Blog

Interview with Cassidy Wasserman about Graphic Novel ON GUARD!

Today, we’re excited to have Cassidy Wasserman with us on the Mixed-Up Files. I had the pleasure of reading her graphic novel On Guard!, which is releasing tomorrow, June 10!  I also got to interview her about the book, her inspiration and process, and more. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us, Cassidy!Cover of On Guard by Cassidy Wasserman

 

The author’s note in the book shares that the original seed for this story was about a friend breakup but slowly became about the relationship between mothers and daughters. The line you shared about the real story finding you along the way was lovely, and I wondered if you could talk more about how the story on the page came to be. How did you know when that shift needed to happen?

When I started writing On Guard!, I was focused on Grace and Ava, and how they grew apart. As I wrote, I dug deep into the feelings I experienced in middle school that were likely to be a more universal experience for readers. The story of my parents’ divorce was prevalent in my mind, and I realized that there was a natural through line between Grace, Ava, and Grace’s mom. I decided the shift in focus had to come from Grace starting that school year all on her own, where her struggles at home and school are now completely intertwined. Not only do we see her struggling at home while butting heads with her mother’s personality, but even at school she’s faced with how much she believes her mother liked Ava more than her.

 

There is a lot of your own story inside of Grace’s (and it’s awesome that you’re both artists!). How did you approach weaving parts of your own life into the narrative?

I feel the best stories come from personal experiences. I approached adding these parts of my life to Grace’s story by picking the ones that felt the most relatable, and the ones that I hadn’t yet seen told. I mention in my author’s note that I didn’t get to see relatable stories of mothers and daughters growing up, and it was important for me that this feeling of alienation from your maternal figure would come through. I wanted to ensure the story was true to my lived experience.

 

Relationships are handled deftly in your work, whether it’s Grace with her mom, Grace with her dad, or Grace with her friends, old and new. It was fascinating to see how you gave all of these relationships space in the book—both in the text and in the art itself. Could you tell us how you balanced these threads?

It all comes down to pacing, and making sure every story is intertwined with another. Grace is going through quite a lot, and all of those relationships need their time on the page. I like to let the art tell the story where I can. When you can let a reader sit with a silent panel or two, it can have a big impact. I found that when the plotlines organically developed to suit the needs of Grace and the story, they all started to naturally click into place.

 

One of my favorite lines was when Grace admitted she mostly just wants to hold a sword—who doesn’t? There were many other powerful moments that came through analogies to fencing, like when Grace realizes she can only control her own moves, not her opponent’s. Could you tell us about how you got into fencing? Did that experience give you the idea for this book?

I could talk about fencing all day! When I was a kid, I read The Spiderwick Chronicles, and the sister in that book fences. Ever since then, I’d hoped to be able to do it myself someday. I didn’t get to fence in school, but after college I joined a local club. Epee just happened to be the only weapon they taught, as my coach was a collegiate women’s epee coach. (Go, Wellesley!) It worked out nicely, because epee is the simplest weapon to explain. Foil and saber have a few more rules. I was in love with the sport from the moment I walked into the club and heard the bell guards ringing. I had been mulling over a story about my “Ava” for a while, and after I starting fencing, it became clear.

 

You mentioned you’ve always loved to draw and read. Are there any favorite books or artists that have profoundly shaped you as an author-illustrator?

Lucy Knisley is a big influence on me when it comes to graphic novels. Her travelogues were my favorite thing to bring around in art school. I’ve also pored over Jen Wang’s artwork in The Prince and the Dressmaker a million times, and anything from Tony DiTerlizzi. Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol is also one of my favorites. The biggest influence on me as a writer, though, has to be Rick Riordan. I am a Percy Jackson kid through and through—it holds such a special place in my heart.

 

You’re also passionate about video games and work as a UX/UI artist. Do video games influence your creative process or storytelling?

Yes! Some of my favorite plots and stories to study are video games. The Last of Us in particular is incredible—I love how it deals with difficult topics and gray areas. My coworkers teach me to be a better artist and listener every day. As a UX/UI artist, I care deeply about accessibility and inclusion, and that naturally follows me to creating comics. Things like: Are the colors on the page workable for someone who is color blind? What about the font—is it easy to read for those with dyslexia? These are important questions when it comes to both comics and video games!

