Author of the “Perfect Chemistry” series Simone Elkeles visited Niles West on April 8. She did signings on all her books and even took some selfies with the students. The NWN got a chance to sit down and interview the renowned author.
NWN: Why and when did you begin to write books for young adults? How has it impacted your life?
Elkeles: I began writing when I was 30 and I really was not a big reader as a teenager, but I fell in love with reading as an adult. The first book that sucked me in was “She’s Come Undone” by Wally Lamb. It isn’t really the best book, but it is so well written. I really wish I had independent reading in my high school and I’m so glad that you guys have that now. So, I was like 30 when I started reading and falling in love with books and the power of books and the words that can make people laugh and cry and have emotions. I don’t write a book to teach a lesson. I try to entertain myself when I write. I try to write books that I would have loved to read as a teenager and that’s it. So, if it entertains me, hopefully, somehow somewhere it entertains someone else. It has impacted my life because my fans have impacted my life. There are fans that have told me that your books make me want to stop cutting or get out of my gang.
NWN: Why do you like to write Young Adult romance novels instead of Adult romance novels?
Elkeles: I tried writing an adult novel, but they say that every author has a voice and my voice skews young. So, I tried writing an adult novel, but my characters didn’t seem real. When I started writing the young adult novel, then it just flowed and I was like “Woah, I think this is where I belong” because I get teens. People always ask me how I can write for teens, but I was one. I remember what it was like. You have your first time driving, your first time kissing, your first time maybe having sex, which you shouldn’t have sex. I’m just saying. It’s all these firsts that are all so exciting. You’re kind of jaded as an adult and it’s more exciting when experiencing all these firsts. You’re in between being a child and being an adult and it’s interesting. You make mistakes because all teens make mistakes. I just love writing about teens and I love writing about that time in life and my voice just fits it better.
NWN: Where did your inspiration come from when writing the “Perfect Chemistry” series?
Elkeles: It came from my friend, Eduardo, who came to my house who is Mexican. Also, articles in the paper and there is a guy at my bagel store who reminds me of Alex. I just wanted to write about this guy. He’s got the swagger and tattoos. He knows that he’s my inspiration. I am the joke of the bagel store when I walk in. Certain people sometimes remind me of characters I want to write about because they’re so interesting.
NWN: What was it like writing about a culture that isn’t your own? Did you have to do a lot of research on the Mexican culture in order to portray it properly?
Elkeles: I did and if you’re writing about a culture that isn’t your own then you have to do tons of research. The first novel that I ever wrote was a Native-American romance novel and I did a ton of research on the history of Native-Americans. Same thing with the Hispanic culture. I might eat something different for breakfast than what Mexicans eat for breakfast. I have to know how they talk and how they think and what they eat. I did a lot of research on gang members and I went to juvie a few times to talk to the kids there.
NWN: What is one thing, if anything, that you would like to change about the books you’ve written or are there any certain scenes that you wish you could have added to any book?
Elkeles: That’s a really good question. No book is perfect, except “Perfect Chemistry.” In fact, sometimes I’ll read it and I’ll get sucked into it. Like “that sentence is brilliant. I cant believe I actually thought of that sentence.” I wouldn’t change a word in that story, but I would change something in the other books. I don’t know what, but I would change something.
NWN: Are there in books in the making? Are any of your books going to be turned into movies?
Elkeles: I hope my books are going to be movies one day. Right now, I have agents in Hollywood who are trying, but nothing has been optioned yet. I’m working on Wild Cards/Better Than Perfect Book 2. Then, hopefully, I will write another “Perfect Chemistry” book by the end of the year. It used to take me 3 months to write a book, then 6 months, and now it takes me about 9 months.
NWN: In the majority of your books there is a scene that is a bit racy. Do you believe that it is important to show that side of a relationship or is there some other reason that you added those parts?
Elkeles: I do it to be realistic. I don’t put it in my books just to put it in there. Although, I do get a lot of emails from teenagers that tell me to keep sex in the books. If you go to my How to Ruin books, there is no sex in it. I wanna be real. Teens want books to be real. If everybody is like I am going to be a virgin until I’m married, that would be great, but that isn’t everybody’s reality. So, Alex isn’t going to be a virgin and that’s what is realistic. Teens are smarter and they’ll call you on stuff if it isn’t reality. If it is real, then they’ll love it.
