Chicklish interviews Daria Snadowsky, author of Anatomy of a Boyfriend, with a focus on the Judy Blume connection
Hello Daria. Your book has been compared to Judy Blume's Forever, and I saw parallels with this book too (in a wonderful way, because I love both books). What do you think of this comparison? Did you set out to write a book like Forever, or did it just happen?
Forever (1975) is indeed the central inspiration behind Anatomy of a Boyfriend. In Anatomy I try to be as honest and informative as Forever is with regard to the issues of love, sex and dating high school sweethearts after graduation.
I’ve always found it unfortunate that “love” is saddled with such negative words, such as “crazy”, “nuts” and “infatuation” especially since love is such a normal, human experience that can affect even the smartest, most rational people. Dominique in Anatomy of a Boyfriend makes some poor choices and silly mistakes out of love, but like Katherine in Forever, she's drawn in a nonjudgmental way so that readers may identify with and learn from her rather than simply look down on her, even if they don't agree with her decisions.
As for the sex, Forever is known for revolutionary love scenes that succeed in being graphic without becoming gratuitous, so I attempt to walk that fine line in Anatomy while still going into more detail than Forever. I’m the first to admit that literature’s most sensual love scenes always fade to black after the first kiss, but in Anatomy I go for realism over romanticism. The “first times” with someone you love are certainly magical and wonderful, but they’re also often accompanied by awkwardness, disappointment and pain, so I hope Anatomy gives a matter-of-fact take on those initial fumblings.
Both Forever and Anatomy concern couples who fall in love over senior year of high school and plan on dating past graduation, which is a scenario that affects thousands upon thousands of teens each year. But whereas Forever ends during the summer after high school, Anatomy follows the characters through their first year of university in order to illustrate the unavoidable conflict between, on the one hand, being open to all the new and exciting experiences college has to offer, and on the other, attempting desperately to hold on to the past.
Did you read a lot of Judy Blume books when you were a teenager? Which was your favourite of her books and why?
I swore by Judy Blume throughout my childhood, and I think my favourite of her books is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. It’s a story about a sixth grade girl who just moved to a new city and has to make new friends, and on top of all that, her body isn't developing as quickly as she'd like, and she's starting to have crushes on boys. The character of Margaret exemplifies the hopes and fears of preteen girls all over the world, and it demystifies in a totally non-threatening way so many of the issues young adults obsess over but may be embarrassed to talk about with each other, let alone adults.
Judy Blume used to receive a lot of letters from her readers, and it's probably even easier now for readers to get in touch via email. Have you had a large response so far from readers of Anatomy of a Boyfriend?
The response has been incredible, and I cherish every email I receive. Many of these letters are very personal, and I’m touched readers connected enough with the book to feel comfortable confiding in me. Writing Anatomy was such a solitary activity, so knowing that the story affected others on such a deep, emotional level makes all the loneliness worthwhile.
And have you ever written to Judy Blume yourself?
In March of ‘06, almost a year before Anatomy of a Boyfriend hit the shelves, I sent Judy Blume a mostly-edited version of the manuscript along with a letter informing her that I dedicated the book to her. A few weeks passed... and in May she sent me an email! She said she enjoyed the book so much she “had trouble putting it down.” Suffice it to say that was a very, very good day.
Thank you very much for talking to us, Daria Snadowsky. Before we say goodbye, where can your readers find you? Do you have a blog?
Yes! I keep a livejournal. You can link to my journal from my website. You can also visit me on MySpace. And be sure to Build Your Own Boyfriend!
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