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WORK TITLE: What You Left Me
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://bridgetjmorrissey.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2017071694
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2017071694
HEADING: Morrissey, Bridget
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100 1_ |a Morrissey, Bridget
670 __ |a What you left me, 2018: |b ECIP title page (Bridget Morrissey)
PERSONAL
Born in Oak Forest, IL.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and gymnastics coach.
AVOCATIONS:Reading.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Bridget Morrissey is a writer and gymnastics coach based in Los Angeles, California. She writes novels in the young adult genre.
In 2018, Morrissey released her first book, What You Left Me. In this novel, two seniors from the same large class meet the night of their graduation. Martin makes Petra laugh during the graduation ceremony, which relieves some of the pain she has been quietly hiding. Petra experienced a date rape that left her in deep mental distress. She was at the top of her class, but she let her grades slip after the incident. Petra is charmed by Martin on graduation night and accepts his invitation to an after-party. However, when she arrives, she learns that Martin was in a terrible car accident related to drinking and driving. Petra sits by Martin’s side at the hospital. She receives messages from Martin through dreams and visions.
In an interview with Jenn Christensen, contributor to the Hello Jenny Reviews website, Morrissey discussed the inspiration behind What You Left Me. She state: “For years, I’d had an idea for a story about the people we meet in our dreams. I find it fascinating that we can dream up people we’ve never encountered in life, and we can have a full, rich connection with these imaginary figures. That was my starting point for What You Left Me, as the main characters, Martin and Petra, communicate primarily through dreams.” Morrissey continued: “I didn’t want them to be complete strangers in life, though, so I took another story element I love: serendipitous meetings. I wanted Martin and Petra to have one fateful, knockout moment together before everything changes and dreams become the only way they can keep that connection sparking.”
Discussing the book in Kirkus Reviews, a critic remarked: “Characterization is one-dimensional.” The same critic concluded: “A potentially interesting premise is marred by convoluted language, cardboard characters, and dismissive diversity.” Other assessments of What You Left Me were more favorable. Cassie Doyle-Hines, reviewer on the Girls Life website, commented: “This dramatic tale of love and discovery is a true testament to the strength of a newfound relationship.” “Morrissey strikes a graceful balance between poetic description and visceral detail, ultimately delivering a tragic, suspenseful, and inspiring novel,” asserted a Publishers Weekly writer. Nancy K. Wallace, contributor to Voice of Youth Advocates, suggested: “The novel is an excellent example of ‘show don’t tell,’ making it a great choice for both book clubs and creative writing groups.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2018, review of What You Left Me.
Publishers Weekly, April 16, 2018, review of What You Left Me, p. 95.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2018, Nancy K. Wallace and Lena Kalantzis, review of What You Left Me, p. 60.
ONLINE
Bridget Morrissey website, https://bridgetjmorrissey.com/ (September 10, 2018).
Girls Life, https://www.girlslife.com/ (June 2, 2018), Cassie Doyle-Hines, review of What You Left Me.
Hello Jenny Reviews, http://hellojennyreviews.blogspot.com/ (June 1, 2018), Jenn Christensen, author interview.
ABOUT BRIDGET
Bridget Morrissey lives in Los Angeles, California, but hails from Oak Forest, Illinois, a small yet mighty suburb just southwest of Chicago. When she's not writing, she can be found coaching gymnastics, reading in the corner of a coffeeshop, or headlining concerts in her living room. Her debut novel, WHAT YOU LEFT ME, comes out June 2018 from Sourcebooks Fire. Her second novel, A MAP BACK TO US, will follow in 2019. She is represented by Taylor Haggerty of Root Literary.
BRIDGET MORRISSEY
author
FAQS & FACTS
IMG_8921.jpg
FAQS
Q: how many books did you write before WHAT You LEFT ME?
A: I wrote one full manuscript before writing my debut.
Q: Are You Working On ANything Else?
A: I have another YA contemporary coming out in 2019! It's called A Map Back To Us.
q: What are Your Books ABout?
A: Both What You Left Me and A Map Back To Us follow large friend groups made up of messy, loving, strong, curious teenagers. Both deal with the after-effects of tragedy and the way trauma shapes us. Both celebrate the power of friendship and the magic of being truly seen by another person. Both also happen to feature orange houses, broken noses, letters, people breaking into homes, and meaningful midnight wanderings down empty streets.
Q: I've read that you are also a gymnastics coach. Can you teach me how to flip?
A: Yes!
IMG_8782.jpg
FUN FACTS
*I am the youngest of five children. There is a sixteen-year age gap between my oldest sibling and me.
