“[Takaoka] grounds readers in Gracie’s 1987 world, from an immersive midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to Orange Juliuses at the local mall, landline phones, and Aqua Net. . . . A warmhearted story that will resonate with anyone who has ever dreamed of reinventing themselves.” —Kirkus Reviews
From the Publisher: “Gracie feels like a minor character in her own life story—until a mysterious journal turns her fictional stories into reality.
It’s 1987, and sixteen-year-old Gracie Byrne wishes her life were totally different. Shy and awkward, she has trouble fitting in at her new school, she’s still reeling from her parents’ divorce, and her grandmother Katherine’s Alzheimer’s is getting worse. So when Gracie finds a blank journal in Katherine’s vanity drawer, she begins writing stories about herself—a more popular version of herself, that is. But then the hot guy in her art class describes a dream he had about her—the exact scene she wrote about him in her journal—and Gracie realizes that she can create any reality she wants, from acing tests to winning the attention of her previously indifferent classmates. As her ability to change what is into what she wishes it to be grows stronger, though, Gracie starts to second-guess what’s real—especially when it comes to a budding relationship with her cute neighbor, Tom. This compelling story deftly blends friendship, family, and romance . . . and bends the bounds of reality itself.”
More info Don’t miss out: Shannon Takaoka will be visiting her home town of Pittsburgh on November 5th to discuss her new novel (set in the ‘burgh) at Riverstone Books (Squirrel Hill) with Littsburgh’s Nick Courage!
Event Info About the Author: Shannon Takaoka is the author of the young adult novels, Everything I Thought I Knew, which was a Top Pick for the 2021 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Titles list and a 2022 Texas Library Association TAYSHAS reading list selection, and The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne, out 10/31/23 from Candlewick Press. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family, where she also works as a business writer and editor. Find her online at www.shannontakaokawrites.com, @shannontakaoka (Twitter) and @shannontakaokawrites (Instagram and Threads).
Author Site
Can you give us the elevator pitch of your book?
Set in 1987 in Pittsburgh, The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne is the story of a shy, slightly chaotic 16-year-old who finds an old journal of her grandmother’s that appears to give her the power to rewrite reality. Which at first seems like a pretty enticing opportunity… until maybe it’s not. If I had to movie-pitch it, I’d say that thematically it’s a mash up of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (the Ben Stiller film version) Sixteen Candles (minus the parts that haven’t aged especially well) and a host of “be careful what you wish for”/alternate universe stories, from It’s a Wonderful Life to Coraline.
What inspired you to write this story?
One of the things I remember about being sixteen was sometimes feeling like I was the most boring person who ever lived. At the time, I’m sure I believed that everyone else was cooler, funnier and more confident than me. I also had a pretty vivid imagination, and frequently daydreamed about scenarios where I lived this amazing, dramatic life. Sort of like the teenage version of Walter Mitty. This got me thinking: What if you could revise your life? What if you could somehow rewrite a “you” where, instead of being too shy to open your mouth in class, you were the center of everyone’s attention? Or what if you could undo your most embarrassing mistakes with the stroke of a pen? Imbued with the power to change “what is” into what you wished it to be, would you be happier? Or would it feel like a cheat?
The other inspiration for the story was my maternal grandmother. She lived with my family for a period of time when I was in high school because she was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and could no longer care for herself. It was an experience that has stuck with me for many reasons – and I wanted to explore how a situation like this impacts a family, and to explore the relationship of memory to our own stories.
What’s your connection to Pittsburgh and why did you decide to set your book here?
I have two places that I call “home”—the San Francisco Bay Area, where I live now, and Pittsburgh, where I grew up. My first book, Everything I Thought I Knew, is set in the Bay Area, and when I started writing this one, I knew from the start that it would take place in Pittsburgh. I just really like the idea of my books being set in places that I love and that mean a lot to me. With Gracie, I had a lot of fun writing scenes that unfold in some of my favorite Pittsburgh locations, including the Monongahela Incline, Frick Park and the Mount Washington scenic overlook.
Also, in keeping with my main character Gracie’s more imaginative side, I included a little Pittsburgh fantasy of my own into the story: I grew up Munhall—a suburb on the south east side of the city—which is very close to Squirrel Hill. And I always thought it would be so cool to live in one of those beautiful old homes near Frick Park. So I got to live in one in my head via the book!
What is it about writing fiction for young adults that appeals to you?
The teen years are usually a time of so many changes and new experiences—growing up, finding your voice and independence, thinking about the kind of person you want to be in the world and maybe even experiencing your first love. There’s just a lot that’s fun to write about, and a lot that I can channel from when I was young that remains universal. I want readers to know they’re not alone if they feel overwhelmed, unsure or confused by it all. And also, I just love that there’s a hopefulness to this age group, and I want to reflect that in my writing.
Why did you set the book in 1987?
In the story, Gracie is facing a big life change due to her family moving, so I decided to set it before smart phones and social media because it raises the stakes a bit more when she’s cut off from her previous life and comfort zone. She’s got a lot of social anxiety, so having to start over all on her own is a big deal for her, and I felt like it would be even harder without an ability to be in constant contact with, say, her best friend since kindergarten. But it was also just kind of fun to revisit the 80s. Thanks to Stranger Things, I think there’s a lot of curiosity about this particular era, especially because of all the old school technology like landlines and cassette tapes.
What do you hope readers will take away from the story?
Well, first, I hope that readers just enjoy the story and want to keep turning pages. With both of my books, I wanted to write about the question that a lot of people—and especially teens—ask themselves: “Who am I, really?” And I think that it’s okay to not always be sure. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you finish high school. We are always learning and hopefully evolving, and being shaped by our experiences. There was also something I was trying to get at related to how we make peace with the fact that our lives will always be a balance of things we can and can’t control. Gracie starts out wanting to control her story, but hopefully learns that while there can be pain in things we can’t change, there are also opportunities for joy in letting go and inviting life to surprise you.
Do you have a favorite book when you were young?
I’ve always been fascinated by alternate realities, so A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is one of the books I definitely remember loving as a kid. Plus, who doesn’t love an “It was a dark and stormy night” opening?
Finally, in the book, Gracie collects interesting words to spark story ideas. Do you have a favorite weird word?
Shenanigans. One, because I think it’s a funny word. And two, because it mirrors my name a bit.
Don’t miss out: Shannon Takaoka will be visiting her home town of Pittsburgh on November 5th to discuss her new novel (set in the ‘burgh) at Riverstone Books (Squirrel Hill) with Littsburgh’s Nick Courage!
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