Interview with *Robin Brande* and a Special Book Giveaway!

With my funner blog entries sometimes I just don't even know how to start writing! I'm just sitting here, thinking excitedly, like you would hear a little contented whirring noise if you leaned in close to my head.
Robin Brande has written two very cool books, Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature, and most recently, Fat Cat. In my review for Fat Cat, I mentioned that Evolution... had me consumed by reading fever from the first chapter. Ditto, Fat Cat.
So I was beside myself when Robin agreed to be interviewed for Edge of Seventeen. Especially when her responses were so funny and insightful. And, AND!, Robin has offered a wonderful chance to win a copy of her book, Fat Cat, SIGNED, to a lucky winner! I am truly jealous of this last part!

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Did you "method write" to create the right experiences for Cat in your book? Did you become that naked Neanderthal woman?

I’ve always loved the method writing aspect of my work. I love to put on my character’s life and wear her around for a while. So yes, I absolutely did everything Cat does in the book—which led to some hugely-positive (and several unexpected) changes in my life. I gave up all processed food. I went back to cooking. I tried to give up as much technology as I could while still writing a book!
As for Cat’s ultimate choices about what foods to eat, I had no idea that’s where the book would go. But the more research I did into food and health and the modern chain of food supply, the more I realized that both Cat and I would have to come to the same scientific conclusion about what was a healthy way to eat. So I’m grateful for Cat’s experiment, because I’ve continued to eat that way for the past year and a half, and I feel so much better than I ever have in my life. Although, confession: I have gone back to drinking coffee. Not too much, but just enough to make my little coffee taste buds happy.

At one point Cat is assessing her life so far and she realizes that she's been holding onto the same ways of thinking, even when they've hurt her. She mentions this great image of holding your thumb down on a bruise and that just letting go means you just remove your thumb. Can you tell me a little more about Cat and the way she holds on to things that hurt her in the story, how she understands destructive patterns?

Sometimes it takes a radical, dramatic change in your habits to make you realize how asleep you’ve been—how you’ve just continued to do the same thing for years and years, even when it doesn’t serve you anymore—or worse, it actually harms you.
I think Cat had a lot of different issues to work through and finally let go of: her anger, her feelings of hurt and betrayal, her shame at feeling she didn’t look right, her personal health habits, her choice to lock herself away from everyone except her best friend and the best friend’s boyfriend. Sometimes we isolate ourselves out of fear that people will reject us or ridicule us or otherwise make us feel worse than we already do. Part of Cat’s transformation that I loved so much was seeing her open back up to the world. A big part of that was letting go of all of the hurt from her past.

Nick is my favourite character. He's a science nerd and a total recluse when he's in school but during the summer breaks he does well with the ladies. I loved his whole wooing Cat section in the book. How did you create his character? Is he currently single, can you hook me up? :)

Oh, my gosh, isn’t he hot? I’m glad you liked him, because I had SO MUCH fun writing that section of the book. He’s based in part on a couple of different guys I’ve known in my life, and I’m sort of wondering if any of them will read the book and think/know I’m talking about them. But part of Nick is also pure invention. I just loved the idea of having a guy be so smart, so disciplined, and so unexpectedly passionate that it would really throw someone like Cat off her game.

Do you have a background in any Sciences? Both your books have a strong emphasis on Science class for the main characters. Both girls figure out the world through research experiements. Did you have a special science teacher who inspired you?

I was completely anti-science when I was younger. Thought there was nothing more boring or difficult. I have no idea why, but I’ve become a late-blooming science geek. Now I watch all the science shows on PBS, I read science books for fun—and I’m currently doing the research for my next novel, which involves quantum physics and string theory. It will be a romantic comedy, of course. Because don’t we all like to get our science that way?

I am giving away a hardcover edition of Fat Cat to a lucky winner. Is there a "virtual inscription" that you would pass on? How would you ideally inscribe a copy of Fat Cat to a reader?

No need to be virtual. You pick the winner, and I’ll personally send him or her a signed copy.


To participate in this generous book giveaway offer, simply leave your name and e-mail address and consider yourself entered to win! I'll choose someone at random (using random.org) on October 27th.

Check out, also, Robin's official website and Blog (and check out some very exciting film news about Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature!)

Mandy