Ask the Author: Phil Stamper
Answered Questions (19)
Phil Stamper
The inspiration for The Gravity of Us stemmed from my admiration for the 60s space race and the missions that followed. Over the last decade, I've read dozens of astronaut/engineer memoirs, watched every documentary I could find, and I've even been known to raid antique shops in my search for LIFE magazines from the era.
While I've always been fascinated by the science and technology behind these missions, one thing always called out to me in the background of every memoir or documentary. The astronaut families essentially became the celebrities of this era, frequently gracing the covers of magazines and giving interviews for national news outlets. This meant the astronauts' spouses and children had to be immaculately dressed, polished, and ready to entertain, all while not knowing if their husbands or fathers would come home alive that night.
In The Gravity of Us, I wanted to capture this brilliant tension while also showcasing a contemporary queer love story. Thanks for this question!
While I've always been fascinated by the science and technology behind these missions, one thing always called out to me in the background of every memoir or documentary. The astronaut families essentially became the celebrities of this era, frequently gracing the covers of magazines and giving interviews for national news outlets. This meant the astronauts' spouses and children had to be immaculately dressed, polished, and ready to entertain, all while not knowing if their husbands or fathers would come home alive that night.
In The Gravity of Us, I wanted to capture this brilliant tension while also showcasing a contemporary queer love story. Thanks for this question!
Phil Stamper
I grew up in a small village about 15 minutes west of Dayton!
Phil Stamper
What a FANTASTIC question! I'm a pianist, and have been playing piano since I was about 3 years old. I actually have a B.A. in Music from the University of Dayton, and I was really into drama in high school - so you can say I visited a lot of other creative fields before landing on writing. I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to performing, so if I had to pick another specific creative field, I would pick music composition- especially for films or video games! :)
Phil Stamper
Oh no, have I called it GRAVITY so much that people think that's the full title???? Lol! The full title, THE GRAVITY OF US, was not the original title. As a WIP, the title was ASTROKIDS—a play off what the 60s and 70s astronauts' children were often called.
When my agent pointed out that it sounded too MG (which I totally agreed with!) I had my friend Jo - a title wizard - come up with a few options. THE GRAVITY OF YOU was my favorite, then my agent suggested the tweak of changing YOU to US, and boom- we found the perfect title... with little to no help from me lol
When my agent pointed out that it sounded too MG (which I totally agreed with!) I had my friend Jo - a title wizard - come up with a few options. THE GRAVITY OF YOU was my favorite, then my agent suggested the tweak of changing YOU to US, and boom- we found the perfect title... with little to no help from me lol
Phil Stamper
After reading SIMON, I really fell into the world of YA contemporary. It was the first time I really saw myself on the page, and the power of that led me to writing queer YA contemporary.
Honestly, Mars is ... far away. I don't know if I could give up years of my life for a journey like that. That said, I would 100% go into space if I was given the opportunity, regardless of any risk. I'd just like it to be a shorter trip. ;)
Honestly, Mars is ... far away. I don't know if I could give up years of my life for a journey like that. That said, I would 100% go into space if I was given the opportunity, regardless of any risk. I'd just like it to be a shorter trip. ;)
Phil Stamper
On some days, I hope my readers gain an understanding of the underlying themes of my book—for GRAVITY, for instance, readers might see how holding onto the past can really get you caught up in the present.
But at the end of the day, I want readers to get an entertaining contemporary story. I want queer readers to see themselves on the page. In GRAVITY specifically, I want them to see a world where queerness is normalized, and give readers a romance to get wrapped up in, set against the fascinating backdrop of a human mission to Mars. Either way, I want readers to be entertained, and I hope my work resonates with them!
But at the end of the day, I want readers to get an entertaining contemporary story. I want queer readers to see themselves on the page. In GRAVITY specifically, I want them to see a world where queerness is normalized, and give readers a romance to get wrapped up in, set against the fascinating backdrop of a human mission to Mars. Either way, I want readers to be entertained, and I hope my work resonates with them!
Phil Stamper
Thanks so much for asking, Kip! I relied a lot on old LIFE magazines from that era—LIFE had exclusive rights to the astronauts, so they were always featured on covers and in long articles, and Google Books has the full archive, which I totally geeked out over. I've also read about every memoir from the various astronauts, scientists, etc. who were a part of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions, and though I loved the science and sense of adventure from the flights themselves, I kept finding myself drawn to stories of the astronaut families. How their lives were completely uprooted, and they suddenly found themselves on the cover of magazines, giving interviews, smiling for the cameras when they had no idea whether their husband/father would make it back home that day.
Phil Stamper
Thank you! My book is categorized as a YA contemporary novel, but obviously some of the lines are blurred—it takes place in a (very) near-future America, the human spaceflight element will appeal to lovers of sci-fi, and historical fans will enjoy the reimagined 60s space race setting. (Not to mention there's plenty for romance fans to love. *heart eyes*) So there's a little something here for everyone. :)
Phil Stamper
I really do try to read everything. I read YA contemporary the most, but I'll cycle through sci-fi, fantasy, historical, thriller, YA or adult—I like it all! Anything that feels like a good adventure story will have me HOOKED, regardless of genre.
But if I could instantly write a book, and do it well, I'd probably write a thriller. I am comfortable writing contemporary, but whenever I try to write a thriller I worry too much about writing good twists, and giving readers the right information at the right time... and end up scrapping it. So I'd really like to sit down and instantly write (a bestselling?) thriller.
