Ask the Author: Justin A. Reynolds
Answered Questions (23)
Justin A. Reynolds
I answered this question for the simple fact that this will likely be the only time someone refers to me as cool in a non-ironic way hahaha :D Thanks, Shveta!!
Justin A. Reynolds
I was inspired by, sadly, by the deaths of two important people in my life: a close friend and my aunt. The question WHY haunted me in the weeks after their funerals. I remember thinking, there's nothing I wouldn't do to see either of them again. Which led me to: wait, so would you be willing to do ANYTHING? And what if that meant losing someone else close to you?
These feelings, and questions, were the first threads of Opposite of Always.
These feelings, and questions, were the first threads of Opposite of Always.
Justin A. Reynolds
Opposite of Always was not the original title. I went through about 3 or 4 before finally settling on OOA. In short, titles are so hard, haha.
Justin A. Reynolds
I'd just lost two very important people to me, both passing away far too soon. It was one of the few times I truly wished I could go back in time, reset the clock. I settled for the next best thing: to relish their memory. Such reflection, for me, is a form of time-travel, albeit far less science-y.
Justin A. Reynolds
Absolutely! Each of the jobs I've had has informed my world viewpoint, and directly impacted my writing. I've worked at jobs that I suppose people might consider menial (or beneath them), but I don't regret a single position that I had (even scrubbing toilets at the steel mill). I learned a lot, including how to remain humble and the importance of working hard no matter the endeavor, and those lessons are a big part of my personal fabric today. I miss all of those jobs to some degree; mainly for the interactions and stories, haha :D
Justin A. Reynolds
The short answer is yes. I had a lot of input into the cover, which I realize I'm very fortunate to have had that experience. The team at Katherine Tegen was very focused on getting the cover right, that not only would it serve as the initial ambassador for the book (that ol' judge a book by its cover adage) but also serve as a complement to the story; that it would add something on its own to the narrative. We went through a couple phases in our search for the 'perfect cover' but it was really a great experience from start to finish.
Justin A. Reynolds
Great question, Tiana! Hmmm, I think most of my surprises have come since signing with my agent, Beth, who is seriously an awesome agent, but by far an even better human. The way she embraced this story, believed in it, was incredible, and really pushed me to make it even better. And then once we landed with Katherine Tegen, specifically in the hands of my amazing editor Ben, the care and attention put into this story has been beyond anything I could've imagined. To see the growth and maturity the story has undergone with edits and input and brainstorming, it's really cool. It's been a great (and surprising) ride so far.
Justin A. Reynolds
I loved being a nurse, so that's definitely high up on the list. But were I to choose a profession that was creative and outside of things I've already done, I'd be a chef. Hands down, go to culinary school, travel the world trying different cuisines and exploring cultures, and (hopefully) make tasty food along the way.
Justin A. Reynolds
Ooooh, this is a tough question, but the short answer is yes. Or at least I try to be. Sometimes there are things that occur to me later, perhaps when I'm revising, but I try to be aware of any subtext and/or implications.
Justin A. Reynolds
Notebook, something to drink (usually coffee, or ice water), and laptop so I can watch movies...er...write books, hahaha.
Justin A. Reynolds
So many YA books I wish I'd written. I'll choose The Hate U Give, though. It's only a year or two old and already a classic.
Justin A. Reynolds
Oooo, so there are lots of time travel books that I really enjoy. I love love LOVE "SECONDS", a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley, not only beautifully illustrated but the way it explores the ramifications of second-chances is stellar. Also, near the top of the list is REPLAY by Ken Grimwood--not even so much for the story, but for how he effortlessly deals with massive chunks of time. He handles generational time travel like a pro. SO many great time travel books out there!
Justin A. Reynolds
Unfortunately, this is going to be a boring answer. I had lots of "almosts" but honestly very few of them were memorable, haha.
Justin A. Reynolds
I'd like to say that everything has already worked out perfectly, but naturally I'd be lying, haha. There are certainly moments I'd love to have back--either because they were amazing and I'd want to live in them again, if only for a few seconds, or because they weren't so good, and I've love a shot at reshaping them into something positive. That being said, I'm also content with the way time marches on, haha. I feel like otherwise I'd be rewinding everything and never move very far into the future :D
Justin A. Reynolds
Without giving any spoilers, my nursing experiences definitely played a large role in the formation of this story. So much of nursing is about language and communication. Often times, as you know, we're conduits for storytelling, listening carefully to the stories of our patients and their families, and then acting as their first advocate. The people that I met during my nursing career (staff and patients) have certainly shaped my outlook on what's truly important.
Justin A. Reynolds
Usually my brain's out of town, so we don't actually have much one-on-one interaction. But whenever he's around I just have a very frank discussion with him, that goes a little something like this:
ME: Hey Brain, glad you could make it into the office.
BRAIN: Lemme guess, you've done nothing since I was last here.
ME *avoiding eye contact*: Not exactly.
BRAIN *smirking*: I'm so sick of carrying you.
ME *holding up a mostly-blank notebook*: I did some outlining! And look, I think I've settled on the name of some super minor character, so that's something.
BRAIN: I'll be in the back. I need a nap.
ME: Yeah, yeah, take your time. I was just sorta hoping...I mean, the thing is we have this deadline...and like...it's really coming up fast...so maybe...IDK...I mean...
*The back door slams shut*
ME: Okay, yeah, we'll talk after your nap, no problem.
ME: Hey Brain, glad you could make it into the office.
BRAIN: Lemme guess, you've done nothing since I was last here.
ME *avoiding eye contact*: Not exactly.
BRAIN *smirking*: I'm so sick of carrying you.
ME *holding up a mostly-blank notebook*: I did some outlining! And look, I think I've settled on the name of some super minor character, so that's something.
BRAIN: I'll be in the back. I need a nap.
ME: Yeah, yeah, take your time. I was just sorta hoping...I mean, the thing is we have this deadline...and like...it's really coming up fast...so maybe...IDK...I mean...
*The back door slams shut*
ME: Okay, yeah, we'll talk after your nap, no problem.
Justin A. Reynolds
Other than binge-reading my favorite time-travel novels, and watching a million movies, it was essentially a lot of trial and error. There were times when I realized I'd broken a rule, or that my decision to establish a certain rule somehow changed another crucial element of the story. Also, talking it out aloud with family and friends, with my agent and editor, helped quite a bit, too.
Justin A. Reynolds
So, I love this question. Honestly, it changes depending on my mood and the draft intensity (haha). Currently, I'm on pistachios kick. I also love Gummi-Savers.
Justin A. Reynolds
Just thinking about time-travel and its actual implications. What would I do differently in my life, if given the opportunity--and what other things would that change, unravel, erase..?
Justin A. Reynolds
I read a lot of Crichton and Grisham as a teen. I'm not sure what my favorite book was, though. I loved Sphere and The Firm, when it came to those two. I also loved Bridge to Terrabithia a ton. I also fell in love with August Wilson's plays. And lots of spoken word chapbooks; I was really into poetry, especially in my late teens.
As for what book from today that I wish I had then, hmmm. I'll say The Hate U Give. So well-written, so poignant, while giving us a voice to rally behind.
As for what book from today that I wish I had then, hmmm. I'll say The Hate U Give. So well-written, so poignant, while giving us a voice to rally behind.
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