On how the teenage years are brutal

My first novel, The Boy in the Hoodie, officially launched into the world this past weekend.  In fact, today is its release day. It is officially available in shops from today. 

It’s been a long-term project for me.

I used to love writing. And reading. Then I went to Uni and suddenly reading and writing became all about the work, and I kind of lost my passion for it. Throw into the mix beginning to work as a teacher, and all the planning and marking that came with it, and the flame well and truly threw itself under the proverbial bus.

But then, about six years ago, the flame caught alight again. I began to write because I’d had some stuff happen to me in my adult life that I needed to deal with. And so, like Kat in The Boy in the Hoodie, I began to deal with some of my issues through the power of the written word. It helped me to process things I hadn’t processed properly from years previously, and heal, and recover. And best of all, I began helping others with similar experiences also confront their pasts through my writing. It was liberating. I was hooked. So was then born, The Boy in the Hoodie.

The Boy in the Hoodie is the first of my novels I’ve pursued publication with. And just as my first writings were very personal, so this project was personal for me. I was a sad, anxious and terribly self-doubting teenager. Trying to look back without prejudice, I realise others probably didn’t see me that way. But I was desperate to be loved and validated by the world.

I flittered from boyfriend to boyfriend because I loved that feeling of knowing that someone new thought I was pretty and fun to be with. I got myself into trouble a couple of times with boys who wanted a lot more than I was willing to give, and that damaged my innocence. I figured other girls didn’t like me much, probably because I was a terrible flirt. But also because I could be mean. I didn’t like myself, so being mean to others made me feel better. I wanted to be in the in-crowd, but I knew deep down I wasn’t that kind of girl. I wore the wrong jeans. I bought the wrong clothes. I had a mole on my face where big hairs would suddenly, like overnight, grow in the middle. My hair was completely unfashionable no matter what I tried to do to it. I had freckles across my nose and a relentless supply of pimples across my chin. I was cursed with a blotchy tan. I couldn’t relate to boys except through flirting, which they loved, but made my boyfriends wild, so I learned how to fight - and not necessarily in a good way. 

The teenage years are brutal. But that’s why I write YA. I want the world to know (or be reminded) just how difficult it is to be a teenager. To make the right choices. To grow up and yet still do what your parents tell you. To be confident. Being YA is tough. But it’s also doable. It’s survivable. The other side is achievable. 

Should you chose to read it, I hope The Boy in the Hoodie imparts some of that hope onto you. 

The Book launched at the annual Omega Writer's conference (this year in Sydney). At the conference was an amazing YA author from the US, Alex Marestaing, who inspired and encouraged me heaps. I have since found an interview he did not long before coming out to Australia to speak at the conference, so if you're interested, here's the interview:

Photo credit for this photo goes to moi! I am generally terrible at taking selfies, but am in training by my teen and tweenie daughters. It's not brilliant, I know. But, you know, I haven't had as much experience as they have, so really, they just need to be patient and not laugh so much at me. #parentingproblems #borntoosoon #stilllearning

Photo credit #2 goes to children's author Penny Morrison, whose photo I "borrowed" from Facebook, so if she ever sees this, I hope that is okay, Penny! The photo is of me speaking at the book launch, with Rochelle Manners, my publisher, and Emily Sweasey, one of the editors at Rhiza Press who spoke about the novel.

If you want to connect with Catriona, you can do so here This week on FaceBook Catriona is giving away a FREE copy of The Boy in the Hoodie - so head on over there if you're interested in entering into the fun.