AUTHOR BIO:
Hello. I’m Geoff Herbach. I am a book author first. My new Young Adult Novel, Stupid Fast, is just out (read some early reviews) and will be followed in spring of 2012 by its sequel, Nothing Special. I also wrote The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg from Three Rivers Press.
I do love writing for performance, though. Right now, I’m working on a new story show called Tales from the Poor House that will be broadcast on KMSU out of Minnesota State, Mankato (where I teach in the English Department).
My past is filled with that stuff. I’m the co-founder of The Lit 6 Project, a group dedicated to bringing literary storytelling to broader audiences (via humor and beer). I wrote and performed in The Electric Arc Radio Show, a literary tragi-comedy done in the radio style, which aired on Minnesota Public Radio. I co-hosted Powderkeg Live, with my partner Steph. And, I am one of three authors of the original musical, Don’t Crush Our Heart.
If you’re in New York or traveling that way, I’m also helping out with my pal Sam Osterhout’s Radio Happy Hour. It is an amazingly good show! Go to it!
If you like writing, join me at Minnesota State University — Mankato. You should definitely apply there.
Other than that, I have two perfect kids, Leo and Mira.
Hello. I’m Geoff Herbach. I am a book author first. My new Young Adult Novel, Stupid Fast, is just out (read some early reviews) and will be followed in spring of 2012 by its sequel, Nothing Special. I also wrote The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg from Three Rivers Press.
I do love writing for performance, though. Right now, I’m working on a new story show called Tales from the Poor House that will be broadcast on KMSU out of Minnesota State, Mankato (where I teach in the English Department).
My past is filled with that stuff. I’m the co-founder of The Lit 6 Project, a group dedicated to bringing literary storytelling to broader audiences (via humor and beer). I wrote and performed in The Electric Arc Radio Show, a literary tragi-comedy done in the radio style, which aired on Minnesota Public Radio. I co-hosted Powderkeg Live, with my partner Steph. And, I am one of three authors of the original musical, Don’t Crush Our Heart.
If you’re in New York or traveling that way, I’m also helping out with my pal Sam Osterhout’s Radio Happy Hour. It is an amazingly good show! Go to it!
If you like writing, join me at Minnesota State University — Mankato. You should definitely apply there.
Other than that, I have two perfect kids, Leo and Mira.
What were you like in high school? Did you play football or another sport?
I really liked high school, which is weird considering I was on fire and in pain constantly through 8th grade (could not sit still, could not think, could not shut up, smelled weird). I actually remember walking to school the first day of football practice my freshman year thinking, “Now it gets better.” Football was really at the center of who I was (jumpy!). My instincts were right. People noticed I was good, liked me for it, and that gave me space to be to be myself, really sort of a theater/musical geek. When I wasn’t at some sports practice, I was doing theater and other music. Lots of the other athletes at my school ended up doing theater and music, too. The social blending was awesome. Our high school class was very close. A lot of the inspiration for the book came from that experience (everyone is to be respected).
If you could go back to high school, is there anything you would do different? An event you would like to change the outcome of?
Oh yeah, there are many (I liked high school, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t an total idiot at times). I accidentally flipped off the band and was kicked out of the music department during study halls. I accidentally wrote the name of a freshman girl I loved on a desk using white-out, and then couldn’t get wipe it off with my hand, then I licked the white-out and got white out all over my tongue and face. I accidentally threw a bunch of beer bottles on my girlfriend’s neighbor’s lawn. The girl thought I was bullying her, which I wasn’t at all. Her dad thought so, too. Her dad threw some beer bottles at me when I drove by the next time (I felt awful, plus they dented my car). There are some other more personal disasters, too and some really devastating events (especially suicides among friends) that I can’t help but wish I had known more and done more. Maybe high school wasn’t so great?!
What character was the hardest for you to write in Stupid Fast?
Aleah Jennings, the main character’s girlfriend. I really, really wanted her to seem amazing and brilliant, but also real. I watched so much youtube of great women classical musicians – taking notes on how they attacked the music – and I tried to blend the personalities of girls I knew who were booky and arty and funny. I just worked so, so, so hard to make her real. She’s really one of my favorite characters ever, so… hope it worked!
Who/what has inspired your writing the most?
