On April 11, Karen McManus- author of the New York Time's bestseller One of Us Is Lying visited with the NET (North End Teen) Book Club at the North End Branch and spoke about what it was like to write that book, and her upcoming title, Two Can Keep a Secret. Afterwards, she spoke with me about the way pop-culture influences her works.
If you ask McManus to describe her book, she will instantly tell you, "The Breakfast Club meets murder"; five students alone in detention and only four survive. The question becomes, who did it? Although the story is set in California, the Massachusetts influences are felt in the book. The streets some of the characters live on- Fullerton and Thorndike- are streets from her own neighborhood in Cambridge. As Karen spoke, the influence media and pop-culture has on her work was evident. She noted the impact that Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda had on her writing style. Prior to reading Simon, McManus wrote exclusively fantasy novels; she credits Becky Albertalli's character for her shift to writing contemporary fiction. Currently, One of Us Is Lying is being adapted for television. Like Th1rteen R3asons Why, McManus is excited to see the tale stretched into a series, rather than just a one-off, and hopes that people develop a better understanding of the fallout that occurs when people are not kind to one another.
What's next for McManus? In June, Barnes & Noble will release a special edition of One of Us Is Lying, with an added chapter. February 2019, will bring the release of her next title Two Can Keep a Secret. Her pop-culture influence for her new book? Riverdale, of course.
in April 2018, author Karen McManus visited the North End Branch and spoke with teens about her book "One of Us is Lying", her upcoming novel, and the popular culture titles that have influenced her work. These items are now all together in one list!
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