*Much to my parents' dismay, I became a vegetarian at age seven. I have been one ever since.
*When I was in the third grade I wrote a letter to then-President Bill Clinton about animal rights. My mom never mailed it.
*I am left handed.
*I have one tattoo. It's the day the Cubs won the World Series. It also happens to be the day of my parents' wedding anniversary.
*My baby blanket is my most prized possession and I will never get rid of it.
QUOTED: "For years, I'd had an idea for a story about the people we meet in our dreams. I find it fascinating that we can dream up people we've never encountered in life, and we can have a full, rich connection with these imaginary figures. That was my starting point for What You Left Me, as the main characters, Martin and Petra, communicate primarily through dreams."
"I didn't want them to be complete strangers in life, though, so I took another story element I love: serendipitous meetings. I wanted Martin and Petra to have one fateful, knockout moment together before everything changes and dreams become the only way they can keep that connection sparking."
Posted by Jenn Christensen
What You Left Me by Brigid Morrissey is one of those Young Adult Contemporary books where you want to talk to someone about it but you have no idea what to say that won’t be a spoiler. Have you read If I Stay by Gayle Forman? If yes, then you will LOVE this book. If no, then you will still probably love this book. It is a contemporary, yes, but it has some paranormal elements that make for one heck of a sad, but impactful, story. This is one book you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
Graduation day, oh man I definitely hated that day. You have to dress nice, wear a heavy gown over those nice clothes and then spend hours sitting outside in the heat and sun and sweat your butt off. All for what? To get a piece of paper saying you passed the worst part of your life? Graduation day might be a great experience for some people but for most, it’s just another thing to sit through. Luckily for Petra and Martin, they have each other to keep company with while, what seems like the largest school EVER, graduates.
Petra and Martin were two very different people but I think these two very different people needed each other. I can’t help but wonder how their lives would have differed if they had met sooner. Maybe the horrible thing that happened to Petra never would have happened. Maybe Martin wouldn’t have gotten in the car with his intoxicated best friend. But without that last part, this would be a very different book and I sort of, kind of like this book the way it is, even though it is extremely sad.
I love the aspect of the book where just a chance meeting with someone can have such a huge impact on your life. It wasn’t just for Petra and Martin, it was for a lot of things. A lot of people in this book met because of Martin’s accident but a lot of people also suffered because of it. One moment in life can change things so drastically, whether for the better or worse. Life is made up of a ton of these tiny moments and I really loved how the book pointed that out.
Spencer was Martin’s best friend, he was the one who caused the accident, and I think he was the one most impacted by this entire thing. Yes, you would think that causing a car accident because you were drinking would be extremely impactful but he has to live with the fact that he might have killed people and then he has to live with the fact that he no longer has his best friend and then he has to think about all the people who will be missing Martin if he does die. That is a lot of pain to bear alone. I felt really bad for him but at the same time, he got what he deserved for drinking and driving.
In the end, I am so glad I requested to read this book. It was a truly special experience for me. The book ended differently than If I Stay by Gayle Forman did and that ending made the book a lot more memorable than the other book. READ. THIS. BOOK.
Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.
1) What inspired you to write What You Left Me?
For years, I'd had an idea for a story about the people we meet in our dreams. I find it fascinating that we can dream up people we've never encountered in life, and we can have a full, rich connection with these imaginary figures. That was my starting point for What You Left Me, as the main characters, Martin and Petra, communicate primarily through dreams. I didn't want them to be complete strangers in life, though, so I took another story element I love: serendipitous meetings. I wanted Martin and Petra to have one fateful, knockout moment together before everything changes and dreams become the only way they can keep that connection sparking.
2) Why did you choose teenage drinking and driving a plot for your book?
When thinking about how all the pieces of this story would fit together, there had to be a concrete reason for the primary mode of communication to be dreams. I knew first that I wanted Martin to be the one who is unconscious. When fleshing out the characters further, it became clear that Martin was the kind of kid who didn't see his own potential. A leader who let himself be a follower, if only because it kept life simple. His best friend, Spencer, is a bit of a toxic influence on Martin, but Martin allows it because he loves him and they have a storied history together. Spencer brings the drinks to graduation, but Martin participates. Martin agrees to get in the car with him when he knows Spencer shouldn't drive. Martin is lovable, but his flaws catch up to him. A car accident as a result of drinking is an extreme way to highlight that, but I wanted Martin and Spencer's actions to have very real consequences. Because Martin is in a coma for a good portion of the story, he has a lot of self-reflection to do. Drinking and driving is a problem regardless of age, but there is something particularly resonant about two eighteen-year-olds, having just graduated high school, making their first mistake in the real world, and having that mistake alter the course of their lives forever.
