We’re excited to interview our own Halli Gomez for the launch List of Ten!

This is a jam-packed post with:

• A review of List of Ten.
• A link to register for Halli’s virtual launch hosted by Park Road Books on March 16th.
• An interview with Halli about what it was like to write this #ownvoices book and tips for aspiring writers.

Let’s get started!

Publisher’s Description of List of Ten

A harrowing yet hopeful account of a teen living with Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . . . and contemplating his own mortality.

Ten: three little letters, one ordinary number. No big deal, right? But for Troy Hayes, a 16-year-old suffering from Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the number ten dictates his life, forcing him to do everything by its exacting rhythm. Finally, fed up with the daily humiliation, loneliness, and physical pain he endures, Troy writes a list of ten things to do by the tenth anniversary of his diagnosis—culminating in suicide on the actual day.

But the process of working his way through the list changes Troy’s life: he becomes friends with Khory, a smart, beautiful classmate who has her own troubled history. Khory unwittingly helps Troy cross off items on his list, moving him ever closer to his grand finale, even as she shows him that life may have more possibilities than he imagined. This is a dark, intense story, but it’s also realistic, hopeful, and deeply authentic.

Rebecca’s Thoughts on List of Ten

The first thing that drew me into List of Ten was Troy’s voice as he authentically describes the tics and compulsions he lives with every day and all the reasons for creating his list of 10 things he wants to complete by the 10th anniversary of his Tourette’s Syndrome diagnosis. His sarcastic humor is winning and provides a window into his world that made me want to join him for this story.

Despite the darkness of the last item on his list, other items are fun …

• Get his first kiss,
• See the space shuttle,
• Drive a car.

These goals add humor storyline and make it relatable to any teen.

I particularly liked Troy’s strong relationships with his new girlfriend, Khory, and his 11-month-old baby brother. Both serve as counterpoints to the pain in his life and make him question his plans.

List of Ten will appeal to kids with Tourette’s Syndrome, as well as friends and acquaintances who want to know more about this disease but don’t feel comfortable asking. It will also appeal to anyone who wants a heartfelt and ultimately uplifting read about a teen taking on his personal challenges.

Highly recommended.

Trigger warnings: mentions of suicide and cutting.

I received a free advanced reader copy of List of Ten in exchange for an unbiased review.

List of Ten launches March 16th, 2021. The book launch will be Tuesday, March 16th at 7 p.m. EST, hosted by Park Road Books. You can register for the event here as well as pre-order List of Ten from Park Road Books to have your copy signed by the author!

You can also add it to your “want to read” list on Goodreads, or order on Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

And now, for our interview . . .

Interview with Halli Gomez, Author of List of Ten

Rebecca: I usually ask about writers’ inspiration, but since this is an own voice novel, I know this story is very close to your heart. Did that make it hard to write?

Halli: Yes. This story is close to my life as a teen and reflects the difficulties of growing up with Tourette’s, so parts of the story were hard to write. I will admit it made me cry at times, but that just pushed me to keep writing.

Rebecca: You address tough subjects in this book but do it with so much humor! How did you balance the seriousness of Troy’s illness and the pain he’s feeling with levity? It seems like a hard balance to strike.

Halli: I wanted to find humor in the story where I could. Growing up I had bad days, I had good days, and I had great days. I wanted to make sure all of these were reflected in the book so readers would know if they are having bad days, even horrible days, great times are just around the corner.

Rebecca: Troy’s voice is full of humor, but also a snarkiness that makes him fun to follow through the story. Is that your voice? Your kids’?

Halli: I cannot tell a lie. That’s totally, 100% me.

Rebecca: Khory, the love interest, shows up right in the first chapter, so we know Troy’s story won’t be just about his illness. Was the romance in the story from when you first thought of the idea? Or did you add it later?

Halli: Khory was part of this story from when I first had the idea. I knew Troy would need help to see a positive side to life, and a love interest seemed like the perfect character to provide that help. I also wanted to show that despite what Troy is dealing with at the moment, all the wonderful things that can happen in life are possible for him.

Rebecca: Troy and Khory each have something to learn from each other. How did you decide what kind of girl Khory needed to be to help move Troy’s story forward?

Halli: I knew Khory needed to be a positive character and have a positive outlook, despite having come through some real struggles of her own. I wanted Troy to know that because she faced her own tragedy, she knew what she was talking about when she gave him advice about overcoming his pain and finding hope.

Rebecca: I love the scene with the Vomit Comet, a mostly windowless jet that repeatedly climes to 35,000 feet in the atmosphere and then swoops down to 19,000 feet to simulate the weightlessness of outer space. I want to go! Can you talk about why that scene was important for Troy as a character?

Halli: Troy is given the experience on the Vomit Comet because his science teacher sees his passion for science and Khory sees his passion for astronomy, in particular. So when the teacher is developing a new summer program for future scientists and gets to experience this flight, she chooses Troy to go with her.

Troy needed to see that life can be great in ways that you don’t expect. Who would have thought you could go somewhere with your science teacher and have a great time? Also, it was important for him to see that even though there are people who can be mean, there are others doing the exact opposite.

Rebecca: What do you hope the kids with Tourette’s Syndrome take away from this story?

Halli: I want kids growing up with Tourette’s Syndrome to know that they aren’t alone. Growing up, there was no one like me in my school. Tourette’s is more publicized now. Celebrities have come out and said that they have it, but I think you can’t get enough of seeing that someone understands what you’re going through. I don’t want kids to feel alone.

Rebecca: What do you hope readers without Tourette’s Syndrome take away from this book?

Halli: I think it’s important to see the other side. If you’re not living that life, understanding how someone with Tourette’s thinks and feels and how the disease influences the decisions they make is very difficult. If everyone is a little more accepting of each other, the world will be a happier place.

Rebecca: What type of story can we look forward to seeing from you next?

Halli: My newest focus is young adult thrillers. I have one out on sub, and another I’m trying to write which is a mash-up of the movies Psycho and Hotel for Dogs, an old movie about kids raised by mean foster parents who don’t want their dog. The kids find an abandoned hotel where their dog can live and clean it up so it can be a hotel for lost dogs. I spun that idea so that it will be a hotel for runaway teens.

Even though these stories are very different from Troy’s and will have different stakes, I still want them to have the humor and hope of List of Ten.

Thanks to Halli for being on the Winged Pen today and congratulations on the launch of List of Ten!

7 Neurodivergent Books Recommended by Halli

Books featuring neurodivergent characters that Halli loves:

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu
Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

These 2 recently published books with neurodivergent characters are also great:

Just Like Me by Louise Gooding
Paws by Kate Foster

Giveaway of List of Ten!

To celebrate Halli’s debut, I’m giving away a signed copy of List of Ten from Park Road Books! Comment below to enter. You can earn bonus entries by posting about List of Ten’s launch on Twitter or Instagram. @ wingedpen on your Twitter post or @ halli_gomez_author on Instagram so I see it!

This giveaway is open until 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 16th, 2021.