The Children’s Book Review | July 12, 2016
The Children’s Book Review: Which five words best describe Shiny Broken Pieces?
Sona Charaipotra: Redemption, fulfillment, achievement, catharsis, closure.
Dhonielle Clayton: Vengeance, Redemption, Second Chances, Dreams, Grit.
If you had to take a vacation with one of the characters from Shiny Broken Pieces, who would it be? Why?
Sona Charaipotra: Probably Gigi. She’s carefree and fun, whereas the others seem like a pain to travel with.
Dhonielle Clayton: Bette. She would be down for anything.
What has been the best reaction from a reader, so far?
Sona Charaipotra: Best was a Korean-American reader who told me that June meant she finally saw herself on the page – not because of her personality, of course (because God help us!), but because of the cultural experiences reflected. I’ve rarely (if ever) seen myself on the page. So that meant a lot.
Dhonielle Clayton: One teen made her own book trailer with her favorite quotes, and she danced in the video.
What’s on your nightstand? Any books?
Sona Charaipotra: Always a random stack. But I tend to also have my iPad plugged in, so I can read in the dark when the littles go to bed. Right now, I’m reading The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, And I Darken by Kiersten White, The Belles by Dhonielle (yep, be jealous!) and Hungry Heart, which is an upcoming memoir on writing and life by Jennifer Weiner.
Dhonielle Clayton: Melatonin and books. I read multiple books at a time, so the pile consists of: Save Me A Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan, The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner, The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye, and Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee.
For your writing energy: sugar or salt, tea or coffee?
Sona Charaipotra: Always chai. Extra strong and extra sweet. And various snacks, usually cookies of some sort.
Dhonielle Clayton: Salt. Popcorn. And tea.
Writing tools: computer, pen and paper, or all of the above?
Sona Charaipotra: My Macbook goes with me everywhere! I also have notebooks handy, but use them more for brainstorming or freewriting. I love to use Scrivener for outlining and rearranging, but tend to write in Word.
Dhonielle Clayton: All of the above. But I always start with pen and paper.
Can you tell us one more thing we may not know about Shiny Broken Pieces, your writing style, or yourself?
Sona Charaipotra: I’m a master procrastinator. If I don’t have a built-in distraction, I’ll go looking for one. So I usually write on the sofa, with the TV on something as background: House Hunters, Food Network, or Days of Our Lives.
Dhonielle Clayton: I eat cupcakes upside down because I hate frosting.
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Publisher’s Synopsis: Featuring a diverse cast of characters, plenty of gossip, lies, and scandal, Shiny Broken Piecescontinues with the soapy drama readers loved in Tiny Pretty Things.
June, Bette, and Gigi are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose…and no one is playing nice. June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. But being the best could mean sacrificing the love of her life. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. It all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?
Ages 14 and up | Publisher: HarperTeen | July 12, 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-0062342423
Add this book to your collection: Shiny Broken Pieces: A Tiny Pretty Things Novel
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About Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton
Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton met while attending the New School’s acclaimed Writing for Children MFA program. Sona is a journalist who has written for the New York Times, People, Parade, Cosmopolitan, and other major media. Dhonielle is a librarian at a middle school in Harlem, and taught English at a cutthroat ballet academy. Together, the pair cofounded CAKE Literary, a boutique book packaging company with a decidedly diverse bent. Find them online at www.cakeliterary.com.
This interview with Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton, authors of Shiny Broken Pieces, was conducted by Bianca Schulze. Follow along with our content tagged with Diversity, Young Adult Fiction, Teens: Young Adults, and Speed Interview to discover more great books.