Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery
Synopsis:
In the tradition of I Know What You Did Last Summer and How to Get Away with Murder, five teens must overcome their paranoia in order to keep their teacher’s death a secret in this fast-paced suspense thriller.
Nothing ruins summer vacation like a secret…especially when it involves a dead teacher.
Ivy used to be on top of the social ladder, until her ex made that all go away. She has a chance to be Queen Bee again, but only if the rest of the group can keep quiet.
Tyler has always been a bad boy, but lately he’s been running low on second chances. There’s no way he’s going to lose everything because someone couldn’t keep their mouth shut.
Kinley wouldn’t describe herself as perfect, though everyone else would. But perfection comes at a price, and there is nothing she wouldn’t do to keep her perfect record—one that doesn’t include murder charges.
Mattie is only in town for the summer. He wasn’t looking to make friends, and he definitely wasn’t looking to be involved in a murder. He’s also not looking to be riddled with guilt for the rest of his life…but to prevent that he’ll have to turn them all in.
Cade couldn’t care less about the body, or about the pact to keep the secret. The only way to be innocent is for someone else to be found guilty. Now he just has to decide who that someone will be.
With the police hot on the case, they don’t have much time to figure out how to trust each other. But in order to take the lead, you have to be first in line…and that’s the quickest way to get stabbed in the back.
“His left eye was partially open, revealing a half-moon of jelly-white eyeball.” There are others that I love too, but they don’t make as much sense out of context—and that quote is from the back of the book! J
That would be SO AWESOME. It’s super hard to choose a good cast, but here are some fun options! However, if a real casting director wanted a shot at it, I mean, I would be totally cool with that.
My next book from Simon Pulse is called Such a Good Girl and I’m ridiculously excited about it. One of the taglines we’re considering is “Even good girls do bad things.”
Hello Amanda! We are super excited to have you back in our FFBC tours.
Could you tell our Book Addicts a little bit about Secrets, Lies & Scandals?
Secrets, Lies, and Scandals is a kind of a How to Get Away With Murder Lois Duncan throwback. It’s fast-paced, intense, and features a cast of main characters that get in a lot of trouble and have to figure out how, exactly, to trust each other and keep from getting caught.
What can you tell us about all the main characters in this novel? Which one would you say is your favorite and why?
They’re all my favorite! I love these characters! That’s really difficult. Cade is great. He’s so tough on the outside but he’s so protective and strong and loves his sister more than anything. Then you have Tyler, who really is trying to get back on the right track when everything goes wrong. And Ivy, who was the queen bee, starts genuinely questioning her decisions morally and who she has been as a person. Then there’s Kinley, who prides herself on being perfect and wants to make her father proud. But last we have Mattie, who I saved because he’s the moral compass of the book. There’s no way to choose. I can’t do it.
What would you do if you were one of the characters in your story? (We’d probably freak out a lot!).
Oh, I’d call 9-1-1 immediately. And I’d probably cry. It would be the shortest story ever.
How did you come up with the story? Did you find inspiration in any other story/movie/show and how has this affected your writing?
I absolutely adored the Lois Duncan books in middle school. They were so fast-paced and scary and appealing and wonderful! I can’t imagine honestly ever being as awesome as Lois Duncan was, but she was an influence for sure. As for the story, I like storylines that are fast-paced, fun and appealing to teens (I hope)!
Tell us your favorite quote from Secrets, Lies & Scandals.
Is there a specific scene that you had the most fun to write?
I love the scene where the entire crew is in the car on the dirt road. It’s raining, the road is wet, and the car is fishtailing.
If you had to pick one song to be the Theme Song for Secrets, Lies & Scandals – Which one would you pick?
I would LOVE to use “Secret” by the Pierces, but Pretty Little Liars already did….
I also found this song, which I think works too….
“Best Kept Secret” by Hattie Keane
Imagine that we get to see your book on the big screen (how awesome would that be?). Who would you pick to play your characters?
That would be SO AWESOME. It’s super hard to choose a good cast, but here are some fun options! However, if a real casting director wanted a shot at it, I mean, I would be totally cool with that.
Ivy: Lily Collins
Mattie: Dylan O’Brien
Kinley: Aeriel Miranda
Tyler: Nicholas Hoult
Cade: Takayuki Yamada
Is there any recommendations you could give your readers to be in the “perfect mood” to read Secrets, Lies & Scandals (specific music, snacks…)?
Go on vacation and slip it in your beach tote! Add flip-flops, water, and sand!
What’s next for you?
Thank you so much for everything, Amanda!
Thank you! I appreciate you all so much! J
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Amanda K. Morgan is a freelance writer living in Nashville, TN. She covers events and works as a technical writer when she isn't working on her YA novels.
At age 15, Amanda finished her first novel and continued to write in college, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in English and an emphasis in Creative Writing.
Amanda is an avid volleyball player and spends time playing both indoors and out. When Amanda isn't writing, she enjoys being entirely too busy and trying new things. Endeavors as of late include appearances in music videos, TV, and movies, rock climbing, and attending as many concerts and shows as her schedule allows.
Amanda headed up the Do The Write Thing for Nashville Project (with co-organizers/authors Victoria Schwab and Myra McEntire), which tapped some of the biggest authors, editors, and agents in the industry for an online auction that raised over $70,000 for Midsouth flood relief.
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I am always up for a good thriller/suspense read. Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI love mysteries and thrillers and this sounds like it's going to be fantastic! Such a fun interview too :)
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