I want to write stories like S.J. Goslee. She’s published two books, Whatever and How (Not) To Ask a Boy To Prom, the latter of which I read cover to cover yesterday afternoon. I nodded along with the whole book as in, yes, this is what I’d like to do (and even, this is what I can do).
Both books are pretty much fanfiction tropes made into published works and I. am. here. for. it.
Like, seriously, How (Not) To Ask a Boy To Prom is pure and acknowledged queer fake dating relationship trope topped off with a Prom. I can give you a fanfic list if anyone would like to read this version in Merlin or Voltron fandom form.
But her books make me ridiculously happy — not in the ‘I’m crying because my life is ruined’ way that many of my favorite books do, but in the ‘exactly what I want to happen is now happening’ way. It’s also kind of nice to reimagine high school in fun tropes when the reality was kind of meh.
So S.J. Goslee. That’s my official writing aspiration. Maybe I’ll graduate to Rainbow Rowell and Maggie Stiefvater someday but I think Goslee fits with my developing style and there’s plenty of room for me to help her get more queer-cliche young adult books out in the world.
With Love,
Natalie