 

It sounds like book two for Grace is already underway! Will we get to see more fencing as well as more of Asher and Nia?

Yes! I cannot wait to dive deeper into their stories.

 

Do you have any other projects in the works we can get excited for?

I can’t say just yet, but stay tuned—I’m excited to show the world what’s next.

Cassidy Wasserman

If you could give writers any advice on how to keep writing even in the face of rejection or overwhelming odds, what would it be?

Keep going! Your story is worth telling—we need new perspectives on life. Take breaks when you need to and be kind to yourself, but don’t give up. Getting your story out there is sometimes about having it resonate with the right person, so writing something that is meaningful to you will always be worth that initial rejection.

No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so here it is!

Favorite place to write? My office!

Coffee or tea? Coffee, coffee, coffee!

Superpower? I want the chalk zone powers, where whatever you draw becomes real. I would draw myself so many ice cream sundaes.

Dream vacation? The Australia Zoo!

Dream job when you were a kid? I specifically wanted to be a “veterinarian, and an artist on my lunch breaks.”

House pet? Dogs and cats

 

Learn more about Cassidy and her projects at her website: https://www.cassidywasserman.com/

Interview with Rom-Com Author G.F. Miller

I am excited I got to interview G.F. Miller on her newest book, What If You Fall For Me First. You can read my interview with her on Not If You Break Up with Me First which posted almost exactly a year ago! 

About the Book

Hi G.F.! Can you give us a short summary about the book?

Sofia is sick of her goody-two-shoes reputation and desperate for her crush to notice her. To help her level up from forgettable to fierce, Sofia enlists trendy and confident Holden—the guy who everyone else has written off as a total player and a first-class jerk. Under Holden’s guidance, Sofia learns to revamp her style, ride a skateboard, and stand up for herself. At the same time, Holden learns that when he’s alone with Sofia, it’s safe to drop the cool guy act and just be himself.

When their efforts start to pay off, and Sofia’s crush finally seems interested in her, she’s faced with a choice. Should she stick with the plan—and risk losing herself in the process—or take a chance on the person everyone says will break her heart?

I love that there were many things about this that felt like a classic teen movie from the 80s (best rom coms ever!). What movies were inspiration for it? Can I guess? I felt Pretty in Pink (or at least Duckie Dale) and Can’t Buy Me Love vibes!

Ooh, those were good ones. I love CBML. I mean, how cute was Patrick Dempsey circa 1987?? I see your classic rom coms and raise with “She’s All That”—another adorable (if somewhat problematic) movie. (And did you see the gender-swapped remake, “He’s All That?” Love <3). So, bestie, I’m thinking movie night?! I’ll bring the popcorn!

I’m surely up for an 80s Rom Com movie night! LOL. I like how this book has the feel of a YA book but is for those kids (like me!) who enjoyed reading about high school relationships. Can you share what you feel keeps this in the middle grade realm vs young adult? I know a lot of authors have difficulty knowing where to categorize their work.

It’s solidly middle grade! I was very conscientious about keeping the romantic chemistry, the language, and the themes at the right level for tween readers. In fact, as we edited, I ran every word, phrase, reference, and plot point through the litmus test of, “Would I want to explain that to my 10-year-old?” Parents and teachers can feel confident recommending this book to kids who are interested in reading romance but don’t want (young) adult content.

 

About the Author

Did you sneak anything from your childhood into this book? (Who hasn’t fallen for a Mark??)

I won’t pretend I was ever as purely kind and gentle as Sofia is, but I do relate to her desire to change herself and grow up on the double. I remember that moment in junior high when I thought, “I have to burn everything little kiddish and bury all weakness and grow out my bangs and prove to myself and the world that I am a baddie.” (Please see attached photo for the results.)

Glow-Up (Kind of)

And, um, yeah—crushes galore! If you’re a male human reading this, and you attended Indian Trail Junior High School for more than a week between the years 1990 and 1992, I probably had a crush on you at some point. Now you know. Sorry for making it awkward.   

Which character would you say you’re most like?

There’s a lot of me in every character, to be honest. I find my own cluttered headspace to be an endless well of source material. Sofia’s desire to transform and prove herself. Holden’s conflicted relationship with himself and others. Even the teachers and various mothers are really exaggerated versions of me in my best and worst moments.

