Welcome to the Club: I Stop Somewhere by T.E. Carter-- Interview w/ the Editor + Giveaway

I Stop Somewhere

by T.E. Carter
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: February 27, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis:

Ellie Frias disappeared long before she vanished.

Tormented throughout middle school, Ellie begins her freshman year with a new look: she doesn't need to be popular; she just needs to blend in with the wallpaper.

But when the unthinkable happens, Ellie finds herself trapped after a brutal assault. She wasn't the first victim, and now she watches it happen again and again. She tries to hold on to her happier memories in order to get past the cold days, waiting for someone to find her.

The problem is, no one searches for a girl they never noticed in the first place.

TE Carter's stirring and visceral debut not only discusses and dismantles rape culture, but it also reminds us what it is to be human.

I was super happy to get the chance to interview the editor of this book.  I've never had a chance to talk to an editor about the process, so this was exciting!!  So, okay everyone-- meet Anna Roberto, editor at Feiwel and Friends:

You can follow her on Twitter: @anna_roberto

FAVORITES:

Book?

I think we can all agree, choosing ONE favorite book is impossible. But if I had to pick something, it would be Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan. It was the book that showed me reading was fun, and that is invaluable to me. 

Movie?

Meet Me in St. Louis and While You Were Sleeping. Great casts, great dialogue. Also, great holiday movies!

Food?

I eat a lot of cereal. But, like, for dessert. Is that something anyone else does?

TV Show?

30 Rock and Arrested Development and now—THE GOOD PLACE. It’s utterly hilarious, everyone. GO WATCH IT!

Fave books from childhood?

Oh, where do I even begin?! Blubber by Judy Blume, Down a Dark Hall (and ALL Lois Duncan books), Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary, and pretty much any picture book my school librarian read (she was Brinkerhoff Elementary’s finest!).

ABOUT PUBLISHING:

What is your favorite part about your job?

I am definitely a more collaborative editor, so working with the author to get everything where it needs to be can be such a fun experience. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of work, but it’s super rewarding. To see that spark of an idea jump into an author’s mind is the best! When that happens, I feel I’ve done my job. 

Also, reading was a HUGE part of my life when I was a teen. It was my space--where I was the most happy. So to be putting out books that could be that for another reader—that means a lot. 

Can you tell us about some of the projects you’ve been a part of?

I work on all genres and age ranges, so I’ve had my hands on many exciting things. Some highlights are (obviously I Stop Somewhere!) Staying Strong by Demi Lovato, Boys Don’t Knit by T.S. Easton, Cat Knit by Jacob Grant, Words and Your Heart by Kate Jane Neal—to name just a few. 

What kind of things do you look for in submissions?  Do you have a certain type of book you like to edit?

I’m all over the place in terms of types of books I edit, so I’m not really occupying just one lane. That would get pretty boring for an editor! I think in one month I bought a dark thriller and then a picture book about a goat, so it’s a mixed bag over here. 

I do look for strong commercial voice and a hook that will set it apart for other books in the market. At the end of the day, this is a business, so we have to put books out there that will engage a broad range of readers. 

Can you tell us a fun/funny publishing story?

My entire hiring story is pretty entertaining. Beginning with getting stuck in an elevator and yelling for help, curtsying to Jean Feiwel, and ending with getting back in an elevator with Ted Danson. I got the job, so I like to think he’s my good luck charm. It’s one of my biggest regrets that I didn’t tell him the Cheers theme song is top 3 TV theme songs in my book.  

Are you a writer, or would you ever consider writing something in the future?

 I am 100% NOT a writer. I can write flap copy and that’s about it. I like talking about what I’ve read and giving it some deep thought. But if I ever had to write a book, I would fall over and die. I don’t have the discipline to be like, “Time to write 100,000 words!” I respect writers who not only sit down and write—but write something so deep and raw that you feel it in your bones. That is magic to me. 

When reading through potential books, what is one thing you would consider a deal breaker?

I never shy away from a fixer-upper if the voice is there and the author is willing to dig in and get to work. However, the one thing I can’t get past is an inorganic teen or middle grade voice. Plot you can fix. Voice—you either have it or you don’t. 

Can you tell us a little about I STOP SOMEWHERE?

I will let our copy speak for itself: 

Tormented throughout middle school, Ellie begins her freshman year with a new look: she doesn’t need to be popular; she just needs to blend in with the wallpaper.

But when the unthinkable happens, Ellie finds herself trapped after a brutal assault. She wasn't the first victim and now she watches it happen again and again. She tries to hold on to her happier memories in order to get past the cold days, waiting for someone to find her.

The problem is, no one searches for a girl they never noticed in the first place.

I Stop Somewhere is many things: heartbreaking, raw, haunting, gripping, lyrical, powerful, important. I think one of the most compelling piece of this novel (for me, at least) is that TE Carter writes so cuttingly about what it is to be human. Who we are, what we’re doing. Why we act the ways we do. What people expect from us. It’s a real character study but told in such a beautiful way that it feels like poetry. 

What about I STOP SOMEWHERE drew you in?

 Hands-down, the voice and the writing. 

If you could give I STOP SOMEWHERE a theme song, what would you pick?

To me, it feels like “Twentytwofourteen” by The Album Leaf. I don’t think a song with vocals could really capture what this novel is. 

Is it more challenging to work on a book that’s as emotional as I STOP SOMEWHERE than it would be a book with a light-hearted theme?

Every single book comes with its own challenges. No matter what I’m working on, when I finish an edit, I’m completely drained. I then run away, watch TV, and eat 4 bowls of cereal to recharge. Critical thinking uses up a lot of brain power! I think this particular type of project definitely comes with a sense of seriousness that maybe editing a lighter book doesn’t. I’m definitely not chuckling through this book as I work. I’m circling sentences and passages that deeply move me and touch my soul (that sounds cheesey,  but it’s true!!). The way TE Carter wrote this, it’s so satisfying in a way that’s different than something light-hearted. My brain was probably lighting up in different areas because I was feeling moved and sad and SO MANY EMOTIONS. When you close a book that has truly touched you, you know it’ll stay with you for a very long time. 

With I Stop Somewhere, there’s a lot more to take care of editorially, in some respects. You feel a heavier sense of responsibility, for sure. I wanted to make sure everything was approached thoughtfully and respectfully. And honestly, TE Carter initially submitted such a tight manuscript that we didn’t even do that much overall work. It was fine-tuning throughout and that’s it. She wrote a powerful author note, we put out heads together for a discussion guide—a lot of work went into this book to make it a complete package. I feel very honored and proud to have worked on this with TE Carter—she has a way with expression that I couldn’t even dream of before I read this.  

Thanks so much Anna!!!  I'm a big Lois Duncan fan too :)  And cereal is my GO-TO when I need a snack.  I can't wait to read I STOP SOMEWHERE and feel all the emotions for myself!

TE Carter was born in New England and has lived in New England for pretty much her entire life. Throughout her career, she’s done a lot of things, although her passion has always been writing. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found reading classic literature, playing Xbox, organizing her comic collection, or binge watching baking competitions. She continues to live in New England with her husband and their two cats.

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