Guest Post: Liz Fichera–Hooked

Hooked by Liz Fichera was the first story I’ve ever read that had a protagonist who played golf. I thought that would go right over my head but she made it interesting.

Today Liz is here to discuss her debut YA novel and why she chose that sport and the beautiful Gila River Indian Community as the setting for Hooked.

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED
Goodreads | Amazon

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Inspiration Behind HOOKED

By Liz Fichera

Q. What inspired you to write Hooked?

Typically I get story ideas whenever I’m listening to music or reading poetry. I also get lots of story ideas whenever I’m alone in the desert, hiking. With Hooked, the inspiration hit me a little differently.
I was driving down a long stretch of road by my home, alongside the Gila River Indian Community, in Phoenix, Arizona. The idea for Hooked popped into my head like a popcorn kernel. It was frustrating to be driving because I really wanted to concentrate on the story and these images that began to take shape in my head, namely the very clear image of a fearless Gila teenage girl with a golf club in her hand. Yeah, a golf club. Weird, I know, but she was waving her club at me. Like a challenge.

Fortunately I did not swerve off the road. ☺

Why golf? If you’ve ever visited Phoenix, there are golf courses everywhere. It’s an enormous Southwestern state with wide open spaces and, oftentimes, beautiful desert as far as you can see, along with over 20 Native American tribes throughout the state. What you don’t hear about very often, if at all, are Native American golfers, especially girl golfers. I knew that I had to create this story.

I’m a very visual person so as the story began to build in my mind I began to take photos of places I knew that I wanted in my story, bringing the story to life for me. By the time I had written my first draft, the characters were completely real, breathing human beings.

I put together a Behind the Scenes Hooked Inspiration video a while back. It contains photos and one of my most favorite songs, written and performed by a Chicago teen who happened to be one of my Hooked beta readers. I think it captures the essence of the story perfectly.

Here’s the link: YouTube


Bio: Liz Fichera is an American author living in the American Southwest by way of Chicago. She likes to write stories about ordinary teens who do extraordinary things. To learn more, visit http://www.lizfichera.com/