Mother, wife, and YA author living on a windy hill in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller loves fuzzy socks, comic books, cherry Coke, and brand new office supplies. The Summer I Became a Nerd is her first novel.
On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl’s body isn’t just unknown, it’s anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.
Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.
www.leahraemiller.com // Twitter // Facebook
YOUNG ADULT: What made you decide to start writing?
Leah Rae Miller: I’ve always been an avid reader and I’ve always had fun creating little stories in my head. When I became a stay-at-home mom, I needed a creative outlet and since I can’t draw worth a flip, writing seemed like a logical choice. I dove in head first and haven’t looked back since.
YA: Tell us a little bit about your latest work. What is different about The Summer I Became A Nerd?
LRM: TSIBAN is a YA romantic comedy about a cheerleader who’s afraid to reveal her inner nerd. When the adorkable boy behind the local comic shop’s counter discovers her secret, shenanigans ensue. What’s different about it? I think we’ve seen the geeky-girl makeover thing a million times and I thought it would be fun to flip that cliche on its ear.
YA: How did the idea for this book arise? What are your major inspirations (TV, film, other literature/stories)?
LRM: The idea for TSIBAN was kind of a lightning bolt one. I just wanted to write about something I love, something I wouldn’t mind researching. I love comic books so I went from there. The image of a cheerleader sitting on her bed in her uniform surrounded by piles of comics popped into my head and wouldn’t leave. Inspiration-wise, I’m a huge fan of high school romantic comedies, especially John Hughes’ films, so I watched as many as I could. Easy A and Sixteen Candles were two films I watched constantly while writing TSIBAN. Plus, music inspires me a lot. Songs by They Might Be Giants and Joey Ramone’s version of “What a Wonderful World” were always on repeat.
YA: Is Maddie’s identity crisis a foil for real-life issues facing young adults and teens today?
LRM: I think Maddie’s struggle with accepting herself as she is and the fear of not being accepted by others is a universal one, especially for teens. Personally, when I was a teen, there was a lot of pressure to be cool, wear the cool clothes, and do the cool things. Looking back, I wish I would’ve realized earlier that the coolest thing to be is cool with yourself.
YA: Take us through a typical writing day for you.
LRM: I like to work in the mornings. On nice days, I get to sit on my porch and drink my coffee while working. If I can get a couple of chapters in, that’s a really good day. Of course, that usually only happens if I force myself to stay off the internet. I’ll be the first to admit that I might have a Twitter addiction.
YA: What were the challenges to getting this work published? What was easy about it? What advice would you give to aspiring young writers today?
LRM: The biggest challenge was hitting that send button. It’s tough to put your stuff out there and pray that someone likes it. The easiest part was making the decision to go with my editor, Heather Howland, and my publisher, Entangled. After doing my research, I was sure Entangled was where this book needed to be. I went with my gut and couldn’t be happier.
The two best pieces of advice I received when I started out were #1 don’t give up and #2 make friends. “Don’t give up” is pretty self-explanatory. You can’t get published if you don’t have a complete something. And I found making friends was essential to staying sane during the process. Reach out, join forums, and be yourself and you’re sure to find that writing buddy who’s the perfect fit. They’ll be someone who’s willing to critique your work honestly and who will always be there to cheer you on.