Author Interview with Jessi Kirby

One of my favorite Summer Reads is Jessi Kirby's debut Moonglass, and you can read my review here. I'm really excited to have Jessi on the blog today. She graciously answered a few questions I had for her about Moonglass. If you haven't already picked this book up, I highly recommend it.

From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever (quoted from Goodreads).

Congratulations on your recent debut! One of the things that I loved about Moonglass was the setting. What inspired your setting, Crystal Cove and the cottages that are nestled along the shore?

Thank you so much! I’m happy you liked the setting, as it’s one that’s near and dear to my heart. It’s also one I get to see each and every day since I live in the real Crystal Cove. I guess you could say I was constantly surrounded by inspiration as I wrote Moonglass. From Anna’s early morning runs, to the tumbling down cottages, to the frosty pieces of sea glass hidden in the sand, all of it was right there for me to soak up. It’s such a special place I had to write about it.

I really liked the realistic portrayal you gave your characters, especially with Anna's family. It was heart breaking, and hopeful. I really liked how you tied her family's history into Crystal Cove. When you started writing Moonglass, did you already know that Crystal Cove would play a significant role in Anna coming to terms with what happened to her mother?

I did! When I moved to Crystal Cove, I had a vague idea of the story in my mind, but as soon as I got to know the place and its history, I knew I had to set Anna’s story here. There’s almost a mythical quality about this beach, so it was the perfect fit.

I loved the scenes that talk about Anna walking with her mother looking for sea & moon glass. Were those scenes inspired by things you experienced growing up?

I grew up in the mountains, eight hours from the nearest beach, so no. But those scenes are inspired by some of my most favorite things to do with my own kids. We search for sea glass, and talk about mermaids, and how magical the beach is.

What is one thing you enjoy the most about the beach?

I love those few minutes just before sunset, when almost everyone has gone and everything is quiet. It’s the most peaceful time of day, and I try to be out there for it every day if I can.

If you're stranded on a deserted island, what are 5 items you want to have with you?

Notebook, pencil, chapstick, bikini, hammock.

Moonglass is definitely on our "Must Have Summer Reads" list. Have you read anything lately that you'd recommend we add to our list?

Ooh, I just read IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma, and it’s amazing. So beautiful, and unlike anything I’ve ever read.

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Thank you Jessi for being with us today! Be sure to follow Jessi on her blog, twitter and facebook. You can find out more about Moonglass on Simon & Schuster's site here.