3) If Petra and Martin had met sooner, do you think their lives would have been different?
Absolutely. They become each other's safe space. Petra makes Martin more sure of himself. Martin makes Petra less guarded. If they'd met sooner, Martin might have had the backbone he needed to stand up to Spencer.
4) What are some of your thoughts and feelings on how much the Young Adult genre has changed and adapted over the years?(from babysitters club to your current book, perhaps)
I love the way Young Adult fiction has evolved. The quality of work being produced in this genre continues to stun and inspire me. There's always a new way to tell a story. Everyone has a valuable perspective. The more seats we put at the table, the better and smarter and stronger we all become. I'm a millennial, and I've been lucky enough to grow up with this evolution. It really touches my heart to see the amazing generation below me receive exposure to this kind of content even earlier in life than I did, and they are already better for it. More sure of themselves and their identity and opinions in this tumultuous world. Generation Z is just beginning to enter the literary game, and they are going bring those perspectives to this genre and continue to make Young Adult the best place for emotionally resonant storytelling. I can't wait to see how it continues to grow.
5) Are you currently working on any new books?
Yes! I have a book coming out in 2019 called A Map Back To Us. It's set in a small, isolated desert town where secrets are currency and history is only as honest as the person telling it. Five years prior to the start of the story, our main character, Olivia Severton, witnesses the tragic, accidental death of her friend, Marley Bricket. The book picks up on Martey's fifth annual memorial. Questions are raised as to what really happened to Marley, and Olivia reunites her group of childhood friends to pursue the answers. They set out on a scavenger hunt of sorts that takes them all across their town, uncovering pieces of the puzzle and reopening old wounds. Both What You Left Me and A Map Back To Us follow large friend groups made up of messy, loving, strong, curious teenagers. Both deal with the after-effects of tragedy and the way trauma shapes us. Both celebrate the power of friendship and the magic of being truly seen by another person. Both also happen to feature orange houses, broken noses, letters, people breaking into homes, and meaningful midnight wanderings down empty streets.
You might also like:
QUOTED: "The novel is an excellent example of 'show don't tell,' making it a great choice for both book clubs and creative writing groups."
8/7/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Print Marked Items
Morrissey, Bridget. What You Left Me
Nancy K. Wallace
Voice of Youth Advocates.
41.2 (June 2018): p60+.
COPYRIGHT 2018 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Morrissey, Bridget. What You Left Me. Sourcebooks Fire, June 2018. 304p. $10.99 Trade pb. 978-1-4926-
5551-0.
4Q .4P * J * S
Martin, the class clown, and Petra, the "should have been" valedictorian sit next to each other during their
interminable graduation ceremony. Part of a huge graduating class, they have never met before. Petra,
whose grades plummeted after a date rape that she never told anyone about, blossoms in response to
Martin's crazy sense of humor. They part as Martin extends an invitation to his party that night. Gathering a
few of her girlfriends for support, Petra arrives for the party to find Martin's house dark. A quick call to a
friend reveals that Martin was in a car crash on the way home from graduation and may have been killed.
Petra rushes to the hospital to begin a seven-day vigil.
The majority of the book is a series of dreams and visions that Petra receives from Martin. Martin is
horribly injured; the passenger side of the car took the full force of the impact. He claims he is "stuck"
between living and dying. The author's rendering of the agonizingly bitter release of life is heartbreaking for
Petra, for Martin, and for the reader. Both Martin and the driver of the car had been drinking, and they ran a
red light with disastrous results. There are no sermons on drunk driving, only Martin's potential death as its
result. The novel is an excellent example of "show don't tell," making it a great choice for both book clubs
and creative writing groups. --Nancy K. Wallace.
A beautiful story about love at first sight, What You Left Me is a page-turner from start to finish. Readers
meet Petra and Martin at their graduation where they first see each other. When Martin gets in a potentially
fatal car accident right as graduation ends, Petra realizes that she cares for Martin. Launched into a journey
of self-discovery, Petra struggles to keep her secrets from those around her just as Martin struggles to get
back into reality. 4Q, 4P. --Lena Kalantzis, Teen Reviewer.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Wallace, Nancy K. "Morrissey, Bridget. What You Left Me." Voice of Youth Advocates, June 2018, p. 60+.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A545022910/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=de41540a. Accessed 8 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A545022910
QUOTED: "Characterization is one-dimensional."
"A potentially interesting premise is marred by convoluted language, cardboard characters, and dismissive diversity."
