Just a Girl in the Whirl
by Annie Wood
GENRE: Young Adult
BLURB:
A 17 year old girl is overwhelmed with responsibilities trying to keep her messy family together. Everything spins out of control when her addict actor dad who bailed on the family three years ago leaving her with her lovable but bi-polar mom and her two little sisters, comes back into town and wants to reconnect.
Writing
poems is her only escape. Just a girl in the is about family,
forgiveness, and having enough courage to live your own life, your
own way.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Soul Touching Work Of Art!
"This book made me tear up multiple times, as I felt a real connection with the characters and their struggles. I recommend it for all ages."
Excerpt:
“I never know what to say to her.” Matty complains.
“You don’t need to say anything. Just your presence is enough.”
I put Sara’s old baby monitor in Mom’s room so I can hear Matty enter. I imagine Mom is watching TV with it turned off again.
“This is my favorite part.” Mom says.
Matty doesn’t say anything. She’s probably just staring at her. Matty often just stares at her.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Mom says.
After a moment, Matty says, “Did you know that Americans watch two hundred and fifty billion hours of television a year?”
I can hear Mom applauding and then saying softly, “I love you so much, Matty.”
Matty says nothing in response. I could almost hear her heart break into a million little pieces, then I heard footsteps, and then the door closing. Matty comes zooming down the stairs. She pauses and looks out the front window. “Grandma Gayle is here.”
Grandma Gayle is Dad’s mom and when she knocks on the door, it means one thing and one thing only: it’s payday.
I open the door. She stands there, studying me. I know I look like a mess with my wild, unbrushed hair and olive oil stained t-shirt. I’m the polar opposite of this woman who stands before me. Gayle is tall, super thin, and doesn’t look like anybody’s grandma. Not at all. She speaks abruptly, using as few words as possible so she can get to the point quickly. I’m pretty sure she uses less words than the most mortals.
Interview with Annie Wood
What made you want to become a writer?
Writing has always been a way for me to make sense of the world around me. When I was a kid I would watch grown ups talk and think of them like characters in a movie. I’d make up stories about them and as soon as I was able to write, I wrote down those stories.
What inspired you to write Just a Girl in the Whirl?
My brother struggled with addiction so the dad character is based on him. The main story idea about a teenage girl feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities … I feel like that feeling is something I had in me when I was a teenager, concerning my older brother.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Just a Girl in the Whirl?
Lauren wants to keep her family together and she really wants to make things nice for her two young sisters, Sara and Maddie and their mom who is dealing with mental health issues. I like how these 4 female characters are able to come together and stay true to themselves while creating a happy life. They are strong, funny and all have a solid sense of self.
You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?
Most people know Carrie Fisher from Star Wars but I’m a big fan of her writing. I loved her book, Delusions of Grandma. She was funny, wise, clever. I love this quote of hers: “I don’t hate hardly ever, and when I love, I love for miles and miles. A love so big it should either be outlawed or it should have a capital and its own currency.”
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
I’m currently working on an illustrated novel about a teenager dealing with the grief of her mother’s suicide. I’m an artist as well so the artwork in the book will be my drawings and paintings. Please sign up for my newsletter (anniewood.com) to stay in the loop for its release.
To Read a Good Book on a Sunday Morning
mixed media artwork on canvas by Annie Wood
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Completing it.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Annie Wood is an Israeli-American, Hollywood native, and a lifelong actress and writer. The web series she created, wrote and stars in, Karma’s a Bitch, was Best of the Web on Virgin America (anniewood.com/Karma)
Wood was part of the NBC DIVERSITY SHOWCASE with her comedic scene, That’s How They Get You. She’s written 100s of scenes for actors that have been used by Emmy Award-winning TV director, Mary Lou Belli in her UCLA course and casting director, Jeremey Gordon in workshops all around town.
As an author, she has three books out: Dandy Day, Just a Theory: a quantum love adventure and her first YA novel, Just a Girl in the Whirl (Speaking Volumes Publishing)
Annie’s also an Internationally exhibited mixed-media artist, a produced playwright, and was the third female solo dating game show host in the history of television with the nationally syndicated show, BZZZ! that she also co-produced. (Which just re-ran in 2020 on BUZZRTV!)
Annie writes and creates art daily.
Website ~ Writing ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Art ~ Shop
She also runs the Twitter account for the Women of the Writers Guild West Follow us here —> @WoWGAW
She is part of the Middle Eastern Committee at WGA
and a Dramatist Guild Member and an Authors Guild Member
3 comments:
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a good read.
Great interview and excerpt and the book sounds like a great read for my niece and my granddaughter! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a magical holiday season!
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