League of American Traitors by Matthew LandisPublisher: Sky Pony
Release Date: August 8, 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Historical
Synopsis: Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it. . . .
When seventeen year-old Jasper is approached at the funeral
of his deadbeat father by a man claiming to be an associate
of his deceased parents, he’s thrust into a world of secrets tied to
America’s history—and he’s right at the heart of it.
First, Jasper finds out he is the sole surviving descendant of Benedict Arnold, the most notorious traitor in American history. Then he learns that his father’s death was no accident. Jasper
is at the center of a war that has been going on for centuries, in which the descendants of the heroes and traitors of the American Revolution still duel to the death for the sake of their honor.
His only hope to escape his dangerous fate on his eighteenth birthday? Take up the research his father was pursuing at the time
of his death, to clear Arnold’s name.
Whisked off to a boarding school populated by other descendants of notorious American traitors, it’s a race to discover the truth. But if Jasper doesn’t find a way to uncover the evidence his father was hunting for, he may end up paying for the sins of his forefathers with his own life.
Like a mash-up of National Treasure and Hamilton, Matthew Landis’s debut spins the what-ifs of American history into a heart-pounding thriller steeped in conspiracy, clue hunting, and danger.
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Meet Matthew,
of way. My passion is convincing my students that the past is actually hilarious, shocking, tragic, disturbing, and altogether
UN-boring. While getting my graduate degree in History at Villanova, I realized that there was yet one more way to do this: write contemporary young adult books laced with history to convince my students that past isn't as awful as they think. That’s a huge reason why I wrote The Judas Society.
Some other stuff: I love poetry but don’t understand it; I want Gordon Ramsay to give me a fatherly hug at some point; I tend toward the unapologetically dramatic; and (to my great shame) I didn’t read the Harry Potter series until last year. I’m also really good at covering up patent insecurities with self-deprecating humor (like this joke).
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Interview:
1.What is your favorite thing about being a writer? I love creating worlds and then letting people into them;
it’s sort of like letting people get to know me, indirectly. When my friends read my books, they’re often like “Dude I could totally hear you say that” which is awesome, because it means I’m coming through authentically.
2.What advice can you give to aspiring writers?
Two things.
1) Don’t stop. Ever. You won’t finish that novel unless you actually finish it, so go do it.
2) Don’t let writing consume you, because it can’t make you happy. Affirmation from getting published is great, but like everything in life, it fades. Pursue your dream of writing a book and getting it into stores, but don’t base your feelings of value on it, because it will let you down.
3.What do you do when you have writers block?
Depends on the block. If it’s straight up “I have no idea where this scene is going or its purpose” I stop and consult my story map to figure out where the heck I am and what I should
be communicating. If the writer’s block is “I have zero good ideas” I stop writing altogether and watch movies and listen to all sorts of music to get the feels.
4.What is your least favorite thing about being a writer?
I hate how books (like many cool things) can easily become a
ll-consuming pursuits. I try really hard to set up concrete boundaries—teacher, husband, dad, neighbor, writer—but that’s harder when it comes to mental space. Books suck you in and you can get lost in them, forgetting that they are actually made up things that matter far less than you are making them currently. It’s not that they are unimportant; it’s that there are many things that are far more important. A convicting question for me is: Am I as invested in the lives and burdens
of my coworkers and neighbors as I am my made up story? That answer crushes me constantly, and I am always fighting against the siren call of my manuscript.
5.Do you have an email subscription or Facebook group that my followers and I can follow to keep up to date on you and your writing?
My author Facebook page is Matthew Landis, where I post updates on books and other items. I write some blog posts as well on my website, usually about nerdy stuff –
http://www.matthew-landis.com/new-blog/
Great interview Paige!! I love how he talks about balance because that can be used in all interests, not just writing. Thanks for being on the tour!
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