Dear Teen Me from Author Cynthia Leitich Smith (TANTALIZE, ETERNAL, BLESSED)
Dear Teen Cyn—make that, Cindy Lou:
Teen Cynthia!
What everyone knows about you: you’re one of two sophomores who made the JV cheerleading squad. You worked hard for that. Quality time on the mini-trampoline.
Cheerleading is perfect for you because it comes with:
(a) full wardrobe (no more teasing about discount-store clothes);
(b) popular girls to hide behind;
(c) the first in a series of cute boyfriends with sandy blond hair and hazel eyes.
You’re also on the honor roll and the school newspaper staff, but nobody pays much attention to that except your fellow budding journalists and you.
What nobody knows about you:
(a) you fantasize about quitting cheering and joining the thespians group that puts on the school plays, except that the thought of speaking in front of people makes your mind go blank and your knees literally shake (bad enough if a teacher calls on you during class);
(b) your most prized possession is a collection of much read, fairly battered superhero, science fiction, and horror comics, which you’ve been hooked on since about age four;
(c) you’ve seen “Star Wars: A New Hope” back when it was just called “Star Wars” over 380 times, and you’re making it through each week by focusing on the next radio production airing of “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.”
Teen Cynthia will one day benefit from her geeky secrets when she helps write this book.
So, we’re talking closet geek—big time. Growing up seems to be all about giving up or at least hiding the parts of yourself that you like best. It’s all about fitting in, blending, and not incidentally, letting the boys win. You’re also smart. It’s considered a problem.
Part of me can’t help observing that you’d be a lousy YA novel protagonist. You’ll stay this way through high school without ever stepping up and owning what’s great about you. On the other hand, you are doing a few important things right:
(a) you may be hiding your geektastic interests, but you’re not giving them up. You’re not surrendering your true self. You’re engaging in self-protection.
(b) you’re listening to your fictional heroes. People may think of comics and speculative genre fiction as guy territory. But beyond the swimwear-esque costuming, Wonder Woman is still saying that you don’t need a man to save the world, and Leia isn’t just a princess, she’s also a senator.
(c) You may not to be “working up to your ability” but you’re hanging in there, one of the few girls in honors classes, and you keep writing. High school journalism is an early step on a journey that will take you farther than you’d dare to imagine right now.
I almost wish I could tell you what’ll happen next. But being a geek, I know better than to mess with the space-time continuum.
Love,
Cyn
Grown-up Cyn. Sort of.
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly best-selling author of ETERNAL, TANTALIZE, and BLESSED, Gothic fantasies from Candlewick Press.
TANTALIZE was a Borders Original Voices selection, honored at the 2007 National Book Festival, and The Horn Book called it “an intoxicating romantic thriller.” A graphic novel adaptation of TANTALIZE is in the works.
ETERNAL was a YALSA Teens Top Ten nominee, featured at the Texas Book Festival, and Publishers Weekly said, “…readers should be hooked by this fully formed world, up through the action-packed finale.” It debuted at #5 on the New York Times best-seller list and #13 on the Publishers Weekly best-seller list.
Candlewick Press, August 2011.
BLESSED was cheered by The Horn Book Magazine as “A hearty meal for the thinking vampire reader.” Kirkus Reviews calls the world, “wild and ultimately fascinating” and says of Quincie and Kieren, “…the pages fairly smolder in describing their attraction to one another.”
She looks forward to the August 2011 release of her first graphic novel, TANTALIZE: KIEREN’S STORY, illustrated by Ming Doyle.
Cynthia has also published YA short stories and award-winning books for younger readers. She’s a graduate of the White School of Journalism at The University of Kansas and The University of Michigan Law School. Today she makes her home in Austin, Texas; with her very cute husband and sometimes co-author, Greg Leitich Smith.
You may find her on the Web at her official author site, Blogger, LiveJournal, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
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Yea! I am so glad you hung on to and stayed true to those hidden parts of you.
As someone who has heard you present as a keynote speaker, I cannot imagine you being too nervous or shy to speak in front of people. Isn’t it amazing how far we can come? But you were an adorable teen and I bet you rocked as a cheerleader, every bit as much as you now rock as an author. So glad you embraced your inner geek.
Thanks for introducing the teen Cynthia to us! I would’ve never guessed cheer leader. Love that nugget of info!
Varsha
Teen me would have been friends with teen you–except for the cheerleading. No matter how much I practiced, I wouldn’t have been coordinated enough for that.
Glad you didn’t mess with the space-time continuum! Thanks for this letter!
I love Teen Cyn almost as much as I love the grown up you! Thanks for letting us in. Long live Geekness!
Long live the geeky girl! You are a superhero inside and out. I love the line:
“You’re also smart. It’s considered a problem.”
Your authentic voice, comic timing, geektastic nature, and girl power themes are what make you the best bestseller!!!
Love this post!
Thanks for letting us get to know your teen self, Cyn. You were as adorable then as you are today.
You’ll always fit in, and blend in when you want, but you can’t hide talent and tenacity. Thank goodness. Your teen self would be proud of her grown-up self.
So glad you no longer feel the need to let the boys win. Maybe you should rethink yourself as a great YA protagonist:)
Love it! And you wrapped it up just perfectly, too.
Geeks rule! Love this entry and I never ever would have had you pegged for a cheerleader. You are a terrific public speaker…I’ve heard you talk in public a zillion times.
Jen
I loved your letter. Thanks for giving hope to all the geeks. You rule!
Thanks for the cheers, ladies and Tim! I’m honored!
This is awesome!!! I’m so glad you wrote one! And so glad your fantastic inner geek is out for all of us to see, embrace and be inspired by!
(Also, I bet you were as generous and openhearted then as you are now.):)))