My parents were both English teachers (and I teach English at a University… hmm… how strange that I became this…). There were always tons and tons of books around. I read JD Salinger over and over. Later, I went to work at a regular 9-5 job. This place had about a million cubicles and the lights were too bright and I had to answer the phone and pretend I knew what I was talking about. I felt a little crazy. After about a year, instead of working, I sat there in my cube writing stories all day long until I had to quit or I’d be fired. After that, I couldn’t stop writing. I realized that my whole world would have to revolve around writing, or I’d get fired a lot. So, something about having English teacher parents and freaking out at a real job caused this total obsession.
What's your favorite sport? Athlete?
Football for sure. I’m a huge Sconnie Cheesehead Green Bay Packer fan. I have to say, although it is strange for me to say it, Aaron Rodgers is my favorite player (not Brett Favre as it has been for what feels like my whole life). I also love Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji, Charles Woodson, Donald Driver, and Greg Jennings.
I really liked high school, which is weird considering I was on fire and in pain constantly through 8th grade (could not sit still, could not think, could not shut up, smelled weird). I actually remember walking to school the first day of football practice my freshman year thinking, “Now it gets better.” Football was really at the center of who I was (jumpy!). My instincts were right. People noticed I was good, liked me for it, and that gave me space to be to be myself, really sort of a theater/musical geek. When I wasn’t at some sports practice, I was doing theater and other music. Lots of the other athletes at my school ended up doing theater and music, too. The social blending was awesome. Our high school class was very close. A lot of the inspiration for the book came from that experience (everyone is to be respected).
If you could go back to high school, is there anything you would do different? An event you would like to change the outcome of?
Oh yeah, there are many (I liked high school, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t an total idiot at times). I accidentally flipped off the band and was kicked out of the music department during study halls. I accidentally wrote the name of a freshman girl I loved on a desk using white-out, and then couldn’t get wipe it off with my hand, then I licked the white-out and got white out all over my tongue and face. I accidentally threw a bunch of beer bottles on my girlfriend’s neighbor’s lawn. The girl thought I was bullying her, which I wasn’t at all. Her dad thought so, too. Her dad threw some beer bottles at me when I drove by the next time (I felt awful, plus they dented my car). There are some other more personal disasters, too and some really devastating events (especially suicides among friends) that I can’t help but wish I had known more and done more. Maybe high school wasn’t so great?!
What character was the hardest for you to write in Stupid Fast?
Aleah Jennings, the main character’s girlfriend. I really, really wanted her to seem amazing and brilliant, but also real. I watched so much youtube of great women classical musicians – taking notes on how they attacked the music – and I tried to blend the personalities of girls I knew who were booky and arty and funny. I just worked so, so, so hard to make her real. She’s really one of my favorite characters ever, so… hope it worked!
Who/what has inspired your writing the most?
My parents were both English teachers (and I teach English at a University… hmm… how strange that I became this…). There were always tons and tons of books around. I read JD Salinger over and over. Later, I went to work at a regular 9-5 job. This place had about a million cubicles and the lights were too bright and I had to answer the phone and pretend I knew what I was talking about. I felt a little crazy. After about a year, instead of working, I sat there in my cube writing stories all day long until I had to quit or I’d be fired. After that, I couldn’t stop writing. I realized that my whole world would have to revolve around writing, or I’d get fired a lot. So, something about having English teacher parents and freaking out at a real job caused this total obsession.
What's your favorite sport? Athlete?
Football for sure. I’m a huge Sconnie Cheesehead Green Bay Packer fan. I have to say, although it is strange for me to say it, Aaron Rodgers is my favorite player (not Brett Favre as it has been for what feels like my whole life). I also love Clay Matthews, B.J. Raji, Charles Woodson, Donald Driver, and Greg Jennings.
For more information on STUPID FAST and author Geoff Herbach, visit:
WEBSITE
Click HERE to purchase STUPID FAST from The Book Depository.
STUPID FAST cover art courtesy of GOODREADS. Geoff Herbach bio and photo courtesy of GeoffHerbach.com
I received an ARC of STUPID FAST as part of a blog tour arranged by TEEN BOOK SCENE
INTERESTED IN READING STUPID FAST? Comment below to be entered to win a copy! Contest open to US/Canada residents only until 14 July 2011. One entry per person.
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