What does L.S. Murphy remember from her days in … band camp? Oooh … you so want to know!
Today, I have the author of Reaper, L.S. Murphy, here to talk about her teenage years. As a YA author, she must have some appreciation for or love of the teens years, right? Why might that be? Something great? Let’s see!
L.S. Murphy – author, Reaper
Remember …. in band camp …?
ROFL. I went to band camp! Well, technically, it was drumline camp, but same dif. It was held on the campus of Northeast Missouri State University, now known as Truman State. Since I was the only person from my school to go, I ended up rooming with a small group of girls from Ankeny, Iowa. For once, I was part of the cool kids. These girls were seniors, and I was a lowly sophomore. Sadly, nothing exciting really happened. One guy in my line (we were split into several groups) went the entire week in the same clothes without showering.
If that doesn’t get you interested in this brand new author, check her out at all these other places:
Nothing’s better than being on the _________ team
Track! I lived for track season. Mainly because I was good at it. Not to brag, but I was undefeated in conference and districts. Plus, I made a lot of friends from other schools in my down time.
Go ____________!
Indians!
“Let us work and fight for Clark County High,
So that we can let our spirits fly.
In our classroom and our courts,
Always do your best to be a good sport.
Let our maidens and our braves be true.
Waving banners in the blue.
So let us be proud and shout
Hurrah, hurrah,
We’re all Clark County Senior High!”
Our mascot was Chief Stomp ‘Em. Every home basketball game, Chief Stomp ‘Em would come out with a lit torch. Until my senior year. Something happened with the chemicals, and the boy who was the chief caught himself on fire.
They stopped using live fire after that.
My other car was a ________________
I drove a Ford Grenada. It was the car of a thousand dents. And that wasn’t the worst part. There was a girl a year behind me who had the exact same car, sans dents. And her last name was Murphy too.
But I loved my car. It took me many places I wasn’t supposed to go. 🙂
Nerd? Geek? Jock? Snob?
Jock. I played softball, basketball, and was on the track team. Although I qualified as a nerd too. 🙂
Now, before we get to the last question, let’s look at L.S. Murphy’s book …
Reaper by L.S. Murphy
There’s no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.
She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.
It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.
Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.
Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.
Maybe … just maybe … that’s okay.
It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.
Favorite one-line review about the book
“Reaper is a brilliant debut novel, and a touching coming-of-age tale about a girl who discovers just what’s really important in life — and in death.” — J.C. Martin – Author, Oracle
Favorite 6 sentences from the book
I stand and stumble toward the back of the room. “Who are you supposed to be? Gandalf?” I’m unable to keep the tremor out of my voice.
“One person dresses up like me in a movie, and that’s all I hear.”
What really happened on prom night …
Tried to do two proms in one night. My boyfriend & I barely made it to his prom after too much time at mine. God, it was fun though. We had so much in common but lived too far from one another. He ended up getting into an accident after he dropped me off the next morning.
And … BONUS TIME! Check out Ms. Murphy before she became this fabulous author!!
Congratulations, Linda! Good luck with Reaper!
Have more questions for this author? Ask in the comments!
