Spotlight on New Book Debut Author Jessica Speer

BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends) : A Girl's Guide to Happy Friendships by Jessica Speer

1- How might someone figure out, before trust is broken, if a person is a best friend forever or not really a friend at all? Any signs or clues?

We can observe how this friend behaves in other relationships, but there is no sure-fire way to know this. One of the nine ‘Friendship Truths’ shared in the book is “Friendships have different phases and change over time.” We are all learning as we go.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

A favorite tip from author Matt de la Pena, “It’s not about writing what you know, it’s about writing what you want to know.”

3- What most motivates you to read a new book?

I’m drawn to books that shed light on our shared humanity. When these books are filled with honesty and hope, I can’t put them down.

4- Which is your favorite quiz in your book?

Quiz #2 - How are my friendship skills!? We all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to friendship.


5- What is your favorite book to movie adaptation?

This might be cheating, but the 1996 film, Romeo + Julie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Whimsical, full of suspense and emotion with a modern twist on Shakespeare.


6- How might the pandemic shape the mindset of "Zoomers" and "Generation Alpha" when they reach adulthood?

With the abundance of hand sanitizer, masks, and social distancing, it’s hard to imagine there won’t be an uptick in germaphobes. These generations may also continue to place more value in online connections and relationships.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

My twitter handle is @SpeerAuthor . I’d like to give a shout-out to @AGWishingrad , @Kaela_Rivera_ and @Halli_Gomez

8- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

I love @yulala_bookshelf. She’s 11 years old and manages her account with her parents. Voracious readers of kid lit!

9- Are you a Plotter, Pantser, or Plantser, and how did you adopt that style?

I’m a Plantser. I work off of a rough outline, but this changes as I write and research.

10- What does your basic writing schedule look like, and how often do you write?

When I am on a deadline, I write every day for a few hours in the morning. Going on hikes helps me organize my thoughts. This summer I have not been writing much because I’m focusing on my book launch. I’m looking forward to getting back to writing this fall!

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Dusti Bowling @DustiBowling
Title: Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
Love because: The main character, Aven is funny, strong, inspiring, and vulnerable. She also has no arms.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

The book may evoke many emotions since it about friendship struggles. After reading the book, I hope the dominant emotion is worthiness.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I hope my book will help girls navigate social struggles and avoid limiting beliefs about themselves that they carry into adulthood.

14- What is your favorite creative non-writing activity to do?

I love to design graphics and videos in Canva.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams


16- What method do you feel is the best way to get book reviews?

As a debut author, I’m new to all of this and still learning. I’ve had the best luck getting reviews when I reach out to like authors.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I took the “no stone unturned approach” to find a traditional publisher. Amazingly it worked and my book was picked up by a small press. This relationship has been such a good fit that my publisher picked up two more of my books.

18- What's the biggest writing goal you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?

I hope to write in other genres. So far, I have focused on middle grade.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

If you had to choose one word to describe your friendships or social world during your preteen years, what word would you choose?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)? A Girls Guide to Happy Friendships releases Aug. 16 as girls adjust back into their in-person social worlds. To learn more, visit http://jessicaspeer.com or @SpeerAuthor on Twitter, @jessica_speer_author on Instagram.


BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends) : A Girl's Guide to Happy Friendships by Jessica Speer