According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a sophomore is a student in their second year at a four-year high school or college. The word sophomore comes from the Greek sophos, meaning “wise”, and mōros, meaning “foolish”, so a sophomore is literally a wise fool. What an apt description for the heroine of my nostalgic coming-of-age novel SONG OF A SOPHOMORE which is set in a 1990s American high school.
On the cusp of her 16th birthday, new girl Rose Blakeway finds herself in the midst of a transformation. Once a freckled, fluffy nobody who drowns her sorrows and insecurities in mixtapes and daydreams, Rose makes the courageous choice to reinvent herself. On the path to success she not only stumbles but flat out falls on her face, becoming prey to bullies and big shots. Rose must overcome anxiety, find her authentic voice, and learn to love her body to become her best self.
It’s all going great until she unwittingly becomes the object of affection to not one, but two, popular boys who happen to be best friends. Who will she choose? Rose will have to face the music and listen to the the song of her heart to make a wise choice… or risk becoming a fool.
Why Tell This Story?
It is my first novel and it feels like my first child, although I began writing it over a decade ago as a new mother to a beautiful baby boy. Back then, I battled postpartum depression and needed a creative outlet to express the tough emotions which stemmed from not only sleepless nights and the hormonal roller coaster of early motherhood, but also the difficult experiences I went through as a young adult.
When I was 14, I moved from a happy, friend-filled existence to a new town a thousand miles away where I struggled to make connections and find my place. To make matters worse, I joined an athletic team where I absolutely did not fit in and my female teammates made sure I knew it. Everyday.
Girl bullying is something different than your standard name calling. It is often passive aggressive comments, jokes that wound, pranks intended to humiliate, and down-right exclusion from the group. I needed a creative outlet to reflect on these soul-shattering experiences of mine which caused me to isolate in times of need and struggle making female friendships. Writing fiction and the sharing the painful lessons I learned allowed me to heal those wounds and, hopefully, empower others to do the same.
Exposing Insecurities
It is a body-positive story of a teen girl who is deeply self-conscious of her fuller frame–and we all know how toxic the 1990s were to women’s self image, just watch some of your favorite old TV shows and movies. Rose’s mother is obsessed with fitness and having the perfect figure, which only makes matters worse.
My own mother, who is a truly kind, beautiful woman, was similarly focused on her physical body (as so many of us are in midlife), which inspired me to bring this trait to Gloria, Rose’s mom. I really wanted the reader to understand the pressure Rose felt to be perfect from society and her family, which I think is so relatable. That desire to please her parents is what pushes Rose to do something she never thought she would–try out for cheerleading.
In the story, judgmental cheerleaders Bethany and Katelyn become Rose’s “frienemies” and make her life miserable until Rose can become strong enough to stand up to them. I was a cheerleader in high school which had its ups and downs. Hopefully, I brought some authenticity to this part of the story through my own involvement in the cheer world which has come a long way since the 1990s!
I am in no way hating on cheerleaders, or basing my characters off of anyone I encountered in real life. My intention is simply to draw on my experiences and struggles as a teen to weave a story about overcoming bullying, low self esteem and negative body image.
Laying the 90s Nostalgia on Thick
Then there is the pop culture, fashion, slang and music of the 1990s, which is pretty much is the star of the book. Each chapter corresponds to a track on Rose’s mixtape. (For you young people, we used to grab a blank cassette tape and record our favorite songs off the radio back in the day.) I loved selecting the songs which inspired each scene and I hope others will love the playlist as much as I do! Check it out here on Spotify.
My 90s nostalgia ran rampant while writing this book but it was so fun to relive all those fun things, including unrequited crushes, first dates, driving lessons, homecoming, prom and the whole American teenage package. Rose’s two male love interests are completely fictional, but I did have some inspiration from film and TV leading men–Luke Perry in 90210, anyone?. In some ways they are such 1990s stock characters (the tropes are strong with this novel), but hopefully readers will appreciate the nuisances and unexpected qualities of each, which makes them more well-rounded characters in the end.
The Verdict?
I’m happy to report readers have, in fact, liked the book so far. I bravely posted it on Wattpad a couple of years ago after a very short stint at querying (my burgeoning author self-esteem was too delicate for that) and it has been selected as a finalist in award contests. If you want to check it out, click here and please leave me some votes and comments. This is how my novel moves up in the Wattpad world.
Thanks for your support!
Marie
Marie McKoy 