Brooding YA Hero Read online

  Broody blinked at her, confused. “You … fell for me? But you never … actually like me in our stories. Ever. You’re just the evil ex. Or you were. But, Blondie, you’re … you’re a lot more than that. I realize that now.”

  Even if he was using sappy, silly words, they were still nice to hear. “We’re all a lot more than that, Broody,” she said softly, and somehow, she found herself holding his hand.

  “Let’s be friends,” he offered shyly. “But real ones. Equal friends. Not main character and supporting character.”

  “I don’t know,” she said coyly. “I’ve never been friends with an Author before.”

  The room started to fade around them, all the trappings of plot they’d always known beginning to vanish. Everything shifted, replaced by new, unknown things. Their story had changed.

  Broody really had helped someone achieve main character status.

  Or, maybe, she had helped him?

  Really, who can say when love is involved?

  It is, after all, the most powerful force in the universe.

  Well, actually…

  Save it for the sequel, Blondie! Time for an adventure.

  Well, that’s it.

  That’s all I’ve got to say. For now, at least. It’s been my pleasure sharing these words with you. From the very first moment your eyes fell upon my luscious, verbose prose, I knew we would share a lovely literary journey together.

  I started this book to teach you how to become a main character. You, with your oddly unique combination of hobbies and your multifaceted personality. There is no way to easily label you, reader—a fact that used to bother me.

  I wanted everyone to be as much of a main character as I am. A unit, reliable and sure, and slightly flavored by outdated thinking and problematic ideals. It was all I knew. Every movie, every book, every word I’ve ever spoken was as a simple main character.

  But you see … Blondie and I … we realized something. Together.

  We were just tropes before. Acting only as we knew how to act. She, forever doomed to be an antagonist, and me, forever the perfect boyfriend.

  (I mean, I’ll always be the perfect boyfriend. Let’s not get too wild here.)

  But maybe … maybe you can be more than a trope. Don’t let yourself be defined by one descriptive phrase, dear reader. Don’t limit your story to a collection of hastily strung together clichés. Be yourself.

  That’s what being a main character is all about.

  So what if you’re part quirky new girl and part action hero? Who cares if your love interest is actually your best friend, and not her older brother? That’s part of who you are. That’s part of your three-dimensional, real-person character.

  And that’s why I’m proud to be not just any hero, but a young adult one. When else is it more vital, and yet more of a challenge, to truly learn who you are than when you’re a teenager? When anyone can be an antagonist—your teacher, your parents, your best friend—and anyone can be a hero?

  You might feel like there’s a dystopian world surrounding you or that you’ve already met the love of your life after just a few moments of smoldering eye contact, and you may very well be right.

  As a teen, your main character destiny begins anew every day. Each moment could be the next chapter one in a thrilling adventure, if you let it happen. There are so many possible stories out in the world, so many brave and brilliant and good things to come. Keep reaching for them. Keep living your story.

  I saved one question for last, because it’s the most important one. People so often ask, what exactly is young adult fiction? Isn’t it all vampires and love triangles?

  I mean, I certainly would prefer it that way. As discussed, I am very, very good at love triangles. But that wouldn’t be fair for all the characters out there, and all the teens those characters represent. Young adult is so much more than any one story or any one genre could ever hope to contain.

  Young adult fiction is potential captured and frozen—a bright bolt of lightning caught on the page for everyone to read. It is both universal and incredibly personal, changeable and yet constant.

  People often ask me what my favorite book is, and I simply cannot say. The book I loathe the most might be the book that led to another’s main character destiny. It’s possible my favorite book has yet to be written.

  Perhaps you’re writing it right now.

  xoxo,

  Blondie and

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  First, I have to thank my family, for encouraging me to tell my stories since I was a little kid. Mom and Dad, thank you for everything. You are my heroes. Matt, Lizzy, Wesley, and Vivian, I can’t wait to share this with you. Grammy, you’ve been a fan of my stories since I could talk. Aunt Joan, thank you for always believing in me. To the rest of my magical, wonderful, incredible extended family, I cannot fit all of you in this book. But I am so incredibly glad you’re part of my life! You have helped me become the storyteller I am. And to all the family that’s in heaven … well, this book is for you, too.

  This book would be nothing without the dedication of my agent, the talent of my editor, and the support of the whole Sky Pony team.

  Linnea, I’ve been a fan of your work for years. We’ve worked together on art since before I even signed with my agent! The day you sent that first cover sketch over was the first day it really, really felt like a book.

  Ellen and Delia, thank you for all the support and encouragement. That day you urged me to read my tweets out loud at dinner was the first time I truly realize how much fun it was to make people laugh with Broody.

  Lindsey, thank you for believing in me ever since the Pitch Wars days. Nicole, your support is as deep as the Lake Effect snow that brought us together. Laura, this book would not exist without you, without your welcoming dinner table and late night talks over tea. Ashley, your magical copy edits are the least of your many talents. Dvorah, your friendship means so much. Patrick, thank GOODNESS we talked about writing that first time we hung out so I knew to befriend you. Leah, my internship boss turned friend, thank you. Lily, agent sister and friend, thank you.

  Stephanie, Josh, and the rest of the Pittsburgh crew, you rock. To all my professors and teachers throughout the years, thank you. Ms. Soplop, thank you for reading that first manuscript in 6th grade!

  Greg, thank you for befriending me at my grouchiest and introducing me to the R/YA writers group. You all are amazing. Grace, your DM about art, and our subsequent work together was a serious highlight.

  Sam! You were there to share in the good news. Thank you for everything.

  Holly, thank you for volunteering to be a mentor. Your emails have provided so much support and guidance to me.

  Zorida, for hosting my cover reveal, and guiding me through my first author interview. To the incredible, dream authors who blurbed, I can’t say thank you enough.

  To the lovely authors and librarians I met at YALSA, the day after I sold my book. Thank you for welcoming me and sharing in my joy. Dahlia, thank you.

  Christy, you are literal sunshine. Sil, I learn so much from you. Thank you both for being the best captains in the world.

  To all BroodyBFFs, thank you! I can’t tell you how much joy your posts, tweets, art, and words have brought to me. Thank you!

  2017 Debuts, you are a lovely group of supportive people. Patty, thanks for putting up with the non-stop mail pre-launch! Danielle, you are a sanity saver. Melissa, thank you for your beautiful work. Aentee, your graphic design skills rock.

  Megan, my childhood wouldn’t have been the same without your friendship. Thank you. Ana. Alina, Kyra, I am so honored to be your Mom-Friend. Thank you for reminding me of all the magic YA has to offer its readers.

  Market Street Grocery, thank you for being my absolute favorite place to write.

  Thank you to everyone who I haven’t been able to name. Your support matters so much, and you are truly a wonderful person (and I’ll probably write you a long apology if I realize I forgot you.) Thank
you to every librarian in the world, getting books and so much more to children who need them.

  And a final thank you to every one of Broody’s followers. Every one of you, I promise, I see you. You matter. You are always a main character.