What authors (and/or books) were some of your favorites at this age?

In junior high, I was devouring Lois Duncan books. High schoolers falling in love and running for their lives and having out-of-body experiences—that was my jam. When the covers fell off all the Duncan books, I read my share of Sweet Valley High and Harlequin Classics. But then I discovered Christopher Pike, and I was instantly addicted. Not only were those books creepy and thrilling, but the tone felt so real—like the author actually knew how teenagers talk and think and act. If you’re reading this Lois or Christopher, thanks for the memories!

 

Research/Writing

Where did the idea for this book begin—The problem? The resolution?

This book started with Holden. He was behaving very badly in Not If You Break Up With Me First, and I didn’t like him at all. When we started to dream about what might come next, he was the one character that I most wanted to get to know to see if maybe there was someone lovable under all that bad-boy bravado. As soon as Holden’s backstory and character arc came into focus, the rest of the story fell into place pretty easily. Sofia was the obvious perfect foil for Holden, and her crush on Mark in Not If You Break Up With Me First, was so fun to dig deeper into.

Do you make an outline? (Are you a plotter or a pantser with the genre?)

I do outline. And then the characters do whatever they want, so I go back and re-outline. And then the characters mess with the story again. And I re-outline… Thus, I plot my way through by the seat of my pants, and when I go back and read my first draft outline, I have to shake my head at how wrong I was about practically everything.

Can you share any tips for writing rom coms? Do you have any good sources for authors?

Rom coms are possibly the most character-driven of all the genres. The entire set-up, plot, and pay-off is driven by these two characters and how they bounce off each other. My tips are: (1) focus on character and (2) read and watch every possible rom com (if you’re even thinking about writing a rom com, you’re doing this already, right??). A good craft book is Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit. It’s a screenwriting book, but the story principles still apply!

I appreciate your knowledge of technology trends and slang you use in your book. (Sadly, I hadn’t heard the expression “glow up” before.) What are some sources for keeping up-to-date on both what kids are doing on social media and what words/expressions are in?

I don’t know of any better way to keep up than to hang out with lots of teenagers. My kids and niblings teach me new stuff every day! They are so fluent in this language—not only do they know all the terms, but they seamlessly use them in new and surprising ways. They each have their own unique spin on the language.

If you don’t have time to volunteer at your local Boys & Girls Club, you could start by following @mr_phlindsay_sped on Instagram. He’s a comedian and middle school teacher, and you’ll pick up some lingo from him.

 

For Teachers

Photo Credit: Shannon Ly for Shannon Ly Photography

Do you have a curriculum guide or discussion questions posted online?

I do! You can find classroom resources at gfmiller.com/educators-press

Are you doing school visits related to this book? 

I don’t have a formal school visiting program, but I’d be open to discussing it! When I visit junior highs, I typically talk about story craft and publishing. But if you want an unqualified person to talk about how to handle middle school relationships, I’m game for that too!

How can we learn more about you? 

Visit me at gfmiller.com and follow me on Instragram @author.gfmiller

Thanks for your time, G.F.

Thank YOU, Natalie!

Kat Greene, Clean Freaks, and the Messy Magic of Middle Grade: A MUF Member Spotlight on Melissa Roske

What happens when you combine the heart of a middle-schooler, the insight of a journalist, and the deep compassion of someone who’s held space for hundreds of struggling teens? You get Melissa Roske, a fellow Mixed-Up Files team member and middle-grade author whose storytelling is rooted in lived experience, emotional truth, and a whole lot of empathy.

Author Melissa Roske smiling and signing a book at a bookstore event. She is seated at a wooden table in front of bookshelves, wearing a sleeveless purple dress.

In this special MUF member spotlight, Melissa shares the heart behind Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge, 2017), a novel that thoughtfully explores mental health, family dynamics, and finding your voice when the world gets messy. As a former advice columnist and life coach, Melissa brings a rare kind of tenderness to her writing. She doesn’t shy away from tough topics, and she doesn’t talk down

 to her readers. Instead, she meets them with honesty, humor, and a deep respect for their emotional world.

Get cozy. This one’s special.

Read more