Author Interview Monday with Kody Keplinger author of the Duff

Kody was born and raised in rural western Kentucky, where she attended high school and began writing her first long pieces of fiction. Kody wrote THE DUFF during her senior year at McLean County High School. Kody is now nineteen and attending Ithaca College in New York where she's majoring in writing and finishing her second novel to be published by Poppy in Fall 2011.
She loves books, converse tennis shoes, New York City, and popular TV teen dramas. When she isn't writing, she's spending time with her friends and, most likely, doing piles and piles of homework she has neglected.
Kody is a contributor to the writing blog YA Highway and a member of the contemporary, realistic YA fiction group The Contemps, set to launch in mid August 2010.
You can also follow Kody on Twitter.

Bio taken from Kody's website

  The Duff by Kody Keplinger
Sept 7 2010
My review can be found here

Kody was generous enough to answer some interview questions for the blog, and here they are!

--Can you give us a brief description of The DUFF in your own words?

The DUFF is a young adult novel about a teenage girl, Bianca, who tries to distract herself from a lot of issues going on in her life - including her struggle with body image - by entering into an enemies-with-benefits relationship with the school's most notorious womanizer.  It's sort of a sexy romantic comedy for teens.

--How did you get the idea for the story? Did you do much research for your book?

I got the idea from a few sources. First, I knew I wanted to write a love-hate romance.  Then, one day, a friend of mine told me that someone had referred to someone she knew as a "DUFF" and she told me what that meant. I was horrified and amused at teh same time - so I joked I would write a book called THE DUFF.  It took a while for those two ideas to combine, but when they did, I knew it was a story I wanted to tell.

I didn't do any serious research for the story.  I was in high school when I wrote it, and since the book takes place in high school, i was living the research.

--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with?

I'd most like to have dinner with Wesley.  What can I say? I love the boy. He amuses me.

I'd least like to have dinner with . . . actually, Wesley.  He's not always the nicest guy . . . .

--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

My favorite books are always hard to pick! I love everything by JK Rowling and Jane Austen and, of course, Judy Blume.  I also love books by Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, Simone Elkeles, and Richelle Meade.  And so, so many more.

I don't have as much time to read in college as I'd like. But i still manage.

--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

Oh my Gosh, Harry Potter. No question.

I want to go to Hogwarts!!!!

--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on The DUFF "playlist-" songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote?

Depending on my mood, I usually do write with music.  Even if I don't write with it playing, I have to listen to songs that help me stay in the "zone" for the story.

The DUFF's playlsit is up on my site, and almost all of the songs were playign while I wrote it.  "I Can't Stay Away" by The Veronicas is actually the song that made me stop and go, "Wait, this is the story I want to telll."  I wouldn't have written it without that song.

--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

I'd have the power of teleportation.  Sometimes, I just dont' wnat to walk all over campus.  I'd love to just APPEAR! somewhere with no effort.

--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

I don't have much free time, honestly. I"m studying, doing homework, writing, then sleeping . . . and, if I'm lucky, eating.  Free time? What's that?

But, in all seriousness, I love to dance and read.

--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?

Thanks for being so enthusiastic and I hope you like the book!


Thank you again Kody!