Interview with Adrienne Kisner for Six Angry Girls
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Feminism, LGBT, Feminism, Queer, Realistic Fiction, Gay, Asexual
Synopsis:
A story of mock trial, feminism, and the inherent power found in a pair of knitting needles.
Raina Petree is crushing her senior year, until her boyfriend dumps her, the drama club (basically) dumps her, the college of her dreams slips away, and her arch-nemesis triumphs.
Things aren’t much better for Millie Goodwin. Her father treats her like a servant, and the all-boy Mock Trial team votes her out, even after she spent the last three years helping to build its success.
But then, an advice columnist unexpectedly helps Raina find new purpose in a pair of knitting needles and a politically active local yarn store. This leads to an unlikely meeting in the girls’ bathroom, where Raina inspires Millie to start a rival team. The two join together and recruit four other angry girls to not only take on Mock Trial, but to smash the patriarchy in the process.
Can you briefly describe SIX ANGRY GIRLS and its characters?
SIX ANGRY GIRLS is a story about mock trial and the power of fiber arts. POV character Millie is driven and single-minded; POV character Raina is a drama queen trying to find herself; Grace is self-assured and kind; Veronica is a fierce competitor, Izzy is grounded and determined, and Nikita cares a lot more than she lets on. All of them are angry.
Could you describe your story with emojis?
😡 💔 ⛰ 🏳️🌈 🧶 ⚖
Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?
Hmmmm. How can I pick?! Probably Millie. She and I have a lot in common. We both need to calm down. But our heart is in the right place.
How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?
I was doing an event with the fabulous advice columnist Meredith Goldstein. I asked her how she doesn’t just tell the lovelorn to get a hobby. She was all about “compassion” and “really listening” or something impractical like that. I feel heartbreak is best met with learning a new skill. Thus, Raina was born.
If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?
I Will Survive, by Gloria Gayner
What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?
A reusable 64-ounce container of water to keep hydrated during the march on city hall.
Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish SIX ANGRY GIRLS?
Well, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention DEAR RACHEL MADDOW or THE CONFUSION OF LAUREL GRAHAM by yours truly. But others I loved (I love a lot of books . . .) were DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone, MOXIE by Jennifer Mathieu, FULL DISCLOSURE by Camryn Garrett, AMELIA WESTLAKE WAS NEVER HERE by Erin Gough, THE VOTING BOOTH by Brandy Colbert, TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL by Amina Mae Safi, and THE DEGENERATES J. Albert Mann. Also I want to give a shout out to my former mentee, Jessica Kim, whose book STAND UP, YUMI CHUNG! is amazing for the younger set.
What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?
Hmmm. Probably finding the time and mental space in this world to do it!
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a couple of things at the moment. Right now, I’m focused on a book called TIME CARD about a seventeen-year-old poet turned reluctant union organizer.
Adrienne Kisner has lived her entire “adult” life in a college dormitory working in both Residence Life and college chaplaincy. (She prefers the term “dormitory” over “residence hall.” Don’t @ her.) She went to school for a long time so that now she gets to swoop around in a fancy robe and silly hat (like at Hogwarts). She also has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts (a place like Hogwarts). Adrienne is a birder and knitter with more heart and enthusiasm than actual skill. Her debut novel DEAR RACHEL MADDOW won a 2016 PEN New England Susan P Bloom Discovery Award and was one of YALSA’s 2019 picks for Best Fiction for Young Adults. Her second novel, THE CONFUSION OF LAUREL GRAHAM, will be released in June of 2019. Book three, SIX ANGRY GIRLS, is due out in the spring of 2020. She loves her current home in Boston but will always be a Pennsylvanian at heart.
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