How did the idea for PLAYING HURT started?
Writing PLAYING HURT was truly like peeling back the layers of an onion. Initially, I drafted PLAYING HURT before I even drafted A BLUE SO DARK, which turned out to be my first published book.
When I started PLAYING HURT, I wanted to write a book about learning the difference between loving someone and really being passionately in love with someone (Chelsea learned the difference when she went on vacation and wound up falling for a resort guide in a way she had never fallen for her boyfriend).
After I sold A BLUE SO DARK, I re-read PLAYING HURT (which was then called SUMMER FLING), and thought what was missing was backstory. That was when I invented the sports subplot—and began to write chapters from Clint’s POV…not until the last rewrite—about five years after the first draft!
If you could be a character from your books for one day, who would it be and why?
I think I might be Brandon. I think Brandon just is who he is. He’s completely unashamed or self-conscious about showing his true colors—whether he’s performing onstage or dealing with his sister’s dishonesty. He really puts himself out there—and I love that about him.
Which authors are inspiring you or have inspired you the most as a teen?
YA as a genre has really grown since I was younger. YA was once a tiny shelf in the library when I was teen. Now? It incorporates EVERYTHING—all subgenres: mystery, paranormal, adventure, etc.
One author who inspires me is Catherine Ryan Hyde—and not just for her work. I adore the way Catherine interacts with her readers.
Interacting with my readers is an absolute joy (thank you, YA blogosphere). I love getting a chance to really talk to my readers—getting to know them. If you’d like to get in touch, don’t hesitate: I’m @holly_schindler on Twitter, and can be reached at writehollyschindler (at) yahoo (dot) com!
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