ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Im guessing these werent the circumstances under which youd expected to release a novel!
How has that been?
What was the initial inspiration for the novel?
Twitter; Penguin Random House
Always such a rich topic!
What did you want to explore there?
I think that theres something so potent about the way that young women interact with each other.
Its kind of this strange push-and-pull.
It also becomes evident that the Players initiation is worse for the girls than it is for the boys.
Why was that inequality something you wanted to bring to this?
And as a young girl, I never felt like I could see that power.
Because being a teenager is so stressful.
Theyre put under so much pressure to succeed and be the absolute best and pay for college somehow… You want to be part of the in-crowd.
I wanted to make the group something so potent that you felt like you couldnt say no.
I was so horrified by their hazing!
How did you come up with those forms of torture?!
I mean, just from the terrible tortured brain of mine!
Its not the exact same, but its loosely inspired.
Were there any semi-sociopathic pop culture cliques that inspired the Players?
Have you seen that movie?
They Wish They Were Usgoes on sale Aug. 4.
Check out the books trailer above.
