Interview with Monica Leonelle

Today we have an interview with Monica Leonelle, author of the  YA novel Social Punk.


Thank you, Monica for joining us.


Q1: In just a few sentences, tell us why we should read Socialpunk.

ML: Socialpunk is fun and face-paced and has a strong female lead but is also a quick read, so you can enjoy it in one or two sittings if you'd like. 

Q2: Is there a character in Socialpunk that you identify with most?

ML: I think I would be Ember. She's one of the Socialpunks and she's very beautiful. She has long hair that is literally rainbow-colored—each strand is a different hue. She seems kind of terrible in the first book but hopefully she redeems herself with readers in later books.

Q3: Socialpunk features an imaginative dystopian future. What aspects of that future do you think are most likely to happen for real?

ML: All of them! I wouldn't have included it if I didn't think there was a logical path for it to come true. I definitely see humans merging with machines eventually, if we don't self-destruct first.

Q4: Artists, copyright and their relationship to social media are strong themes in Socialpunk. How did your own experiences as a writer and user of social media influence you in writing the book?

ML: Well, I want artists to keep getting paid for their work. The future is looking bleak for that, frankly. I don't want to rant about it, of course, and I don't feel entitled, but I am saddened that non-artists put so little value on art.


Q5: I couldn't help but notice the similarity between "Clout," the currency used inSocialpunk and "Klout," the measure of online social influence provided by Klout.com. Coincidence or artistic intention?

ML: Haha, I honestly have no idea what Klout the company actually does. I thought they measured Twitter followers or something? They definitely aren't a money system as far as I can tell.

Q6. Two sequels are planned for Socialpunk. In a few sentences tell us when they will come out and what we have to look forward to.


ML: The next book is Socialmob and it comes out in July 2012. The end of Socialpunk brought Ima back to basically where she started at the beginning of the book. The only difference is herself and what she can bring to the table this time. So the next book will show her getting stronger.

The reader will also be privy to what’s happening in the other world, because there is a second perspective in the second book. Hopefully some of the new fans of Socialpunk will appreciate the opportunity to learn more about this character, who was fairly mysterious in the first book.

Thanks again to Monica Leonelle for a great interview. If you would like to learn more about Monica Leonelle or her work, you can visit her at proseonfire.com ormonicaleonelle.com.


Click HERE for my review of Socialpunk, or click HERE for an excerpt.