About WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU:
Life loves a good curveball…
Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing.
After an awkward first meeting with “Brody” involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her?
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Julie Cross Bio:
Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOUctor with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.
Interview:
I live in Central Illinois.
Tell us your latest news?
As far as releases go, I have a co-authored mature YA/NA novel, Halfway Perfect, releasing next spring. Mark Perini and I finished this a while back and we are super excited to finally unleash it to the world. It’s set in the world of NYC models, which Mark is an expert on the subject, and that creates a unique setting. But the underlying love story dominates and it is one that I’m quite proud of because of it’s realness and importance.
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing in May of 2009.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think I didn’t really consider myself a writer until after I had a book deal in 2010, but I totally could have given myself that label before then. It’s scary to say it out loud sometimes. I’m still nervous when people ask what I do.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Mostly I was inspired by a few YA novels I read and then didn’t enjoy the outcome. I decided that I could write my own story and it would turn out exactly like I wanted it to.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I’m not really sure. I tend to be heavy on dialogue and light on description. I write quickly and rarely spend much time on word choice. I’ve never once pulled up the thesaurus to find a word replacement so probably my writing is somewhat simplistic.
How did you come up with the title?
I think maybe it was the tagline for a baseball movie, but I can’t remember which one?
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Maybe that no matter how many great things come to someone, having respect from people they care about is still most important. Without that, it’s impossible to be truly happy.
How much of the book is realistic?
Well, it’s fiction so the baseball element was incorporated as it fit the story. I think if you enjoy baseball themed movies, there is a good chance you’ll enjoy this book. But if you couldn’t stand Rookie Of The Year because there is no possible way a kid would ever become a pitcher for the Cubs or you hated A League of Their Own because no one could catch a pop fly while sliding into the splits, then you might not like this one, lol.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
No, not really. I don’t know any professional baseball players at any level.
What books have most influenced your life most?
I’m sure the best books of my childhood influenced my life in some way: Number the Stars by Louis Lowry, anything by Judy Blume or Beverly Cleary. The Baby Sister’s Club series…
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Well, my friend, Roni Loren—who writes adult romance—and I mentor each other so I would pick her.
What book are you reading now?
The Giver.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I love Melissa Landers’ Alienated series and I’m dying for the next book. Shannon Alexander has a debut released the same day as Whatever Life Throws At You called Love and Other Unknown Variables. It’s fabulous. And I can’t wait for the forthcoming companion.
What are your current projects?
Right now, I’m working on a YA Hockey series. The first book is called Lay it on the Line and it’s basically Friday Night Lights with hockey. I’m having a blast creating this fictional Minnesota town. I’ve never made up a town before and had no idea how much fun it would be.
Links:
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3429117.Julie_Cross
WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20757528-whatever-life-throws-at-you
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