Interview and Giveaway -- Skylar Hoyt, from Stephanie Morrill's "Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt" Series

Hey readers! Sorry this is late -- I was having problems getting a connection, but now we finally have internet so I can get this fun interview I did with Stephanie Morrill's Skylar from the Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series up! :) Make sure to enter the giveaway!

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Hey Skylar! I'm so excited to feature you on my blog!
Would you like to start by introduce yourself to the readers of this blog?

My name is Skylar Lynn Hoyt. I'm a high school senior who used to party big time, but because of an event I don't really care to discuss, I've recently returned to the Christian values my parents raised me with. And making that decision has caused enough drama to fill up three books...

Wow, sounds like you have a crazy, lesson-filled life!
So on the cover of your book, Me, Just Different, we find you in your mid teen years with a very happy countenance. Can you explain why your story is titled Me, Just Different?

I'm not sure when that picture of me was snapped, because I don't remember the last time I felt as carefree as I look there. My story is called Me, Just Different because nobody thought "Me, But with a completely wrecked life" would sell many books.

I'm kidding - my life isn't completely wrecked. My little sister, Abbie, and I have grown a lot closer. And my parents are in a pretty good place these days. That's worth something, right?

Of course that's worth something! God can work even in the worst of circumstances. :)
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

This is a little embarrassing (now that I've turned my life over to God, and I'm supposed to be focused on my insides) but I love clothes. Not just shopping for them, but designing and sewing. When I sit at my sewing machine, time seems to evaporate.

Oh how cool! I wish I was skilled behind a sewing machine -- I couldn't sew to save my life!
Your sister, Abbie, had a lot of trouble in her life. How did this effect you and your goals in life?

Well ... it effects me more than it should, most would say. I mean, everyone is encouraging me to just go on with my life, but how can I do that when my little sister needs my support? It just doesn't feel right to go on with my original plans while she can't. Especially since I know if I had been a better role model for her (or, heck, if I hadn't been the one driving her to her boyfriend's house!) she might never have gotten pregnant.


I loved your loyalty to your sister. It was very inspiring. 
If you used one word to describe your personality, what would that be?

Oh, gosh, one word? That's tough. This isn't one word, but I'm not afraid to stand out.

Can you elaborate on your personality a little bit more now?

I've never tried to attract attention, but when you're a Polynesian living in WASPy Kansas City, you can't help it. So I guess I just became used to being noticed, and it's made me pretty bold in some ways. But at other times - especially faith-related - I find myself withdrawing more than I would like. I'm definitely a work in progress.

What is your goal in life?

I want to be authentic. Up until this point in my life, it's felt like I was different with everyone. A "me" with my parents, a "me" with my sister, a "me" with my friends, a "me" with a boy I thought was cute, and so forth. I want to be the same Skylar all the time.

That's great! Not to give away anything in the book, but do you realize your goal or does God show you a different path for you to take?

After the-incident-that-I-don't-want-to-discuss happened, what I really wanted was to feel safe. And it seemed to me that if I was a "good" girl, I would be safe because I wouldn't be putting myself in dangerous situations anymore. But God doesn't want pieces of us, He wants the whole thing.


After going through all the adventures in Me, Just Different, what is one lesson that you really learned from your experiences?

That I won't always feel like being nice and doing the right thing, that sometimes I'll just have to "suck it up and do it," as my friend says. I had tricked myself into thinking that the nice people around me were born that way. It had never occurred to me that sometimes - maybe often - they had to work to be nice.

Thanks SO much, Skylar, for visiting with me!

Thank you so much for having me! Can't wait to send one of my books to one of your readers.

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Not only has Skylar been gracious enough to allow me to interview her, but she is also willing to giveaway a copy of the first book in the series featuring her - Me, Just Different - to one lucky winner! USA ONLY! Enter soon! This giveaway ends on February 4th!

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