Q&A with P.S. Baber discussion

Thank you for choosing to join this group. I will be on here regularly starting March 5, 2011, to start the discussion, but feel free to start a topic, leave a message, or ask a question before then.

psb

Thank you for the invite!
I look forward to the Q&A with you :)

Sincerely,
Debbie Roberts

Hi, and thank you for the invite. Looking forward to the Q&A, and any further correspondence. Have a wonderful day.

~Hira~

Thank you for inviting me!

Dear P.S.
I hope I'm putting this Q&A in the right place! :)
I was so intriqued by the strange bond between Cassie and Amy. Two completley different teens...yet drawn together in what appeared to be one of those 'opposite attracts' type of friendships. The ending blew me away; completely unexpected.
For you, personally, what was the "it" factor that deepened the friendship between the unstable Cassie and the trusting (unsuspecting) Amy, which led to such a shocking conclusion?
Cassie was a scary character! But, I mean that in a good "bad" way!

Debbie wrote: "Dear P.S.
I hope I'm putting this Q&A in the right place! :)
I was so intriqued by the strange bond between Cassie and Amy. Two completley different teens...yet drawn together in what appeared to..."

Hi Debbie. Thanks for the thoughtful question. I attempted to write Cassie and Amy as mirror reflections of one another. On a surface level they are polar opposites, but on closer inspection (hopefully,) more similarities than differences emerge. Amy is herself an outsider, though by choice. She seeks to find someone who understands her despair—a despair she struggles against and seeks to overcome. (Symbolically, perhaps, attempting to overcome her own despair by defeating it in others). Her core value is genuineness. She is intelligent, but does not flaunt her intelligence. She also carries a bit of a messiah complex. Given those qualities, I think she would naturally gravitate toward someone like Cassie. For her part, Cassie is obviously a conflicted character. She embraces her despair and nihilistic tendencies in the same way that Amy pushes them away. But there’s something that stops her from cutting herself entirely off from the rest of the world. Amy seeks to redeem this. Initially what brings these girls together is a shared loneliness. Though again, both are alone for different reasons. (Apparent reasons for one, hidden reasons for the other). Their friendship begins as they make the choice to be alone together. In the end, their relationship blossoms into something much more powerful, though whether this is rooted in unconditional love or self-interest or something else entirely is ultimately a question I would leave to each reader.

Not sure if that answers your question, Debbie. If I swung and missed, let me know and I’ll try to give you a better answer. :)

psb

Your answer is perfect! It helped define a few things I wondered about while reading the book. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

P.S. I take it you managed to get home safely during the holiday season while you were "stranded" for a bit in Florida. No doubt you still had a fabulous time! :)

Debbie wrote: "Your answer is perfect! It helped define a few things I wondered about while reading the book. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

P.S. I take it you managed to get home safely during the ho..."

Thanks Debbie. Yes, we got home alright, though we had to drive a rental car home instead of taking the plane we had originally booked. I always love my time in FL. (Especially the food). :)

Dear Members,

I really enjoyed having the opportunity to answer the questions you all posted in this group this past week. Although the window for posting questions technically ended yesterday, I'm going to leave the group open to serve as a forum for readers to continue posting questions and comments related to Cassie Draws the Universe. I will try my best to check in periodically to answer any questions directed toward me. I also hope you will all consider starting your own threads on here to discuss the book in greater depth amongst yourselves. Thanks again for joining and I look forward to answering your questions in the future and watching this group continue to evolve over time.

psb

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! I love Goodreads for many reasons, and this is one of them. It's fantastic that Goodreads authors are so willing to interact with their readers.

Best of luck to you and I look forward to hearing about your next book! Soon, I hope -- and yes, that's a hint :)

Sincerely,
Debbie

Debbie wrote: "Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! I love Goodreads for many reasons, and this is one of them. It's fantastic that Goodreads authors are so willing to interact with their reader..."

Thanks Debbie. :)

Thanks for the invite!

I really need to email you! For some reason you've been on my mind the past few days (enter Twilight Zone music here). Well, it's because I have some questions for you outside of the Cassie book. I think you might be someone who can give me some insight into a few things on my mind regarding writing :)
Hope you are are doing well and that we'll "talk" soon!
Sincerely,
Debbie

Debbie wrote: "I really need to email you! For some reason you've been on my mind the past few days (enter Twilight Zone music here). Well, it's because I have some questions for you outside of the Cassie book. I..."

Sure thing. You can send me a message on goodreads, or email me at p.s.baber@gmail.com. You can also chat with me on facebook if you prefer.

psb

Thanks! Knew I could count on you :)

Have a great July 4th weekend!

Debbie