What is it like writing about the same exact day over and over again?

Who wouldn’t want a do-over? How often have we each done something we wish we could undo, or dream about delivering that perfect response or come-back to a person that we came up with on the ride home? Of course, the chance to change past mistakes also comes along with the chance to mess up in completely new and unpredictable ways. Andie’s first day at her new school is a train wreck and she certainly deserves a do-over, but of course that opportunity comes at a cost. As Andie gets deeper into the curse of reliving the same day over and over, she feels isolated and alone which is such a universal feeling. It’s kind of ironic to think that feeling lonely is a common thing that actually connects us all!

While it’s true that everyone feels awkward from time to time, it doesn’t help us feel any better when we’re in the middle of a totally awkward situation! Awkwardness is one of those things that grows the more you focus on it. When a situation, or conversation, or (worst of all) silent pause grows awkward I’ll often just go ahead and acknowledge it. Of course, saying out loud, “Wow, that was awkward,” doesn’t always diffuse the awkwardness, sometimes it only gives it more power! All I do know for sure is that nobody has ever died from awkwardness. Yet.

Since Andie isn’t able to create any lasting relationships, she feels awkward and alone every single day, which is excruciating at first. She’s forced to push past her comfort zone again and again, which it turns out is a good thing to practice no matter who you are. Once I established the clear structure of Andie’s classes and interactions following a specific order each day, I wanted to show how having a different attitude affected each day’s outcome. By using the hashtag #todayiswhatyoumakeit we’re emphasizing the power that each one of us has to make the most of every day we’re given.

About the Author

Laurie Boyle Crompton is the YA author of the upcoming PRETTY IN PUNXSUTAWNEY (Blink/HarperCollins 2019) as well as ADRENALINE CRUSH (Macmillan/2014, Square Fish/2016), BLAZE (or Love in the Time of Supervillains), THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH and LOVE AND VANDALISM (Sourcebooks/2013, 2014, 2017). Growing up in ‘Pennsyltucky’ in the 1980s, Laurie couldn’t wait to escape rural life. After saving up her tips from waitressing at a local greasy spoon at 18 she packed up her acid wash jeans and moved to NY. Where everyone else had stopped wearing acid wash.

She graduated first in her class from St. John’s University with a BA in English and Journalism. Since then she’s written for national magazines like ALLURE, survived a teaching stint at an all-boy high school, and appeared on Good Day New York several times as a Toy Expert. And yes, ‘toy expert’ is an actual profession. Really.

She has lived in places like Orlando, Florida where she and her husband spent all of their spare time and money visiting theme parks before moving to the Cotswolds in England for six months, which was every bit as cool as that sounds. The Cromptons are now back in New York where their two children resent never going to Disney.

Laurie occasionally enjoys hanging out in fields of blooming flowers and also referring to herself in the third person.

Tour Schedule Here.