Hi Everyone!
We are happy to welcome another YA novel to Inked in Gray!
Spikes, Dice, and Other Variables is a YA contemporary asexual romance with a twist on the jock x nerd trope. This novel addresses some very real societal expectations about love and relationships.
We had the opportunity to interview Harper and learn more about Spikes, Dice, and Other Variables sans spoilers, of course 😉
What inspired you to write Spikes, Dice, and Other Variables?
I’m not sure that there was one specific moment that I went “I’m going to write this book!” I knew I wanted to write about a girl who played volleyball – which I chose because of my younger sister’s love for the sport – who recklessly joined the D&D club to make the cute nerdy boy in math class fall for her. But as I was reading other YA contemporary at the time, I started to notice how many books featured the smart, academic honors student headed to college. As a teacher, of course I’ve seen these students, but I’ve also seen students who struggle and feel punished instead of supported. I knew I wanted to write about the ‘average’ kid, because they’re worthy of being written about too.
I also wanted to write an asexual discovery story because there is so little representation for aspec teenagers. Most importantly, I wanted young people to feel loved and supported above all else, the way Riley does as she discovers her identity throughout the book.
This book is a love letter to so many people. It’s for the aspecs who wonder if they can ever be loved, for students who feel like they can never catch up to their peers, for kids who wonder what is wrong with them, for the girls with ADHD that are told they are too much or too angry. It’s for anyone who has ever felt unloved or unworthy — I promise you are enough.
Can you tell us a little about your writing process? What do you do when you confront that mischievous minion “writer’s block?”
The more I write, the more of a planner I become. I start by dumping every idea I have into a notebook, reading it, and then doing it again. I do the same thing with my characters, with an outline, which helps me get the ADHD jitters and jumping thoughts out of my head so that I can actually write something coherent. After that, it’s drafting, editing, rewriting, almost throwing the whole thing away, and repeating the process until one day I look at the words and go, “Huh. I think I’ve got a novel here.”
I’ve struggled with writer’s block quite a bit, especially due to my OCD and the rigid thinking that comes with it. I’ve been learning to let go and let myself move on to something that excites me until I’m ready to come back to it. Word sprints are incredibly helpful, and finding a community of writers is one of the best decisions I’ve made. It’s so incredibly helpful to have people to support you along the way, and I wouldn’t be here without mine.
Were there any major influences for you as a writer?
For this book, I felt compelled to write for my students. As a teacher, I meet so many young people with their own unique struggles, and I hope that my writing inspires teenagers to love themselves for who they are, no matter where they are at. I also wrote this around the time that I read “The Extraordinaries” by TJ Klune, and I think it inspired a lot of Riley’s voice throughout the book. I think the other biggest influence for this work is Cody Daigle-Orians, also known as @Acedadadvice on social media, who does so much great work advocating and educating for aspec individuals. They’re such a kind, supportive person and I wanted the book to reflect how I felt reading their content. There’s even a reference to Cody in the book, if you can find it!
Without any spoilers, is there a character who holds a special place in your heart?
Ellie, Simon’s sister, is largely based on a very close family member of mine, who I’ll refer to as A. Ellie isn’t a main character, but I felt so much love for A as I wrote her. For many people like A, there is no ‘one size fits all’ diagnosis, and individuals with moderate support needs disabilities often get left behind or out of the picture entirely. I wanted to show what it’s like to love someone like A — and to receive their love in return.
If your book had a soundtrack or theme song, what would it be?
I could write an ESSAY about this, so I’ll try to keep it short! Music is a huge influence on my writing, and I have a whole playlist for my book filled with songs that inspire me and remind me of the story. I also listened to a lot of music from Japanese role-playing games like the Persona series while writing. I have to listen to music in order to focus, but if there are words then I get distracted, so video game soundtracks are perfect!
What is your favorite trope?
I’m a sucker for the “We hate each other in real life but we’re besties online” trope, and a good redemption arc will have me screaming and throwing things. Clever villains are a love of mine as well, anything I can love to hate.
What was a memorable moment for you when you learned language had power?
I think the piece of media that has left the largest impact on me with its storytelling is an indie game called “Night In the Woods.” There was something about the dialogue in that game and the way that the main character talks with her friends and others about her struggles of feeling ‘stuck’ that just absolutely resonated with me. Dialogue is and always has been my favorite thing to write because everyone’s voice is so uniquely different, and you can really learn about a person from the way they talk and describe things. Hearing someone say the things you’re thinking and knowing they feel the same as you? There’s nothing more validating than that.
So what are you reading now? What’s on your TBR List?
At the time I’m writing this, I’m currently reading “Not Here to Be Liked” by Michelle Quach and “It Sounds Like This” by Anna Meriano. I have a lot of books with ace rep on my list including “Dear Wendy” by Ann Zhao, and someday I’ll finish the “Shades of Magic” books by VE Schwab.
What else have you written and where can we find them?
I’m currently working on publishing a short story with an anthology of fantasy short stories featuring disabled characters! You can also follow me on Instagram at @harperkinsleyauthor
About Harper Kinsley
Harper Kinsley is an author, educator, and lifelong Midwesterner with a deep love of storytelling. When not writing novels, she enjoys creating stories through TTRPGs as the resident Forever DM and dabbling in whichever hyperfixation craft has most recently sparked her interest. She lives with her partner and the trash goblin in her house that she also calls her cat.
Harper can be found on Instagram at @harperkinsleyauthor
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