Interview with Kara H.L. Chen, Author of Love & Resistance

Short and sweet: Give us the elevator pitch for LOVE AND RESISTANCE:

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Chang joins a secret society of students and starts a revolution against their school’s toxic bullying culture.

Where did the idea come from? What was the inspiration?

I’ve always liked books and movies where the main characters use mischievous shenanigans against groups in power. One day (almost ten years ago!) I just got a random idea about an underground society of nerds secretly thwarting the bullies at their school.

What’s your writing process like? Are you a plotter? Pantser? Combination? Any methods you absolutely swear by?

I am a pantser, but I wish I had some advance plotting abilities! I generally try to keep an eye on the big points, like the first act break, midpoint, etc, but I completely lack the ability to figure out what happens without drafting the whole thing.

Most of the time, an author’s first book isn’t literally the first book. When did you start writing? What initially drew you to it?

I have been writing since I was a little kid. My parents always took me to the library and I read a lot as a child. I started writing because I loved the idea of being able to create your own worlds and stories.

One aspect of writing I’m constantly working on is the depiction of my “villains” or antagonists. It’s so easy to just make them horrible–and to the MC, they are! But you ride a fine line, it seems, between being true to your MC’s voice and depicting a sort of two-dimensional, wooden villain. Tell us how you crafted Mitzi.

Mitzi definitely evolved in revisions, thanks to the brilliant feedback from my editor, Jen Ung, who encouraged me to dig deeper into her motivations. The adage that every villain is the hero in their own story was a very helpful guide for me. Mitzi is a classic mean girl, but has also been taught a certain set of values by her mother, who struggles with her own declining fame and influence as a former actress. These beliefs directly influence what Mitzi considers important in the world and is a large part of why she makes the choices that she does. Part of Olivia’s journey is realizing that even Mitzi carries her own burdens that others are unaware of.

What kind of systemic change does Olivia seek in her school?

I think what she wants evolves over the course of the book. In the beginning, Olivia simply wants to challenge Mitzi’s authority over the school. By the end, however, the revolution moves beyond Mitzi and towards creating the kind of world that she—and the rest of the Nerd Net—might want to live in.

I’m so intrigued by the idea of an “anonymous” character becoming the outspoken resistor. I find that most young people think their voice is too small to make any impact. Is that why you chose an “invisible” MC?

I wanted the Nerd Net to be under the radar because I thought it would be easier for them to pull off their plans if they were decentralized and there was no one obvious target to attack. But I wholly agree that even one person can be an agent of change! Even something like reaching out to someone who is sitting by themselves can make a positive impact.

Where did the idea of the Nerd Net come from?

I was lucky enough to have a very supportive group of friends in high school. They taught me that having a few, incredible pals makes all the difference in the world.

Why YA? What did YA offer you that other genres (even upper level MG) didn’t?

I adore YA as a genre; it’s a great combination of compelling storytelling and heart. Upper level MG is also a wonderful genre, but I felt drawn to the older YA characters because I wanted to explore some of the issues that occur in high school, like figuring out who you are and challenging your perceptions of the world.

What do you want YA readers to take from LOVE AND RESISTANCE?

I would love for readers to resist the easy path of making reflexive judgments about others, and to take a moment to consider that every one of us has a story and might be facing difficulties that others are unaware of.

 

Where can we keep up with you online and order LOVE AND RESISTANCE?

 

I am @hl_kara on Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok. My website is at karahlchen.com. Preorder links can be found at HarperCollins.