Author Interview with Lindsey Leavitt

Title: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt
Published March 26th 2013 by Bloomsbury
Genre: Contemporary YA
Goodreads summary: 

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn’t cheat with computer avatars). The List: 
1. Run for pep club secretary 
2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree 
3. Sew a dress for Homecoming 
4. Find a steady 
5. Do something dangerous 
But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

We have an author interview with Lindsey Leavitt, author of Going Vintage, a cute contemporary YA about a sophomore girl who decides to cut out technology from her life. We've reviewed Going Vintage here on The Book Barbies & it's a book worth recommending! Without further ado, enjoy this interview with Lindsey Leavitt:

1. Have you ever gone on a technology hiatus? If so, from what, and how did it go?

I gave up technology for one week while researching this book. It was a quiet, dark period that I don’t care to remember. I also just moved into a new home, so was without internet or cable, all during my release week. My thumbs hurt from trying to keep up with business stuff on my I-phone. Although I got a lot packed and unpacked, I felt like I was missing out on something always!

2. I love how Mallory went through vintage clothing phases! I [Sharon] love vintage clothes. Do you have a particular era or decade that is a favorite, clothing wise?

Oh, early sixties by far! I like the lengths of the dresses and the fullness of the skirts. Although I also really like forties. Women were finally allowed to be smart and sexy, and that shows in the fit of the clothes.

3. How did you research all the details of the sixties that were mentioned in Going Vintage?

I read a lot of books from that period (listed in acknowledgements pages of the books), went through old LIFE and LOOK magazines, talked to people who were teens at that time, looked through pictures, watched videos and movies, listened to music… it was a fun book to research.

4. I [Sharon] loved Oliver! How did you come up with such a unique character? Didyou have inspiration in the form of an actual person for some of his quirks or characteristics?

Oh, to know someone like Oliver! My husband read the book, and swore Oliver was based on him, but that is not the case (sorry honey). The boys in my books usually come after I’ve developed my main character, and their traits come from what connects and repels.

Although the reindeer beanie he wears is based on this alpaca hat my husband used to wear in college that I loved.

5. Do you make lists like Mallory and Oliver? If so, what was one of the last things you listed?

I make lots of to do lists. Today’s (admittedly boring) list…

• Mail package to Jayci
• Talk to Caitlin
• West Elm with Heather??
• Groceries
• Read with girls
• Pay bills
• Answer interview questions

OK, I’ll stop there. I’m feeling bad how little I got done. Glad I have this interview so I feel some sense of accomplishment.

6. Do you have any YA books you'd like to recommend? We're always for the look out!

I love Lisa Schroeder, Rachel Hawkins, Robin Benway, Sarah Ockler, Sara Zarr, Jessi Kirby… these are auto-buys for me.

7. Can you give us a hint of what to expect from you in the future? Any new books?

I’m working on a contemporary YA that is set in Las Vegas. It should be out next year, but I’m still figuring it out—don’t even have a title, let alone a pitch. I’m cryptic, aren’t I?

Thanks you Lindsey for stopping by! Check TBB review of Going Vintage & give the book a try!

 
About Lindsey:
Lindsey Leavitt is a former elementary school teacher and present-day writer/mom to three (mostly) adorable girls. She is married to her high-school lab partner and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is the author of the PRINCESS FOR HIRE series, SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD, & GOING VINTAGE.

Find Lindsey: Website | Twitter | Blog | Facebook

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(Review) Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Title: Going Vintage
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publish Date: March 26, 2013 (Bloomsbury)
Rating: Lunch Break Read
Format: Digital galley provided by publisher via NetGalley

Summary: When Mallory discovers that her boyfriend, Jeremy, is cheating on her with an online girlfriend, she swears off modern technology. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in 1962, Mallory decides to "go vintage" and return to a simpler time, when boys couldn't cheat on you online. She sets out to complete The List: run for pep club secretary, host a dinner party, sew a homecoming dress, find a steady, do something dangerous. But the list is trickier than it looks. And obviously finding a steady is out . . . no matter how good Oliver (Jeremy's cousin) smells. But with the help of her sister, she'll get it done. Somehow. Leavitt perfectly pairs heartfelt family moments, laugh-out-loud humor, and a little bit of romance in this delightful contemporary novel.

I cannot even tell you how long I have been waiting for Going Vintage. Since last summer, at least, because I did a Waiting on Wednesday featuring it last August. I just loved the whole idea. I adore vintage and antique things. I have thought about taking technology hiatuses before. Throw in the most adorable cover ever, an interesting event catalyst, and a love interest who happens to be the ex's cousin? Yeah, I'm so there.

Going Vintage wound up being worth the wait! Mallory's inner monologue was freaking hilarious! She was so straightforward and refreshing, and I really enjoyed being inside her head. Even though she was far from perfect, Mallory always had good intentions. I also loved her relationship with her little sister, Ginnie. Ginnie was fantastic. She was a total crazy health nut super awesome soccer player - and therefore basically everything I'm not - but I really liked her. The scenes between her and Mallory were some of the best in the book.

And then there was Oliver. I've never seen a YA boy like him. It's actually really difficult to describe him, but he was incredibly endearing, funny, and different. And, to pull a quote from the book, he was "a pen-and-paper lister, a beautiful and dying breed." Which always amounts to extra brownie points in my book.

Really, my only problem with this book was that there was a lot going on, and it wound up feeling kind of disjointed and chaotic at times. There were basically three big storylines, but the focus dedicated to each was inconsistent. I would have liked a lot more with Oliver, a little more with her grandmother, and less with her parents. Or perhaps for them to just be dealt with a little differently. I had issues with her parents, but I liked the element of realism it added, because obviously not all families are perfect.

Overall, I was a fan of Going Vintage. It was one of the most interesting premises in a YA contemporary I've seen in a while. Since Mallory was already a vintage clothing junkie with dad who dealt with antiques, it went really well with her character, too. Going Vintage was a cute, original read that would be a good addition to anyone's spring reading list. Also, I just discovered there's a whole Tumblr inspired by this book, so go check it out!

...I’m with Jeremy. I love writing that. It says that I’m his and he’s mine, and between the lines there is belonging something I didn’t feel at Orange Park High School until we started dating.

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Lists add a number to randomness, give ideas the illusion of order.

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You can’t trust a guy showing off more cleavage than you.

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I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s thinking. I don’t want to know the answer unless I know the answer is what I want it to be, and I don’t know what I want him to want.

*All quotes from ARC or galley, so final copy may be slightly different.

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