David Lubar on SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS and Humor

David Lubar brings his trademark humor and wit to Fresh Fiction as he talks about SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS and his current projects.

Jen: David, thank you for joining us at Fresh Fiction! My daughter, who always tells me she doesn’t like to read, told me how funny THE BATTLE OF THE RED HOT PEPPER WEENIESis. Now that she’s older, I think she’s going to enjoy SLEEPING FRESHMEN NEVER LIE and the new follow-up, SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS. So thank you for writing a funny story my daughter wants to read. SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS follows Scott into his sophomore year. After finishing SLEEPING FRESHMEN NEVER LIE, did you know you’d come back to Scott’s world and will we get to go all the way through high school with him?

David: First, thank you for the nice words about my work. I love hearing that one of my books helped a young reader find an author she can’t refuse. As for SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS, when I wrote SLEEPING FRESHMEN NEVER LIE, I had no plans for a second book about Scott Hudson. Several years ago, I ran into Julie Strauss-Gabel, Dutton’s editor in chief, at a conference. She asked me to think about a sequel. I liked the idea of revisiting the characters. I’m glad I said yes. It was a great experience and a wonderful adventure for me. I had a lot of fun looking for various ways that things could go terribly wrong. School did not go smoothly for our little sophomore. (I tell kids at schools that I make people miserable for a living.) I do hope to cover Scott’s junior and senior years, but only if I can find the right ideas.

Jen: The humor in your writing is so well done. It’s smart and sneaky in places and in others the situational humor is right up front. There are definitely layers to the humor which makes reading and re-reading your books a joy. What advice would you give to other writers who want to write with humor?

David: My approach was to go through my childhood without any athletic or social skills. That helped me hone my sense of humor as a defense mechanism. But for anyone who neglected to plan far ahead for a career in humor by being an obnoxious little brat as a child, the best advice I can give is to try to see things in different ways, and to pay attention to the stray thoughts that zip through your mind. Humor often rises from letting the listener make the connection. I think the perfect example is Rodney Dangerfield’s joke: “I bought my wife a pressure cooker. Now, I eat my meals off the ceiling.” When the listener figures out the unstated middle, the joke hits the funny bone with a solid whack.

Jen: Scott is a sweet character, and part of that is because he takes the time to see people as they are. Teens are often portrayed in media in the opposite light. Do you think Scott is atypical or do you feel that teens are not given enough credit for their thoughtfulness? What can your readers see in Scott and in themselves?

David: That’s a great question. I think that, as adults, we tend to remember the teen experiences that scar us, which gives us a lopsided memory of teens. Then, as adults, we encounter teens in less than ideal situations, such as in herds at the mall, further strengthening the stereotype of the self-absorbed, moody teen. But I visit a lot of middle schools, and I constantly see acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. I think the ratio of sweet, thoughtful teens to surly ones is the same as it is for adults.

Jen: Who are your top three favorite authors and why?

David: This is a constantly shifting field. I’d go with Robert Parker, because I loved his Spenser novels. They were filled with action and wit. I adore Katherine Paterson’s novels. I’m also dazzled by her essays about life and literature. I’m reluctant to pick a third author, because that instantly knocks dozens of beloved writers off the podium. But I guess, in the spirit of fully answering the question, I’d go with John Steinbeck. I know a lot of readers were force-fed his grim works, but there’s more to him than dust bowls, dead ponies, and tragic duos. CANNERY ROW is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.

Jen: Can you give us a sneak peek at what you’re working on now?

David: Sure. I’ll cover the spectrum, starting by gazing far into the future. I’m madly writing blog posts and answering questionnaires to help promote SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS. (The writing life is brutal and demanding one.) I’m thinking about a possible format/theme for a junior year book to follow this one up. I do have one concept that excites me. I bounced the idea off a teacher who works with juniors, and he shared my enthusiasm. Beyond that, I’m polishing short stories for the next Weenies collection, and I just finished dealing with a handful of second-pass copy-editor queries for CHARACTER, DRIVEN, which is a plot-driven coming-of-age novel hitting the shelves next March. Lastly, I’m working on my second cup of coffee for the morning. Thank you for the kind words and wonderful questions. This was fun.

Jen: David, thank you! I wish I were working on second cup of coffee myself, but I'm looking forward to seeing more from Scott and I can't wait to read CHARACTER, DRIVEN. Wonderful title.

About David Lubar

David Lubar has written more than thirty books for teens and young readers. His novels, including HIDDEN TALENTS and SLEEPING FRESHMAN NEVER LIE, are on reading lists across the country, saving countless students from a close encounter with Madam Bovary. His novel, DUNK, won Pennsylvania's Young Adult Book Award and was used by the New Jersey Library Association for their One Book New Jersey program. His Weenies short story collections have sold more than two million copies. He had several books come out this year, including Hyde and Shriek, and Extremities: Stories of Death, Murder, and Revenge (He's actually a much nicer person than these titles would indicate.) He is a popular speaker at schools and conferences around the country. He also designed and programmed many video games in an earlier eight-bit life, including Home Alone and Frogger 2.

In his spare time, he takes naps on the couch. He grew up in New Jersey, went to Rutgers, and now lives in Nazareth, PA with one awesome female and various annoying felines. You can visit him on the web at www.davidlubar.com.

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About SOPHOMORES AND OTHER OXYMORONS

Scott Hudson has somehow managed to survive Freshman year. But with a new baby brother in the house and a whole host of adventures awaiting him at school, Sophomore year promises to be anything but boring.

An honest and funny follow-up to the popular Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, award-winning author David Lubar pens a tale that perfectly captures the ridiculous, tumultuous, and sometimes heartbreaking truths about high school.