Interview: Author of Pixelated ~ L.S. Murphy

Pixelated by L.S. Murphy releases tomorrow, June 30th. Check out the book and my interview with the author and let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below.


Senior Year. 
Middle of nowhere. 
What's the new girl to do?

For Piper Marks, the answer is simple. She's determined to have her photography rock the cover of National Geographic someday, and moving to Clarkton, Iowa for her last year of high school is not going to stop her. Even if her usual subjects have changed from bright lights and skyscrapers to fields, cows…and more fields. 

But when photographer at the local paper quits in a huff, she steps into his spot. Her new job keeps Piper busy capturing tackles, and zooming in on first downs and end zone dances, not to mention putting her directly in the path of varsity football star Les Williams IV. Her new friends warn her off, but she can't resist the pull she feels toward this mysterious country boy. But this small town is keeping a secret, and it's one that could destroy any chance they have to be together. 

It's up to Piper to decide what to do with the distorted truth. Can she risk exposing her heart? It might be worth it, 'cause Les is about to change her world from black and white to fully saturated color. 

Tell us a little about your and your writing career? 

My writing career, like most, has been peaks and valleys. But the peaks always outweigh the valleys. :) I'd wanted to write for a long time, but I never could find my voice. It wasn't until I went back to college and took a course called Adolescent Literature that I realized what I really wanted to write. I discovered YA was more than just "kiddie books" and the stories were so heart-wrenching and beautiful. I knew after reading RATS SAW GOD by Rob Thomas that I'd found what I really wanted to write. 


Tell me about the creation behind Pixelated.

PIXELATED actually began for me in high school, although I didn't know it then. My creative writing teacher used to take our class off school grounds to find inspiration. One day we were walking back from the town square and he forced us to stop. He pointed to the school's southern parking lot and said, "If that's not inspiration, I don't know what is. Now write!" He pointed at a row of tractors parked under the trees. I thought it was stupid, but that image stayed with me for years. 

Eventually, Piper's voice emerged and a plot slowly developed. And by slowly, I mean YEARS of this swirling around in my head with less than a hundred words on the page. It wasn't until Les Williams jumped in that I finally started writing the novel. He was worth the wait I think. ;) 


Describe Piper in 140 characters or less.

Piper is determined to be the best photographer in the world and to travel it. 

Why should we pick up Pixelated?

PIXELATED has a sweet romance that I just loved writing. But it's also a story about finding your voice. It's really hard to do, and I think even harder in this day and age than when I was a teen. Don't be afraid to speak up.

Website@LSMurphy

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