Author Spotlight + Interview: Suzanne Young

In continuation with our month long Blogoversary, today we have Suzanne Young on the blog! As many of you know Ana & I (Andy) are completely obsessed with The Program. I'm sure it's been a book I've chosen for more than half of my TTT picks. It's honestly like nothing in YA right now. Read it for yourself and you'll understand. We're gonna let you in on a little secret, we've read The Treatment and it's AMAZING!! I can pretty much guarantee whatever you think is going to happen goes out the door. Trust me, it does not disappoint! Once again, thank you to Suzanne for taking the time to answer these. Life get's pretty hectic so I'm glad we got her when we did. :)

Originally from New York, Suzanne Young moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She currently resides in Tempe, where she teaches high school English. When not writing obsessively, Suzanne can be found searching her own tragic memories for inspiration.
Suzanne is the author of several books for teens, including THE PROGRAM, A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, and A WANT SO WICKED.

     

Q. If you could take any 3 non-writing-related classes, what would they be?

I would take forensic science (solving crimes), ceramics, and a film class.

Q. How do the books you write differ from the books you enjoy reading?

I’ve been reading a lot of classics (Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights) and I love anything with romance.

Q. I've never read anything like The Program. A lot of people call it dystopian, but I just don't see it like that. It's set in the not so distant future yes, but it deals with real life issues. What influenced you to write about such a heavy topic?

Several bits of inspiration came together to create The Program. I’d started other stories (one about suicide, one about a pill that dulls emotions), but didn’t find the right plot to finish them. I borrowed those ideas and combined them with some of my own experiences for the story. Even a commercial that listed the side effects of medication became part of the book. The stars aligned for me creatively at just the right time, and The Program came together. I originally pitched the book to my agent as Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind meets Children of Men.

Q. What would you say to readers passing up The Program because they automatically jump to the conclusion that it's a sad book?

Ultimately I think The Program is about hope. The characters go through a lot, and it’s sometimes painful, but in the end their story is about hope. And how far a person would go to hold on to her/his past.

Q. The Treatment comes out on April 29th. Can you give readers a hint of what's to come? 

The Treatment starts where The Program left off. Sloane and James are on the run, but now they have a pill—the Treatment—that can bring back their lost memories. But there is only one dose. Sloane and James will meet up with a set of rebels, and Michael Realm will return to wreak havoc. Through it all, The Program is hunting the rebels. No one is safe. And no one can be trusted. “My boyfriend is the best liar I’ve ever known. But he does it with the best of intentions.”