The Misfit Interviews: Lance Rubin

So yeah! Hi there Misfit Booknerds! Been a while, yeah? I know! Oh right, yes, I'm doing an interview with one of my new favorite authors, Lance Rubin! He's new, so be nice to him, okay? Okay! Let's continue!

1. What is your favourite color? 

• Blue. That’s such a boring answer. But it’s the truth. 

2. What type of music inspires you to write your work? 

• I find that 80s music usually gets me going. Lately, I’ve been listening to “If You Leave,” by OMD, “Easy Lover,” by Philip Bailey (with Phil Collins), and “We Built This City” by Starship on a loop. Kinda weird, but it’s been invigorating. 

3. Do you think Jack and Rose could’ve drifted on that piece of wood together? 

• No way. It was ridiculously cold in that water, which I was able to deduce from Leo Dicaprio’s perfectly on-point “cold acting.” (In all seriousness, I was a sophomore in high school when this movie came out and I completely loved it. I would get teary-eyed whenever I heard the Celine Dion song on the radio. Which was all the time.) 

4. What is your favorite film of all time? 

• Back to the Future. 

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5. Do you name your things? Like one of my tablets is called JUNO!

• Juno is a terrific name for a tablet. I’m sad to say I don’t name think I’ve named any of my items these days, though my wife and I did name our son. Does that count? Back in high school, I was more into naming items. My car was named Anuj, which was the inspiration for Denton having a name for his car.

1. When coming up with the concept for your story, how did it come about and why did the idea seem striking to you? 

• The idea came about because I’m always thinking about time and dates. I love thinking, “Where was I a year ago? 2 years ago? What was happening in my life then?” So one day I started thinking about dates in terms of my future. And then it occurred to me how crazy it would be if I knew a very important date, the date I was going to die. From there, I thought, What if everyone knew the date they were going to die? How would that change the way society worked? And the way people lived their lives? It was endlessly captivating to me, and so the premise of the book spun out from that. 

2. How would you describe Denton, I mean outside of what most readers know? 

• Since the foundation for Denton was me at age 17, I would describe him as AWESOME. No no, joking aside, I would say Denton is sweet, smart, sarcastic, and highly well-intentioned, though that doesn’t mean he doesn’t mess up sometimes. Or a lot of times. 

3. All your characters are fun, dynamic and crazy but who is your favourite character out of all of them and why? 

• Thanks for saying that about the characters, I like that description. “Fun, dynamic, and crazy.” This is a tough question, but I’d have to say Paolo. I love how good-hearted and loyal he is, how he wears his ridiculous heart on his sleeve. So much fun to write. 

4. Seriously though, what’s with the purple splotch? 

• What do YOU think is up with the purple splotch, Jayvee? (Isn’t that such an annoying way to answer that question?) 

UGH! >.< LOLS

5. And since you’ve been out for book signings, what was the funniest thing a fan has ever said to you about your book? 

• I wish I had an amazing answer for this, but fans have generally been so sweet and enthusiastic that nothing particularly funny is coming to mind. I’ll follow up on this question one day when I think of something. 

6. Not only is Denton really fun, but it’s also quite serious, especially when it comes to family and of course, death. What values did you want to impart to the readers as you were writing this? 

• This is a lovely question. As funny as I wanted the book to be, I also wanted it to be thought-provoking and encourage readers to think about their own death in new ways. I am always trying to be more present and engaged in my life, more appreciative on a daily basis for my life, my family, my friends, and hopefully some of that comes through in the story. As cliché as it sounds, I also hoped the book would encourage readers to take ownership of their lives, to recognize that we don’t know our deathdates and we could be gone at any moment, so you need to live while you can. 

7. Now, the second book is gonna come out around next year, what should we expect, and why should I not attack you for making us wait? 

• I’m absolutely honored that you liked the first book enough to want to attack me for making you wait for the second. Without spoiling anything from the first book, I’ll say that you should expect more on the themes of life and death, more funny things, more high stakes for Denton, and, of course, more Paolo. 

8. And of course, what advice would you give aspiring writers, like myself, about the industry and everything in between?

• I would say two things: First of all, try and develop a regular writing routine. Don’t just write when inspiration strikes; try and get in the habit of writing even when it doesn’t feel good. That’s, I think, a huge part of what it is to be a professional writer. Secondly, instead of trying to pinpoint trends in the publishing industry and writing something to match that, you should write the book that you want to read, the book you wish existed but doesn’t. To say this in a slightly different way, write the book that only you can write. 

Thank you so much Lance for gracing my wonderful blog with your wit and kindness! May more people fall in love with Denton's adventures and I cannot wait for the next book, seriously! As for the purple splotch, I will still hound you for it!

Go follow Lance Rubin on Twitter and go check out his Goodreads page! Add Denton Little's Deathdate on your TBR if you have not read it yet! You may also read my review for it, since I've hyped it up real good! LOL!

See you on my next post, Misfit booknerds! :)