21 June 2012

Interview: Annabel Monaghan, Author of A Girl Named Digit

Title: A Girl Named Digit
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 192 Pages (June 5th, 2012)
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: Farrah "Digit" Higgins may be going to MIT in the fall, but this L.A. high school genius has left her geek self behind in another school district so she can blend in with the popular crowd at Santa Monica High and actually enjoy her senior year. But when Farrah, the daughter of a UCLA math professor, unknowingly cracks a terrorist group's number sequence, her laid-back senior year gets a lot more interesting. Soon she is personally investigating the case, on the run from terrorists, and faking her own kidnapping-- all while trying to convince a young, hot FBI agent to take her seriously. So much for blending in...

Interview:

Hey Annabel, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us today. I LOVED A Girl Named Digit! It’s been so much fun talking to you and being a stalker *cough* I mean cheerleader on twitter that I just had to have you visit on here on the blog.

Ready to get started?

Hey, I take stalkers very seriously. I’m ready.

Okay, so I’ve met and love Farrah, aka Digit from the book, but for everyone out there who hasn’t (What are you waiting for people?!) met her yet, could you tell them a bit about your fantastic female lead character and what they might expect in the story?

Farrah is a math genius who earned the nickname Digit in middle school. Her main goal for high school is to ditch the math geek image and certainly the nickname that came with it. Even though she’s a genius, she’s a normal 17 year old girl and wants to fit in. She’s a little goofy and does some pretty embarrassing things. She gets herself into a huge mess when she accidentally cracks the code of a terror network and has to get fake kidnapped by the FBI.

Two quick questions about Digit: What’s one thing about her that you hold near and dear to your heart? And what’s one thing about her that makes you smile or laugh whenever you think about her?

Near and dear to my heart: Her true love of bumper stickers. Mainly because it’s my true love of bumper stickers. She covers the walls of her room with them and covers up old ones with new ones as she grows up. She looks to them for inspiration, like they are tiny pieces of wisdom. I do the same thing!

Makes me laugh: When Digit gets nervous she sometimes loses control of her inner monologue and says whatever she’s thinking out loud. This only happens at the MOST inopportune times and it cracks me up.

I loved how down to earth and realistic all the characters are. Did you find it hard to get any of them be “just right” throughout the process?

I struggled a little with Digit’s mom. They are polar opposites, but I wanted that to be okay, and to show how such different people can find common ground.

Now we can’t forget to give Mr. Hot Stuff, FBI agent John some love. I loved his personality and thought that Digit and John balanced each other out and fit together amazingly well. Did you base him on someone you know? I mean, there has to be a real “John” out there for some lucky lady! *swoon*

If I knew a guy like that, do you think I’d really be sitting here talking to you guys? Hahahaha. No, he’s not based on a real guy. But he’s got a lot of qualities that I really like: strong, smart, driven.

How about… Hollywood, you NEED to make this into a movie, asap! YES! A fan has spoken, *clears throat* what’d ya say? Pretty please Hollywood? So, Annabel, if Hollywood came knocking and said “We’re ready to make a movie and we want YOU to help us cast it!” Who would you love to see cast as your characters?

Do we have a budget? Can we afford a Gomez-Bieber combo? He’s probably not old enough anyway. I would actually love to see Dakota Fanning play Digit. I think she’s the right combination of young and fresh and fun. And John? Most everyone I can think of to play him is the wrong age. Maybe your readers have ideas? He’s definitely dark haired, more Gale than Peeta, if you know what I mean.

A question I love to ask authors about their books is to share three of your favorite lines from the book. Would you be willing to share yours with us?

That’s a tough one? Can we go back to how dreamy John is? No? Okay:

When they first meet, she’s crying and John gives her his handkerchief. She wonders… Here’s a situation that may be as outdated as the hankie itself: What do you do with the snotty hankie once you’re done? You have to give it back but it’s disgusting. Do you hand him the hankie and risk smearing your boogers on him or do you shove it in your pocket and promise to return it in a tiny little dry-cleaning bag?

Head honcho walks into the FBI meeting: He looked more like a Wall Street type than an FBI guy and commanded such complete attention over the room that I wondered if he had bacon in his pocket.

And last but not least, what’s next for you Annabel? And what’s next for Farrah, aka Digit? I’ve heard from a little birdie there is going to be a sequel?? I’m hoping this is true, because I can’t wait! Can I read it now? Maybe? Please say yes, please say yes! Lol

Digit goes to college, and I get to go with her! The stakes are a lot higher: she’s become a threat to national security, which is funny because she still cannot manage to wear a striped t-shirt without getting dizzy. I can’t wait either, especially since I haven’t finished. You, my favorite stalker, will be the first to know when I’m done!

Annabel, it’s been a pleasure to have you on the blog today. I’m so glad that I read A Girl Named Digit, which has ended up being one of the best books I’ve read of 2012 so far. You are more than welcome back anytime, so please don’t be a stranger! <3

xoxo

Click >>>HERE<<< to check out my review of this fantastic book!