, I wanted to write a story featuring some of
my favorite things: baking, country music, football, kisses, coffee, and the
Pacific Northwest, to name a few.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next book?
Sure! My 2018 release is called THE IMPOSSIBILITY
OF US. It’s a young adult romance about Elise,
an aspiring photojournalist, and Mati, an Afghan poet. They meet by chance on a
California beach and, as their friendship blossoms into more, find themselves
struggling to keep their relationship secret from their disapproving families.
I think of it as a fairy tale set in the real world, plus it features bits of
verse, a really cute dog, and, of course, cookies. It’ll be out next summer.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in KISSING MAX HOLDEN?
Jill (or Jilly, as Max calls her) is a baker
girl who dreams of going to culinary school and opening her own pâtisserie.
She’s having a hard time because her relationship with her father has become
strained, and she’s about to become the world’s most reluctant big sister. Max,
her neighbor and longtime friend, is facing struggles of his own; his father
recently suffered a life-altering stroke, and Max isn’t coping well. Jill and
Max are flawed characters with enormous hearts, and as they begin to realize
that their friendship is developing into more, they’re forced to unpack a lot
of the baggage in their lives before they can initiate the romance they both
long for.
You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who
is your favorite author and why?
I
honestly have several favorite authors but if I *have* to choose just one, I’m
going to go with Judy Blume. I’ve been reading her books since I was, like,
eight years old, beginning with Blubber
and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Her
work has traveled with me though middle school and high school (Forever… so good!), and now into
adulthood, as I recently read In the
Unlikely Event. It’s safe to say that her writing has shaped me as a
reader, and inspired me as a writer. And if I can choose an honorable mention,
I’m going to go with Melina Marchetta. I’ve yet to read a book by her that
hasn’t completely bowled me over with its amazingness. Her contemporary young
adult novel Jellicoe Road is one of
my top five favorite books ever, and I’m obsessed with her Lumetere Chronicles, though fantasy novels aren’t usually my jam.
If you could time-travel would you travel to the
future or the past? Where would you like to go and why would you like to visit
this particular time period?
I’d definitely choose the past over the
future (I don’t want to know what’s coming up!) and I’d love to be a part of a
pop culture event that was cool and iconic, like Woodstock. Every time I see
photos from that time, or listen to songs recorded at the concert, I feel like
I should’ve been there.
Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or
a cat? Or any pets?
I’ve spent
a lifetime calling myself a dog person and until recently, we’ve always had a
dog (or two). Now, though, we’ve got two kitties (Daphne and Reamus) and while
I never would’ve guessed this would be the case… I kind of adore them. They’re
awesome to have curled up beside me while I write or read, plus they’re super
low maintenance and full of personality.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with us today.
Thank you so much for having me!
Author Bio:
Katy Upperman is a graduate of Washington State University, a former elementary school teacher, and an insatiable reader. When not writing for young adults, Katy can be found whipping up batches of chocolate chip cookies, or exploring the country with her husband and daughter. Kissing Max Holden is her debut novel.
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