Simone Elkeles talks to Marla Arbach about her first novel, How to Ruin a Summer Vacation

About you

Please introduce yourself. (And can you tell us how to pronounce your last name?)

I am an author and mother of two adorable children. I also live with my husband and two dogs. :) I’m a very funny person who likes laughing at life. I love hanging out with my friends and enjoy reading books and going to movies. I LOVE sushi. I’m a girl scout troop leader and enjoy meeting new people, although watch out because you never know what ridiculous comment will come out of my mouth. Everything else about me is boring, so I’ll skip to the next question.

My last name is pronounced just like it’s spelled: El_k_l__s. I always tell people it’s not Elka-more, it’s Elka-less. However you pronounce it is fine, I’m not picky.

How do your background and your childhood influence your writing?

For my first book, my background really helped. My father was Israeli and my husband is Israeli, so I’ve been to Israel more times than I can count on two hands. Everywhere Amy (my heroine in How to Ruin a Summer Vacation) goes, I’ve been. I’ve experienced a lot of the funny things Amy does in the book. Even though I’m past my teenage years, I still see myself as a teen at heart.

For some reason, funny situations always happen to me (does anyone else experience this?) It’s like God wants to entertain me daily. I have volumes of funny experiences; I’m waiting so I can incorporate them in all my books!

Why do you write for young adults?

I think the best part of life is experienced as a teen. First dates, first kisses, first loves, peer pressure, zits, emotions on the surface, devastating break-ups, sexual experiences, and driving (yeah!). It’s easy to write for teens because there’s no lack of material to write about! I’m also a teenage movie junkie, I’d love for one of my books to be made into a movie.

What sorts of books do you read?

I’m a romance novel enthusiast (hence the teen romances in my books) and read a lot of romance novels (historical and contemporary). I also read a lot of teen novels such as Flipped and Twilight.

What other jobs have you had (including current ones) and which one did you like best? How have your other jobs influenced your writing?

Current job: author of teen novels (I have no other job besides being a hockey mom and wife – and yes, my daughter and son both play ice hockey). Previous jobs: photographer for fraternity and sorority parties when I was in college (I worked for Illini Studio at the University of Illinois). I quit a job when I was twenty-three and went to work for my dad, who had cancer. I worked with him for a year before he died, he taught me so much about running a successful business I can’t even begin to mention it all. When he died, I became President and CEO of his manufacturing company, S-T Imaging, Inc. At the age of 24 I was responsible for an entire company and its employees while grieving my father’s death. I grew up fast and worked my butt off in honor of my dad. I sold the company when my daughter was one year old. I don’t know if the other jobs influenced my writing as much as the other jobs prepared me for the marketing, publicity and business side of writing.

About the book

Who do you think should read/will like How to Ruin a Summer Vacation?

I think all teens will love How to Ruin a Summer Vacation. It’s a fun, easy read. Even though it’s about a girl who travels to Israel, it’s really a book for everyone and not just Jewish teens. I never wanted to write a book that spoke to only one community and hope my book speaks to all teens. My adult friends enjoyed reading it, too…I hope whoever picks it up has a great journey and laughs a lot.

We hear a lot about Israel in the media, but in the novel, the characters claim that life isn't like what you see on tv. Do you think your book is a realistic portrayal of life in Israel?

Yes, for teens who live on a moshav. But kids who live on a moshav are not like teens who live in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Kids who live on the moshav portrayed in my book live on a mountain miles from the next town (where my cousins live). Kids in Tel Aviv or in the bigger cities live differently, they’re city kids and hang out at malls, dress in the latest European styles and go to clubs to dance (while the driving age is eighteen, they don’t really have an enforced drinking age). They also have more cell phones in Israel per capita than in the rest of the world, I think. So I guess I’m showcasing one side of Israeli life, the life of people living in the Golan Heights. Teens in Israel are very much like teens here. Ones who live on farms are different than ones who live in the city.

I’m not going to gloss over the terrorism and suicide bombers that have plagued Israel. But Israelis are a different breed of people, they refuse to let terrorism run their life. During the recent situation, the city of Haifa was hit hard with rockets. But in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (big cities farther away from the bombings) citizens were still going out to eat, shopping, and living normal lives (albeit glued to their televisions). They’re very modern people (and despite many peoples’ perceptions a lot of Israelis are not actively religious – I can’t tell you how many Israelis tell me, “What can be more Jewish than living in Israel and fighting in the army for the survival of the Jewish state?”).

When hurricane Katrina destroyed so much in Louisiana, people here in Chicago were devastated and donated money and items, but we still went out and lived our normal lives. I think since the holocaust, Jewish people have had to be strong and not let people who want to destroy them ruin their faith or their lives. I admire them so much. Are we so different here in America? Not really.

