Behind the Scenes with Tegan Quin

What was your favorite book as a child? 
“Discovering Ramona Quimby definitely jumps out as a pivotal reading experience for me. I was really coming online as a person, my personality was starting to formulate, and I just fell completely in love with those books. Ramona was curious, mischievous, imaginative, and unapologetically herself. I remember seeing parts of myself in her and wanting to be more like her at the same time.” 

What book feels like home to you? 
“Anything by Judy Blume immediately transports me back to my childhood. Reading was something I loved to do alone, and there was something about curling up with a book that made me feel mature and independent. Even now, reading is one of the ways I ground myself. Judy Blume's books remind me of where that love began.” 

Who are your favorite writers? 
“When I was young, I loved Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and Robert Munsch. They all had a remarkable ability to take children seriously while still being funny, imaginative, and entertaining. As an adult, my reading tastes have broadened considerably but those writers were foundational for me, and I try to infuse as much of them into my work as I can.” 

Which character from your books would you most likely befriend? 
“Sara and I wrote a series of graphic novels, Junior High and Crush, loosely inspired by our lives growing up and starting a band.
In Crush, we created a completely fictional character named Nite Fever. She was the aspirational mentor we both wished we'd had when we were young musicians. We were desperate for support, advice, and someone to look up to, but we didn't really have that person in our lives. Nite Fever is an amalgamation of everything we wanted and needed at that age. If I could bring any character to life and befriend them, it would definitely be her.” 

What's one thing every great bedtime story needs? 
“A little mystery and a little suspense. You want just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning, but not so much that you're up until three in the morning finishing the book.” 

What's one moment in your life that felt straight out of a novel? 
“Honestly, my entire life sometimes feels straight out of a novel. Being an identical twin is already a unique and fascinating way to move through the world. Then, as an adult, I got to become a musician and a writer, travel the world, and play shows for thousands of people. 
When I step back and look at it all, there are so many moments that feel improbable and surreal. But maybe that's what makes a good story—the combination of ordinary life and extraordinary circumstances. I've been lucky enough to experience plenty of both.” 

If your characters could critique you, what would they say? 
“A lot of the characters in my books are based on younger versions of myself. I think if those younger versions of me met me today, they'd probably tell me to chill out, enjoy my life a little more, and relax. 
It's been an interesting experience writing about my younger self over the years. When Sara and I wrote our memoir, I found I was surprisingly judgmental of who I was as a teenager. But by the time we got to writing our graphic novels, where we were creating fictionalized and modernized versions of ourselves, I found I had a lot more empathy for that younger person. 
Writing fiction gave me some distance, and with that distance came compassion. I think that's something many of the characters in our books have taught me: be kind to yourself. We spend so much time judging who we were or worrying about who we're becoming, but a little self-compassion goes a long way. If there's one message I hope comes through in our stories, it's that being gentle with yourself is just as important as being kind to everyone else.”