But if I could instantly write a book, and do it well, I'd probably write a thriller. I am comfortable writing contemporary, but whenever I try to write a thriller I worry too much about writing good twists, and giving readers the right information at the right time... and end up scrapping it. So I'd really like to sit down and instantly write (a bestselling?) thriller.
Phil Stamper
Ooh, great questions. I devoured anything by Agatha Christie as a teen. Though I don't ever plan on writing cozy mysteries myself, there's nothing quite as nice as escaping into a good one for a few hours!
And I wish SIMON VS had been published as a teen. Seeing myself on the page in a cute, hopeful contemp romance would have been monumental at that time. :)
And I wish SIMON VS had been published as a teen. Seeing myself on the page in a cute, hopeful contemp romance would have been monumental at that time. :)
Phil Stamper
I've always been obsessed with NASA's 60s/70s space programs, so I knew one day I'd write a YA contemporary or historical in that setting. Obviously writing a sci-fi might have made more sense with current YA trends, but to me, what was happening on the ground in that era was even more fascinating.
Originally, I wanted to write a gay teen love story into the Mercury/Apollo missions, but as I started to develop the characters in that historical setting, I kept thinking the story felt more relevant and exciting as a contemporary (/near future) piece. So I scrapped it and rewrote it as a contemporary for NaNo 2016. I thought I'd just give it a shot, and it became my debut!
Originally, I wanted to write a gay teen love story into the Mercury/Apollo missions, but as I started to develop the characters in that historical setting, I kept thinking the story felt more relevant and exciting as a contemporary (/near future) piece. So I scrapped it and rewrote it as a contemporary for NaNo 2016. I thought I'd just give it a shot, and it became my debut!
Phil Stamper
Sure! The main character, Cal, is an up-and-coming internet celeb famous for his amateur journalism on a social network that's a cross between Instagram and YouTube. He's a New Yorker who's forced to move to Houston once his dad becomes an astronaut for the Orpheus missions—the first to take a human to Mars. While NASA turns the missions into a spectacle, trying to recapture the drama and "perfect American family" feel of the 60's space race, Cal meets and subsequently falls for Leon, the son of the most well-known astronaut who's buckling under the media's pressure. Aaaaand I'll stop there as to not get into spoilers. ;)
Phil Stamper
I like the "(if any)" - could you imagine if I said "no I'm all the inspiration I need" lol
But actually SO MANY authors inspire me, but I'll try to keep it to three: Nic Stone's pacing is perfection, Caleb Roehrig's characters are perfection, and Jeff Zentner's prose is perfection. Basically, I'm saying their writing is PERFECTION and I'm inspired by them every time I write.
But actually SO MANY authors inspire me, but I'll try to keep it to three: Nic Stone's pacing is perfection, Caleb Roehrig's characters are perfection, and Jeff Zentner's prose is perfection. Basically, I'm saying their writing is PERFECTION and I'm inspired by them every time I write.
Phil Stamper
I'm OBSESSED with spaceflight, and I always have been. But writing sci-fi just isn't my thing (though I love to read it!) so I never knew how to incorporate my love of space into my contemporary YA writing.
I've read just about every Mercury- and Apollo-era memoir out there, and while reading THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB, I realized that I was equally obsessed with the dynamics of the astronaut families—those who were left on the ground, thrust into the spotlight, and expected to be picture-perfect American families... all while dealing with the stress of knowing the astronauts are risking their lives every day.
Though this is a present-day story of a NASA mission to Mars, I wanted to pull in the family dynamics of the space race era and build in a love story between two sons of astronauts. And I'm so excited to share it with the world! :)
I've read just about every Mercury- and Apollo-era memoir out there, and while reading THE ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB, I realized that I was equally obsessed with the dynamics of the astronaut families—those who were left on the ground, thrust into the spotlight, and expected to be picture-perfect American families... all while dealing with the stress of knowing the astronauts are risking their lives every day.
Though this is a present-day story of a NASA mission to Mars, I wanted to pull in the family dynamics of the space race era and build in a love story between two sons of astronauts. And I'm so excited to share it with the world! :)
Phil Stamper
Ooh, I love this question. I'd say Chelsea Sedoti and Jeffery Self, both of whom have AMAZING YA contemporary voices.
Phil Stamper
My second book with Bloomsbury will come out winter 2021, and I should be able to talk more about that one at the end of this year (we're still figuring out exactly what will follow GRAVITY, and for now, GRAVITY edits are taking priority!) But yes, I have some new books in the works and I am DYING TO TALK ABOUT THEM!
Phil Stamper
I have problems writing when I listen to music with words, so I always stick to video game music. That said, some VGM can be really distracting sometimes. Once I discovered this arranger who makes "melancholy" remixes of Final Fantasy music, I was hooked: https://www.youtube.com/user/phoenixr...
Phil Stamper
Hmm, since this was my first NaNo story, I think finishing the first draft in a month was extremely rewarding for me. I'm not much of a plotter, but I stuck tightly to a beat sheet with this MS, and it taught me that I could write quickly if I had a strong plan in place before drafting. (So I can spend more time revising, which I find more exciting anyway!)
Phil Stamper
Nope! GRAVITY is the fourth novel I wrote. My first was a YA dystopian that was eventually featured on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/story/3822551...
My second was pitched as "Twister for teens" and was the book that got my first agent. My third was my first queer/OV book and is the book of my heart—hopefully that'll make it on shelves one day. :)
My second was pitched as "Twister for teens" and was the book that got my first agent. My third was my first queer/OV book and is the book of my heart—hopefully that'll make it on shelves one day. :)
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