How much of the book is comedy, how much is romance, and how much is a journey of self-discovery?

It’s all interwoven, it’s hard to come up with which is more than the other. I think the entire book is about Amy’s self-discovery, through her romance and her hilarious experiences in this foreign land. I hope it’s funny. As a writer, I think the hardest thing is making people laugh or cry. If I’ve achieved either one of those (or both!), I’m a very happy author. I love to hear from my readers!

What do you like about your characters? (Be specific.)

Amy (“the heroine”): I love writing a character like Amy. Some people might say she’s a brat, but above all else I think she’s a real teen with real problems. She says things people just think but are afraid to say. Amy is a lot like me.

Avi (“the guy”): I love strong guys who are tough because of something they’ve been through in life and try to hide their emotions behind a wall. Amy is the one who can chip away at that wall. There’s nothing more attractive than a guy who has confidence, even if inside he’s insecure. Avi is not a wimp, that’s for sure. Since every Jewish citizen in Israel has to serve in the army (side note: many Arab Israelis choose to serve in the army and fight for the country as well, which might be something people aren’t aware of), the kids there grow up really fast.

Ron (“the dad”): I feel so sorry for Ron. He tries, but whatever he does it might not be good enough. I like Ron because to me he’s a typical father who is trying to make up for past mistakes so he lets his daughter get away with too much. Guilt will do that to people.

Osnat (Amy’s cousin): There was this girl in Israel who knew I couldn’t speak Hebrew. She kept speaking in Hebrew when I was out with my boyfriend and his group of friends even though they were all fluent in English. (Over 90% of Israelis know English, it’s mandatory to learn it starting in first or second grade.) I felt SO left out and hated that girl because she purposely tried to alienate me. I tried to make Osnat just like that girl, to alienate Amy. But when it comes right down to it, the girl was just insecure. Just like Osnat.

Do you think Amy is a typical American teenager? Please explain.

There are so many American teens, I can’t stereotype and say she’s typical. I think there are aspects of her in a lot of American teens. She tries to be strong and prove her worth. She tries to deny her weaknesses and touts her strengths. She’s insecure and definitely has issues, but at the same time has a strong character. Can’t you relate to her? I can.

Do guys like Avi really exist? What makes him so appealing?

Do guys like Avi really exist? Avi is like a lot of guys I see, especially Israelis. It’s when they’re alone with you that they start to open up and let their barriers down. Israelis are not afraid to tell you their opinions without hesitation. If you don’t want an honest opinion from an Israeli, don’t ask.

When I was a teenager going to Israel, my mouth would drop open at the amount of Israeli boys who looked like Abercrombie models. Ask ANY American girl who has traveled to Israel, they’ll say the same thing. At the age of eighteen they’re drafted into the military. Who can resist a cute, buff military guy with a machine gun strapped across his shoulder?

What makes Avi so appealing? Besides his gorgeous looks and muscles, he’s a guy who takes charge and doesn’t let his insecurity rule his life. I love that. In fact, people who meet guys like Avi think they’re jerks. But they’re not. They just don’t open up as easily as other guys. Their cockiness is their security blanket.

Discuss the significance of the character of Amy's Safta (grandmother).

Amy’s Safta (grandmother) is just like my Safta. She was a wise woman who took life in, in a very quiet way. When she talked, you had to listen because whatever came out of her mouth was important. Unlike Amy, who overreacts and says whatever is in her mind, Safta is the exact opposite. Being with Safta makes Amy look at life from a different perspective. Amy always needed a woman like Safta in her life.

Since the book is narrated by Amy, we never get to see the other character's points of view. Tell us what was going through the following characters' heads when they first met Amy:

This is a GREAT question!

a) Osnat: I have to share my summer, my room, and my life with a rich American girl who’s cuter than me. My summer vacation is ruined.

b) Safta: Seeing my granddaughter is like looking into a mirror forty years ago. I want to know everything about her, but the last thing she needs is some old lady smothering her with questions. I’ll let her come to me when she’s ready.

c) Avi: Oh, great, a pampered American girl who probably thinks she’s as perfect as the clothes she’s wearing. She’s the last thing we need on the moshav. (for those who haven’t read the book yet, a moshav is a type of farming community)

In another interview, you said: "The book, although set in Israel, is not a religious-oriented or political book, it’s just a fun read" (www.veronikaasks.new.fr). While religion may not be the central theme of the book, Amy certainly has a very unexpected personal encounter with Judaism. Do you think many teens connect with faith, or are religious beliefs unimportant to young people in today's society?

