Everywhere You Want to Be
Christina June
YA Contemporary
On sale May 1, 2018
Christina June is back, everyone! The author of It Started with Goodbye brings you Everywhere You Want to Be, a new novel based on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood. This story may or may not feature some of your favorite characters from ISWG, and is set in New York City in the summertime. What could be better? Well, I’ll let Christina tell you.
JM: Welcome to your second book brag, Christina! Tell us a little bit about Everywhere You Want to Be and what inspired you to write the story.
CJ: Thanks! As I was working on ISWG, it became increasingly obvious that Tilly had a story to tell, so I thought about what the next steps would be for her in her dancing career—or not. And, because I love New York so much, I thought it would be fun to put her in a new setting and see how she handled it. I really enjoyed continuing the character development of some of my favorites from ISWG, even in small ways. It’s been fun to revisit them and figure out what they’re up to a year later.
JM: Why did you choose Little Red Riding Hood as the fairytale retelling for this book?
CJ: When I started mulling over what kind of conflict Tilly might have in her life, LRRH just fit. A girl who is a true rule-follower getting distracted from the path set for her by the “big bad wolf?” It just made sense. Ultimately, it’s a story of a girl trying to figure out what’s right for her, discovering the value of friends and allies, and making amends for the mistakes she’s made in the past. Plus, kissing.
JM: Tilly—the heroine of EYWTB—and Tatum—the heroine of ISWG—are stepsisters, but are completely different people. Which of your characters do you relate to more?
CJ: Definitely Tatum. Tilly is more of a worrier, more careful with her words and her actions than Tatum is. She’s more cautious overall, but she also isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. She was definitely a challenge to write because of how unlike me she is, but I’m pleased how she turned out.
JM: Tilly falls in love with NYC while she’s there for her summer dance program. Do you heart NYC too? What are some of your favorite places in the city?
CJ: Yes, I love New York so very much. It has a totally different energy than any other place I’ve ever been. My favorites include Chelsea Market and Central Park, going on food and historical walking tours, and seeing shows on Broadway, but the very best time, for me, is always just walking new-to-me neighborhoods and people-watching.
JM: If you and Tilly had a dance-off, what would be your go-to move?
CJ: Definitely the sprinkler, though I can also do a mean Electric Slide.
Thanks so much, Christina! Readers, stay tuned for more posts on Everywhere You Want to Be and from Christina, and be sure to preorder the book at the links below.
About Everywhere You Want to Be
Matilda Castillo has always followed the rules, but when she gets injured senior year, she’s sure her dreams of becoming a contemporary dancer have slipped away. So when Tilly gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the summer with a New York dance troupe, nothing can stop her from saying yes—not her mother, not her fears of the big city, and not the commitment she made to Georgetown. Tilly’s mother allows her to go on two conditions: one, Tilly will regularly visit her abuela in New Jersey, and two, after the summer, she’ll give up dancing and go off to college.
Armed with her red vintage sunglasses and her pros and cons lists, Tilly strikes out, determined to turn a summer job into a career—and figure out how to break it to her mother later. Along the way she meets new friends … and new enemies. Tilly isn’t the only one desperate to dance, and fellow troupe member Sabrina Wolfrik intends to succeed at any cost. But despite dodging sabotage and blackmail attempts from Sabrina, Tilly can’t help but fall in love with the city, especially since Paolo, a handsome musician from her past, is also calling New York home for the summer.
As the weeks wind down and the competition with Sabrina heats up, Tilly’s future is on the line. She must decide whether to follow her mother’s path to Georgetown or leap into the unknown to pursue her own dreams.
About the Author
Christina June writes young adult contemporary fiction when she’s not writing college recommendation letters during her day job as a school counselor. She loves the little moments in life that help someone discover who they’re meant to become—whether it’s her students or her characters. Christina is a voracious reader, loves to travel, eats too many cupcakes, and hopes to one day be bicoastal—the east coast of the U.S. and the east coast of Scotland. She lives just outside Washington, D.C. with her husband and daughter. See more at www.ChristinaJune.com.
About the Cover
Love the cover as much as we do? Check out the exclusive cover reveal story with YA Books Central here.
About Jillian
Jillian Manning is the acquisitions editor for Blink YA Books. She spends her days editing manuscripts and her evenings fighting book crime as a masked vigilante known as the Blink Ninja. Follow her on Twitter at @LillianJaine or on her blog at www.EditorSays.com.
