Lucy Silag

Beautiful Americans
by Lucy Silag

What happens in Paris. . .

SECRETS
PJ’s deep blue eyes and angelic long blond hair conceal a truth that’s anything but. Will her dark past stay where it belongs in the backwoods of Vermont, or haunt her in the city of light?

PASSION
Always the good girl, Olivia plans to twirl her way to the top of the Parisian ballet scene. But that’s not supposed to include dancing on a table all night. . . or stumbling into the arms of the wrong boy.

LIES
With his emo-trendy bedhead, hilarious comebacks and Southern drawl, Zack could win over anyone. Too bad he’s after the only one who’s forbidden. . .

SCANDAL
All Alex wants from Paris is to nab that berry-red Dior coat and seduce the perfect penny-loafer-wearing boy—and Alex always gets what she wants. But will her scheming pay off? Or is she risking more than she knows. . .?

Alex, Olivia, Zack and PJ are spending a year at the prestigious Lycée de Monceau in the sparkling city of Paris. This is their chance to sip café au lait in Le Marais, throw secret parties in their host families’ Versailles-size apartments, and have the time of their lives. But when the secrets they thought they left behind come out, everything could be ruined. . .



IB Teen talks with the super chic Lucy Silag

IBT: If you could choose one fictional character to bring into real life, who would you choose?

LS: Bridget Jones, absolutely, so we could compare notes on being ridiculous when we're trying so hard not to be.

IBT: How did you survive being a teen?

LS: It's all about laughing at yourself. I surrounded myself with people who had a good sense of humor and I tried not to let too many things get to me. I was lucky to have a great group of friends and very patient, understanding parents who helped me find my way as I became an adult. I also wrote constantly in my journal, which is mortifying to read now, but was a great outlet for all the trials and tribulations of middle school and high school.

IBT: Have you ever written something that you feel uncomfortable writing, knowing that your family and friends will probably end up reading it?

LS: It wasn't until my book, BEAUTIFUL AMERICANS, was in galley form that I realized my dad was going to read the steamier scenes. I hadn't thought to be embarrassed until it was too late!

IBT: What do you think are the biggest issues that teens need to be thinking about today? Do you think teens today are looking for quality in the books they read, or just to live vicariously through superficial characters?

LS: Heavy question! I'm not sure about teens in general, but some of the issues I try to address in my writing for teens have a lot to do with self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Certainly, I knew that some people would not be comfortable reading about a gay character, but I think it is important for GLBT teens to have a lot visibility in YA novels. Even if a young reader is just looking for a bit of escapism, books and other forms of media should try to accurately reflect different points of view in teen culture. When I was a teen, I read different types of books depending on the mood I was in--which is of course still true today. Some days I look for deep meaning, and sometimes I just want to have a vicarious adventure!

IBT: How have the books you’ve read inspired the books you’ve written, if at all?

LS: I think that for a long time I was intimidated to write fiction because I assumed that it would have to be very brainy and literary. When I started working as a bookseller and then as a book publicist, I was exposed to so many different types of books, including a lot of really smart commercial fiction. I realized that to be a good writer you don't have to take yourself so seriously, and that some of the books I've gotten the most out of were actually very light in tone.

IBT: What is the strangest thing you have ever gotten inspiration from?

LS: I'm not sure if it is strange or not, but I always get the most inspired on trains, planes, the subway, or car rides. I'm usually too lazy to carry around my laptop, so I've learned to always have a notebook with me because it is usually when it is most inconvenient to write that I decide I have a great idea.

IBT: Many writers say parting with a character is hard. Do you ever look back on a character and wish you had changed something about him or her?

LS: That is why it is so great to be writing a trilogy! I don't have to say goodbye to my characters for several more months since I'm still working on the second and third books in the BEAUTIFUL AMERICANS series.

IBT: What is the one thing such as, sky diving or any other daring thing, that you would love to do but you are too afraid?

LS: I was a terribly fearless teenager, so I got some stuff out of the way back then: skydiving in Australia (where you don't have to be 18), various body piercings, singing a solo in a school musical before I realized that I am totally tone deaf. Now I am so cautious that my friends and family laugh at me. The one thing I'd still love to do is get a tattoo, but whenever I've actually gone into the tattoo parlor, the needles make me queasy and I leave without making an appointment.

IBT: What do you do when you are faced with writer’s block? What helps you get over it? LS: Exercise, even just going for a long walk, always helps. The one thing that doesn't help is wallowing in it! If I am really stuck, I might write in my journal or draft a blog post about what I've been up to in order to get the juices flowing again.

IBT: Paris is the one city I cannot die without first visiting. Do you have a place you've yet to visit but cannot live without?

LS: So many! I spend a lot of time daydreaming about taking a train from Moscow to Beijing, and I've also always wanted to go to South Africa. But really, there's not a travel destination I hear about that I don't want to go to. Unless it involves taking a boat, and then I would have to decline because I get very seasick.

IBT: Are you working on anything now and can you share anything about it with us?

LS: At this very moment, I am working on the sequel to BEAUTIFUL AMERICANS, which is tentatively titled WANDERLUST. It's scheduled to be released in September 2009. I hope you will check it out!