Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Amy Christine Parker (You‘re Dead to Me)!
Meet the Author: Amy Christine Parker
Amy Christine Parker is the author of Flight 171, Gated, Astray, and Smash & Grab. She writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and two very mischievous cats.
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About the Book: You‘re Dead to Me
Gossip Girl meets Happy Death Day in this YA horror novel following high school outcast and anonymous social media gossip Ruby, who comes face-to-face with her own ghost dressed in a blood-splattered prom dress. With less than a week until the dance, Ruby must unmask her killer—or die trying.
Ruby is a scholarship senior at elite Oleander High School with a chip on her shoulder and an attitude to match—which she puts to good use as the infamous local anonymous gossip blogger ReputationKiller. When she’s outed as the voice behind the account, the entire town turns against her.
But after she’s scared witless by a vision of her own ghost dressed in a blood-splattered prom dress, she is faced with an awful truth. Someone out there doesn’t just hate her—they want her dead.
With less than a week until the prom, Ruby starts investigating. Turns out Oleander Bay isn’t the picture-perfect resort town it appears to be. With so many secrets, scandals, and people hell-bent on covering them up at all costs, the murderer could be anyone. Can Ruby beat the clock counting down to prom—and her death—and survive the night?
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
A few years ago, I was obsessed with the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House, particularly one of the ghosts in it, the Bent Neck Lady. If you haven’t watched it yet, fair warning: I am about to get all spoilery. The Bent Neck Lady was an extremely creepy apparition who haunted one of the main characters, Nell, since she was very young. When it was revealed that this ghost was Nell herself, come to warn her of her future death, I was so shocked and freaked out that I got chills! How creepy is it to have that sort of supernatural glimpse at your own death? I could not stop thinking about it for weeks. Then I started to ruminate over what it would be like if the ghost’s appearance suggested they met with foul play. If you were confronted by your own murdered ghost, could you figure out who the murderer is going to be before they commit the crime and stop them? It was an irresistible question I had to explore. The story grew from there.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
Even though this story takes place in my home state of Florida, I did do a fair amount of research. I went to Gatorland to see the park firsthand as it’s the inspiration for the Wonderpark that my main character, Ruby, helps run. I took lots of notes during the alligator shows. I also took an airboat ride to get a real sense of what it’s like—I had ridden one in the past, but I wanted the experience to be as fresh as possible when I started writing.
Then I hired a tarot card reader to help me construct a reading that takes place inside the book. We spent about an hour coming up with this arrangement of cards that actually hints at the murderer’s identity without giving anything away overtly. I wanted readers familiar with tarot to be able to go back to that scene in the book after they’d read the entire novel and be able to see the clues in hindsight or use the reading to solve the crime before my character, Ruby, could. At the end of our session, she also gave me a personal reading and what was eerily fascinating is that several of my character’s cards reappeared in my card spread. That was a very cool research experience because I not only got information for the book, but a glimpse at my future as well. According to my reader, YOU’RE DEAD TO ME is going to do well with readers. It will be interesting to see if she’s right.
YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
The thriller genre, particularly psychological thrillers. I love creating that buildup of tension and unease as my characters work to survive the situations I put them in. And I’m forever fascinated by what people will do in extreme situations—will they give up their morals/values to survive or will they develop an even stronger personal compass? And I love, love, love creating antagonists! People who are morally gray or morally bankrupt but who are convinced they are justified to be that way intrigue me. And if I can find a way to add a little bit of the supernatural and some horror to whatever thriller I’m writing, I’m a very happy writer!
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?
My goal is to give them fast paced, first person POV novels with compelling characters and interesting settings. There is always going to be an element of the creepy or supernatural and almost always some moral dilemma the character must face that doesn’t have an obvious right answer. There will be a bit of romance, but it isn’t spicy or a central plotline. When they’re reading, my goal is that it gets harder and harder to put my books down because the tension and pace just keep increasing. And more often than not, there will be some sort of twist.
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
I have a very hard time with romantic scenes. Anytime my characters have to get vulnerable about their feelings for one another, I struggle. Probably because I’m not good at being vulnerable this way personally. I am the world’s worst flirt and tend to be the type of person who shows my affection through acts of service, not words. But I’m working on it because I love to read a good romantic scene, and I’d love to be able to write something that pulls at readers’ romantic imaginations and makes them swoon over my characters.
YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?
Normally I don’t snack while I’m writing—except when I’m under deadline. Then I tend to behave like an absolute kid and binge on candy and chips. Orange slices (the gummy candies), gumballs, M&Ms, chips with sour cream and onion dip. It’s super unhealthy, lol, but I tell myself it’s okay if I only eat like this a few times per year!
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
I have also written for middle grade readers, but I have yet to tackle novels for adults. That is my next goal. I always tell people I’d like to be a triple threat and publish in all three age groups. Fingers crossed that I can make that happen in the very near future. I definitely have ideas for adult novels that I’d like to tackle—all in the thriller/horror genre of course.
YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?
I live in this gorgeous neighborhood in Florida with lots of lakes and wildlife. I never get tired of taking walks around it, especially at sunset. The sandhills cranes I pass and the turtles sunning themselves on rocks by the lakes always make me smile. There is just this pervading sense of peace that helps me unwind after a busy day.
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
I go to the movies! I love the experience of sitting inside a darkened theatre with a box of popcorn. Seeing stories on the big screen always inspires me and ultimately, helps me to stop procrastinating and get back to work. This is because one of my most heartfelt wishes is for my books to be adapted for the big screen someday. When I’m there I always imagine my name in the credits: “based on the novel by Amy Christine Parker.” I leave the theatre pumped up to make that dream come true.
YABC: What is your favorite writing space or routine?
I am a creature of habit big time, so I always write in my office early in the morning—around 7am because I work a nine-to-five job as an engagement writer creating scripts for educational videos. It’s very creatively demanding, so if I don’t squeeze my own writing in before the day job starts, it’s harder to do it later when my brain is fried. Which means sticking to routine is key. I get up, get dressed, then write for a few hours before grabbing breakfast and switching to my day job.
When I’m drafting, I wear headphones and play rain noises with brain wave sounds underneath. I also have my scene cards on bulletin boards on the wall opposite my desk along with inspirational photos so every time I look up, I’m still immersed in the story. Then, when I’m not at my desk, I have a playlist of music with lyrics that fit my story playing so I can think about the story while I’m running errands, working out, or doing chores. This way my brain stays in the story world as much as possible. My routine is really all about making every minute count which means weekend writing is a must too.
Personal Note: Thank you for interviewing me! I look forward to seeing the final post!
Title: You’re Dead to Me
Author: Amy Christine Parker
Release Date: December 10, 2024
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: YA Horror/Thriller
Age Range: Ages 12 and up
