A fictional character who might come close to Sam is Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird. They are both intelligent, introspective (especially regarding the good and bad within themselves and others), they are both kind-hearted, and they stand out from their peers.

Sandra L. Rostirolla- 8 April 2023

The Back Flap

“An urgent, unflinching YA novel about the “monsters” of depression and family dysfunction.” -Booklife, Editor’s Pick

Why does everything have to be so complicated?
Why? Monsters! That’s why!
They stick their scungy little noses into everything.

Twelve-year-old Sam feels like his life is spiraling out of control. Ever since learning a secret, his once loving older brother has become angry and withdrawn, causing extreme tension at home. Through a series of tragedies, his family descends further into chaos.

Sam knows that the monsters that live inside people are to blame, and he sets out to discover how to make friends with them before they swallow him too.

About the book

What is the book about?

Making Friends with Monsters is told through the perspective of twelve-year-old Sam as he watches his family unravel during a relentless drought in rural Australia. Trying to make sense of it, he creates his own language for what’s happening to his family—they have “monsters” within them that govern and control their emotions. He sets out to learn everything he can about these creatures and discovers that he’s got one, too. We all do. In the end, Sam learns that we can’t get rid of our monsters and we can’t ignore them. The only way forward it to make friends with them. Meaning, Sam must learn to love and accept himself, and to extend his understanding of how complex yet fragile human emotions can be to his friends and family.

When did you start writing the book?

I started mentally writing Making Friends with Monsters in October 2017 during a 15-hour flight from Sydney back to where I currently reside in Los Angeles.

How long did it take you to write it?

I sent my completed draft to my editor a year after I began writing. I then spent a couple of months receiving feedback from beta-readers. All-in-all, it probably took about 18-months from conception to the polished manuscript.

Where did you get the idea from?

A few years ago, I was back home in Australia doing a book signing for my debut YA/Fantasy when a friend told me her heartbreaking story. A year earlier, her ex died by suicide and she was left with three daughters, ages 11-15.

My friend said to me, “I can handle all of it except for when my daughter says to me, ‘Mummy, why did Daddy do it?’ That’s when I break down because I have no idea what to say.”

My heart caved because my dad died of suicide when I was 13. Later, two of my brothers would also take their lives. During the flight back to Los Angeles, I kept thinking, “If anyone can help speak to this, I could.” I almost felt as though it was my duty to try to help. Making Friends with Monsters is definitely a case of a story finding the author, not the other way around.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

The ending was definitely a struggle. Without giving any spoiler, someone Sam knows does something quite terrible. In my first draft, I didn’t confront this devastating event front on. I took the easy way out and basically wrote, “So-and-so is in hospital and is receiving much needed care and treatment.” One of my beta readers expressed their disappointment that Sam didn’t resolve his relationship with this person. I knew my reader was right. I also knew I’d have to dig deep, both emotionally and as a writer to navigate this tricky story point.

What came easily?

Navigating Sam’s emotions came very easily to me. Probably because the historical events of my life had left a pretty robust blueprint. Several early reviewers have stated that because of my dark themes, they had expected my story to be a heavy read, and were pleasantly surprised with not only Sam’s witty narration, but the sense of hope they felt at the end. A friend questioned if it was hard for me to find this balance, but finding levity in tragedy is something I learned from my mum. Although my dad died by suicide when I was young, I have many happy memories of laughing with Mum and my siblings laughing about some of the crazy things my dad did. Although he’d passed in a sudden and devastating fashion, Mum didn’t relegate his topic of conversation to solemn, remorseful moments. Her sense of humor really helped me get through a lot of our family’s dark times.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Sam is a very honest narrator. He’s a realist with a vivid imagination, who doesn’t shy away from exploring his dark side. He’s not looking for perfection, but rather, an authentic connection with his family and friends. To say Sam reminds me of any one person is tough. He’s an amalgamation of many people in my life: My Mum’s unflinching ability to accept people as they are; my sister (who is also a middle child) and her quiet patience with her four boisterous siblings; and Sam’s fear at watching his older brother deteriorate mirrors my experience with my eldest brother.

A fictional character who might come close to Sam is Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird. They are both intelligent, introspective (especially regarding the good and bad within themselves and others), they are both kind-hearted, and they stand out from their peers.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

The passion was always there, but since I was a STEM girl, the teachers pushed me in that direction. I actually struggled in English (grammar & reading comprehension was not my thing). The only time I received high marks was on creative writing assignments, where spelling & grammar had a low weight.

Reading Stephen King’s book, On Writing was pivotal in my giving myself permission to follow my passion. In the book, he talks about a writer having a toolbox and how you only need write to the skill of the instruments in your box. After reading that statement, I realized that I didn’t have to be a “literary writer” with an unearthly command of the English language. I could write at a level that matched who I was—someone who wanted to make people laugh and cry, while taking them on a vivid journey into worlds or situations never before imagined.

