Words At Large

Shelagh Rogers talks with writer Rebecca Eckler about Rotten Apple, her coming-of-age novel for teens

Posted by Kimberly Walsh on November 25 at 12:00 AM

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Rotten AppleIn this feature interview from The Next Chapter, Shelagh Rogers speaks with Rebecca Eckler about the Toronto journalist’s first novel, Rotten Apple. It tells the story of Apple, a usually calm and in control teenager whose life gets turned upside down when she develops a major crush on her friend Zen. In an attempt to keep a beautiful rival away from him, Apple poses as her famous mother, a self-help guru, in a series of e-mails. But she gets caught, and ends up having her secrets revealed on national TV.

Eckler herself is no stranger to putting her personal life in the public eye. In her previous two books, Knocked Up and Wiped!, she shares details of her complicated relationships and adventures during and after her pregnancy. Eckler has also written for the Globe and Mail, National Post, Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.

Check out the podcast of the entire show for more, including Todd Babiak on why lad lit, the male equivalent of chick lit, hasn’t taken off.

First aired November 22, 2008 on The Next Chapter. [runs 11:01]

Catch The Next Chapter on Saturdays at 3 p.m. EST (3:30 NT) on CBC Radio One, or listen online.

Comments

Chick lit. Makes me woof my cookies. Why not encourage young adults to read books that are more imaginative, provocative, creative? Eckler is not a great writer to begin with. Chick lit evokes images of consumerism, boy-crazy-ism, etc. Why not YA science fiction and fantasy? Look at Harry Potter - can't you ask for more in terms of female role models than the wonderful Hermione Granger? Or graphic novels like Gaiman's Sandman (very popular with female fans), where the most popular character is Death, drawn as a perky cute Goth girl, but smart and cool? Forget chick lit and bypass Eckler's work. Teenage girls deserve more sensible works than chick-lit.

Posted by: Sue Hickey | November 25, 2008 10:29 AM

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