Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Luanne Rice (If Anything Happens To Me)!
Meet the Author: Luanne Rice
Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of 35 novels, which have been translated into 25 languages. The author of Dream Country, Beach Girls, The Secret Language of Sisters, and others, Rice often writes about love, family, nature, and the sea. She received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award for excellence and lifetime achievement in the Literary Arts category. Several of Rice’s novels have been adapted for television, including Crazy in Love for TNT, Blue Moon for CBS, Follow the Stars Home and Silver Bells for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, and Beach Girls for Lifetime. Rice is an avid environmentalist and advocate for families affected by domestic violence. She divides her time between New York City and Old Lyme, Connecticut.
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About the Book: If Anything Happens To Me
It’s been eight months since the body of Eloise Parrish was found in the woods.
Eloise’s surviving sister, Oli, is numb with grief and shock. But Oli’s also angry. Her sister’s killer was never identified or caught. There are no leads, no clues. The case is growing cold, and only Oli seems to care.
Until Oli finds another girl left for dead, in the exact spot Eloise’s body was found. Except this girl is alive. She can’t remember how she got there, but Oli knows that she’s the key to solving Eloise’s murder.
The two girls join forces to unravel a mystery that is all too real — and all too dangerous. As their search leads them around Oli’s seemingly idyllic hometown and into the paths of people Oli knows well, Oli begins to wonder who she can trust… and how much she’ll risk to learn the terrifying truth.
New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice delivers a tour-de-force thriller, full of breathtaking writing and heart-pounding suspense, about sisters, secrets, and the lengths we’re willing to go to for those we love the most.
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write If Anything Happens to Me?
I love to write about sisters, probably because I am one. I am the oldest, like Oli. I feel protective of my youngest sister and can’t imagine how I would feel if something happened to her. I wanted to write about two pairs of sisters, always trying to protect each other. Sometimes that involves knowing who is on your side, who you can trust. Oli has to learn that lesson.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
That’s so hard to say! Oli (the main character), of course. And Iris, the girl she teams up with. But also, Matt, her crush at school. And a character we don’t meet until later in the book—Daphne. She is old and magical and very wise—inspired by my “almost grandmother”—a woman who lived across the street and was an artist and always wore caftans. She influenced me to believe in myself, and to look for the magic in life.
I can never choose just one favorite character; it would be like choosing a favorite child. Or cat (I have four).
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
The novel, definitely. After I had written the whole book and shown it to my editor Aimee, she and I were thinking about a title. We both remembered a moment when Oli is about to do something scary, and she leaves a note for her grandmother—it jumped out at us, and it became the title:
“I reached for the notepad now, found a pen, and in big dramatic letters printed IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME . . .”
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give anything away…but I love the scene where Oli first finds Iris, and how that moment is not only about finding Iris, but also about Oli’s love for her sister, Eloise.
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
To observe the world, take as much in as possible, listen to the way people talk, try to understand what motivates them—to understand their hearts.
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
It is haunting and echoes one particular scene in the novel. When I look at the cover, it brings back the emotions I had when writing that scene. I hope it will do the same for readers.
YABC: What new release book are you looking most forward to?
I can’t wait for Debbi Michiko Florence’s new series, Last Chance Academy. Book 1, A Study in Secrets, comes out March 11, 2025.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
I speak cat. I can understand what my cats are saying.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
There are several. The Connecticut Audubon Society (in my home state) protects birds, wildlife, and habitat, and encourages people to love and enjoy nature. The characters in If Anything Happens to Me are members! There is also a national Audubon Society and other regional organizations. You can find one in your area, if you are interested. And, like Oli, Eloise, Matt, and others, you can learn about nature and help protect it.
I am a creative affiliate of The Safina Center. The mission is: “Tackling climate change; conserving living things; ensuring healthy, just human communities—or creating any necessary change—is not possible, unless people value the changes needed to let the living world survive, and humanity thrive in dignity, peace, and coexistence.”
Our local domestic violence center, Safe Futures, is also close to my heart. It helps families affected by abuse. People don’t always talk about what they’re going through—they might be holding their worries and pain inside—but it is important to know there is help out there. There are other wonderful centers, throughout the United States and Canada, with people ready to listen and help.
YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?
Believe in yourself. Write the book, or story, or play, that you would love to read. Be brave, let your thoughts and feelings out. Know that you have something to say that is worthwhile. Go to a bookstore or the library and find the place on the shelf where your book go. Picture it there. Then go home and write it…
Title: IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME
Author: Luanne Rice
Release Date: Sept. 17, 2024
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: YA Thriller
Age Range: 12 – 19
