It's publication day for this morning's guest Lia Riley, author of Inside Out the final book in the Off the Map trilogy. Along with Janine, who reviewed the first two books in the trilogy, we've asked Lia a few questions about the series, what she's currently working on as well as a few Christmassy questions.
Can you tell us a little bit about Inside Out, the final book in Off the Map trilogy?
Upside Down and Sideswiped were more about taking chances. In Inside Out, I wanted to explore what happens if you try something and fail, or (in Bran’s case) it doesn’t turn out the way you imagine. The twenty-something years are a perfect time for risk-taking, but that doesn’t mean every decision is going to go off without a hitch. However, with trying, comes learning, and every experience can hold a lesson. Also, I wanted to show Talia and Bran complete their character arcs and implement what they learned in the previous two books.
Does the 'Off the Map' trilogy have any autobiographical elements?
I met my husband during a study abroad trip to Australia and our first house was a small cottage in Hobart, Tasmania. We currently live in Santa Cruz, California and with the exception of Malawi, I’ve visited all the places mentioned in the books. My sister was a Peace Corps volunteer based in Malawi so her two-cents were invaluable.
You document Talia's mental health problems - which surface after the death of her sister – with great insight, do you have any obsessive compulsions yourself?
Yes, I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and generalized anxiety, two kissing cousins. These conditions have been part of my life since I was eleven and for a long time were an incredibly shameful secret. As a coping mechanism, I became an expert in self-deprecation and deflection. Writing Off the Map was an opportunity to “come out” as someone who struggles with mental health issues, but also an attempt to “normalize” the experience. I’m not a mega freak (most of the time). I’m the kind of person you’d stand next to in the coffee shop line. These days, I’m MUCH more aware of my own personal triggers and have made inroads to recovery. I go to therapy every week, have regular acupuncture, and manage my flare-ups with yoga and meditation. So far, this helps me manage my symptoms and I’m very grateful.
Reviewed by Janine Cobain
It was only meant to last the summer...
Talia Stolfi has seen more than her share of loss in her twenty-one years. But then fate brought her Bran Lockhart, and her dark world was suddenly and spectacularly illuminated. So if being with Bran means leaving her colorless NorCal life for rugged and wild Australia, then that's what she'll do. But as much as Talia longs to give herself over completely to a new beginning, the fears of her past are still lurking in the shadows.
Bran Lockhart knows that living without the beautiful girl who stole his heart will be torment, so he'll take whatever time with her he can. But even though she has packed up her life in California and is back in his arms for the time being, she can't stay forever. And the remaining time they have together is ticking by way too fast. Though fate seems determined to tear them apart, they won't give up without a fight-because while time may have limits, their love is infinite . . .
Reviewed by Janine Cobain
Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying goodbye to painful memories and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll pretend to be a carefree exchange student. Everything is going to plan until she meets a surly surfer with hypnotic green eyes, and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.
Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he slunk back to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. A single semester abroad won't cover something this serious. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.
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