I was happy to get the opportunity to ask Alison Gervais a few questions about her upcoming book
In 27 Days, which will be published by
Blink YA Books on July 25, 2017. Without further ado:
- How did you come up for the idea of In 27 Days?
I have absolutely NO idea where the idea for IN 27 DAYS came from. I was just sitting on a plane on my way home from a youth conference in Indianapolis, and all of a sudden I asked the person sitting next to me if I could have a pen and a piece of paper because I knew I just had to start writing something. That something turned out to be IN 27 DAYS. When I was writing the story, there were bits and pieces of certain scenes that were rather emotional for me. I’ve struggled with depression for years, and I think it always will be an ongoing battle for me. It was difficult not to feel for these characters as their story unfolded because I’d been in some similar situations before.
- Has writing the book changed your perspective on suicide in any way? Did you do any research for it, or what did you learn along the way?
I wouldn’t say that writing the book changed my perspective on suicide because I’ve almost always held the belief that it is not the right answer. Making the decision to end your own life can and will irrevocably change the lives of your loved ones and others around you. Suicide was unfortunately a consistent occurrence in my town. I remember when I first started writing the story, we were sat down in class and told that a twelve-year-old boy at one of our middle schools in town had committed suicide, and it just absolutely broke my heart. Unfortunately that’s something we still see today.
- What kind of response did you get from the Wattpad community?
I was very surprised by the success of IN 27 DAYS. Six years ago, when it first debuted on Wattpad, the plot was still a bit out there, and you didn’t see quite as many books than you do now, covering suicide and mental health.
- Was writing In 27 Days an emotional experience?
When I was writing the story, there were bits and pieces of certain scenes that were rather emotional for me. I’ve struggled with depression for years, and I think it always will be an ongoing battle for me. It was difficult not to feel for these characters as their story unfolded because I’d been in some similar situations before.
- What were you doing 27 days ago? What do you think you'll be doing 27 days from now?
Hmm. 27 days ago I was – and I am still! – working full time as a Deaf Services Specialist, a job that I absolutely love. I was beyond excited to be heading to the Book Expo of America in NYC just a few days later. 27 days from now, we’ll be so close to the release of IN 27 DAYS I don’t know how I’m going to handle it!
- What advice would you give to a teen (or anyone) who has a friend whom they think might be suicidal?
I’m in no way a mental health expert, but I think it’s important to inform a trusted adult immediately of what’s going on. Don’t think that you have to solve the problem simply by yourself. It is 100% okay to ask for help. I remember discussing this topic in a psychology class I took at my university, and nine times out of ten, that friend who is feeling suicidal will tell you what’s going on if you just ask.
About the Book
Hadley
Jamison receives an unexpected shock when she hears her classmate,
Archer Morales, committed suicide. She didn’t know the quiet,
reserved guy very well, but Hadley can’t shake the feeling that
there was something she could
have done to help him. Little does she know, she will actually have
the chance. At Archer’s funeral, Hadley is approached by a man
named Death who offers her a deal—if she accepts, she will be sent
back twenty-seven days in time to prevent Archer from committing
suicide.
Twenty-seven
days was the length of time it took for Archer to decide to kill
himself, and twenty-seven days is all Hadley has to succeed in saving
him. Unfortunately, Archer isn’t exactly on the same page. Despite
his cold comebacks and aloof exterior, Hadley knows he needs her, and
continues to pursue a friendship with him. Archer begins softening
up, and Hadley believes that her mission to save him will be a
success.
But just
when Hadley is beginning to feel confident, a series of dangerous
accidents occur. She and Archer are pushed apart, and she must decide
whether she is ready to risk everything—including her own life—to
keep Archer safe.