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Morrissey, Bridget: WHAT YOU LEFT
ME
Kirkus Reviews.
(Apr. 15, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Morrissey, Bridget WHAT YOU LEFT ME Sourcebooks Fire (Young Adult Fiction) $10.99 6, 5 ISBN:
978-1-4926-5551-0
A group of teens finds friendship in the aftermath of tragedy.
Petra McGowan, sitting next to Martin McGee at her high school graduation ceremony, is uneasy--readers
find out why later--but Martin, friendly and open-hearted, invites her to his post-graduation party even
though the two white teens haven't met before. But when Petra and her friends get to Martin's house, they
find it empty and silent. Subsequently, they learn that Martin and his best friend have gotten into a drunken
driving accident, and Martin is in a coma. The story attempts to unfold: Martin's and Petra's friends forge
bonds in the hospital waiting room, and first Petra and then others begin to encounter Martin in their dreams
while sleeping, which has the ultimate effect of bringing the two groups of friends together and healing an
earlier trauma of Petra's. But too many characters and too many points of view (Petra and Martin tell their
stories in alternating first-person, and the other characters interact with dream-sequence Martin in thirdperson),
as well as some seriously convoluted language that just won't quit, terminally obscure the plot.
Characterization is one-dimensional and revolves primarily around a disdain for high school and parents.
Then there is the gratuitous diversity problem: The Latina, Indian, and black characters exhibit no cultural
distinction beyond skin color or speaking Spanish occasionally.
A potentially interesting premise is marred by convoluted language, cardboard characters, and dismissive
diversity. (Fiction. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Morrissey, Bridget: WHAT YOU LEFT ME." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A534375106/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0204ffdc.
Accessed 8 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A534375106
QUOTED: "Morrissey strikes a graceful balance between poetic description and visceral detail, ultimately delivering a tragic, suspenseful, and inspiring novel."
8/7/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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What You Left Me
Publishers Weekly.
265.16 (Apr. 16, 2018): p95.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* What You Left Me
Bridget Morrissey. Sourcebooks Fire, trade
paper $10.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-4926-5551-0
This absorbing first novel begins on graduation day. High school seniors Petra and Martin meet and form an
unexpected bond while stuck "in the middle with 876 other sweaty kids" during the long ceremony. The two
plan to see each other again at Martin's graduation bash, but a car accident puts him in the hospital and the
party never occurs. While Martin lies in a coma, hovering between life and death, Petra knows his brain is
still intact; he's entered her dreams to let her know, and she isn't the only person he's visited. Alternating
points of view within chapters and intermingling dream sequences with reality, Morrissey shows how
trauma strengthens existing friendships and brings strangers together. Petra relies on her own friends and
Martin's for support as she desperately attempts to relay a message he's sent her. During the process, she
learns some surprising information about the other teens and begins to come to terms with a dark secret that
she has been hiding for too long. The extended use of dreams is a risky device, but Morrissey strikes a
graceful balance between poetic description and visceral detail, ultimately delivering a tragic, suspenseful,
and inspiring novel. Ages 14-up. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Waxman Leavell. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"What You Left Me." Publishers Weekly, 16 Apr. 2018, p. 95. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A536532801/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2c45bdd9.
Accessed 8 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A536532801
QUOTED: "This dramatic tale of love and discovery is a true testament to the strength of a newfound relationship."
Rad Reads
Review: What You Left Me by Bridget Morrissey
Imagine having an instant connection with your true love in the last moments of your high school career. After preparing to leave your old life behind, you are suddenly given a reason to hold on. Bridget Morrissey’s What You Left Me details the complicated experiences of an unexpected connection.
High school seniors, Martin and Petra instantly connect when they are seated next to each other at their commencement ceremony. Even after walking past each other in the hallways, Martin and Petra discover a new connection, as if they’re strangers.
Their simple love story is interrupted in an instant when Martin is in a life-threatening car accident. Petra is left putting her life back together as Martin lays in a coma. Surrounded by friends and family, Petra pieces together dreams and memories to keep their connection strong. She strives to uncover the truth of this heartbreaking situation and finds that the unexpected bond she and Martin share is his only hope at waking up.
This dramatic tale of love and discovery is a true testament to the strength of a newfound relationship. Surrounded by all those who love him, will Petra be able to wake Martin?
What You Left Me by Bridget Morrissey is available for purchase HERE and in bookstores everywhere!
What would you do if you were in Petras situation? Let us know in the comments!
Photo credit: bridgetjmorrissey/ Instagram
POSTED IN BOOKS, Rad Reads
BY CASSIE DOYLE-HINES | 6/2/2018