It’s such a personal question, I’m not sure how to answer. Some teens totally connect with their faith, and some dismiss organized religion altogether. If I were to guess, I’d say most teens are in-between. They choose to embrace the things they believe and dismiss the part of religion that doesn’t resonate with them.

Some people might think that Amy's sudden interest in becoming Jewish and learning Hebrew is insincere or implausible. What would you say to them?

Ooh, confrontational question…I love it! I know tons of people who have that “light bulb” moment when it comes to religion. For my character Amy, ever since her grandmother gave her that gift in the beginning of the book, connecting with Judaism has been brewing inside her. So, without giving too much of the book away, you can find places in the book where she has “aha” moments. Her “sudden interest” in being Jewish is not all that sudden. What her grandmother says to her about Judaism in the beginning of the book really sunk in. Israel is really a spiritual place, for every faith. You never know what feelings will overcome you when you’re there.

What does Avi's song sound like?

Anything by David Broza. He has CDs in Hebrew, but also in English. His voice is so soothing when he sings, and he’s a genius on a guitar.

If they were making a movie of your novel, what songs would you pick to be on the soundtrack?

While I think it would hardly be my decision, I would choose:

• Times of Trains by David Broza
• Somebody make me laugh by David Broza
• You’re so real by Matchbox 20
• Yeah! By Usher
• Follow Me by Uncle Kracker
• American Woman by Lenny Kravitz
• By the Length of the Sea (in Hebrew) by Ofra Haza
• Hound Dog by Elvis
• Opposites Attract by Pat McCurdy
• I swear (in Hebrew) by Chaim Moshe
• Under the Sky (in Hebrew) by David Broza
• Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi

(I’d also add the latest dance song in Israel, I’ll have to ask my cousin and get back to you on this)

Will any of the Israeli characters appear in the sequel, How to Ruin my Teenage Life?

Yes, but I’m not going to tell you which ones.

Will you be writing any more books about Amy and her friends after that? What are your other projects?

I have a book called Leaving Paradise coming out in April 2007, in between How to Ruin a Summer Vacation and How to Ruin my Teenage Life. It’s very different than the How2Ruin books; it’s about a boy who is being released from a juvenile detention center after being incarcerated for the past year for a hit-and-run drunk driving accident. It’s told in his point of view, and also from the point of view of his neighbor, the girl who was hit by the car. I would love to write more books about Amy after the sequel - if fans want it I’ll write it.

If you could change one thing about the novel, what would it be?

I had a really fun time writing How to Ruin a Summer Vacation and can’t think of anything I’d change. I love this book. I’ll let my readers answer this question.

How to Ruin a Summer Vacation is hilariously funny but also deals with serious issues. What message can readers take from it?

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is not all about hate.

Fun stuff

Fill in the blanks: The best compliment anyone could ever give you would be to call you A/The __________ (adjective[s]) __________ (famous person). (e.g.: A female Woody Allen.)

The next Meg Cabot

Or

The edgy Meg Cabot

What book do you wish you had written yourself?

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. The characters are so developed and rich, she’s done a great job and I loved the book!

If you could live in the world of any book or movie, which would it be?

Sixteen Candles – but I would be the main character Samantha and have Jake Ryan fall for me. I am a total sucker for 80’s teen movies. Give me a quote from any teen movie from the 80’s and I’ll probably guess the movie.

If you could live in any time and place in the past, where would you live and what would your job be?

Ooh, this is an easy one. I’d live in England in the Regency period and I’d be a Duke’s daughter. The only job I’d have is to volunteer for charity. Oh, yeah, I’d also have the job of looking pretty and dancing at balls with handsome men vying for my attention.

If you could change the ending of any book or movie, which would it be and what would your new ending be?

In Nicholas Sparks’ Message in a Bottle, I would make sure the character didn’t die in the end and they lived happily ever after. I’m a sucker for happily-ever-after endings and I was on a cruise when I read Message in a Bottle. I swear, after I read the ending and cried so hard I stayed in my cabin the rest of the night. My friend saw the movie version and wanted to hurl her Coke at the screen at the end because she was so upset he died.

If they were making a film about your life, whom would you like to see playing you?

Paris Hilton. No, I’m just kidding. Umm…Maggie Gyllenhaal, but you’d have to give her brown contacts. (She’s Jake Gyllenhaal’s sister and I wouldn’t mind meeting him, either) Ashley Tisdale from High School Musical would also be great, but you’d have to dye her hair brown.

Any final thoughts?

Wow, you’ve really covered it all with the most interesting questions. Thank you so much for asking me to do this interview! If I could, I’d like to thank my amazing publicist at Flux, the behind-the-scenes guy who gets at least 20 emails from me daily and never complains, Brian Farrey.