Today we are very excited to share an interview with Authors Jarrod Shusterman and Sofía Lapuente (Retro)!
Read on to learn more about them, their book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Jarrod Shusterman
Jarrod Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of novel Dry, which he is adapting for a major Hollywood film studio with Neal Shusterman. He is also the coauthor of the accoladed novel Roxy. His books have all received critical acclaim and multiple starred reviews. Sofi Lapuente and Jarrod are partners in every sense of the word, with love and multiculturalism as an ethos—living between Madrid, Spain, and Los Angeles, California. If they are not working, it means they’re eating. For behind-the-scenes author content and stupidly funny videos, follow them on Instagram and TikTok @SofiandJarrod.
Website * Twitter * Instagram * Tiktok * Facebook
Meet the Author: Sofía Lapuente
Sofía Lapuente is an author, screenwriter, and avid world traveler who immigrated from Spain to the United States to realize her dream of storytelling. Since then, she has received a master’s degree in fine arts at UCLA, worked as a producer and casting director on an Emmy nominated show, and received coauthor credits in Gleanings, the fourth installment of the bestselling Arc of a Scythe series, with her partner, Jarrod. Together, the couple writes and produces film and television under their production company Dos Lobos Entertainment.
Website * Twitter * Instagram * Tiktok * Facebook
About the Book: Retro
What starts off as a light-hearted competition to live without modern technology for a year turns into a fight for survival in this unputdownable young adult thriller by New York Times bestselling author Jarrod Shusterman and debut author Sofía Lapuente.
To save her struggling family, Luna enters a competition offering reward money to anyone who can successfully live without modern technology for a year. But when this social experiment turns sinister and her classmates start disappearing, her family’s livelihood might not be the only thing she’s in danger of losing.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write Retro?
Sofi: Social media is a huge part of our day to day lives and we wanted to write something thoughtful about the subject! But we knew the book had to be fun with Retro vibes! It had to be a thriller romance. I think the world of Retro is really fun, with the clothes, cars, music and cassette players in general–something we wanted to transmit that to the readers. And what is more fun than to make it a challenge to not use modern day technology and contestants start disappearing!?
Jarrod: The world really needs some escapism these days. We need positivity. And Retro is a feel-good, thrilling book with positive vibes all the way through!
YABC: Who is your favorite character in Retro?
Jarrod: For me I have to say … our protagonist LUNA. I love her character and the way she is! So much of Luna is really Sofi’s personality, so I am really biased… She’s cool confident, sweet and spicy. Couldn’t ask for more in our story’s hero (and life partner!!!)
Sofi: For me, MIMI is definitely my favorite. This is the protagonist’s best friend and she says anything that comes to her head. She’s not a judgmental person and she’s just brutally honest. A pure soul. Having a character that is so warm and supportive and less affected by the real world was very fun to write! And we hope you find it refreshing!
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
Sofi: The title came to us in the middle of the novel. We knew that we needed something that would work in both English and Spanish, and that felt international. Retro sounds fun inherently!
YABC: What scene in Retro are you most proud of, and why?
Sofi: For us, our favorite aspect isn’t necessarily a scene but more of a final sequence. We were able to pull off a bunch of thrilling twists in the last two hundred pages of the book that we are very happy about. That portion always make the editing process a little tough because we get sucked in as readers every time! So, it’s definitely a roller coaster ride!
Jarrod: For me, there is one specific super thrilling twist at the end that we think will break your brains, and we are really excited about that. Secretly, we built the whole book around that twist. So, you will totally know when you get there! We had to almost write the book backwards to make it work which was challenging and definitely very fun!
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
Jarrod: Oh. Wow. SO MUCH! But mainly… how difficult it is to write and publish a debut novel! For Sofi and I, this is our first one together, so every aspect of the process is treated as fresh and new. There have been plenty of roadblocks, but in the end our book is only stronger because of them.
Sofi: For me, it’s the importance of fleshed out and thoughtful dialogue, because that is the connective tissue to the characters and it’s what makes them so real. The importance of lots of dialogue to get to know characters. Giving the audience what they least expect, always, and the use of cliffhangers. Also learning the importance of big juicy plot twists! Also, characters have to be really three dimensional, and they should inspire and encourage the reader. Audiences should feel represented and reflected within these characters.
YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
Sofi: The most recent novel that I loved was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid showed us from the very beginning that the protagonist is imperfect, which really helps the audience connect with her. I think the book shows how real life is in an amazing way. Even though there are seven husbands, in the end there’s just one pure love. I also loved how the present and past can be mixed through story telling mechanisms, like character interviews. Just a perfectly thought-out book!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Jarrod: We have our next YA book together, which we are really excited about! We have a few ideas and are narrowing it down, but we’re sure we’ll put together a follow-up novel that will impress. We have learned a ton from this novel, so we’re sure the next one is going to be even better!
Sofi: YES! I am so excited for the next book! Feel free to check out our social media @sofiandjarrod where we will start dropping hints and little plugs about it! We want to continue our brand of mixing romance and thrillers together. I love writing with Jarrod, who is the best partner for this amazing journey!
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
Sofi: The most difficult moment for me was when Luna almost lost everything. And it all comes down to her mother. The whole scene with Luna’s mother where she’s really afraid of immigration was very difficult to write. Being a Hispanic immigrant in the United States, it can be a very difficult and scary process. How one wrong move, or lost paperwork can lead to serious trouble or even deportation. We wanted to highlight those realities through Luna’s mother.
YABC: What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from Retro?
Sofi: We want the reader to know that if you look around, Heaven is a place on earth. It exists in those invincible moments of freedom, where you can truly reach happiness. This book is all about those feelings!
Jarrod: For me, I want everyone reading to know that behind every screen is a person with a beating heart. We sometimes don’t see people when we see profiles, but what you do and say affects others, in more ways than you can know.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
Sofi: For me… I am Multitasking Woman! I am an octopus with eight arms that can manage eight things at once and can do it very efficiently! Jarrod is always so surprised how I operate. I can talk to him, while watching TV, while working on something. I can also be funny and make a joke out of any situation, so I am basically an octopus clown.
Jarrod: Yeah… I can only do one thing at a time, haha. But I do have the power of extreme positivity!! And excitement! Even when things go bad, usually I don’t even feel them as bad things, because I’m already looking for the silver lining. So yeah, head in the clouds… but Multitasking Woman often brings me back to earth, which I appreciate and love about her!
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
Sofi: We donate to RAINN because sexual abuse and violence is an epidemic that doesn’t always make headlines, but it’s an underlying malady of human society. Every 68 seconds, someone is abused in America. And a large majority of these victims are women. RAINN does great things to support those victims.
YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?
Jarrod: I would say, at first it is much better to write multiple short stories, rather than trying to perfect one long one. Because every time you start writing from zero, you can implement the new things you’ve learned, and truly grow as a writer. If you get stuck for eons in the rewriting process, you’re flexing your rewriting ability, but not your ability to create an inspired, fresh story.
Sofi: Don’t be afraid to write something and then put it aside and start something new. You’ll come back to the original story with a new perspective. And you’ll be less afraid to edit things because it won’t feel as precious to you, because you’ve since invested yourself in another project. Also use your own story as an authentic starting point. It could be a life situation, feeling, or character goal that is unique to you!
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
Jarrod: Yes! So, we are really engaged on social media! For fun videos, posts and insider info on our books and the writing process, follow us on IG and TikTok @SofiandJarrod … You won’t be disappointed!
Title: Retro
Authors: Jarrod Shusterman and Sofía Lapuente
ISBN-13: 9781665902755
ISBN-10: 1665902752
Release date: January 24, 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Ages: 14 and up, Grades 9 and up
~ Giveaway Details ~
Three (3) winners will receive a copy of Retro (Jarrod Shusterman and Sofía Lapuente) ~US Only, No P.O Boxes
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
i also loved the seven husbands of evelyn hugo!
Can’t wait to read this!
This one looks so good
I love this cover and this sounds fun to read.
This really sounds interesting. I don’t think I could go a year with out modern technology.
love the book cover