Interview with Paige Harbison, author of Here Lies Bridget, and Giveaway!

Paige Harbison, the author of the recently released Here Lies Bridget, which I reviewed here, is here today on Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf  to answer a few of my questions and to giveaway a copy of the book. So, without a further ado...

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In your opinion, what are the top three reasons why teens, or even adults, should consider picking up Here Lies Bridget the next time they see it online or in stores?

1) Well, really, the cover! It’s awesome! If you don’t know anything about the book, I think that is an intriguing conflict of moods.
2) What I feel is an important thing to remember is that it’s almost as if Bridget is the antagonist, and the supporting characters are the ones you root for. So it’s kind of a new treatment of the old story of redemption and mean girls.
3) Moms should pick it up for their daughters—whether you’re being bullied, have been bullied, are a bully, or are considering a life in bullydom, I think there’s something to be gotten from the story!

Here Lies Bridget tells the story of Bridget Duke, the infamous queen of mean in her high school, which leaves me to wonder the following: what made you decide to give her such a mean personality? Was it something that developed as you wrote the book, or did you know she would be that way from the start?

Oh, she was always supposed to be mean. If she wasn’t just awful, there would be no point in the book. There are so many awful girls out there in high schools (remember that video on youtube of the girls beating the crap out of that other girl to haze her?), and Bridget is just one of them. Bullying, especially lately, is a huge issue in schools today. I didn’t write it to be bossy or instructive, but high school girls can be terrible. Some people make up for it, some people never do. And some people try to, and it’s too late.

In Here Lies Bridget, Bridget faces several people she has wronged in limbo. Out of all the people she encounters, which one was favorite to write about? Why?

Liam. He’s the one who she wronged in the most ‘real’ way. She hurt him, but not through childhood taunts or blatant rudeness. She hurt Liam by not being herself.

One of the things that originally drew me to Here Lies Bridget was the cover, which is morbid yet cheerful at the same time, so what was your reaction when you saw it for the first time?

I was excited. I thought it was freaking fantastic. I wanted and hoped for something darkly endearing like True Blood and Dexter posters. A little morbid, but light too. I didn’t write a dark book, but I didn’t write something only dippy. I think the art team captured it perfectly.

Since Here Lies Bridget’s publication, have you had any noteworthy 'rock star' author moments? If so, do you have any you would like to share?

Pfft, ‘rock star!’ I don’t know about that, but some cool stuff has happened. The L.A times reviewed my book favorably, and mine was the book in the March issue of Teen Vogue under the ‘People Are Talking About’ section. Then Jen Lancaster featured Here Lies Bridget under her winter reads—and she couldn’t be more fabulous.

Also the film rights were bought by Galgos Entertainment. So hopefully HLB will be hitting the big screen! It’s on IMDB and everything—so cool.

Your mother is Beth Harbison, a New York Times Bestselling author, so did she play a part in inspiring your writing career?

I’m not sure where it came from exactly. It never even occurred to me that the career was a possibility or even an interest of mine until I got inspiration for HLB on a seemingly endless train trip from Orlando to DC.

Since you write teen books, what were some of your favorite young adult books when you were a teen?

Let’s see..my teen years ended all of two years ago, so it might be hard to remember that far back… =)

I loved lots of different books from many different genres (Emily Giffin books, Bill Bryson, David Sedaris, James Herriot, lots of classes. Strictly from the YA genre, I was obsessed with the Harry Potter series, How to Deal, Holes, The Outsiders, the Twilight series, and when I was younger the Series of Unfortunate Events books, and The Princess Diaries books. But lots of them; I read tons.

What is up next for you book wise? Is there anything else you would like to add?

My second book is finished and in the next stages now. It’s sort of a modern adaptation of Rebecca, but with some elements from Sixteen Candles. I really like it—it’s called New Girl. It’s a little more me than my first book, and I think it’s got some good stuff in it!

Thank you for the interview!

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You're very welcome, and thank your for taking the time to answer my questions. I can't wait to read your next novel- it sounds like it will be fabulous!

Now, the part you've all been waiting for...the giveaway!

Thanks to the lovely people at Harlequin Teen, I have one copy of Here Lies Bridget to giveaway to one lucky reader of my blog.

To enter, please fill out the form below.

Official Contest Rules:

~ Must be 13 years or older to enter.
~ This contest is open internationally!
~ This giveaway will close on April 14, 2011!




If you would like to find out more about Paige Harbison, you can follow her on twitter here, visit her website here, or read another interview she did with Chanelle at Beyond Words here. And to buy your own snazzy copy of Here Lies Bridget (which I know you want to!), head on over here.