most of us know stephanie perkins as the brilliant author of super-cute and super-sweet ya contemporaries, like Anna and the French Kiss or Lola and the Boy Next Door. but i was so so excited to hear about her new project — a teen slasher called There’s Someone Inside Your House — that was recently released just in time for halloween! i was lucky enough to do a q&a with her which you can all read below!

Q&A WITH STEPHANIE PERKINS!

What attracts you to reading and writing about teenagers? Is there anything specific about your time as a young adult that draws you to this genre?

I was not a happy teenager, and those four years of high school were the hardest in my life. That trauma imprinted itself on me pretty deeply. My heart always goes out to struggling teenagers because I remember that time period—being so close to adulthood, yet still having everything so far out of my control—so vividly. Even though most of my books (this being the obvious exception) are happy books, I’m still writing for that struggling, teen Steph. I want her to see herself and not feel alone.

There’s Someone Inside Your House is pretty different than previous books you’ve published — what excites you most about that?

Yes! I was thrilled that my editor—the brilliant Julie Strauss-Gabel—supported me in doing this. I’m a HUGE horror fan, but I understand that it’s a stretch for other people to see me as such. I think there’s this dangerous assumption out there that people (usually women) who enjoy more traditionally feminine things like romance novels or vintage dresses (like me) are typically only that one thing. But nobody is one thing. I’m excited that my publisher let me reveal another side of myself, and I hope I’ll get to show even more sides as my career progresses.

Although this book is a teen slasher, knowing you (the queen of YA romance), we can probably count on some romance sneaking in. How are you able to write such authentic (and adorable!) relationships so seamlessly? How much inspiration do you draw from your own love life?

Thank you. And ha! Yes, this book definitely has a love story in it, though it was originally supposed to play a much smaller part. I just enjoyed writing about Ollie so much that his role kept growing bigger.

For me, romantic authenticity is in having flawed characters that bring out the best in each other. They help provide something that the other person needs. I’m very fortunate in that I met my best friend—my husband—my senior year of high school. I don’t want to suggest that a person needs a romantic partner to be whole, because that’s unequivocally false, but people do need friends. He showed me a hopeful future, and it changed everything for me. Absolutely everything. So, it’s unsurprising that it’s something I can’t seem to stop writing about.

This question is for any aspiring writers reading this: what was it like starting out as a published author? What did you find the hardest?

It was hard to keep my eyes on my own page. Comparing paychecks or sales rankings or promotion—or even how long it takes to write a book!—is a dangerous and pointless game. As an author, these things are out of my control, so I had to realize that it’s important to focus on what actually IS in my control: the stories themselves. The rest will be whatever it is.

Finally: what are three of your go-to horror movies for a binge marathon? 

Scream, always! So if it’s a marathon, I’d pair it with other smart, humorous horror about young adults. Maybe Murder Party and The Loved Ones. Or we could go international with Let the Right One In, The Devil’s Backbone, and I Saw The Devil. Or werewolves with An American Werewolf in London, Ginger Snaps, and Howl. Or haunted houses with Housebound, The Innkeepers, and The Others. Or or or!

GIVEAWAY!!

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers on September 26th 2017
Pages: 289
Amazon||The Book Depository
Goodreads

Scream meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss.

One-by-one, the students of Osborne High are dying in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted.

International bestselling author Stephanie Perkins returns with a fresh take on the classic teen slasher story that’s fun, quick-witted, and completely impossible to put down.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter for a chance to be one (1) of three (3) winners to receive a hardcover copy of There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins. (ARV: $17.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on September 18, 2017 and 12:00 AM on October 16, 2017. Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about October 18, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.