Do you have a target reader?

I write young adult so most of my readers are 12+. People who enjoy well-rounded, complex characters and an easy read are my target audience. I’m known to pretty much stay on plot, while keeping backstory to a minimum.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

My writing process has evolved. I used to be a pantser (i.e. develop characters, then let them tell their story), but now I’m a plotter. Having a spine for the story, while sometimes difficult, is something that I force myself to do. I start off with an idea/concept, come up with a few main characters, then figure out a basic journey/problem. I then beat out more plot points until I have 15-30 beats. During this time, I search the web for inspiration: pictures, landscapes, anything that can help build my world. For the first several weeks, much of my writing is done internally. I create my characters, then let my story brew—this is usually the time that I sort out my basic plot.

Once I start writing, I try to commit to 500-1500 words a day, depending on my schedule. If I’m working, I’m usually writing at the low end. During holidays & breaks, I pretty much consistently write 1500-2500 works a day. Once I get going, I resist the urge to go back. Going back to page 1—re-reading from the top—is a surefire way to kill the creative process. Writing is re-writing. Once the first draft is out, there is plenty of time to go back and rework things.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I outline pretty extensively. For my upcoming fantasy series, The Isles of Tirimdra, I have a 63-page document outlining all the worlds, the main characters, and mythology. I have made my map and built a timeline and basic genealogy for certain characters. Without this structure, I’d never be able to get my head around my world and its associated rules.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I always wait until I’m finished before going back and editing. The only time I might reach back a chapter or two, is if I’ve truly stumbled across a plot-point that won’t work without an earlier correction. Because I outline, though, I rarely have to fix major structural issues. Which means, I really have no valid reason to go back and edit, unless I’m wanting to procrastinate, and I won’t let myself do that.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I always work with a professional editor and proofreader.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I’m probably one of the rare few who prefers silence when writing. I don’t mind background noise. For example, my husband can be watching TV and I’m not distracted, but my preference is for silence.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I submitted Making Friends with Monsters to a lot of agents and ended up securing one.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I ended up self-publishing because I’d exhausted all other publishing avenues. I think a lot of publishers found my story to be a bit of an enigma, as I don’t neatly fit into their boxes. When I was pitching my story to agents, one pointblank said, “The moment you said you have a YA book with a twelve-year-old MC, I stopped listening.”

The general consensus is that readers like to read up. So books with 12 y.o. protagonists are generally seen for 9 to 11-year-old readers, which would put my book into Middle Grade. Middle Grade has its particular rules of “No more than 50k words,” “No swearing”, etc. One could argue I fit into into UpperMG/LowerYA (ages 12-14), but this isn’t a real category. Although I was able to trim my book to 60k words, I wasn’t willing to call it MG because of my themes. I firmly believe my readers should be 12+. All this to say, although rules are broken all the time in publishing, publishers don’t want to be the ones breaking the rules with a relatively unknown author.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I don’t have a creative bone in my body when it comes to design. I know what I like, but I would never be able to put all the elements together (i.e title, graphic, my name) to make a cohesive and attractive book cover. I hire professionals for all my book covers.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

For Making Friends with Monsters I most definitely have a marketing plan. I started early outreach to get Editorial Reviews and build connections with schools, teachers, and organizations that work with children. I’m also working with a publicist to help with the inordinate amount of work that goes into releasing a book.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

For newbies who are considering self-publishing, my biggest advice is to take it one step at a time. It might seem daunting and overwhelming, but so is writing a book. If you can get from page one to “The End” for your first novel, you can figure out the self-publishing path. There are many resources online to help and plenty of books that break down the publishing process into easy steps. With TikTok and Social Media, more and more indie authors are finding success without being tied to a publisher.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Dural, NSW—a somewhat rural suburb of Sydney. I say somewhat in that when I was a kid, we didn’t have any traffic lights. Now, a lot of development has occurred and many of the farms have been subdivided into residential building blocks.

Where do you live now?

I live in Highland Park, a borough in northeast Los Angeles, California.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I once ate caustic soda, thinking it was white milo. Milo is chocolate powder like Nesquik. My poor mum. I can’t imagine what must have gone through her mind, stepping inside from hanging the laundry only to see an open container of poison on the ground with a solitary spoon by its side. She said she found me in my bed and thought the worst. Turns out, I was just asleep. I mustn’t have swallowed much because I’m certain it would’ve registered immediately that these foul crystals were not the tasty treat I’d imagined. Still, the stuff did burn my tongue and I do remember the doctor needing to scrape away the damage.

What are you working on now?

My current WIP is called The Isles of Tirimdra—a YA/Fantasy series set on a mythical set of islands and the quest to find out what happened to the magic that once filled the lands.

End of Interview:

For ore from Sandra L. Rostirolla visit her website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Get your copy of Making Friends with Monsters from Amazon US or Amazon UK.