Author Interview with Paige Lavoie

Indie writer Paige Lavoie is the author of the YA book, Confidence: the diary of an invisible girl, available on Amazon. She also has a comic series titled, Pumpkin Spiced, a Halloween-themed comic that celebrates unique characters.

Below is a summary of her book from its Amazon page along with my interview with Lavoie conducted just before the release of her novel. Find out what inspired her to write this book, and be sure to check it out!

1. How many books have you written and where can you buy them?

My first Young Adult novel Confidence: The Diary of an Invisible Girl [is available as of] June 9, 2015 on Amazon! I’m so excited.

I’ve also written around five issues of my comic, Pumpkin Spiced, that are all available to read for free on PumpkinSpiced.com. Currently the first two issues are in print, and I’m working towards getting #3 ready for this summer.

2. What famous books can you compare to your own?

Confidence was very inspired by the goofiness of the diary-style books I read when I was in middle school such as Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging, Mates Dates, and The Princess Diaries. So I think it would be fair to compare it to those. I love stories about friendship and overcoming the everyday challenges of growing up, and learning to be yourself.

3. Why do you write for this particular age group?

I knew Confidence was going to fit into the YA Category, but at the same time I didn’t really write it thinking about a particular age. Most of the time when I write, I don’t actually have an age group in mind. I just try to tell the best story I can, and be true to the characters.

4. How autobiographical are your books?

I took a lot of inspiration from real experiences to build the nerdy convention atmosphere that my protagonist is surrounded by in Confidence and Barbra herself is a lot like me. That being said, the events are all fictional.

5. What’s the best compliment that you’ve ever received about your writing?

It may sound a bit untraditional, but when people draw my characters I always take that as the best kind of compliment. It lights up my heart, and every single time I can’t believe my eyes. The fact that someone would spend their time drawing a character I created blows my mind. I love it.

6. What has been your greatest moment as a writer so far?

Hitting 50,000 words and winning NaNoWriMo for the first (and hopefully not last) time.

7. Where do you get your covers?

My husband and I are both artists and brainstorm and work together to make the covers. He has a great eye, and did the design work on the cover for Confidence. I feel so lucky to have someone in my life who is so passionate and driven to create a visual representation of the story.

8. What is a subject/character/setting you would like to tackle?

I would love to do a fantasy novel! With subjects and themes of home and family. But I’ve been inspired to start writing a second Confidence book, and getting back to Barbra and her geeky friends. Oh what chaos and adventures the gang is going to get into…

9. What is next for you?

I’m working on a short collection of spooky stories that I hope to release on Kindle in October. I want to keep writing, exploring new ideas and genres. I intend to win NaNoWriMo again this year!

10. Provide a quote from your book.

“There’s nothing wrong with living your life day to day as Sheik, but once in a while, every girl deserves to feel like Princess Zelda.” –Confidence: The diary of an invisible girl.