Hey readers! My fellow YA adventure writer Leslea Wahl just released the third book in her Blindside series, which my kids and I love. Check out a sneak peek here.
When their sleepy Colorado town is overrun by a Hollywood film crew, Jake and Sophie find their private lives exposed for all the world to see.
Meanwhile, a hacked computer, mysterious strangers, and unwanted past acquaintances threaten to ruin all that the teens hold dear.
In this tale of twists and turns, who can be trusted? Join snowboarding superstar Jake and aspiring journalist Sophie as their lives once again spin out of control in this third Blindside adventure.
It’s been a few years since I’ve had Leslea Wahl in for an interview, so let’s catch up and learn more about the newest installment in her adventure series!
LB: Tell us a little about the development of this new adventure. Was it always the plan to have a third book?
LW: I’d always known I’d wanted at least three books in the Blindside series. So, while I was working on the second story, I thought it might be a good idea to jot down a quick rough draft for a third story. I asked my son if he had any ideas, and he provided an exciting thought that became the opening scene of the book. After jotting down a few scenes and plot ideas, I put it on the backburner for a few years as other projects drew my attention. When I finally decided to focus on The Ultimate Blindside, I knew something wasn’t quite right, so I asked a few author friends for their feedback. That is when the story really took shape.
LB: It’s so gratifying to see a story come to life after letting it simmer for a few years! What do you think is the hardest part of writing a sequel?
LW: Since I’d always believed that the idea for The Perfect Blindside was divinely inspired, creating the other stories felt like a daunting task. After all, how do you compete with God?! When I was inspired enough to write the second story, eXtreme Blindside, I was surprised how difficult it was to get back into the characters’ minds after working on other projects—especially Jake. That is why I tried to write at least some of the third book before I jumped into other projects.
LB: Getting in a character’s head seems to be a key for me too! Do you see more adventures in the future for Jake and Sophie? Please say yes!
LW: I’m not sure what the future holds for these characters. I have one more idea for when they are older, but I’m not sure yet what will happen in those intervening years. We’ll just see if inspiration strikes.
LB: I understand that too; you can’t force a story! If readers want more from these characters, where could they go?
LW: There are four short stories that feature Jake and Sophie, as well as Sophie’s cousin Ryan, and his girlfriend, Josie. Ryan and Josie are the main characters in my novel Into the Spotlight. My husband gave me the initial idea to have the characters of my first two novels intertwine in some way. Writing the short stories has been a lot of fun. Between Sophie and Ryan’s prank wars, Jake and Ryan’s competitiveness, and the clumsiness of Josie, a lot of chaos occurs when these four characters get together. The stories can be found in my all for One series which is available on Amazon.
The first story of that series, One Blessing at a Time is actually a prequel to The Perfect Blindside and shows how Jake and Sophie had a connection before they even met each other. And More Precious Than Gold was originally published in the Catholic
Teen Books anthology, Secrets: Visible & Invisible.
In addition to the short stories, I have additional content on my website, including fun facts and playlists featuring songs that inspired my characters and stories.
LB: I really liked Into the Spotlight! I haven’t read the short stories yet, but it’s great that you have lots of material for readers! What would you say is the underlying theme of The Ultimate Blindside?
LW: There are always a few themes running through my stories. One of the main themes in The Ultimate Blindside is the healing power and importance of forgiveness. Interestingly, that theme was not one I initially planned to include but developed
alongside the story.
As with most authors, music inspires my writing. I draw on certain songs when I’m creating scenes and characters. There was one song in particular that I listened to over and over when writing this story, “Only Jesus” by Casting Crowns. The song is about realizing that the accolades of this life are not what truly matter. Our relationship with Christ is all that is important. Amid Jake’s fame, this concept was something that I really wanted him to understand. As I continued to listen to that song, I realized that in order to get to that point, Jake needed to deal with his past and the broken friendships that had caused him so much pain. This led to some of my favorite and, I think, most meaningful scenes in the story.
LB: Isn’t it interesting as an author to see different themes emerge as the story takes shape? Ooh, it sounds like Jake will have a fulfilling character arc! Congratulations on your release!
Readers, remember to enter Leslea’s giveaway before February 22nd 🙂
Also, remember that the launch sale price for my newest release, Where Your Treasure Is, lasts through this week, so grab your bargain copy while you can 🙂
M Liz Boyle 