THE DETAILS​

There are more than two sides to every story.  
​Multiple perspectives on politics.  Ponder the pluralities.  And the ironies.

Despite the Buzz was informed by ideas in the film Screenagers (2016). The documentary is about raising a teenager in a techy world. Also, critiques of addictive media are aptly noted in the movie Social Dilemma (2020).
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Romantic subplots reveal modern-dating issues and intrigue. Picture the movie American Pie (1999) with less antics and more intellectualism, pivoting around a teacher’s adult perspective. Think back to the television show Beverly Hills 90210 (1990s): emotional high schoolers in Southern California--teen drama with contemporary concerns, albeit before smart phones.​

The Circle (2013) by Dave Eggers is also comparable (a 2017 film is based on his book). Some see a resemblance to Freedom Writers (a 2007 film based on a 1999 book by Erin Gruwell). Though a stretch, avid readers of YA fiction might spot slight similarities in #Scandal by Sarah Ockler (2014) and This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (2016).

THE PROCESS​

Academically situated in recent history, the narrative was inspired by non-fiction: Sherry Turkle’s Alone Together  (2011, about tech’s influence upon relationships), Michele Borba’s Unselfie (2016, a plea for empathy in a social-media influenced world), Dr. Jean Twenge's research (author of iGen, 2017), and Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman (The 20th Anniversary Edition, 2005). These books comment on language, media, and our use of it over time. 

This book is

about accepting

and rejecting

​electronic norms.  

Although we enjoy different levels of access, we all live within an ongoing digital experiment. This novel takes a close look at communication, like Textbook by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (2016). Nostalgic for a bygone era, it too is memoir-like in parts. The main character's mom is named Rose in honor of this late author. Both books blend genre and explore personal connections through a school-like vehicle. Both are reflective, observational, and enhanced with images, thus giving their pages a multi-dimensional feel and resonance with a variety of readers. 

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