Sink or Swim
by Stacy Juba
April 2011 Book Pick

Cassidy Novak made the decision to go on a reality TV show to attempt to win money. She wanted to use this money so that she could open up her own health club. Unfortunately for her, she lost and then her world turned upside down. Instead of returning to her former life, she was thrust into the world of "celebrities." She immediately appeared on radio shows and held phone interviews, but in the process, it became apparent that she had a stalker. She looked over her shoulder everywhere she turned and feared for her life when bad things started happening to her reality show competitors.

Cassidy was torn between living her life and trying to keep herself and her family safe. She made a friend in a photographer, Zach, who was assigned to assist in a story of her day-to-day life. She began to trust him more than she ever trusted any man, but when the stalker goes too far, she sees that things aren't as clear as they should be with Zach. Will Cassidy catch her stalker before it's too late?

Book clubs will have a wonderful time because there is plenty to talk about. I personally find it somewhat difficult to read a mystery for a book club selection because things are tied up concretely at the end, but Stacy has created another mystery story that will leave you wanting to talk about it.

Book Club Picks: Sink or Swim Discussion Questions

1. If you had the opportunity to be on a reality TV show (a reality game show), would you? Why or why not?
2. Did you ever think about the possible situations that could arise from being thrust in the public eye as a reality game show contestant?
3. What did you think when Cassidy's stalker was revealed?

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Stacy Juba, author of Sink or Swim

Cassidy was a contestant on reality game show. Are you a fan of these types of shows? If you had the opportunity to be on one, which one would it be?

I watch a few here and there, such as Wife Swap, but my favorite type of TV show is sitcoms as I like to laugh. I don't have a lot of time to watch TV, so there are only a handful of shows that I watch on a regular basis and most of those are sitcoms. If I could go on any reality show, I'd probably select a home makeover-type show such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I'm so busy that I don't give my home the attention that it deserves and I could probably use some help in that area!

Sink or Swim interview with Stacy Juba

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Stacy Juba, author of Sink or Swim

Where did the idea to "explore" the possible after-effects of being a normal person, made TV celebrity, come from? Did you take any of the situations that Cassidy faced from actual events?

Reality shows are so popular nowadays, and when shows like Survivor were first taking off, I remember thinking it must be hard for reality show fans to adjust to a new cast every year. You get used to tuning in to watch these people every week, and then they're gone. Actors and actresses on traditional TV shows might appear on their show for several seasons, or if it gets cancelled, you'll probably see them in a new show at some point. Many reality show contestants, however, go back to their normal lives once their stint ends. I just got this idea: what if a fan fixates on a reality show contestant and is devastated when she's no longer on TV every week? I made it all up and didn't take it from any actual events, but I did research celebrity stalkings, interview police officers and a criminal psychologist, and take a one-day firearms class to lend authentic details to the book.

Sink or Swim interview with Stacy Juba

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Stacy Juba, author of Sink or Swim

Cassidy had a non-existent relationship with her biological father and that tainted her views in her personal life. Why was that important to the character and the story?

Cassidy's father took off when she was about four years old, and she was crushed that he could leave her like that. She got over it by acting as if she didn't care, when in fact, she felt deeply betrayed. She grew up independent, with a chip on her shoulder. Cassidy is very ambitious and focuses on her career so much that she doesn't have time for friends or romance, at least up until now. Cassidy thinks she has something to prove to herself, but she's actually trying to prove to her father that she didn't need him after all. She goes on the reality show hoping to make money to launch a chain of fitness centers - and she subconsciously hopes that her father will see her on TV and regret leaving her. This vulnerability about her father also carries over to her love life, as Cassidy is reluctant to let anyone get too close. It's easier to keep people at a distance rather than risk falling for someone hard and getting hurt in the end, but when she meets the character of Zach in the book, she's conflicted with a lot of different feelings. Throughout the course of the book, Cassidy needs to identify what she really wants out of life and decide how much she is going to let the events of her past shape her future.

Sink or Swim interview with Stacy Juba

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Stacy Juba, author of Sink or Swim

You have some endorsement quotes from some reality show contestants on the back of your book. Did you have the opportunity to talk with them about their experiences?

I was fortunate enough to receive endorsements from three-time Survivor contestant Stephenie LaGrossa, Michelle Costa from Big Brother 10, and Shawne Morgan from The Amazing Race 16. I didn't interview them for the book, but I asked them to read the complete manuscript to see if they felt comfortable giving an endorsement. I also wanted to get their reaction as to how accurately the book portrayed the reality show experience, as there was still time to make changes before it went into production. They all told me that the reality show aspects of the book rang true. Stephenie wrote a long endorsement, discussing the similarities between herself and Cassidy, which I wound up publishing on my blog. I'm still in touch with Michelle Costa via Twitter and Facebook, and she recently interviewed me on a reality-TV show-themed radio program, and I'll be interviewing her on my blog this spring. It has been interesting connecting with actual reality show contestants, and gratifying to know that I got the gist of the experience right.

Sink or Swim interview with Stacy Juba

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Stacy Juba, author of Sink or Swim

I loved this book just as much as I loved Twenty-Five Years Ago Today. Can you tell us what you are working on next?

Thank you! My young adult paranormal thriller Dark Before Dawn will be released by Mainly Murder Press in January 2012. I think adults would enjoy the book also, even though the protagonist is a teenager, the same way that many adults enjoy books such as the Twilight series. Dark Before Dawn is about a teenage psychic who has always considered herself a misfit. She moves with her family to a new town and gets involved with two other girls and their mysterious fortuneteller mentor. When she learns her new friends may be tied to two bizarre murders, she has an important choice to make - continue developing the talent that makes her special, or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her.

In addition, I had a young adult novel published with Avon Books many years ago, titled Face-Off, which is long out-of-print. I'll be releasing a new edition of the book in the next year or two, as well as it's never-published sequel Offsides. As far as mystery novels, I have a novel in progress called Sign of the Messenger which I needed to put aside for awhile to focus on promoting my published books, but I plan to finish it within the next couple of years. I'm planning that one as the first in a series about a psychic healer who co-owns a metaphysical shop - and gets involved with investigating crimes, of course!

Sink or Swim interview with Stacy Juba

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